Hey, Huskies! My name is Kyle, and I’m a senior majoring in Biology with a minor in Spanish. I’m incredibly excited to be rejoining UW Leaders as a mentor this year, having been one of the lucky students touched and inspired by this program my sophomore year. UWL helped me develop a new perspective on and a love for leadership, as well as an appreciation for the diverse ways in which people can demonstrate leadership in their communities and everyday lives. I found a community in UWL that was welcoming, inspiring, and supportive—encouraging me to be vulnerable, to challenge myself, and offering me a safe place in which to do so. As a mentor I hope to help establish that sense of community and empower other students to discover a kind of leadership that is meaningful to them.

On campus I’m involved in Husky Running Club (running and appreciating the outdoors are lifelong passions!), I work for the Undergraduate Research Program, and this Fall I’ll be teaching a section for new students entering the Honors Program. In the community I volunteer at Woodland Park Zoo–the orangutans are my favorite animals to visit! And in whatever free time I manage to scrounge up I love hiking, playing board games, reading books from my ever-growing list, and spending time with family.  

I was born in Bothell but have lived (north of Seattle) in Arlington since the age of three. By Seattle standards you could say I grew up on a farm: our ensemble of animals includes goats, chickens, horses, cats, dogs, and honey bees. Early this Fall I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study abroad in Peru (an exploration seminar on biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability in the Andes and Amazon rain forest). It was an incredible experience (which let me practice both Bio and Spanish!)  but which also made me realize just how much I love and feel at home in the Pacific Northwest, and I’m very happy to be back and excited for the start of this new year! Looking forward to meeting this year’s UWL family!