Kayode Balogun ’22 is passionate about sharing knowledge. As a Gettysburg College student, he helped students to navigate the complexities of college life. As an alum, he mentors students through his career as a high school teacher and through staying connected in the Gettysburg community.
“A lot of the challenges in life that I have overcome were thanks to mentors, so my goal is to pay it forward,” shared Kayode Balogun ’22.
Growing up in inner-city Chicago, Balogun was excited to travel and experience a new environment for college. “I grew up in a racially uniform neighborhood, where few people leave the state. I chose to go to Gettysburg College because I wanted to take a leap of faith,” he shared. “I ended up loving a lot about Gettysburg, especially with the tight-knit relationships and communities that I built.”
Throughout his four years on campus, Balogun was a member of numerous clubs and organizations—one of which was the Black Student Union (BSU). “Being the BSU president gave me a sense of purpose,” he reflected. “A lot of students, like myself, can feel lost when they first get to college. As I figured everything out, the BSU gave me a platform to connect students with resources to help them navigate their own journeys.”
Along with the BSU, Balogun was president of The Fellaship, a residential assistant (RA), Diaspora house leader, and chapter president of Alpha Phi Alpha—a historically Black intercollegiate fraternity. These experiences deepened his leadership skills, as he aimed to create environments where students felt supported and empowered.
Upon graduation from Gettysburg, Balogun moved back to Chicago, where he now works as a high school teacher. After school, he runs a program that exposes students to new interests and careers, such as fashion, wealth building, and community gardening. “It’s so important to introduce young people to things outside of traditional education,” he shared. “The world is changing quickly, and it’s different from what we were taught as kids. Gettysburg taught me to adapt to irregularities and think outside the box.”
Balogun continues to be involved in the Gettysburg College community, especially through his fraternity, which he remains an active member of. “It was so useful to have alumni speak with us when I was a student, and now I am all about passing knowledge down. There is no sense of learning something if I don’t use it to help others.”
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By Brooke Askin ’25
Photo provided by Kayode Balogun ’22
Posted: 03/05/25