"I chose Iowa for its great programs and the athletics. Both of those were very important to me, and usually they're mutually exclusive at other schools. I loved that Iowa had both and was nationally recognized in both!"
She arrived as an English major but eventually added Statistics and a Mathematics minor after discovering how much she enjoyed the subject. Combining the humanities and quantitative analysis allowed her to challenge herself in new ways.
One of her favorite courses was Medieval Drama, a class that sparked her passion for medieval studies and shaped many of her academic interests going forward.
Outside the classroom, McKinley is heavily involved in the Hawkeye Marching Band, serves as a student leader in the piccolo section, helps edit The Daily Allergan satire magazine, and serves as Treasurer of ATI English Honors Society.
One of the biggest surprises during college has been discovering how much her academic interests evolved. She arrived expecting to focus on Shakespeare and early modern literature but unexpectedly found herself fascinated by medieval studies.
Her advice to future students is to pursue every opportunity that interests them. Some of the most rewarding experiences happen when you step outside your normal comfort zone.
