Student Filmmakers Praise Instructor, Showcase

After a pandemic pause, a favorite Homecoming tradition returned in October, showcasing the creative talents of Kalamazoo College film and media studies students. A film festival featuring the introductory and advanced students in classes led by Visiting Instructor Danny Kim, allowed alumni to peek behind the curtain and see how students hone artistic skills through documentary filmmaking. After the screening, alumni asked questions of the filmmakers to learn more about the projects and applauded the students’ talents.

The projects required students to take B-roll footage to supplement the main footage, conduct about four interviews and use a filming technique called framing that shows the interviewee looking somewhere other than at the camera. Three of the student producers recently shared what they learned from their experiences.

Homecoming film festival with instructor and filmmakers
Visiting Instructor Danny Kim (from left), and students Ethan Galler, Davis Henderson, Alex Quesada, Megan McGarry, Emma Frederiksen and Jane Bentley, all from the class of 2025, attend the Homecoming Film Festival.

‘Saturday Night Live’ if it Had No Budget

Davis Henderson ’25 put K’s TV-production class in the spotlight with “ARTX-200,” a film named for the course taught by media producer and studio instructor Jaakan Page-Wood.

“To quote Jaakan, it’s very much like Saturday Night Live if Saturday Night Live was filmed on a Thursday afternoon by amateurs with no money, and was at 4:15,” Henderson said. “It was a great time, and I wanted to give it more attention. It’s definitely helped me find a space at K where I’m able to make stuff.”

“ARTX-200” presents Henderson’s peers as they explain how the course provided a creative outlet they had yet to find elsewhere on campus. Henderson, a theatre major who plans to pursue voice acting, developed an interest in filmmaking as a child when he and his brother began making skit videos with his mom’s photography equipment along with editing tools such as iMovie.

“ARTX-200” by Davis Henderson ’25

“Documentary filmmaking is interesting to me because it’s challenging,” Henderson said. “When something unexpected happens, you can’t restart. There’s no script and you pick it up as it goes. I can open up a history book and get bored. But being able to open a documentary, and see and hear what people are talking about, provides demonstrations that allow your imagination to take over. This is probably the most influential and crucial class I’ve taken here at K. I was able to create something tangible that will go in my portfolio and use it to get a job.”


An Art Form That’s Interesting and Exciting

Jane Bentley ’25 took a much more serious issue of importance to her and created “Students for Justice in Palestine,” a film about the student organization of the same name.

The film opens with Suha Qashou ’24—then president of K’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)—leading a vigil outside the Light Fine Arts building, surrounded by signs and supporters. She discusses her desire to commemorate the lives lost in Gaza in an honorable way.

The subject matter provided Bentley with some challenges.

“Between rallies and meetings, I set up a lot of my shots so a lot of people wouldn’t be identifiable for two reasons,” Bentley said. “First, I wasn’t confident that I was going to get a release form for every single person who might be there. And also, when you’re making something about the pro-Palestinian movement, especially in the immediate aftermath of October 7, you have to consider that leaving someone recognizable could put them in a vulnerable position.”

“Students for Justice in Palestine” by Jane Bentley ’25

Regardless, Kim’s class provided Bentley a chance to be expressive in an inclusive fashion that was supportive of all the student members of SJP.

“If you have something in your life that you think is worth talking about, the best way to get people interested in it is to package it in a form that’s interesting and exciting,” Bentley said. “I think a documentary can be the best way you to do that.”


A Day to Live Graciously

Unlike Bentley or Henderson, Ethan Galler ’25 had the problem of being uncertain when circumstances would allow him to film the bulk of his footage given his subject matter, K’s Day of Gracious Living.

This is DOGL” captures student voices and some thoughts from Vice President for Student Development Malcolm Smith the day before DOGL 2023. They discussed the importance of the traditional day off toward the end of the spring term as well as the history of it being a secret date selected by student government representatives and revealed in advance only to a few administrators.

Thankfully, Galler scheduled the interviews in advance through some sleuthing and logical conclusions.

“This is DOGL” by Ethan Galler ’25

“It was getting close to the end of the term, and either DOGL was the day it was or there would’ve been conflicts with other student events,” he said. “We picked the day before for interviews and hoped for the best.”

Despite cloudy and cool conditions for DOGL, Galler collected footage of a good number of students having fun at the beach in South Haven and supplemented it with footage from K’s archives of previous DOGL activities.

The end product and his enjoyment of the creative process led him to echo Henderson and Bentley’s praise for their instructor and the advantages of taking the class.

“It’s always good to have a little variety in the classes you take, especially if you’re a K student,” Galler said. “Everybody can be a fan of film in their own way, and making a documentary, you get to see behind the curtain with a production. It’s a fun experience.”

All the student videos from the film festival are available on YouTube. Click the links below to watch the others.


Featured Filmmakers

The other student filmmakers featured in the film festival and their projects included the following. Links are included where available:

  • Ian Burr ’24: “Football,” spotlighting K football players and what their sport means to them.
  • Sam Douma ’26: “Via Ferrata,” in which a voracious duo aims to harness their raw musical energy despite being young and distracted.
  • Emma Frederiksen ’25: “Growing with Disability,” showcasing three K students who describe their experiences navigating adulthood and transitioning into college while living with a disability.
  • Alek Hultberg ’26: “Tom Evans,” showing students and friends of Music Professor Tom Evans honoring him as he prepares to retire.
  • Caleb Kipnis ’26: “How to Run Hillel,” presenting insights into the Jewish student organization Hillel and its board members’ roles in planning and executing an event.
  • Megan McGarry ’25: “Clay and Community,” with ceramics students collaborating to make art pieces in response to a problematic mural.
  • Alex Quesada ’25: “Train Swag,” featuring cities, states and people that can seem far apart, but with a train, the world becomes smaller and connected communities get bigger. 
  • Amalia Scorsone ’24: “A SuperKut of Us,” with friends discussing the importance of their time at K as they approach graduation.
  • Luke Torres ’25: “Squishmallows,” in which Jenna Paterob ’23 reveals her obsession with Squishmallows toys.
  • Tariq Williams ’23: “Sustainability at Kalamazoo College,” showing K’s efforts in sustainability and the impact of recycling on campus.
“Football” by Ian Burr ’24
“A SuperKut of Us” by Amalia Scorsone ’24

Computer Science Team Impresses at Programming Contest

Three Kalamazoo College computer science students traveled to Grand Valley State University last weekend to compete in the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), the longest-running higher education programming competition in the world. 

