The Taylor Family Center for Student Success (TFCSS) is a department within WashU Student Affairs that supports first-generation and/or limited-income students to reach their goals. Programming offered through the Taylor Family Center provides opportunities for students to connect with mentors, strengthen professional networks, explore purpose-driven internships, develop financial literacy and build social capital. Aadarsha Gopala Reddy, who has been working at the TFCSS as a Graduate Assistant since Fall 2024, has helped improve the operations and impact of the Center’s programming by applying his academic expertise in data analysis.
Name: Aadarsha Gopala Reddy
Year: Class of 2026
Major: M.S. in Computer Science
On-campus job title: Graduate Assistant
On-campus job department: Taylor Family Center for Student Success
“Aadarsha has made a huge impact on the TFCSS’s evaluation efforts by creating a dashboard that analyzes data and identifies trends across the students we serve,” says Aadarsha’s supervisor and TFCSS Administrative Coordinator, Hope Mabrey. “Using attendance data and self-reporting surveys, not only did Aadarsha provide the TFCSS team with a comprehensive look at the efficacy of our events and the peer mentorship program for the 2024-2025 academic year, he also provided strategic recommendations complete with an intervention plan, with short and long term suggested investments for continuous improvement that will help guide the team for the next academic year.”
Aadarsha says he applied for this on-campus student job because he wanted an opportunity to bridge the gap between his academic studies and real-world application, while also building a strong campus connection and directly support fellow students. And he’s done exactly that!
Reflecting on his role Aadarsha says, “The most rewarding aspect of my assistantship is being able to drive meaningful, tangible change. I have a strong background in organizational efficiency, and applying these skills to help optimize a real university department has been incredibly fulfilling. I also love collaborating with students and co-workers to plan events, which gives me a profound sense of community and belonging.”
Like many on-campus student employees, Aadarsha pitches in where he is needed and contributes to many different aspects of the TFCSS operations. He authors the Center’s digital communication, he audits and creates content for the TFCSS website and social media, and he assists with event coordination. “Aadarsha has done it all in the TFCSS,” says Mabrey, “but I’m happy that he’s really been able lean in to his specialty of data science so that when he leaves the TFCSS and WashU, he’s given us a roadmap to success and can take with him a body of work that he can show off with pride to future employers.”
Aadarsha’s work at TFCSS is a great example of how on-campus student employment opportunities create lasting impact on WashU departments and on the future trajectory of WashU students. “This role has strengthened my communication, critical thinking, compassion, strategy and event planning, among many other skills. Additionally, I’ve vastly improved my technical proficiencies by regularly using tools like Python and Excel. This position has shown me how to deliver tangible results that directly benefit the undergraduate first-gen/limited-income student body. More importantly for my career trajectory, it has demonstrated how data analysis and computer science can be powerfully applied to non-traditional workflows. I am incredibly grateful to have found such a wonderful, supportive department, which is exactly why I have proudly worked with TFCSS for the past two years!”
Inspired by Aadarsha’s story? The Taylor Family Center for Student Success employs about 70 students every year in mentor and administrative roles. Student employment positions, when available, are posted on Handshake.
Written by Sarah Sims, February 19, 2026.
