Senior Spotlight: Khine Win
By: Siona Jain, Andrea Luo
Every day during G/H Format, senior Khine Win grabs her white jacket and runs over to Goel Center for Theater and Dance—right on time. Her discovery of movement at Exeter has not only helped her find a creative outlet but has also inspired others to experiment and pursue their own interests in the arts.
Hailing from just outside of Washington, D.C., Win always looked for a challenge—even in middle school. “Boarding school seemed like a challenge to eighth grade me since I’d be living alone but also—especially at Exeter—be studying some pretty hard curriculum,” she recalled.
Her drive for challenge is reflected in the activities she pursues on campus: cybersecurity and choreography. Back home, these were not available options for her, considering the amount of time she spent commuting between home and school in D.C.. For that reason, her parents were incredibly supportive of Win’s decision to come to boarding school, knowing that Exeter would make it possible for Win to fill her hours with other activities.
Before Exeter, Win was a dedicated figure skater; her vocabulary was filled with words like salchow and axel rather than plie and pirouette. In fact, the first time she was “discovered” for dancing was her prep year when Dance Instructor Allison Duke approached her after having chaperoned the dance Back in Black.
Since then, Win has joined Dance Company, and her passion for the art has grown. “I’m sure if you ask anyone on campus many people would say that I’m a dancer,” she said. “They’re not wrong; I basically live in Goel. I love coming up with fun choreography to my favorite songs.”
Right enough, her passion for dance is apparent to everyone who meets her. Upper Sophia Emy first met Win during SpedCo (Spring Exeter Dance Company). “She once took me to dance during the weekend for no particular reason, and it ended up being exactly what I needed in a moment of stress,” Emy recounted.
Throughout her time at Exeter, Win has also pursued cybersecurity education. Having founded the Cybersecurity Club, Win brings the same passion she has for dance to science. “I started a cybersecurity club here on campus where we’re organizing our second year of a free online cybersecurity competition called peaCTF,” she says. “It’s really cool to see kids from places like Denmark or Japan solving puzzles you wrote for fun.”
In addition to cybersecurity, Win finds an outlet for her friendly energy through giving tours. Win’s kind, bubbly and energetic personality and her love of connecting with the families has led her to serve as a head tour guide.
In the recent Random Acts of Kindness assembly, Win introduced Admissions Visit Facilitator Deborah Waleryszak. When asked about Win, Waleryszak had nothing but kind words: “She’s simply lovely. She always comes in with a smile, even if she’s going through a lot of work. She’s a lovely young woman with tremendous confidence—that’s how I perceive her.”
Win brings her same welcoming nature to peer tutoring, always eager to help younger students out. “I love teaching others and working through our math problems together,” she says. “It’s so much fun to get to know someone by tutoring them.”
Win extends her passion for connecting with people to her fellow Exonians on campus. Senior Eva Carchidi noted Win’s affable personality and capacity to care for her friends: “She’s always super upbeat and energetic,” she said. “She’s friendly and welcoming to everyone, no matter how well she knows them.”
Emy agreed, commending Win’s contagious energy. “Most times, just being around her improves my mood.”
Senior Alisha Simmons, who had to cope with the absence of her alumni friends at the start of this year, attributes her joy during her senior fall to Win. Both feeling lost without their closest peers, they gravitated toward each other. “We picked each other up and leaned on each other and laughed and found our place again. Now it feels like I’ve known her my whole life,” she said.
In addition to her bright and enjoyable personality, Win continues to impress others with her hard work and admirable perseverance in the face of any challenge. Simmons commended Win’s spirit and unfailing positivity: “I admire her strength and perseverance in the face of adversity, her ability to always stay positive even when things aren't going her away and her willingness to drop everything to be there for someone she cares about,” she said.
Win is also an integral member of the Will House community, which she joined this year. Senior Justin Li, a fellow Will House resident, emphasized the warmth that she brings to the dorm. “My favorite memories with her are of us chilling in my room,” he said.
As one of Exeter’s only Burmese students, Win has grown to understand what that has meant for her. She noted the importance of belonging to the Asian community on campus. “Being Asian-American at Exeter means that I’m a part of a community that aligns with one of my identities,” she said.
Affinity group Asian Voices has given Win a group of people to identify with. “It’s really amazing to have all these other students who have had similar experiences with me, whether it’s dealing with microaggressions or the pressures of growing up in a first generation family,” Win said. In addition, she has embraced her heritage and background that she has brought to this community. “I like that I’ve learned to be okay and embrace being an Asian-American. Thank you to everyone who has helped me get to this place.”
As a four-year senior, Win has learned the importance of pursuing what you love. And when asked about the one piece of advice that she would give to any younger student, she responded: “Exeter is a busy and stressful place and it’s very easy to get caught up with all of the work we are given. It’s okay to take the time to do what you love—you need it!”