Forbes magazine last week chose Kalamazoo College as the top private college in Michigan.
If you’re a student who wants an excellent education at a great price, Kalamazoo College will provide it, according to Forbes magazine. Forbes also says choosing K means you’ll follow in the footsteps of successful entrepreneurs and countless influential leaders in their fields.
The magazine last week chose K as the top private college in Michigan, ranking it third in the state overall and No. 183 in the country among its picks of the top 500 schools in the U.S.
To choose this year’s top schools, Forbes focused on factors including whether students graduated on time, secured high salaries after graduation and found successful careers. A student’s average post-graduation debt was also a guiding statistic.
“We know that a college degree is a significant investment for any student, and one that’s been compounded by recent years of financial turmoil for many,” Forbes Senior Education Reporter Emma Whitford said. “This list reflects the public and private universities that are going above and beyond to deliver on that investment.”
Forbes used data from federal government databases and its own publications as well as the data company PayScale, the public policy think-tank Third Way, and the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics to compile its rankings, which include profiles of each institution.
“Kalamazoo’s academics are centered on the K-Plan, an individualized, four-year study plan that incorporates an open curriculum, study abroad, experiential learning and a senior-year capstone,” Forbes says of K. “The competitive Heyl Scholarship covers full tuition for students from the Kalamazoo area who study the sciences. Kalamazoo’s Theatre Arts department has produced some prominent names in entertainment, including Tony Award-winning playwright Lisa Kron, actor Steven Yeun and comedian Jordan Klepper.”
The recognition from Forbes is the latest K has received in a plethora of national rankings and honors distributed this summer. Reputable sources such as Money magazine, the Princeton Review, the Fiske Guide to Colleges and the Colleges of Distinction online guide are just a few to extol K.
“These honors are a credit to the exceptional students we admit, and the faculty and staff responsible for their opportunities from academics to study abroad, leading to outstanding post-graduation outcomes,” Dean of Admission Suzanne Lepley said. “We’re not surprised to receive the recognition, although we’re extremely proud of it.”
Kalamazoo College has once again been nationally recognized by the Princeton Review in its popular guide, “The Best 388 Colleges.”
Kalamazoo College has once again been nationally recognized by the Princeton Review in its popular guide, The Best 388 Colleges. The 2023 edition of the book will feature Kalamazoo College among the top 14 percent of colleges and universities in the country and will be available to purchase on August 23.
The Best 388 Colleges, released annually by the Princeton Review, chooses colleges from the nation’s 2,700 institutions based on data it collects from administrators about their academic offerings, and surveys of its students who rate and report on their experiences.
The colleges selected are currently listed on the Princeton Review’s website.
“We salute Kalamazoo College for its outstanding academics and we are genuinely pleased to recommend it to prospective applicants searching for their ‘best-fit’ college,” said Rob Franek, the Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead author of The Best 388 Colleges.
The book won’t rank colleges individually, however, it gives K faculty high marks—95 out of 99—for student accessibility. Students in surveys for the Princeton Review say their professors “present challenging information and generally work to achieve camaraderie with students.” Furthermore, faculty “definitely understand that classes may be difficult and really, truly want to help students learn the best they can.” Professors also view students “as equals and peers and are open to listening to everyone’s ideas in classes.”
In K’s academic profile, The Best 388 Colleges lauds the K-Plan, the College’s approach to an education in the liberal arts and sciences, for an open curriculum in which “students have more time to explore exactly what they want to learn.” That approach allows each student to find their niche quickly in a small-school environment and helps everyone find campus and community activities they care about, the book says.
“K’s inclusion in The Best 388 Colleges is based on how students rate their experiences in classrooms and labs, with their professors, in community engagement and in their extracurricular activities including athletics,” Dean of Admission Suzanne Lepley said. “The idea that K is repeatedly honored year after year through the publication reflects the opportunities available to our students and the quality education they receive.”
The 2023 version of the “Fiske Guide to Colleges” praises Kalamazoo College for its independent scholarship opportunities, academic excellence, experiential education efforts and intercultural experiences.
Kalamazoo College again is featured in a global guide to institutions of higher education that has been trusted by students, families and guidance counselors for nearly 40 years, the Fiske Guide to Colleges.
Edward B. Fiske was the New York Times education editor for 17 years. During that time, he thought college-bound students needed better information in selecting a college or university. He wrote the Fiske Guide to Colleges to help them and updated it annually with an editorial team.
The guide now includes a selective, subjective and systematic look at more than 300 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada and the UK along with indexes that break down schools by state; academic, social and quality-of-life ratings; financial aid availability and acceptance rates.
In the 2023 version, available now, the publication says K students “pursue a liberal arts curriculum that includes language proficiency, a first-year writing seminar, sophomore and senior seminars, as well as a senior individualized project—directed research, a creative piece, or a traditional thesis—basically anything that caps off each student’s education in some meaningful way.”
