Congratulations to Kira Boesch, valedictorian of the General Studies class of 2011! Prior to her enrollment in the school of General Studies, Kira was a professional ballet dancer who worked with the Staatsballett Berlin and Dances Patrelle in New York City. While at GS, Kira studied psychology and was accepted into the Columbia University Department of Psychology Honors Program. Kira also taught at both mainstream and therapeutic nursery schools and has served as a research assistant for the Barnard Toddler Center.
What is your favorite ballet to dance? Your favorite venue?
I mostly danced professionally in Berlin, and we danced a lot of the classics. I loved dancing Swan Lake because it felt like the fulfillment of the dream that you have as a child when you want to be a ballet dancer.
Why did you choose to come to college after dancing, and why did you choose Columbia?
I always knew that I would want to get a college degree after dancing because I knew that I wanted to pursue a second and totally different career. I chose Columbia because when I came upon the School of General Studies, it seemed like it was the perfect fit someone in my situation. I wanted a serious and rigorous education, but I had taken six years off, and GS offered me the education I wanted. It was daunting at first to be here, but I quickly felt supported both by GS and by Columbia in general.
