Andrew Walker ’09 is the kind of Wesleyan student that you can never catch without a smile on his face. I’ve never seen him frown, scowl, or even look slightly annoyed—and I challenge anybody to provide proof of the opposite. (It can’t be done.) Why does he always seem so happy? How did his hair get so pretty? What are the secrets of Andrew Kelly Walker? He sat down with me this Wednesday afternoon to flash a few smiles and provide some answers.

Corinne Baldwin: Prior to this interview, I’ve heard a lot of different people describe you in different ways. I’ve heard about your pretty hair, your enthusiasm, your A+ attitude. But how would you describe yourself?

Andrew Walker: I think I’m like that person that walks along at Wesleyan and tries to wave at everyone, but then that wave is often dropped by someone or misconnected or disconnected. But hey, at least I try to say hello.

CB: That’s funny, I’m usually the person who thinks that people are waving to me but actually I’m just completely wrong. It’s embarrassing. Anyways. The last time we spoke you were really excited because you had just found out about being a senior interviewer.

AW: Yeah I just found out on Friday. (It was a separate process because I was abroad last spring.) I’m giving my first interviews next week. I’ve worked for admissions forever, so I thought being a senior interviewer would be a lot of fun. I enjoy showing off Wes but I think the exciting thing about being an interviewer is that you get to help select the incoming freshman class. And I love silently judging people. Not in a vindictive or mean-spirited kind of way… just like… I see you.

CB: What kind of student are you going to look for?

AW: There’s definitely a type of Wesleyan student who tries to do everything and is kind of involved all over the place, in all different parts of campus life. It’s so apparent when you talk to someone who would fit at Wesleyan, someone who is really enthusiastic about what they are doing—whatever that might be.

CB: Have you thought about what kind of questions you are going to ask them?

AW: I would love to ask stuff like, ’What is your favorite obscenity?’ or something, throw people off balance… or, ’Out of everyone in the world, who do you hate the most?’ But I will probably just ask stuff like, ’If you could be an animal, what animal would you be?’

CB: Wow, inventive. Wait, so you mentioned you were abroad this past spring. Where were you/what were you doing?

AW: I was on a comparative case studies program looking at urban design and planning in Brazil, South Africa and New Zealand. There were four traveling professors with us and 33 other students, and we stayed in home stays in each place.

CB: Is it weird to be back on campus after so long?

AW: Well, yeah. It’s like the freshman and sophomore classes are all this sudden one giant amoeba. I haven’t had that much time to meet the now-sophomores, so I think that’s weird. But parts of Wesleyan don’t change. Foss hill will always be Foss Hill.

CB: I guess I can’t really interview you and ignore what you’ve done with sailing and swimming. Is it true that you started the sailing team here?

AW: Well, I didn’t start the sailing team, but what I did try to do (and I think failed royally at) was to try and turn the team into something more competitive. There was a club team that used to kind of be like, ’Yeahhh I sailed once at Camp Wompanoag…’ or something. Sorry if that is offensive. But I sailed competitively in high school, so I wanted to make it something more like that. I think it was a partial success. We hosted a regatta last fall.

CB: And are you still involved?

AW: Yeah, but not in the way that I was. There’s a new captain this year, Jacon Mayer, and he’s turned it into something even better than it was. The last three years have been a building process, starting with what I did, and Jacon has made some new tracks. They’re now registered in NEISA [New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association]. And they are going to a regatta this Sunday at MIT.

CB: And what about your role on the swim team?

AW: I’m definitely the team morale booster. I’m kind of like fighting to make the top 24 at NESCACs on a regular basis. But I think the team is getting so much better. We have I think 10 freshman guys this year, and we’re going to be really good.

CB: And finally, the most important question. What are you doing this weekend?

AW: I don’t take class on Friday—that is my rule. Monday through Thursday busy, Friday do nothing and hang out. Maybe get off campus if at all possible. I guess I’ll be sitting on my porch. Living on Fountain is like the best thing ever because you don’t even have to go to the party. You can just sit on your porch and watch it form around you. Those are my weekends.

CB: Cool, well… I guess I’ll see you from across the street.