Sam Meyer ’21 visited Tanzania last summer to help Father Evarist Thadei Mngulu and his mission build a sustainable irrigation system.
When you need inspiration for celebrating Earth Day, a Kalamazoo College student will often provide it. Take Sam Meyer ’21, a physics major. His Senior Integrated Project (SIP) applied gravity and physics theories not only to designing, but building—through in-person, international volunteerism—a sustainable irrigation system in Pawaga, Tanzania, that conserves the region’s scarce water resources.
Both on location and off, Meyer surveyed Tanzania’s Consolata Missionaries site, researched and studied fluid mechanics, aided the system’s design and installation, and secured project funding through K’s Collins Fellowship—which helps fund student projects abroad—and through donors from GoFundMe.
The project was still ongoing as Meyer returned home from Tanzania last summer after spending about seven weeks there. In that time, he said, Pawaga didn’t receive even a drop of rain. However, the system he created now sustainably irrigates about 3 acres of soil and has yielded a successful season of crops. In fact, his work might hold solutions for areas around the world that have trouble with implementing their own agriculture. Meyer’s system fills elevated reservoir tanks during the day through solar power, thereby powering an electric water pump, and uses gravity to irrigate the fields in the evening when the sun is low and the land is cooler, mitigating evaporation.
“Not only has the system limited the labor involved in the agriculture, it’s maximized itself to a point that the mission can grow crops regularly and have excess crops to share with a nearby elementary and primary school,” Meyer said. “Those students come to the compound every day, so the system promotes their education and combats malnourishment, which I think is just amazing.”
Tanzania is one of several African countries that lies along the East African Rift Valley (EARV), which features an arid and rocky ecosystem, causing frequent droughts, despite water’s general availability through lakes and rivers. Tanzania is one of the most developed countries in East Africa, but outside of its capital and urban centers, the villages and vast wilderness leave some populations isolated outside of schools and religious groups that offer some support. Scarcity causes national authorities to impose taxes to control water with some irrigation practices limited to restrictive or wasteful practices such as flooding fields or bucketing water by hand.
Children from a nearby elementary and primary school are among the people who benefit from an irrigation system Sam Meyer ’21 installed last summer in Pawaga, Tanzania.
Challenges from climate change to wildlife necessitate improving the nation’s sustainable approaches to agriculture. Volunteer organizations such as the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) nurture agricultural practices to tackle these challenges in Tanzania. The organization’s worldwide movement links visitors, also known as WWOOFers, with organic farmers, promoting a cultural and educational exchange, and building a global community conscious of ecological farming and sustainability practices.
WWOOF has one chapter assisting Father Evarist Thadei Mngulu, whose Tanzania mission had failed in previous attempts to integrate an irrigation system and couldn’t afford an engineer’s estimate of $16,000 to install one. That lead Father Evarist to seek help from WWOOF, and WWOOF to finding Meyer while he was searching for SIP ideas.
Between the Collins Fellowship and GoFundMe, Meyer raised about $3,200, which funded his entire project. Even with a language barrier and Father Evarist being the only fluent English speaker among the Tanzanians who generally speak Swahili, the project was successful.
“Father Evarist wants to use the system as a way of educating other farmers in the area in irrigation practices because their practices now are to flood a field, which can produce a lot of runoff and waste, or bucketing water there,” Meyer said. “Through the system, he helps to strengthen the community through this new technology, which is a new aspect of the mission. That makes me very happy.”
Sam Meyer ’21 helped install the irrigation system he designed for a mission in Tanzania.
As Meyer reflects on the irrigation system’s implementation, he has an offer on the table from an engineering firm in Austin, Texas. Mears Group Inc.—an infrastructure-solutions provider that offers engineering, construction and maintenance services to the oil and natural gas, electric transmission and distribution, telecommunications and wastewater industries—took notice of Meyer’s SIP, the work he performed in Tanzania and his interest in environmental engineering. Now, Meyer will begin life after K in a role that promises more opportunities to improve communities, while he continues to eye the progress he began in Tanzania.
“I promoted this project during my application process, and I believe it was a big part of me gaining the position,” Meyer said. “I mentioned the sustainability aspect of it and my potential interest in being an environmental engineer, and they were excited to hear about it. I think it was a huge piece in me getting that position.”
Beyond the practical and professional experience gained through the project, Meyer appreciates the relationships formed along the way. “The people of Tanzania are so welcoming and friendly that I had a great time. I still have some connections with friends I made there, including Father Evarist, and I’m still working on aiding him with anything else that comes up.”
Donations Accepted
Sam Meyer ’21 is continuing to collect donations through GoFundMe that will go toward supporting agricultural efforts including growing crops and teaching other communities about building their own sustainable irrigation systems. Visit his fundraiser to donate.
Annie Tyler ’22 (from left), Faith Flinkingshelt ’22, Lindsey Baker ’24, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniela Arias-Rotondo and Barney Walsh ’22 represented Kalamazoo College at the American Chemical Society (ACS) chemistry conference in San Diego. Jacob Callaghan ’22 attended virtually.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniela Arias-Rotondo traveled with several students to attend the American Chemical Society Conference in San Diego over spring break, where they presented posters of their research and connected with chemistry professionals in a distinct experience that built their confidence and their communication skills.
“I’m not sure they realized in advance how overwhelming the conference could be because it’s thousands of chemists, all in the same place,” Arias-Rotondo said. “They were nervous, but also excited when they were presenting. Just to see them in their element, no pun intended, is really cool because it’s a great opportunity and they seemed to enjoy it.”
Five chemistry students attended including four in person. Three of them told us about their research, their experiences and why attending the conference was so valuable. Barney Walsh ’22 also attended in person and Jacob Callaghan ’22 attended virtually.
Annie Tyler ’22
Annie Tyler, a Heyl scholar at K, introduced her work—performed in the lab of Associate Professor of Chemistry Dwight Williams—synthesizing molecular hybrids or, in simpler terms, combining two molecules into one that hopefully has antibacterial properties.
