Isabella Bradburn wanted a challenging educational environment.
Little did she know she found it as a freshman at Shelbyville High School when she did a project for her Preparing for College and Career class on Northwestern University.
“I chose Northwestern just because,” said Bradburn of her PCC class project. “I didn’t think anything of it just … oh purple (school colors) … cool.
“My junior year when I started my college search, I found this actually does sound like the perfect school for me.”
The Shelbyville Class of 2023 Valedictorian plans to study Biology at Northwestern.
Bradburn applied early decision which meant it was an application that got sent in before the main deadline. Once accepted, she said, it meant she had to withdraw any other applications.
“I love everything about Northwestern,” she said. “It’s an R1 school so that checked a box immediately. The academic component, it is not only a rigorous and prestigious university but they have a quarter system which allows for a lot more flexibility for (more) classes.”
The R1 designation means it is a university “at the forefront of research and innovation.” Bradburn believes a research setting is in her future but her love of learning could take her in many directions.
“The flexibility part was really important to me because I don’t want to be there on a career path and study what I need to do to make money,” she said. “I really like learning about the world. It’s an opportunity for me to learn. Like Linguistics, I think I am going to minor or double major in. I know I won’t use it for my career but it’s still an opportunity to learn about stuff that really interests me just for the sake of it.”
With campus located in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Bradburn knows the location will allow her to spread her wings while not being too far from home.
“It’s far enough away to be away from home but not too far that I can’t make a weekend trip if I want to,” she said. “Evanston is a really nice suburb of Chicago. It’s kind of like being in the city (Chicago) but also isolated enough that I won’t be entirely overwhelmed from it.”
Bradburn’s arrival on campus will be the first time she has had an educational experience without one of her parents being nearby. Christina Bradburn was a speech therapist during her time at Loper Elementary School and her father, Vince Bradburn, is a teacher at SHS.
Bradburn was active in band and academic teams while at Shelbyville and recently returned from the Shelbyville marching band trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
“I will miss the small town sense of community,” said Bradburn. “When I got to Evanston, I am going to walk past so many strangers I’ve never seen in my life. Here, just walking through Walmart I recognize a lot of faces. It’s that sense of community that will be missed.”
Between Northwestern’s need-based financial scholarships and additional scholarships she has earned, Bradburn will have much of her undergraduate education paid for before she graduates. Amongst her many honors, Bradburn was one of eight students selected as Honorable Mention to the 2023 Governor’s STEM Team. She also was selected as a Regional Academic All-Star by the Indiana Association of School Principals.
Bradburn also was chosen a semifinalist in the 68th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
This is the eighth in a series of feature stories from the Shelby County Post on Shelby County’s Class of 2023 valedictorians and salutatorians.
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