Environmentalism and environmental justice, involving the deepening and healing of our relationship with the land while acknowledging injustices within our current systems and trying to envision and embody alternatives, are important for students such as Orly Rubinfeld ’20. Rubinfeld sees Earth Day, celebrated every April 22, as a day to reflect more deeply on why our reconnection to the land is so important and why we work for change.
Housemates Orly Rubinfeld (top left), Aiden Voss and Maya Gurfinkel; and Yasamin Shaker (bottom left) and Madeline Ward display some of the plants they’re growing in Kalamazoo.
“Earth Day is an opportunity to re-center on our values,” said Rubinfeld, an independent interdisciplinary major in Environmental Studies. “But we have to remember we have only one Earth and we’ve been pretty unkind to it. If we only pay attention one day a year, we won’t solve our environmental problems. And not just planetary problems but how climate change and other environmental injustices are disproportionately impacting Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities.”
This year, though, is adding a few challenges to K’s environmental efforts. For example, one way that students engage with food justice is through K’s gardens, including the hoop house. A hoop house, a little like a green house, is a year-round environment for growing vegetables, flowers and other cold-sensitive plants. With distance learning keeping students away from the campus hoop house, students are finding ways to bring that experience home.
Megan VanDyke ’22 assembled a cold-frame hoop house at her home in Seattle. The temporary structure stands just a few feet high, yet provides a similar environment to the hoop house at K.Nora Blanchard ’22, is tending to plants at her home this spring in Traverse City.
That’s where Rubinfeld and several students like her come in. She is one of eight housemates living in Kalamazoo’s Vine neighborhood this spring, sheltering in place together through Michigan’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order and continuing the work they began at the hoop house, a facility raised in fall 2018 through the Just Food Collective. The student organization, an effort of the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement, wants to increase student awareness about the challenges and inequities within the food system. This is done while targeting nutritional inequities, climate change and other environmental injustices.
A plant begins to sprout at Megan VanDyke’s home in Seattle.
“Food insecurity has always been a problem,” Rubinfeld said. “But in this unique moment, well-resourced people are paying attention at unprecedented levels so I think that’s something we should try to take advantage of as we search for systems that allow people to have more sovereignty over their food systems.”
Rubinfeld and her friends, who all lived together in an environmental justice Living Learning House on campus their sophomore year, have taken on the responsibility of bringing home the lessons they learned at the hoop house to pots and planters on their porch and in their home.
“Our goal was to do something small where we are in our urban space,” Rubinfeld said.
And the Vine neighborhood roommates aren’t the only students planting this spring. Nora Blanchard ’22, is tending to plants at her home in Traverse City. Plus, Megan VanDyke ’22 assembled a cold-frame hoop house at her home in Seattle. The temporary structure stands just a few feet high, yet provides a similar environment to the hoop house on campus.
Efforts like these might seem small, but they represent how the spirit of Earth Day, a time to demonstrate support for environmental protection and environmental justice, endures for the K community.
“I can’t imagine a large-scale effort until I’ve seen it on a small scale,” Rubinfeld said. “How can we expect large change until we see small changes? If my seven housemates and I can do this, imagine what could happen if everyone in our neighborhood could do that. We could be in a very different type of place. I think if everyone had access to the means to grow own own food, we would be much closer to individuals having sovereignty over what they put in their bodies and having access to just, local, and sustainable food for humans and the land.”
Maddie Odom ’20 sent this selfie to Visiting Professor of Biology Sara Tanis this week. It was a response to Tanis’ text asking whether Odom was doing OK while volunteering at a coronavirus testing site at the former Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit.
At least one Kalamazoo College student is serving on the front lines in the world’s fight against COVID-19, comforting those who fear they might have coronavirus.
Armed with three years of experience as an emergency medical technician, Maddie Odom ’20 is volunteering at a drive-through coronavirus testing site at the former Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit. There, Odom volunteers for more than nine hours per shift, six days a week, to serve as many as 800 people a day through the Coronavirus Community Care Network, a coalition of local governments and health services.
Volunteers like Odom are serving people experiencing multiple symptoms of coronavirus such as a persistent cough, a fever of at least 100 degrees, a sore throat and shortness of breath. They also have a prescription from a doctor to receive a coronavirus test.
Odom said as many as 42 percent of the people receiving services on a given day have tested positive, and the care network expects to perform about 14,400 tests through May 8. Detroit has drawn international media attention for recording nearly 5,500 cases of COVID-19 as of April 7.
“Everyone I work with is pretty exhausted, but it’s pretty rewarding,” Odom said. “Working together, we know what we’re doing is helping in some way.”
Maddie Odom has been a two-sport student-athlete at K in soccer and lacrosse.Maddie Odom ’20 has played women’s soccer and lacrosse at K.
Odom’s regular duties have varied from testing patients to directing traffic and checking IDs — on top of carrying her spring term course load as she prepares for graduation.
Many might consider Odom to be a hero for her volunteerism and bravery while facing a pandemic, although she sees it as community service enabled by her health, her training and the fact she currently lives alone so she doesn’t have to worry about taking the virus home to her family.
“I know it’s a time when people feel kind of helpless because you can’t leave your house,” she said. “I’m just glad I can do something to help.”
Visiting Professor of Biology Sara Tanis has a special message for Maddie Odom ’20 in response to her public service at a coronavirus drive-in testing site in Detroit.
Odom expanded her passion for public health when she took a public health course at K led by Director of Careers in Health and Medicine Karika Parker. Separately, Odom has pursued emergency medicine as a wilderness first responder, a summer camp nurse and an EMT for an ambulance company. Since, she has decided to seek a career as a physician’s assistant.
