Kalamazoo College students exemplified academic excellence and achieved amazing accomplishments around campus and around the world in 2023. Based on your clicks, here are the top 10 K student stories from the past year. Watch for our top news stories of faculty and staff, alumni and the College itself coming soon.
Lizzy Rottenberk is merging her passions of math and poetry. Together, they form “Academic Tangents,” where she integrates calculus theorems with poetry structures and contexts. The Senior Integrated Project (SIP) consists of reflective poems related to academic struggles with five different math concepts represented: functions, limits, derivatives, sequences and series, and anti-derivatives.
Lauren Crossman ’23 visited 22 small businesses in Kalamazoo to discuss their environmental practices, present an environmental report card, and help them create sustainability-related goals for her SIP. With happy business owners saving money, she presented her work at the Kalamazoo State Theatre in March during Green Drinks Kalamazoo, a monthly networking event of city businesses and friends.
Lauren Crossman ’23 presented her work at the Kalamazoo State Theatre in March during Green Drinks Kalamazoo, a monthly networking event of city businesses and friends that addresses sustainability.
Elle Waldron ’23—a women, gender and sexuality (WGS) major—is visiting a variety of feminist and gender-equity organizations to witness the tools and strategies they use to execute their work and complete their goals thanks to a new fellowship established by Robert Sherbin ’79.
She hopes those investigations will yield long-term relationships with people from around the world and allow her to consult those people regularly in the future. She would also like it to help her become a better critical thinker and define feminism from a global perspective as it’s influenced by a variety of historical and cultural contexts.
Rachel Kramer ’23 completed 10 weeks of research to investigate Neglected Tropical Diseases and health inequities in Ghana, Africa. She since has moved on to attend the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.
Rachel Kramer ’23 collecting blood samples from schoolchildren for tropical disease research.
The class Wheels of Change, offered for the first time, worked closely with community partners, including the City of Kalamazoo, the Open Roads Bike Program and K’s own Outdoor Programs, to explore how communities can build cycling infrastructure to better support residents. They then traveled for a week to Copenhagen, Denmark, to see how one of the world’s best for cycling infrastructure can provide lessons for Kalamazoo.
To top off the class, Professor of English Amelia Katanski’s Wheels of Change first-year seminar traveled for a week to Copenhagen, Denmark.
When significant sports moments are celebrated, fans turn to broadcasters for the words that will help make those moments historic. Zach Metz ’25 doesn’t yet have something like “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” to call his own, but he’s been preparing to be a broadcaster for years. And this summer, he interned as the play-by-play livestream broadcaster with the Grand Lake Mariners in Celina, Ohio, one of 14 cities with a Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League team.
Zach Metz ’25 was the livestream broadcaster for the Grand Lake Mariners, a Great Lakes Summer Baseball League team in Celina, Ohio.
Fiona O’Rielly ’23 set out on a sweltering, 500-mile hike across Spain along the ancient pilgrimage route Camino de Santiago. The interviews she conducted with other walkers along the way, formed the basis for her Spanish SIP, Caminando el Camino: Una experiencia de comunidad.
Fiona O’Rielly ’23 stops at one of the albergues, or hostels, along the Camino de Santiago to stay the night.
Erin Somsel ’24 is working with Associate Professor of Chemistry Dwight Williams and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative on developing a treatment for Chagas disease, which spreads through a parasite often called the kissing bug, as it damages the heart and other vital organs when the bug bites humans.
Six Kalamazoo County students seeking to major in STEM-related fields earned Heyl Scholarships last spring and chose to attend K beginning in the fall.
Heyl scholarships have enabled hundreds of high school graduates from Kalamazoo County to attend Kalamazoo College for STEM-focused majors or Western Michigan University for nursing, with renewable benefits for up to four years that cover tuition, fees, housing and a book allowance.
Riley Sackett (from left), Kelcey Briggs, Ava Schwachter, Jason Krawczyk, Pauline Hawkes, Abigail Eilertson, Benjamin Whitsett and Anthony Valade are this year’s Heyl Scholars. Schwachter, Krawczyk, Hawkes, Eilertson, Whitsett and Valade matriculated at Kalamazoo College.
