Parlett, who is from Maryland, first discovered Lehigh when she was recruited to play college softball while in high school during the Covid-19 pandemic. During that time, college coaches weren’t able to attend her games in person, she said, and they instead watched the games via online broadcasts.
During the process, Parlett said she researched Lehigh and it “hit every checkpoint of what I wanted in a college: the competitive softball program and academics.”
“I knew that I wanted to do something in engineering, and going to a school like Lehigh gave me the opportunity to study what I wanted and also play softball at a really competitive level,” she said. “And then when I met [women’s softball head coach] Fran Troyan and I had my visit, it was like the icing on the cake, and I committed to play here.”
As a catcher, utility player and former captain on the softball team, Parlett said she has had many memorable moments on and off the field, from defeating Alabama during the opening week of her freshman year season to learning about different disciplines and paths in engineering from her teammates early on.
“I wouldn't have chosen industrial and systems engineering if it weren't for the upperclassmen that were with me on the team at that moment,” Parlett said. “Hearing them talk about it and their guidance helped me ultimately decide that that's what I wanted to do. Having student-athlete engineers around me definitely made a big impact on my decision-making.”
One of the most influential was Greaney, a catcher who spent extended time with Parlett at practice and in the bullpens.
“I could just tell she had a lot of grit and determination on and off the field,” Greaney said. “In all facets of my time at Lehigh—socially, academically and athletically—we really connected in every aspect, so it was great to grow that friendship in all three areas.”
Parlett asked Greaney questions about her experience as an intern and engineering student, and sought advice on potential career paths. Greaney, now a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin, said she saw Parlett’s “eyes light up” when she talked about engineering within the defense industry.
The conversation sparked Parlett’s interest in the industry, which led her to complete two industrial engineering internships at Northrop Grumman in Baltimore, where she will be working full time after graduation.
Parlett, who is getting married in June, said she was drawn to work in the industry since she can help support missions similar to those that her fiance will be serving as a soon-to-be Navy officer.
“She is so determined,” Greaney said about Parlett. “She's great at balancing all aspects of being an athlete. Athletics can be tough with how demanding and time consuming they are.”
Balancing a busy athletic schedule inspired Parlett to pursue research on how travel affects athletes’ performance and win percentage.
In collaboration with peer researcher Ronit Khromchenko and faculty advisor Luis Nunes Vicente, the Timothy J. Wilmott '80 Endowed Faculty Professor and Chair of the department of industrial and systems engineering, she analyzed ten years of Major League Baseball game data with the goal of optimizing scheduling considerations for both professional and collegiate athletics. The team presented their research at the 2026 David and Lorraine Freed Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Parlett said she attributes much of her success both in the classroom and on the softball field to the sport psychology services within University Counseling and Psychological Services (UCPS), which aims to support students’ well-being and performance.
Beyond softball, Parlett has been a dedicated member of several student organizations, including the Student-Athlete Council, Lehigh’s Athletes in Action (CRU) and the Lehigh University Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Student Chapter, which aims to promote the field of industrial and systems engineering and provide social, professional development and community events.
“Just getting the industrial and systems engineering word out there and letting students know that it's an option for them is a really cool experience,” Parlett said. “The main groups I've been a part of are all very unique in terms of experience, but taught me very valuable life lessons.”
She plans to carry those lessons forward as she enters her career that she dreamed of on the diamond.
“I'm so grateful to have attended Lehigh, truly,” Parlett said. “I have loved being here.”