In addition to senior integrated projects promoting independent scholarship opportunities, the guide praises other tenets of the K-Plan, the College’s integrated approach to an excellent education, including:
Academic excellence. The flexibility and rigor of K’s curriculum provides students with a customized academic experience. According to the guide, professors rate highly for their enthusiasm and accessibility while giving students the individual attention they need.
Experiential education. Students connect classroom learning with real-world experience by completing career development internships or externships, participating in civic engagement and service-learning projects, and getting involved in social justice leadership work.
International and intercultural experience. Students choose from 56 study abroad programs in 29 countries across six continents. The guide quotes a biology major as saying, “Kalamazoo College does study abroad so well that it seems ridiculous not to take advantage of this opportunity. They make it financially accessible and ensure that you won’t fall behind by going abroad.”
“K’s academic terms may be fast-paced and the workload demanding, but students are given the flexibility to pursue their interests through individualized projects and off-campus exploration,” the publication says. “The result is a student body defined by open-minded, global citizens.”
A generous leadership gift from Kalamazoo College alumnus Robert Sherbin ’79 will open the door to independent exploration outside the United States for Kalamazoo College graduates.
Sherbin has established the Jerry Sherbin Fellowship, named in honor of his father, which each year will provide one K senior with a stipend to pursue an academic year post-graduation, independently exploring a subject of deep personal interest outside the United States. Applicants will be assessed based on their proposal’s creativity and personal significance, their passion for the subject, and how the work may shape their future plans. The first fellowship abroad will be awarded in spring 2023.
“The College’s K-Plan emphasizes international study and engagement, so this fellowship wonderfully complements a student’s K education,” said Provost Danette Ifert Johnson. “It provides yet another avenue for students to pursue a project of personal interest in a deep and meaningful way prior to starting their graduate study or career. We are grateful to Bob for creating this opportunity for current and future generations of students.”
While an English major at K, Sherbin studied abroad at the University of Nairobi, one of only six American undergrads—and the only K student—there at that time. As a senior, Sherbin applied for a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, an external grant through the Watson Foundation that provides the opportunity to design and execute a one-year project overseas. Before attending graduate school at Northwestern, Sherbin spent a year in Central and West Africa as a Watson Fellow, conducting a sociological study of long-distance truck drivers. This opportunity was transformative, helping guide Sherbin’s path to becoming an international journalist and later, a global corporate communications executive. Today he is the vice president of corporate communications at NVIDIA, a technology company based in Silicon Valley.
Sherbin said, “The Watson Fellowship was the most formative experience of my life. I’d not taken an intro to sociology class. My French was appalling. And I didn’t know a soul within thousands of miles, when aerograms were the WhatsApp of the age. But K had given me the tools to learn and sparked my passion to figure out the rest. It’s my hope that this fellowship will enable students to widen their perspectives, taking them from Dewaters to Danang, from the Upjohn Library steps to the Russian steppes and beyond, and discover ways to make a difference before they head into the rest of their lives.”
Students study outside Light Fine Arts on a spring day at Kalamazoo College.
A guide for college-bound students and families is recognizing Kalamazoo College as one of about 400 schools from across the country to earn high marks for top-notch undergraduate experiences.
K is included in the 2022–23 Colleges of Distinction online guide, which lauds schools for going beyond what typically drives rankings to offer a personalized education catered to students’ interests. It spotlights K through the K-Plan, the College’s framework for exceptional academics within the liberal arts and sciences.
“When we focus all of our attention on how schools stack up against one another, we lose track of what really matters: the students themselves,” Colleges of Distinction Founder Wes Creel said. “Every student has individual needs and their own environment in which they’re most likely to thrive. We want to extend our praise to the schools that prioritize and cater to students’ goals.”
High school guidance counselors, college administrators and the Colleges of Distinction selection team nominate excellent schools for inclusion before each institution is vetted to determine its quality through its support for students in all aspects of their lives. Colleges of Distinction judges its nominees on their teaching quality, student engagement, community engagement and outcomes through a selection process that includes in-depth research and detailed interviews with the schools and stakeholders.
K received accolades in each area along with honors for its undergraduate programs in science, math and technology; health and medicine; arts and humanities; multidisciplinary studies and social science.
“We pride ourselves on being an institution that prioritizes hands-on student experiences inside and outside the classroom to reflect a well-rounded education through independent scholarship, study abroad opportunities, civic engagement, career development and more,” Dean of Admission Suzanne Lepley said. “When students enroll at K, they should feel confident we will do everything we can in their four years to set them up for success for the rest of their lives. This recognition from Colleges of Distinction confirms that.”
K is also recognized among the top Colleges of Distinction in terms of equity and inclusion as it caters to the unique needs of their students regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender or ability.
