During his time at Wellington, Shivum Kalyanam ’25 built a reputation for saying yes — to new opportunities, leadership roles, and challenges across nearly every area of school life.
He ran on the varsity cross country and tennis teams. He played percussion in Blue Notes, acted in theatre productions, and led clubs and activities like Debatriot and Model UN. He served on Student Council for four years (and as secretary his senior year) and was a writer and editor for The Paw Print. He was also a National Honor Society member, a drum student outside of school, and a consistent presence in rigorous academic courses all the way through his final trimester.
Shivum didn’t set out to craft a perfect résumé; he simply followed his interests. “I just followed my interests,” he said. Once committed, he brought focus and energy to everything he joined. “I take pride in giving everything my all.”
Shivum’s longtime interest in government and law was nurtured through Student Council, Model UN, and classes with Curt Hansen P ’12 ’15, a beloved history teacher who retired in 2024. A middle school Dive on constitutional law gave him an early glimpse into legal reasoning, Model UN offered a collaborative space to apply his interests, and Hansen’s courses deepened his understanding of history and global affairs. Together, those experiences helped shape his decision to study political science, history, and pre-law at Claremont McKenna College.
Leadership was a thread throughout his Wellington experience. In Student Council and club work, he made it a priority to include others, encourage dialogue, and help teams move toward shared goals. “You have to let others talk,” he said. “One person can’t do everything. Leadership is about letting go of control and dividing work.”
Shivum played Mr. Body in "Clue"
Balancing academics, arts, athletics, and leadership took discipline and a lot of planning. Shivum made full use of study halls and free periods to stay on top of his workload and carved out time for rest by avoiding schoolwork on weekends. “Every school day, I tried to do one thing that wasn’t academic-related,” he said — a personal rule that helped him reset and stay grounded amid a packed schedule.
One constant throughout Shivum’s time at Wellington was his openness to trying new things. Theatre gave him a creative outlet and helped him develop public speaking skills. Blue Notes connected him with a tight-knit group of student musicians and deepened his appreciation for jazz, improvisation, and collaboration — he now keeps a 20+ hour playlist of the greats. Athletics taught him consistency and discipline. Each experience brought something distinct while reinforcing the others, showing him how different parts of school life could work together.
Shivum didn’t try to do everything. He just said yes to what sparked his curiosity and followed through with purpose. His time at Wellington was full, not just with activities but with intention. From arts to athletics to student leadership, he found meaning in the balance and strength in the variety. Students like Shivum reflect what Wellington makes possible: a place where interests are explored deeply, leadership is practiced early, and learning stretches far beyond the classroom. It was, in his words, “diverse, fun, a lot,” and entirely his own.