More than 50,000 students from more than 100 countries competed in several regional competitions, solving a number of programming problems over the course of five hours. The contest fosters creativity, teamwork and innovation in building new software programs, and tests the students’ ability to work efficiently in challenging conditions. 

Chau Ta ’25, Benjamin Whitsett ’27 and Cole Koryto ’25 finished sixth out of 18 teams in the East Division’s Central North America Region, which included students from Ohio, Michigan, Eastern Ontario, Western Pennsylvania and Indiana. K’s representatives, in a team aptly named Bit by Bit, finished higher than five of eight teams from the University of Michigan and one of three teams from Michigan State University among others. Overall, Bit by Bit finished 48th out of 182 teams in the East Division. 

With school standings determined by the average scores of all their representing teams, K placed 12th in the East Division. That was good enough for second among five teams from Michigan and first among three teams from Great Lakes Colleges Association institutions. 

“I believe this is an outstanding achievement and something we can celebrate,” Dow Assistant Professor of Computer Science Sandino VargasPérez said. “Our students are bright, dedicated and enthusiastic about learning. They enjoy these contests where they can express what they’ve learned here at the College. I asked them, ‘Team, what is your goal for the event?’ They responded, ‘We want to be above the 50th percentile and maybe beat one of the teams from Harvard.’ Not only were they in the top 20%, but they also defeated one of the four teams that Harvard sent and defeated the University of Michigan in average points. They were so delighted with their results.” 

Programming Competition 2
Chau Ta ’25, Cole Koryto ’25 and Benjamin Whitsett ’27 impressed Dow Assistant Professor of Computer Science Sandino VargasPérez at the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) regional.
Programming Competition 1
Whitsett (from left), Ta and Koryto compete in the ICPC.

Honors Day Celebrates Student Achievements

Hundreds of Kalamazoo College students were recognized Friday, November 8, during the annual Honors Day Convocation for excellence in academics and leadership. Students were recognized in six divisions: Fine Arts; Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures; Humanities; Natural Sciences and Mathematics; Social Sciences; and Physical Education. Recipients of prestigious scholarships were recognized, as were members of national honor societies and students who received special Kalamazoo College awards. Student athletes and teams who won Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association awards also were honored. Many of the awards presented are based on outstanding performance during the previous academic year. The students receiving Honors Day awards or recognition are listed below. 

FINE ARTS DIVISION 

Brian Gougeon Prize in Art 

  • Maya Arau 
  • Asha Dawson 
  • Willow Hayner 
  • Maren Palmer 
  • Lee Zwart 

The Margaret Upton Prize in Music 

  • Sophia Herold 

Charles Cooper Award in Fine Arts 

  • Sally Eggleston 

Fan E. Sherwood Memorial Prize 

  • Evelyn Calderon 

Theatre Arts First-Year Student Award 

  • Evelyn Ellerbrock
  • Stephanie Moranko 
  • Phoebe Tozer 

DIVISION OF MODERN AND CLASSICAL LANGUAGES 

LeGrand Copley Prize in French 

  • Isabelle Mason 
  • Estelle Metz 

Hardy Fuchs Award 

  • Paige Peterson 
  • Mo Silcott 

Margo Light Award 

Kai Clingenpeel 

Department of Spanish Language and Literatures Prize 

  • Camila Benavides
  • Jason Krawczyk
  • Abigail Samson 

Clara H. Buckley Prize for Excellence in Latin 

  • Eleanor Campion 
  • Florian Stackow 

Provost’s Prize in Classics 

  • Max Wright 

Classics Department Prize in Greek 

  • Sally Eggleston 

HUMANITIES DIVISION  

O. M. Allen Prize in English 

  • Asha Dawson 

John B. Wickstrom Prize in History 

  • Ryleigh Jaworski 
  • Maja Smith 

Department of Philosophy Prize 

  • Liam Diaz
  • Madeleine Lawson 

L.J. and Eva (“Gibbie”) Hemmes Memorial Prize in Philosophy 

  • Johe Newton Johnson 
  • Nicholas Laframboise 

NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS DIVISION 

Winifred Peake Jones Prize in Biology 

  • Julia Kozal 
  • Jack Kreckman 
  • Cedric May 
  • Ava Schwachter 

Department of Chemistry Prize 

  • Natalie Greene 
  • Marcus Pedde 
  • Ava Schwachter 

First-Year Chemistry Award 

  • Abigail Eilertson 
  • Sara Cate Finks 
  • Emma Wrobleski 

Lemuel F. Smith Award 

  • Anna Buck 

Computer Science Prize 

  • Mahmoud Alsafadi 
  • Daniel Celedon 
  • William Geiger 
  • Dong Eun Kim
  • Nailia Narynbek Kyzy 
  • Aye Chan Myat Phyo 
  • Maggie Zhu 

First-Year Mathematics Award 

  • Isaac Duncan IV 
  • Benjamin Whitsett 

Thomas O. Walton Prize in Mathematics 

  • Matthew Quirk 

Cooper Prize in Physics 

  • Dong Eun Kim 
  • Ellie Mace 
  • Benjamin Whitsett 

SOCIAL SCIENCES DIVISION 

Departmental Prize in Anthropology and Sociology 

  • Rylee Lambert 
  • Marcos Perez 
  • Micahaia Reynolds 
  • Jay Wholihan 

William G. Howard Prize in Political Science 

  • Aubrey Benson 
  • Isabelle Mason 

William G. Howard Memorial Prize in Economics and Business 

  • Cole Koryto 

C. Wallace Lawrence Prize in Business 

  • Maya Alkema 
  • Dilynn Everitt 
  • Robert Newland 

C. Wallace Lawrence Prize in Economics  

  • Sophie Hartl 

Irene and S. Kyle Morris Prize 

  • Callie Abair 
  • Maya Clarren 

Department of Psychology First-Year Student Prize 

  • Isabelle Kastel 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION DIVISION 

