Category: Events

Awards to Honor Distinguished Alumni at Homecoming

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Each year during Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, Kalamazoo College recognizes alumni whose accomplishments, service and achievements bring honor and distinction to the College and represent the lasting value of a K education. The Alumni Association will present its 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards on Friday, October 23, recognizing these honorees: 

Alumni Awards recipients
Tom Evans (from left), Charlotte Hall ’66, Roy Yewah ’13 and Anthony Asher ’82 will be among the honorees at the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards.
  • Tom Evans, the Weimer K. Hicks Award. This award honors a current or retired employee who has provided long-term support to College programs or activities beyond the call of duty while offering excellent service in the performance of their job. Evans devoted 29 years to teaching, conducting and building a musical community at K, where his popular Beginning Band course once enrolled a record 137 students and his jazz bands performed locally and internationally. His impact extends throughout greater Kalamazoo through more than two decades directing the Kalamazoo Concert Band and other community work that earned him the Community Medal of Arts Award in 2020.
  • Charlotte H. Hall ’66, the Distinguished Service Award. The honor recognizes individuals who have made exceptional volunteer contributions to K. Hall served the College as a trustee for 27 years and as the Board’s first female chair. She championed broad representation and helped guide presidential leadership. A trailblazing newspaper executive, she became the first woman to serve as managing editor of Newsday and as editor and executive vice president of the Orlando Sentinel, while earning national recognition for advancing newsroom diversity and directing Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative work.
  • Roy Yewah ’13, the Young Alumni Award. The citation awards a K alum within 15 years of their graduation for outstanding achievement; personal growth in their career; or outstanding professional, civic and cultural service. Yewah has built a distinguished career in corporate finance, investment banking, restructuring and mergers and acquisitions, earning honors from Challenge Detroit and Ford’s Thirty Under 30 program. In Chicago, he strengthens his community by supporting emerging Black chefs through the Soulful Supper Club and mentoring high school students from underserved areas through iMentor.
  • Anthony Asher ’82, the Distinguished Achievement Award. The honor recognizes alumni who achieve distinction in their professional fields. Asher has made transformative contributions to neurosurgery, including developing brain-tumor treatments that became standards of care and founding major programs in neuro-oncology, surgical education and clinical outcomes research. Awarded the 2026 Cushing Medal, the highest honor of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, he credits his K education in biology, religion and experiential learning with shaping an integrated approach to science, medicine and humanity. His career has advanced patient care and strengthened the broader medical community by connecting discovery, clinical practice, education, technology and organizational leadership.
Jim Peters playing basketball
James Peters ’66
Dimeko Price playing football
Dimeko Price ’13
Jackie Short playing soccer
Jackie Short ’13

Athletic Hall of Fame

Six individuals and four women’s soccer teams will be inducted into the College’s Athletics Hall of Fame during the Distinguished Alumni Awards.

  • Brian Bazzell ’11, a four-year letter winner, three-time all-conference swimmer and 18-time All-American between seven events, helped the Hornets achieve their best national championship meet finishes in program history. One of only 25 Hornet scholar-athletes to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, he developed an accomplished career as a clinical pharmacist, treating patients with blood cancers.
  • Mark Ghafari ’14 was a three-time men’s basketball captain and two-time Academic All-American who later played professionally overseas. He extended his impact through coaching a national championship-winning wheelchair basketball team and co-founding a growing financial consulting and investment firm with offices in three cities.
  • Tristyn (Edsall) Gross ’17 earned all-conference honors in each of her swimming seasons, becoming the first female Hornet named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Swimmer. She qualified for the NCAA Division III national championships four times. Her accomplishments extended beyond the pool through a Senior Integrated Project promoting swimming instruction and water-safety education for underserved youth and a capstone project that inspired a new product line for Stormy Kromer. She’s now a consumer care content coordinator for BISSELL Homecare.
  • James Peters ’66 (posthumous) had a standout basketball career in which he captained the Hornets and earned first-team All-MIAA honors. He became one of the program’s earliest players to surpass 1,000 points and 500 rebounds before he coached the first-year team for two years. He built a distinguished national career in corporate sales and training materials.
  • Dimeko Price ’13 was a two-time All-MIAA First Team running back and one of just 48 Division III players selected for the postseason Bowl of Stars. His community impact includes serving at-risk students through Boys Town California and co-owning The Recovery Den, a Michigan wellness center serving student-athletes, first responders and others.
  • Jackie Short ’13 earned All-MIAA recognition in each of her four soccer seasons, ranking second nationally with eight game-winning goals as a junior and being named the College’s Outstanding Female Athlete as a senior. An accomplished student-athlete, she has built a career in hospital information technology and now serves as a systems architect at Henry Ford Health, while presenting nationally on medical-charting initiatives. She has also served for five years as an assistant soccer coach at two schools in Troy.
  • The 1996–1999 women’s soccer teams compiled an impressive record of 66-9. They captured two conference championships, won three in-season invitational tournaments and made three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament. Their remarkable runs included two 16-game unbeaten streaks, 22 straight road victories, 10 consecutive shutouts and 29 consecutive conference wins. Across the four teams, the Hornets produced 24 all-conference honorees, two MIAA Most Valuable Players, 13 NCAA regional all-stars and two All-Americans.
Brian Bazzell swimming
Brian Bazzell ’11
Mark Ghafari
Mark Ghafari ’14
Tristyn (Edsall) Gross swimming
Tristyn (Edsall) Gross ’17
1996 women's soccer team
1996 women’s soccer team
1997 women's soccer team
1997 women’s soccer team
Awards, 1998 women's soccer team
1998 women’s soccer team
Awards, 1999 women's soccer team
1999 women’s soccer team

