ELLA VARANO Hometown: West Hartford, CT College: College of Arts and Sciences Major: Design Why did you choose Lehigh? I chose Lehigh because the campus is breathtaking and so are the teachers and the courses. I noticed the fellowships they have are all in the sector of humanitarian work and research. I’ve been honored to be a part of the Global Social Impact Fellowship and traveled to the Philippines. I know that whatever I have an interest in, there is a group of people willing to welcome me to join. Last, I could not be more pleased with the English Department and Global Studies Program. These teachers take time out of their day to ensure my needs are being met. Thank you! What is your favorite class or subject? Professor Mary Nicholas had me wholeheartedly engaged in the pre- and postSoviet literature, music, and pop culture in Imagining Russia Today. Who would have known a class on Russian history and culture could be so engaging? I thank my professor for teaching it in such an engaging way where I also had the freedom to do individual research on topics I was interested in. Also, the discussion-based class dynamic made it enticing as I could share and listen to my classmates’ ideas! I’m also grateful for Satire and Dirty Words in Film and Fiction taught by Professor Lyndon Dominique. Wow! My mind was blown away by the complexity of language and innuendos in classic American and British texts. Interests outside the classroom: This past year I became an active member of the community growers club, where we weeded the flower beds at the MLK Community Garden. Although I didn’t get to see the growth of the planted vegetables and flowers, the students who participated in Mountaintop research sure did! A message from Ella: Financial aid has been a tremendous help. My parents are self-employed and own a restaurant where the pandemic greatly affected the rate of people dining. We had to close for eight months. Coming to Lehigh, I have been able to participate in the things I love most. I went on a two-week trip to the Philippines where I conducted six focus groups with middle-aged women regarding food insecurity. My concept paper for this work got accepted to the IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference in Santa Clara, California. These are the things that I am grateful for getting to do while at Lehigh. So thank you! Favorite Lehigh tradition Le-Laf. The Lehigh pride surely was overwhelming. Brown color everywhere across Goodman campus. Everyone was excited whether we won or lost!
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