Kyra Kellogg

During her first visit to Knox College, Kyra Kellogg ’25 was intrigued by the College’s culture and community. By her second visit, she knew this was the place she would call home for the next few years of her life. She says the passion shared by the members of the community, from the admissions ambassador to the students who welcomed her around campus, was the deciding factor. 

“It was the vibes. A good place with good people—I was hooked,” she said. 

The first time Kellogg truly felt at home was when she attended her first Book Club meeting. It was one of the first communities that instantly clicked. “I love these people,” she said. “I love Knox College Book Club.”

Now in her second year at the College, Kellogg is not only the vice president of the Book Club, but also the vice president of the American Sign Language Club. These positions give her the opportunity to engage with different people around campus and learn about different cultures. 

Kellogg also serves as a residential assistant position. In this role, she feels a connection with her suitemates as she helps guide them through building their own community. 

“It is very validating to use my connections on campus to create a welcoming environment,” Kellogg says.

Joining the College as a history major who didn’t particularly enjoy the sciences, Kellogg was shocked when her interests changed dramatically after enrolling in Atmosphere and Weather with Peter Schwartzman, professor of environmental studies. She enjoyed it so much that she continued taking classes in the department and ended up deciding on a double major in environmental studies. 

Kellogg recently applied to work in the “Abolition for All Time” Humanities Lab, where she is now a research assistant. The lab allows her to engage with digital humanities research, which she describes as a toolbox to diversify the output of research in the field and to enhance the classroom experience at Knox. Her role aims to “demystify the big, scary humanities papers” and make them more digestible for students. 

Outside of the classroom, Kellogg uses theater as her creative outlet. As a member of her high school’s speech team, she enjoyed speaking in front of an audience and wanted to find a way to translate that experience. Kellogg had the opportunity to perform and direct pieces for New Plays—a platform where students can undertake theater opportunities in a low-stress, low-commitment environment, where she is currently the co-coordinator. For Kellogg, the mixture of creative freedom through theater and research possibilities in her major work have combined to create a great start to her Knox journey. 

“Everywhere you look, you can find people who share your passion, and I think that’s beautiful,” Kellogg said.