RIA LOWENSCHUSS Wellesley College

I have spent my life surrounded by women — my mom and her wife, my sisters, my countless grandmothers and aunts and cousins. They have nurtured and motivated me, both personally and academically. As I head to college, I am looking for a community of smart, passionate, engaged women from different backgrounds. This is clearly the type of community Wellesley offers. I am already inspired by the women of Wellesley; Malinda Lo, for example. I read “Ash,” Lo’s queer retelling of Cinderella, while I was questioning my sexuality, giving me much needed representation of the queer community and allowing me to come into my own as a queer woman. In the midst of a wave of book banning, stories that represent all people are more important than ever, especially those targeted at young readers. Malinda Lo has shown courage and passion as she has stood against book bans and advocated for queer young women. I hope to follow in her footsteps and use my time at Wellesley working with queer youth and using literature to spread my voice and fight for what I believe in.

Another role model for me in the Wellesley community is President Paula Johnson. I have been so in love with books that I spent the first part of my life convinced I was meant for the humanities. But when I took my first biology class, my world cracked open. I could suddenly see the intersection of science with issues that were important to me, like women’s health. Throughout high school, I’ve eagerly pursued STEM classes, worked at the University of Michigan women’s hospital, and taken college courses on women’s health and culture. President Johnson inspires me as a scientist and a doctor who has devoted her life to revealing and addressing gender and racial biases in health care and medical research. She inspires me in her commitment to further the education of women in STEM, and in particular through her focus on the social elements that influence our lens of science. I cannot wait to learn in a place that is headed by Paula Johnson. I know that I will thrive as a learner and as a person at Wellesley because it encourages women to do work they love, with an eye toward making a difference in the world.