- Hometown:
- West Lafayette, IN
Annabel (she/her) will major in geography. She loved IU from the moment she set foot on the campus, relishing the “visions for a better world” shared by the students she met and the activism of the professors in her major, who are “doing critical work to create a more sustainable and just future.” Annabel’s proudest achievement is having started a local climate action team during her freshman year, which led to a city climate resolution in her hometown of Lafayette before morphing into a powerful statewide and student-led climate campaign called “Confront the Climate Crisis.” Looking out at the crowd during her first climate strike, Annabel realized that change is possible. Her favorite books include Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Linda See’s The Island of Sea Women and Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were. The best advice she has received is to not let oneself be swept away by the rush of day-to-day life: “Always leave space for moments with yourself and those close to you.” Annabel would like to thank her former English teacher, Ms. Mills, who constantly encouraged her to work for change and her parents for “being the most fearless supporters of every seemingly crazy project I took on.” Annabel would like to study in South America, where she would perfect her Spanish skills, immerse herself in local culture, and learn about sustainable development projects. She is spending the summer of 2022 in Peru, learning about projects to bring education to girls in rural highland communities. Annabel will hold the Fortenberry #2 scholarship in the Wells Scholars Program.