Girl with the Arrow

Maggy Kline '07 (December 2006)
Kianu active, current song leader

Interview:

Sarah Hughes and Maggy Kline

How has being a Kianu changed your life?

As I am a senior, the "real world" is staring me right in the face. What scares me most is the thought of not being surrounded by Kianu everyday. My sophomore year when I pledged was the year my parents were getting a divorce. Even though the divorce was a long time coming I never could have been prepared for the pain it caused me.
It was horrible being at school while my family was at home falling apart. A lot of the girls didn’t even know what was going on at home but without them I wouldn’t have made it through. That sounds so cliché, but I didn’t have friends from home to support me. No matter how bad I was feeling sitting through prayers and praises made me realize that I did have a support group and it was each and every girl in that room.
My world was falling apart at home and not only did pledging preoccupy me I really found family in Kianu. Home to me is Kianu; home is Muskingum. It means over a hundred girls I have met and befriended during my four years here. Each and every one of them has taught me something and made me a better person. We all experience change from freshmen year to senior year but without Kianu I wouldn’t have the confidence I do now. I wouldn’t hold such strong ties to Muskingum or have experienced as much as I have without Kianu.

In your April 2006 nomination of Sarah Hughes, you said, "If it were not for Sarah I wouldn’t be a Kianu." You decided not to pledge until your sophomore year. Is Sarah the only factor that changed your mind, or were there other reasons as well? If so, what were they?

Sarah was a huge part of why I became a Kianu because our friendship remained true even throughout pledging. I saw how much she loved Kianu and how much fun she had with her sisters.
Sarah definitely wasn’t the only one that changed my mind. Many of the girls I become friends with that year were Kianus. I will always remember sitting at lunch one day (with the Kianus) and talking with Hallie Harmon and I realized that these girls were really my friends and they would be my friends no matter what. (Kianu or otherwise) Everyone always assumed I was a Kianu because I hung out with all of them. Once I was around Kianu more and more I realized I had made a huge mistake by not rushing. I didn’t understand sororities when I came to college and I definitely stereotyped. I had my doubts about the whole pledging experience and if this group of girls would even let me be a part of them. That worry lessened because so many girls from the pledge class of 2004 encouraged me and were true friends to me. I will always be grateful for them.

Maggy in Italy

What did you do in Italy last summer?

Italy was AMAZING! I'm sure everyone is sick of hearing about it but I could talk about it till I turn blue in the face. Last year I decided I wanted to study abroad and I wanted to go by myself. I picked a month-long program where I could take class and travel. I couldn’t speak a lick of Italian but I packed my bags and went off to meet my fellow American Institute For Foreign Study goers in Rome. (There were about 150 of us in the program.) We spent a few days in Rome and then we were bused to Florence where we met our roommates and moved into our apartments. My apartment was about three minutes from the Ponte Vecchio Bridge and overlooked the Uffizi Museum.
I took a photography class and Leonardo da Vinci history class. I traveled to Milan, Siena, and Venice, Cinque Terre, Vinci, Sorrento (surrounding islands) and Pisa. I ate a lot, I walked a lot and I did things I never dreamed I would do. I met people from all over the United States and lived life to the fullest. I lived the Italian life for 33 days and I can’t wait to go back someday.

What are you planning on doing in Ireland over spring break?

I have definitely caught the travel bug! I have always wanted to travel and going to Italy this summer made me love exploring even more. I love the adventure of traveling to new places. When the Ireland trip came up I was very excited because that is top on my list of places to travel. We have 25 students going, and over 8 days we will visit Galway, County Kerry, Kilkenny Region, and Dublin. Scheduled stops include the Burren, the Cliffs of Moher, the Dingle Peninsula, Newgrange, the Rock of Cashel, and many more. It is going to be Lou Quinn, Millicent Yackey, and me finding our Irish roots during Spring break 2007.

How did you pick Muskingum College?

I am a tour guide so this is a question I get asked a lot. I only looked at small schools when I was deciding on colleges. It came down to Muskingum and Ashland. There were a lot of factors but the biggest was that everyone was so helpful after my tour. Muskingum always continued to answer my questions and help out even after my visit. More importantly to me is the question of why I stayed at Muskingum. The answer to that is because I found out quickly that the faculty and staff will go above and beyond to help the students. The alumni really care about us and even on your worst day there is always someone there to pick you right back up.
I truly believe that God took me to Muskingum and that I was always destined to be a Kianu; I just didn’t have my eyes or heart in the right place in the beginning.

What is your favorite Kianu memory so far?

Picking a favorite Kianu memory would be impossible. Kianu and the times I have spent with my sisters are the memories I will keep with me forever. I love the random moments where I laugh so hard I get a headache. Pledge day night where I finally hung out with Heidi, Sarah, Erin, Sadie, and Amy in the XAN house will always stand out.

Is there anything about the MC Greek community you wish was different?

I wish Greeks as a whole didn’t have such a bad reputation. I wish the traditions that each club has worked hard to build would stop being exposed, causing them to dwindle. As far as MC goes we are such a small school and there are a lot of people I don’t know or don’t hang out with anymore because where I live changes each year. I wish we were not so segregated.

This is just something that I added, something that I really appreciate about Kianu. We may not all agree with what each other says or does but we will always support each other. That is something I cherish in Kianu. There are many times in life when you come up with an idea that is not the greatest, or you slip up in the classy department. Even when I have had these slip ups I have had a sister to put me back in my place. Being honest with each other should never be a bad thing if it is to benefit the club and the individual. I have learned and changed a lot about the way I act because my sisters have been honest with me. I appreciate that and my hope is that girls will always be able to trust each other enough to continue doing so. We are not perfect, and Kianu is not perfect. What makes it special is our individualism and our unconditional support of each other.

Last Update: December 2006