“I really enjoyed being able to meet other Black chemists,” Tyler said. “There is a nonprofit group named BlackInChem that organized a meet up one evening. I was able to meet so many people and make connections I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet otherwise. I received lots of tweaks and ideas for my experiments in the future. Going to a conference was meaningful as I got to immerse myself in the chemistry community and go to talks about topics I’m interested in. As I’m headed to graduate school in the fall, it felt like a nice introduction into what the world after undergraduate life has in store.”
Faith Flinkingshelt ’22
Faith Flinkingshelt’s research has focused on making molecules that could attach to transition metals that can capture light and transform it into chemical energy. In other words, her work—in Arias-Rotondo’s own lab at K—examined how light-capturing molecules could lower the costs of and increase the efficiency of solar panels.
“I asked to join Professor Arias-Rotondo’s lab after loving one of her inorganic chemistry classes in the winter of my junior year, and I started working in the lab in the spring,” Flinkingshelt said. “I enjoyed working with everyone in the lab, so I decided to continue my research over the summer and into my senior year. It’s been an amazing experience and introduction to research.”
Flinkingshelt admitted she was nervous, not only to present her research, but to travel to California. Yet she was happy to embrace the opportunity.
“I had many questions about attending a conference out of state, especially in a big city like San Diego,” she said. “Ultimately, I’m grateful I had financial support from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation so it didn’t cost me anything in terms of travel and hotel costs, which helped me feel more confident. The nice part about conferences is that everyone has a different background than you, so they bring different perspectives and can ask questions that will help guide you in the future. It introduced me to conferences in a low-stress way, especially since we are still in a pandemic. By experiencing this now, I was able to go to the conference with my friends and have a great support system behind me while I navigated networking and attended conference events.”
Lindsey Baker ’24
Lindsey Baker’s poster reflected her work in producing polyolefins, which are common polymers used in household items such as textile fibers, phones, computers, food packaging, car parts and toys.
“Our work may provide an avenue for a more diverse family of polymers with new or improved properties,” Baker said. “I worked this past summer in my hometown of Memphis under Dr. Brewster, a professor at the University of Memphis. I was also mentored by a second-year graduate student, Natalie Taylor. Dr. Brewster asked me to present at a conference, and provided a few good options, with ACS being among them. I was a bit intimidated by the idea of going to such a large meeting, but also was excited for the opportunity to explore the many different areas of chemistry that are represented at the conference.”
The conference gave Baker opportunities to explore presentations other than her own, opening her eyes to other subject matter within chemistry.
“This just made me appreciate, all over again, the diversity of pursuits within the chemistry field,” she said. “I have a list of things written down that I have curiosity about now, and I look forward to expanding that list as I keep seeing more.”
‘I felt very proud of them’
In the future, Arias-Rotondo hopes to encourage students to offer talks in addition to their posters, offering students even more professional challenges and opportunities. But for now, she’s happy to enjoy this experience.
“I don’t know if I would describe it as emotional, but it was significant for me because it was my first conference as a professor,” she said. “I organized a couple of symposia within the conference, but I didn’t present my own research, so I could step back and see how I helped the students get that far. I just felt very proud of them. More than anything it was the joy of seeing their science move forward and seeing them grow into awesome scientists.”
The Kalamazoo College Singers, seen here performing in October 2019, will present their spring tour this month with a concert in Bellaire and two in Traverse City.
The Kalamazoo College Singers, under the direction of Assistant Professor of Music Chris Ludwa, will present their spring tour this month with a concert in Bellaire and two in Traverse City, all on the weekend of April 29-May 1. The performances are:
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, at Church in the Hills, Bellaire, Michigan
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at Central United Methodist Church, Traverse City, Michigan
1 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at First Congregational Church, Traverse City, Michigan
The program is titled “More Light, More Love” and will present songs from a variety of sources and styles from the Renaissance to Aretha Franklin, including music inspired by ancient poets such as Rumi and modern composers of American Indian heritage. The music is designed to uplift, inspire and mend the hearts and minds that have been so isolated for the past several years. Some pieces include piano while others are a cappella, and audiences will enjoy music by smaller ensembles as well as soloists. Singers come from as far away as Kenya and as close as Traverse City, reflecting the College’s diverse population and vibrant study abroad emphasis.
COVID-19 pushed the College Singers, like many ensembles, into virtual mode for the better part of a year and a half. Musically, the result was that many groups got stronger. Almost all that have returned to in-person singing are appreciating the beauty of live performances even more. The ensemble is made up of 30 singers whose majors range from music to physical science and from political science to psychology. An academic class, the College Singers seeks to foster love for a wide range of music, awareness of social justice, and a deeper appreciation for the power of communal singing.
No tickets are needed for performances, but a free-will offering will be taken to help defray the tour bus expense for the ensemble. More specific questions can be directed to Ludwa at cludwa@kzoo.edu.
The deadline is April 15 to apply to be a Civic Engagement Scholar (CES) for the 2022-23 school year.
Apply to Be a Civic Engagement Scholar
The deadline to apply for a Civic Engagement Scholar position in 2022-23 is April 15.
To apply, complete the following three steps:
• Submit your resume and cover letter on the Civic Engagement Scholar Handshake posting. • Complete the Civic Engagement Scholar online application. • Sign up for an interview using the Google form.
CESs are student leaders who work through the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) to coordinate ongoing community partnerships with Kalamazoo organizations that promote literacy, youth development, gender equity, food security and sustainability, immigrant rights, health equity, voting rights, the arts and more.
Independently or in pairs, scholars work with community liaisons and recruit and manage K students who participate as volunteers or through federal work study. CCE staff provides support while allowing CESs the freedom to shape and manage their program.
CESs also participate in reflection sessions with other scholars, and run reflection sessions for the K students involved in their programs.
With a wide variety of programs and community partners, the CCE offers diverse opportunities for students seeking a leadership role in engaging with the local community. Some shape students’ path after Kalamazoo College; all teach valuable skills. Read on for the stories of three current CESs and their advice to other Kalamazoo College students.
