FROM THE NEST | SPRING 2023 | 11 She also contributed on Twitter, finding trends and events important to the campaign, such as in support of striking workers at the Philadelphia Art Museum. The Lehigh Experience Henry said her research for her senior honors thesis at Lehigh, in which she was trying to understand how people present themselves online and how that’s perceived by others, aided her in implementing Fetterman’s social media campaign. Her thesis advisor, Jeremy Littau, associate professor of journalism and communication, noticed. “I always saw her flexibility and open-minded pursuit of impact as enabling her to get the most out of Lehigh because she had things she wanted to know before deciding how to act,” Littau said. In following her work on the Fetterman campaign, he said, he was reminded of the questions she asked in her research. “So her success doesn’t surprise me, given how much thought and care she put into preparing the road she was about to travel.” One of her thesis findings was that people can’t differentiate between what they know of someone online and what the person is like in real life. In essence then, she said, what people post becomes part of their identity. A large part of the Fetterman campaign focused on the candidate’s authenticity and values, she said, and that had to coincide with the picture painted online. Overall, Henry said, the Fetterman campaign didn’t have a singular moment that defined its message; it consistently produced moments online. She said the staff also made sure the people engaging with the campaign felt they were being seen and heard. Online content was created specifically for each platform. “I didn’t want it to just feel like a campaign ad, or a ploy to get people to donate,” Henry said. “It was really to showcase who this campaign was— John—and what it stood for, and be fun.” ‘The Right Decision’ Unsure of a career path at Lehigh, Henry expanded her options by majoring in journalism and minoring in political science and sociology and anthropology. An internship through the Marketing Club gave her additional experience. After graduation, she landed jobs in and out of politics that included organizational work and took her to the country’s East and West coasts. While she had job offers in politics, she hesitated jumping in fulltime because she was looking for more stability. It was her father, who grew up in York County, Pennsylvania, just as Fetterman did, who first brought her attention to the politician. At the time, her dad admired Fetterman’s work as mayor of Braddock in the western part of the state. In 2022, Henry offered freelance help to Fetterman’s Senate campaign since she felt passionate about the race. Instead, she was offered a full-time position as social media producer. “I had kind of wanted to stick with my organizing that was in the space that’s still a bit more stable,” Henry said. “But it ended up being the right decision.” Henry is taking her time deciding on her next adventure, but still receiving opportunities. The White House invited her to a viewing party of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, and she live-tweeted from @Annie_Wu_22. She received a surprise visit from first lady Jill Biden and was among the first to greet Biden when he returned to the White House. “I don’t want to pick a job just because this is what’s going to look the best on a resume, or this is the job because it pays the most money,” she said. “I want to do something because I really care about it and believe in it and think I can make an impact there.” —Stephen Gross “ANNIE IS A QUINTESSENTIAL SELF-STARTER CONSTANTLY WORKING HARD TO MAKE MEASURABLE IMPACT.” —The Brown and White Faculty Advisor Matt Veto From left, in photos posted on her Instagram account, Henry reads a copy of The New York Times article featuring herself; with her parents; a viewing party for the State of the Union at the White House; and with political commentator Ayman Mohyeldin on his MSNBC show. Henry will be at the Women’s Summit event on April 29. See page 46 for details.
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