Taylor Storlien-

This week’s Gustie of the Week is Kaiani Roberts Engman. A Senior Political Science major and member of Alpha Sigma Tau, Engman enjoys staying connected with those around her and being a part of the community at Gustavus.

Engman chose Gustavus largely in part due to its community, which motivates her within AST. “The biggest reason I came to Gustavus was because it seemed [like] everyone was nice and a part of the community. I am motivated to pay that back because of how I felt when I first got here,” Engman said. Throughout her time here, Engman has overcome both procrastination and introvertedness, both things that were challenging to her during her first years on campus. “The community is so comfortable and there is a really good support system [here],” Engman said.

From her first few days on campus, Engman embodied what it meant to be both a Gustie and a friend. On First-year move-in day, she met Paige Danforth, now a Senior Environmental Studies major, with whom she is still close today. “Kaiani was my first friend on campus: I met her on freshman move-in day when putting up the lofts. She offered help to my roommate and me when she saw us struggling to get them up. If I had to describe Kaiani in one word, I would choose passionate. I have always known Kaiani to be hardworking, and someone who never gives up on something she wants,” Danforth said.

When it comes to her Political Science major, it allows her to see the bigger picture. In her free time, she enjoys watching the news because of the in-depth analyses and drama that come with it. This is one of the reasons she decided to declare her major in the Political Sciences. Since furthering her studies, it has changed her perspective greatly, “It gives me a lot more understanding of what goes on and it gives me a lot more patience. With this major, you have to look at all sides of an issue, and with being on campus, it gives me an opportunity to look into the [bigger] picture,” Engman said.

Professor Richard Leitch in the Political Science department was one of the professors Engman had during her first semester on the hill. She was one of only a few first years in a class of juniors and seniors that fall semester of 2020, “As one of just a few First-year students in our COVID-affected Politics of Poverty course during the fall semester [of] 2020, Kaiani worried that she might struggle in a class full of juniors and seniors. But during that second nighttime class, it was clear her fears were unwarranted,” Leitch said. In Politics and Poverty, preparation and discussion were integral to success within the course. “Kaiani was uninhibited in sharing her ideas and was always very thoughtful and perceptive. She was also a valuable member of the group project teams.  Kaiani has been in other classes of mine since that first semester, including [a current] one, and it has been a delight watching her develop as a student. She is also just a really fun person to have a conversation with!” Leitch said.

Being a part of Alpha Sigma Tau has been one of Engman’s favorite parts of Gustavus. She remembers fondly when she received her bid for AST, as it is one of her favorite memories on campus,  “They come around and knock on your door and do a chant. When they started chanting, I tried to get out of bed and just fell on my face in front of my new sorority and I think that was really funny,” Engman said. During her three years in AST, she feels she has grown even more connected to the school because of all the new people she has been able to meet and her involvement in the events that the sorority puts on.

Not only does she stay connected within AST, but she also joins people together from different parts of her life. “Through the past four years, she has taught me perseverance, as well as leadership. My favorite memory with Kaiani was her inviting me along to her AST social at Can Can Wonderland. I got the opportunity to meet all her “sisters” and make some new friends,” Danforth said.

Now in her fourth year at Gustavus, Engman extends a piece of advice to others: “Everybody around you is moving at a million miles an hour, it is okay to go the speed limit of life. You don’t need to be in a million things,” Engman said.