Alumni Feature: Kyra Rooney (’19)

“My job allows me to be a tiny part of the preservation of history and culture. When I work on a piece of art that’s centuries old, and think about how many people it has impacted, I feel more connected to the past and excited for the future trajectory of art.”

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This fall, we connected with a number of young alumni from The King’s College to hear how they’re spending their time. How do they reflect on their years at King’s, and what has it looked like in practice for them to pursue the mission of shaping institutions? Read more alumni stories here.

Name and Graduation Year
Kyra Rooney, B.A. English, December 2019

Current Occupation
Production Assistant, Sotheby’s Art Auction House

What does a typical day look like for you?
My role as a production assistant is within the valuations department at Sotheby’s, where we create appraisals (fair market value, private sale, auction estimate, insurance, etc.) for clients. I work with specialists and account managers from every department (Contemporary, Jewelry, Impressionist, and Modern, etc.) to craft documents that describe the client’s art or other valuable items. The listings include components like the titles of the works, their provenance, dimensions, exhibitions, literature, and value.

How did your experiences as a King’s student (either in class or outside of it) give you a deeper perspective that you now use in your day to day?
I think King’s and the city taught me to embrace hardships and be a sort of “yes girl.” My entire collegiate career was a cluster of trying anything and everything. I tried modeling, fashion PR, and waitressing in Grand Central. I worked for both the King’s literary magazine and National Review. I changed my major four times and once withdrew mid-semester because I tried to major in business and found it was definitely not for me. I stayed curious and explored my passions (mainly literature and art), never seeing my curiosity as a failure, but rather a step in a direction which paralleled my purpose.

In what ways do you see your current work contributing to God’s restoration of the world (or whatever larger purpose you see yourself as part of)?
I feel like my job allows me to be a tiny part of the preservation of history and culture. When I work on a piece of art that’s centuries old, and think about how many people it has impacted, I feel more connected to the past and excited for the future trajectory of art.


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