With his sights set on medical school, Austin Griffin '13 is taking plenty of science courses, but he loves the fact that Kenyon's flexible requirements enable him to venture widely. "I love the distribution of courses I can take here," Griffin said, "from art history, to pottery, to a survey of architecture." One of his sociology courses, "Borders and Border Crossings"—focusing on border regions and globalization—proved so interesting that he's thinking of minoring in sociology.

Griffin expects to major in chemistry, an interest since he received a chemistry set as a kid. "I made small explosions and things that glowed in the dark," he said. His goal is to become a neurosurgeon or an orthopedic surgeon. "But definitely a surgeon—because I like working with my hands and it is one of the most direct ways I can help people," said Griffin, noting that Kenyon graduates in recent years have gained admission into the country's finest medical schools.

Kenyon has also afforded Griffin the opportunity to pursue his passion for tennis. The College's men's tennis team has won eight of the past nine North Coast Athletic Conference championships, and has been ranked as high as sixth nationally during the past three seasons, advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Championships in 2008 and 2009. "My main priority is academics, but tennis is something I do every day and as often as I can. It is a huge part of my life," he said. "I read about it, write about it, watch it, play it, and teach it (to inner city youths in Columbus). Kenyon's strong program is another reason I love going to school here. It has many great players who perform consistently well."

The friendliness of the faculty and a generous financial aid package—including a scholarship from the Barry F. Schwartz Strategic Scholarship Foundation—convinced him to attend Kenyon. "It was the perfect fit for me academically and personally, and the Schwartz scholarship helped make it economically feasible," he said. "Once I got to campus and made friends so quickly, I knew I made the right decision."