Students Archives - Page 35 of 53

They’re Everywhere!

Posted on August 18, 2015March 23, 2022

“It was during spring break of this year that I understood what made Kalamazoo College truly unique.”

So spoke newly-minted alumnus Vageesha Liyana-Gunawardana ’15 during his Baccalaureate address this past June. “I was in Colorado visiting a friend whom I had met during my study abroad in Japan,” he added. “Upon mentioning that I was from Kalamazoo College to my friend’s housemates, they got quite excited. It happens to be, that two of them knew one of my housemates at Kalamazoo this year. They had met while on study abroad in London. Just then I realized that K students are everywhere!”

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Kalamazoo College alumna Mallory Zink — Mallory Zink

Picking up on that theme is classmate Mallory Zink ’15, who wrote the following article on several members of the class of 2015 about to continue their international journeys.

Kalamazoo College is well known for being international, and a handful of recent graduates, me included, are continuing the tradition. My classmates are moving across the world, including Germany, France, and China. We are using fellowships, English teaching positions and grants. For most of us, this isn’t our first study abroad experience, but for many of us, it is our first time moving somewhere completely alone. We will face the same struggles of finding the grocery store, figuring out how to work the washing machine, and making friends with local residents. But the skills we learned at K and our time on study abroad are going to help us navigate our future, wherever in the world we go.

Aaron Bunker ’15 is moving to Wuxi, China, in the fall. He will be teaching pre-calculus and calculus at the Big Bridge Academy in the international department. He had not planned on

Kalamazoo College alumnus Aaron Bunker — Aaron Bunker

living abroad, but is happy to have the opportunity. He had originally planned on working with an at-risk tutoring program in Boston, but questioned its long term financial feasibility. Aaron also wasn’t sure he was ready for a ‘real’ job, or, alternatively, ready for grad school, so China seemed like the best option. Aaron knows little about his new home, just enough to say hello and count to one hundred in Chinese. However, “I’m excited to be immersed in a place about which I know so little, and I’m excited about living completely by myself for the first time,” he said.

Kalamazoo College alumna Natalie Cherne at graduation — Natalie Cherne

Natalie Cherne ’15 is going back to back to Germany in the fall. She received a Fulbright to teach English for ten months at the Peter-Vischer Schule in Nuremberg, a short 10-minute train ride from where she studied as a junior at K. A Fulbright was Natalie’s post-graduation goal; she knew she wanted to go back after falling in love with Germany her junior year. “I am lucky enough to be going back to a support network,” said Natalie.

Unlike the majority of her classmates, Lyla Rothschild ’15did not study abroad, so she is excited to go to Europe for the first time! As a junior she had been accepted into the Clermont-Ferrand program, but had to take a year off due to a medical leave. She has been studying French since high school and will be teaching English to French students through a program called “Teach Abroad Program in France” (TAPIF). Lyla said she is anxious about the language barrier, because, “as much as you study a language, nothing compares to living in that country.” She is excited to have found this opportunity for a gap year before grad school.

Kalamazoo College alumna Lyla Rothchild — Lyla Rothchild

Kelsey Donk ’15had two choices for her return to France. She was offered a job Langue et Nature au Chateau de la Mazure, a language center where she had completed an internship. And, for a time, she planned to work there and apply for French citizenship. Instead she chose the city of Laval for her post-graduation destination. There she will teach English in the French public schools through TAPIF. The job with TAPIF will allow her to work in schools where, she feels, her presence, is most needed. She plans on doing a lot of writing next year, getting to know Laval

Kalamazoo College 2015 Global Prize Finalist Kelsey Donk — Kelsey Donk

and exploring the north of France. “I’m so excited to get to know my primary school students,” Kelsey said. “I’ll be working in three primary schools and I think I’ll love my kids.”

Kalamazoo College alumna Hannah Olsen at graduation — Hannah Olsen

Hannah Olsen ’15 studied abroad in Strasbourg, France for three months and is moving back to study at the University of Strasbourg. She received the Jean and Marie-Louise Dufrenoy Grant through la Société de Professeurs Français et Francophone d’Amérique. She will mainly be taking classes in physics. The Dufrenoy Grant was her top post-graduation option; Hannah knew it was a unique opportunity that she couldn’t pass up! She is especially excited for the opportunity to integrate her knowledge of science and the French language; she has never been able to use French in a physics context and is excited to try! She is a little intimidated by the current social and political environment in France, but “right now, the excitement outweighs my worries,” she said.

Joseph Westerfield ’15is moving to Bourgoin-Jallieu, France, in September. He will be an English teaching assistant through the TAPIF program for three different schools. He has never lived in France, but has always wanted to! This was his original plan for after school, the perfect gap year before graduate school, where he hopes to focus his work on performance studies. His biggest worry? That his work schedule (a mere15 hours a week) will make it difficult to get into a routine…especially after the four years of demanding routine at K! Nevertheless, he is excited to teach children and work on his goal of

Kalamazoo College alumnus Joe Westerfield — Joe Westerfield

sustainable living, for both next year and the future.

Haley Cartwright ’15is moving to Annecy, France. She, also, will serve as an English teaching assistant through the TAPIF program. Haley knew she wanted to do something outside of her intended career path and take a year off before she began pursuing her doctorate. Annecy will not her first time living in France; she lived there for two years when she was in middle school and was lucky enough to learn French through immersion both then and when she lived in Clermont during her junior year study abroad. Her goals for next year are to improve her French skills, meet international people, and learn some Spanish. Haley said, “I’m really committed to the experience, I know what to expect and am prepared to find a good balance between being a teaching assistant and having American and international friends.”

Kalamazoo College alumna Haley Cartwright — Haley Cartwright

Alyssa Walker ’15 is moving back to her study abroad site in Erlangen, Germany. She received a German Studies fellowship at Friedrich-Alexander University for a year, where she will study German, Spanish, and international studies. She hopes the classes she takes in Erlangen will help point her in a direction for further graduate study. Alyssa has some fun goals besides taking classes. She wants to meet new people, travel off the beaten path, and gain some work experience. She said, “I am not worried about anything next year. Kalamazoo College has prepared me for this, and I have the support of friends and family abroad.”

