Katherine “Kat” Kollitides
Major: English
Hometown: Rockville Centre, NY
High School: South Side High School
As a first-generation Greek American, Kat is acutely aware of the importance of heritage and culture in an increasingly globalized world. As a teenager she developed an interest in travel, spending summers in Greece learning about her background. A passion for current affairs led her to start her high school’s first Model United Nations club, and she spearheaded their participation in the 2009 National High School Model U.N. Conference in New York City. A National Merit Commended Student, Kat pursued a rigorous academic workload in high school, earning an International Baccalaureate Diploma and several prestigious departmental awards for her achievements.
At Colgate, Kat has cultivated her interest in global affairs and multicultural issues. For the past four years she has worked as a student ambassador at the Africana, Latina, Asian and Native American (ALANA) Cultural Center, where she has done extensive event programming to diversify Colgate student life. Kat spent the fall semester of her junior year abroad with Colgate in London, England. She also participated in the Denmark Extended Study in May 2012, as well as the Martinique Immersion Trip in March 2013. Kat’s time at Colgate has also led her to develop a passion for volunteer work. She spent her sophomore spring break working with the Oglala Lakota people on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and the final week of her senior winter break rebuilding homes affected by Katrina in New Orleans.
For the past two summers, Kat has worked as an editorial intern at Scholastic Inc., the largest publisher of children’s books in the world. She has also interned at her local newspaper, The Rockville Centre Herald. In her spare time, Katherine enjoys reading the New Yorker, cooking vegetarian meals and kayaking. An avid music buff, she is involved with Colgate’s radio station, WRCU FM, where she hosts a weekly radio program.
After she graduates from Colgate in May, Kat will be serving as a Teach for America corps member in Miami, Florida.