Now, Odom relies on faculty members such as Visiting Professor of Biology Sara Tanis and students such as her K women’s lacrosse teammates for support. Together, they collect goody bags that contain items such as hand sanitizer and treats for health care, sanitation and shelter workers in the Detroit area to supplement Odom’s efforts.
“For me, one of the very best part of teaching is watching my students evolve into strong and vibrant members of their communities,” Tanis said. “Maddie has taught me so much over the last year about perseverance. Even when she’s in a situation where most people would give up, she just keeps pushing forward. Here’s to you, Maddie. I’ve never been more proud.”
Rosella LoChirco ’20 walks through El Retiro Park in Madrid, Spain, where she studied abroad. LoChirco has earned a Venture for America Fellowship.
In a few short months, K senior Rosella LoChirco will begin a two-year commitment as a Venture for America Fellow. The prestigious fellowship prepares recent college graduates for careers as entrepreneurs, and fellows are placed in ambitious start-up businesses across the U.S. In April, Rosella will be matched with companies that are a good fit for her interdisciplinary skills, and she’s excited to begin the process of picking her fellowship site.
Rosella began her K experience like many other students: excited and more than a little nervous for what the future might bring. As the first student in her family to attend college, Rosella said, “It was so terrifying to sit in my first class — I didn’t know if I would fit in.”
Rosella found her way. Participation on the women’s soccer team benefited her with teammates and a coach, Bryan Goyings, who she said “really believed in me, and really supported me no matter what.” Early in her first year, Rosella developed a mentorship with Professor Chris Latiolais, who supported her philosophy major without reservation. “Every day that I come to class, he tells me about a new career that I could do,” Rosella said.
Rosella LoChirco ’20 (center) poses with mentors Allyson McLean ’05 (right) and Brennan Smith during LoChirco’s Quicken Loans internship.
When it was time to select a research subject for her Senior Individualized Project, Rosella was cautious once more, yet she let her instincts guide her. “I loved this one anthropology and sociology professor, Professor Katerina Stefatos. I knew I wanted to work with her. We had so many meetings and calls to figure out my topic!” Rosella said.
Simultaneously, Rosella was completing a summer internship at Quicken Loans and the FIFA Women’s World Cup was making headlines. To the student-athlete, it seemed like fate: “I put together a pitch for Quicken Loans about why they should invest in the women’s soccer team,” Rosella said. “I started digging into the question of why women’s sports are not societally valued as much as men’s sports. That became a perfect jumping-off point for my SIP, and all the theories involved from my philosophy background helped.”
The Quicken Loans team saw Rosella’s potential; several colleagues, including a K alum, were well-connected to Venture for America. “They said, ‘if you’re up for learning things and a team environment, you should make this two-year commitment,’” Rosella remembered. “They really encouraged me to do it, because I had never heard anything about it.”
Once she learned more, Rosella knew she had to apply. “I’m a liberal arts student who didn’t study anything too technical, so I loved the idea that an organization was really valuing someone like me to make an impact in a start-up from day one.” Now, when Rosella looks to the future and her two-year fellowship, she is confident. “I see a lot of connections between K and Venture for America,” she explained. “I’m going to a small team, working closely together, and that’s very close to the K experience. I found my way at K, and I’ll bring my same energy to this commitment. I know that I have the skills and tenacity to figure it out.”
Congrats to the Kalamazoo College students who qualified for the winter 2020 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 2020 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 Dean’s List upon receipt of the final grades. Dean’s List recognition is posted on students’ transcripts.
Jeztrelle Abella
Phelix Adwar
Jayde Agnew
Isaac Agranoff
Fernanda Aguilar
Alejandro Aguirre
Hashim Akhtar
Rachel Alarcio
Tyler Allyn-White
Patrick Ambs
Grant Anger
Cameron Arens
Katrina Arriola
Brooklyn Avery
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Litzy Bahena
Harper Bailey
Jenna Bailey
McKenzi Baker
Georgios Marios Bantis
Angel Banuelos
Natalie Barber
Travis Barclay
Samuel Barczy
Robert Barnard
Abigail Barnum
Aleksandra Bartolik
Elena Basso
Eric Batson
Mitchell Baty
Lillian Baumann
Blake Bean
Logan Beck
Benjamin Behrens
Margaret Bell
Sage Benner
Maci Bennett
Cassandra Bergen
