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Name: Alex Kruse
Year: 2015
Age: 21
Hometown: Cleveland
Major: MLL (Spanish and Arabic), Pre-Med Concentration, Bio Minor
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What activities do you participate in on campus? Zeta Alpha Pi, Women’s Rugby, UCC, and I work in the Archives and Special Collections.
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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.Â
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What are your future career aspirations?Â
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!Â
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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.
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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.
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Do you have any advice for underclassmen?Â
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!
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