Kalamazoo College alumna Alyssa Walker — Alyssa Walker

And Mallory Zink ’15, the author, is moving to Bonn, Germany in October. “I had a few possibilities for after graduation, and going back to Germany was on the top. Funding that return through a fellowship, was really on the top, so I was very excited when I received one. I’ll be working on my German abilities this upcoming academic year at the University of Bonn, and then I’ll apply to grad school in Germany the following year (well, that is the plan currently). I’m nervous to be moving to a completely new city alone, but then again I am not too worried, I lived in Germany for a year during study abroad and know where to meet the Germans! First stop is the community kitchen in the apartment, second is the beer garden!”

Summertime means internships for K students

Posted on August 12, 2015March 23, 2022

Olivia Cares and Mike Ortega at Mike's desk — Olivia Cares ’15 is a K summer intern in the Kalamazoo law office of Mike Ortega ’78.

Every summer, Kalamazoo College students fan out across the globe for summer internships. They gain workplace experience, acquire relevant skills and competencies, and test the academic theories they’ve studied in campus classrooms. The educational value of summer internships is increasingly recognized by employers, many of whom set greater store in a candidate’s internship experience than GPA or major.

K student interns also see the educational value of their summer experiences. We know this because we require students to submit written reflections to K’s Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) on their summer Field Experience Program.

Here are some insights shared by this summer’s crop of interns:

“It is incredibly gratifying to realize how far I’ve come in such a short time. While it was hard to notice while the internship was happening, I often felt like I was constantly lost. I can now look at what I was fumbling around with the first week and laugh about it, because now it seems so trivial and easy. And the great thing about this knowledge is that it can be immediately applicable to any other job within industry.”

– Michael Lindley ’16, product development analyst intern at NextGxDx, Franklin, Tennessee; supervised by Gillian Hooker ’00, Director of Clinical Development in Bioinformatics)

“[In] my internship, whenever I hit a roadblock I was able to clearly analyze the situation and develop a solution. This is one of the most useful skills I think I’ve acquired and honed at Kalamazoo College.”

– Minhkhang Truong ’16, teaching intern at the Olympia Schools, Hanoi, Vietnam; supervised by Christopher McDonald ’89, Head of Schools.

“I can take on almost any tasked assigned. Yes, sometimes I may have to ask extra questions to gain all of the background information necessary to fully complete a project, but the reality is that my K education has taught me how to ask those questions in a way that provides the needed answers. K has taught me how to ask important questions that leads to relevant answers, a skill that is beyond useful when I am being assigned such a variety of projects.”

– Amanda Johnson ’17, sales and marketing associate at Youngsoft, Inc., Wixom, Mich.; supervised by Amy Courter ’83, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing.

“[T]he law is a living thing that is constantly revised and changed. This makes research, clear understanding, and communication the most valuable tools in the trade.”

– Olivia Cares ’16, legal intern at Lewis, Reed & Allen, Kalamazoo; supervised by Michael Ortega ’78, attorney and shareholder.

The above experiences are among many that are funded each year through the CCPD’s Field Experience Program. Endowed funds provide $3,000 stipends to help defray the costs of unpaid summer internships. The CCPD recognizes with gratitude all the donors who have made these summer internship stipends possible, as well as all of the alumni who serve as internship supervisors for current K students.

For more information on K’s Field Experience Program, visit http://reason.kzoo.edu/ccd/

Submitted by Joan Hawxhurst, Director, Center for Career and Professional Development, Kalamazoo College

Summer is here and so are K students

Posted on July 28, 2015August 22, 2022

Kalamazoo College alumni who were enrolled from 1963 through 1996 remember (affectionately) spending one or two summer quarters on campus. Well, many K students still spend summer in Kalamazoo, they just don’t take classes. They work, save money (except for what some might spend on craft beer!), hang out with friends, see films, read for pleasure, cook, catch up on their sleep … their adventures are endless. Summer is the perfect time for students to do everything they were too busy to enjoy during the school year! Call it a “Summer of Gracious Living.”

Here’s a sampling of students spending summer in the city of Kalamazoo, reported by Mallory Zink ’15.

Gunyeop Lee ’17 is a K student from South Korea preparing to go on study abroad to France. When he isn’t working on his great French skills, on the renovation crew for K’s Facilities Management (FacMan!), or at his summer internship at Colleagues International, you can find him hanging out on a porch in the Vine Neighborhood with some ‘dood’s.’ His favorite dood/summer lease housemate is Jeet Ghorpade ’15 (no offense to the others). Next year when he is on study abroad he is going to miss the Kalamadudes, Menna’s Joint, and chasing squirrels.

Haley Cartwright sits outside on a swinging bench — Haley Cartwright ’15

Haley Cartwright ’15 is spending her first summer in Kalamazoo. She has a lease through August and a great opportunity for one last hoorah with friends. Haley works at a Bigby Coffee shop and in K’s Admission office and she is trying to save up some money before moving to France in September! The Austin, Texas native is really enjoying her time in Michigan’s ‘temperate’ summer weather. She has been bicycling, a lot, especially to the local farmers market to get fresh eggs from Dwight, the egg guy.

Ken Tsuchiya on the Quad at Kalamazoo College — Ken Tsuchiya ’16

Ken Tsuchiya ’16 is spending his third summer in the “Zoo” and his second on FacMan’s custodial crew. He says he likes the custodial work because he can meditate while cleaning. Ken also works in K’s Japanese Department transcribing historical videos, which he views as a good lesson in time management and history. What Ken might enjoy most this summer, however, is making music. He has been working on a solo album for his SIP and also been playing at local venues, such as, Rupert’s, Louie’s, and at house shows in the Vine Neighborhood. Check out his band’s webpage: https://kingmedian.bandcamp.com.

Erin Brown surrounded by flowers — Erin Brown ’16

Erin Brown ’16 took the recent spring term off. So she is in the nether world between junior and rising senior, we can’t really be sure; but she’s here! Erin works as a waitress in a senior living community, house-sits, and occasionally watches a cat or two. Earlier this summer she took a fun vacation from summer vacation to visit her girlfriend in North Carolina. Erin is from Kalamazoo, (her dad owns the “Banana car!”) so she knows where all the best craft beer can be found. (Her favorite place is Arcadia Brewing.) She is also re-reading all the Harry Potter books (a yearly tradition for her). And she saw the new Pixar film “Inside Out,” which made it to her list of favorite animated films.