Brigette Berke
Arun Bhattacharya
Julia Bienstock
Daniel Black
Nora Blanchard
Tanner Blyly
Rigel Kyla Bobadilla
Maximilian Bogun
Liberty Bonevich
Cavan Bonner
Zachary Borden
Samantha Boritzki
Gabriel Bosco
Kimberly Bowers
Amelia Brave
Austin Bresnahan
Jack Brockhaus
Williamsburg Brophy
Shanon Brown
Rosemary Bryant
Thomas Buffin
Pierce Burke
Elizabeth Burton
Lauren Bussell
Christiana Buterakos
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Abigail Cadieux
Xiu Cai
Natalie Call
Jacob Callaghan
Annika Canavero
Kevin Cano-Santillanes
Shannon Carley
Kayla Carlson
John Carlson
Eleanor Carr
Mary Cashman
Marissa Castellana
Amy Cazier
Jacob Chantres
Cassidy Chapman
Connor Charamella
Kit Charlton
Christine Charpie
Lizi Chinchilakashvili
Nutsa Chinchilakashvili
Lakshya Choudhary
Maile Church
Hannah Clark
Nicholas Cohee
Sedona Coleman
Carmen Compton
Thomas Cook
Caitlyn Cooper
Noah Coplan
Valentina Cordero
Rachel Cornell
Chase Coselman
Haley Crabbs
Wyatt Crampton
John Crane
Cameron Crothers
Alexandro Cruz
Peter Czajkowski
D
Gabrielle Daane
Mansi Dahal
Wentao Dai
Chiara Dang
Amelia Davis
Julia Davis
Riley Davis
Alexandra Davis
Kiernan Dean-Hall
Adam Decker
Emmelyn DeConinck
Gina DeGraaf
Robert Dennerll
Sarah Densham
Vincent DeSanto
Nolan Devine
Christina Diaz
Sofia Diaz
Rachel Dobb
Mallory Dolorfino
Marissa Dolorfino
Amanda Dow
Austin Duff
Liana Dunietz
Katia Duoibes
Hannah Durant
E
Elijah Edlefson
Helen Edwards
Nathanael Ehmann
Carter Eisenbach
Sarah Eringaard
Gabrielle Evans
F
Faith Faber
Daniel Fahle
Thomas Fales
Sabina Fall
Jazmyne Fannings
Greta Farley
Brady Farr
Taylor Ferguson
Anna Fetter
Ximena Figueroa-Enriquez
Nicholas Firstenburg
Gwendolyn Flatland
Faith Flinkingshelt
Brianna Flinkingshelt
Benjamin Flotemersch
Caelan Frazier
Allison Frey
Hana Frisch
Gavin Fritch
Nathaniel Fuller
Tristan Fuller
William Fulton
G
Anna Gambetta
Kaitlin Gandy
Amanda Gardner
Grace Garver
Kobe Gementiza
Cory Gensterblum
Lena Gerstle
Johanna Ghazal
Anthony Giovanni
Nebiyat Girma
Madison Goodman
Mya Gough
Jessica Gracik
Abigail Gray
Anthony Grayson
Ella Griggs
Lily Gross
Madeline Guimond
Maya Gurfinkel
Zoe Gurney
Stephanie Guyor
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Yoichi Haga
Alexandra Hale
Vien Hang
Caryn Hannapel
Laura Hanselman
Garrett Hanson
Madeline Harding
Lucy Hart
Katherine Haywood
Caleb Henning
Daniel Henry
Emiley Hepfner
McKenna Hepler
Yamilee Hernandez
Jesse Herrera
Sam Hoag
Samantha Hoehle
Ava Hoffman
Thomas Hole
Marshall Holley
Fiona Holmes
Mathew Holmes-Hackerd
Alysia Homminga
Josephine Hosner
Annabelle Houghton
Addissyn House
Matthew Howrey
Anthony Hu
Micah Hudgins-Lopez
Audrey Huizenga
Joy Hunziker
Ian Hurley
Amiee Hutton
I
Juan Ibarra
J
Nicholas Jackson
Samantha Jacobsen
Samuel Jacobson
Aliyah Jamaluddin
Johanna Jeung
Jonathan Jiang
Maricruz Jimenez-Mora
Benjamin Johanski
Kelly Johnson
Ryan Johnson
Jaylin Jones
Jackson Jones
Ellie Jones
Joseph Jung
K
Kendall Kaptur
Amani Karim
Grace Karrip
Lucas Kastran
Anne Kearney Patton
Donald Kearns
Ben Keith
Ava Keller
Will Keller
Samuel Kendrick
David Kent
Hannah Kerns
Meghan Killmaster
Dahwi Kim
Mikayla Kindler
William Kiningham
Isabella Kirchgessner
Alaina Kirschman
Sofia Klein
Allison Klinger
Ella Knight
Rhys Koellmann
Matthew Kralick
Brandon Kramer
Rachel Kramer
Jordyn Kravitz
Matthew Krinock
Charlie Krone
John Kunec
Koshiro Kuroda
Claire Kvande
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Megan Lacombe
Caroline Lamb
Samantha Lamrock
Onora Lancaster
Nicholas Lang
Rachel Lanting
Zoe Larson
Juanita Ledesma
Michael Lee
Yung Seo Lee
Dillon Lee
Kathryn Lee
Julia Leet
Jack Leisenring
Ginamarie Lester
Milan Levy
Marissa Lewinski
Donna Li
Thomas Lichtenberg
Cassandra Linnertz
Lu Liu
Sichun Liu
Jack Longstreet
Alvaro Lopez Gutierrez
Ellie Lotterman
Nicholas Lucking
Isabella Luke
Lezlie Lull
Jillian Lynk
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Selina Ma
MacKenzy Maddock
Samuel Maddox
Deven Mahanti
Madisyn Mahoney
Eleftherios Manopoulos
Victoria Marquez Gomez
Joshua Martin
Dulce Martinez Reyes
Thibaut Martinon
Kanase Matsuzaki
Kevin McCarty
Hannah McCullough
Seamus McCurren
Meryl McDonnell
Mia McGill
Dylan McGorisk
Tori McNett
Noah Merritt
Benjamin Meschke
Tytus Metzler
Nathan Micallef
Luke Middlebrook
Nicholas Middleton
Rebecca Mitchell
Armina Mkrtchian
Aleksandr Molchagin
DeShawn Moore
Ariana Moore
Cesareo Moreno
Amanda Morrison
Arein Motan
Phumuzile Moyo
Matthew Mueller
Miles Muirhead
Ryan Mulder
Elizabeth Munoz
Erin Murphy
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Yukiko Nakano
Jacob Naranjo
Mihail Naskovski
Maya Nathwani
Juan Navarro
Laetitia Ndiaye
Sara Nelson
Alexis Nesbitt
Kyle Neuner
Joseph Ney-Jun
Vicky Nguyen
Viet Nguyen
Kelly Nickelson
Niko Nickson
Sara Nixon
Lionel Niyongabire
Rosie Nocita
Carmen Nogueron
Keigo Nomura
Jonathan Nord
Ian Nostrant Shukurani Nsengiyumva Rohan Nuthalapati
Ella Palacios
Evan Palmer
Yan Song Pan
Karina Pantoja
