Quinn Kim’s college search was fueled by his desire for a small campus with a change in scenery from his home of Los Angeles, CA. So, he traded the West Coast for the East and found his way to Colgate.

“I wanted a small school so I could feel more connected to the campus and community, and I’m thankful to have found just that in my time here,” he said.

While at Colgate, Kim has worked toward a major in Geography and a minor in Environmental Studies, though he wasn’t always sure what he wanted to pursue. He attributes much of his decision to the diversity of classes he’s been exposed to on campus.

“I just took classes I was interested in and Geography ended up being the best fit,” he said. “Looking back, I’ve enjoyed the Colgate education a great deal.”

He’s also taken advantage of the university’s off-campus study program, traveling to Wollongong, Australia, where he enjoyed the refreshing environment of a new country, away from the school’s bubble-like atmosphere.

“I definitely encourage anyone who can to study abroad or take advantage of any other travel opportunities Colgate offers such as SRS or extended studies,” he said.

Outside of the classroom, Kim has been active in Hamilton Secondary Tutors, a one-on-one COVE program focused on tutoring Hamilton Central students. He’s also a part of Colgate’s growing ultimate frisbee team. Since his time here, he’s seen it reach new heights as the team approaches finals this year.

Kim recalled how frisbee has been a seminal part of his Colgate social experience. “I can trace many of my friends here back to frisbee, and I can’t imagine my time here without them,” he said.

Reflecting on his time at Colgate, Kim is most thankful for the wide variety of experiences that have been made available to him. His advice to students is to take advantage of all of Colgate’s opportunities as much as possible. He urges them to move past their comfort zones.

“Time management has also been an important skill I’ve developed since I got here, and to any first-years reading this, people aren’t kidding when they say it’s the most important skill to learn in college,” he said. 

Contact Andrew Kish at [email protected].