Sanjana Priyonti, Executive Editor
Sewanee was never supposed to be the obvious choice for Elizabeth “Lizzy” Donker. Coming from a family already familiar with the University, she originally imagined making her own path elsewhere. “You always want to go to a different University than your sister,” she said. But one visit to the Mountain changed everything. “I ended up visiting here with my sister just to see it,” Donker said. “And then I fell in love with it.” That moment of unexpected certainty was the beginning of her Sewanee journey.
Donker, a senior majoring in international and global studies with minors in rhetoric and dance, embodies the kind of interdisciplinary curiosity that Sewanee encourages. Her academic path may seem eclectic at first glance, but for Donker, each field reflects a different dimension of her identity.
International and global studies appealed to her because of its breadth and flexibility. “I’ve always thought the classes were super interesting,” she said. “There’s a lot of variety, and you can really choose classes that match your interests.”
Her rhetoric minor emerged from her passion for journalism, as faculty and peers suggested it would sharpen skills directly relevant to reporting. That advice proved right. Through rhetoric, Donker developed the public speaking and communication skills that would later strengthen her leadership in the newsroom.
Dance, meanwhile, represents continuity with her life before Sewanee. Having trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary styles since childhood, she chose to continue dancing in college simply because she loved it. “I just kept taking classes,” she said, laughing, “and then I thought, I might as well make it a minor.”
Yet it is through journalism that Donker has left her deepest mark on Sewanee.
Without a formal journalism program at the University, Donker sought opportunities wherever she could find them. Rather than accept limitations, she created her own path – a trait that Lee Hancock, faculty advisor to The Sewanee Purple, says defines her best.
“One of the things I’ve admired most about Lizzy is her determination to stick with something and really dig deeply into the subjects she’s most interested in,” Hancock said. “There are not any journalism classes per se at Sewanee right now, and that might lead some people to decide they can’t pursue that academically. Lizzy was undeterred.”
Instead, Donker sought journalism classes abroad, studying in Prague, where she enrolled in courses unavailable to her on campus. “When she couldn’t find the exact kind of classes she wanted, she went out and found them,” Hancock said. “And then brought what she learned back to Sewanee for other people to benefit from.”
This willingness to follow intellectual and personal passions reflects the freedom Donker values most about Sewanee’s liberal arts environment. Whether taking cross-cultural communication courses, studying international women’s voices, or fulfilling her math requirement through “Logic of Puzzles and Games,” she embraced the chance to learn widely and creatively.
That same openness shaped her experience beyond the classroom.
Though Sewanee does not offer a journalism major, Donker found her true training ground in The Sewanee Purple, where she rose to become Editor-in-Chief and helped guide the paper through another year of student storytelling.
“The Purple was such a big part of my Sewanee experience,” she said. “It’s always been super important to me.”
For Donker, journalism is about amplifying voices and uncovering stories that matter. “I love hearing different people’s stories,” she said. “And giving voice to people who might not normally be able to speak for themselves.”
Hancock remarks that Donker’s strength lies not just in reporting stories, but in her willingness to interrogate and refine them. One of her most distinctive qualities, she said, is her rare openness to revision.
“The thing I admire about Lizzy is her willingness to go back and edit and revise,” Hancock said. “She interrogates what she’s learned and makes sure she’s going deep enough.”
That commitment to revision is not always easy, especially when drafts are challenged. But Hancock said Donker embraces that process wholeheartedly.
“Lizzy’s all in,” she said. “She’s not only willing to take those questions, but she runs with them.”
That intellectual rigor has extended beyond the newsroom into her academic research, particularly in her senior thesis, where Hancock has watched her evolve into a stronger writer, researcher, and interviewer.
“It’s been a real joy to watch her get stronger,” she said.
As Editor-in-Chief, Donker pushed younger writers beyond their comfort zones – asking them to tackle difficult stories, ask harder questions, and trust themselves in unfamiliar situations. “A lot of freshmen come in and have never written a newspaper article before,” she said. “You have to push them to take on more difficult stories and ask questions that might make them uncomfortable.” This instinct to challenge others while supporting them made her an admired leader among Purple staff.
Her own confidence, too, has transformed during her four years on the Mountain.
“In high school, I was really introverted and quiet,” Donker said. “Now I feel like I’ve become a much more outgoing person.”
She credits Sewanee’s small, close-knit community for helping make that change possible. In a place where familiar faces greet one another daily and professors know students personally, Donker found space to grow into herself. Among those who shaped her journey most was Professor Sean Rourke, and The Sewanee Purple’s advisor – Lee Hancock, mentors she describes as deeply invested in her personal and professional development.
After graduation, Donker’s next chapter will take her far from the Mountain – to a ranch in Wyoming, where she will spend several months working as a housekeeper and activity guide for guests, leading horseback rides, campfires, and outdoor adventures.
“It’s such a random opportunity,” she said. “But when else in my life will I be able to go live on a ranch in Wyoming that too with my best friend?”
After that, she hopes to pursue journalism professionally, ideally at a newspaper where she can continue telling stories that matter.
One of her favorite Sewanee traditions is tapping the roof of the car when passing through the gates – a tradition she first witnessed as a visitor with her sister and one that often baffles people visiting the university for the first time.
“It’s such a small thing,” she said, “but it feels really special. Like Sewanee is protecting you.”
As she prepares to leave Sewanee, Donker says what she will miss most is simple: the people.
“I’ve made really good friends here,” she said. “That’s my biggest takeaway – I’m just going to miss all the people I’ve met.”