Jenna Paterob
Cayla Patterson
Grace Patton
Meera Patwardhan
James Peil
Helen Pelak
Calder Pellerin
Devon Peters
Eve Petrie
Alexis Petty
Uyen Pham
Nhi Phan
Mary Phillips
Sheyla Pichal
Noah Piercy
Nadia Pinto
Madison Pisano
Harrison Poeszat
Noah Prentice
Zachary Prystash
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Daniel Qin
Yilan Qiu
Abdullah Qureshi
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Erin Radermacher
Isabelle Ragan
Valentina Ramos
Harrison Ramsey
Samuel Ratliff
Molly Ratliff
Abby Rawlings
Zachary Ray
Clarice Ray
Alec Redding
Victorialyn Regan
Luke Richert
Mya Richter
Ashley Rill
Kate Roberts
Hunter Roberts
Margaret Roberts
Katherine Rock
Petra Rodriguez
Skyler Rogers
Lily Rogowski
Yaneth Rosas
Sydney Rotigel-Finegan
Angela Ruiz
Isabella Russo
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Shiva Sah
Marlyn Sanchez
Hannia Sanchez-Alvarado
Danielle Sarafian
Mariah Sarelis
Thomas Saxton
Margaret Schaefer
Zoe Celeste Schneberger
Justin Schodowski
Hannah Scholten
Madeline Schroeder
Camille Schuster
Darby Scott
Natalie Serrano
Delores Shackelford
Yasamin Shaker
Isabella Shansky-Genovese
William Shaw
Andrew Sheckell
Austin Shepherd
Griffin Shiminski
Nayeon Shin
Josie Shuster
Josephine Sibley
Emma Sidor
Nathan Silverman
Samantha Silverman
Phyu Sin
Sophia Sjogren
Caroline Skalla
Kyle Skiver
Madeline Small
Curtis Smith
Adam Snider
Nikhil Sodemba
Ariana Soderberg
Asante Solomon
Hanis Sommerville
Katherine Stewart
Abby Stewart
Alexander Stockwell
Alex Stolberg
Kate Stover
Owen Strenski
Claudia Stroupe
Nicholas Suquett
Vikram Surendran
Savannah Sweeney
Kaleb Sydloski
Jacob Sypniewski
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Jack Tagget
Rina Talaba
Claire Tallio
Nicole Taylor
Suja Thakali
Abhi Thakur
Kaia Thomas
Cade Thune
Kaytlyn Tidey
Maria Tolentino Guzman
James Totten
Jonathan Townley
Mary Trimble
Anh Truong
Miaflora Tucci
Hanna Tuchenhagen
Oliver Tye
Annie Tyler
Alexis Valdes
Brianne Vanderbilt
Megan Vandyke
Meghan VanHoutte
Naomi Verne
Carter Vespi
Egan Vieira
Tran Vo
Tashina Voit
Lucille Voss
W
Carter Wade
Elle Waldron
Alex Wallace
Barnaby Walsh
Yueyang Wang
Bei Wang
Elizabeth Wang
Madeline Ward
Jacob Waun
Margaret Wedge
Zhi Wee
Zhi Nee Wee
Elias Wennen
Ryley White
Annarosa Whitman
Katelyn Williams
Skai Williams
Blake Willison
Mars Wilson
Nick Wilson
Madalyn Winarski
Ronan Wolfe
Leah Wolfgang
Mikki Wong
Zachary Worthing
Brandon Wright
Andrew Wright
Lydia Wright
X
Ray Xiao
Y
Tony Yazbeck
Elyse Yost
Mikayla Youngman
Austin Yunker
Z
Julie Zabik
Zoe Zawacki
Camryn Zdziarski-West
Christian Zeitvogel
Sophie Zhuang
Nathaniel Zona
Former visiting student Nelly Rupande co-authored a children’s book alongside five Kalamazoo College students. Let’s Talk About it, Period, is designed to help general audiences understand period poverty and stigma.
A group of Kalamazoo College students has a story to tell this International Women’s Day. It’s a story Shukurani A. Nsengiyumva ’20, Anne Kearney Patton ’22, Juanita Ledesma ’21, Kushi Matharu ’22 and Catherine Dennis ’22 created in the form of a children’s book with former visiting student Nelly Rupande through Associate Professor of Psychology Karyn Boatwright and her Feminist Psychology of Women class.
The book, titled Let’s Talk About It, Period, depicts period poverty, referring to a woman’s inadequate access to menstrual-hygiene products, along with period stigma directed toward the main character, a fourth-grade girl in Kenya experiencing her first period.
The story is important because “we want to fight the stigma that exists around periods and menstruation, and share what happens when you shame someone for having something so natural,” said Nsengiyumva, who supervised the project as a teacher’s assistant. She experienced period poverty herself during the early years of her period, only receiving pads when she went to boarding school. Otherwise, her mom couldn’t afford them. She resettled in the U.S. as a Rwandan refugee in 2013 at age 15.
“It’s a topic not just for those who experience menstruation, but those who might enforce the stigma related to it,” she added.
Period poverty and stigma are issues in countries around the world. The group from Boatwright’s class studied their effects this term through an eight-week syllabus developed by Rupande, who created the Binti Initiative.
Rupande emerged as the top female student in the Department of Sociology at the University of Nairobi in Kenya and subsequently was chosen to attend K. Her nonprofit organization seeks to provide dignity to girls and women through access to feminine-hygiene products, educating girls about menstruation, and dispelling myths and negative perceptions of menstrual cycles.
Other topics in the syllabus included female circumcision and genital mutilation, sex education in Kenya, femicide, endometriosis and other period-related complications, and gender equality.