Reyna Rodriguez, El Sol Elementary CES
Civic Engagement Scholar Reyna Rodriguez ’22
In her second year at K, Reyna Rodriguez ’22 committed through the CCE to volunteer at El Sol Elementary, a Kalamazoo magnet school with dual language immersion where all students spend half their instructional time in Spanish and half in English.
“I knew being able to speak Spanish to those kids was going to feel a little bit like I was home,” Rodriguez said. “I loved it. I grew up thinking I wanted to be a teacher and while I had steered away from that path, being in the classroom has steered me back into education.”
After spending the 2020-21 school year learning remotely, Rodriguez applied to be a CES for the El Sol program. In that role, she has recruited, educated, interviewed and submitted background checks on K students, coordinated their schedules with El Sol, and participated in and led structured reflections.
“I’ve enjoyed it more than being a volunteer, because I get to see more of the behind-the-scenes work,” Rodriguez said. “While I’ve been in school settings, tutoring and things like that, I never thought, ‘How is this possible that we can enter the schools?’ Seeing the logistics and rules the district has, like background checks, is going to be important for my future work.”
Observing different teaching styles in the classroom has also been a valuable experience for Rodriguez. A chemistry major with a minor in psychology, Rodriguez currently plans to take one gap year to work in an elementary school or continue her job in adult computer literacy before going into a master’s program for educational administration or leadership.
Leading the reflections was a learning process, from the big picture—finding ideas and researching—to the little details, such as reserving a room.
“My winter quarter, I led a reflection about social emotional learning,” Rodriguez said. “I talked about what I learned in my SIP (Senior Integrated Project), which was on some of the challenges that English learners were facing in virtual learning, and what we could do about that.”
Rodriguez has also led reflections on learning how Kalamazoo city government works, as well as other aspects of Kalamazoo and the Vine neighborhood, where El Sol is located.
“K students are residents of this community,” she said. “Do they know the local restaurants and local shops; do they support them?”
Rodriguez enjoys the structured reflections CCE staff puts on for the CESs.
“I’ve been able to appreciate that more because I know what it takes to lead them,” Rodriguez said. “I love the CCE. I feel like they’re a close-knit family. They’re definitely always checking in, respond quickly and are always ready to support us.”
For students interested in the CES role, Rodriguez said, it is important to understand there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work and to be organized and ready to help both the community partners and the K students who participate. She encourages all students to consider working with a CCE program even if they are not yet ready to fill the CES role.
“As long as you have a year of experience in the program under your belt, you’re more than ready to take a bigger step,” Rodriguez said. “Just be ready to make a difference in their lives and yours as well.”
Emmeline Wendel, Students for Reproductive Freedom CES
Civic Engagement Scholar Emmeline Wendel ’24
Emmeline Wendel ’24 spent her first year at Kalamazoo College virtual due to COVID-19. Learning virtually from Seattle, Wendel knew she needed to find ways to engage with other students and the K community. After looking into a few student clubs, she connected with Students for Reproductive Freedom.
“I found a bit of myself in that program because I’m adopted from China and was personally impacted by governmental family planning,” Wendel said. “I thought it would be a good way to look at the different intersections of my life and my journey and also learn more about a topic I’m passionate about.”
Wendel began attending the weekly virtual meetings, making an effort to engage and share her thoughts—something that did not come naturally for her.
“In high school, I wasn’t a very outspoken individual,” Wendel said. “It was only my senior year that I found my voice. One of my goals for college was to integrate and engage and get to know many students.”
Wendel’s passion for the topic helped her overcome her shy feelings, and the CES that year, Ruth Butters, took note and invited her to help plan a meeting. Eventually, Butters invited Wendel to apply to be her co-CES for the 2021-22 school year.
“I’m very grateful she reached out,” Wendel said. “I consulted with Ruth a lot about what the position was, what it would entail, the responsibilities, any advice she would give me.”
Wendel decided to apply for the CES position based on the benefits she thought it would afford both herself and others.
“I wanted to have the space to explore my own personal reflections, and also hear what others think and reflect on their thoughts and opinions and questions,” Wendel said. “I wanted both to raise my own voice and to be a part of the K community.”
SRF works with community partners OutFront Kalamazoo and Planned Parenthood as well as other student organizations to help educate students, facilitate discussions and host events.
“I’ve met so many wonderful individuals who are passionate about what they do and are making a positive impact on the Kalamazoo community and Kalamazoo College students,” Wendel said. “It’s inspirational to see how hard people work and it’s rewarding to make those connections.”
Working with the CCE has been a positive experience as well.
“I have really enjoyed working with my advisor, Riley Gabriel,” Wendel said. “They are super understanding and kind and communicative. We meet weekly to check in and see how SRF is going. I appreciate their support. I also often communicate with Alison Geist. They are both amazing coworkers and delightful to chat with, helpful with brainstorming and organizing logistics, and a lot of fun.”
Wendel has learned a lot from the CES role.
“One thing I’ve learned is how important it is to go into a community and listen and respect their boundaries, requests, decisions and community guidelines,” Wendel said. “I hope and believe Ruth and I are trying to support and spread awareness of the issues the community wants to have and needs to have addressed.”
The job has also improved her interpersonal skills.
“I feel like I’m much better at making connections than I was—talking with people for the first time, reaching out and using my voice in a larger community setting,” Wendel said. “I was very shy and didn’t like talking. I would engage through writing and art, not orally. I have found my voice through the CES role.”
Engaging and getting involved is key for all students, Wendel said, especially those coming from far away.
“For all students, I would really advise getting connected and engaging with the CCE,” Wendel said. “It has provided space for me to reflect individually, and also given me a powerful mindset in how community plays a huge role in many intersections of discussions. For out-of-state students, I highly suggest it. Being away from home can feel lonely at first. It has been really powerful to work together with passionate individuals and integrate myself into the community in a way that respects the community.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”
Ryley White, Woodward Elementary CES
Civic Engagement Scholar Ryley White ’23
Ryley White ’23 started at K in fall 2019 and learned about the CCE’s CAPS (Community Advocates for Parents and Students) program at her first K Fest. She quickly fell in love with the program, which provides tutoring for Kalamazoo Public Schools students who live at Interfaith Homes on the city’s north side.