“A great undergraduate experience is more than just graduating and getting your first job,” the Colleges of Distinction website says. “Colleges of Distinction graduates are prepared for anything. They are strong writers, speakers and thinkers because their professors have encouraged and challenged them one-on-one. They have meaningful professional experience from internships and advanced research, and they know how to work together with people different than themselves because they have been active on campus, traveled abroad and pursued service opportunities. In other words, when you graduate from a College of Distinction you will be equipped to find better solutions in the workplace, your community and the world at large.”
Dana Getman ’68 (center) with his wife, Teresa (left) and his daughter Kate Getman. A previous supporter of the Fitness and Wellness Center as well as the Athletic Field Complex, Dana Getman is establishing the Getman Endowment for Equity in Women’s Athletics with a $500,000 gift.
Kalamazoo College has announced a $500,000 gift in support of women’s athletics from Dana Getman ’68.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, which required many colleges and universities to offer a women’s athletics program equivalent to any offered for men. Historically, however, many women’s teams have struggled to achieve the same level of funding as men’s teams at K, as at other colleges, said Becky Hall, director of athletics at K.
“Achieving more equity between our women’s and men’s sports programs has been a need and a goal at K as long as I’ve been here, and a gift like this goes a long way toward making that a reality,” Hall said.
Getman hopes creating this fund will inspire others to recognize and address inequities women face in athletics and beyond.
Kalamazoo College Director of Athletics Becky Hall thanks Dana Getman ’68 for his $500,000 gift establishing the Getman Endowment for Equity in Women’s Athletics during a fund announcement event with Kalamazoo College women’s coaches.
It’s an issue with personal meaning for Getman, who has three daughters, as well as four granddaughters who have been active in high school athletic programs. While one granddaughter went on to play tennis at Smith College, a women’s college, the other three have not participated in college athletics.
Recently, one of his granddaughters received several offers to play softball at smaller colleges, yet at every college and university she visited, the women’s programs fell short of the men’s. She saw discrepancies between locker rooms, field maintenance, seating and more. Ultimately, she decided not to play softball when she heads off to college in the fall.
“Watching her apply to various schools and evaluate their athletic programs and women’s softball, and then, for various reasons, giving that up, taking a pass on playing in college, is the backdrop to this gift,” Getman said. “The College may have the best intentions of equity, but it may take a long time to get there. If alumni come along and help, maybe that’s what it takes.”
Getman said that in watching his granddaughter play in the high school softball district finals recently, he was struck by how the players are athletes above all. Equity in athletics, he feels, can help promote equality in all areas.
A fund announcement event for the establishment of the Getman Endowment for Equity in Women’s Athletics included (front row, left to right) Director of Athletics Becky Hall, Dana Getman ’68, Women’s Lacrosse Coach Jess Smith, Women’s Basketball Coach Katie Miller, (back row, left to right) Women’s Tennis Coach Mark Murphy, Softball Coach Kelli Duimstra, Women’s Soccer Coach Bryan Goyings, Swimming and Diving Assistant Coach Beth Mitchell, Women’s Volleyball Coach Hunter Bishop, Cross Country Coach Kyle Morrison and Golf Coach Josh Burt.
Getman said he trusts the athletic department at K to be good stewards of the endowment. He knows the needs are great and hopes other supporters will come forward to contribute.
One of the first plans for the endowment is to add Hornets vinyl wall wraps to the women’s locker rooms to make them more personalized and welcoming, Hall said, and more on par with the men’s locker rooms.
“We plan in the future to use this fund to support and enhance equity in our women’s athletic programs’ operating budgets,” Hall said. “We also hope to fund additional staffing in the future to benefit our women’s teams.”
Getman has been a previous supporter of the Athletic Field Complex and the Fitness and Wellness Center. In his time at K, he studied English and worked for The Index selling advertising.
“In my first two or three weeks, I came to the uncomfortable conclusion that everybody on campus knew more than I did,” Getman said. “Living in that milieu, or society, was very exciting, meeting with people, discussing ideas and discovering new concepts. It was always stimulating and a fun place to be.”
At that time, Getman joked, the best English students wrote for The Index, the next-best took photographs, and he fell into the third category, those who ended up selling advertising.
“I wore a steady path down to the walking mall and got to know all the secretaries on each floor in the Gilmore building,” Getman said. “There was a jewelry store where I said, ‘Well look, the College is where guys propose—of course you want your name out there.’ And they placed an ad.”
Following his time at Kalamazoo College, Getman returned to his family’s business, guiding its evolution from building equipment that transported concrete that aided in the construction of the Mackinac Bridge to becoming a leading, worldwide supplier of safe and efficient mining equipment. He has led the Getman Corporation in multiple capacities for four decades, including his current role of chairman of the board.
