Brief Biography:
Kristin grew up in Plymouth, Michigan and receivedher B.A. in Philosophy and Politics from Hillsdale College in 2016, graduatingin the top ten students of the class. During her semester in the WHIP program,she opted out of a political internship and instead worked at a classicalschool outside of D.C. There she immediately and unintentionally fell in lovewith teaching. She thanked God then and still does now for such clearprofessional direction and for the gift of work so meaningful, energizing, andheartening. After graduation she began working for Immanuel Lutheran School inAlexandria, and she owes a large part of her professional and spiritual growthto its tireless and faithful leaders and to her good and true and beautifulcolleagues. She continues to teach elementary school, now at AlexandriaClassical Christian Academy, a quickly-growing startup in its third schoolyear. Here she is grateful as ever for loving colleagues, energetic students, supportiveparents, Christian catechesis, and the Western canon. Outside of work she isgrateful for dear family and friends, good books and good conversation, sunshineand sports, board games and, recently, the renewed demand to read, write, andthink at a level more scholarly than leisurely. In addition to her work ineducation, she edits academic articles and books on a freelance basis.
Post-Graduation Plans:
I am verycontent as a classroom teacher, but I also begin to consider a future inadministration. I trust this program will assist in that consideration and in preparationfor administrative service.
What brought you to Hillsdale?
Hillsdale is my alma mater. I think the Latin phrase beautiful and fitting, and I have long seen Hillsdale as my intellectual birthplace. My usual shorthand explanation is: Before college I thought C. S. Lewis the beginning and end of literature and philosophy. I don’t mean to belittle C. S. Lewis, who remains the biggest literary influence on my thought and life, but it is true that at Hillsdale I learned nearly all of the most important things I know. Class was invariably my favorite part of the day, and I spent most other parts of the day studying in the library. By the end of my undergraduate years I felt finally, nearly prepared to start at Hillsdale as a freshman. I am thrilled to be back as a graduate student.
What has been the thing you’veappreciated most about your time here? The readings and theprofessors here are world class. It is a blessing and a joy to engage withthem.
What has been your greatestacademic challenge thus far? Writing essays is like pulling teeth. But then Ialways accidentally write at least double the word limit, so it is more likepulling teeth and then figuring out which half of them to put back in.