My name is Jake Allen and I am from Charlottesville, Virginia. I have three siblings, love the outdoors, and am very passionate about the environment and food. A fun fact about me: I ran with the bulls in Spain, sprained my ankle doing so, and then got a tattoo of bull horns on that ankle because I thought it would be cool.

I wanted to become an Academic Fellow because much of the success I have had in my life has been due to the kindness other people have shared with me. Some of these people have been close friends or family, but many were somewhat random individuals who lent a helping hand whether I asked for one or not. Because of these experiences, I can’t help but want to pay it forward, especially to those in a community that has given me so much.