“Having a chance to connect with the community, especially a community that I identify with, was empowering,” White said. “Sometimes as K students, we forget the power we have, and that’s the power to make change. Just being consistent with tutoring makes a big difference in those kids’ lives.”
The CES for the CAPS program, Aarzoo Qureshi, inspired White to apply to be a CES, a process that was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. She spent her sophomore year taking K classes remotely while working at a childcare facility that provided remote tutoring camp for elementary students. In the spring of that year, White applied to be a CES for the CAPS program. The CCE staff, however, thought she would be a better fit for the Woodward Elementary program.
“I thought, I’ll take it, because there must be something they see in me that I’m not seeing in myself,’” White said. “I thought I would give it a shot and see how it goes, and I’ve loved it ever since.
“The CCE staff knows the community partners; they know the needs of each program, so people should go in with an open mindset.”
White started as a CES for Woodward in the fall of 2021. The fall quarter was heavy on recruitment at K events, working to rebuild the program after COVID-19 interruptions. White also instituted interviews with K students who signed up to participate, leaning on her childcare experience to discern if participants were a good fit for working with children. During winter quarter, White took the initiative to recruit more diverse K participants.
“The students at Woodward are predominantly African American,” White said. “We wanted them to see more representation of themselves. Currently, about 50% of our K participants identify as students of color, which is really great for the kids.”
In addition to recruiting K students, White communicates with a community partner at Woodward to coordinate scheduling, taking into account teacher needs and student availability, while juggling issues that pop up, such as snow days and COVID-19 contact tracing.
Leading and participating in reflections is a crucial piece of the program.
“The last reflection we did was about how COVID-19 has impacted education,” White said. “We watched a YouTube video from the Harvard Dean of Education talking about how remote learning has caused delays or additional setbacks. Then we asked our participants to talk about how they see this happening with our students or what they think we should do with this information moving forward. Structured reflections provide a chance to think about why we’re doing the work we’re doing and I think that’s critical. We probably all volunteered in high school, but I don’t think that we actually thought about the work we were doing and engaged meaningfully, which is something the CCE does very well.”
The CCE also promotes work-life balance, White said.
“The staff is really good at trying to get student workers to think about how we can be better leaders while also taking care of ourselves,” White said.
The CES role has taught White about setting boundaries and interpersonal communication.
“It can be awkward managing your peers,” White said, especially if there are issues with a student’s attendance or performance. “You have to be okay with setting firm boundaries because you have to think about what’s best for your community partner/program, and in my role, I also have to think about what’s best for the kids.”
The role has also honed her public speaking and pushed her to speak up and advocate for her program.
“I was never a huge talker,” White said. “I was kind of shy. In this role, you’re forced out of that bubble. If you want participants for your program, you’re going to have to learn to advocate.”
White has also benefitted from seeing and building connections between her psychology classes, her interactions with students at Woodward, her work as a certified nursing assistant and her plans to apply to physician assistant school after graduation.
“The CCE supervisors are so amazing and supportive,” White said. “If I have any ideas or have something I want to chat with them about, they’re always open to having those conversations. They’ll say, ‘That’s a good point. I didn’t think about that,’ or, ‘What do you think is the best way to go about that?’ Sometimes on campus jobs, you’re just told what you have to do and you just do it. This role allows independence and the ability to make bigger decisions that can shape how your program moves forward. The amount of independence and self-sufficiency you have is something unique to the CCE.”
White plans to serve as Woodward CES again her last year at K. She said students who are interested in the CES roles should talk with current CESs.
“Hearing the student perspective and getting a deeper understanding is more impactful than just reading the bullet points listed on the job application,” White said. “Even though this role can seem overwhelming, once you are a CES, you will see the flexibility and support that you have from other CESs and the CCE staff. You will know there’s a whole community of people who rooting for you to succeed and are more than willing to help you in various ways.”
Students should not be afraid to apply, White said.
“Get out of the K bubble. We’re here for four years, get out and connect with the community. There’s work you could be doing that’s so impactful and meaningful and it will change your life in ways you never expected.”
Congratulations to the students who reached the Winter 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 Winter 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.
