
Kyle Kirkland (He/Him) is a second-year graduate student pursuing a M.S. degree in Communication at Oregon State.
Having alumni in his family from Oregon State, Kyle knew that “it was all but destined that I was going here from my undergrad.” Kyle started out at OSU pursuing an Engineering degree, and ended up with a BS in Communication after close to six major changes. He settled into the communication major easily, due to the wide variety of topics within the discipline. “I have enjoyed almost every single class that I’ve taken in the major and it feels like home now.”
Much like his undergrad, Kyle has explored a number of thesis topics during his master’s studies. His current focus is in musical rhetoric, performance studies and communication of gender, specifically looking at metal bands and gender performance within traditional music styles. Kyle chose Dr. Herring for his major advisor, who has knowledge in rhetorical studies and media analysis. “I was beyond interested in musical rhetoric but didn’t want to abandon my years of research. She helped me find ways to incorporate my old ideas and knowledge base into the new topic and encouraged me to discover new avenues of research.”
Kyle secured a Graduate Teaching Assistant position in tandem with beginning his graduate program in winter 2022, which covers his tuition and a monthly stipend. He currently teaches COMM111: Public Speaking. When he’s not teaching classes or studying, Kyle enjoys cooking, running, “and sometimes I can even find time to read for fun.”