While studying abroad fall semester of her junior year, Annabelle “Belle” Gray ’26 and her close friend and roommate, Clare Wendell ’26, made an agreement.
Since Wendell is not typically a napper, she agreed to wake up Gray so they wouldn’t miss their 6 a.m. flight from Barcelona back to their home base in Florence.
“Clare prides herself on not napping—ever,” Gray explained.
But Wendell somehow dozed off, and the duo ended up missing their plane. “We ran through the airport, got yelled at in Spanish, and had to wait all day for the next flight,” Gray recalled. “But it’s part of the whole experience, and we figured it out.”
There are few aspects of college life these besties haven’t figured out together. Wendell and Gray were the first two in their class to commit to the women’s lacrosse program at Endicott. Early in their careers, Head Coach Maureen Spellman dubbed them “the twins,” a nickname that has defined their identity on campus. They even dressed up as the twins from The Shining on Halloween to pay homage to their shared moniker.
“Their relationship is complementary,” Spellman said. “Clare is a powerful voice with tons of opinions and no outward fear. Belle is human sunshine, the team mom, level-headed and thoughtful in her words. I love them both equally and feel like they’re puzzle pieces in our team that make all the other pieces fit together.”
As seniors, Wendell and Gray serve as lacrosse co-captains, a fitting bookend to a friendship that began before they arrived on campus. The two were initially connected through mutual friends, actual twin siblings who became Wendell’s buddies at her Saratoga Springs, N.Y., high school after moving from Vermont, where they knew Gray.
Gray and Wendell, who have lived together throughout college, “knew we wanted to be roommates right away,” Gray said. Explaining their dynamic, Wendell describes herself as a Type-B personality, the more easygoing of the two, which the more organized Type A Gray doesn’t dispute, adding that she often needs encouragement from her friend to be more outgoing. Wendell credits Gray for providing structure and motherly guidance, while Wendell’s spontaneity inspires her friend’s social life.
“Even my parents appreciate how Belle’s the one keeping me focused,” Wendell admitted.
Since arriving at Endicott, the roommates’ lives have become intertwined. They’re recognized on campus as a unit by professors and peers, their childhood friends have met, and they’ve been on each other’s family vacations. Wendell recently accompanied Gray to Florida to meet her grandmother.
“I can’t imagine any other friend who’d travel to hang out with my 94-year-old grandmother,” Gray said.
Each roommate brings distinct traits that enhance the other’s college experience. Wendell has excellent musical taste and creates team playlists, while Gray has impeccable style that her friend admires (she even got them matching cushions for their desk chairs). They make their beds every day, even when leaving for early lacrosse practice, and if one rushes out without making theirs, the other will pick up the slack. What distinguishes their friendship is their effortless camaraderie.
“We like to be social, but we can sit in our room completely silent,” Wendell said, “It’s fine because we don’t care. We just exist together.”
Both serve on the leadership group for Endicott’s chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, a communications honor society, and also participate in a leadership council for team captains. While they’re frequently associated with one another, Gray and Wendell do maintain separate identities.
Gray, who grew up in Londonderry, Vt., is studying communications at Endicott. In addition to serving as a draw specialist for the women’s lacrosse team, she completed a semester-long internship at Quotable Media, a PR agency in Boston, a position she secured, according to Professor Melissa Yang, after having the “perseverance to find the right fit for herself.”
Meanwhile, Wendell is a marketing communication major who appreciates being near the ocean at Endicott, influenced by her father’s love of the coast. She plays midfield for the Gulls, and off the field, she has a “larger-than-life personality,” Gray noted. Most recently, Wendell interned with Harvard University Athletic Communications, focusing on media creation and graphic design.
The friends’ roommate experience often continued into the summers, when they chose to remain in Beverly, live in campus housing, and work together at Endicott’s Bourque Arena. They’re known to show up in bright pink clothing wielding power tools. They also coach a middle school girls’ team through the Boston Lacrosse Club. While they shine in their own ways, both prioritize making a positive impact.
“At Endicott, you grow into leadership,” Wendell said. “It boils down to constant effort and striving to be a smiling presence on campus.”
On the flip side, Gray and Wendell credit Endicott with helping them develop confidence and providing a strong support system, particularly within the School of Social Sciences, Communication, & Humanities. They note that while they didn’t enter college with clear ideas of what they wanted to be when they grew up, the care and encouragement from their professors have convinced them they’re on the right track.
“I’ve grown a lot as a person, and I feel like Endicott is to thank for that,” Gray said. “I don’t think at any other school I would have the same opportunities, and I don’t think I would have gained the same confidence in myself.”
Endicott is all about experiences. Its pioneering internship program and extensive study abroad and leadership opportunities are a big part of it. But so are the deep friendships and camaraderie that are formed on its tight-knit, vibrant campus.
And for Wendell and Gray, their friendship hasn’t only helped them find a sense of belonging at Endicott, but it has also become the lens through which they’ve experienced their entire college lives. “I could not imagine Endicott without Clare,” Gray said.
The duo plans to continue their roommate streak in the Boston area this fall, once they find jobs.
There are sure to be more early flights together, but they’ll be sure to set an alarm.