Vanderbilt University

04/17/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/17/2025 19:25

CLASS OF 2025: Eliza Hill, changing lives through making

Eliza Hill's eyes glisten as she recounts witnessing a 7-year-old boy named Hugh with radial dysplasia (club arms) feed himself for the first time. He was able to accomplish this life-changing goal because of a device she and a team from the School of Engineering made at a weekend makeathon at the Wond'ry, Vanderbilt's Innovation Center.

"That moment is forever seared in my brain as the most incredible feeling," the chemical engineering major said.

2022 TOM Makeathon group with their need-knower, Hugh (Submitted photo)
2022 TOM Makeathon need-knower, Hugh, testing out a self-feeding device made by students (Submitted photo)

And that was just her first year at Vanderbilt. Fast forward to now, and Hill is a leader in Vanderbilt's chapter of Tikkun Olam Makers, a global movement of collaborators designing life-changing devices like the one they made for Hugh.

"Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that I could have such an impact, especially as a college student," she said. "I love TOM so much, and I am so grateful every single day that I found it."

2023 TOM Makeathon participants (Submitted photo)

Hill said one class in particular has fueled her philosophy of altruistic collaboration.

"My favorite class has been Professor Kevin Galloway's course, How To Make (Almost) Anything and Make it Matter. I've heard that other schools have 'how to make almost anything' classes, but what makes his so unique to Vanderbilt is that we want to make it matter," she said. "That's what Vanderbilt is all about."

"Eliza is driven by empathy and curiosity," said Galloway, who is also director of making at the Wond'ry, Vanderbilt's Innovation Center. "She has a unique gift to make everyone feel welcome and included."

WORLD PERSPECTIVES

Nicole and Eliza Hill (Submitted photo)

You could say that collaboration is built into Hill's DNA. She is an identical twin; she and her sister, Nicole, came to Vanderbilt together from Colorado. But their upbringing started much farther away than the Rocky Mountains. Hill and her siblings were born while their family was living and working in Madrid.

"My parents took a 13-year working adventure in Madrid, so we were all born with Spanish as our first language and went to traditional public schools in Spain," she said. "I'm thankful for my Spanish side, and I loved growing up in two different cultures."

Eliza Hill with her twin sister, Nicole, and brothers Drew and Robby while they lived in Madrid, Spain (Submitted photo)
The Hill family visits the Colorado Mountains; left to right are Robby, Rob, Julie, Eliza, Nicole and Drew. (Submitted photo)

SKY IS THE LIMIT

Eliza Hill pilots a small plane with her parents and sister. (Submitted photo)

The adventure goes beyond living abroad. Her father is a flight instructor, and Hill is working on earning her pilot's license.

"I remember that first time going up into the air-I was so nervous before I got into the plane; I was filled with all this jittery excitement. But then as soon as I took off, it was a wave of calmness, like 'I've prepared for this. I feel confident. I feel good.' I guess that's a pretty great metaphor for life right now," she said, laughing.

Eliza Hill, Class of 2025, chemical engineering major, School of Engineering (John Russell/Vanderbilt University)

After Commencement, Hill is combining her chemical engineering major with her love of mechanical engineering and planes with a position at GE Aerospace. And she plans to stay connected with TOM maker groups wherever she lives.