Balancing the bow with books: Ella Rossetti leaves her mark on Lehigh

Whether she’s playing the cello, grading papers or scoring on the field, Ella Rossetti, ‘25, has made her presence known in many corners of Lehigh’s campus.

As a multi-faceted person — she’s a TRAC Fellow, a Martindale Scholar, the founder of the Medical Brigades Club, the president of Community Growers Club, a member of club field hockey, an orchestra cellist and a teacher’s assistant — the senior will graduate from Lehigh having explored a wide range of opportunities and collaborated with many different people.

In an effort to make the most of her time at Lehigh, Rossetti has taken more than 200 credits and immersed herself in a wide range of clubs and extracurriculars. 

She said one of her most influential experiences at Lehigh was her time in the TRAC Fellows program. After taking the TRAC Fellows program’s introductory course as a sophomore — an experience she said she found transformative — Rossetti later came full circle by serving as a peer instructor for the same class. 

By her senior year, she had taken on a dual role — participating in the program as both a student and a teacher. She said being able to teach a course that had such a strong impact on her was fulfilling and memorable.

“Through my experience in TRAC, I’ve learned a lot about mindfulness and the education system,” Rossetti said. “We focus on understanding how to motivate students to want to learn as opposed to just wanting to earn a good grade.” 

Her efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Justin Greenlee, the director of the TRAC Fellows program, praised Rossetti’s teaching style. 

“It is the way that Ella is interested in developing her students as writers but also the way she thinks about them holistically, particularly when it comes to helping her students find more ease and enjoyment in the academic process,” Greenlee said.

In addition to mentoring her peers, Rossetti will graduate with a dual degree in cognitive science and economics, along with minors in music and psychology. 

Judy McDonald, a professor of economics, said Rossetti stood out in her intermediate macroeconomic theory class — a course many students find challenging — for her engagement, consistent attendance, focus and thoughtful questions. 

“I don’t think I have ever seen someone do so much with such a broad range of talent,” McDonald said.

Rossetti is also a Martindale Scholar, which is a role she had her eye on early. She said she discovered the program around the same time she applied to be a TRAC Fellow and patiently waited until she was a junior and was eligible to apply. The eligibility requirements include being a junior in terms of credits and having a GPA of at least 3.5 or a faculty recommendation. 

“The program offers a unique opportunity for students to do research on a global perspective,” Rossetti said. 

As a Martindale Scholar, she traveled to Taiwan for two weeks, conducted research on the country’s declining birth rate and wrote a paper on the issue. 

But Rossetti’s talents extend beyond academics into music and athletics.  

“I was drawn here because of Zoellner and the opportunity to be a part of the orchestra,” Rossetti said. “The club sports offerings in general, you can’t find that everywhere.” 

Driven by her dream of attending medical school, Rossetti also cofounded the Lehigh chapter of Medical Brigades, which she said is a national network with more than 500 chapters that work to promote equitable healthcare in underserved areas.

She said the process was long, but alongside Dan Wise, ‘25, she built the club from the ground up into the successful organization it is today. 

Rossetti said this past January, the Lehigh chapter sent 13 students to a Mayan community in Guatemala, where access to health care was limited — the nearest hospital was more than two hours away, and some residents lacked running water. 

The group provided free medical care, dental care and medications to more than 160 to individuals in the community, she said. 

When she wasn’t jump-starting her medical career, Rossetti was making a difference in the Lehigh community through her club, Community Growers — a student-led organization focused on sustainability in the Lehigh and South Side communities. 

Elected vice president during her first year at Lehigh, she went on to serve as president during her sophomore and junior years. Under her leadership, the club grew from a small group of five attendees per meeting to an organization with between 40 and 50 active members and sold-out events. 

Reflecting on her time at Lehigh, Rossetti said she appreciated the interdisciplinary nature of her experience and the vibrancy of student involvement across campus.

Following graduation, Rossetti will take a two-year gap to complete her medical school prerequisites. Her ultimate goal is to become a neurologist.

“Ella is an amazing motivator, a fantastic leader, and I hope that other students follow in her footsteps,” Greenlee said.