Shannon Haupt ’16 isn’t staying in Kalamazoo this summer only because she loves the sense of community here, but she is helping to organize an event called “Remember Kalamazoo” about the devastating oil pipeline spill into the Kalamazoo River in 2010. Check out Shannon in this NBC news clip from the event (http://bit.ly/1JLA66X). Shannon is also keeping busy by starting her SIP research and creating proposals for the College to divest from fossil fuels. She also works mornings at K’s Lillian Anderson Arboretum (https://reason.kzoo.edu/arboretum), a 140-acre learning laboratory of marsh, meadow, pine plantation, and second-growth deciduous forest in Oshtemo Township, a few miles west of Kalamazoo. In the afternoons she finds new places and people to play Frisbee with. In the evenings, she checks out new breweries and shows. Shannon really knows how to live in Kalamazoo!

John Lewis in his kitchen — John Lewis ’15

John Lewis ’15 is a “fulltime mom” to his housemates this summer. He’s also training for a job at Bronson Hospital in downtown Kalamazoo in the fall. When he’s not doing that, he’s often studying for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)…though he does occasionally go outside to play soccer and enjoy the sun at the Davis Street fields around the corner from his Vine Neighborhood house. His latest new found ‘hobby’ (now that he has free time) is cooking. He says heavy whipping cream has changed his life.

Joe Westerfield reading a small booklet of field notes — Joe Westerfield ’15

Joe Westerfield ’15 is using this summer to solidify his friendships with other recent grads before they all go their own ways. One way he does this is by cooking up a storm–for enjoyment, not for general sustainment! He has also been a huge fan of double-dates this summer and recently cooked Boeuf Bourguignon for a triple date! He watched a video of Julia Child to get the exact recipe and voice inflection perfect. When he isn’t cooking or bonding, he reads plays, works with K’s FacMan recycling crew, and tries to save money for his move to France in the fall.

Jessie Fales smiling at a desktop computer — Jessie Fales ’18

Jessie Fales ’18 is a rising sophomore from Kalamazoo who is busy working this summer. She works at Western Michigan University, K’s Office of College Communication, and in her own photography business, “Epic Fales.” She’s going to Colorado Springs for a week to photograph a wedding. Her new love this summer is coffee, which she enjoys at both Water Street Coffee Joint and Fourth Coast Cafe. While she sips, she re-reads “To Kill a Mockingbird.” She says she’s scared to read the sequel, but in a good way.

Emerald Han kisses a white cat — Emerald Han ’17

Emerald Han ’17, also a Kalamazooan, is a rising junior who transferred to K this past year. She now lives in the Vine neighborhood and works at Irving’s, a deli on the downtown Kalamazoo Mall. She also works at a flower farm in Paw Paw and partakes in the classic summer jobs of babysitting and house sitting. When she is not serving up delicious food or picking flowers, her favorite things to do are napping with her cat Kilo, reading, and hanging out with friends. She is currently reading “My Age of Anxiety” by Scott Stossel and gives it a high recommendation!

Mallory Zink reunites with Gemma Burling, Riley Cook and Becky Lennington — Mallory Zink ’15 (right) with Gemma Burling, Riley Cook ’15, and Becky Lennington ’15, friends from study abroad in Germany, in Chicago for a reunion.

Reporting by Mallory Zink ’15, who is also living in Kazoo this summer and working in the K Office of College Communication before heading off to a new life in Germany. You will be missed!

Coming to the ’Zoo? Lucky You!

Posted on July 7, 2015March 23, 2022

That’s the theme of a recent (June 25) Washington Post article (“You’re going where? Kalamazoo is tired of your Creedence Clearwater jokes“) by freelance writer Maya Kroth. It’s a fun read, worth a slow pace all the way to the end–just like a good beer. And once you reach the end, you may wonder where’s the K connection. Well, the article quotes alumnus (and Bell’s Brewery founder) Larry Bell ’80 at length, and mentions National Book Award finalist Bonnie Jo Campbell, a former Summer Common Reading author and creative writing professor at K. Bottom line: Kalamazoo is a great place to live. You’ll find lots of cool history in Kroth’s article. And perhaps the next time she’s in town, we’ll get her to visit the ’ZOO within the ’Zoo

Dean’s List Spring Term 2015

Posted on June 22, 2015March 23, 2022

Congratulations to the following Kalamazoo College students, who achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or better for a full-time course load of at least three units, without failing or withdrawing from any course, during the Spring 2015 academic term. Kudos to the entire group of more than 500 students, and good luck in Fall Term, 2015.

Spring 2015

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Benjamin Abreu
Melissa Acosta
Lucian Aitkins
Mojtaba Akhavantafti
Avery Allman
Alexandrea Ambs
Abby Anderson
Katelyn Anderson
Steven Andrews
Ryan Andrusz
Jasmine An
Jill Antonishen
Lucas Arbulu
Carlos Arellano
Esprit Autenreith

B

Gordon Backer
Dalbyeol Bae
Shreya Bahl
Benjamin Baker
Caroline Barnett
Grace Barry
Julia Bartlett
William Bartz
Rebecca Beery
Andrea Beitel
William Bell
Hayley Beltz
Erin Bensinger
Maribel Blas-Rangel
Vanessa Boddy
Hannah Bogard
Sean Bogue
Serena Bonarski
Madeline Booth
Olivia Bouchard
Grace Bowe
Zoe Bowman
Chancellor Boyer
Sarah Bragg
McKenna Bramble
Calli Brannan
Andrew Bremer
Lee Broady
Drew Brown
Erin Brown
Heather Brown
Thomas Bryant
Andrew Buchholtz
Matthew Burczyk
Mary Burnett
Erin Butler
Thaddeus Buttrey

