Kelsey Jenkins

Bio

Hello, my name is Kelsey and I am a Master’s student at North Carolina State University in the College of Education’s Higher Education Administration program. I am from a rural area of Massachusetts within the mountains warmly referred to as “The Berkshires”. The mountain region offered me a profound relationship with nature and hiking early on that guides my theological principles in the natural elements of the world. I am a first-generation college student who graduated from Suffolk University in Boston with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration.

I have a background in academic advising and student services within the community college system. The overarching reason I chose to study Higher Education Administration is because of my enthusiasm for learning and attaining equality for all students. Student affairs administrators have a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with students and create an environment of inclusivity and belonging especially regarding their LGBTQ centers and implementing inclusive policies. I hope to serve as a higher education leader by enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within institutions of higher education. Upon the completion of my master’s education, I intend to apply to Ph.D. programs specializing in gender studies or educational policy. The goal of my career is to work at either a higher education institution, a research institution, or the Department of Education to draft policies related to gender, LGBTQ+, accessibility, and inclusiveness in higher education.
Outside of school, I enjoy hiking, backpacking, reading, and artistic projects.