A new initiative within the economics and business department at Kalamazoo College is turning the classroom into a collaborative innovation experience, as students partner with Greenleaf Hospitality Group to craft strategies to attract area college students to downtown Kalamazoo.

The initiative is called the InKubator for Experiential Education. As part of the InKubator, senior business students will be serving as consultants to Greenleaf Hospitality Group (GHG), conducting research and preparing proposals on the types of experiences and events that might best attract K, Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College students to the highly anticipated Kalamazoo Event Center. The event center is slated to open on the southwest corner of North Westnedge and West Kalamazoo Avenue in the fall of 2027. The site is about a mile northeast of K’s campus.

The center will be the future home of WMU’s hockey and men’s and women’s basketball programs, as well as the Kalamazoo Wings hockey team. In addition to serving as a state-of-the-art athletic venue, the facility will feature seating for 8,000 guests for concerts, dynamic and flexible event spaces, and on-site parking. Spanning 450,000 square feet, including 20,000 square feet of flat floor space, the center offers versatile event spaces suitable for a variety of occasions, providing ample room for creativity and innovation.

Amy MacMillan, L. Lee Stryker Associate Professor of Business at K, is co-teaching the InKubator experience with Associate Professor Emeritus Timothy Moffit. The professors will serve as managing partners to the students, who will form consulting teams. Each team will be student-led with the support of K alumni mentors. Entrepreneurs, strategists, actors, artists and writers will be invited to lead activities that open the brain to innovative thinking.

“Experiential education has long been a distinguishing feature of Kalamazoo College,” said MacMillan. “In the InKubator, students will apply design thinking, problem-solving, communication and teamwork skills to a real project that will make a difference in our community. We’re building a bridge between college and career so students can hit the ground running after they graduate. We’re excited to partner with GHG on this initiative.”

Classes will meet half the time at the downtown Radisson in meeting space provided by GHG. Sarah Olszowy, vice president of marketing and technology for GHG, will provide feedback to students throughout the various iterations of their projects. The class will culminate in a final presentation of student proposals to Olszowy and other GHG representatives.

“This collaboration with Kalamazoo College harnesses the creativity and energy of emerging professionals to make downtown Kalamazoo an exciting destination for the next generation. Together, we’re shaping experiences that will not only attract students but also build a stronger connection between our vibrant community and its future leaders,” said Olszowy.