Citation of Merit Awards

On Saturday, October 24, the College’s Emeriti Club will honor two alumni with its annual Citation of Merit Awards.

Donna (Reed) Lambert ’64 (posthumously) devoted her life to education, the arts and service to K, where she worked in the Registrar’s Office. She also led organizations including the Women’s Council, Emeriti Club and Art League. An educator in the Vicksburg and Kalamazoo public schools and at Western Michigan University, she enriched the community through the Current Events Club, Hospice, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and the New Vic Theatre. Her legacy continues through the Donna Lambert Lecture Series at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.

Awards, Portrait of Donna (Reed) Lambert
Donna (Reed) Lambert ’64

Donna Coleman Odom ’67 credits K with broadening her perspective and preparing her to meet challenges across a distinguished career in education, higher education administration and museum work. Odom founded and led the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society, later known as SHARE, creating racial-healing programs, community conversations and oral-history projects in partnership with K and other regional organizations. Her community leadership has earned honors including the YWCA Women of Achievement Award, the Westminster Presbyterian Peace Award and recognition as a 2021 AARP Purpose Prize Fellow.

Awards, Portrait of Donna Odom
Donna Coleman Odom ’67

A Recipe for Community: Lecture Explores Food, Faith and Justice

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Religious communities across the United States are finding common ground through food. In a Wednesday, October 14, lecture at Kalamazoo College, Adrienne Krone will discuss how people from diverse religious and secular backgrounds are working to reshape the food system and address questions of sustainability, ethics and community. 

Krone, associate professor of environmental science and sustainability and religious studies at Allegheny College, will draw on research from her recent book, Free-Range Religion: Alternative Food Movements and Religious Life in the United States. The book examines four faith-connected food initiatives, including a religious dietary community, a pasture-raised cattle farm, a Jewish farm and a Jewish retreat center that observed the biblical agricultural sabbatical year. 

Through these case studies, Krone explores how food practices intersect with religious identity, environmental stewardship and social justice. Her research focuses on religious food-justice movements across North America and the ways communities use food to express their values and build connections across differences. 

A reception and meet-and-greet with the speaker will follow the 4:15 p.m. lecture in the Hicks Banquet Room at the Hicks Student Center. The event is free and open to the public. Please note that unauthorized signs or posters will not be permitted. 

Sponsored by the Department of Religion, the lecture is part of the Paul Lamont Thompson Memorial Lecture Series, established in honor of Kalamazoo College President Paul Lamont Thompson, who led the College from 1938 to 1949. Endowed through gifts from alumni, family members and friends, the series continues Thompson’s legacy by bringing distinguished speakers to campus to deepen understanding of ethical issues and society’s broader challenges. 

Adrienne Krone, Author of Free-Range Religion: Food Movements and Religious Life in the United States
Adrienne Krone

‘Sapiro v. Ford’ to Screen at K

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Kalamazoo College’s Jewish Studies program will screen the documentary Sapiro v. Ford: The Jew Who Sued Henry Ford at 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 7, in Dewing Hall, Room 103. 