“We are grateful to Dana Getman and to all our donors for their generosity and support,” Hall said. “Our goal is to continue to raise the bar, to make them proud, and to work hard every day to impact the student-athletes in our women’s programs in a positive way. Our coaches know the responsibility and power they hold, and they hold it with a lot of pride, a lot of passion, emotion and enthusiasm.”
If you would like to contribute to the Getman Endowment for Equity in Women’s Athletics fund and support women’s athletics, please make a gift online.
Congratulations to the students who qualified for the Spring 2022 Dean’s List.
Congratulations to the following Kalamazoo College students, who achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or better for a full-time course load of at least three units, without failing or withdrawing from any course, during the Spring 2022 academic term. Students who elect to take a letter-graded course on a credit/no credit basis (CR/NC) are not eligible for Dean’s List consideration during that term. Nor are students who receive an F, NC or W grade for that particular term. Students with incomplete (I) or in-progress (IP) grades will be considered for the Dean’s List upon receipt of their final grades. Dean’s List recognition is posted on students’ transcripts. Kudos to the entire group for Spring 2022.
Spring 2022
A
Shannon Abbott Morgan Acord Khalil Adams Isaac Agranoff Kelley Akerley Shahriar Akhavan Tafti Rachel Alarcio Adnan Alousi Lana Alvey Farida Amini Darsalam Amir Olivia Anderson Paige Anderson Mia Andrews Ava Apolo Alexandra Armin Lora Armstrong
B
Tolkien Bagchi Annalise Bailey Lindsey Baker Chloe Baker McKenzi Baker Elizabeth Ballinger Madison Barch Samuel Barczy Abigail Barnum Kristy Barrett Aleksandra Bartolik Hunter Bates Mitchell Baty Jenna Beach Blake Bean Cameron Beauregard Annabel Bee Curtis Bell Carolyn Bennett Maci Bennett Thomas Bentley Anthony Berkimer Jonah Beurkens Anna Binkley Katherine Black Nora Blanchard Rose Bogard Zachary Borden Sam Boritzki Daphne Bos Mairin Boshoven Holly Bowling Haylee Bowsher Emily Braunohler Austin Bresnahan Lauren Bretzius Penelope Brewer Eamon Bronson Jonathan Brunette Anna Buck Anna Budnick Marilu Bueno Thomas Buffin Elizabeth Burton Lauren Bussell
C
Jacob Callaghan Grace Cancro Vanessa Cardenas John Carlson Chloe Carlson Isabella Caza Alexandra Chafetz Jessica Chaidez Iris Chalk Connor Charamella Josetta Checkett Emily Cheng Benjamin Chosid Kennedy Christl An-Ting Chu Maile Church Madeleine Coffman Sedona Coleman Quinn Collins Rowan Cook Kyle Cooper Indigo Corvidae Haley Crabbs Violet Crampton Abigail Crocker Lilian Crowder Smith Emma Curcuru
D
Nicholas Dailey Shayla Dailey Beatrix Damashek Kylah Davis Emma Davis-Rodak Claire de Vries Tali Deaner Kiernan Dean-Hall Sophie Decker Julia Del Olmo Parrado Ethan DeNeen Catherine Dennis Sarah Densham Olivia Depauli Vincent DeSanto Laura DeVilbiss Liam Diaz Sofia Diaz Melissa Diaz Cabrera Brooke Dolhay Marissa Dolorfino Adam Dorstewitz Rorie Dougherty Sydney Dowdell Ryan Drew Imalia Drummond Patrick Dunfee Katia Duoibes Hannah Durant Gina Dvorin
E
Eli Edlefson Jairo Eguia Alden Ehrhardt Carter Eisenbach Sara Elfring Rebecca Elias Adaora Emenyonu Sara English Justin Essing Gabrielle Evans Sam Ewald
F
Olivia Fairbank Ella Faris Colton Farley Madalyn Farrey Andreas Fathalla Emma Fergusson Janet Fernandez Anna Fetter Samuel File Morgan Fischer Peter Fitzgerald Julia Fitzgerald Parker Foster Caroline Francis Grace Frazier Caelan Frazier Emma Frederiksen Hana Frisch Tristan Fuller William Fulton
G
Ethan Galler Kaitlin Gandy Ana Garcia Aliza Garcia Brynna Garden Grace Garver Trish Gatsi Johanna Ghazal Farah Ghazal Julia Ghazal Griffin Gheen Georgios Gkolois Max Gordon Lillian Grelak Elizabeth Grooten Natalie Gross Matthew Gu Zoe Gurney
H
