Hometown: Burr Ridge, Illinois
High School: Hinsdale Central High School
Major: Civil Engineering
Minor: Environmental Studies
Rachael Han has played an active role in many activities at Hinsdale Central High School, serving as a senator on Student Council and being on the executive boards for both National Art Honors Society and Peer Leadership. She is also a varsity member of the Poms Dance team, Speech team, and Badminton team, the latter two of which she was a state qualifier. Among these extracurriculars, Rachael also recognizes the importance of academia. Rachael is a National Merit Finalist and spent the summer of 2014 interning at the University of Illinois at Chicago under Dr. Kenneth Brezinsky, a mechanical and chemical engineer, where she conducted her own research project on jet fuel. The summer of 2015, Rachael traveled to Costa Rica on a service trip, where she learned the importance of environmental preservation through completing 39 hours of service in two weeks in the rural village of Yorkin. This trip inspired her to look beyond the scope of her local surroundings and gain global perspective. Rachael prioritizes Santa Clara's interdisciplinary curriculum and values the depth of knowledge that results from partaking in different experiences. In the future, Rachael hopes to leave her mark on the world through environmental innovation.