C

Elizabeth Cabrera
Francisco Cabrera
Willina Cain
Kathryn Callaghan
Kalyn Campbell
Ellie Cannon
Olivia Cares
Jacob Cargal-Bley
Owen Carroll
Charles Carson
Lee Carter
Sheila Carter
Alejandra Castillo
James Castleberry
Karen Ceballos-Pineda
Katherine Cebelak
Colin Cepuran
Savanna Chambers
Carter Chandler
Rachel Chang
Kristina Chetcuti
Siu Kwan Katherine Cheung
Samuel Chey
Chido Chigwedere
Emiline Chipman
Christine Cho
Jennifer Cho
Isabelle Ciaramitaro
Josefina Cibelli
Tyler Clack
Katherine Clark
Elizabeth Clevenger
Cody Colvin
Yatiana Conteh
Anthony Convertino
Kacey Cook
Hannah Cooperrider
Amanda Crouch
Dejah Crystal
Brian Cunningham-Rhoads
Athena Curtiss

D

Anna Dairaghi
Christina Dandar
Elan Dantus
Justin Danzy
Natalie Davenport
Corrin Davis
Kevin Davison
Cecilia DeBoeck
Samir Deshpande
David DeSimone
Eric De Witt
Seth Dexter
Alex Dietrich
Cecilia DiFranco
Alexis Diller
Margaret Doele
Mikayla Doepker
Miranda Doepker
Guillermo Dominguez Garcia
Kelsey Donk
Rachel Dranoff
Lauren Drew
Querubin Dubois
Alivia DuQuet
Erin DuRoss
Kayla Dziadzio

E

Charles Edick
Andres ElAmin-Martinez
Rachel Ellis
Rachel Epstein
Melissa Erikson
Samuel Ettwein
Angelia Evangelista

F

Rachel Fadler
Jessie Fales
Abram Farley
Andrew Feeley
Mario Ferrini
Nathaniel Feuerstein
Jory Finkelberg
Randi Fisher
Emily Fletcher
Joshua Foley
Samantha Foran
Delaney Fordell
Benjamin Forhan
Caroline Foura
John Fowler
Christopher Francis
Maria Franco
Emma Franzel
Annah Freudenburg
Gabriel Frishman
Maria Fujii
Lydia Fyie

G

Mauro Galus
Joana Garcia
Andre’ Gard
Brett Garwood
Katherine Gatz
Lauren Gaunt
Charlotte Gavin
Kathleen George
Noah Getz
Sarah Ghans
Joseph Giacalone
Camille Giacobone
Kelan Gill
Grace Gilmore
Danielle Gin
Sarah Glass
Samantha Gleason
Daniella Glymin
Abhay Goel
Carter Goetz
Ellie Goldman
Emily Good
Kaitlin Gotcher
Emma Gougeon
Anna Gough
Janelle Grant
Claudia Greening
William Gribbin
Marquise Griffin
Adreanna Grillier
Daniel Grost
Guilherme Guedes
Alyse Guenther
In Hye Gu
Yicong Guo
Sapana Gupta
Rebecca Guralnick
Mireya Guzman-Ortiz

H

Griffin Hamel
Robert Hammond
Fatoumata Hanne
Jessica Hansen
Nora Harris
Hadley Harrison
Jager Hartman
Farhiya Hassan
Andrew Haubert
Kelly Haugland
Shannon Haupt
Veronica Hayden
Frances Heldt
Ashley Henne
Mariah Hennen
Shelby Hessler
Mason Higby
Kelsey Hill
Louis Hochster
Megan Hoinville
Gabrielle Holme-Miller
Daniel Holtzman
Drew Hopper
Shelby Hopper
Elise Houcek
Allia Howard
Claire Howland
Audra Hudson
Robert Hudson
Jane Huffman
Nicole Huff
Jason Hugan
Julia Hulbert
Madeline Hume
Patricia Hunter
Siwook Hwang

I

J

Jordan Jabara
Thomas Jackson
Tanush Jagdish
Jessica Jankowski
Adriana Jarquin
Marilou Jeandel
Morgan Jennings
Clare Jensen
Dongkeun Jeon
Jon Jerow
Lara Job
Aidan Johnson
Amanda Johnson
Andrea Johnson
Katherine Johnson
Tibin John
Samantha Jolly
Brittany Jones
Hannah Jones
Matthew Jong

K

Kamalaldin Kamalaldin
Hamin Kang
Elyse Kaplan
Jagdeep Kaur
Gwendolen Keller
Faiz Khaja
Khin Oo Khin
Benjamin Kileen
David Kim
Hannah Kim
Savannah Kinchen
Siga Kisielius
Hannah Kline
Gabriel Klotz
Ian Kobernick
Benjamin Kochanowski
Julia Koreman
Bharath Kotha
Emily Kotz
Emily Kozal
Hannah Kruger
Matthew Kuntzman
Jasmine Kyon

L

Kyle Lampar
Lauren Landman
Bryan Lara
Shadi Larson
John Lawless IV
Madeline Lawson
Justin Leath
Bo Gyoung Lee
Rachel Leider
Rebecca Lennington
Phuong Le
Arianna Letherer
Sarah Levett
Emily Levy
Samuel Lichtman-Mikol
Rachel Lifton
Jacob Lindquist
Emily Lindsay
Bret Linvill
Gordon Liu
Vageesha Liyana Gunawardana
Francisco Lopez Jr.
Bailee Lotus
Chenxi Lu
Liam Lundy

M

Madeleine MacWilliams
Sydney Madden
Alicia Madgwick
Megan Malish
Hannah Maness
Sarah Manski
Scott Manski
Nicholas Marsh
Elizabeth Martin
Takumi Matsuzawa
Kelsey Matthews
Karly McCall
Mallory McClure
Indigo McCollum
Miles McDowall
Adam McDowell
Angus McIntosh
Sara McKinney
Molly Meddock
Jordan Meiller
Natalie Melnick
Arik Mendelevitz
Molly Merkel
Lesley Merrill
Franklin Meyer
Samuel Meyers
Emily Mickus
Amber Middlebrooks
Shannon Milan
Sarafina Milianti
Joshua Miller
Sangtawun Miller
Zach Miller
Jacqueline Mills
Ethel Mogilevsky
Christopher Monsour
Gabrielle Montesanti
Daniel Moore
Aliera Morasch
Cody Mosblech
Chloe Mpinga
Philip Mulder
Stuart Murch

