Cello Lockwood ’19: Making Fashion More Sustainable
At Whitman College, Cello Lockwood ’19 found room to pursue all her passions—for economics, the environment, music, athletics and global experiences. Whitman’s broad, liberal arts approach to education gave her the flexibility to explore new ideas and reckon with her deeper personal values, she says. Here she also built the skills to confidently pursue ambitious fellowships abroad after graduation.
Today, as a graduate student researching the economics and environmental implications of the global textile industry, she’s focused on finding equitable, innovative and science-based solutions to environmental challenges.
“Whitman College offered me unparalleled opportunities to pursue my passions both during my time on campus and beyond. In classrooms, clubs, music groups, and sports teams (Go Blues!) I felt supported to go beyond my comfort zone and engage deeply with the challenges at hand.
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Cello’s Pathway
2015 | Admitted to Whitman
from Seattle, Washington, with talent scholarships for music
2015 | Played the trombone
in Whitman’s Jazz Ensemble and Orchestra, serving as a section leader
2015–2018 | Served as a co-captain
of the varsity women’s tennis team, earning academic honors and serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
2017 | Spent a semester in Rome
through Whitman’s study abroad program
May 2019 | Graduated from Whitman
cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics-Environmental Studies
2019 | Completed a Seattle internship
with Fashion for Conservation, learning about the challenges and barriers of implementing sustainable textile production on a global scale
2019–2020 | Awarded a Watson Fellowship
traveling to Australia, Jordan, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Argentina to complete her project, “Economics and Environment in the Equine World”
2021–2022 | Awarded a Fulbright Open Study/Research Award to Italy,
where she conducted research on the transition to a circular economy in the textile industry
2023–2025 | Earned a Master of Science
at the University of California, Berkeley, in the Energy and Resources Group
2025 | Started a doctoral program
at UC Berkeley in the Energy and Resources Group, where she studies the environmental impacts and social implications of the circular economy in the textile industry
“The guidance and support of professors and advisors at Whitman was instrumental to receiving a Watson Fellowship and subsequent Fulbright Research Grant. I continue to honor the encouragement and confidence I received from Whitman as I pursue graduate studies in the Energy and Resources Group at UC Berkeley.
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Upward Pathways. Our alumni’s diverse student experiences and career paths showcase the transformative power of a Whitman education. Find other Upward Pathways.