Division of Physical Education Prize Raymond Cargill 

  • Ruby Hogan 

Lauren Rosenthal ’13 Memorial Prize 

  • Annmarie Lawrence 

Maggie Wardle ’02 Prize 

  • Jordan Wesaw 

COLLEGE AWARDS 

Gordon Beaumont Memorial Award 

  • Michel Romero 
  • Jacinda Servantes 

Henry ’36 and Inez Brown Prize 

  • Lucy Cripe 
  • Tyler Omness 
  • Eden Schnurstein 

Virginia Hinkelman Memorial Award 

  • Clarke Austin 
  • Elijah Mobley 

Davis United World College Scholar 

  • Renzo Palomino Caceres 
  •  Alondra (Danahe) Montoya Martinez 

HEYL SCHOLARS 

Class of 2028 

  • David Fooy 
  • Charles Gordon 
  • Lloyd Maxwell 
  • Nathan Gleason 
  • Isabelle Hahn 
  • Katherine Suarez 

POSSE SCHOLARS 

Class of 2028 

  • Marley Bell 
  • Brizza Gonzalez 
  • Maya Pasillas  
  • Linda Chukwu 
  • Christian Gonzalez 
  • Vivian Ramos 
  • Yamilet Garcia 
  • Miranda Moreno 

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS 

Class of 2028 

  • Clara (Bo) Chambers 

SLAVA-CICA AND SPASA VOYNOVICH SCHOLARS  

  • Alex Nam 

ALPHA LAMBDA DELTA 

Class of 2028 

Alpha Lambda Delta is a national honor society that recognizes excellence in academic achievement during the first college year. To be eligible for membership, students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 and be in the top 20 percent of their class during the first year.  

The Kalamazoo College chapter was installed on March 5, 1942.  

  • Maya Arau  
  • Emily Auchter  
  • Joseph Basil  
  • Aubrey Benson  
  • Alexandrea Bernal  
  • Jack Boshoven  
  • Jay Breck  
  • Daniel Celedon  
  • Maya Clarren  
  • Logan Coller  
  • Cate Cotter  
  • Holden Coulter  
  • Jasmine Davis  
  • Asha Dawson  
  • Enrique Delzer  
  • Isaac Duncan  
  • Abigail Eilertson  
  • Evelyn Ellerbrock  
  • Sara Cate Finks  
  • Landrie Fridsma  
  • Ingrid Gardner  
  • William Geiger  
  • Maira Ghaffar  
  • Cecilia Gray  
  • Natalie Greene  
  • Jacob Hazlewood  
  • Zachary Heikka  
  • Ashlen Hill  
  • Dong Eun Kim  
  • Julia Kozal  
  • Jason Krawczyk  
  • Jack Kreckman 
  • Annabelle Krygier  
  • Rylee Lambert  
  • Alex Lloyd  
  • Grace Lounds  
  • Ellie Mace  
  • Lauren MacKersie 
  • Isabelle Mason  
  • Cedric May  
  • Maren Mosher  
  • Ella Myers  
  • Nailia Narynbek Kyzy 
  • Yen Giang Nguyen  
  • Kevin Oneill  
  • B Osborn  
  • Astrid Parker  
  • Juniper Pasternak  
  • Audrey Pegouske 
  • Paige Peterson 
  • Madelyn Portenga  
  • Olivia Schleede  
  • Ava Schwacther  
  • Clara Siefke  
  • Florian Stackow  
  • Phoebe Tozer  
  • Tony Vaisanen  
  • Anthony Valade 
  • Lucy Vandemark  
  • Benjamin Whitsett  
  • Jay Wholihan  
  • Alicia Wilgoren  
  • Emma Wrobleski  
  • Lee Zwart 

FINE ARTS 

Performing Arts: Music 

  • Isabella Alimenti  
  • Alexa Barrera-Zavala  
  • Miles Borgsdorf  
  • Teige Bredin  
  • John Brewer  
  • Chloe Brown  
  • Sara Joy Bush  
  • Ava Butera  
  • Samantha Capentier  
  • Cameron Couch  
  • Cooper H. Dahl  
  • Maya Davis  
  • Gabriel Flandes  
  • Victoria Gutierrez  
  • Kaylee Hanson  
  • Elizabeth Henderson  
  • Cosette Hurtubise  
  • Zarifa Ibrahimzada  
  • Weslee Innes  
  • Caroline Johnson  
  • Carrie Kozlowski  
  • Shay Kruse  
  • Annabelle Largent 
  • Maya Lee  
  • Maya Lopez  
  • Alexandria Mason 
  • Bernice Mike  
  • Meena Mortiz  
  • Andrew Oss  
  • Tobias Peters  
  • Maggie Petersen 
  • Tadeusz Potocki  
  • Karina Rodriguez  
  • Miriam Ruiz Kahle  
  • Mckenna Ryan-Elbert  
  • Halen Sherwood  
  • Calvin Strader  
  • Jocelyn Suranyi  
  • Ella Talaski  
  • Carissa West  
  • Sierra Winter  
  • Nora Zemlic 

MIAA AWARDS 

These teams earned the 2023–24 MIAA Team GPA Award for achieving a 3.300 or better grade point average for the entire academic year: 

  • Men’s Golf  
  • Men’s Lacrosse  
  • Men’s Swimming and Diving  
  • Men’s Tennis 
  • Women’s Basketball  
  • Women’s Cross Country 
  • Women’s Golf  
  • Women’s Lacrosse  
  • Women’s Soccer  
  • Women’s Softball  
  • Women’s Swimming and Diving  
  • Women’s Tennis  
  • Women’s Volleyball 

MIAA ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL 

Student Athletes 2023–24 

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association each year honors students at MIAA member colleges who achieve in the classroom and in athletic competition. Students need to be a letter winner in a varsity sport and maintain at least a 3.5 grade point average for the entire school year. 

