Kyle Thaller ʼ25 is off to the East African country of Rwanda, on assignment with the Peace Corps. While there, he will teach fifth through eighth graders how to read, write, and speak English. Thaller has been preparing for this trip since he graduated from the University of Lynchburg in January.
Thaller hopes to integrate himself into the local community, learning the language and customs of Rwanda.
He has been to Africa multiple times, running two nonprofits in Sudan and South Sudan. The first, Kyle’s Campaigns for Change, donated $2 million dollars worth of diabetic supplies to numerous clinics across the two countries.
Thaller, who has Type 1 diabetes, has been a vocal supporter and activist on behalf of those who suffer from the disease. Since March, he has been working on a project to lobby the U.S. Congress, Department of Defense, and the White House to remove the current “blanket ban” on people with Type 1 diabetes serving in the U.S. military.
His second nonprofit, Row4Life, is an initiative that aims to create the first South Sudanese Olympic rowing team.
For Thaller, the most exciting aspect of his Peace Corps service is the opportunity to motivate and influence his students in the same way his teachers at Lynchburg motivated him.
“Throughout my time at the University of Lynchburg, I [grew] as a student, leader, and person, thanks to some of the amazing people I met here,” he said.
Thaller was a Westover Honors Fellow and Bonner leader. He studied political science. The research he conducted as a student gave him insight into countries with histories that have been marred by political violence, and how those effects continue.
“In addition, due to such activities as the Model UN team and Model European Union, I was able to grow as a public speaker and improve my networking ability,” Thaller said.
Thaller’s advice for new students at the University of Lynchburg is to “go all in,” whether it be through sports, public service, research, or just making new friends.
“The biggest strength about Lynchburg is that although it’s small, the community is more than willing to help you achieve your dreams and goals,” he said. “And it is through the community that I was able to accomplish all that I did.”