The free, public event will feature producer Carol King, who will discuss the documentary and the story behind its creation. 

Sapiro v. Ford tells the story of Aaron Sapiro, a Jewish lawyer who challenged automobile industrialist Henry Ford in court after Ford’s newspaper, The Dearborn Independent, published antisemitic accusations portraying Sapiro as part of a global Jewish conspiracy. Sapiro filed a libel lawsuit against Ford in 1927, creating a landmark confrontation over antisemitism, propaganda and the limits of free speech. 

The documentary presents Sapiro’s legal battle as a David-and-Goliath story, examining how he confronted one of the most powerful and prominent figures in American industry. The film also explores the broader significance of Sapiro’s actions and their relevance to contemporary questions about prejudice, propaganda and justice. 

The project originated with King’s late husband, filmmaker Michael Rose, who had been developing the documentary with King for more than a decade before he died in 2020. King then partnered with award-winning documentary filmmaker Gaylen Ross, who directed the completed film. 

King, a Detroit native and graduate of Western Michigan University, spent much of her career working in women’s rights, public policy and politics before moving to California. She was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in 2008 and later worked as an executive producer in documentary filmmaking with Rose. 

The documentary debuted this year at Jewish film festivals and has been recognized for its examination of a little-known episode in American history. By revisiting Sapiro’s confrontation with Ford, the film considers how individuals can respond when powerful institutions amplify prejudice and misinformation. 

The screening is sponsored by Kalamazoo College’s Jewish Studies program, which regularly brings scholars, filmmakers and other speakers to campus for events examining Jewish history, culture, religion and contemporary issues. The program’s events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Jeffrey Haus, director of Jewish Studies, at 269.337.5789 or Jeffrey.Haus@kzoo.edu. 

Sapiro v Ford movie poster highlights a variety of awards it earned and the cast
Sapiro v Ford movie poster

Watts Told its Own Story, Violence Dropped; Film Coming to K

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2026 Commencement Speaker and Watts filmmaker Michael Soenen
“Nothing to See Here: Watts” filmmaker Michael Soenen ’92

Kalamazoo College alumnus Michael Soenen ’92, the concept creator and producer of Nothing to See Here: Watts, will return to K on June 11 to screen a documentary created by 20 members of the Watts community—including rival gang members, former Los Angeles Police Department officers, students and victims of violence—credited with catalyzing the 90% reduction in homicides in Watts during the 12 months after its community screenings. 

The film has earned more than 100 awards worldwide. It has screened for 4,000 people at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, at the King Center in Atlanta for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and at Harvard University. Time magazine called it “a working playbook for how communities can reclaim their streets by telling their own stories.” Deadline described it as “one of the most remarkable documentaries of the year.”

The free event will take place Thursday, June 11, at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, 205 Monroe St. Doors open at 5 p.m. with the film beginning at 5:30 p.m. The screening is expected to end around 7 p.m., with a 30-minute panel afterward. Dinner and movie snacks will be provided. Registration is available online.

Soenen, who created the concept and produced the film, will be in attendance with filmmakers LaWanda Hawkins, whose son Reginald was murdered in an unsolved 1995 killing and who founded Justice for Murdered Children in his memory; Tyrone Riley Sr., a former Grape Street Crip and high school basketball coach; and Cornelius Wills, a former Bounty Hunter Blood and gang interventionist.

The event will feature LaWanda Hawkins’ “Silent March”—an exhibit featuring more than 200 pairs of shoes, each belonging to a child lost to violence in the community.

After the screening, the filmmakers will join in a panel discussion with representatives from local organizations Bent Not Broken, Peace During War and KalSAFE. The conversation will connect themes from the documentary with efforts in Kalamazoo to support youth, prevent violence and build safer communities.

For more information about the screening, contact Arcus Center Associate Director CoCo Canders at Coco.Canders@kzoo.edu.

About the Film

Nothing to See Here: Watts is a community-made documentary produced by Nothing to See Here: Productions, created by 20 members of the Watts community—including rival gang members, former LAPD officers, students and victims of violence. More information and trailer at www.nothingtoseeheremovie.com.