Kalamazoo College Singers with director
The College Singers perform at the annual Honors Day Convocation
Honors Day students
Honorees receive awards at Honors Day
Honors Day students
Students stand to be recognized at Honors Day
Honors Day students
Students stand to be recognized at Honors Day
Honors Day attendees
Faculty congratulated students at Honors Day
Honors Day stduents
Students stand to be recognized at Honors Day
Honors Day attendees
Faculty process in during Honors Day
Students
Students stand to be recognized at Honors Day

A

  • Callie Abair
  • Fuzail Ahmed
  • Maya Alkema
  • Adnan Alousi
  • Mahmoud Alsafadi
  • Emiliano Alvarado-Rescala
  • Paige Anderson
  • Eleanor Andrews
  • Kaelyn Arlington

B

  • Annalise Bailey
  • Poppy Balkema
  • Madison Barch
  • Emma Becker
  • Shelby Bennett
  • Eleanor Bernas
  • Douglas Blackwood
  • Luke Bormann
  • Mairin Boshoven
  • Eleni Bougioukou
  • Jaylen Bowles-Swain
  • Holly Bowling
  • Ella Boyea
  • Lukas Broadsword
  • Jonathan Brunette
  • Anna Buck
  • Jaden Buist
  • John Bungart
  • Ian Burr

C

  • Raymond Cargill
  • Isabella Caza
  • Trustin Christopher
  • Thomas Clark
  • Madeleine Coffman
  • Samuel Coleman
  • Logan Coller
  • Cate Cotter
  • Lucy Cripe
  • Mia Crites
  • Chase Cummins
  • Emma Curcuru

D

  • Erik Danielson
  • Jessica Dant
  • Carson Deines
  • Ethan DeNeen
  • Olivia Depauli
  • Alexander Di Dio
  • Jordan Doyle
  • Alexander Dubin

E

  • Rebecca Elias
  • Elise Elliot
  • Sara English
  • Caleb Ewald
  • Chad Ewing

F

  • Sara Cate Finks
  • Jordan Flink
  • Parker Foster
  • Andre Fouque
  • Landrie Fridsma

G

  • Aliza Garcia
  • Brynna Garden
  • William Geiger
  • Lukas Graff
  • Lillian Grelak
  • Kaitlyn Grice
  • Natalie Gross
  • Madyson Groth

H

  • Sydney Hagaman
  • Alison Hankins
  • Madeline Hanulcik
  • Sophie Hartl
  • Pauline Hawkes
  • Jacob Hazlewood
  • Zachary Heikka
  • Gerardo Herrera-Sanchez
  • Garrick Hohm
  • Ronin Honda
  • Joseph Horsfield
  • Tyler Houle
  • Gavin Houtkooper
  • Ethan Huebsch
  • Samuel Hughes
  • Alek Hultberg
  • Lukas Hultberg
  • Michael Hume
  • Madelaine Hurley
  • Kennedy Hynde

I

  • Carson Ihrke

J

  • Halley Johnson

K

  • Timothy Karubus
  • Isabelle Kastel
  • Seth Keana
  • Blake Kelsey
  • Hunter Kiesling
  • Kendyl Kirshman
  • Alexander Kish
  • Kathryn Klahorst
  • Mart Klenke
  • Daniel Koselka
  • Julia Kozal
  • Jack Kreckman
  • Clayton Kryszak

L

  • Braeden Lavis
  • Annmarie Lawrence
  • Jacob Lynett

M

  • Natalie Maki
  • Matthew Matuza
  • Benjamin Maurice
  • Zachary Maurice
  • Grace McGlynn
  • Amy McNutt
  • Rachel Meston
  • Gabriel Meyers
  • Brittany Miller
  • Jack Miller
  • Bayley Millerov
  • Elana Mitchell
  • Jackson Mitchell
  • Brenden Moat
  • Mackenzie Moore
  • Elizabeth Muenzenmaier
  • Mary Ellen Muenzenmaier
  • Andrew Munger
  • Anna Murphy

N

  • Robert Newland
  • Emma Newlove
  • Dustin Noble
  • Hayleigh Nower

O

  • Jeremiah Ohren-Hoeft
  • Gabriel Olivier
  • Tyler Omness
  • Reece Omodio

P

  • Mia Pascuzzi
  • Eric Paternoster
  • Alex Pepin
  • Sydney Pickell
  • William Plesscher
  • Grayson Pratt

R

  • Elizabeth Rachiele
  • Tieran Rafferty
  • Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci
  • Julia Rambo
  • Sara Reathaford
  • Liam Regan
  • Keegan Reynolds
  • Sheldon Riley
  • Emory Roberts
  • Luke Rop
  • Elizabeth Rottenberk
  • Eli Routt
  • Alexander Rueff

S

  • Zenaida Sackett
  • Robert Samples
  • Vivian Schmidt
  • Annika Schnell
  • Amalia Scorsone
  • Tillie Sheldon
  • Steven Shelton
  • Cassidy Short
  • Colby Skinner
  • Dawson Skupin
  • Erin Somsel
  • Jonah Spates
  • Ella Spooner
  • Adam Stapleton
  • David Stechow
  • Taylor Stephens
  • Molly Stevison
  • Emma Stickley

T

  • Levi Thomas
  • William Thomas
  • Jakob Torzewski
  • Dean Turpin

V

  • Anthony Valade
  • Samantha Vande Pol
  • Lucy Vandemark
  • Hannah Vander Lugt
  • Cameron VanGalder
  • Mitchel VanGalder
  • Madison Vrba

W

  • Joseph Wade
  • Ivy Walker
  • Annslee Ware
  • Ryan Warezak
  • Riley Weber
  • Jack Wheeler
  • Ava Williams

Y

  • Hailey Yoder

Z

  • Jacob Zeller
  • Rebecca Zoetewey

Festival Playhouse’s ‘Earnest’ Conquers Venue Change

The Festival Playhouse of Kalamazoo College says the show must go on this fall, even with building maintenance temporarily displacing the theatre company away from the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse.  

