By Rachel Dragos

Bennett Stephens ’15

Bennett Stephens ’15 (left) spent his summer working in the Office of Admissions as a tour guide and office assistant.

“Usually I would give two tours a day, and in between I would be in the office, sending mailings,” he said.

He admitted that at times it felt like “a lot of paper-pushing.” In general, however, Stephens enjoyed giving tours and working with the people in Admissions.

As for life on the Hill in the summer, Stephens said, “It was fun.”

Still, he was not a fan of preparing meals. “Living in a New Apt, trying to cook for yourself all summer, was not fun. There’s no kitchen.”

At the end of the summer, the Admissions Office took all six summer workers up Peirce Tower as a reward for all their hard work. “Campus Safety has to unlock a spiral staircase that goes all the way to the top,” Stephens said.

Stephens and Joe Walsh ’15 (right) created another end-of-summer event that involved matching outfits. “Joe Walsh and I figured out that we had several outfits that would have been the same, but we never wore the same clothes on the same day. So ﾅ there was one week where we matched outfits.”

Overall, Stephens urges everyone to consider spending a summer on campus, saying he might pursue it again next year.

Eric Engelbrecht ’14

One of 42 summer science scholars in the anthropology, biology, physics, mathematics, psychology and chemistry departments, Eric Engelbrecht ’14 conducted biological research under the direction of Professor of Biology Wade Powell.

Engelbrecht’s project dealt with frog kidney cells, which contain two different kinds of a protein called the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor, whereas humans only have one type. Engelbrecht worked to find the molecular difference between these two proteins, and therefore to deduce the function of each.

“I was trying to mutate that protein by essentially breaking it inside of these kidney cells,” Engelbrecht said.

Engelbrecht enjoyed the time he spent with other students on campus. “I made a lot of friends with people I didn’t talk to so much throughout the year. We would all cook together, alternate cooking on different nights, buy groceries together,” he said.

With a group of other students, Engelbrecht visited the Knox County fair, and watched the fair’s famous figure-eight bus race.

“They get two cinder blocks and then they get a bunch of dirt on a dirt field,” Engelbrecht said. “They cover the dirt field with water, so that it is mud, and then they race in figure eights around the cinder blocks.”

Elizabeth Cheever ’14

Seven eager fellows were chosen to participate in the John W. Adams Summer Scholar Program in Socio-Legal Studies. Amongst these seven was Elizabeth Cheever ’14 (second from left).

“I was a summer legal scholars fellow ﾅ on the research track. There were some people who were doing internships who were research assistants, but I was doing independent research,” Cheever said.

“My focus, generally, was diversity in education,” she said. “What role does diversity play in education environments? How do you create it?”

These thoroughly researched inquiries ultimately lead Cheever to take an in-depth look at the Supreme Court.

“What I was looking at specifically was the legal standard that the Supreme Court applies to any law that treats people differently on the basis of race, which includes affirmative action programs,” Cheever said.

Cheever enjoyed the experience of living and working for the summer in Gambier. Outside of Cheever’s scholarly accomplishments, the best part, for her, was meeting people that she otherwise wouldn’t have met.

Cheever urged anyone who may consider spending the summer on campus to try it. “I would recommend it. I had a wonderful time.”

Grant Carney’ ’15

Grant Carney’ ’15’s (second from left) favorite part of his summer at Kenyon was when one of his apartment mates invited President Sean Decatur over for dessert.

“One night [Decatur and his wife, Renee Romano] came over with their dogs, and we talked for an hour, hour and a half, at the Acland Apartments about life at Kenyon, hoping to introduce them to some of the students,” Carney said. “President Decatur is a very personable guy and very down-to-earth.”

Carney was on campus at the beginning of summer as a class liason for the 15th reunion of the class of 1998. He lived with alumni in Hanna Hall, acting as a guide for the group.

“It was great getting to know all the people from 15 years ago, seeing what their Kenyon experience was like, and seeing what I need to take away from [Kenyon] while I still have a chance to,” Carney said.

After his work for Alumni Weekend, Carney stayed on campus for the rest of the summer for Kenyon’s Summer Science Program, working alongside Associate Provost Brad Hartlaub on a statistics project dealing with well-water pollution in West Virginia.

“The best part about living in Gambier in the summer was getting involved with the community,” Carney said. “You really get to develop relationships with people on campus.”

Mia Barnett ’15

This summer, Mia Barnett ’15’s internship with the Office of Public Affairs expanded her knowledge of the technical aspects of video. Barnett worked to capture and edit footage for events that happened over the summer.

“There were a lot of reunions going on,” Barnett said. “We would interview [the alumni] to see what their Kenyon experience was like and how they enjoyed being back on campus.”

For the opening of the Kenyon Institute, the College’s summer programming for adults, Barnett filmed a variety of interviews that will play a key role in advertising for next year.

“I took a class last year that involved a lot of editing, but I definitely got a lot better with this internship,” Barnett said.

“I’d say the best part was that I got to meet a lot of alums that were back on campus attending some of the events,” she said. “There was a Chasers reunion; I went to a concert, which was awesome. I definitely wouldn’t have gotten to do that during the year.”

Barnett admitted that though the quietness of campus sometimes surprised her, it was also a nice change of pace. “It was relaxing to be here and, of course, campus was gorgeous this summer,” she said.

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