Lucy Powell wasn't sure she wanted to go to college. In 2019, when she was considering colleges and filling out applications, the pandemic was in full swing. It didn't seem like the optimal time to move to another state to live with strangers in a big dorm.  She also didn't have a clear area of what she wanted to major in.  But despite all the uncertainty, she decided that UVM would at least offer her the chance to explore her options.  Due to the pandemic, she had never been able to tour the campus in person, so Lucy arrived on campus without a true sense of what it would be like. But from the very beginning, she says she felt completely at home.  Everyone was so welcoming.  

Overcoming her initial fears, she next had to figure out what interested her. By consulting with her advisor, she was able to find some first-year courses that really fit her interests. Then, it was her professors who helped her identify her passion for community entrepreneurship, and who encouraged her to get involved in several exciting real-world opportunities. 

"In CDAE, we had so many experiential learning classes where we would learn in the classroom for a few days and then also partner with local businesses and organizations to help them with little projects they were working on. Our professors were always there to support us, to encourage us, and to help us through that process. Getting that hands-on experience outside of the classroom has been so helpful. It has made me realize, 'Oh, this is what I can do with my degree. This is how what I'm learning is actually really important, and this is how I can apply my degree.' We're really supported by professors."

When Lucy says "degree," she is underselling her remarkable academic achievements. She is graduating from UVM with two majors and two minors. She also found time to write for UVM's satirical newspaper, The Watertower, and to pursue other interests, including continuing to ski and snowboard. 

Perhaps it was her own lack of a pre-college tour that led her to become a member of the AdvoCats group, which works with Admissions to host new students and provides them with their first introduction to the UVM campus, a position that she credits to giving her a lot of experience talking in front of large groups.

Lucy's advice to the prospective students she tours, as well other incoming students is simple, "Just try it, because if you don't try it then you don't know whether you like it or not"