Thanks in part to the Office of Admission opening its living room to rehearsals, the Fitness and Wellness Center providing space for a costume shop, and partners across campus showing support, the Festival Playhouse will perform The Importance of Being Earnest from Thursday, November 7–Sunday, November 10, in the Olmsted Room at Mandelle Hall.  

Theatre Company Manger Kirsten Sluyter said Festival Playhouse representatives had to think about what would be best for students in deciding whether to go on as scheduled, shift gears to a different play or perhaps cancel the show entirely when they learned the Playhouse wouldn’t be available. Yet they found support from across campus, and the smaller Olmsted Room, which seats just 45 patrons as opposed to 400, provided an interesting opportunity. 

“This piece was originally written as a drawing-room play, which means both that most of the action takes place in a drawing room, and that it was meant to be re-enacted in a home drawing room,” Sluyter said. “If we were going to design a set to look like an English sitting room in a country estate, we probably couldn’t have done better than the Olmsted Room. It’s been a mixed blessing to be away from home, but being there gives us a unique opportunity to stretch some muscles we don’t get to use as much.” 

In the play, Jack Worthing—played by Cooper Dahl ’28—is a community pillar in Hertfordshire, where he is a guardian to Cecily Cardew, played by Ella Myers ’27. For years, Jack has pretended to have an irresponsible brother named Ernest who leads a scandalous life while pursuing pleasure and getting into trouble that requires Jack to rush to his assistance. No one but Jack knows that he is Ernest. 

Cecily is a granddaughter of the late Thomas Cardew, who found and adopted Jack when he was a baby. Jack is a major landowner and justice of the peace with tenants, farmers, servants and other employees depending on him as he falls in love with Gwendolen Fairfax, played by Sophia Merchant ’25. Other K students in the play include McKenna Wasmer ’25 as Lady Bracknell, who is Gwendolyn’s mother; and Lee Zwart ’27, as Algernon Moncrieff, Jack’s best friend and Lady Bracknell’s nephew. 

The play weaves through multiple tales of deception between characters as playwright Oscar Wilde criticizes Victorian society. Although tempered by comedy and happy endings, he exposes the upper class, where deception and hypocrisy were rampant at the time. Zwart, who hails from South Bend, Indiana, said he chose to attend K for its studio art program, and he appreciates that the theatre program is open to anyone. He found the opportunity to act in a play like The Importance of Being Earnest appealing. 

“Algernon is an over-the-top and kind of ridiculous character—very much an Oscar Wilde self-insert,” Zwart said. “My mom is big into Oscar Wilde. When I first mentioned that we were doing Being Earnest, I asked her what part I should go out for. She said, ‘Well, Algernon is a lot of fun.’ He romantically pursues Cecily, and a lot of the play involves him scheming about doing that.” 

The play will be challenging for actors and behind-the-scenes crew alike as the audience will rotate from facing the back of the Olmsted Room, to facing the side windows, to facing the front between the three scenes. Stage Manager Evelyn Ellerbrock ’27 is enjoying that opportunity along with a chance to work alongside Assistant Professor of Theatre Quincy Thomas, who is the play’s director. 

“I’ve always done backstage theater work in high school and now in college, but I like the experience of seeing the rehearsal side and also getting to see the tech side,” Ellerbrock said. “I think people will want to see this show because it’s funny and there’s a certain appeal to doing it in the Olmsted Room. Not being in the theater space means that there’s something new and interesting to discover. It will be great to see how it works out.” 

That premonition about it being well attended has turned out to be true as the play is completely sold out for each of its four performances. 

“It’s just a good show, even if people don’t necessarily understand all of the Victorian references,” Zwart said. “I think we do it in a way that a modern audience will understand and enjoy.” 

Two students rehearse for The Importance of Being Earnest
Cooper Dahl ’28 (left) plays Jack Worthing and Lee Zwart ’27 portrays Algernon in the Festival Playhouse production of “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
Two students rehearse for "The Importance of Being Earnest"
McKenna Wasmer ’25 will perform as Lady Bracknell in “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
Two students rehearse for "The Importance of Being Earnest"
Sophie Merchant ’25 plays Gwendolen Fairfax, Jack Worthing’s love interest, in the “Importance of Being Earnest.”

Horse Sense Guides K’s Equestrian Team

Five Students at Cedar Lodge Stables
Kalamazoo College’s Equestrian Team consists of (from left) Libby McFarlen ’26, Sydney Myszenski ’25, Ella Varnhagen ’25, Shannon Dopp ’28 and Emily Spelson ’28. They are co-hosting a two-day equestrian meet starting Saturday, October 19, with Grand Valley State University at Cedar Lodge Stables near Lawrence, Michigan.

You might be chomping at the bit to attend a football or soccer game during Homecoming weekend, but hold your horses. Find out first about some student-athletes in another sport, who are just as proud as their peers to be representing Kalamazoo College.

K’s Equestrian Team is co-hosting a two-day meet beginning this Saturday, October 19, alongside Grand Valley State University at their home barn, Cedar Lodge Stables. The facility is near Lawrence, Michigan, about a half-hour drive west of Kalamazoo. Although sometimes dark horses when facing riders from bigger schools, the College’s representatives participate in meets through the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA), a nonprofit organization supporting individuals and teams at a variety of equine sports experience levels.

Libby McFarlen ’26—a Kalamazoo native and Loy Norrix High School graduate—is one of K’s equestrian competitors. She got the bug to start horseback riding when she was 8 years old. Although her grandma wanted to buy her a pony for her birthday, grandma chose instead to provide her granddaughter with riding lessons after comparing the costs between the two options.

Find K’s Equestrian Team
on Social Media

Kalamazoo College has several student organizations that focus on athletic endeavors including Equestrian Team. Find more on the Equestrian Team on these social media platforms:

Equestrian Team: Libby McFarlen with Ethan the horse
McFarlen has been riding horses since she was about 8 years old when her grandma purchased riding lessons for her.
Emily Spelson ’28 of the Equestrian Team holds a Kalamazoo College flag in front of a horse named Elliot
Spelson holds a Kalamazoo College flag in front of a horse named Elliot at Cedar Lodge Stables.
Equestrian Team: Shannon Dopp ’28 holds a Kalamazoo College flag in front of
Dopp, pictured with a horse named Dozer, is among five students who will compete in equestrian events this weekend.

