Name: Alex Kruse
Year: 2015
Age: 21
Hometown: Cleveland
Major: MLL (Spanish and Arabic), Pre-Med Concentration, Bio Minor
What activities do you participate in on campus? Zeta Alpha Pi, Women’s Rugby, UCC, and I work in the Archives and Special Collections.
What made you decide to join these organizations?
I first joined rugby because I had played soccer since I was little, and wanted to try a new sport at Kenyon. During the activities fair during my freshmen year, I saw a lot of the girls throwing the ball around on Ransom Lawn and they looked like they were having a great time, so I immediately signed up. I stayed because it’s a really fascinating sport that requires a lot of thinking and is also really fun, but it was more important to me to see that the team has a really strong bond that really stays after you graduate as well. We always get girls to come back for our alumnae week game, and I was even able to play on a semi-professional team over the summer with some of our alumnae, which was a blast.
With regard to Zeta, I had originally started at Kenyon very anti-greek. I had gone to an all-girls school and had this very stereotypical image of greek life at Kenyon, which made me hesitant to even look in to it. There were a lot of girls on my team who were greek, and they convinced me to rush in the spring “just for the food and activities.” After going to a couple of rush events for different sororities, I was totally hooked and sent in my bid to Zeta. I really love Greek life here because the experience is so unique from any other school, and I’m now friends with a variety of people that I wouldn’t have even known if I had not joined my sorority. I love Zeta especially because it’s given me the opportunity to work with and lead a diverse group of strong, intelligent, funny, and passionate women who really care about each other and share the same values.
What are your future career aspirations?
I’m a self-described type-A person, so obviously I have my ten year plan… which includes med school and becoming a doctor working either in public health or with benign chronic diseases (keeping all my fingers and toes crossed). I studied abroad in Buenos Aires in the fall of last year and was enrolled in a public health program where we learned about the more sociological side of medicine, and I realized how important it is for there to be a strong connection and understanding between doctor and patient. Unfortunately this understanding is sometimes hindered by a language barrier, so I would eventually like to work abroad and really be able to help others using my language background. Also I really like to travel!
If you could be anything in the world, what would it be and why?
I would love to be a professional tour guide because then I would get to travel to different places, teach people about wonderful cities, and use my language skills.
Where is your favorite place on campus? In the world?
I spend a lot of time in the science quad and Ascension, but I think my favorite place on campus is probably Peirce. I love the community feeling that only having one dining hall provides, and I know that I will always see my friends to catch up and spend time with them. I also love brunch and could spend hours table-hopping on weekend mornings.
My favorite place in the world is hands-down New York City. I spent the past two summers doing research at Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan, and I am incredibly lucky to have been able to live in the city. New York has this indescribable energy and always has so much to offer in terms of culture and activities.
Do you have any advice for underclassmen?
Do what you love and love what you do. Join a lot of organizations and clubs on campus. Meet as many people as you can, and as you get older, make time to catch up with old friends and have fun!