Sky Koepke

Why did you choose your major?

I am majoring in classics and ancient Mediterranean studies. I’ve always loved mythology, and my interest in the classics only grew after taking Latin classes in high school. Coming here and getting to know all of the wonderful people, professors and students alike, who make up the classics department has only solidified my decision.

What brought you to Knox? 

Knox was the only one of the colleges on my interest list that I was able to tour before COVID-19, and I really enjoyed the campus. The idea of trimesters where I could really do a deep dive into just a few subjects at once was also intriguing.

What are you involved in on campus?

I’m currently on the exec team for Classics Club. I am a Red Room tutor for Greek and Latin. I am also the vice president of Book House, one of the themed houses on campus.

You work at Skylark, an independent bookstore in Columbia, Missouri, during term breaks. What's that like? 

I’ve been working at Skylark for only a couple of years, but, because my mom is the manager, I’ve been around since it opened. Before the bookstore was there, the building housed a clothing store, so I got to see a lot of changes. At the shop, I mostly work directly with customers—I answer phone calls, I help people find and order books, and I make recommendations. I also help with event organization and set-up. This past summer, I took the initiative to run a Where’s Waldo-themed event that involved a number of other local businesses and lasted for the month of July. One of my favorite parts of working at the shop is watching people walk in our doors for the first time and pause because they weren’t expecting the space to be so beautiful!

Is there any experience or person that stands out as being particularly influential for you?

Growing up with my mom means I have been a part of the literary world for most of my life—she let me help edit her magazine articles from a young age. After that, I attended and helped her set up events for a volunteer program, in which she set up author talks at the Boone County (Missouri) Historical Society. More recently, I’ve volunteered with her at the Unbound Book Festival and, of course, worked with her at the bookshop. This is really just a small sample of the ways she has involved me in the publishing world, and I would not be the person I am today—or likely have the interests I do—without her.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

This is the bio page for Skylark employees, which I am included on. This is the blog post I wrote last month that has been published on the website and our social media.