Kushi MatharuAnne Kearney Patton
The group, with all serving as co-authors, concluded its work by presenting the film Period, a documentary on the stigma that surrounds menstruation in India.
“When Dr. Boatwright reached out to me with the opportunity to collaborate with the Feminist Psychology of women Class, I was thrilled,” Rupande said. “She was my professor while I was at K and the very first person to show me around Kalamazoo. She is definitely someone who believes in me and I look up to her as a mentor.”
The book’s resolution involves educating the characters, each with a role to play in recognizing period stigma and poverty, so readers can learn about their own responsibilities in dispelling myths, avoiding shaming and reversing negative perceptions. Characters include a father, a sister, a young boy and a teacher to reflect just a few of the book’s target audiences.
“Some people are approaching us saying they’d love to buy it for their niece or their daughter, Nsengiyumva said. “We made it to look like a children’s book so it’s appealing to them, but adults can use it as well. We want to inform anyone who’s responsible for fighting the stigma.”
The Binti Initiative hires women around the world to produce and sell feminine-hygiene products in their communities while making the sellers economically independent. That allows people such as Rupande and her associates to continue menstruation-education efforts by training women and girls to run them. The goal is to change perceptions, address health issues, and provide a forum for women and men.
Nsengiyumva is hoping Let’s Talk About It, Period can eventually be a part of those education efforts and forums starting in Kenya with that country being just the beginning.
“There’s not yet a set plan, but I think it would be nice to distribute not only in Kenya, but here,” Nsengiyumva said.
Rupande adds the Binti Initiative is working with primary and elementary schools in Kenya to have the book available in libraries and community-resource centers by June. For more information on the book and its availability, email Nsengiyumva at Shukurani.Nsengiyumva16@kzoo.edu.
What’s black, yellow and fuzzy all over? Bumblebees. And Biology Professor Ann Fraser wants to know what it takes to preserve them in Michigan.
Trevor Rigney (from left), Niko Nickson, Amy Cazier and Nicki Bailey comprised Biology Professor Ann Fraser’s summer research group last year.
To that end, Fraser and her Kalamazoo College lab students are launching the Southwest Michigan Bee Watch. The program will track bumblebee diversity, measure local restoration efforts and discover whether any species might be declining or recuperating in the area.
“Bumblebees are important pollinators, particularly of our spring plants,” Fraser said, noting they’re vital to common Michigan crops, and more important to pollination than honeybees. “They’ll go out in cold weather, even when it’s rainy. They’re particularly good pollinators of fruit crops such as blueberries, apples and cherries.”
In the bee watch, citizen scientists in nine counties will volunteer as photographers nearly anywhere outdoors—including natural areas, walking trails, backyards and roadsides—and submit their photos to an online portal. Fraser, students and other scientists then will look at the photos, noting the black-and-yellow patterns on the bumblebees’ backs. Those patterns will identify each species and help determine which might be maintaining their numbers, which might be declining and which might be making a comeback.
“This year, my hope is to build a strong volunteer base so that we can start building a thorough database of bumblebee species in the area,” said Niko Nickson ’21, the student most dedicated to the effort as it will develop into his senior individualized project (SIP). “I’m also planning to analyze our data for relationships between species abundance and landscape differences. In the future, I would love to see the program continue to build, maybe inspiring more community science efforts across the state.”
Fraser said she had been hoping to start a project like the Southwest Michigan Bee Watch for a few years, but never found the right student to lead it. Then, she met Nickson.
“Community science is fascinating because I see it as an opportunity to connect academia and its surrounding community,” Nickson said. “In this way, it makes science approachable to all, regardless of educational level.”
His love of the outdoors also benefits the project.
“I think being outside is a great way to relieve stress and spend time in general,” Nickson said. “I see this program as an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of our regional environment while also encouraging more community members to spend time outdoors. In this sense, community science gives volunteers an excuse to be outside, and who doesn’t love a reason to get some sunlight?”
March 3 is World Wildlife Day. Its theme this year is “Sustaining all life on Earth,” as it recognizes all wild animal and plant species as being key components of the world’s biodiversity. Yet within the biosphere, bumblebees are struggling. In fact, according to NationalGeographic.com, we are nearly 50 percent less likely to see a bumblebee in any given area of North America than we were before 1974.
“Insects in general are in decline,” Fraser said. “That’s alarmingly well documented. Bumblebees are following this trend. At least half a dozen species of the 20 in Michigan are in decline. One of which, the rusty-patched bumblebee, was on the federal endangered species list as of 2017.”
A project like the Southwest Michigan Bee Watch could play a role in reversing those trends. Those interested in volunteering can sign up for the project’s mailing list and request more information at swmbees.kzoo.edu/.
Xiu Cai ’20 (middle) and Shane Spink ’20 (right) finished second and third respectively out of dozens who represented colleges and universities across Michigan in a Japanese Speech Contest organized by Detroit’s Consulate General of Japan. Cai and Spink are third-year Japanese students of Visiting Instructor Masanori Shiomi.
For the second year in a row, two Kalamazoo College students placed among the top three finishers in a prestigious Japanese Speech Contest organized by Detroit’s Consulate General of Japan.
Xiu Cai ’20 and Shane Spink ’20 finished second and third respectively out of dozens who represented the University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University and Lansing Community College at the 24th Michigan Japanese Language Speech Contest. Cai and Spink are third-year Japanese students of Visiting Instructor Masanori Shiomi.
Contest participants drafted their own speeches in Japanese to present in front of three judges and an audience Feb. 9 at Michigan State University. Cai’s speech, “My Life with Accidents and Coincidences,” shared her unlikely foray into studying Japanese and how she came to love it. Spink’s speech, “How to Use Soft Power,” detailed Japan’s use of pop culture in diplomatic relations, contrasting it with the use of hard power in the United States.
