Major: Political Science (BA)
Minor: International Relations

Kyle Thaller ’25 has a lifelong passion for service. The political science major, international relations minor, and Westover Honors Fellow founded the nonprofit Row4Life and another humanitarian organization, Kyle’s Campaigns for Change, while he was in high school.

While service has been a big focus for his family, it was personal hardship that sparked Thaller’s motivation to start his own charity: He was diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes in April 2015.

“My world changed in an instant,” said Thaller, who had dreamed of becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL.

Thinking his dreams were over, Thaller quickly changed course and charted a new path with KCC.

“I figured out that I could still be a leader and make a difference,” he said.

He served as a U.S. Senate page and enrolled at Lynchburg. In 2023, he was invited to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University’s annual meeting. There, he received training and mentorship and sought funding for Row4Life.

“The University’s social sciences has been especially helpful in giving me additional perspectives on global affairs so as to be a more effective changemaker,” said Thaller, who is also a Bonner Leader.

The Bonner Leader Program, he added, “has helped me learn more about what it truly means to serve others through community engagement and interaction with other students who value public service and making a difference.”