Sophia Haas Aiden Habboub Yoichi Haga Emma Hahn Emily Haigh Grace Hancock Vien Hang Garrett Hanson Madeline Harding Eleanor Harris Lucy Hart Isabelle Hawkes Tanner Hawkins Beatrice Hawkins Wallis Hechler Hannah Heeren Megan Herbst Maya Hester Ella Heystek Sierra Hieshetter Sam Hoag Garrick Hohm Thomas Hole Julia Holt Benjamin Homminga Cole Horman Joseph Horsfield Molly Horton Charles Horvath Tyler Houle Gavin Houtkooper Sharon Huang Jakob Hubert Samuel Hughes Audrey Huizenga Lukas Hultberg Trevor Hunsanger Madelaine Hurley Benjamin Hyndman
I
Juan Ibarra Jalen Iereneo
J
Angela Jacobo Colton Jacobs Ashani Jewell Ryan Johnson Ellie Jones Maxwell Joos
K
Amalia Kaerezi Kiana Kanegawa Judah Karesh Timothy Karubas Maria Kasperek Ava Keller Meaghan Kelly Ella Kelly Blake Kelsey Samuel Kendrick David Kent Roze Kerr Mahum Khan Hunter Kiesling Jackson Kiino-Terburg Meghan Killmaster Vivian Kim Joshua Kim Si Yun Kimball Lily Kindle Mikayla Kindler Isabella Kirchgessner Alaina Kirschman Alexander Kish Joergen Klakulak Sofia Klein Lena Klemm Allison Klinger Steven Kloosterman Ella Knight Marie Kohrman Anexy Koizumi Cole Koryto Daniel Koselka Marissa Kovac Katherine Kraemer Christian Kraft Brandon Kramer Rachel Kramer Nikolas Krupka Kieya Kubert-Davis Koshiro Kuroda
L
Onora Lancaster Jordon Larco Kathryn Larick Annmarie Lawrence Madeleine Lawson Lam Phuong Le Grace Leahey Dillon Lee Margaret Lekan Alejandra Lemus Sydney Lenzini Ellie Lepley Ginamarie Lester Kelsey Letchworth Milan Levy Sage Lewis Thomas Lichtenberg Connor Lignell Cassandra Linnertz Sichun Liu Luis Lizardo-Rodriguez Ava Loncharte Alvaro Lopez Gutierrez Ellie Lotterman Madeline Lovins Teresa Lucas Nicholas Lucking Isabella Luke
M
Selina Ma Deven Mahanti Samantha Major Natalie Maki Andrew Mallon Angela Mammel Arjun Manyam Lesly Mares-Castro Victoria Marquez Gomez Isabel Martin Molly Martinez Stephanie Martinez Gracen Martini-Zeller Harshpreet Matharu Kanase Matsuzaki Lillian Mattern Nicholas Matuszak Claire McCall Lauren McColley Dylan McGorisk Leo McGreevy Ashlynne McKee Grace McKnight Abbey McMillian Amy McNutt Zaydee Menchaca Crystal Mendoza Sophia Merchant Eva Metro-Roland Luke Middlebrook Cooper Mills Jade Milton Jazmine Minchaca Andrejs Minka Ameera Mirza Lauren Mitchell Caleb Mitchell-Ward Lina Moghrabi Raven Montagna Brooklyn Moore Mackenzie Moore Aiden Morgan Ryan Morgan Isabel Morillo Martin Morison Samantha Moss Arein Motan Phumuzile Moyo Elliot Mrak Matthew Mueller Miles Muirhead Jasmin Murillo Anna Murphy Madison Murphy Ryan Muschler Rishaan Muthanna
N
Alex Nam Blagoja Naskovski Matthew Nelson Nicholas Nerhood Alexis Nesbitt Elizabeth Nestle Nguyen Nguyen Char Nieberding Alexandra Noel Malin Nordmoe Caroline Norton Rohan Nuthalapati
Ella Palacios Joshua Pamintuan Jenna Paterob Isabella Pellegrom Kaitlin Peot Anthony Peraza Ilene Perea-Sanchez Alexander Perry Addison Peter Devon Peters Scott Peters Michael Peterson Eve Petrie Sydney Pickell Benjamin Pickrel Megan Ploucha Elaine Pollard Evan Pollens-Voigt Noah Prentice Lucas Priemer Elena Pulliam Mason Purdy Noah Pyle
Q
Luma Qashou Aarzoo Qureshi
R
Elle Ragan Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci Julia Rambo Jessie Ramirez Ali Randel Dominic Rascon-Powell Clarice Ray Sara Reathaford Laura Reinaux Silva Oliveira Kelli Rexroad Zoe Reyes Keegan Reynolds Maxwell Rhames Sheldon Riley Ashley Rill Katherine Rock Jocelyn Rodriguez Reyna Rodriguez Lily Rogowski Joshua Roman Luke Rop Alec Rosenbaum Panayiotis Rotsios Mia Roukema Matia Rourke Tabitha Rowland Oliver Rubin Marcus Rucker Charlotte Ruiter Angel Ruiz
S
Tyler Sakalys-Moore Richard Sakurai-Kearns Sydney Salgado Ethan Sandusky Leslie Santos Isabel Schantz Leo Schinker Vivian Schmidt Zoe Celeste Schneberger D.J. Schneider Eden Schnurstein Lia Schroeder Madeline Schroeder Beth Schulman Audrey Schulz Hannah Schurman Aleksander Scott Nilah Seals Ruby Seiwerath Delores Shackelford Usaid Bin Shafqat Isabella Shapiro William Shaw Steven Shelton Cassidy Short Joseph Shumunov Josie Shuster Emma Sidor Petra Sierra Samantha Silverman Kiersten Sjogren Colby Skinner Meganne Skoug Pieter Slager Austin Smith Olivia Smith Ping Smith Owen Smith Grace Snyder Jack Soderberg Asante Solomon Allison Sokacz Hanis Sommerville Erin Somsel Larissa Soto Jonah Spates Maxwell Spitler Camran Stack David Stechow Joseph Stein Eleanor Stevenson Meredith Steward Emma Stickley Hayden Strobel Eller Studinger Hannah Summerfield Matthew Swarthout Kaleb Sydloski Ella Szczublewski
