Anissa Hardy ’26 believes in community — so she’s taken an active role in creating it at Kenyon. Not only is she an athlete who is co-captain of the women’s basketball team, but Hardy is a leader in multiple affinity groups, serving as president and founder of Minority Athletes at Kenyon, vice president of the Black Student Union, and programming chair of Sisterhood.
This semester has been a particularly busy one, as she’s helped plan programs for Black History Month. Upcoming campus events include a concert by the Philadelphia band Cadre Noir at the Horn Gallery on Friday, Feb. 20, and a Black history trivia event at Weaver Cottage on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
Her philosophy is a simple one: “I make the most of my Kenyon experience by getting involved in the things I am passionate about and enjoy doing!” said Hardy, a double major in economics and sociology who is from Los Angeles.
She found some time to answer a few questions reflecting on her Kenyon experience and what has made it so special.
Besides Gambier, where is your favorite place in the world to be?
My favorite place to be is Point Dume in Malibu on a sunny day. I love the sound of waves, seagulls and the warmth from the sand.
Fill in the blank: My experience at Kenyon would not be the same without ______.
KEEP (Kenyon Educational Enrichment Program). I got the chance to experience Kenyon with a small group that ended up providing some of my best friends on campus to this day. I also believe that the educational programming was beneficial to me and helped me adjust academically more easily when I joined in the fall. Overall, it shaped the beginning of my Kenyon experience, which had a wonderful impact on the rest of my time here.
What is your favorite Kenyon tradition?
I love the big student athlete meeting before the school year starts. Everyone sits with their teams in Tomsich Arena and gets to learn about everything upcoming and all the resources available to us. They also usually have a T-shirt toss that gets all of us excited. It really feels like we are building community with the other athletes and getting to know our new teammates for the first time.
What Kenyon class would you love to take — again or for the first time?
I would love to do American Sign Language with (Vice President for Student Affairs) Celestino Limas again. I luckily got into it my first year and absolutely loved the class. We got to learn so much about Deaf culture in an immersive language-learning experience that helped us develop our skills. I am currently a TA (teaching assistant) for the class, so it’s a great way to stay connected with Celestino, my ASL classmates, and continue learning more.
If there was a soundtrack to your Kenyon experience, what song would be on repeat?
It would be “Pink + White” by Frank Ocean. I really love the instrumentals, background vocals (by Beyoncé!) and Frank’s flow and emotion behind the lyrics. It’s a truly beautiful song for a beautiful place!
Where do you find satisfaction outside of your studies?
I enjoy being a part of clubs on campus that look to provide a safe space for their members. I love seeing ideas and events we come up with in meetings come to life through hard work and planning.
What is something interesting that you have read recently?
I’m currently reading “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë, recommended by Professor Marla Kohlman in sociology. It’s not at all what I expected, but the dynamics between characters are very interesting so far, and I’m excited and a little nervous to see where it goes. Now I wish I’d read it before taking her classes so I could understand her references!
What new skill would you like to learn?
Before college, I really liked baking, so I hope to learn how to do puff pastry when I have more time.
What is the best piece of advice that you've ever been given?
To control what I can; otherwise, I shouldn’t worry about it. I think it’s been said a lot, but it just took a few times for me to truly understand. I still have to remind myself of it now, but I think it’s really important to keep as a constant reminder.
The Kenyon Ten is an occasional question-and-answer feature that highlights students, faculty and staff.