Thiel College chemistry, biochemistry student wins first place in national video contest

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College first-year chemistry and biochemistry double major Alannah Estvander ’29 earned first place in the 2025 college video category of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State Student Contest, a national competition that highlights student perspectives on religious freedom and the separation of church and state.

• Click here to watch the video.
• Learn more about the AU Student Contest.
• Read an interview with Alannah Estavander ’29.

Estvander, a 2025 Willoughby South High School graduate from Willoughby, Ohio, created a video examing the importance of maintaining church-state separation and how advocacy efforts protect religious freedom for all. Her submission was selected as the top entry among college video participants nationwide.

Americans United’s annual student contest invites high school and undergraduate students across the United States to explore how religious and nonreligious groups advocate for the separation of church and state and why that principle remains essential in modern society.

As the first-place winner, Estvander received a $1,500 prize, and her video will be featured across Americans United’s digital platforms and showcased at the organization’s Summit for Religious Freedom to be held April 25-27, 2026 in Arlington, Va. and Washington, D.C.

Estvander is a member of the outdoor and indoor track and field teams, Chi Omega sorority, band and the Dietrich Honors Institute. She also participates in the photography, art, and creative writing clubs.

Through her award-winning project, Estvander joins a national cohort of more than 400 student leaders who contributed videos and other creative works for the ongoing conversations about religious liberty and constitutional rights.

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