T
Chau Ta Samuel Tagget Madison Talarico Claire Tallio Nicole Taylor Claire Taylor Suja Thakali Kaia Thomas Levi Thomas Kaytlyn Tidey Sophia Timm-Blow Simon Topf Danielle Treyger Frances Trimble Mary Trimble Nghia Trinh Maria Tripodis May Tun Aija Turner Oliver Tye
Christopher Van Alstine Megan Vandyke Emma Van Houten Samantha Vande Pol Hannah Vander Lugt Cameron VanGalder Josseline Vazquez America Vilchis Nathan Vogel Lucille Voss Jessalyn Vrieland Thanh Vu
W
Joseph Wade Ava Wagle Megan Walczak Elle Waldron Andre Walker Lucinda Wallis Madison Walther Elizabeth Wang McKenna Wasmer Riley Weber Margaret Wedge Elias Wennen Emerson Wesselhoff Samantha White Tanner White Dylan Wickey Katelyn Williams Skai Williams Carson Williams Riley Wilson Jordyn Wilson Joshua Wilson Laurel Wolfe Zachary Worthing Lydia Wright Kevin Wu
X
Lingrui Xiang
Y
Elyse Yost Mikayla Youngman Hillary Yousif
Z
Maddie Zang Camryn Zdziarski-West Jacob Zeller Margaret Zorn
The documentary film “Minga” Voices of Resistance” had its U.S. premier at K’s Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership.
A documentary film that had its U.S. premier at Kalamazoo College’s Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership is illuminating the struggles of indigenous people from Patagonia to Mexico.
Tony Nelson, the assistant director of student engagement in the Center for International Programs, hosted the showing last month of Minga: Voices of Resistance, an international production by Pauline Dutron and Damien Charles. Together, the acclaimed co-directors help denounce the destruction of indigenous territories, spotlight cultural heritage and show how indigenous peoples are organizing themselves to inspire solutions.
The film, Nelson said, does an excellent job of raising awareness around two issues: the strategic and patterned violence perpetrated against indigenous peoples throughout the Americas and worldwide, and the resistance of those peoples, while calling for others worldwide to take up the fight against it.
“Sometimes intentionally, and sometimes accidentally, we don’t hear enough from people who have been marginalized historically and economically,” he said. “The more we can give amplification to the voices of folks who are being strategically ignored, censored or silenced, the better, in my opinion. I hope documentaries like this, as well as testimonies from students, can make those voices louder so more people are aware and more people get involved.”
For seven and a half years, Nelson ran a study abroad program in Chiapas, Mexico, where he met the filmmakers.
“They were in San Cristobal for a particular event called the National Indigenous Congress, so I got to meet them when they stayed at my friend’s house,” he said. “They had traveled from Belgium all the way to the southern tip of Chile and South America via sailboat by volunteering to work the sailboat, and then traveled only by bus all the way up to Mexico.”
Nelson said that while he was skeptical at first of the filmmakers’ intentions, he’s impressed with the end product.
“I was nervous about them accessing indigenous communities in a way that might feel exploitive, but I stayed in contact with them,” he said. “They spent a year transcribing all of their interviews, and then a year translating all the different languages into Spanish and English. I saw the film and I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh. They really did this. They did an amazing job.’ They did all these travels, and stayed focused on the voices of the communities in a way that centered voices that don’t get amplified often.”
The film is now available to anyone through a Creative Commons license, which allows it to be shown for free, although it was special to have the premier at K.