Winter 2022
A
Shannon Abbott Morgan Acord Kayla Acosta Karina Aguilar Kelley Akerley Shahriar Akhavan Tafti Hashim Akhtar Adnan Alousi Lana Alvey Darsalam Amir Olivia Anderson Paige Anderson Ava Apolo Peyton Arendsen Cameron Arens Alexandra Armin Lora Armstrong Addison Atwater Joshua Atwell Luis Ayala Pena
B
Guenevere Baierle Jenna Bailey Annalise Bailey McKenzi Baker Lindsey Baker Chloe Baker Elizabeth Ballinger Travis Barclay Abigail Barnum Elena Basso Eric Batson Jenna Beach Curtis Bell Maci Bennett Carolyn Bennett Jonah Beurkens Julia Bienstock Ella Black Katherine Black Nora Blanchard Lizbeth Blas-Rangel Noah Bokman Lukas Bolton Zachary Borden Luke Bormann Mairin Boshoven Chelsea Bossert Mabel Bowdle Holly Bowling Haylee Bowsher Aerin Braunohler Austin Bresnahan Lauren Bretzius Penelope Brewer Jamison Brown Shanon Brown Irie Browne Jonathan Brunette Anna Buck Anna Budnick Marilu Bueno Thomas Buffin Kira Burns Christine Burton Benjamin Buyck
C
Jacob Callaghan Grace Cancro Vanessa Cardenas Chloe Carlson Colin Carroll Ashley Casagrande Clare Wren Catallo-Werner Isabella Caza Alexandra Chafetz Iris Chalk Josetta Checkett Lance Choe Benjamin Chosid Gabriel Chung Nicholas Cohee Gabriel Coleman Sam Coleman Quinn Collins Rowan Cook Caitlyn Cooper Kyle Cooper Indigo Corvidae Violet Crampton Lucy Cripe Isabella Cross Lauren Crossman Lillian Crowder Smith Chase Cummins Emma Curcuru
D
Nicholas Dailey Beatrix Damashek Claire Davis Emma Davis-Rodak Zachary Dean Tali Deaner Sophie Decker Julia Del Olmo Parrado Ethan DeNeen Olivia Depauli Laura DeVilbiss Nolan Devine Christopher DeVito Eva Deyoung Katerina Deyoung Sofia Diaz Liam Diaz Alyn Diaz Santiago Kelsey Diekman Caitlin Dodde Brooke Dolhay Susan Dong Rorie Dougherty Amanda Dow Ryan Drew Matthew Dubin Katia Duoibes Hannah Durant
E
Eli Edlefson Jairo Eguia Carter Eisenbach Sara Elfring Adaora Emenyonu Sara English Dean Ersher Samantha Esquivel Justin Essing Sam Ewald
F
Thomas Fales Sabina Fall Jazmyne Fannings Claire Farhi Greta Farley Brady Farr Madalyn Farrey Andreas Fathalla Ava Fischer Morgan Fischer Julia Fitzgerald Mabel Fitzpatrick Jameson Fitzsimmons Isaiah Fleming Payton Fleming Sofia Fleming Daniel Flores Andre Fouque Melanie Fouque Daniel Foura Caroline Francis Janna Franco Emma Frederiksen Nathaniel Fuller William Fulton
G
Aide Gaitan Tracy Galeana Ethan Galler Nikhil Gandikota Nathan Garcia Aliza Garcia Brynna Garden Trish Gatsi Lena Gerstle Johanna Ghazal Farah Ghazal Katie Gierlach Logan Gillis Gabriela Gomez Gustavo Gonzalez-Martinez Nicole Gorder Cameo Green Donovan Greene Lillian Grelak Ella Griggs Westin Grinwis Elizabeth Grooten Lily Gross Natalie Gross Matthew Gu Victor Guerra Lopez Mauricio Guillen Madeline Guimond Zoe Gurney Abigail Gutierrez Stephanie Guyor
H
Sophia Haas Yoichi Haga Sydney Hagaman Emma Hahn Emily Haigh Vien Hang Alison Hankins Garrett Hanson Madeline Harding Eleanor Harris Lucy Hart Isabelle Hawkes Beatrice Hawkins Wallis Hechler Noah Hecht Hannah Heeren Emiley Hepfner Megan Herbst Jennefer Hernandez Maya Hester Ella Heystek Sierra Hieshetter Sam Hoag Bijou Hoehle Jacob Hoffman Garrick Hohm Julia Holt Tyler Horky Cole Horman Joseph Horsfield Molly Horton Hazel Houghton Gavin Houtkooper Sharon Huang Lukas Hultberg Michael Hume Trevor Hunsanger Ian Hurley Madelaine Hurley Megan Hybels Benjamin Hyndman
I
Juan Ibarra
J
Hao Jiang Aaron Johnson Casey Johnson Ryan Johnson Amelia Johnson Logan Johnston Ellie Jones Maxwell Joos
K
Amalia Kaerezi Ash Kaericher Kiana Kanegawa Judah Karesh Thomas Kartes Timothy Karubas Maria Kasperek Lucas Kastran Lillian Kehoe Ben Keith Will Keller Meaghan Kelly Ella Kelly David Kent Roze Kerr Mphumelelo Khaba Anum Khan Mahum Khan Jackson Kiino-Terburg Vivian Kim Si Yun Kimball Lily Kindle Mikayla Kindler Kaylee Kipfmueller Alexander Kish Allison Klinger Steven Kloosterman Ella Knight Molly Kohl Melody Kondoff Cole Koryto Daniel Koselka Marissa Kovac Katherine Kraemer Christian Kraft Nikolas Krupka Kieya Kubert-Davis Celia Kuch Joshua Kuh Koshiro Kuroda
L
Margaret LaFramboise Caroline Lamb Nicholas Lang Kathryn Larick Makalai Lasavath Annmarie Lawrence Madeleine Lawson Grace Leahey Angel Ledesma Dillon Lee Julia Leet Margaret Lekan Alejandra Lemus Sydney Lenzini Ginamarie Lester Marissa Lewinski Sage Lewis Thomas Lichtenberg Sydney Lis Sichun Liu Ava Loncharte Alvaro Lopez Gutierrez Madeline Lovins Teresa Lucas Chloe Lucci Isabella Luke Emily Lulkin Jacob Lynett
M
Deven Mahanti Natalie Maki Andrew Mallon Arjun Manyam Molly Martinez Stephanie Martinez Gracen Martini-Zeller Lillian Mattern Claire McCall Alexia McColl Lauren McColley Grace McGlynn Molly McGrath Leo McGreevy Ashlynne McKee Amy McNutt Crystal Mendoza Sophia Merchant Eva Metro-Roland Gabriel Meyers Luke Middlebrook Jade Milton Camille Misra Lauren Mitchell Anna Modlinski Lina Moghrabi Brooklyn Mohr Jana Molby Aleksandr Molchagin Rachel Molho Raven Montagna Brooklyn Moore Mackenzie Moore Martin Morison Samantha Moss Arein Motan Phumuzile Moyo Elliot Mrak Matthew Mueller Ezekiel Mulder Angeles Munoz Horta Jasmin Murillo Anna Murphy Erin Murphy Madison Murphy Ryan Muschler Braden Mussat Sydney Myszenski
N
Mihail Naskovski Blagoja Naskovski Juan Navarro Abigail Nelson Matthew Nelson Elizabeth Nestle Nguyen Nguyen Char Nieberding Stefan Nielsen Dustin Noble Joanna Nonato Malin Nordmoe Maeve Novotny Haleigh Nower Rohan Nuthalapati
O
Ileana Oeschger Jeremiah Ohren-Hoeft Udochi Okorie Emma Olson Gabe Orosan-Weine Eliana Orozco
P
Ella Palacios Joshua Pamintuan Jenna Paterob Isabella Pellegrom Kaitlin Peot Margaret Perry Scott Peters Michael Peterson Eve Petrie Alexis Petty My-Anh Phan Benjamin Pickrel Isabella Pimentel Megan Ploucha Evan Pollens-Voigt Grayson Pratt Noah Prentice Melissa Preston Lucas Priemer Doug Propson Andrew Puckett Elena Pulliam Mason Purdy Noah Pyle
Q
Luma Qashou
R
Elizabeth Rachiele Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci Julia Rambo Ana Ramirez Leah Ramirez Roman Ramos Marty Ramser Ali Randel Dominic Rascon-Powell Sadye Rasmussen Dawson Read Sara Reathaford Laura Reinaux Silva Oliveira Kelli Rexroad Keegan Reynolds Maxwell Rhames Mya Richter Kayla Ridenour Sheldon Riley Milagros Robelo Michael Robertson Jocelyn Rodriguez Skyler Rogers Lily Rogowski Madison Roland Luke Rop Yaneth Rosas Alec Rosenbaum Panayiotis Rotsios Jacob Roubein Mia Roukema Matia Rourke Tabitha Rowland Sofia Rowland Oliver Rubin Marcus Rucker Charlotte Ruiter Angel Ruiz
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A strong tradition is emerging at Kalamazoo College with at least one student placing among the top three finishers in a prestigious Japanese speech contest for the fourth year in a row.
