Bringing Boston to Austin

By Gillian Mahoney | Published May 2026

Cristina Ramirez (LAW’13) never thought she would miss somewhere as cold as Boston. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, she grew up with endless sun-drenched days and live music on every corner. But after attending BU School of Law, living in New York City, and eventually moving back to Austin, she wanted a slice of Boston closer to home. When she found the BU Austin Alumni Network, it was the perfect blend of two worlds.

“Since Austin is so far from Boston, I wanted to be an on-the-ground support person to help run events,” says Ramirez. “Austin is my home, but it’s nostalgic to have a piece of Beantown here. It’s a great way to network, meet new people, and expand my horizons.”

Ramirez has never shied away from getting out of her comfort zone. While she could have gone to law school in Texas, she was drawn to the novelty of living outside of her home state. And though she shuddered at the thought of snowstorms, she took the leap and chose BU Law.

“Experiencing the winter was wild,” she recalls. “I had to get all the gear because I didn’t even have a proper jacket and boots!” Shocking weather aside, the legal world was a new venture for Ramirez, who was the first in her family to go to law school. She was drawn to public defense because of her interest in protecting the rights of vulnerable populations, seeking to make a direct impact for those in need. At BU, she was an active member of the Latin American Law Students Association. She became student government president in her third year and played on the softball team.

“I had a lot of fun at BU,” says Ramirez. “I really enjoyed the collaborative environment and knowing that we were all doing the best we could to become good lawyers.”

Another leap of faith

Ramirez’s taste for adventure carried into the first phase of her legal career when she took a job as a public defender in New York City. While she was energized by her work and her new surroundings, she craved another form of fulfillment. With fond memories of the past three years on her mind, she joined the BU Law Young Alumni Council and helped plan networking events for local alumni.

“I wanted to give back to BU because of all the doors BU opened for me,” she says. As the gatherings gained momentum, Ramirez developed a passion for bringing alumni together and encouraging them to befriend people they wouldn’t normally connect with.

After six fast-paced years in New York, Ramirez returned home to Texas. She lived in Dallas for a couple of years and then settled back in Austin to work at the county’s first public defender’s office. When the BU Alumni Association started hosting their annual BU in Austin Brunch, held at the same time as the SXSW Conference & Festival, she was excited for another chance to meet up with Terriers in her city. But she didn’t know exactly what to expect. “I wondered if anyone from the law school actually showed up to these larger events,” she says. “I didn’t go to BU for undergrad, and I didn’t have those same stories that they had from living in the dorms and sharing those traditions.”

Never one to back down from discomfort, Ramirez headed into her first brunch with a mix of uncertainty and excitement. But she was surprised to find a variety of early- and mid-career professionals spanning degree types, schools, and programs from across the University. It was refreshing to have conversations with alumni whose paths had diverged after leaving Comm Ave—but had been brought back together through their Terrier pride.

From there, Ramirez was hooked. She loved having such a diverse alumni network in her hometown and wanted to help it grow even more. So, when BU officially launched the Austin Alumni Network in 2025, she was one of the first to join the volunteer committee.

Be open to the unexpected

While Ramirez enjoys volunteering at Beanpot watch parties and speakeasy gatherings, scouting venues, and offering tips from a local’s perspective, the unexpected social interactions are what she cherishes the most about alumni events. “Getting to share these experiences with people who have lived in Boston or Allston or Brookline, whether it was 2 or 20 years ago, has been so special. There’s a lot of bonding over our time at BU. We all took the T. We all remember the winters. Some of us here in Austin had never gone through a snowstorm before living in Boston!” Ramirez laughs.

She knows it can be daunting to go to an event with people in different stages of their lives and careers, but she relishes the little bit of daring that comes with it. “It’s so interesting, because I don’t know if our paths would have crossed in any other capacity,” she remarks. One of her favorite memories from this year was the Beanpot Watch Party, where she sat next to an alumna whom she had seen at previous events but had never talked to. The women ended up chatting for the entire game, sharing different experiences and obstacles they were facing in their careers. “I was not expecting to go to a hockey watch party and have such an awesome connection with somebody over something that was so personal and at the forefront of my mind,” Ramirez reflects.

Since the Austin Alumni Network is fairly new, opportunities to get involved are constantly expanding. Ramirez encourages the BU community to be on the lookout. “There are so many opportunities to participate, whether you just want to show up as an attendee or volunteer. It’s important to step outside your comfort zone and be open to what you might experience at an event. You never know what kind of experience you’ll have or who you’ll meet!”

Ready to expand your network, make new connections, and have fun with your local BU community? Join a regional alumni network!

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