Office of Admissions, WWU

Kayla Britt

• High School: North Thurston High School
• Hometown: Lacey, Washington
• Major: Communication
• Minor: Diversity in Higher Education
• Activities and Awards:
• Associated Students Vice President for Diversity, 07-08 and 08-09
• Recipient of the University’s Women of Color Empowerment Award, March 2009
• Member, and previous officer, of the Latino Student Union
• Event Coordinator, Intern at the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, September 2008-March 2009

Why Western?

I chose to apply to Western because of its reputation as a school that graduates exceptional leaders. My mother encouraged me to apply because her personal mentor, the Vice President of a credit union based here in Washington State, is a WWU alumnus. As a result of her inspiration, and a wonderful visit to the campus, I fell in love.

Inspiring Mentor

The most influential person for me has been Renee Collins, Associate Dean of Students. She is one of the most caring, admirable and genuine people that I have ever met. She is very accessible to all students, and she has helped me to put things into perspective when I feel overwhelmed. She has accomplished a lot so far in her life, and the stories of her personal experiences have given me insight into the possibilities for me after graduation.

Learning in the Community

As a Communication major, I get the opportunity to do a lot of experiential learning through service learning projects within the community. I have gotten to apply what I learn in the classroom to working with community partners at local non-profits such as the Evergreen AIDS Foundation and Womencare Shelter.

My most recent and exciting opportunity has been my internship as an Event Coordinator for the Downtown Bellingham Partnership this year. I have been doing an internship there for the past six months, and it has been a fabulous experience. I've gotten to work directly with the Board of Directors of this not-for-profit, develop relationships with the business owners in Downtown Bellingham, and plan large and small scale events pretty autonomously. I have even been offered a paid staff position to continue through the summer to plan the Bite of Bellingham!

The Big Picture

I had always been interested in topics surrounding underrepresented and marginalized groups, but it wasn't until I got to Western that I started to see the bigger picture. I learned about the privileges and struggles in regard to many areas including class, gender identity, ability, sexual orientation and race/ethnicity, both in a personal and academic sense. I also got a chance to learn more about myself in the process. For me, there is no coming back from that. Knowledge is power, and it is important to me that I work to use that power for good.

Outside the Classroom

I enjoy spending time with my friends, going dancing, watching movies, cooking, shopping and karaoke!

Life in Bellingham

My favorite part about Bellingham is Downtown. From the Bite of Bellingham and Downtown Sounds Concert Series in the summer, to the monthly Art Walks, there are a lot of great events. I also really enjoy the Farmer's Market, late night trips to the Pita Pit, and stopping to grab a cookie and cocoa at my favorite bakery, La Vie En Rose.

After Western

After graduation, I plan to go into the non-profit sector. I would like to use my knowledge and experiences that I have gained here at Western to help others in my community.