Student Name: Sanchita Shrivastava
Major: Computer Science and Business
Hometown: Indore, India
Objects:
- An LED lamp from The Hatchery program, decorated with a globe and an airplane (to represent her dream of traveling).
- Her Leela dance team sweatshirt (representing finding friends and building confidence through dance).
Meaning Behind the Object: During Shrivastava’s first summer at Lehigh, she made an LED lamp from scratch through the Hatchery program but had to decide how to decorate it. While coming to the U.S. for college, she decided she wanted to travel more and added a globe with an airplane going around it to the lamp to make it travel related. Looking back, she’s also traveled to Antigua and Barbuda through Lehigh, as well as visited a number of U.S. cities so she believes the lamp has helped make her traveling dream come true. Another object that became important to Shrivastava during her time at Lehigh was her Leela—Lehigh’s Indian fusion dance team—sweatshirt. Before coming to college, Shrivastava said she never danced, but joined the group as a way to find more friends. But the team ended up becoming such a large part of her time at Lehigh. Not only did she meet some of her closest friends, the dance team allowed her to build her confidence by going from someone who did dance, to performing on stage for four years.
The Class of 2026 reflects on the keepsakes, memories and milestones that shaped their Lehigh experience. Through personal stories and meaningful objects, these Future Makers share moments of growth, discovery and connection. Read the stories behind the keepsakes, or view the expanded photo essay.
