Kirsten Peninger serves as an Assistant Director of Student Engagement at a university in central Ohio. She gets to work with college students every day, helping them grow in leadership and service as they prepare for life beyond college. Outside of her work, Kirsten volunteers at a local community theatre, working as a stage manager and also serving on various committees, including as vice chair of the Season Selection committee. She is also the production manager for her theatre, alongside her partner, Stephen. She also sings with her synagogue, has written several Sherlock Holmes stories, and has monthly game nights at her house with her friends. Kirsten’s experience at AAW gave her a lifelong love of the arts, but it also helped her figure out how much she cared about helping people. Her time in Leadership Council as an AAW student blossomed into a career in helping students develop their own leadership skills. She strongly believes that AAW helped her figure out who she really was, and remains thankful for its impact on her life.

Dr. Jeffrey Xu (Class of 2016) and Robin LaFleur-Xu (Class of 2017) are alumni of Arts Academy in the Woods, where both majored in Visual Arts. They first met in the Cafagymatorium where they began a relationship. Soon becoming inseparable enough that Dr. Mitchell would call them “a pair of Xus”, the couple has now been together for twelve years.

After AAW, Jeffrey and Robin both attended the University of Kansas. Jeffrey earned his Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering in 2021 and his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering in 2025. He now works as a research engineer at Sandia National Laboratories, advancing the development of hypersonic flight vehicles. He credits his time at AAW with fostering creativity and unconventional thinking that continue to give him an edge in research and innovation.

Robin is now a professional artist specializing in small-scale commissions that often draw inspiration from nature, New Mexican wildlife, and the regional landscape. Alongside their artistic work, Robin pursued studies in Ecology, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology at the University of Kansas, where they worked as a research tech on honey bees, including a study on how fertilizers affect their heat tolerance. They are now completing their Biology degree at the University of New Mexico. AAW gave Robin a space to grow and build confidence. This growth has allowed them to pursue both artistic and academic activities.

They are now living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with their 3-year-old son, two dogs, two cats, a tortoise, and are excited to welcome a daughter in November. Outside of work and school, the family enjoys hiking in the nearby mountains, exploring local art shows and markets, and taking part in the vibrant culture of New Mexico. Jeffrey and Robin credit Arts Academy not only with shaping their creativity and academic success, but also with giving them the foundation to build a meaningful life together.