▁at ▁De P au w ▁University ▁in ▁Green castle , ▁Indiana . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Wel ch ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁May ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁in ▁Good land , ▁Indiana ▁to ▁parents ▁Charles ▁A . ▁and ▁Car rie ▁Johnson ▁Wel ch . ▁Prior ▁to ▁her ▁birth , ▁her ▁grand father ▁imm igr ated ▁to ▁America ▁from ▁England ▁and ▁bought ▁land ▁in ▁Indiana ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁After ▁his ▁death , ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁m ement os ▁were ▁don ated ▁to ▁the ▁Indiana ▁State ▁Museum . ▁Wel ch ▁was ▁educated ▁in ▁a ▁one - room ▁school ▁and ▁her ▁family ▁disc ou rag ed ▁thoughts ▁of ▁purs uing ▁higher ▁learning ▁due ▁to ▁her ▁gender . ▁However , ▁she ▁earned ▁money ▁through ▁teaching ▁at ▁public ▁schools ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁and ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁afford ▁tu ition ▁at ▁De P au w ▁University ▁for ▁four ▁years . ▁ ▁Education ▁and ▁career ▁Upon ▁her ▁arrival ▁at ▁De P au w ▁( D PU ), ▁Wel ch ▁attempted ▁to ▁purs ue ▁chem istry ▁but ▁was ▁rejected ▁by ▁William ▁Bl anch ard ▁based ▁on ▁her ▁gender . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁she ▁turned ▁to ▁study ▁bot any ▁under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁department ▁head ▁Tr uman ▁G . ▁Y un cker . ▁Y un cker ▁encourag ed ▁her ▁to ▁purs ue ▁gradu ate ▁school ▁after ▁her ▁under grad uate ▁degree , ▁and ▁she ▁subsequently ▁earned ▁her ▁Master ' s ▁degree ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Illinois ▁studying ▁plant ▁tax onomy ▁and ▁e col ogy