Madeline Schroeder ’23 finished third out of 10 finalists on March 13 in the university division of the event organized by Detroit’s Consulate General of Japan. Participants wrote five-minute speeches in Japanese that they delivered through Zoom this year after they were selected by a committee to advance past a preliminary round.
Schroeder’s speech, titled “Period of Change,” detailed her experiences attempting to study abroad through K including the challenges she and her family faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. As Japan instituted strict border-control measures in 2020, foreign students weren’t permitted to enter the country, ending her dreams of studying abroad.
The Center for International Programs (CIP) “worked hard to find alternatives after the extended-term program in Kyoto was canceled,” Schroeder said. “Our last chance was to study abroad this spring in Nagasaki, but the College canceled this program in December. I was not surprised, but I felt disappointed knowing that I would not have the study abroad experience I dreamed of when I first came to Kalamazoo College. The hardest part was realizing that even though I did everything I could, things still didn’t work out.”
Schroeder turned to community activism, gathering students who faced similar situations to work with the CIP and help them find study abroad opportunities.
“I asked the CIP a lot of questions about paperwork and contacted other departments such as the Student Health Center or the University Studies Abroad Consortium, the partner organization for the Nagasaki program, when the CIP did not know the answers to my questions,” she said. “At the same time, my sophomore friends were beginning to apply to or consider study abroad programs, so I gave them advice and listened to their concerns and frustrations about the complicated application process. If only a little bit, I wanted to decrease the number of students who were disappointed like me.”
Through this work, Schroeder overcame the difficulties she once had making friends as a first-year student. “Now, even if I’m alone, my family and friends are in my heart,” she said.
After her speech, Schroeder took questions in Japanese from the three contest judges, who represented a variety of Michigan non-profit groups related to Japan. In response to their questions, she said she still plans to visit Japan after she graduates, perhaps through the JET Program, a competitive employment opportunity that allows young professionals to live and work in Japan.
“I would love to visit Kyoto, where I originally planned on studying abroad,” Schroeder said. “It’s a large city with lots of natural areas, so there is a lot to explore. I still hope to stay in Japan for an extended period of time so that I can learn more about the language and culture.”
Marco Savone ’22 completed his Senior Integrated Project (SIP) as part of a research study on exercising fruit flies at Wayne State Medical School.
While many student-athletes at Kalamazoo College are interested in health and wellness, there might only be one who has applied that interest not only to sports, classes, externships and travel, but also to fruit flies.
Marco Savone ’22 is a chemistry major and Spanish minor on the pre-med track who played football at K for four years. His first year at K, he completed an externship refining nutrition plans for a local health company. COVID-19 scrapped his study abroad plans, but he was able to make a medical volunteering trip to Costa Rica.
In summer 2021, Savone completed his Senior Integrated Project (SIP) by participating in a three-month research study at Wayne State Medical School with exercising fruit flies.
“It sounds bizarre at first,” Savone said. “They’re one of the very few labs in the country that does this. They want to apply the fruit fly model to human models because fruit flies have about 60 percent of their genome similar to humans and share many genes that are related to those in the human exercise response. Their goal is to be able to apply what they find with fruit flies to mice and rodents, and eventually human studies with exercise physiology.”
Fruit flies also make good test subjects because they are cheap and have short lifespans. Within 60 days, researchers can see the effects of exercise over a full lifespan.
“Humans live a long time so it’s hard to look at a human model in regards to how exercise affects the health span,” Savone said. “Ideally you would need a longitudinal study.”
Walker Chung ’22 (left) and Marco Savone ’22 were part of a medical volunteer trip to Costa Rica.
Savone took part in a study exploring the relationship between exercise and two gene-encoded proteins, myostatin and follistatin, that are involved in muscle mass development. Through a process called RNAi, or gene silencing, one group of fruit flies had myostatin basically eliminated in their systems, while a second group underwent the same process with follistatin.
Within each group, Savone exercised one sub-group and did not exercise another.
“We had lots of vials and they were all labeled with stickers,” Savone said. “We had this machine that would move the vials up and then they would drop down, and when the flies would feel the impact, they would fall to the bottom of their vial and then they would start climbing up to the top. This process would be repeated to act like a treadmill for the flies.”
The team would measure the speed and endurance of the fruit flies over time.
“One overarching thing that I did find was that we did see exercise responses with the two groups of flies,” Savone said. “We tested them for how long they would basically run, how fast they would fatigue. Then we also looked at their climbing speed to see how fast they would climb up their vial and we did see that exercise improved climbing speed and endurance.”
While Savone experienced some success, he also learned from setbacks in the research. The RT-PCR test to verify how much of each gene was expressed in the fruit flies did not work, and Savone had to pivot to another type of testing.
