LEGOs et Veritas: A conversation with college freshman Solenne Jackson ’21

Solenne poses outside her residential college on her first day at Yale University

“ASL really prepared me for college… But I don’t know if anything can equip you for linear algebra.” Solenne Jackson ’21, a freshman at Yale, recently returned to One Waverley Place to share the highs and lows of her first semester of college. A Directed Studies student who hopes to major in math and philosophy, Solenne has nurtured deep friendships with suitemates, launches events for undergraduate dining club Y Pop-Up and “pushed herself in so many different ways.”

Getting ready for a Y Pop-Up event

That’s not to say these past few months were without moments of self-doubt or loneliness. “There were times when I felt so overwhelmed and like I didn’t know anything,” she shared candidly. Still, Solenne appreciates the blips for the growth they provide. “An experience worth doing should bring challenge,” she explained. 

Perhaps nothing better illustrates a worthwhile challenge than the competition Solenne entered last year. Obsessed with LEGO as a kid, Solenne’s favorite childhood pastime was to visit the LEGO store in London’s Westfield shopping centre and explore the various LEGO sets on display. Could she design LEGO sets one day, she wondered?

Two of young Solenne's favorite things: LEGO sets and Stitch from Lilo & Stitch!

Fast-forward to high school, when intermittent COVID-related lockdowns severely limited Solenne’s extracurricular schedule. Discovering a LEGO design competition online, Solenne devoted the time she wasn’t in Zoom school to teach herself how to create 3D virtual models. Brick by virtual brick—all 3,000 of them—Solenne rendered the LEGO set of her dreams: a Lilo & Stitch beach house inspired by her favorite Disney cartoon. Her set is now in the running to be developed by LEGO, but first she needs to attain 10,000 votes. Check out Solenne’s Lilo & Stitch design and progress to her goal (7775 votes and counting!).

To learn more and vote, click on her page, visit her on Instagram or follow her QR code below.

Top tips from Solenne: "Once you've clicked on the yellow support button, you need to create an account to verify your support. It only takes a minute to make an account, and you won't receive any spam!"

Solenne and ASL friend Sophia Christodoulou '21 get out the vote for Solenne's LEGO set by distributing QR code flyers in Boston

Let’s rally the ASL community to support this intrepid young alumna making her way in a new collegiate chapter with a big dream!