About Kalamazoo College

Founded in 1833, Kalamazoo College is a nationally recognized liberal arts and sciences college located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Through the K-Plan, its signature approach to education, students design a personalized path that combines rigorous academics with study abroad, undergraduate research, career and civic engagement, and a Senior Integrated Project. Known for its global, experiential approach to learning, Kalamazoo College is a member of Colleges That Change Lives and is included on The Princeton Review “Best Colleges” and “Best Value Colleges” lists. Learn more at kzoo.edu.

Movie poster for "Nothing to See Here: Watts" says, "What happens when Bloods, Crips, police and victims of violence make a film?"
A movie poster for “Nothing to See Here: Watts.”

K Announces Commencement Speaker, Honorary Degree Recipients

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2026 Commencement Speaker Michael Soenen
Commencement speaker Michael Soenen ’92

Kalamazoo College will honor two distinguished alumni at its 2026 Commencement on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. on the College Quad. Filmmaker and business leader Michael Soenen ’92 will deliver the keynote address to graduates and their families and receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, while Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert J. Shiller ’67 will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Science. Additionally, President Jorge G. Gonzalez, who will be retiring from the College on June 30, will be recognized with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. A livestream of the ceremony will be available on the College’s website.


Please note: While Dr. Robert J. Shiller is unable to join us for Commencement, Kalamazoo College is honored to confer this degree upon him in absentia.

About Michael Soenen ’92

Michael Soenen is the CEO of Nothing to See Here: Productions and the creator and lead producer of Nothing to See Here: Watts, a documentary offering a powerful and unfiltered look at life in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. His path to filmmaking was an unexpected turn in a business career that has spanned venture capital, health care and retail.

Soenen graduated from Kalamazoo College with a degree in Economics and Business. Early in his career, he served as vice president, president, CEO and chairman of FTD Group and an analyst at Salomon Brothers. He later became a partner at Valor Equity Partners and served as executive chairman of Manduka, the yoga products company. He has served as a director at several companies, including health care apparel brand FIGS, Benchmark Analytics, and Fooda. In 2011, he was selected as a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, a program which mobilizes leaders to tackle society’s biggest challenges.

The genesis of Nothing to See Here came during a police ride-along while Soenen was volunteering with a nonprofit organization in Watts. His experience led to a project equipping residents—including students, former gang leaders, community leaders and police officers—with iPhone cameras that were used to document their daily lives. Working without a script or predetermined outcomes, these first-time filmmakers came together and fostered dialogue that transformed longtime rivals into collaborators, contributing to a historic peace pledge and significant reduction in homicides. The documentary rewrites the script on who gets to tell their stories and how, and has since earned more than 100 awards worldwide, with a wider release planned. A screening of the film and panel discussion with several of the filmmakers will take place on K’s campus on June 11, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership.

Michael Soenen Commencement 2026
Michael Soenen ’92

About Robert J. Shiller ’67

Robert J. Shiller is an American economist, academic and author who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2013, shared with Eugene Fama and Lars Peter Hansen. At the time of the award, he was widely recognized for having forecast both the dot-com stock bubble and the U.S. housing bubble. He is also the co-creator of the Case-Shiller Home Price Index—a benchmark measure widely used in the housing market—and the author of several books, including Irrational Exuberance, his bestselling analysis of speculative market bubbles.

Shiller is the Sterling Professor Emeritus of Economics at Yale University, where he was a faculty member for more than four decades. His scholarship has ranged across financial markets, financial innovation, behavioral economics, macroeconomics, real estate and statistical methods, as well as public attitudes, opinions and moral judgments toward markets. He has also contributed regularly as a columnist for The New York Times and Project Syndicate. He has been research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research since 1980 and served as vice president of the American Economic Association in 2005; as president of the Eastern Economic Association in 2006-07; and as president of the American Economic Association in 2016.

Commencement Honoree Robert Shiller
Robert Shiller ’67

A Detroit native and graduate of Southfield High School, Shiller attended Kalamazoo College before completing his B.A. at the University of Michigan. He went on to earn his Ph.D. from MIT. He returned to K as a guest lecturer in 1989 as part of the Monroe Lecture Series.

Among his many honors, Shiller has received the 2017 Truman Medal for Economic Policy, the 2018 Global Economy Prize from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, and the 2021 Presidential Medal of Lithuania. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Econometric Society, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and American Philosophical Society, a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship.

Shiller has previously received honorary degrees from the University of Michigan, the University of Connecticut, Georgetown University and the University of Paris Dauphine.