Marco Savone ’22 (right) values his experience as a student-athlete for the lessons he learned in teamwork, leadership and time management.
“I was really bummed that it didn’t work out,” he said. “But I was told by my mentor that it’s a hard thing to get used to and you need a lot of practice. I didn’t feel as bad when he told me that.
“Research is so unpredictable. You have to learn how to troubleshoot when something goes wrong, and there are so many outcomes that can happen. There may be one singular thing you want to find, but you may find different things you didn’t even expect to see. That was really eye opening for me.”
Savone sees immense benefit in gaining hands-on research experience outside of K to bring back and apply to classwork. He also benefitted from mentorship and collaboration with the lab staff, mainly Ph.D. students, and from a presentation he gave at Wayne State that boosted his confidence when presenting his SIP at the chemistry symposium.
His experiences at Wayne State also came into play in January, when Savone started a short-term contracted position with Kalamazoo lab Genemarkers, LLC, which had pivoted during the pandemic from skincare-product testing to COVID-19 testing.
His job involved separating test tube vials and preparing them for RT-PCR testing, the same type of testing he had attempted on the fruit flies at Wayne State. Savone also helped chart data for the tests.
“They were just starting to train me on other things, but unfortunately, since I was a contract employee, they had to let me go when the COVID numbers went down significantly,” Savone said. “It was interesting to see how that whole process works behind the scenes of the COVID testing and it was a rewarding experience.”
After graduating this June, Savone plans to study for the MCAT in the summer and take at least two gap years to work in clinical research before attending medical school, perhaps back at Wayne State.
Looking back on the past four years, Savone sees how far he’s come. He credits his growth to the academics at K, his hands-on experiences at Wayne State and Genemarkers, and the lessons in teamwork and time management he learned as a student-athlete.
“My experiences wouldn’t have been possible without going to K,” Savone said. “If I had to redo the whole thing again, I would do it the same.”
Professor of Biology Binney Girdler and Otto Kailing, an Oberlin College student from Kalamazoo, were among the volunteers who collected white clover for the Global Urban Evolution Project (GLUE).
Read the Science cover story
Two Kalamazoo College biology faculty members, a K student and an Oberlin College student from Kalamazoo were among the volunteers who participated in a global research project that proves humans are affecting evolution through urbanization and climate change.
Professor of Biology Binney Girdler, Associate Professor of Biology Santiago Salinas, Ben Rivera ’18 and Otto Kailing contributed to the Global Urban Evolution Project (GLUE), published Thursday in the journal Science. The investigation shows that white clover plants found in Kalamazoo, for example, will have more in common with others in similar cities around the world than those in rural regions, even local ones. That’s evident because the study shows that clover in many cities produce less hydrogen cyanide as a defense mechanism against herbivores with herbivores being less abundant in cities. Other cities showed no gradient, perhaps because hydrogen cyanide increases clovers’ tolerance to water stress, signaling an environmental driver of evolution prompted by humans with increasing temperatures, additional pollutants and less water.
“We’ve known about these differences for at least a decade now, but it’s always been researched in small or very localized studies, comparing rural versus urban environments,” Salinas said. “The novelty of this work is that it’s being replicated across lots of cities and gradients, most with similar results.”
Professor of Biology Binney Girdler was among 287 scientists who collected data for the Global Urban Evolution Project.
White clover was chosen for GLUE’s research because it’s one of the few organisms present in almost every city. Girdler collected the clover locally along Westnedge Avenue near the Kalamazoo River to do her part alongside 286 other scientists in 26 countries who gathered more than 110,000 clover samples.
Those samples—after being frozen, ground up and analyzed through sample paper and reactive compounds—helped researchers sequence more than 2,500 clover genomes to reveal the genetic basis for their changes in urban areas. The massive dataset produced from the project will be analyzed for years to come, making Thursday’s publication just the beginning of GLUE’s research. With scientists knowing that humans drive evolution in cities across the planet, they can start developing strategies to better conserve rare species, allowing the species to better adapt to urban environments, while scientists also prevent unwanted pests and diseases from doing the same.
“I think the local interest is that this shows we’re not isolated,” Girdler said. “This shows that climate change is real and urbanization is real. This is a good study to show humans have had a huge impact, not just locally, but globally. There’s nothing unique about the Kalamazoo case. We only understand the impact of it when it’s embedded within this giant global study of 160 other cities.”
Marc Johnson and Rob Ness, both biology faculty members at the University of Toronto Mississauga, spearheaded the global project along with James Santangelo, a Ph.D. student. Salinas and Girdler both expressed admiration for that group for organizing the work and maintaining communication throughout the project.
“It’s fun to be a part of it,” Girdler said. “It represents what I think science has to give to the world. It’s connective and it helps us figure out what we should be doing through a global effort. It made me an optimist in the middle of the pandemic.”
“We did it because this was a cool idea and it was nice to be able to help,” Salinas said. “It made me feel like a citizen scientist who added to the body of science without having to worry about prestige.”
Thomas Lichtenberg ’23 will further develop his civic engagement skills by joining the 2022-23 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows.
A passion for community engagement and political activism has driven course selection, campaign work and internships for Thomas Lichtenberg ’23. Now, that commitment has helped Lichtenberg join the 2022-23 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows.
The fellowship is a year-long program through Campus Compact, a Boston-based nonprofit that advances public service in higher education. The fellowship recognizes and supports students who demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing their communities. The 2022-23 cohort includes 173 students from 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico.
College presidents and chancellors nominate one student from their campus for the fellowship, based on the student’s community engagement and potential for public leadership.
Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez’s statement praised Lichtenberg for being “a student leader who has dedicated his college career to advocating for civil rights, centering his work on advocating for those with disabilities and the expansion of mental health resources. Thomas has focused his academic journey on understanding political and social systems, data analysis and advocacy.”
Lichtenberg got his start in community involvement as a child in Farmington, Michigan, when his mother started signing him up for service programs, foremost among them the Junior Optimists.
