An interview with Kendall Hoofe

By Staff

Tell us how you managed through college during the pandemic.

Managing through the pandemic as a college student was not an easy task for many students, including me. It came with many new challenges that I was not prepared for. Challenges like transitioning to online learning, moving back home, and not being able to have a lot of social interaction. I managed all of these challenges by staying hopeful and being innovative. I was always taught that circumstances will not last forever, there is always sunshine on the other side. This is what kept me going. Telling myself that things will get better and I just have to wait it out. I also managed through the pandemic by being innovative. As a college student, learning online is not optimal for most classes. So I really had to learn to teach myself things that couldn’t be taught through a screen. I had to find ways to learn that I never really needed or had to use before. Managing through the pandemic has given me tools that I will use for the rest of my life. And while the pandemic has given us many damaging and dreadful things, it has also given me opportunities to grow and tools that will help me in the future.

What career are you striving towards and why?

I am striving towards a career in law. Specifically a career as an attorney. As long as I can remember law is what I’ve wanted to do. I could always see myself fighting for people in a courtroom and helping their lives become better somehow. When I was younger I would sit in my room for hours watching court cases on YouTube and listening to Supreme Court cases online. I would watch murder cases, malpractice cases and many other types of cases. To me, it never really mattered the type of law, I was interested in all of it. My love for law just grew from there.

What keeps you motivated?

My goals keep me motivated. Whenever I feel down or feel like things are getting too hard, I think about where I want to go in life and how I get there. I think about how many people in the future I could be defending, prosecuting, or representing and how they would be let down if I quit. My motivation comes from them as well. My family also motivates me in many ways. When I hear family talk about how proud they are of me and how they will always have my back, it makes me want to work even harder knowing I have people in my corner.

Tell us about your most proud moment.

My most proud moment is when I was inducted into Alpha Lambda Delta Honors society at the University of Kentucky my freshman year. This was a proud moment because it really showed me that no matter what people say, success is something I am meant to achieve. I graduated high school in the top 5% of my class and while most people were very proud, others would question my success in college. They would say things like “college is a lot harder than high school,” “Don’t expect those grades in college,” or even compare their experiences to mine. In all honesty, that concerned me when coming to college. I was concerned my grades wouldn’t be good and that I wasn’t prepared. Being inducted into Alpha Lambda Delta Honors society really showed me that I can do anything I put my mind to. My drive and determination decide if I succeed, not others.

What are three goals that you would like to achieve ?

I think of goals in term of short term and long term. So some short term goals of mine are to graduate college Magna Cum Laude. I think this would really give me a boost while choosing a law school. This goal also motivates me each semester to make sure I’m doing well and continuing to stay on the right track. Another short term goal of mine is to get more experience in the law field. I want to start building connections with more people in law and networking more. Networking is really important when it comes to achieving goals because it always takes more than one person. A long term goal of mine is to become financially stable when I am on my own starting a job. I think money management is something that can make or break someone’s lifestyle and where they are in the world. So I want to have the funds to support myself and live comfortably. Another long term goal of mine is to graduate from law school and pass the bar. These are essential things when it comes to working in the law field as an attorney. So it’s important that I am successful in both in order to reach my goal as becoming an attorney.

What inspired you to become a member of a sorority?

In the Spring of 2021, I became a member of the ILLUSTRIOUS Iota Sigma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority incorporated. I was inspired to become a member because of the wonderful women I was surrounded by in my younger years and to this day. One of them happens to be my mother. Seeing my mom participate in community service, galas, fundraisers and a lot more with her chapter really made me want to do the same things. Seeing her give back and have a strong bond with her sorority sisters inspired me to be a member. Also seeing how devoted she always is to the sorority as she upholds the purpose and continues to drive for greatness really showed me what an Alpha woman is. These are some of the same qualities I saw in other AKA women in my life and I always knew that was who I wanted to be.

Tell us about some of your charity/community work.

Community service is very important to me and dedicating my time toward that work is a necessity. While I was still in my hometown, I would participate in feast table at my church,  twice a month. At feast table, we would serve hot meals and give bags of food to the community. I would also volunteer at my old middle school by helping the teachers and the front desk clerk. I would help file, run papers, and help with any other tasks that they needed. While in college, I serve as the Director of Community Service for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People at the University of Kentucky. As the director I plan two community service events a month. Some of our regular events are Volunteering at God’s Pantry, African Cemetery No. 2, and

About

Kendall Hoofe

Resident Advisor, AbHaggin Hall

Political Science, University of Kentucky

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated

Black Student Union, Co-Director of Activities

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Director of Community Service