About President Jorge G. Gonzalez

Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez has led the institution since 2016, guiding strategic efforts to strengthen the student experience, expand access to the K-Plan and modernize the College’s historic campus. During his tenure, Kalamazoo College completed major campus projects including a new LEED-certified natatorium, a new Admission Center, renovations to Stetson Chapel and upgrades to academic and campus infrastructure. In 2025, the College began construction on new residence halls that will increase access to on-campus residential life for K students.

A strong advocate for the liberal arts, Gonzalez has worked to broaden educational opportunity and support student success, helping shape classes that have been among the most diverse in the College’s history, including growth in first-generation and Pell-eligible students. He guided the institution through the COVID-19 pandemic with a collaborative leadership approach and led the successful Brighter Light Campaign, which raised more than $203 million in support of student access, faculty, facilities and student life—the largest fundraising campaign in the College’s history. Gonzalez has also served on the boards of numerous educational, civic and community organizations at the regional and national levels.

Before joining Kalamazoo College, Gonzalez served as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college at Occidental College and spent more than two decades as an economics faculty member at Trinity University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Monterrey Institute of Technology and master’s and doctoral degrees in economics from Michigan State University.

Portrait of Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez
Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez

About Kalamazoo College

Founded in 1833, Kalamazoo College is a nationally recognized liberal arts and sciences college located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Through the K-Plan, its signature approach to education, students design a personalized path that combines rigorous academics with study abroad, undergraduate research, career and civic engagement, and a Senior Integrated Project. Known for its global, experiential approach to learning, Kalamazoo College is a member of Colleges That Change Lives and is included on The Princeton Review “Best Colleges” and “Best Value Colleges” lists. Learn more at kzoo.edu.

Comedy, Chaos, Commentary Click in ‘Country Wife’

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Three actors rehearse in costumes for The Country Wife
Bernice Mike ’26 (from left), Mo Silcott ’27 and Grace Helmbolt ’29 rehearse for “The Country Wife.”

A fresh adaptation of a Restoration-era comedy will bring sharp satire, tangled relationships and plenty of laughs when the Festival Playhouse at Kalamazoo College, 129 Thompson St., presents William Wycherly’s The Country Wife. 

Directed by Professor of Theatre Arts Ren Pruis, the production will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14–Saturday, May 16, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 17. The Thursday performance will include a post-show talkback with cast members and a reception. Tickets are available online at the playhouse’s box office. 

Adapted by Rachel Atkins from the classic comedy, The Country Wife follows three interconnected stories that blend comedy, deception and social commentary while exploring themes of gender expectations, desire and independence. 

Assistant Director Hannah Ulanoski ’26 said K audiences will enjoy the new spin on an old play as it follows Margery Pinchwife, who is trying to escape her overly controlling and jealous husband before he relocates them to the isolated countryside. 

“Our production is based around the idea that the audience is sitting in on a rehearsal, so I think they’ll get a kick out of the mishmash of modern and Restoration-esque costuming and props on stage,” she said. “Compared to the original text, this version is centered more around the women of the town, and in the case of the virtuous ladies, they are shown to have a ton of autonomy.” 

Actor Ben Perry ’28, who portrays Jack Pinchwife, the show offers far more than a traditional comedy. 

“This play is super funny with ridiculous events occurring left and right,” Perry said. “I guarantee you will laugh out loud during multiple moments. This feels like a long episode of a sitcom, where you don’t know what’s going to happen in the next scene, but it’s going to be better than you can imagine.” 

Perry describes his character as an emotionally complicated man whose fear of losing his wife fuels much of the play’s tension. 

“He truly loves his wife but believes there is no other choice but to manipulate those around him,” Perry said. “It’s fun playing the antagonist in a show that has an ensemble of troubled people because I have to stand out in a way that the others can’t.” 

To capture the humor, Perry said he leans into an exaggerated, almost cartoonish style of anger inspired by classic animated characters such as Daffy Duck and Donald Duck. Although this marks Perry’s first appearance in a K production, he brings extensive experience to the role, having performed in approximately 50 shows. He said he appreciates how Festival Playhouse productions balance entertainment and meaningful storytelling. 

“Through this comedy, they are telling another story of empowering women’s voices and choices through laughter and satire,” Perry said. “This is the right amount of silly that keeps audiences entertained scene to scene while also keeping them engaged with the overall story.” 

