Q&A with Koch Associate Program Coordinator Kayla Westbrook
Kayla Westbook is an alumna of the 2014 KAP class and now coordinates the whole program. She’s sharing some tidbits about this year’s class and her experience.
What are some new aspects of the curriculum you are especially excited to launch?
I’m really excited to launch the Framework for a Free Society sessions in KAP this year. We’re going to continue bringing in policy speakers like we have in the past, but a key difference will be that associates will have an opportunity to work on a group project where they will apply the framework to a current policy topic. Additionally, I’m excited to implement a more robust version of the independent study piece of our curriculum as well as new ways of evaluating learning instead of just surveys.
What feedback from the previous class are you planning to implement this year?
Based off of last year’s feedback, I’m going to try to build in extra time after a guest speaker for one-on-one Q&A. The people who have burning questions can stick around, while the people who don’t get a whole lot out of Q&A can take a break. Another change that I’m going to make will be to have both a morning and afternoon meeting, instead of one or the other. Lastly, I’m really excited to add in more networking opportunities next year!
Can you tell us a little bit about the makeup of this year’s KAP class?
There will be about 100 associates in the incoming KAP class. The most common majors, unsurprisingly, are economics and political science. Four participants are coming in with doctorate degrees and a handful are coming in with non-traditional majors, such as engineering, theology, and art history. Another interesting fact is that 40 percent of this year’s associates are alums of other CKI educational programs.
You’re a KAP alumna yourself. What did you get out of the program?
I had so many takeaways from KAP! Some of the biggest were realizing that Market-Based Management® has many intricate components, learning about Aristotelian virtue ethics, and building a solid network.
Stay tuned for application information on the 2016–17 program! In the meantime, learn more about the Koch Associate Program.
