Matt Howard, Class of 2004, assumes everyone knows that Kenyon is an excellent academic college. "But Kenyon is a really fun school, too," he says. "There's always something going on. It's also easy to create your own thing and it will catch on." As an example, Howard cites a group of first-year students who created the Renegade Theater Company in Kenyon's black-box theater during the 2002-2003 academic year. "They started from scratch and by the end of the year it was a big success," he says. "If you start something, people will join in."

He's also been pleased with the tolerance he finds at Kenyon. "There is an openness and acceptance on campus that allows people to be themselves, regardless of sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religious beliefs," he says. "I don't believe you find that at just any college."

Howard, a biology major, believes Kenyon's supportive atmosphere has let him see what he might like to do with his life. When he arrived in Gambier from his hometown of Milan, Ohio, he imagined he would attend medical school. Now, he's become interested in working as a counselor, perhaps helping high school students. He thinks that such a change in plans may be the essence of the Kenyon experience: "I think Kenyon lets you find out who you really are," he says.

His faculty advisor, Assistant Professor of Biology Karen Hicks, has been a role model. "She's been great to talk to about everything from academics to personal issues," he says. "I've realized that helping people like that would make me happy to get up in the morning."