Both Perry and Ulanoski praised Pruis’ collaborative directing style. 

“She’s very serious about the work she does and brings a sense of professionalism to each rehearsal,” Ulanoski said. “I admire that about her. As a theatre major, there’s a lot to take away from this experience, even if I don’t pursue directing in the future.” 

Perry added that he appreciates how Pruis allows actors to build on the foundation they’re given, which he said is a rare quality in directors. He also loves the welcoming atmosphere created by the cast and crew at the Festival Playhouse. 

“I’m a transfer student from Michigan State and didn’t know many of the people that I was auditioning with,” Perry said. “I could’ve been met with neglect and felt like I was an outsider during this process, but I was quickly welcomed in. If you have been in theatre before, you know that auditions can often feel like a competition against your other castmates. However, this was probably the most pleasant audition process I ever went through, mostly because of the encouragement and conversations I shared with my peers. I am lucky to have this opportunity to perform with these intelligent and fine actors that I share the stage with.” 

Perry and Ulanoski believe audiences will connect with the play’s emotional depth and unpredictability. 

“This feels like a show for anyone to enjoy,” Perry said. “There are common lewd jokes, relationship dramas, and if you stick around long enough, maybe a sword will be used.” 

“The Country Wife is a good play for the Festival Playhouse because it’s honestly really funny, and it feels good to laugh sometimes,” Ulanoski added. “The name of this year’s season is ‘For Your Entertainment’ and this show fits in perfectly.” 

Africa Month Events Begin May 14

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Image says Africa Month: Homecoming, May 14-16, Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership
Africa Month: Homecoming will focus on the category of home and the mobilities that carry people to and from their homes, across land, time, memory and knowledge.

Kalamazoo College will host world-renowned scholars, artists, filmmakers and performers from four continents Thursday, May 14–Saturday, May 16, for its second annual Africa Month. The assemblage will provide a space of conviviality and community for conversations, meals and joyful music at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, 205 Monroe St. 

The events are supported by the Arcus Center, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Inclusive Excellence grant and the hosting department of African studies, with financial or intellectual contributions from the Center for International Programs, and the departments of philosophy, anthropology-sociology, English and French and Francophone studies.  

Director of African Studies Dominique Somda, Assistant Professor of French Manfa Sanogo, Associate Professor of Anthropology Espelencia Baptiste and Professor of English Babli Sinha are the event’s convenors. 

In 2025, the first edition of Africa Month helped K relaunch its African studies concentration while invited scholars and the community rethought and questioned their knowledge of Africa and from Africa. This year’s edition, themed Homecoming, turns its focus to the category of home and to the mobilities that carry people to and from their homes, across land, time, memory and knowledge. The event offers a space to think through African studies in its broadest sense, embracing Africans and the homes of African descendants alike. 

“Home, in postcolonial thought, is never a stable or innocent place,” Somda said. “It is both a site of return and a terrain of struggle. Homecoming asks what it means to return when histories of colonial violence, displacement and extraction have profoundly transformed the conditions of belonging.” 

Sinha said that the exploration of this theme will take place through a variety of media including art, film, scholarship and music, “reflecting the ethos of the liberal arts as it explores Africanness through many forms of knowledge and expression in dialogue with each other.”  

Sanogo said the continuation of Africa Month helps establish a lasting tradition of K engagement and institutional commitment to centering African and diasporic voices, knowledge, culture and lived experiences. 

“Calling it Homecoming highlights the importance of creating a space where these experiences can circulate across borders and generations,” he said. “We hope this program will resonate both on campus and in the broader Kalamazoo community.” 

Presenters, speakers and panelists will include: 

  • Cheikh A. Thiam, professor of English and Black studies, Amherst College 
  • Sakiko Nakao, assistant professor of African history and French, University of Tokyo 
  • Hilary Jones, director of graduate studies for history, University of Kentucky 
  • Alain Kassanda, filmmaker 
  • Julia Woods ’20, New York University Ph.D. candidate 
  • Brian Klein and Justine Davis, Afro-American and African studies assistant professors, University of Michigan 
  • Klara Boyer-Rossol, historian, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement 
  • Franck Rakotobe, assistant professor of French at the American University of Paris 
  • Erol Josué, a Vodou priest, performer and director general of Haiti’s National Bureau of Ethnology
  • Espelencia Baptiste, Kalamazoo College associate professor of anthropology

The public is invited and registration is available online. The full schedule of events is available at the African Studies website. A livestream of the events can be watched on Vimeo. 

