Kenyon is small by national standards--about 1,600 students when I attended--but it's just the right size for its students. Classes are usually no larger than 20 students, which allows the professors to develop personal relationships with each of their students. You'll get invited over to your professor's house for dinner at least once during your college career, and most likely get invited even more often than that. Students babysit their professors' children and are often on a first name basis with everyone from the maintenance staff to the bookstore employees. You are an individual at Kenyon, not a number, and most faculty find a way to respect every student's individual strengths and help them with their weaknesses. Students aren't competitive with each other, instead pushing one another to learn more and helping when some fall behind. Class discussions are entirely what the students make them--the professors won't guide you or give you the answer straight out to make things easier. The classes are challenging and sometimes feel like more than you can handle, but the professors are always there to help.
The English department is far and away the biggest and most well-known of Kenyon's departments. Some of the department's most famous alumni include John Crowe Ransom, Laura Hillenbrand, Robert Lowell, James Wright, and E. L. Doctorow. It's also home to The Kenyon Review, one of the America's foremost literary magazines. Since it has such a stellar reputation as a writing school, all the professors are very accomplished and articulate and expect you to be the same. My professor for a genetics lab regularly commented on the grammar, organization, and literary style of our lab reports in addition to the science. You won't leave Kenyon without learning how to write, that's for sure!
The Drama department, where I spent most of my "free" time, is also nationally renowned--listed as one of The Fifteen Best Colleges for the Aspiring Actor by The College Finder. The Playwright in Residence is Wendy MacLeod, one of the foremost American woman playwrights living today. Paul Newman and Alison Janney both graduated from Kenyon's Drama program as well.
As for the academic requirements, Kenyon is not a college for lazy students. In order to graduate with your intended major(s), every student is required to pass the Senior Exercise, which differs by department. In most cases, the student is required both to present a project (often to outside examiners) that serves as the capstone to their undergraduate career and pass a written exam encompassing the entire body of knowledge he/she has learned while studying for their major. Very few colleges do this in America as it's a more European tradition, but such a rigorous requirement for graduation ensures that each Kenyon student leaves with a comprehensive understanding of their subject(s).