Kira Waldhalm '27
she/they
- kwaldhalm@middlebury.edu
Pronouns: she/they
Hometown: Harrisburg, South Dakota
High School: Harrisburg High School
Major: Chinese and Political Science
Main Extracurricular Activities: Middlebury Debate Society, Korean American Student Association, Prism Center Intern, Chinese Language House Member
Hello! My name is Kira Waldhalm and I’m from a small town in South Dakota. I discovered Middlebury through self-research about liberal arts college on the east coast that supported my academic interests. I had the opportunity to meet up with the only other South Dakotan Middlebury student back home before I came to Middlebury for my first semester. It was a really great experience to hear directly from a student about their experience at Middlebury.
I am pursuing a joint major in Chinese and Political Science with a minor in Geography. On campus, I’m heavily involved with the Middlebury Debate Society, which I have gone to many tournaments for. I’m also an intern at the Prism Center for Queer and Trans Life! We’re in our first year of full operation, so it’s been really wonderful to be a part of building the foundation of the center. Last semester, I started taking piano lessons with the music department, and it’s been really fun to pick up a hobby that I have always wanted to do.
Why did you choose to attend Middlebury?
When it came to the college application process, I wasn’t totally sure what type of college I wanted to attend. I knew that I wanted to attend a college that was smaller and would allow me to explore academically, so the liberal arts environment of Middlebury was really appealing. I knew that I wanted to attend smaller sized classes to ensure I could get to know the professor and have accessible classroom support. I was also really interested in studying abroad, and Middlebury’s financial aid transferring abroad was very appealing to me.
Favorite place in Vermont? Favorite place in town?
My favorite place in Vermont is this restaurant in Burlington called Cafe Dim Sum! It’s a really wonderful restaurant, and I have some great memories going there with friends. In town, I love to go to Yogurt City to get some boba. I like to order in Mandarin to practice my skills outside of the classroom and chat with the shop owners!
How would you describe the Middlebury experience?
I would describe the Middlebury experience as intercultural. This winter break, I traveled to Panama to compete in the World Universities Debating Championship. During some downtime, I explored the city’s Chinatown, which gave me my first opportunity to use Chinese outside of Middlebury. It was an incredible experience to apply the language skills I’ve developed in a real-world setting, reinforcing how Middlebury’s emphasis on global learning extends far beyond the classroom.