“This is a new annual rendezvous: a place to learn, think and celebrate in a world where Africa and Africans are too often seen only through the lens of lack,” Somda said. “The event of the year, Homecoming, speaks to experiences we all carry: mobility, nostalgia, the journey away and the journey back.” 

Cheikh Thiam
Cheikh Thiam
Sakiko Nakao
Sakiko Nakao
Alain Kassanda
Alain Kassanda
Hilary Jones
Hilary Jones
Julia Woods
Julia Woods ’20
Brian Ikaika Klein
Brian Ikaika Klein
Africa Month presenter Justine Maisha Davis
Justine Maisha Davis
Africa Month presenter Klara Bover-Rossol
Klara Bover-Rossol
Africa Month presenter Franck Andianarivo Rakotobe
Franck Rakotobe
Africa Month presenter Erol Josué
Erol Josué

Africa Month: Homecoming

“Homecoming, especially for Africans in the diaspora, asks us to think about homemaking by negotiating history, identity, power and mobility. It is a constant search for stability and meaning in spaces and places shaped by colonial disruptions and global economic inequalities.”

— Kalamazoo College Associate Professor of Anthropology Espelencia Baptiste 

Espelencia Baptiste
Espelencia Baptiste


K to Host Thompson, Kitchen Lectures

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Kalamazoo College will host two visiting scholars this month for annual lectures in religion and mathematics, scheduled for May 6 and May 12.  

First, an associate professor from Oberlin College will provide the 2026 Thompson Lecture in Religion at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, in the Olmsted Room at Mandelle Hall, with a talk titled Leisure and Religion in South Asian Women’s Workplaces in Spain. 

Emilia Bachrach will draw from her ongoing ethnographic research in Barcelona, Spain, to consider how South Asian Hindu and Muslim women build social and economic networks while navigating their minoritized religious status. Her monograph on the subject, Religious Reading and Everyday Lives in Devotional Hinduism, was published in 2022 as part of the American Academy of Religion’s Religion in Translation Series with Oxford University Press. 

The memorial event is named for Paul Lamont Thompson, who was K’s president from 1938–49. It brings in speakers who enrich the ethical understanding of the College’s position in society. The lecture was established by a gift from Thompson’s sons and daughters-in-law to recognize the crucial role he played in guiding the College through the Depression and World War II.   

A meet-and-greet reception will follow the lecture. Contact Office Coordinator Sarah.Bryans@kzoo.edu for more information. 

Then, in the 2026 George Kitchen Lecture, a teaching professor from the University of Michigan will explore mathematical models that are used to predict real-world behavior. 

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, P. Gavin LaRose will discuss Discrete Population Models, Cobwebs and Chaos in Dewing Hall, Room 103. The talk will investigate a population of creatures such as bacteria or insects and model what it would do. Attendees can expect to find some mathematical cobwebs, surprises and chaos.

Kitchen loved mathematics and believed that its applications could be cultivated in every student. The memorial lectureship named for him was established in 1999 to honor the mathematician who inspired students and fellow math teachers at Portage North High School and K.   

Thompson Lecture speaker Emilia Bachrach; lectures
Oberlin College Associate Professor Emilia Bachrach
Kitchen Lecture speaker P. Gavin Larose; lectures
P. Gavin LaRose, University of Michigan

For more information, contact Office Coordinator Kristen Eldred at 269.337.7100 or keldred@kzoo.edu.

Founders Day Celebrates Faculty, Staff, College’s Anniversary

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Regina Stevens-Truss, the Dorothy H. Heyl Professor of Chemistry, is this year’s recipient of the Lux Esto Award of Excellence as announced today during Kalamazoo College’s Founders Day celebration, marking K’s 193rd year. 

The award recognizes an employee who has served the institution for at least 26 years and has contributed significantly to the campus. The recipient—chosen by a committee with student, faculty and staff representatives—is an employee who exemplifies the spirit of K through selfless dedication and goodwill. President Jorge G. Gonzalez presented Stevens-Truss with the award in his final Founders Day before retiring in June. 

