Senior Spotlight: Jackie Kenny

The Senior Spotlight series continues with Jackie Kenny, who is from Castle Rock, Colo.
All Senior Spotlight interviews are by junior Margaret High. Read the last one, on Caitlin Beakes, here and check back soon for the next installment in the series!

Jackie Kenny has been rowing since she was a freshman. She was a walk-on, pulling on past experiences as a competitive swimmer to be shaped into a successful rower. Kenny loves competing and races, which propelled her to try out for the rowing team because she missed the fun of swim meets.

She is an English major and fiction writing minor. She is an editor for the Health Humanities Journal, which started her sophomore year. Kenny was originally drawn to UNC for its creative writing program, which has a nation-wide reputation for producing exceptional writers.

What's your favorite thing about rowing?

Steady state on the water when the boat is smooth and perfect; when it's a little bit misty, the sun is just coming up, and the sky is beautiful.

How has it shaped your college career?

It's given me the best friends and teammates that I could ever ask for. It also forces me to actually plan and schedule my life, since practice takes up so much time.

In what ways does rowing inspire you?

It always has amazed me how much teamwork rowing takes—all these different people, in a huge boat, having to figure out how to move together in a seamless motion. The fact that that level of synchronization is possible and that you can feel it when the boat is moving together is so cool.

What was it like working in Alaska this past summer?

This summer, I worked with a small eco-kayak tour company called "A Seaside Adventure" up near Kachemak Bay in Southeastern Alaska. We kayaked every day in the ocean, in so many different weather conditions, and let me tell you, nothing was ever as bad it gets in our rowing winter season. I was ready for the cold. I was ready for the wind. I paddled so many guests around after their arms got tired.

Who do you admire the most on the team?

I admire all of the coxswains. All of them. They definitely have the hardest job out of all of us. My hat is permanently off to them.

What is your erging song of choice?

Right now, I would have to say "Out of Love" by Two Friends, Cosmos + Creature. I really love their saxophone.

What is your dream job?

To be a writer. I really want to write stories that give people hope.

What are your plans after college?

Winging it. Caitlin Beakes and I are talking about traveling around for a year, picking up seasonal work and / or volunteering work in different places. We're still working out the details. We're both procrastinators.

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Caitlin Beakes

Jackie Kenny

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