Mackenzie Kuhl
College of Saint Benedict
Mackenzie Kuhl, a junior at the College of Saint Benedict, is a student leader who has worked toward equitable healthcare and educational opportunity. In internships for The Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation and HealthEast, she thoughtfully linked her service to addressing root causes of inequity in healthcare and education.
Mackenzie inspires and engages others in civic engagement. She has participated in various service projects as a Bonner Leadership Scholar and currently serves as the student coordinator for the Bonner Leadership Program on campus. In that role, she facilitates the social justice work of 40 students, contributing to a network of committed students making a difference at sites throughout the local and regional community.
Mackenzie's service includes assisting physically and mentally disabled residents of Sanitorio Maritimo in Viña del Mar, Chile, and advocating for Bring it to the Table, an organization that encourages civil dialogue. Her passion for civil discourse has been fueled by her academic studies of political polarization and by her experience studying abroad.
Personal Statement
I used my deep passion for authentic social engagement through past internships in areas of equitable care at HealthEast, a health system in Saint Paul, MN, and educational opportunity with the Bonner Foundation in Princeton, NJ. My research work with Extending the Link, a student documentary team focused on under reported global social justice issues, electrified my passion for finding the stories of those around me. In January of 2017, my research even took me to Hong Kong and China to document the topic of electronic waste. My story continues as I advocate daily for civil discourse, especially within the Bonner Leader Program at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, where I act as student coordinator. My passion for civil discourse rises every day with my studies in Political Science, Economics, and Hispanic Studies. My time studying abroad in Viña del Mar, Chile, has provided another perspective to the continuation of political polarization all around the world. Through all of this, I continue to learn the importance of compassion, honesty, respect, and vulnerability within the engagement I share with those around me.