N

Victoria Najacht
Jacob Naranjo
Laetitia Ndiaye
Eileen Neale
Alissa Neff
Annie Nelson
Annie Nelson
Hallie Nerge
Mumo Nganu
Hoang Nguyen
Hung Nguyen
Phuong Nguyen
Viet Nguyen
Perri Nicholson
Anne Nielsen
Nicholas Nizzardini
Rosemarie Nocita
Carmen Nogueron
Jonathan Nord
Skyler Norgaard

O

Bryan Olert
Stephen Oliphant
Michael Oravetz
Alexandria Oswalt
Ty Owens

P

Nirmita Palakodaty
Yunpeng Pang
Chae Rin Park
Hunter Parsons
Khusbu Patel
Gabriel Pedelty Ovsiew
Darren Peel
Elizabeth Penix
Marlisa Pennington
Kaitlyn Perkins
Lauren Perlaki
David Personke
Emma Peters
Caroline Peterson
Katherine Pielemeier
Emily Pizza
Julia Plomer
Dylan Polcyn
Bradley Popiel
Brittany Potts
Maylis Pourtau
Emily Powers
Nicole Prentice
Andrea Pruden

Q

Yilan Qiu

R

Justin Rabidoux
Brian Raetz
Malavika Rao
Anna Rayas
Shelby Retherford
Gabriel Rice
Danielle Riffer-Reinert
Sep’tisha Riley
Philip Ritchie
Madeleine Roberts
Sophie Roberts
William Roberts
Jakob Rodseth
Werner Roennecke II
Anna Roodbergen
Justin Roop
Jeremy Roth
Stefanie Roudebush
Elinor Rubin-McGregor
Devin Rush
Kathleen Russell
Keigan Ryckman

S

Rumsha Sajid
Minato Sakamoto
Amber Salome
Kira Sandiford
Andrea Satchwell
Gabriel Schat
Anselm Scheck
Christa Scheck
Maison Scheuer
Ashley Schmidt
Natalie Schmitt
Sarah Schmitt
Cameron Schneberger
Kaitlyn Schneider
Aaron Schoenfeldt
Colleen Schuldeis
Aaron Schwark
Aunye Scott-Anderson
Jacob Scott
Lisa Sczechowski
Eli Seitz
Rachel Selina
Lauren Seroka
Dylan Shearer
Alec Sherrill
Geon-Ah Shin
Sonam Shrestha
Brandon Siedlaczek
Alexsandra Siems
Petar Simic
Kaylah Simmons
Kriti Singh
Kathryn Skinner
Claire Slaughter
Bailey Smith
Colin Smith
Grace Smith
Octavia Smith
Sarah Smith
Maggie Sneideman
Mariam Souweidane
Federico Spalletti
Anika Sproull
Honora Stagner
Allison Starr
Ernest Stech
Collin Steen
Amanda Stutzman
Thomas Stuut
Michelle Sugimoto
Caroline Sulich
Kyle Sunden
Mengxi Sun
Alexandra Szeles

T

Kathe Tallmadge
Kiyoto Tanemura
Lauren Tartalone
Abigail Taylor
Lilian Taylor
Diana Temple
Eric Thornburg
Masaki Tokin
Alayna Tomlinson
Carolyn Topper
Alexander Townsend
Camila Trefftz
Kelly Treharne
Brittany Trombino
Sydney Troost
Hassan Turk
Shelby Tuthill
Elizabeth Tyburski

U

Amanda Ullrick

V

Joshua Vance
David Vanderkloot
Caleb VanDyke
Jessica Varana
Amritha Venkataraman
Kierra Verdun
James Villar
Aleksis Vizulis
Austin Voydanoff

W

Raoul Wadhwa
Kyra Walenga
Alexis Walker
Alyssa Walker
Brigid Walkowski
Sarah Wallace
Ning Wang
William Warpinski
Jeffery Washington Jr.
Cameron Wasko
Jacob Wasko
Olivia Weaver
Samantha Weaver
Connor Webb
John Wehr
Clayton Weissenborn
Kenneth Weiss
Haley Wentz
Sarah Werner
Caitlyn Whitcomb
Alex White
Zachary White
Elijah Wickline
Carolyn Williams
Jessica Williams
Kieran Williams
Rachel Williams
Luke Winship
Courtney Wise
Natalia Wohletz
Camille Wood
Jenna Wood
Madeline Woods
Erika Worley
Lindsay Worthington
Mitchell Wynkoop
Kate Wynne

X

Cindy Xiao
Jincheng Xu
Mingyue Xu

Y

Z

Helena Zawal
Cheryl Zhang
Matthew Zhiss
Zhipeng Zhou

On Assignment at Commencement

Posted on June 16, 2015March 23, 2022

Elizabeth Nekesa Wanjala wears a graduation cap — The author borrowed a commencement cap for her “working journalist” portrait.

Coming to Kalamazoo College for a year as a visiting international (VI) student from Kenya was something that I really embraced from the beginning. Based on all I had heard about the College from preceding VI’s from my country, I knew my experience at K was going to be a life-changing opportunity. And not only have I gained from the different way of studying here, but I also got a chance to intern with the communications department after spring term ended on June 11.

My first assignment was to attend and write about commencement activities, including the senior awards ceremony, the senior music recital, Baccalaureate, and the actual commencement ceremony on June 14. I was thrilled to see how different students engage in different activities here at K. Senior awards ceremony lasted more than an hour, and many seniors received honors for their achievements. Indeed, Kalamazoo College shapes first-year students into well-behaved, focused, determined, and goal-oriented seniors. The senior recital followed the awards ceremony and featured such a wide variety of performances that I realized that Kalamazoo College has something for everyone–a Capella, opera, piano and guitar; all were extraordinary. I felt that attending K is like being molded into your optimal perfect fit and full potential.

For Baccalaureate that evening I managed to secure a first row seat in Stetson Chapel. I come from a Kenyan university that has none of these activities, and I think the Baccalaureate service is a good way to send seniors off to the world. By the end of the day I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the activities. If my editor restricted me to just one word for what I had experienced, that word would be ‘breath-taking’.

