As a boy coming to swimming lessons on the Wabash College campus, Austin Pickett ’26 never imagined the “big city” of Crawfordsville would someday become a second home.

No one in Pickett’s family had attended college, but that didn’t stop him from dreaming. With his family’s encouragement, he traveled the short distance from Veedersburg, Indiana—population 2,100—for a football campus visit his junior year in high school, and “fell in love with the brotherhood and the environment.”

He participated in the Wabash Liberal Arts Immersion Program (WLAIP)—the bridge program designed to introduce first-generation students to college life and allow them to earn their first credit.

“I remember feeling overwhelmed,” Pickett said. “I had imposter syndrome. I told my parents, ‘I don’t think I belong here.’ But as I went through the process, I met more people and started to see my own development and the care the professors had.”

Those caring professors were key.

“They talked to me about how I could improve,” Pickett said with a laugh. “They identified some of my anxiety and helped talk me off the ledge a little bit.”

Now Pickett is a confident political science major and Black studies minor.

He got involved in the Student Senate during his freshman year and is well aware of how important the work of representative government can be.

“I decided to run for student government because I wanted to make an impact on campus and give back to the community that has given me so much,” he said.

Pickett spent the lead-up to his election as student body president visiting a different living unit each week to fully understand their experiences and what they needed from the student government.

“The issues that have concerned me the most have been maintaining a sense of brotherhood and community across campus,” Pickett said. “Part of what makes Wabash so special is the learning we do outside of the classroom and the connections we make along the way, so providing students with more opportunities to do this is an important duty.

“Helping students express their voices throughout the campus and working with the administration to make some of these changes happen has been super rewarding.”

Wabash Democracy and Public Discourse Director (WDPD) Chris Anderson describes Pickett as community-driven.

“He’s done some work through WDPD with DePauw, working with the traditionally Black fraternity and sorority groups and finding ways for those communities to better integrate and connect,” Anderson said. “That’s part of the work he’s doing here with MXIBS, finding better ways for folks to feel connected on our campus. He’s driven by developing strong, robust community where everyone feels included.”

Whether on campus or off, with trustees or students new to campus, Pickett is comfortable.

“Austin is good at moving into different spaces and holding his own,” Anderson said. “There isn’t a situation that I wouldn’t throw him into and feel absolutely comfortable that he was going to excel.”

Associate Professor of Political Science and Pre-Law Advisor Scott Himsel also emphasizes Pickett’s ability to connect with others. Himsel first met Pickett during a sophomore pre-law program Himsel offers every year.

“My reaction was ‘Wow!’” said Himsel. “He has a very pleasant humility about approaching difficult issues in the midst of a world where there’s very little humility.

“I think he's going to be a magnificent lawyer. You have to have the ability not only to listen to your clients, but your clients have to have the distinct impression that you are listening to them and assisting them in shaping their objectives and then going out and achieving those objectives. Austin’s personal style is well suited to success as a lawyer.”

Pickett sees his Wabash journey as a full circle.

From being a visitor on campus to becoming a leader in student government and on the football field, Pickett feels his past self would be proud of what he has accomplished.

He remembered, “I have pictures of me in third or fourth grade, standing right next to the senior bench as different fraternities painted it. Now I've done all this. I've participated. I'm able to sit on the senior bench now.”

Ultimately the legacy Pickett wants to leave behind is one of contributing to Wabash.

“Wabash has given me so much, from teaching me to swim to the leadership qualities that make me who I am today,” Pickett said. “I hope as an alum I can continue that. I always hope I can find ways to impact and ensure that Wabash is improving and that more people are coming here and experiencing it.”