From the president
Forged by his experiences as a United States Senate Page and a youth leader in global humanitarian efforts, Kyle Thaller came to the University of Lynchburg as an exceptional student wanting to do more. A Political Science major with a minor in International Relations, Thaller is a natural leader determined to create positive change in the world. After receiving a Type-1 Diabetes diagnosis at age 12, Thaller found opportunities for changemaking and founded Kyle's Campaigns for Change (KCC), which focuses on humanitarian and policy work in South Sudan. Under his leadership, KCC has donated nearly $2,000,000 worth of insulin and lifesaving supplies to Sudan and South Sudan clinics. As a first-year student at the University of Lynchburg, Thaller formed Row4Life. This non-profit organization uses the sport of rowing to identify future leaders and athletes. In the Fall of 2022, Thaller expanded the program with a Global Diversity Initiative (R-GDI) to promote global diversity among college students. This unique 'glocal' focus bridges the gap between local and global communities and inspires empathy between them. Thaller is creating a more just and equitable world through his efforts, pursuing the goal of "saving lives by never giving up."
Personal Statement
I have a call to service and want to help the world as a global leader by showcasing the Strength in Diversity. This came from being permanently disabled and knowing firsthand how it feels to be type-cast and treated unfairly. Diversity-related issues are the root cause of all conflicts, and I seek to help resolve those conflicts by promoting diversity among the world’s young leaders. I have founded and led international and domestic programs that have saved disabled children and mitigated civil war, all of which depended upon diversity for success. My proudest example occurred as a U.S. Senate Page. My “Mr. Bipartisan” attitude among the polarized pages within a similarly polarized Senate allowed me to lead nine of my page classmates on a “Federalism Project” to mitigate civil war in South Sudan. The ten of us were of different religions, races, ethnicity, gender, sex, and political parties. Global leaders like Mandela and Gandhi depended upon the strength of diversity for their success, and so our project succeeded because we understood that together we were much stronger than individually. Although disabled, my personal strength and call to service lies in advocating global diversity to inspire and teach other young leaders.