Commencement was scheduled to start on Sunday at 1 p.m. Clouds and sporadic spurts of rain made the day unpromising, but all turned out well. Rain postponed the start to 2:15 p.m. Despite the unfavorable weather I loved being a part of this whole activity. I interviewed seniors, video recording them and taking photos. The rainy weather was nothing close to a stumbling block for me. I had my umbrella ready. I could tell that the seniors I talked with were excited and satisfied to be part of K. The faculty and students processed down the quad from Stetson Chapel. The whole idea of faculty leading students down the quad during commencement was a new observation for me. At my university, with more than 2,000 graduates in a commencement ceremony, such a ritual would be impossible. Recognition of Kalamazoo College alumni during the ceremony proved to me that this college goes an extra mile to keep in touch with its students after they graduate. I am happy and thankful to be associated with Kalamazoo College—an institution that wholly molds an individual to his or her full potential and then goes a little further to keep connected with its alumni.

Text and photo by Elizabeth Nekesa Wanjala, visiting international student at Kalamazoo College, 2014-15

Senior Awards Ceremony 2015

Posted on June 13, 2015March 23, 2022

Congratulations to the following Kalamazoo College students, who received awards during the Senior Awards Ceremony on June 13, 2015, in Stetson Chapel. The awards include all academic divisions, prestigious scholarships, and special non-departmental awards. Again, congratulations to all graduates and members of the Class of 2015.

FINE ARTS DIVISION

Art and Art History

THE LILIA CHEN AWARD IN ART, awarded to students in their junior or senior year who distinguish themselves through their work in ceramics, sculpture, or painting, and who exhibit strong progress in their understanding of art.
Katie Hunter
Corinne MacInnes

THE GEORGE EATON ERRINGTON PRIZE, awarded to an outstanding senior are major.
Olivia Bouchard
Allison Hammerly

THE MICHAEL WASKOWSKY PRIZE, awarded to an outstanding junior or senior art major.
Lauren Gaunt

Music

The LILLIAN PRINGLE BALDAUF PRIZE IN MUSIC, awarded to an outstanding music student.
Hannah Shaughnessy-Mogill

THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT AWARD, given by the Music Department of the College for outstanding contributions to the musical life on campus, for achievement in performance areas, and for academic achievement.
Rebecca Beery
Nicole Caddow
Athena Curtiss
Lauren Drew
Abigail Fraser
Rina Fujiwara
Tibin John
Abby Keizer
Rachel LePage
Thanh Thanh Phan
Elizabeth Uribe

THE MARGARET UPTON PRIZE IN MUSIC, awarded each year to a student designated by the Music Department faculty as having made a significant achievement in music.
Bret Linvill
Ernest (Brad) Stech
Morgan Walker

Theatre Arts

THE RUTH SCOTT CHENERY AWARD, given to a graduating senior who has excelled academically in theatre and who plans to continue the study of theatre arts following graduation.
Grace Gilmore
Jane Huffman
Anya Opshinsky
Colleen Schuldeis

THE IRMGARD KOWATZKI THEATRE AWARD, awarded to the senior who has excelled both in academic areas and in theatrical productions during the four years at the College.
Jane Huffman

THE CHARLES TULLY DESIGN AWARD, given annually to a senior who has achieved excellence in some aspect of theatre design.
Katelyn Anderson

FOREIGN LANGUAGES DIVISION

Chinese

THE CHINESE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, recognizes seniors who have excelled in the study of the Chinese language and China-related subjects on campus and abroad in China.
Gordon Backer
Alexander Werder
Luke Winship

Classical Studies

THE CLARA H. BUCKLEY PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN LATIN, awarded to an outstanding student of the language of the Romans.
Kaitlyn Greiner

THE DEPARTMENTAL PRIZE IN GREEK
Richard Woods

THE PROVOST’S PRIZE IN CLASSICS, awarded to that student who writes the best essay on a classical subject.
Kaitlyn Greiner

German

THE JOE FUGATE SENIOR GERMAN AWARD, awarded to a senior for excellence in German.
Rebecca Lennington

Japanese

THE JAPANESE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY, COLLEGE CHAPTER, is awarded in recognition of the student’s achievement in their study of the Japanese language and for their overall academic excellence.
Lauren Drew
Adam Eisenstein
Vageesha Liyana Gunawardana

Romance Languages

THE ALLIANCE FRANCAISE PRIZE IN FRENCH, awarded for excellence in French by an advanced student.
Haley Cartwright
Kelsey Donk
Lila Rothschild
Rolf Verhagen Metman

THE SENIOR SPANISH AWARD, given by the Department of Romance Languages for outstanding achievement in Spanish.
Allison Hammerly

HUMANITIES DIVISION

American Studies

THE DAVID STRAUSS PRIZE IN AMERICAN STUDIES, awarded for the best paper written by a graduating senior in his or her junior or senior year in any field of American Studies.
Andrea Satchwell

English

THE GRIFFIN PRIZE, awarded to the senior English major who, like Professor Gail Griffin, demonstrates an exceptional ability to bridge his/her analytical and creative work in the English department.
Allison Kennedy

THE ELWOOD H. AND ELIZABETH H. SCHNEIDER PRIZE, awarded for outstanding and creative work in English done by a student who is not an English major.
Alejandra Castillo

THE MARY CLIFFORD STETSON PRIZE, awarded for excellence in English essay writing by a senior.
Jasmine An
Gordon Backer

THE DWIGHT AND LEOLA STOCKER PRIZE, awarded for excellence in English writing: prose or poetry.
Kate Belew (poetry)
Jane Huffman (poetry)
Hamin Kang (fiction)
Katherine Rapin (nonfiction/journalism)

History

THE JAMES BIRD BALCH PRIZE, for the showing academic excellence in American History.
Samantha Foran

THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT AWARD, given for outstanding work in the major.
Abigail Fraser

Philosophy

THE DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY PRIZE, awarded for excellence in any year’s work in philosophy.
Morgan Jennings
Christian VanHouten

THE HODGE PRIZE IN PHILOSOPHY, awarded to that member of the graduating class who has the highest standing in the field.
Morgan Jennings

