Meet Ellie Pollard

(she/her)

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What Ellie Loves about Women, Gender, and Sexuality and More

In 20 words or less, what is the best thing about being part of this department?
I love the classroom culture. In every class I have felt like my voice was always respected and heard.

What is your biggest piece of advice to first years and sophomores about getting connected to this department?
If you’re on the fence about venturing into WGS, if you feel like you’re already well-versed in WGS related stuff, or even if your parents or friends have told you that you can’t “do anything” with WGS, TAKE THE CLASS!!!! It is so worth it. There is always something to learn, and you just might find yourself in love with WGS scholarship!

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at K?
There’s been a lot of valuable things I’ve learned throughout my time here, but I think the one that sticks out is that I’ve learned HOW to learn. There are so many pressures and expectations associated with going to college, and with K’s rigorous curriculum and small student body, it can be really easy to get wrapped up in the K bubble and stress culture. However, K does a really great job at supporting their students through that, and while I’ve been here, I’ve learned techniques that have allowed me to effectively remember and apply what I’ve studied, instead of just memorizing and regurgitating information like I was taught to do in high school.

What has been your favorite class at K?
My favorite class has been “Bad Religion” with Dr. Maldonado-Estrada. The class focuses on religious communities that have been historically considered “superstitious”, “unorthodox,” or as “cults.” We questioned what religious spaces are “supposed” to look like and how controversies are socialized and shaped around them. I’m very interested in religious practice and belief, and how it intertwines itself with gender, race, class, and colonialism, so I was drawn to this one because it looked at all of that and satiated my obsession with cult tv shows and dramas.

How have you taken advantage of the open curriculum or experienced breadth in your education?
My blessing and my curse with K’s open curriculum is that I have SOOO many interests!! With the open curriculum, I was able to discover how much I love learning about religion and WGS because I first took those classes as extracurriculars and then decided I wanted to turn them into majors. The really cool thing about open curriculum too, is that many classes overlap with each other which helps ensure that students are getting all the credits necessary to graduate. I’ve taken some classes that have absolutely nothing to do with my majors/minors (like Biology). I had an interest in them, and the ability to take one class outside of my own education plan without losing time or facing an incomplete in all my requirements was extremely refreshing and helped me feel like I was getting a very well-rounded education.

What experiential education opportunities have you participated in?
KCCSR Student Government, Student Search Committees and ESL tutoring

What is your SIP?
My SIP is related to my experience studying abroad in Amman, Jordan, and is exploring the gender presentations in music and how they relate to Muslim religious identity and the impact of Islam in Jordan.

What are your career aspirations/next steps after K?
I’m still not 100% sure because like I said, I have SO many interests, but as of right now, I’d like to go into the FBI or become a diplomatic ambassador. My main goal is being able to travel as much as possible!

What is a random fun fact about you?
I’m a twin!