English Professor Kiara Koenig honored with Yuba College Excellence Award
Since joining Yuba College in 2013, Kiara Koenig has built a role that extends far beyond the classroom. As an English instructor, she teaches literature, creative writing, composition and critical thinking, while also serving as the Equity Faculty Coordinator and faculty Tri-Chair of Yuba College’s Leadership in Equity, Achievement and Diversity Committee. Koenig has established herself as a pillar of her community, and she’s someone who students and faculty alike turn to for support.
Her hard work and dedication have now been recognized with the Yuba College Excellence Award, an honor selected by colleagues through a voting process. Koenig pointed toward the team around her, rather than her own personal accomplishments or achievements.
“I see the award less about me personally and more as a recognition of my support team,” she said. “I’ve been inspired and challenged by my committee colleagues, especially Kelly Boren, by my embedded tutors, notably Darla Hagerman, and by my collaborative partners and my students.”
When asked about what her favorite part of her job was, Koenig emphasized the personal interactions she has with students, especially when it comes to seeing them learn and grow.
“I enjoy getting the chance to work with them one on one to move their ideas into reality,” she said. “Seeing them do things they didn’t think they could, like pitch an idea to a local school board, build out a social media channel that supports other low-income parents by sharing low-cost educational activities for their kids, or perform their own poetry.”
Koenig often works with colleagues to build programs and interactive learning experiences across campus, something she is equally passionate about.
“I also love collaborating with colleagues,” she said. “I’m currently co-teaching our LGBTQ+ Film and Literature course with Kyra Mello, and it’s so much fun. I worked with another colleague, Brian Jukes, a few years ago to build out the training courses for our Embedded Tutoring program. And I’ve lost track of how many Teaching Communities Shawn Frederking and I have co-facilitated.”
At the same time, she is very open about the challenges that come with her work. Like many educators, she navigates institutional barriers, competing agendas and the difficulty of turning ideas into meaningful actions.
“Too many hoops to jump through,” she said. “Too many people who want things to be easy, frictionless. Too many meetings that are about creating a statement or a report that ends up meaningless because no tangible actions come next.”
Rather than stepping back, Koenig continues to push forward, finding ways to channel that frustration into action and partnering with others who share her commitment to change.
“I find partners and allies who are willing to actually make change,” she said. “I do quite a bit of what Kyra calls ‘rage exercising,’ by hiking with my one-year-old shepsky, Tater, which mostly means I’m hustling just to keep his tail in sight. Reading poetry, by writers like Andrea Gibson, helps, too. And taking photographs. Having a home-cooked meal with my mom or good friends.”
Her sense of purpose is rooted in the examples set by her family and a belief that the work she does should matter in a real and lasting way.
“My grandfather was a minister. My father built custom homes. My mom is a writer,” she said. “Their work mattered. I try to live up to their example.”
This work does not come easy, and Koenig often faces adversity when trying to get things done. Even then, she still tries to push through.
“I’ll be honest. It is HARD right now,” she said. “There’s so much pushback against so much of the work I care about and so much risk for so many of the students who I know deserve so much better.”
Despite all this, each and every day, it is the students who give Koenig the motivation to keep going.
“But when students tell me how they’ve learned to use their resources and not be afraid to push through when something feels hard or uncomfortable because the important things are often hard and uncomfortable, then I know I need to keep showing up and giving them the space to practice and create and test their ideas,” she said.
Koenig’s students proved to be especially tenacious, many of whom continue to succeed despite their personal circumstances. Because of this, Koenig strives to hold herself to the same standards.
“If they can show up with new poems when they’re living out of their car or complete assignments while sitting in the hallway while their child is in a therapy session or at night while the person they care for sleeps, then I better come ready to give them a learning experience that makes it worthwhile,” she said.
Koenig’s work has shaped Yuba College for the better, both in and outside the classroom. Her commitment to not only her students, but to her community as a whole, will continue to leave a lasting impact across campus for years to come.