Kiriaki (Kelly) Vlahos '25
BA Anthropology, BA Art History, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Honors 

On Stony Brook:
Before graduating high school, I knew that I wanted to be involved in STEM and Stony Brook was amongst the most impressive New York colleges for STEM, so I decided to start my undergraduate career here!

On her major:
In high school, I knew I liked research and learning about the past, which is when I decided to pursue anthropology. I added a second major of art history because I was passionate about museums and art, something I am still passionate about and will be pursuing after graduation. My plan for the future is to become more involved in museums and research, particularly museum education, before pursuing my graduate degree.

During my time at Stony Brook, I was so lucky to find two small but amazing communities in anthropology and art history. I first involved myself in the Undergraduate Anthropology Society where I was secretary for two years and met some amazing peers who helped me through my journey as an anthropology student. I was also starting my journey in research, that research being in Zooarchaeology under Dr. Katheryn Twiss who has greatly helped and supported me. At the same time I became a gallery student at the Zuccaire Gallery, where I met more amazing people (a big thank you to Karen Levitov and Georgia Lamair) and was able to gain more experience in a contemporary gallery. Stony Brook gave me such a wide range of experiences and opportunities that I was able to find what I was passionate about and gain experiences for my future career.

Favorite class:

My favorite course was in my last semester, ARH 390, Topics in European Art: Women Artists in Europe with Dr. Karen Lloyd. The course showed me new histories that may not typically be taught in art history classes. The readings were so interesting and I always had so many thoughts to bring to my discussions in class. It helped me learn about the many European women who are often overlooked in art history and how impactful they still are. 

Advice for future Seawolves:
Experience new things and fully immerse yourself in your interests! This is your time to not only focus on your future career, but also to find new interests, friends, and experiences that will enrich your life. Also, it’s so important to make connections, so always go to those office hours or talk for a few minutes after class to your professors and peers!