“The film is moving and well done,” Nelson said. “Regardless of my involvement or even knowing the filmmakers, I would have been speaking to people about it to raise awareness. They’re activists in Belgium, and they have a long-term goal of trying to inspire more people to resist and stand up for what’s right.”
Co-director Charles, speaking from his home in Belgium, said he wanted to share something important in the world through Minga, a film that took more than six years from concept to completion.
“When I came in contact with these communities, I saw their point of view,” Charles said. “It’s not just the idea, ‘We have this territory we depend on and if someone wants to destroy it, we want to defend it.’ Of course, they want to defend it, but it’s much deeper than that. It also talks about how the Western world imposes its views of ‘development’ on communities that have other projects for their diverse societies. These deeper goals really impacted me and made me question a lot of things about our way of life, about our society and about the way we see the world around us. I wanted to share that experience of being in contact with people who actually have a different vision of their place in the world. I think being in contact with something so different makes you understand yourself better.”
Nelson hopes many will see the film, understand themselves better and be inspired to act alongside voices that are traditionally marginalized or silenced.
“In my opinion, change can only come with serious pushback and pressure,” Nelson said. “That’s why, I think, they’re highlighting the communities they are. I hope people draw motivation from this and see that these incredibly repressed communities have found a way to fight, stand up with dignity and stick up for their rights, even if it means going up against a Goliath like Chevron or Coca-Cola. These companies are picking fights and threatening these people’s livelihoods; threatening their way of life. If they can stand up for themselves, we can definitely fight against the XL Pipeline or communities being redlined. There are many struggles we can join with in fighting the systems that are threatening us, our neighbors, and loved ones.”
Three Kalamazoo College faculty members from the history, sociology and physics departments have been awarded tenure.
The tenure milestone recognizes excellence in teaching, scholarship and service to the College, and signifies its confidence in the contributions these professors will make throughout their careers.
The following faculty members were approved this spring by the Board of Trustees for tenure and promotion to associate professor:
Assistant Professor of History Christina Carroll has earned tenure and will be promoted to associate professor.
Assistant Professor of History Christina Carroll
Carroll is a historian of modern France with research and teaching interests in empire, memory and nationalism; she teaches a variety of classes at K on modern Europe and its empires, along with a class on the modern Middle East.
In her new book, The Politics of Imperial Memory in France, 1850–1900, Carroll examines how the memory of European imperial conquest under Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte shaped French debates over colonial expansion during the second half of the 19th century, and explains how and why French Republicans embraced colonial conquest as a central part of their political platform. She is now beginning a second book project, which focuses on historical figures who were transported from one colony to another, or from the French metropole to a colony, for political crimes.
Carroll holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in history from the University of North Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in history and English from Vassar College. She was a visiting assistant professor of history at Colgate University before arriving at K in 2016. She also served a three-year appointment at K from 2018–2021 as the Marlene Crandell Francis Assistant Professor of History.
Arcus Social Justice Leadership Assistant Professor of Sociology Francisco Villegas has earned tenure and will be promoted to associate professor.
Arcus Social Justice Leadership Assistant Professor of Sociology Francisco Villegas
Villegas specializes in the topics of immigration, citizenship, social movements, deportability and illegalization, and teaches courses in these areas along with qualitative research methods.
In the community, Villegas serves as advisory board chair with the Kalamazoo County community ID program, which began in 2018. The program allows residents to obtain an ID issued by local government regardless of their ability to obtain a state ID. He is also one of three K faculty members—joining Associate Professor of English Shanna Salinas and Professor of English Bruce Mills—behind a major grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The grant provides new learning opportunities for K students and faculty seeking solutions to societal problems and promotes the critical role of the humanities in understanding and responding to social problems. The $1.297 million three-year grant funds the College’s Humanities Integrated Locational Learning (HILL) project, which is building student coursework rooted in K’s commitment to experiential learning and social justice to address issues such as racism, border policing, economic inequities, homelessness and global warming, while examining history, how humans share land, and the dislocations that bring people to a communal space.
Before joining K, Villegas was a sociology lecturer at the University of Toronto Scarborough from 2014– 2016. He has a doctorate in sociology in education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, a master’s degree in Mexican American studies from San Jose University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social behavior from the University of California Irvine.
Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Assistant Professor of Physics David Wilson has earned tenure and will be promoted to associate professor.
Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Assistant Professor of Physics David Wilson
As a biophysicist who studies virology, Wilson first arrived at K as a visiting assistant professor in 2014. During his time at K, he discovered that all spherical viruses place their protruding spike proteins in a common set of locations. That work later continued in three publications, including one with Danielle Roof ’22, titled Viral Phrenology.
Wilson was a visiting assistant professor at Albion College in 2015–2016 and Grand Valley State University in 2016–2017 before he returned to K in the same role in 2017. He became an assistant professor of physics at K in 2018. He has taught courses including quantum mechanics, applications of physics in the biosciences and introductory physics, and often generates 3D printing in his research.
