One student found a second home at UC

He grew up in Cincinnati, and several of his relatives attended UC before him. When his older brothers were UC undergraduates, Kevin was frequently with them.

“Throughout their years at UC, I felt like I was always here, even if I was just visiting or helping them move,” Kevin says. “I was already familiar with the campus before I came here. My aunt worked at the African American Cultural & Resource Center “AACRC”, and she would invite me to their events. UC felt like a second home before I enrolled.” 

As a communication major with a minor in organizational leadership, Kevin has embraced a wide-ranging curriculum that has helped him develop technological skills and a facility for human interaction. His education has included real-world experience as an intern at the Uptown Consortium, where he assisted with programming, social media, videography, and newsletter production. “I was putting out newsletters and editing the websites and just kind of listening in on what was going on around town,” he says. “It set a good foundation.”

Outside of class, Kevin has been a frequent presence at the AACRC where he participates in community projects and leadership programming. He took part in the center’s transition program during his first year, and since 2020 has encouraged and counseled first-year students as a Brothers and Sisters Excelling (BASE) mentor. “I had such a good experience with my mentor, I wanted to give back,” Kevin says.

Kevin is president of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, a peer leader in UC’s Emerging Ethnic Leaders Program, and a campus DJ. As a resident advisor in his dorm, he serves as a role model and works “to ensure a safe living environment for all residents by enforcing University policies and resolving high-stress issues as quickly and as safely as possible.” Away from campus, he tutors children at South Avondale School, a public elementary school in the heart of Cincinnati.

Kevin isn’t sure where he’ll land after graduation, but his affinity for leadership and mentoring roles does provide a hint. “I’m not positive in terms of a career, but I know I want to provide the same kind of help that people have given me,” he says. “What that will look like, only time will tell. But I know I want to help people.”

Combined, Kevin’s leadership and mentoring activities have helped him make connections while also teaching him, through practice, to remain confident and collected in high-stress situations. “I feel prepared for whatever is next for me,” he says.

Featured image at top: Kevin I. Kinebrew II, A&S '23. Photo/provided