Few things make Kellan Brown light up quite like a conversation about people.
Ask him about human evolution, early civilizations, or why cultures develop the way they do, and the discussion quickly turns into something much bigger. One question leads to another. Then another. Before long, Brown connects history, biology, philosophy, and personal experience with an enthusiasm that is impossible to miss.
That curiosity has shaped almost every decision he has made over the past few years.
"I love understanding humans," Brown said. "I love trying to understand why I am the way I am."
Since enrolling in the Anthropology program at College of Western Idaho (CWI) in Fall 2025, Brown has found opportunities to explore that curiosity through academic, leadership, and travel opportunities.
His interest in anthropology began a few years earlier.
During his senior year at Timberline High School, an English class assignment introduced him to the subject. While browsing the library shelves, one title caught his attention: The Firmament of Time by anthropologist Loren Eiseley.
"'Firmament' was a cool word. I had never heard that before," Brown said. "I had no idea what anthropology was at the time, but the ideas that he was talking about were so relevant to life. It completely changed my life's trajectory."
The book sparked a fascination with people and the human experience, leading Brown to spend more time reading, exploring Idaho's outdoors, and asking questions about the world around him.
"I realized people are so interesting," Brown said. "I can ask people questions and get to know them."
Despite discovering a passion for anthropology, Brown still did not see college in his future. After graduating high school, he spent two years working seasonal jobs, including summers in Zion National Park and Alaska.
Living and working alongside people from different countries and cultures gave Brown opportunities to hear new perspectives and continue asking the kinds of questions that had captured his attention years earlier.
“I feel like I grew so much at these places because I was just meeting new people in a way that I never have before.”
Along the way, Brown kept reading and learning. His interest in anthropology expanded into human evolution, nutrition, biology, and health, but one question remained: how could he turn this into a career?
With some encouragement from those close to him, he began to reconsider college.
Brown knew he wanted to study anthropology, but he was not yet sure where that interest would lead or whether it could become a career. Wanting to explore that possibility without taking on the cost of a four-year university, he saw CWI as an affordable place to start.
"I knew if I was going to do college, I was going to take it serious," he said,
During his first semester, Brown joined the Anthropology Club, eventually serving as the club's secretary. The club gave him a way to connect with students who shared his interests while beginning to take on leadership opportunities within the program.
He also met Anthropology Professor, Nikki Gorrell, whose passion for the discipline immediately resonated with him.
"It was my first time being around an anthropologist," Brown said. "The way she thought and the way that she communicated, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this is so cool.'"
Recognizing Brown's enthusiasm, Gorrell invited him to return the following semester as an Anthropology Peer-to-to Peer Mentor intern, where he worked with students in a Cultural Anthropology (ANTH 102) class.
“The reason I asked Kellan to serve as a Peer-to-Peer Mentor is because he approaches working with fellow classmates from a collaborative, respectful, ‘rising tide lifts all the boats’ attitude,” Gorrell shared. “He feels successful when he’s helping others achieve their academic goals, and that quality of leadership made him an exceptional mentor!”
As he continued to challenge himself academically, other faculty took notice. Assistant Professor of English, Jillian Moore, encouraged him to apply to the Honors Program after recognizing his potential as a writer and researcher.
"Hearing that my first semester in college gave me a lot of confidence," Brown said. "I was doing something right."
Through the Honors Program, Brown developed a research project exploring human evolution, nutrition, and health, subjects that brought together many of the interests he had been pursuing independently for years. The project also gave him experience asking research questions, analyzing information, and communicating his findings.
"I felt like, for the first time, this is what I wanted to be doing," he said. "Now I feel like I can visualize my future."
It wasn’t long before Brown began putting those skills into practice.
Presenting his research at CWI's 2026 Connections Conference gave Brown a glimpse of the future he hopes to pursue. Sharing projects from his anthropology, English, and honors coursework, he discovered he enjoyed discussing ideas as much as researching them.
"I loved presenting things that I am fascinated with," Brown said. "I loved it when people asked questions because then I got to have a conversation. Presenting your work is very important in anthropology, and Connections gave me that opportunity."
Brown also found opportunities to take his education beyond CWI. Although he had long wanted to travel internationally and was interested in studying abroad, he had not expected to have that opportunity at the College.
Over the summer, Brown traveled to Costa Rica with Gorrell and Biological Sciences Assistant Professor, Gary Heller, applying classroom concepts through field experiences while continuing to explore the questions that first inspired him to study anthropology.
For Brown, experiences like research projects, presenting, and study abroad have reinforced a philosophy he has adopted during his time at CWI.
"I say yes to everything," Brown said. "Things where I know I should do this. I know that I should say yes to this. It's a no-brainer."
That commitment to learning has earned Brown recognition as a 2027 Emerging Scholar. As he continues his education at CWI, he plans to keep exploring the connections between human evolution, health and nutrition before transferring to pursue a career in research.
Brown still has plenty of questions. Now, he has a clearer idea of where they might take him.
"Everything has really fallen into place," Brown said. "I realized I can do whatever I set my mind to. I can live this dream of mine."
Curious about people, cultures, and the world around you? Explore CWI's Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences pathway and discover where your interests can take you.