Wilson has been invited to share his work at Calvin University, Northwestern University, Denison University and soon at the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology (FASEB) Virus Structure and Assembly Conference in Southbridge, Massachusetts. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Michigan, where he also was a postdoctoral research scientist in chemistry from 2010 –2013. He spent two years at the University of Washington doing master’s work before transferring to the University of Michigan. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from Michigan Technological University.
To date, Wilson has worked closely on research projects with more than 34 students at K from biology, chemistry, physics, computer science and mathematics.
Commencement for the Class of 2022 is at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 12, on the campus Quad.
For the first time since 2019, Kalamazoo College’s Commencement is returning to the campus Quad at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 12, with more than 350 students receiving their bachelor’s degrees. Here’s what you need to know about the weekend’s events surrounding Commencement and the ceremony itself.
Rehearsal
Seniors are required to attend Commencement rehearsal at 4 p.m. Thursday, June 9, at Dalton Theatre. Faculty and staff will provide graduating seniors with pertinent information including what to do during an intricate line-up and processional. Students who need to be excused from rehearsal should contact the Office of Alumni Engagement in advance at alumni@kzoo.edu.
Commencement Saturday
Receptions for individual departments help families meet professors and see individual projects from selected seniors. Consult the department schedules for information on the time and location for each event.
The day’s remaining events—including the Senior Awards Program, the Senior Music Recital and the Baccalaureate—will take place at Stetson Chapel. A livestream will be available for each of those events for those who can’t attend in person.
Seniors receiving awards will get an invitation from the Provost’s Office after finals to attend the Senior Awards Program, which begins at 2:30 p.m. Contact the Office of the Provost by email if you have questions about the event. The Senior Music Recital is a public concert at 4:30 p.m. featuring performances by graduating seniors who have been involved in music. All seniors and guests are invited to attend. The Baccalaureate is a public non-religious service with student and faculty speakers and musical performances beginning at 8 p.m.
An information desk will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the atrium at Hicks Student Center. The College’s bookstore will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bronson Healthcare President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Manns
Before the Ceremony on Sunday
Commencement will take place rain or shine on the Quad. However, if there’s heavy rain showers or severe weather, the ceremony may be delayed by up to two hours. Communication about a delay would be sent through K alerts, social media and email no later than 8 a.m. on Sunday. Seniors should arrive no later than 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Dalton Theatre with their caps and gowns. No tickets or rain tickets are required for the ceremony, which will last about two and a half hours. The information desk and College bookstore at Hicks Students Center will open at 8 a.m.
Parking
A limited number of handicapped parking spaces will be available on campus streets and in parking lots. Handicapped spaces are reserved for vehicles with a state-issued permit. With a limited number of spaces, a designated drop-off area will be available on Campus Drive, accessible from Academy Street, in front of Hoben Hall. Families may drop off guests for barrier-free access to the Quad and then find parking elsewhere on campus.
All faculty, staff and student parking lots will be open for public use. Street parking on campus and in surrounding neighborhoods will also be available. Please observe any posted street-parking restrictions and avoid driving or parking on sidewalks or lawns, or next to a building entrance. A printable campus parking map is available.
Reyna Rodriguez ’22
Keynote speaker
Bronson Healthcare President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Manns will address the class of 2022 and receive an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. Manns oversees all Bronson services from primary care to critical care across more than 100 locations.
Before joining Bronson, Manns was the president of St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor and St. Joseph Mercy Livingston from 2018–2020, the president of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s Campus in Grand Rapids from 2013–2018, the Alameda Health System chief operating officer (Oakland, California) from 2005–2013, and Ascension Providence Hospital (Southfield, Michigan) chief operations officer and executive vice president from 1996–2005.
Class speaker
Reyna Rodriguez, a chemistry major and psychology minor, has worked for two years as a Civic Engagement Scholar at El Sol Elementary School in Kalamazoo through the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement. El Sol functions like a magnet school and offers instruction in English and Spanish while accepting students from all areas of Kalamazoo Public Schools. Through El Sol, Rodriguez has recruited, educated, interviewed and submitted background checks on K students, coordinated their schedules with El Sol, and participated in and led structured reflections to help literacy and math tutors along with classroom assistants.
COVID-19 protocols
Given the high vaccination rates between our students, faculty and staff and the low community-spread level in Kalamazoo, K will not require vaccinations to attend Commencement activities and masks are optional, although not required, throughout the weekend. Unvaccinated guests are strongly encouraged to receive a COVID-19 test before arriving. Those who are ill should refrain from attending.
More information
The Office of Alumni Engagement maintains a website that offers more details regarding Commencement including a list of frequently asked questions, dining and lodging information, and ceremony accommodations. For more information, visit the site at commencement.kzoo.edu.