Cai’s second-place finish tied Amanda Esler ’19 for the highest-ever finish for a K student in the contest.
The event “offered me a chance to meet new people and make friends with more Japanese students,” Cai said. “These intellectuals helped me learn more about the diverse perspectives of the world. However, I want to say thank you to my amazing Japanese teacher for being one of the most helpful and thoughtful teachers.”
Spink’s third-place finish was the best in the contest’s history for a K student who didn’t study abroad in Japan. Spink, a Kalamazoo native, said he believes he could have done better, but added “many of the other contestants have had far more experience with learning and practicing Japanese.” He plans to work in Japan after he graduates.
“Though it was nerve-wracking to perform a memorized speech in front of a large audience with far greater knowledge of the Japanese language than myself, it was a rewarding experience,” Spink said. “Events like these are important milestones and I will never forget this speech contest.”
Senior Leadership Awards recipients represent talented athletes, outstanding academic performers, members of the President’s Student Ambassadors and student-organization standouts. They include: (top row, from left) Andrew Vasquez, Matt Turton, Daniel Henry, Alyssa Heitkamp and Madison Vallan; (second row, from left) Ravi Nair, Kevin McCarty, Riya Bhuyan, Mya Gough, Joshua Gibson and Donovan Williams; (third row, from left) Karina Pantoja, Adriana Vance, Addie Dancer, Lakshya Choudhary, Li Li Huynh and Orly Rubinfeld; (fourth row, from left) Elizabeth Munoz, Madison Butler, Rosella LoChirco, Anna Majewski, Yasmin Shaker and Jilia Johnson; and (bottom row, from left) Iffat Chowdhury, Kristen Amyx-Sherer, Paige Chung, Simran Singh, Madisyn Mahoney and Melissa Gomez.
Thirty students known for their invaluable contributions to the Kalamazoo College community were honored Friday at the 16th annual Senior Leadership Recognition Awards.
The recipients represent talented athletes, outstanding academic performers, members of the President’s Student Ambassadors and student-organization standouts. Here are the honorees along with brief statements from their nominators:
Kristen Amyx-Sherer nominated by Danielle Turner, Residential Life
“Kristen is consistently going above and beyond what is expected of her as a senior resident assistant, and has helped create a strong, loyal and supportive staff team.”
Riya Bhuyan nominated by Sara Bamrick, Office of Student Involvement
“Riya has done extraordinary work in Student Involvement as a Monte Carlo planning committee chair, marketing coordinator and co-chair of the Student Funding Board.”
“Madie is a department student adviser for Critical Ethnic Studies who has demonstrated vision, accountability to community and organization.”
Lakshya Choudhary nominated by Hillary Berry, Upjohn Library Commons
“As Lakshya’s supervisor, I’ve been impressed by her initiative, organization and dedication. She is a valued member of our team and a strong leader who trains new students.”
Iffat Chowdhury nominated by Sandy Dugal, Kalamazoo College Fund, and Erika Perry, Residential Life
“Iffat has demonstrated dedicated and compassionate leadership in many areas at K. She has been a senior resident assistant, a member of the President’s Student Ambassadors, a Posse scholar, a teaching assistant and president of the Minority Association of Pre-Med Students.”
Paige Chung nominated by Kierna Brown, Residential Life
“Paige is a valuable asset across campus. She leads with positivity, grace and drive to improve experiences for all.”
Addie Dancer nominated by Sandy Dugal, Kalamazoo College Fund
“Addie is a writing consultant, a department student adviser for American Studies, and a president’s student ambassador. She is a gifted writer who thrives on working with peers to help them create stronger skills.”
Leslie Garcia nominated by Alison Geist, Teresa Denton, Moises Hernandez, Tapiwa Chikungwa and Paulette Rieger, Center for Civic Engagement; and Justin Berry, Political Science
“Leslie is an exceptional student in the energy and dedication she brings to the classroom and her commitment to social justice. As a civic engagement scholar, she has had strong involvement with the county ID program since its inception.”
“Josh has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in the classroom and within the community for computer science students. He is creative and supportive with the willingness and skill in helping others in a completely collaborative way.”
Melissa Gomez nominated by Erika Perry, Residential Life
“As a second-time senior resident assistant, I am constantly impressed by Mel’s inherent ability to go above and beyond. She is extremely reliable and has a people-centered, solution-oriented style, paired with incredible compassion and care.”
Mya Gough
nominated by Katie Miller, Women’s Basketball; and Brian Dietz, Student Development
“Mya is a four-year varsity record-setting basketball player who has proven to be a force on our team. … As a vice president of the Kalamazoo College Council of Student Representatives, she is a confident and steady guide.”
Alyssa Heitkamp
nominated by Kelli Duimstra, Softball
“Alyssa is a two-year captain of the softball team. She exudes leadership qualities and characteristics. I trust her completely to handle anything. She is an active member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and Sisters in Science.”
Daniel Henry
nominated by Mark Riley, Men’s Tennis; and Sandy Dugal, Kalamazoo College Fund
“Daniel is a co-captain of the men’s tennis team, and a three-time MIAA First Team and MIAA All-Academic Team member. He brings his leadership skills to everything he does on and off the court.”
Li Li Huynh
nominated by Lydia Vollavanh, Student Development
“Li Li is smart, kind, diligent and confident. She is an enthusiastic Student Development office assistant and natural born mentor as a peer leader.”
Jilia Johnson
nominated by Sandy Dugal, Kalamazoo College Fund
“Jilia is a three-time peer leader and a president’s student ambassador. She serves as an elementary school classroom assistant and the YWCA’s Restorative Justice public policy intern. She’s an extraordinarily caring and compassionate leader.”
