Katie Holford’s spirit animal is a chipmunk. Courtesy | Katie Holford

Katie Holford is a senior from Scottsdale, Arizona, and is pursuing an English major. A member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, she enjoys leading and creating intramural sports teams. As an alumna of a classical charter school, she hopes to work in classical education after she graduates.

How did you end up at Hillsdale?

I heard about it because my oldest brother was really interested in coming here but didn’t end up coming. And then my other older brother Jeremy ended up coming, but actually I wanted to be different and not come to Hillsdale. But then I went on Statesmanship Weekend spring of my senior year and just loved it. I loved the people and loved everything about it.

What was your dynamic with your brothers growing up?

I definitely got teased a lot growing up, but we all had a great time. All three of us are still very close, and I’m really glad that they always had all the teachers above me.

Why did you join a sorority?

I decided to join the Greek system because I wanted a really good, strong community of girls that would stay really consistent. You only have one time to be in a sorority ever, you either do it or you don’t. I figured that I’ve never been in anything like this before, and it would be such a fun experience. 

How did you land on Kappa?

I settled on Kappa because I admired the upperclassmen in Kappa, how they conducted themselves and how they interacted around campus. They were involved in a lot of different things, and they always took time to present themselves well. They were always very courteous and were just very thoughtful at creating time for other people and cultivating those relationships.

What extracurricular are you most glad you started?

I’m in my fourth year of club soccer right now. It’s been so formative meeting a lot of new girls. Also, it’s such a fun outlet that kind of gets you away from the academics of Hillsdale — sometimes those can seem super overwhelming.

What is your spirit animal?

I’ve been told a couple times that it’s a chipmunk.

What’s your least favorite movie?

I really did not like “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” It was really disturbing for a children’s movie.

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

Going to the San Diego Zoo with my family. We would take a lot of road trips to the San Diego area when I was younger for vacation, so a lot of times we just go to the beach and we’d have certain restaurants that we go to, but we especially love the San Diego Zoo.

What’s one extinct animal you would bring back to life if you could? 

The dodo bird or a woolly mammoth. They’re really cute, and I would want to pet a woolly mammoth!

What’s your favorite smell? 

I love the smell of creosote after it rains in Arizona. It’s very distinctive.

What breakfast always hits the spot for you?

I just love two eggs and toast and two sausage patties. Honestly, two of everything from the Finish Line.

Do you drink coffee?

I usually don’t do more than one cup a day, but I’ve been into making my own lattes with just honey and cinnamon this year.

How does it feel to be a senior?

Great. There’s the temptation to have senioritis and put friends and fun over work, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.

What advice do you have for freshmen?

I would say to take class less seriously. Because Hillsdale is so rigorous — which is such a good thing, and obviously all of us are here because we love that — sometimes it can dwarf the more important things.

What’s your favorite thing about Hillsdale College?

I love that you’re forced to get to meet a variety of different people. It’s so small, and your classes are small, so you get to be friends with people that you would never think.