When you step into a Front Range Community College sociology class with professor Kristina Kahl, PhD, you’ll quickly discover that the learning is anything but passive.
Whether her students are building a fort to understand eco-anxiety or tasting sushi to explore cultural practices or embarking on field trips that bring sociological concepts to life, Kristina designs her courses around tangible, hands-on experiences.
From Community College Student to Educator
Her teaching philosophy is rooted in her own educational journey.
“I actually dropped out of high school at 16. I went and ‘did life’ as they say,” Kristina says with a laugh.
Later, returning to education as a non-traditional student, she found her footing at a community college.
“Because community college opened the door for me, I was really hoping that I would get this position,” she says, reflecting on when she first applied at FRCC. “I wanted to give back to the community college student population and be part of that.”
Kristina earned her PhD in sociology from the University of Colorado Boulder and taught at Fort Lewis College before joining FRCC. But the community college environment, which Kristina refers to as her “roots,” has always felt like home.
A Teaching Philosophy Built on Connection
Kristina describes her teaching philosophy in three parts.
First, she prioritizes accessibility.
Second, she centers active, experiential learning. Her classes regularly involve hands-on activities: escape rooms for Intro to Sociology, field trips in nearly every class, volunteer opportunities, visits to farms and even tasting crickets during discussions of food insecurity.
One memorable example comes from her Sociology of Death and Dying course. She brought chopsticks, which are used to remove bones from cremation ashes in some cultural practices, to class “as a way to build out the tangible five senses regarding a culture.’
Her third core value is civic engagement.
“I don’t want to just teach and then students leave it in the room,” she explains. “My goal is always for students to start thinking how they can be better citizens.”
Student Success: A Story of Growth and Identity
One of Kristina’s favorite parts of teaching is seeing students discover strengths they didn’t know they had. She shares a story that reflects one such occasion.
Student Chase Janis began an online class where, according to Kristina, wasn’t the ideal learning environment for him.
But once they moved into face-to-face courses, they became more engaged, especially in environmental sociology. Chase completed their sociology degree at FRCC, earned their bachelor’s degree at Metropolitan State University of Denver and was accepted into CU Boulder’s Masters of the Environment program.
“(Kristina) was not only my teacher but also my mentor and good friend,” says Chase. “Without her unwavering belief and support… I would not be at CU Boulder in their graduate program.”
Bringing Energy and Heart to Learning
Sebastian Diaz, a current student, agrees.
“After only a short time being in Dr. Kahl’s Environmental Sociology class I knew I was in the right place,” he says “It is an immense privilege to be taught by Dr. Kahl, because I can say I am learning a lot, and it’s all knowledge that I need for success.”
Those who work with Kristina describe her as someone who puts students first.
“Kristina’s energy is inspiring, and I’m grateful for all she does for our campus community,” says Dean of FRCC’s School of Writing & Literature Tino Gomez.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Dr. Kristina Kahl for almost ten years,” adds psychology faculty member Kristy Dykema. “She brings intention, heart and action to the issues our students face every day.”
Life Beyond the Classroom
Outside of teaching, Kristina is committed to service and personal growth. She volunteers widely, supports marginalized communities and embraces global learning through travel. One of her most meaningful experiences was walking the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain, a journey that, according to her, transformed her understanding of connection and culture.
She laughs about the challenges of everyday life too, even those as mundane as managing a broken hot water heater during our interview for this article. But she approaches it all with humor and resilience.
Why She Loves FRCC
More than anything, Kristina values the way FRCC supports creativity and student-centered teaching.
And she notably describes the college as a “land of yes,” a place where experiential learning is encouraged rather than restricted.