Rosella LoChirco
nominated by Bryan Goyings, Women’s Soccer
“Rosella is a model student who has received departmental recognition. She is very active in student government. She is driven and motivated as a soccer player, but also selfless.”
“Madisyn helped start the Dow Council to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for students who feel marginalized or discouraged in the sciences. She is a compassionate, attentive listener.”
Anna Majewski
nominated by Kelli Duimstra, Softball
“Anna is the quintessential ‘lead by example’ leader. She’s always doing the right thing at the right time.”
Kevin McCarty
nominated by Laura Furge, Chemistry; and Alison Geist, Teresa Denton, Moises Hernandez, Tapiwa Chikungwa and Paulette Rieger, Center for Civic Engagement
“Kevin is a gifted scientist and fast learner. He is capable, independent, curious, effective, kind and dedicated with a heart to serve others.”
Elizabeth Munoz
nominated by Bryan Goyings, Women’s Soccer; and Sandy Dugal, Kalamazoo College Fund
“Elizabeth is one of the finest student-athletes I have had the opportunity to work with. She was named the inaugural MIAA Sportswoman of the Year. She’s a president’s student ambassador and serves the Kalamazoo County ID initiative.”
Ravi Nair
nominated by Sara Bamrick, Office of Student Involvement
“Ravi is a leader who sees a need and finds the best possible solution for everyone involved.”
Karina Pantoja
nominated by Brian Dietz, Student Development
“Karina is the president of the Kalamazoo College Council of Student Representatives and works with great poise to hear all perspectives.”
Orly Rubinfeld
nominated by E. Binney Girdler, Biology; Amy Newday, Writing Center; and Alison Geist, Center for Civic Engagement
“Orly is one of the most highly motivated students we’ve ever worked with. She has a passion for social and environmental justice and has inspired students, faculty and staff, creating lasting opportunities for future generations at K.”
Yasamin Shaker
nominated by Elizabeth Candido, Religious and Spiritual Life; E. Binney Girdler, Biology; Amy Newday, Writing Center; and Alison Geist, Center for Civic Engagement
“Yasi revitalized the Just Food Collective and helps infuse activism and advocacy with deep, thoughtful exploration of identities, communities and sovereignty. In Religious and Spiritual Life, she is a group builder and positive presence.”
Simran Singh
nominated by Jon Collier, Office of Student Involvement
“Simran does everything in her capacity to help her peers be successful. She is creative and thorough with a strong work ethic.”
Matt Turton
nominated by David Wilson, Physics
“Matt has shown exemplary leadership on campus as a member of the soccer team, an academic mentor and a senior member of my research group. He is a fantastic student who embraces the liberal arts and encourages all those around him to succeed.”
Madison Vallan
nominated by Bryan Goyings, Women’s Soccer
“Madison is a resilient, team-first figure on the soccer team and a tremendous leader across campus. There is never a task that is too small for her to complete to benefit the team.”
Adriana Vance
nominated by Justin Berry, Political Science
“Adriana is an exceptional student and a great leader in collaborative projects. She is a Political Science department student adviser and teaching assistant. She revived the Pre-Law Society, taking the lead to coordinate valuable experiences and information for her peers.”
Andrew Vasquez
nominated by Denise Negra, Kalamazoo College Fund
“Andrew is a 2020 senior class agent. With his infectious positivity and energy, he takes the lead to keep peers connected through strong communication and a feeling of purpose.”
Donovan Williams
nominated by Sandy Dugal, Kalamazoo College Fund
“Donovan is a positive, charismatic leader who has made his mark in a wide variety of areas. He is involved in the President’s Student Ambassadors, a cappella, Young Men of Color, Peer Leaders and Theatre.”
Students and staff volunteering for K Votes are assisting Kalamazoo College students with registering to vote and absentee ballots ahead of Michigan’s primary election. On March 10, K Votes will provide a shuttle to the polls for students who are registered to vote through their campus address.
The election is important, and if you have questions about the voting process, Kalamazoo College has a place for you to get answers regarding voter registration, voting deadlines, voting rights and the candidates.
K Votes is a non-partisan coalition through the Center for Civic Engagement that informs K students, faculty and staff about the voting process. If you’re from a state other than Michigan and you’re not sure how you register to vote here, K Votes can help. If you’re not sure where to go on Election Day, K Votes can tell you. If you need a ride to the polls, K Votes will get you there.
“K Votes is committed to providing all with the resources to be civically engaged,” said Assistant Director for Innovation in Civic Engagement and Experiential Education Emily Kowey ’17, who oversees K Votes. “We want to make sure that everyone in the College community has the tools they need to be informed about their vote, how to vote and what it means.”
The students who volunteer for the group are enthusiastic about the work they do and the importance of helping others overcome barriers to voting.
Students and staff volunteering for K Votes help Kalamazoo College students register to vote and mail absentee ballots ahead of Michigan’s primary election.
“I am thrilled to work with a group of dedicated K students who are passionate about registering their peers to vote and providing them the information and resources to vote in the upcoming elections,” Kowey said. “Having students, faculty and staff at the forefront of our volunteer efforts shows everyone that this campus is serious about supporting students in voting and civic engagement.”
In her second year with K Votes, Kaitlyn Dexter, a sophomore from Duluth, Minnesota, said she was gratified to see a 28.6 percent increase in K’s voter turnout during the 2018 midterm election over the 2014 midterm, a lift she attributes at least partly to K Votes. About 40.4 percent of K eligible voters cast ballots in the 2018 midterm.
“That was fantastic and I would love to have a high turnout for this year’s primary, too,” she said.
According to its website, K Votes registered more than 130 student voters before the 2018 midterm. It also collected and mailed more than 30 absentee-ballot applications and transported 110 students to local polls.
