Isabel Thornberry (Center) with Justyce Pollitt and Lou Charkoudian
Posted: Apr 10, 2024
Ambler Scholar-Athlete Program (PDF)
HAVERFORD, Pa. – Isabel Thornberry '24 has been announced as Haverford's 2024 recipient of the William W. Ambler '45 Award. The honor is presented by the Haverford College Department of Athletics to the senior student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average. Ambler honorees must have participated and started in at least one sport throughout their college career, and have demonstrated commitment, sportsmanship and leadership. Thornberry is the first women's track & field winner since Harper Hubbeling in 2011.
Isabel Thornberry
Sport: Women's Track & Field
Hometown: Louisville, Colo.
Major: Chemistry
Head Coach: Annick Lamar
Advisor: Helen White
Faculty Liaison: Carola Binder
Isabel Thornberry shines as an example of the unique balance that a Haverford College student-athlete must find in order to thrive in an environment that includes an intensive, rigorous academic experience and high-level collegiate athletics.
As the recipient of the 2024 William Ambler Award, Isabel's journey at Haverford is a testament to not only finding balance, but excelling. Managing the rigors of a liberal arts education as a chemistry major while excelling at the highest level as a four-year track & field standout has been no easy feat, but Isabel's time at Haverford has been marked by her unwavering commitment to excellence, both on the track as well as in the classroom and laboratory.
The Colorado native's journey at Haverford College began with a quest for community. "I was looking for a place like Haverford that prioritizes collaboration," she reflects. "Students at Haverford recognize that we learn better together and support each other in growing both inside and out of the classroom. I've met so many amazingly smart people I'm grateful to have learned alongside."
Balancing academics and athletics at a high level is no easy feat, yet Isabel has mastered the art with both determination and joy at the center. "In balancing athletics and academics, I've learned to find and create moments of joy each day," she shares. "Developing a strong routine has helped me stay accountable to my goals on and off the track but doesn't mean that every day has to feel monotonous."
Maintaining that strong routine has helped Isabel throughout the demanding thesis process during a senior season that includes both the indoor and outdoor track & field campaigns. "In my thesis process, I've most learned the power of persistence and diving back in," she reveals. "No thesis ever goes perfectly, nor should it, because part of the process is learning new skills and how to problem-solve."
Professor and academic advisor Helen White, from the Chemistry department, reflects on Isabel's college career with both admiration and respect for that persistence. "Although it may not be immediately apparent, I have come to realize Isabel's fierce independence and adventurous attitude through advising her and witnessing her dedication to her research endeavors," says Professor White.
"She fearlessly embraces new environments and intellectual challenges, immersing herself in projects of significant environmental and societal importance. Isabel is a star, and as her time at Haverford comes to a close, I feel as though I am only now starting to understand just how brightly she shines."
Isabel doesn't just shine bright in the laboratory, of course; she also extends that prowess to the track, where she has left an indelible mark as a scholar-athlete and leader at Haverford in an era of transition within the program. Her accolades include a Second-team All-Centennial Conference award in the 4x400 meter relay at last year's outdoor championships, as well as earning the prestigious Centennial Conference Women's Outdoor Track & Field Performer of the Year Award a season ago.
Women's Track & Field Head Coach Annick Lamar describes Isabel as a compassionate and focused team leader. "As fast as she is on the track - and she's seriously exceptional - and as diligent as she is in the classroom, she's also involved in the larger Haverford community through music and has been the most thoughtful two-year captain who has spent her time creating a safe and inclusive team environment for her teammates."
Finding moments of happiness in every day is something that her track & field experience has certainly made possible, and Thornberry credits her teammates for helping to create those moments. Among Isabel's cherished memories at Haverford are those shared with the fellow members of the women's track & field program ."The women's track & field team is an incredibly supportive community," she reminisces. "I have always been impressed with our team's resilience and commitment to helping each other achieve our goals."
As Isabel's time at Haverford draws to a close, her sights are set on making a positive impact through her academic pursuits. "I'm currently applying for positions that will help me solidify my research interests before applying to grad school in a couple of years," she shares. "I'm interested in biogeochemical research that works at the intersection of Earth's many dynamic and complex systems, especially in the face of climate change."