Religion

THE MARION H. DUNSMORE MEMORIAL PRIZE IN RELIGION, awarded to a graduating senior for excellence in the major.
Caroline Barnett

NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS DIVISION

Biology

THE H. LEWIS BATTS PRIZE, awarded to the senior who has done the most to support the activities of the Biology Department and to further the spirit of collegiality among students and faculty in the Department.
Asia Liza Morales

THE ROBERT BZDYL PRIZE IN MARINE BIOLOGY, awarded to one or more students with demonstrated interest and ability in marine biology or related fields.
Shelby Retherford

THE DIEBOLD SCHOLAR AWARD, given to one or more seniors in recognition of excellence in the oral or poster presentation of the SIP at the Diebold Symposium.
Emily Holloway
Jack Kemper
Dylan Shearer
Austin Voydanoff

THE WILLIAM E. PRAEGER PRIZE, established by the faculty in the Biology Department and awarded to the most outstanding senior major in Biology, based on academic achievement in the discipline.
Lucy Mailing
Austin Voydanoff

Chemistry

THE ANNUAL UNDERGRADUATE AWARD IN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, sponsored by the American Chemical Society Division of Inorganic Chemistry, to an undergraduate student planning on pursuing graduate studies in chemistry.
Mojtaba Akhavantafti

THE ANNUAL UNDERGRADUATE AWARD IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, sponsored by the American Chemical Society and subcommittee for the Division of Organic Chemistry, to an undergraduate student who displays significant aptitude for a career in organic chemistry.
Vageesha Liyana Gunawardana

THE OUTSTANDING CHEMISTRY STUDENT FROM KALAMAZOO COLLEGE, sponsored by the Kalamazoo Section of the American Chemical Society and is given to the graduating senior who has demonstrated leadership in the chemistry department and plans to pursue graduate studies in chemistry.
Thanh Thanh Phan

THE KURT KAUFMAN FELLOW, given annually to seniors who receive Honors in the Senior Individualized Project (SIP) conducted with faculty in the Chemistry Department.
Rina Fujiwara

Mathematics and Computer Science

THE CLARKE BENEDICT WILLIAMS PRIZE, awarded to that member of the graduating class who has the best record in mathematics and the allied sciences.
Tibin John

Physics

THE JOHN WESLEY HORNBECK PRIZE, awarded to a senior with the highest achievement for the year’s work in advanced physics toward a major.
Mojtaba Akhavantafti

PHYSICAL EDUCATION DIVISION

Physical Education

THE GEORGE ACKER AWARD awarded annually to a male athlete who in his participation gave all, never quit, with good spirit supported others unselfishly, and whose example was inspirational.
Clayton Weissenborn

THE TISH LOVELESS AWARD, given by the Department of Physical Education to the outstanding senior female athlete.
Emily Lindsay

THE KALAMAZOO COLLEGE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AWARD, for a graduating senior who has most successfully combined high scholarship with athletic prowess.
Dylan Shearer

THE MARY LONG BURCH AWARD, for a senior woman who has manifested interest in sports activities and excelled in scholarship.
Rachel Dandar

THE C. W. “OPIE” DAVIS AWARD, awarded to the outstanding senior male athlete.
Guilherme Guedes

THE KNOECHEL FAMILY AWARD, awarded to a senior male and a senior female member of the swim teams in recognition of demonstrated excellence in both intercollegiate swimming and academic performance.
Guilherme Guedes
Dylan Shearer

THE CATHERINE A. SMITH PRIZE IN WOMEN’S ATHLETICS, awarded to a woman athlete who in her participation gave all, never quit, with good spirit supported others unselfishly, and whose example was inspirational.
Olivia Bouchard
Bronte Payne

SOCIAL SCIENCES DIVISION

Anthropology and Sociology

THE RAYMOND L. HIGHTOWER AWARD, given to a graduating senior for excellence in and commitment to the disciplines of sociology and anthropology and leadership in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology.
Elisa Contreras
Mariah Hennen

Economics and Business

THE WILLIAM G. HOWARD MEMORIAL PRIZE, awarded to a senior for excellence in academic work in an economics or business major.
Drew Hopper
Bret Linvill
Phillip Mulder
Emerson Talanda-Fisher
Scott Wharam

THE PROVOST PRIZE IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS, awarded to a senior for excellence in academic work in a business major.
William Cagney
Tessa Lathrop

Human Development and Social Relations

THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL RELATIONS PRIZE, awarded for leadership in the major, reflecting commitment to inter-disciplinary thinking and social justice.
Grace Manger

Political Science

THE E. BRUCE BAXTER MEMORIAL AWARD, awarded to a senior showing outstanding development in the field of political science.
Skylar Young

THE WILLIAM G. HOWARD MEMORIAL PRIZE, awarded for excellence in a year’s work in political science.
Colin Cepuram

Psychology

THE MARSHALL HALLOCK BRENNER PRIZE awarded to an outstanding student for excellence in the field of psychology.
Alexandra Groffsky

THE XARIFA GREENQUIST MEMORIAL PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT AWARD, given in recognition of distinctive service to students and faculty in psychology by a student assistant.
Grace Bowe
Elizabeth Hanley
Kelsey Hill
Jenna Holmes

THE RICHARD D. KLEIN SENIOR AWARD IN PSYCHOLOGY, awarded to a senior psychology major for an outstanding SIP oral presentation.
Lyla Rothschild

THE RICHARD D. KLEIN SENIOR AWARD IN PSYCHOLOGY, given for outstanding contributions to the community
Hannah Bogard
Elizabeth Cabrera
Viridiana Carvajal

THE DONALD W. VAN LIERE PRIZE, given for excellence in psychology research.
Rachel LePage
Lyla Rothschild
Jessica Varana
Jeffery Washington

THE DONALD W. VAN LIERE PRIZE, given for excellence in psychology coursework.
Alexandra Groffsky
Elizabeth Hanley
Jenna Holmes
Tessa Lathrop
Perri Nicholson

Women’s Studies

THE CATHERINE A. SMITH PRIZE IN HUMAN RIGHTS, awarded to a senior who has been active on campus in promoting human rights, furthering progressive social and cultural change, and combating violence, repression, and bigotry.
Andrea Johnson