“Through K Votes, we make sure that everyone knows how to register, request an absentee ballot, learn about the candidates and vote, while being aware of each deadline,” Dexter said. “Gathering all this information takes a long time for people to do by themselves, so I think removing that time barrier is really beneficial, especially for college students.”
Kayla Carlson, a sophomore from Hastings, Michigan, said her desire to nurture voter participation through K Votes came naturally. She was a community volunteer in high school, and Rock the Vote President Carolyn Dewitt ’04 is a graduate of Carlson’s high school and K.
“I have been fortunate enough to talk to Carolyn and she has inspired me,” Carlson said. “K Votes was one of the first engagement programs I had heard of on campus and it was an initiative I believed in.”
Carlson recently was also chosen to be a regional ambassador for Rock the Vote. That means there’s a second organization for which she volunteers to encourage her peers to vote.
“Rock the Vote is nonpartisan, just like K Votes, and that’s important to me,” she said. “I think everyone from every background should be able to vote.”
Hope Miller, a sophomore from Manistee, Michigan, was one of 33 students from two-year and four-year higher-education institutions across Michigan to serve on the Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force selected by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The group was asked to recommend ways to help other college students overcome their barriers to voting.
Miller was the only student from a private college to serve the task force. Its recommendations included suggestions surrounding voter registration, absentee voting, logistics and transportation, voter education and state laws, issues that also are important to K Votes.
In the time since the task force made those recommendations, Miller — like Carlson — has become a regional ambassador for Rock the Vote, though K Votes is the organization where she’s spent the most time.
“I’m really excited to see what we can do in the future and I hope we can get more people involved with K Votes,” Miller said.
The last day to register to vote for the Michigan primaries, other than in person at Kalamazoo City Hall on the day of the election, is Monday, Feb. 24. K Votes will help the K community with registering to vote and absentee ballots through that day. Its last tabling session will be from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Feb. 24 at Hicks Student Center.
For students who are registered to vote through their campus address, a shuttle will drive students to their polling location at the Douglass Community Center on Tuesday, March 10. A separate shuttle will drive students to City Hall where they can register to vote in person.
Students interested in volunteering for K Votes may fill out this form on the Center for Civic Engagement website. Students may select dates and times based on their availability. Those with questions about volunteering or K Votes as a whole may contact Kowey at ekowey@kzoo.edu.
Through Sisters in Science, Kalamazoo College students use hands-on lessons, experiments and field trips, such as this field trip to the Lillian Anderson Arboretum, to encourage Northglade Montessori fourth- and fifth-graders to learn about science.
When the world celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Feb. 11, a Kalamazoo College student organization will be doing what it can to inspire local fourth- and fifth-graders.
Each Tuesday and Thursday, K’s Sisters in Science (SIS) visits Northglade Montessori Magnet School to encourage girls to seek an education and career in the sciences. The visits, coordinated through Kalamazoo Communities in Schools, involve hands-on lessons, experiments and field trips that nurture interest in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math). This allows SIS members to serve as role models, and local youths to grow their dreams of future achievements.
“We want to provide these girls with an influential woman in their lives,” said Marjorie Wolfe ’20, a SIS member and chemistry major from Kalamazoo. “A lot of them don’t come from backgrounds where a career in science seems accessible. We’re showing these girls they can go to college, do research and become doctors, engineers and more. We serve as sisters, mentors and examples of what they can become.”
According to the United Nations, less than 30 percent of scientific researchers in the world are women and only about 30 percent of all female students select STEM-related fields in higher education. Female representation is especially low professionally in information and communication technology at 3 percent; natural science, mathematics and statistics at 5 percent; and engineering at 8 percent.
To reverse these trends, the U.N. General Assembly established the International Day of Women and Girls in Science to celebrate women scientists and build equal access to and participation in science for women and girls. About 40 SIS members, including Karina Aguilar ’22, a biology and Spanish double major from Albuquerque, New Mexico, are doing their part to bolster that effort.
“Last year, in between two labs, I would go to Sisters in Science and do a nice, fun thing before I had to do something serious for four hours,” Aguilar said. “When you’re a student, it’s easy to be wrapped up in what’s happening on campus — we call it the K bubble. This helps us break that bubble, serve the community and be a mentor. It gives us a portal to the community.”
Aguilar hopes SIS experiments this year will include a lesson in making ice cream, although her favorite experiment to date involved a bridge-building contest that her little sister won. Such experiments, Wolfe said, help the fourth- and fifth-graders understand the scientific process and get them excited to be in school. Aguilar and Wolfe agreed the age group is critical in recruiting girls in science because they’re starting to learn what interests them most in school and they have yet to decide what classes to pursue for themselves.
“Initially, the first few times we’re at the school, we’re just trying to show we’re friendly and gain their respect,” Wolfe said. “That can go a long way for these girls. Eventually, we help them fill out worksheets that teach them what a hypothesis is. Before you know it, we’re working on an experiment and they say, ‘Oh! I know what the hypothesis will be!’”
When asked what she would do if she one day saw that one of her little sisters achieved a scientific breakthrough, Wolfe said, “The cool part would be knowing they stuck with science and believed in themselves; that they didn’t listen to someone who told them they couldn’t do it.”
Aguilar said, “I’d probably cry. Maybe it wasn’t from me specifically, but I’d love knowing that they developed that drive to be scientists. It would be amazing to see these girls who aren’t necessarily pushed to go to college make a career for themselves in science.”
“SIS was created for exactly what Aguilar and Wolfe have stated – to give young girls the knowledge that they can do science” stated Stevens-Truss, who envisioned the group in 2001.
“Some people are approaching us saying they’d love to buy it for their niece or their daughter, Nsengiyumva said. “We made it to look like a children’s book so it’s appealing to them, but adults can use it as well. We want to inform anyone who’s responsible for fighting the stigma.”
