Julia Weilant
High School: Notre Dame Preparatory, Class of 2019
Building Bridges Advocate: Kim Daenzer
College: B.A., Oakland University, Creative Writing (specializing in fiction) (2022)
Future Plans: To be a writer who tops the New York Times Bestseller List and develop a movie adaptation that rivals The Lord of the Rings
Fun Fact: She loves fashion!!!
Even as a NDP freshmen, Julia was a confident, secure student who knew who she was, what she liked, and what she wanted to pursue. She entered NDP with a love for books and knew that she wanted to be an author, as, even then, she described writing as her “one true passion”. She dreamed of being able to converse with other writers (her favorite being J.K. Rowling at the time) and understand “the inner workings of their genius”.
After NDP, Julia honed in on mentors to round out her college experience, including a writing professor, a Chinese professor, and NDP Librarian Megan Rochon–who consistently pushed her out of her comfort zone. She credits these women with helping her to grow her love of reading, writing, language, and her understanding of the world around her. She has pursued a Master’s degree in Library Sciences and feels that the best parts of her are due to their influence.
Today, she is thankful to Building Bridges for giving her a community in a school where, at the time, she felt that she didn’t have anyone else like her. “I got a great education that came with a “fast pass” through college. I’m now a 20 year-old getting my Master’s degree and I couldn’t have done that without the support of Building Bridges and the education I got at NDP.”
How can you help Julia?
Julia is hoping for a graduate level summer internship at Cranbrook, the Detroit Institute of Arts, or a similar museum that houses a large collection of historical fashion or costumes. If you or someone you know has a connection for Julia, please email buildingbridgesdetroitalumni@