In 2016, Stevens-Truss received K’s highest teaching honor, the Florence J. Lucasse Lectureship for Excellence in Teaching. In 2018, she was named the College’s director of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence grant, awarded to K’s science division. She’s also been a faculty leader for Sisters in Science, a student organization that visits local schools to encourage young women to pursue science; and Sukuma, a peer-based study group for students of color in the sciences.  

“One of my favorite traits of this individual is their integrity and how I consistently see them promote goodwill on campus,” a nominator said about Stevens-Truss. “Our mission at K is to provide enlightened leadership to a richly diverse and increasingly complex world. Through her strong moral principles, gratitude and honesty, she does just what our institution stands for. She never fails to leave a strong, positive impression, and she never fails to foster long-term relationships. Her reputation of being a strong, intelligent, kind, supportive and nurturing person proceeds her.” 

Regina Stevens-Truss and Jorge G. Gonzalez at Founders Day
Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez presents Regina Stevens-Truss, the Dorothy H. Heyl Professor of Chemistry, with the 2026 Lux Esto Award at Founders Day events.

In accordance with Founders Day traditions, two other employees received community awards. Kurt D. Kaufman Associate Professor of Chemistry Dwight Williams was given the Outstanding Advisor Award and Assistant Professor of Theatre Quincy Thomas received the First-Year Advocate Award. 

In 2025, Williams was awarded a three-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support his work developing new molecules that could help protect brain cells from dying from neurodegenerative diseases. In 2019, he was awarded a Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching grant from the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation and Course Hero. 

Williams teaches courses including Organic Chemistry I and II, Advanced Organic Chemistry and Introductory Chemistry. His research interests include synthetic organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry and pharmacology. 

A student in Williams’ nomination said, “He has played a significant and meaningful role in my time at K. He suggested courses that will be beneficial to me no matter what career path I decide to take. I have always appreciated how he is realistic and honest with me and genuinely cares as much as I do about my future.” 

Dwight Williams and Jorge G. Gonzalez at Founders Day
Gonzalez presents the 2026 Outstanding Advisor Award to Dwight Williams, the Kurt D. Kaufman Associate Professor of Chemistry, during Founders Day events.

At K, Thomas has directed Festival Playhouse productions including The Mountaintop, The Importance of Being Earnest, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Be More Chill. His research centers on subjects including counter-storytelling; Black performativity in American culture; representations of the marginalized in popular culture; comedic and solo performance; and performative writing. 

Thomas teaches courses such as Directing, Theatre History and Playwriting. His courses are informed by his research on issues of cultural marginalization and misrepresentation in the arts, specifically of racial and ethnic minorities, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. 

One first-year student said in Thomas’ nomination for the award, “I hadn’t known what to expect out of the transition from high school to college, and some parts were definitely rougher than I’d thought they would be. At every moment when I or other cast members stumbled, he was always there. He checked in, listened, directed us to resources and helped us set boundaries. He made rehearsals a safe space and community where we could just breathe and keep going, and I’m so grateful for that. He made it clear that we were more important than the show.” 

Quincy Thomas and President Jorge G. Gonzalez at Founders Day
Gonzalez presents the 2026 Outstanding First-Year Advocate Award to Assistant Professor of Theatre Quincy Thomas.

Gonzalez also recognized the students who served as President’s Student Ambassadors in the 2025–26 academic year. As student leaders, President’s Student Ambassadors serve as an extension of the president’s hospitality at events and gatherings, welcoming alumni and guests of the College with a spirit of inclusion. About 15 students serve as ambassadors in a given academic year. The students selected show strong communication skills; demonstrate leadership through academic life, student life or community service; and maintain a minimum grade-point average. 

The 2025–26 ambassadors have been: 

  • Mckenna Acevedo ’27
  • Randa Alnaas ’27
  • Emiliano Alvarado Rescala ’27
  • Zahra Amini ’26
  • Baylor Baldwin ’26
  • Jaylen Bowles-Swain ’26
  • Gracie Burnham ’27
  • Avery Davis ’28
  • Blake Filkins ’26
  • Landrie Fridsma ’27
  • Grey Gardner ’26
  • James Hauke ’26
  • Jessica Kaplan ’26
  • Ava King ’28
  • Belle Mason ’27
  • Claire Rhames ’27 
  • Amelie Sack ’27 
  • Simon Sawyer ’28
  • Jillian Smith ’27
  • Darius Wright ’28