Kenyon College

Date: Dec 10 2007
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
Kenyon was an absolutely life-changing place for me. I applied to several other liberal arts schools and, based on their reputations alone, Kenyon wasn't at the top of my list. But after being accepted, I visited the campus and sat in on classes - I completely fell in love with the school and enrolled. I have never regretted my decision, and can't imagine attending college anywhere else.

I majored in English, and found the faculty to be universally exciting, interesting, knowledgeable, and humane. Six years after graduating, I still miss the intellectual discourse and debate I enjoyed at Kenyon. I still keep in touch with a number of my professors, and I even got married at Kenyon's campus!

The campus itself is beautiful, heavy on the Gothic architecture, old oak trees, and lush green spaces. The newer buildings, like the science center and athletic complex, are stunning and state of the art - I wish we had been able to enjoy them when I was a student! The living situation can be rather hit or miss - everyone lives on campus all four years, and the housing is based on a lottery system, so you have to pay your dues in some crummy dorms before you get to live in a single room or a nice apartment.

Students are from all over the country - the fact that Kenyon is located in Ohio doesn't mean this is strictly a "Midwestern" school. My roommates were from Massachusetts, Colorado, North Carolina, and New York. Socially, there are different paths you can follow - it's true that the majority of students are upper middle class preppyish kids who lean liberal, but there are plenty of dirty hippies, young Republicans, die-hard feminists, Renaissance Faire enthusiasts, and other groups to engage with, and many people have friends from many different backgrounds. Fraternities do tend to dominate the party scene - oddly, Kenyon doesn't have an equally powerful sorority system, which has been the source of controversy over the years (many women have no interest in being in the Greek system, while others feel that the men have disproportionate control over parties and have tried to establish new sororities with varying levels of success).

Gambier is definitely a sleepy little village, and if you want a school surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a college town, you might be a little disappointed at first. But Kenyon students tend to be creative and very good at making their own fun, and theres always something going on.

Kenyon did an excellent job of preparing me for my career in the Museum and Art Education world. Oddly enough, I was an English major, but therein lies the beauty of the Liberal Arts system “ Kenyon taught me how to think creatively, to express myself clearly, and to work independently. Therefore, I was well prepared for pretty much anything.

My husband, who also graduated from Kenyon (they say 60% of Kenyon grads marry other Kenyon grads) was an Economics major. Our academic experiences were quite different, but he loved his classes and teachers as much as I loved mine. Since Graduating, he has worked in Finance and Real Estate Investing, and Kenyon provided a great foundation for him.

Since leaving Gambier, I have discovered the “Cult of Kenyon. Not everyone knows about this tiny school in the middle of nowhere, but those who do “ and especially those who attended Kenyon “ are passionate about it. When Im driving on the Highway, strangers will honk and wave when they see my Kenyon sticker. When I meet another alum or a parent, we can rhapsodize about Kenyon for hours, while others shake their heads in amusement. My answer those who dont understand our enthusiasm is this: “You had to be there.