“I was only supposed to ride for a couple of lessons, but I absolutely fell in love with it,” McFarlen said. “I’ve been involved in riding hunter-jumper, so I joined the team at K because I wanted to continue to ride in college. I wanted to put all the effort I could into this sport because I’ve been in love with it for about 10 years now.”

McFarlen and her teammates—including Sydney Myszenski ’25, Shannon Dopp ’28, Emily Spelson ’28, and Ella Varnhagen ’25—participate in either showjumping—an event that includes the horses leaping over obstacles and fences—or flat riding, which includes walking and cantering. Divisions are split based on each rider’s experience level, usually with five or six students from around Michigan in each. The host barn provides horses, and riders are randomly paired with them through a method such as drawing numbered popsicle sticks, which can be an intimidating experience.

“If you’re not at your home barn, chances are you’ve never ridden the horse you get paired with,” McFarlen said. “The captain has a brochure with a list of the horses, their name, breed and height. Some of them will have distinctive characteristics, too. Some horses will need a riding crop and some don’t. Others might not like handsy riders who pull. The horses have as much personality as people do.”

Sydney Myszenski stands with a Kalamazoo College flag next to Dozer
Myszenski ’25 stands with a Kalamazoo College flag next to a horse named Dozer.
Ella Varnhagen stands with a horse named Percy
Ella Varnhagen ’25, pictured with a horse named Percy, will represent K with her equestrian teammates in a meet this weekend at Cedar Lodge Stables.

For such reasons, McFarlen recommends students have a little background in horseback riding before joining the Equestrian Team. K offers an equestrian physical education class for beginning riders, although a cost is involved. McFarlen recognizes that costs also can be an obstacle for students wanting to participate with the Equestrian Team, with a $45 IHSA registration required yearly and competitions away from Kalamazoo typically involving the cost of an overnight stay.

However, K’s instructors will often lend team members the clothes they need to participate in shows—including boots, helmets, breeches, gloves and a navy blue or black jacket—and the team hopes they will have some fundraising efforts in the near future that will help more students join.  

“We’ve started going out on Saturday morning trail rides, so it’s nice to have a chill time, too, without worry for whether your leg is positioned right or your hands are perfect like you would while competing,” McFarlen said. “It allows us to go around and talk together as a team. The solid group we have is what makes the club special to me and we would love to grow. Even though there are more standard sports, I think we’re just as cool because we’re unique. We’re valid student-athletes, too, and we do this because we love our sport.”

Two First-Year Equestrian Student-Athletes
Dopp and Spelson enjoy time together at Cedar Lodge Stables.
Two Equestrian Team Seniors
Myszenski and Vernhagen are the two seniors on K’s Equestrian Team.

K Joins Network Focused on First-Generation Student Success

The FirstGen Forward Network—an organization that partners with colleges and universities, philanthropists, businesses and the public sector to catalyze first-generation student success in higher education—has selected Kalamazoo College to be among its newest members this year.

K joins 80 new members and more than 400 other institutions nationwide in their commitment to first-generation student success by boosting student experiences, enhancing academic and co-curricular outcomes, and building more inclusive institutional environments.

The recognition stems from a host of services the College offers first-generation students, which include:

  • The Career Launch Internship Prep Program (CLIPP), which guides students from their first-year through their senior year and empowers them to take control of their career paths.
  • Dinners and group discussions that help build networking opportunities while bolstering success in higher education.
  • A welcome event during Orientation that allows new students to hear from continuing first-generation students who speak about their K experiences.
  • A chance to participate in events related to National First-Generation Day, marking the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The legislation expanded college opportunities for first-generation populations.
First-Generation Student Success Panel at Orientation
A panel of first-generation students welcomed more first-generation students to Kalamazoo College during Orientation in September 2024.

Additionally, a portion of a historic $30 million gift received by the College in 2023 will be used to coordinate campus efforts and focus on a student success model that includes a full-time staff member dedicated to providing support for first-generation students. Currently, 22% of K’s student body identify as first-generation college students, with recent incoming classes ranging from 25–30% first-generation. Understanding how K can best adapt to meet the needs of first-generation students as the population continues to grow at the College and nationally, while providing an environment where they can thrive and achieve their educational goals, has been an on-going strategic goal for the College.

“A Kalamazoo College education provides our graduates with many benefits, skills and experiences that help them lead successful and meaningful lives,” Associate Vice President for Student Development Brian Dietz said. “Ensuring that each one of our students prospers from the full array of these benefits is critical to the work we do as a College, and understanding the unique experiences of our first-generation college students enhances this work. Being a member of the FirstGen Forward Network gives us access to evidence-based practices and resources, and enables us to better identify, understand, and most importantly, remedy the challenges which hinder first-gen students from realizing all they want to achieve at K and beyond.”

Thailand Lessons Influence Student, Kalamazoo’s First Read Along

Emerson Wesselhoff working at a table with a city of Kalamazoo table cloth, ready to lead city's first read along
Emerson Wesselhoff ’25 is working in an internship with the city of Kalamazoo, where she is leading the city’s first Kalamazoo Reads effort through the book “Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design” by journalist Charles Montgomery about urban design and happiness.
Emerson Wesselhoff with a host family and a fellow student in Thailand
Wesselhoff (left) sits with one of her host families and a fellow student in the Maetha agricultural co-op village. The younger Thai woman is Pi Pui, the expert seed saver for the village. The older Thai woman is her mom, Mae Sawn.
Wesselhoff works with elementary school students she led in a read along
Wesselhoff works with elementary school students during her internship in Thailand with Kiaow Suay Hom, which translates to Green, Beautiful and Fragrant in English.

A study-abroad experience, a passion for sustainability and a love for her city have helped a Kalamazoo College Heyl scholar leave her mark on Imagine Kalamazoo 2035, the city’s newly launched master plan.

