The Her Campus staff is proud to announce that this week’s Campus Celebrity is Kevin Kussmaul! Also known as “Cowboy Kevin” to his friends, Kevin is a junior at Carroll studying management and entrepreneurship, and is often spotted around campus sporting a cowboy hat and belt buckle. This week, I got a chance to sit down with Kevin to find out more about the man in the hat.
Big plans from the start and big plans for the future
Kevin plans to graduate from Carroll this spring as an undergraduate, but plans to return next fall to start his fifth year MBA. After that, he wants to work toward getting his Residential Housing Appraisal License. Residential Housing Appraisal? That’s right. “There are only 2,300 left in the state of Ohio, which isn’t a lot,” says Kevin. “And 60% of them are over 55 years old, so they’ll be retiring soon. In Cuyahoga County, there are only 32 housing appraisers, including me, and that’s the most out of any other county in Ohio.”
So how exactly did Kevin get to be a part of this dying art? “After my high school graduation ceremony at Normandy, I was approached by one of my friend’s mom, who’s a housing appraiser. She was looking for a student who was local and majoring in business. During the ceremony, every time they announced a student’s name who was studying business, she would ask my friend, ‘What about them, what about them?’ to see if they would be a good person to mentor, and my friend would say, ‘No no no, that’s not who you’re looking for.’ Finally they got to my name, and my friend said, ‘You know, I think Kevin would be good.’ After the event, she came up to me and introduced herself, and I remember my friend’s dad was standing there and telling me that she was going to offer me a job. I’ll never forget it, I didn’t believe him! I knew then if I didn’t do it, I would regret it for the rest of my life.”
Now, we have to ask. Why the hat?
“You know, growing up I really didn’t like country music,” explains Kevin. “I just wasn’t a fan of it. By the time I got to middle school, I started to get into it more. I really started liking Taylor Swift, back when she was still country. I just fell in love with it. Now I love the old twangy stuff, like George Straight, Dolly Parton. I just love it.” The famous hat came from a horse and western shop near his house. “I actually have 3 hats, and 2 buckles, so I can mix it up from time to time if I want.”
Making the most of his time at Carroll
Kevin also works in the library and is involved with CFC, the John Carroll Republican Club, Respect for Life, and the Residence Life and Facilities Committee. His favorite thing to do is to hang out and spend time with his friends. “And bowling,” added Kevin, “you can’t forget bowling.” He is also a huge fan of the A&E television show Duck Dynasty. His most valued passion is a poster of late president, Ronald Regan, rumored to be given to him by last year’s graduate, Nicholas Sciarappa.
Kevin is looking forward to the coming months. “I’m excited for the future. We get caught up in the rush of our daily activities, but just looking at the big picture: I have one more year here as an undergrad, then I have the graduate program, so that’s something to look forward if I get into that. Then the crazy whatever else that will come after that. I am so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had so far.” We’re confident that Kevin is going to go far and take his positive outlook on life with him.
And if we ever need any houses appraised, we’ll know just who to call.