Riley Cooper ’26: Storyteller, Filmmaker & Animal Advocate
Riley Cooper ’26 is an English and Film and Media Studies double major from Boulder, Colorado. At Whitman College, she explored storytelling through film while gaining hands-on experience in animal care in the Walla Walla community. As a 2026 recipient of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, her next chapter will continue to build on those passions!
Riley’s Whitman Highlights
- Feature Editor for the Whitman Wire
- 2026 Thomas J. Watson Fellow
- Volunteer with Blue Mountain Therapeutic Riding and veterinary assistant for Blue Mountain Humane Society
As a Film and Media Studies major, Riley created short films, a TV series and co-directed a documentary titled “Sky,” which gained recognition at major film festivals. For her senior thesis, she created a documentary titled “Hitting Your Friends Is Fun,” which follows the Walla Walla Sweets Roller Derby team.
In the Walla Walla community, Riley volunteered with Blue Mountain Therapeutic Riding, where she launched an equine-assisted literacy program and helped secure more than $8,000 in grants. She also worked alongside a high-volume veterinary surgeon through the Blue Mountain Humane Society where she assisted in prepping and caring for animals undergoing procedures.
What’s next? Riley was recently named one of three Whitman Watson Fellows! This prestigious award will take Riley around the world for her project “Animals, Labor and Livelihood,” a documentary series exploring human relationships with working animals across different cultures.
“Walla Walla is an incredible community and a wonderful place to grow into adulthood. I can’t recommend getting off campus enough, whether it’s to volunteer, work, grab a coffee, or go for a walk once or twice a week.
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Meet the Class of 2026
Catch up with more of Whitman’s newest graduates as they looked back at the experiences, friendships and insights that shaped their time at Whitman. Browse more highlights.