Emerson Wesselhoff ’25 is an outreach and engagement intern working with City Planner Christina Anderson ’98. She was among the officials at an open house September 19 when the city shared some of its successes from the previous master plan and discussed with residents what they can expect over the next year with the new plan.

Now, as a part of Imagine Kalamazoo 2035, Wesselhoff will lead the city’s first Kalamazoo Reads effort, a community read along and discussion with clubs, community groups and residents. Together, they will have meaningful conversations about Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design, a book by award-winning journalist Charles Montgomery beginning Monday, September 30. The book combines urban design and an emerging science of happiness that will help participants analyze some of the world’s most dynamic cities, while brainstorming what residents want in Kalamazoo.

“I first read the book at K through a class I took sophomore year,” Wesselhoff said, speaking of a seminar led by Anderson, City of Kalamazoo Chief Operating Officer Laura Lam ’99 and then-Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement Director Alison Geist. “We want Individual citizens, book clubs, organizations, boards, shops and institutions to read it, and every month we will host a community-led discussion of the book. I’ve put together a big toolkit that provides summaries, links to the author’s TED talk, and discussion questions to guide thoughts and processes. We want to get people thinking about how the city makes us happy and what happiness means in our lives.”

Wesselhoff’s opportunity is a relatable follow-up to a reading-focused experience she led when she studied abroad in Thailand last year. She concluded her time overseas with a six-week climate engagement internship through a non-government organization called Kiaow Suay Hom, which translates to Green, Beautiful and Fragrant in English. There, she studied the benefits of green spaces in fighting pollution and particulate matter (PM 2.5) as smoke and smog cause health risks such as heart attacks, cancer and respiratory issues in Thailand. The organization had created a children’s book about PM 2.5 that was central to the outreach Wessselhoff performed as part of her internship.

How to Participate
in the Read Along

  • Let Wesselhoff know if you or a group will join the read along and whether you would like resources by emailing her at wesselhoffe@kalamazoocity.org.
  • Happy City is available at a discount at Bookbug and This is a Bookstore (3019 Oakland Drive), in person and online. Use the discount code KALAMAZOO if you buy the book online. You may also read an online version of the book or get it from the Kalamazoo Public Library as an eBook or audio book via Hoopla.
  • Public read along discussions start Monday, September 30, with a gathering at Bookbug and This is a Bookstore. A second discussion will take place Wednesday, October 23, at Jerico, 1501 Fulford St. Free reservations are available online for the September 30 event and the October 23 event.
  • A Happy City toolkit is available online to guide independent reads and discussions.
  • Share your read along results by completing a brief online form, sending an email to hello@kalamazoocity.org with your responses typed, or attaching a scan of any written notes to an email. Return a paper copy by mail or in person to Community Planning and Economic Development, 245 N. Rose St. in Kalamazoo, during business hours.
Emerson Wesselhoff with other students in Thailand
During her internship in Thailand, Wesselhoff volunteered at a local farm with her fellow NGO interns to help the farmers prepare for a big harvesting event.
Emerson Wesselhoff discusses sustainability with elementary school students she led in a read along
Wesselhoff told elementary school students about what they can be do with green space and pollution-filtering plants to fight health risks that are common in Thailand.
Wesselhoff makes a presentation to a group of NGO's in Thailand
At the end of her Thailand internship, Wesselhoff presented information on her work to Chiang Mai’s Breath Council, a larger council of NGOs dedicated to helping fight PM 2.5 pollution.

“Having more green space, carbon-sequestering and pollution-filtering plants is a great way to combat PM 2.5,” Wesselhoff said. “Creating those green spaces starts with awareness and I learned the importance of youth education. A huge component of my internship was going around to local elementary schools in In the Mae Hia subdistrict of Chiang Mai, Thailand, and showing how sustainability connects to local culture, children’s lives, and how to keep them and their friends and family safe. I learned how to engage with kids and break down a heavily scientific and scary topic, while connecting it to their culture and their lives at home. It made them feel empowered to make choices that are healthier for their community.”

She hopes Happy City read along conversations will have similar success and spark some ideas regarding potential local sustainability efforts.

“I’m trying to help bring awareness to how the city impacts our sense of happiness and our sense of self in where we live,” she said. “That’s a big piece of environmental engagement work—knowing where you live, knowing its shortcomings, and advocating for the things that make it great, and sustainability planning is a huge part of that. I look at my study abroad experience, which was so centered on putting my assumptions on the back burner and learning from local people through their lived experiences. I’m trying to bring that same practice back here. I think we often turn to academics, politicians or big systems to figure out how to make progress. What I learned from local communities in Thailand is to focus instead on making space for our relationship to land, first and foremost. Community awareness and respect will follow close behind.”

Wesselhoff was abroad for a total of six months, spending her time first with the International Sustainable Development Studies Institute—a hands-on, fieldwork learning center based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, focused on sustainability.

With ISDSI, Wesselhoff and 13 other students from around the world, including two other K students, took one monthlong class at a time with courses including culture, ecology and community; sustainable food systems; political ecology and ocean ecology. The first week of each class consisted of lectures before the students stayed three weeks with host families, mostly in indigenous communities, and performed field or volunteer work in the community.

In the sustainable food systems course, Wesselhoff and her peers spent two weeks living in an organic co-op village called Maetha, staying with a seed saver and learning about organic agriculture. The third week she lived on an organic coffee farm called Nine One Coffee near a jungle and learned about the organic bean-to-cup process.

With the forestry course, Wesselhoff traveled to Mae Hong Son, the northernmost province in Thailand, near the Myanmar border, and backpacked between six villages, starting at low elevation and proceeding higher with each stop. Along the way, she lived with six indigenous host families who graciously taught the students about livelihoods and land rights in their highland communities.

During the ocean ecology course, Wesselhoff and her group went south to learn about mudflats and mangroves while living on a coastal farm, before spending about a week and a half in the Adang archipelago near the Malaysian border to kayak through more trading routes and learn about coral reef ecosystems. When the classes ended, students from other colleges returned home and the K students began working internships. Wesselhoff’s experience now feeds her desire to improve life in Kalamazoo.