“I am autistic so social skills didn’t come as naturally to me as they did to everyone,” Lichtenberg said. “Going to things like service clubs was a great way for me to interact with others as well as do some good for the community.”
In his first year at K, Lichtenberg interned with the Jon Hoadley campaign for Congress before taking on a paying job for the campaign. He found inspiration in the youth involvement and high energy of the campaign, as well as Hoadley’s commitment to progressive issues.
A double major in political science and philosophy with a math minor, Lichtenberg has worked with a political science professor on coding polling information and as a philosophy teaching assistant.
Between work and internships, Lichtenberg has sought out classes at K to broaden and strengthen his political perspective. His favorite course, on constitutional law, gave him the opportunity to write case briefs. He chose to focus on legal methods and precedent that could be used to guarantee civil rights to a greater extent.
The Newman Fellowship provides students with a year of training and networking opportunities to develop personal, professional and civic growth. Lichtenberg is especially looking forward to trainings on optimizing social activism.
“I used to be involved in programs like the Junior Optimists, which really didn’t take advantage of that and didn’t recruit new members,” Lichtenberg said. “A lot of the work I’ve done since then has been in organizations that already had that down. I’d like to get that perspective on how to build that movement up for myself.”
Lichtenberg hopes he can apply what he learns in those trainings to revitalize the pre-law club at K as well as the Star Trek Club he started in 2019. He admires how new iterations of Star Trek are tackling complex issues, and sees potential for great discussions of social activism in television.
He also hopes to intern at the 9th Circuit Court in Kalamazoo this summer and intern for the Leadership Conference in the fall to work on voting and civil rights policy.
His Senior Integrated Project is still in the planning stages, but Lichtenberg hopes to focus on mental health law on college campuses.
“When I was working at Bazelon, I found some colleges that did not follow the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act,” Lichtenberg said. “It was shocking, as a student with autism, to see that such atrocities could be committed.”
After graduating from K, Lichtenberg plans to attend law school. For now, he looks forward to continuing his activism with support from the Newman Fellowship.
“I was honestly surprised that it was me who got the fellowship,” Lichtenberg said. “I know that K has a vibrant social activism community. I feel honored that they chose me to continue that legacy. It’s a lot to look up to, but I’m excited to try to meet their expectations and I hope that I do.”
Research conducted by Ola Bartolik ’22 at K has possible implications for a new approach to antibiotics.
Ola Bartolik ’22 has an intrinsic curiosity about the importance chemistry plays in biology, specifically its role in neurodevelopment and neurological disease. Her high school interests in chemistry led her to apply for Kalamazoo College’s strong chemistry program, where she has been exploring the relationship between chemical structure and antimicrobial activity.
Her research in the lab of Blakely Tresca, assistant professor of chemistry, has possible implications for the development of new antibiotics, which is an urgent need in today’s medical field.
“There is an antibiotic crisis because we’re not finding new antibiotics and there is so much antibiotic resistance,” Bartolik said. “It’s becoming more and more of a problem as time goes by.”
Bartolik works with peptoids, which are man-made compounds similar to peptides, the building blocks of proteins. She is experimenting with adding different halogens to the peptoids to see how that changes the structure and if that plays a role in making the peptoid more anti-microbial.
Two years ago, Tresca saw in Bartolik the first two things he looks for in students—a spark of interest in organic chemistry and an excitement to make molecules in the lab—and invited her to join his lab. There, she discovered that she loves thinking about how research can lead to new questions, solve problems and apply to daily life.
“She has the drive to take ownership of a project and lead it in new directions,” Tresca said. “The project she’s working on right now is one she designed herself and has been leading, which is amazing even for a senior student.”
Bartolik is always prepared, able to work independently and thoughtful about science in both the lab and the classroom, Tresca said.
Ola Bartolik ’22 has worked in the research lab of Blakely Tresca, assistant professor of chemistry, for two years.
“She is almost always the first person to jump up with an answer, which shows how much she’s thinking about what we’re talking about in class,” Tresca said. “I appreciate that she’s always willing to take a guess even if she’s not sure she’s right. They’re not easy questions and they’re things we don’t necessarily know the answer to, so it’s important to be comfortable with being uncomfortable and thinking through the science, which I really see with Ola.”
Tresca has been incredibly supportive in and out of the lab, Bartolik said, helping her apply to scholarships that have made her K experience possible.
“Ola has taught me as much as I’ve taught her, in terms of supporting students, helping them find opportunities and pursue those opportunities even if it’s something they feel like is a stretch,” Tresca said. “Ola is a fantastic person and a fantastic student. It’s been amazing working with her and I’m very excited to see what she does next.”
The support of both faculty and other students at K has been pivotal to Bartolik’s success. Her experiences at an all-girls high school were empowering as well.
Bartolik values the open curriculum at K that has allowed her to choose only courses that interested her, which have ranged from chemistry and biology to literature and philosophy. Even in a sophomore seminar named Poetry as Survival, Bartolik found connections to her science interests as she considered the relationship between coping with difficult life experiences and stress-induced triggers of disease.
“I always had this interest in neuroscience and how the brain works,” she said. “I was interested in the connection between chemistry and neuroscience and how it all works. I like looking at things on a smaller scale, a micro scale. If you change this one thing, what does it do to the whole system?”
For her Senior Integrated Project, Bartolik worked in the lab of Paul Jenkins at the University of Michigan. She investigated an epilepsy associated mutation and how it may impact critical protein-protein interactions necessary for neuronal signaling.
Bartolik will graduate this year with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a biochemistry concentration and a psychology minor. She plans to attend graduate school to study neuroscience.
She is interested in studying the effects of environment and mutations on brain development and pathways, and the relationship between problems in those pathways and neurodegenerative diseases.
“Neuroscience programs are really hard to get into, especially when you don’t come from a neuroscience-heavy background with a lot of neuroscience research,” Bartolik said. “The fact that I even have options, I think that tells you how incredible the chemistry department is here and how we’re able to pursue things that don’t have to necessarily relate directly to what we did at K.”