THE LUCINDA HINSDALE STONE PRIZE, awarded to a student whose scholarship, research or creative work in women’s studies, in the form of a SIP or other academic work, is most impressive.
Maya Edery

COLLEGE AWARDS

THE GORDON BEAUMONT MEMORIAL AWARD, awarded to the deserving student who displays qualities of selflessness, humanitarian concern, and willingness to help others, as exemplified in the life of Gordon Beaumont.
Kacey Cook
Bronte Payne

THE HENRY AND INEZ BROWN AWARD is awarded in recognition of outstanding participation in the College community.
David DeSimone
Tibin John

THE VIRGINIA HINKELMAN MEMORIAL AWARD is awarded to a deserving student who displays a deep concern for the well-being of children, as demonstrated through career goals in the field of child welfare.
Mele Makalo

THE ALPHA LAMBDA DELTA MARIA LEONARD SENIOR BOOK AWARD, given to the Alpha Lambda Delta member graduating with the highest GPA.
Jasmine An

THE BABETTE TRADER CAMPUS CITIZENSHIP AND LEADERSHIP AWARD, awarded to that member of the graduating class, who has most successfully combined campus citizenship and leadership with scholarship.
Elisa Contreras
Madeline Sinkovich

THE MAYNARD OWEN WILLIAMS MEMORIAL AWARD, for the best student entry in the form of an essay, poetry, paintings, sketches, photographs, or films derived from Study Abroad.
Kate Belew
Kelsey Donk
Luke Winship

The Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement recognizes THE HAM SCHOLARS, who work through community partnerships to empower girls and young women to lead and advocate.
Maya Edery

The Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute for Service-Learning recognizes LAPLANTE STUDENT SCHOLARS who have shown outstanding dedication to civic engagement and who design and lead community programs that promote a more just, equitable and sustainable world.
Jasmine An
Alejandra Castillo
Kacey Cook
Nolan Foust
Allison Kennedy
Andrea Satchwell
Mary Tobin

The Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement recognizes the VIBBERT SCHOLARS, students who honor and exemplify the life and spirit of Stephanie Vibbert–scholar, activist, poet, feminist and artist–by leading programs that promote equity and justice through the arts and feminist organizing.
Cheyenne Harvey

The Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement recognizes the DEMOORE/VONK SCHOLARS, students who “carry on the work of Howard DeMoore and Tony Vonk … by turning lives around,” working with incarcerated youth and adults and promoting restorative justice.
Hannah Bogard
Mele Makalo

THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP RECOGNITION AWARD is awarded to students who have provided key elements of leadership in their organizations, athletic teams, academic departments, employment, and the wider Kalamazoo community. Students were nominated by faculty and staff members in January. Seniors eligible for this award also had to meet a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average requirement and be in good academic and social standing at the College.
Mojtaba Akhavantafti
Jasmine An
Benjamin Baker
Caroline Barnett
Hannah Bogard
Olivia Bouchard
Elizabeth Cabrera
Haley Cartwright
David DeSimone
Scott Devine
Carl Ghafari
Alexandra Gothard
Cheyenne Harvey
Jane Huffman
Adriana Jarquin
Allison Kennedy
Emily Lindsay
Vageesha Liyana Gunawardana
Mele Makalo
Hannah Maness
Scott Manski
Natalie Melnick
Roxanna Menchaca
Asia Morales
Philip Mulder
Stephen Oliphant
Hannah Olsen
Bronte Payne
Adam Peters
Samuel Rood
Jenna Sexton
Colin Smith
Shang Sun
Mary Tobin
Luke Winship

Bridging Borders

Posted on June 8, 2015March 23, 2022

If you are walking through the Hicks Center or across the Quad on a sunny weekday afternoon, you may run into senior Rosie Tobin with groups of campus visitors. These visitors are not prospective students, and Tobin is not a tour guide—she is an ambassador, building bridges between K and the larger community.

Tobin’s guests are students in the Young Adult Program (YAP), a service for people aged 18 to 26 on the autism spectrum coordinated through the College’s Center for Civic Engagement. Tobin helps facilitate conversation and social interaction between YAP students and with members of the K community.

“The focus is really on relationship building between students, because people who are on the autism spectrum have, generally, a hard time with social interaction, social cues, and communication,” said Tobin.

The YAP students take two hours out of their week to come to campus and make these connections. The rest of the week, they spend in a classroom setting learning life skills, such as cooking, riding the bus, and managing money, according to Tobin.

While the benefits of the YAP students’ time on K’s campus are immeasurable for them, Tobin also highlighted the educational benefits for those who are not on the autism spectrum, as well.

“I think mental health is somewhat of a taboo topic. I think people don’t really know how to talk about it,” she said. “People don’t really know the right language to use or don’t really know how to interact with people who are different than them—people who look the same as them, but act differently.”

Serving those who face hardships is a passion of Tobin’s, which she attributes in large part to Professor of English Bruce Mills’ first year seminar “Crossing Borders: Autism and Other Ways of Knowing,” which introduced her to the topic.

It was then that she made the connection with YAP and developed a commitment that would lead her to be the programs’ Civic Engagement Scholar this past academic year.

“Everything I’ve done has increased my drive to work with people who don’t always receive the resources they need,” said Tobin.

Text by Matt Munoz ’14; Photo courtesy of Rosie Tobin

Class of 2019 Heyl Scholars

Posted on June 2, 2015March 23, 2022

At a recent late-May dinner Kalamazoo College feted the 2015 Kalamazoo county high school graduates who earned Heyl Scholarships for Kalamazoo College (to major in science or math) or Western Michigan University (to attend the Bronson School of Nursing). The scholarship covers tuition, book costs, and room charges. Scholarship winners are (l-r): front row — McKinzie Ervin, Cydney Martell, Kayla Park; second row — Farzad Razi, Jessica Wile, Mia Orlando; back row — Pete Schultz, Maggie Smith, and Rachel Wheat. Ervin, Martell, Park, Razi, Wile, Orlando, Schultz, and Smith will attend Kalamazoo College. Wheat will attend WMU’s Bronson School of Nursing. (photo by Tony Dugal)

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