Wesselhoff with a baby elephant
Wesselhoff greeted a baby elephant during an excursion with the International Sustainable Development Studies Institute.
Emerson Wesselhoff in Thailand
Wesselhoff participated in a field expedition to Wiang Khum Kam, an ancient archeological site south of Chiang Mai.

At home, the Loy Norrix High School graduate is a biology major with a concentration in environmental studies and minors in English and anthropology-sociology. She also serves K as a Climate Action Plan Committee student representative and intern, advocating for the College’s efforts in being carbon neutral by 2050. The committee maintains the College’s Climate Action Plan in association with the President’s Climate Leadership Commitment, which K joined in 2010, while establishing goals, monitoring progress, conducting annual reporting and providing guidance on projects and initiatives to support the plan. Plus, Wesselhoff writes blog post updates addressing news on climate efforts at K, and all her work excites her to extend her work into the city.

“The more time I spend in Kalamazoo, the more I realize just how much people care about this place,” Wesselhoff said. “I think I’m lucky because I’m not just here as a four-year college student. I have roots here and that gives me a distinct advantage. I’m in a college environment most of the time with the connections I build in the K community, but I also work with folks in the city, getting to talk to stakeholders and community members, going to places like the farmers market or events downtown like Art Hop and Lunchtime Live. Even if people have a complaint to voice, it’s because they care about where they live. The city of Kalamazoo is headed in a unique direction, with bountiful opportunities to make the city a more connected, livable, and sustainable place. I feel very fortunate to be here in a time of my life where I can learn all about those things.”

Driving Success: K, Toyota Support First-Gen Students

This story was written by Kalamazoo College Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations Maria Newhouse.

Kalamazoo College is taking a major step toward providing equal access for talented, first-generation students from South Texas through a new $250,000 endowed fund created in collaboration with Toyota Motor North America. The College has established the Toyota Success Fund to provide critical financial support to these students, helping remove barriers to pursuing higher education. This fund represents an important collaboration between K and Toyota North America, united in their commitment to opening doors for underrepresented students with significant potential.

Over the past few years, the College has seen a substantial increase in applications and enrollment from students in South Texas, particularly from the IDEA schools in the region, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. However, national and local data has shown that retention rates for first-generation students—who made up 30% of the incoming class at the College in 2023—are lower than that of their peers, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support systems.

“At Kalamazoo College, we are committed to providing a transformative liberal arts experience that prepares our students to understand, thrive in, and lead our complex world,” said President Jorge G. Gonzalez. “This endowment—and others like it—will ensure that our doors remain open to students from all walks of life, regardless of socioeconomic background.”

The Toyota Success Fund stems from a pilot program begun in 2019. Since inception, the program has supported three cohorts of Toyota Scholars from South Texas. Toyota’s North American headquarters are located in Plano, Texas. The pilot program provided important insights from students about unexpected hurdles to their success.

“The pandemic, which occurred during the pilot program, really highlighted some previously unseen needs,” said Bob Batsell, a Kalamazoo College psychology professor from South Texas who mentored many of the Toyota Scholars. “Unfortunately, the College wasn’t prepared initially. No one was. Watching the pilot program evolve to truly listen and support students was vital to relieving at least some of their financial burdens so they could focus on being students.”

Toyota Scholars have had the opportunity to meet with their mentors and program staff during their time at K and provide insights and feedback. Based on this feedback, the newly established Toyota Success Fund will offer health insurance and book stipends to qualifying, first-generation students from Texas beginning in fall 2025—forms of aid not covered by other financial assistance yet identified as crucial for student success.

“This program has really benefited me,” shared Tracy Galeana, a member of the Class of 2025. “Without it, I don’t even think I’d be in college.” Galeana, an art history major, recently accepted an internship at an art museum in Brownsville, Texas—an internship that her Toyota Scholars scholarship will help fund.

Classmate Caleb Allen, a history major, echoed Galeana’s experience.  “I don’t think I would have been able to afford this school without it,” said Allen, who is also heavily involved in the College’s theatre department. Allen plans to write an original script to present at a theatre festival this fall before staging a reading as part of his Senior Integrated Project (SIP) in 2025.

“The Toyota Scholars program definitely helped eliminate economic stress,” said Luis Ayala ’24, an avid race fan and recent graduate, who joined a local Porsche racing league in Texas this summer. He was recently hired as an ophthalmic technician at a retina clinic in Austin where he will be training to become a retinal angiographer. Of his time at K as a Toyota Scholar he said, “I am grateful for everything the program offered. I really was able to have a smooth college experience thanks to this scholarship program.”

The endowment is part of Kalamazoo College’s broader efforts to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for students from diverse backgrounds, which is also a priority for Toyota North America. “The Toyota Success Fund at Kalamazoo College aligns perfectly with our core values,” said D’Juan Randolph, manager, Multicultural Business Alliance and Strategy, TMNA. “We know that an investment in students today is an investment in the diverse leaders and problem-solvers of tomorrow, and we are excited to see what these students accomplish.”

The current scholarship is just the beginning. Leveraging funds raised during the College’s ongoing $190 million comprehensive fundraising effort, the Brighter Light Campaign, Kalamazoo College will continue building on the pilot program’s success to expand support for first-generation students. “The Toyota Success Fund lays a powerful foundation, but our vision extends much further,” Gonzalez said. “We will continue to build an increasingly robust support system so that a Kalamazoo College education is accessible to any qualified student who desires this transformative experience, regardless of financial means.”

Toyota Scholars Year End Dinner 2023
Kalamazoo College’s Toyota Scholars celebrated a year-end dinner in 2023 with Bob Batsell, a Kalamazoo College psychology professor from South Texas who mentored many of the scholars.
Toyota Scholars visit the Stryker corporation
Kalamazoo College’s Toyota Scholars toured the Stryker Corporation in 2023.
Angela Hernandez at Commencement
Angela Hernandez ’23 (left) participates in Commencement ceremonies in 2023.