Tharini (Raini) Wijeweera joined the College of Science in 2008 after graduating with a degree in Spanish Literature from the University of Arizona. She became the first professional Academic Advisor for the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Driven by her passion for the field, she pursued further education and obtained subsequent degrees in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Linguistics, and Psychology. In 2019, Wijeweera was promoted to Assistant Director of Advising & Student Services for the College of Science. She is known for her strong advocacy for students and her fellow advising colleagues, as well as her ability to effectively navigate complex advising cases.

The University of Arizona played a pivotal role in her family's decision to move to Tucson. In the 1980s, her parents immigrated from Sri Lanka to the United States to pursue their graduate education. Following the completion of her Ph.D., Wijeweera’s mother secured a postdoctoral position with the University of Arizona. Both of her parents retired from the University of Arizona, and her two siblings are also College of Science alumni. She volunteers with the Asian-American Faculty Staff Alumni Club on campus and also serves as an advising liaison for Asian Pacific American Student Affairs. Raini is a Wildcat for Life!