Senior Karlee Kirking reflects on her college career as graduation approaches
Four years in college can hold a lot of good experiences to reflect on, and for Karlee Kirking, her favorite memories are the evenings she spent with friends, being goofy, playing games and talking about life.
“I treasure the nights my roommate and I sat on the couch and ate mac and cheese,” she said. “Or the times freshman year when I hung out in the dorms with a bunch of friends.”
David Betts | Argonaut UI senior Karlee Kirking holds various awards she has won through her undergraduate years.
Kirking, a Lewiston native who will graduate from the University of Idaho May 16, said she was drawn to UI because of its international studies program.
“I applied to a bunch of different schools around the country and to be honest I saw myself in Boston or New York,” Kirking said. “Freshman me severely underestimated how great this school is and four years later, I am so grateful to have chosen UI.”
Kirking, a triple major in international studies, economics and Spanish with a minor in international political economy, said after four years of studying and traveling abroad, she is excited for her future following commencement.
“Graduating is equal parts terror and excitement,” she said. “I’ve been a student since I was five and now I won’t be a student anymore so it will be a big change but I feel ready for it.”
Kirking said her experience studying abroad for the 2013-2014 academic year in Santiago, Chile was invaluable for both her personal growth and education.
“Studying abroad was one of the greatest experiences,” she said. “It helped my Spanish so much and I really bonded with my host family.”
Kirking has received numerous awards during her UI tenure including the Lindley Award, the highest honor in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. Just a few weeks ago Kirking also recieved a number of awards at the 2015 ASUI Achievement Awards ceremony and said she attributes her success to the professors and faculty members she works with, as well as her friends.
Of all of the lessons she has learned, Kirking said her best piece of advice for current and incoming students is to never be afraid to ask for things.
“When you first get to school, asking for help or seeking out opportunities with professors can seen intimidating,” she said. “The secret is that professors really want to help you and asking for something like a research position or a letter of recommendation and looking silly is a lot better than never asking at all and missing out on an opportunity to build a relationship with a faculty member or find a job … it’s something you just have to go for.”
She said the connections she’s made and the work she has put in has helped her find a job right out of college.
“After graduation, I’ll be moving to Seattle,” Kirking said. “The details aren’t finalized yet, but I just got a job coordinating sales for a tech company in Latin America … The fact that there’s a business in my field of study that was hiring and that I actually got the job is a miracle and it makes all of the work I’ve put into school feel worth it.”
Jake Charlton, UI senior and Kirking’s boyfriend of more than four years, said not only is she the hardest working person he knows, but she is also fun and light-hearted.
“Something I see that a lot of other people don’t is the work she puts in outside of class,” Charlton said. “She goes so far above and beyond, and she does things that others don’t even ask of her.”
Charlton said he is amazed that despite her heavy workload, Kirking still manages to make time for fun.
“Even though she has so much on her plate, she still finds time to relax and have fun,” Charlton said. “She’s a total dork, a giant goof at heart … Karlee is so genuine and humble that you wouldn’t even know how amazing and brilliant she is.”
Natalie Hardin, Kirking’s longtime friend and roommate, said she has always appreciated her friendship with Kirking and the memories they’ve made together throughout college.
“When we first moved into our apartment, we had just gotten our furniture, it was all askew and there were boxes everywhere,” Hardin said. “We put in a movie and made mac and cheese that we ate right out of the pan … We were so young and it felt so college. It was great.”
Kirking said one of the aspects of her academic career she appreciates most is the relationships she has built over the years.
“I had this moment the other day when I reconnected with the friends I made in the dorms my freshman year,” she said. “It seems like just a minute ago we were a bunch of 18-year-olds, staying up late and talking and playing games and now everyone is going to grad school or has a job lined up and is about to go off and do something amazing with their lives … It’s so great being able to grow with the people around you and then see them succeed.”
Corrin Bond can be reached at [email protected]