Anna Lu
Anna Lu
College Essay Specialist
Anna graduated with a double bachelor's in Psychology and Creative Writing (specializing in fiction) from the University of Chicago, where she earned honors for her dual-short story BA thesis. She is also a California Arts Scholar, a Governor's Medallion recipient, and a Euphony Journal short story contest winner. She has spent 8 years with ILUMIN helping students navigate the college admissions landscape, including in her capacity as Marketing and Content Manager.
She was a founding member of the neXus Dance Collective and served as its inaugural Performance Line Leader, teaching choreography to all levels and directing a competitive subunit that performed at showcases and regional competitions. There, she honed her passion for mentorship and facilitating both creative and personal development in her students—a passion she now brings to her work at ILUMIN.
As a former ILUMIN student herself, Anna knows firsthand that the ILUMIN team challenges and brings out the best in young students. Drawing from her multi-pronged experiences in creative writing, college admissions, and mentorship, Anna helps students curate their personal stories into thoughtful essays that truly advocate for them, both as applicants and as humans.