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ripple on crystal clear water revealing smooth stones beneath the surface
ripple on crystal clear water revealing smooth stones beneath the surface
Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash

Kelly Witzl: Badass Girl Alert

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Emma Hoey
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UVM chapter.

 

For the entirety of fall semester, I would walk by Kelly Witzl and her jewelry table inside the Davis Center, out of the green, and around campus. Always intrigued by the everlasting line and crowd surrounding her table, I finally made the decision to peek my head around all the man-buns to see what was up.

Now, I’m obsessed. I love shopping, especially from small businesses and looking for handmade personal items. I bought a blue, porcelain and rope charm for my keys and people comment on its intricacy and uniqueness every time I have it out. My obsession with my little charm I bought from Kelly off Venmo gave me the idea to get to know about Kelly and her business on campus. Here is what she shared with me; I can’t help but share it with the rest of UVM too:

 

Kelly: So I started making and selling jewelry at 13 for my family and friends then did my first show when I was 14. Since then I have been doing craft shows at local churches and flea markets around my county. I ended up making a few thousand this way over time, and then I used the money to pay for my first semester of college at UVM.

 

Since I am paying for college on my own and haven’t taken out any loans yet, I am taking a Leave of Absence to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. The PCT is a 2,660 mile footpath stretching from Mexico to Canada. Over the summer my best friend and I discussed doing this trail, but when he committed suicide in September I knew I had to do it.

So I have been selling my jewelry at UVM on the Facebook marketplace, sitting on the redstone green, and eventually in the Davis Center to try to raise money for my 5-6 month hike I will be taking this April.

 

https://secure.hikeformentalhealth.org/np/clients/hike/campaign.jsp?campaign=102&fundraiser=6399

Kelly Witzl’s Fundraising Page

I chose to make HIKE for Mental Health a part of my Pacific Crest Trail hike so I can raise funds for a great cause and reduce the stigma of mental illness.

secure.hikeformentalhealth.org

 

I am also doing a fundraiser for this AWESOME non-profit that supports research for mental health and wilderness protection!

So basically Kelly is a badass woman on campus and Her Campus UVM is totally supporting her in her ventures. We can’t wait for Kelly to be back on campus in the fall.

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I'm Emma, an 18 year old figure skater and artist from the Boston Area. I am a first year student at the University of Vermont majoring in Studio Art and Psychological Sciences as part of the Integrated Fine Art's Deans program, while participating in Hillel, and The UVM Figure Skating Club as a member of the UVM Synchronized Figure Skating Team as well as the Ice Cats performance team. I am the Editor-in-Chief of the Her Campus UVM Chapter and also the Campus Correspondent. I am passionate about fashion, writing, feminism, beauty, living green, and travelling. I believe in being confidently beautiful and empowering women to feel the same!