Madison Barch ’24 had already been the first woman to score a point for the K football team by booting an extra point in a 2021 game. But an improvised two-point conversion in her last game this year gave her what are believed to be the first non-kicking points tallied by a woman at any level in the history of NCAA football.
Student-athlete Madison Barch ’24 recognizes the support she receives from family when she discusses her football achievements. They include (from left) brother-in-law, Josh Abate; second-oldest sister, Mackenzie Abate; dad, Peter Barch next to Madison; her mom, Michele Barch; oldest sister, Meaghan Barch;
younger sister, Marissa Barch; and cousin, Amanda Krieger.
The last points of the 2023 Kalamazoo College football season might be among the most significant in team history even if they didn’t get tallied as planned.
Madison Barch ’24, No. 48 in orange and black, thought she was about to attempt her last kick in college on November 11 at Trine, when—in the final minute—the snap on an extra point was bobbled, forcing her to improvise. She scrambled and unexpectedly ran wide open at the left side of the end zone with a pass from holder Josh Nichols ’24 on its way.
“I could just see the ball coming in, and I remember thinking to myself, ‘Madison, of all the times to catch a ball, you have to catch this ball right now,’” Barch said.
She had already been the first woman to score for the K football team two years prior by booting an extra point on September 4, 2021, in a game at Oberlin. But now, as Barch wrapped her fingers around the ball, she tallied a two-point conversion, recording what are believed to be the first non-kicking points by a woman at any level in the history of NCAA football.
“It was completely unplanned,” Barch said. “Coach joked around afterward asking me how much I had to pay Josh to get him to do that. I said, ‘Nothing, I swear!’ We always practiced it as a team just in case of emergencies, but it felt like an out-of-body experience. I don’t remember feeling anything when it happened. I just remember catching the ball. I then was so excited. There were so many emotions. It took all the self-control I had in me not to spike the ball like Rob Gronkowski. I didn’t think coach would be happy if we got a penalty from that.”
The Hornets lost 42-29 that day, but the team celebrated as though it had won a conference championship. Barch finished the game 3-for-3 on extra point attempts. Plus, all the young girls who showed up at K football games year after year to see Barch play had another reason to look up to her.
“I remember some of the guys running on the field and hitting my helmet, yelling, ‘Oh, my gosh!’” Barch said. “I was so excited that I almost forgot to give the ball back to the referee. I ran back, gave the ball to the referee and there was just a huddle of teammates.”
Barch’s football pursuits began in seventh grade while growing up in Utica, Michigan. Her sisters always had tried a variety of sports, and her male peers, after seeing her play soccer, encouraged her to try kicking for the football team. Her dad, Peter, was excited to let her try it, but Barch’s mom, Michele, needed to be convinced.
“I don’t know how I convinced her, but I did somehow,” Barch said. “I’m sure she was frightened, but now, she’s my number one fan by far.”
In being that top fan, Mom convinced Barch to pursue football through high school—where ESPN once showed her practicing field goals of more than 50 yards—and even into college. That led Barch to attend a prestigious prospect camp in Tennessee where she was its first-ever female invitee, and make spreadsheets that listed prospective schools along with the names and email addresses of their head coaches and special teams coaches.
“I’m so glad she pushed me through that,” Barch said. “She knows me better than I know myself.”
After hearing from a few Division II and III schools, Barch visited K and fell in love. A subsequent visit to another school didn’t go well.
“I remember sitting in the car with my dad on the way home from that visit, and I told him that I wanted to go to Kalamazoo,” Barch said. “I didn’t see myself going anywhere else. I’ve had so many good experiences over the past few years at K and it’s been life changing. I made so many good friends, so many good connections and I just don’t know where I would be if I never went to K.”
Barch still had some challenges on the road to her biggest accomplishments. Her K experience began with distance learning as a result of COVID-19 in fall 2020. The football team then attempted to move its fall 2020 season to spring 2021, but injuries forced them to cancel after two games. Barch also had a hip injury and a couple of personal illnesses along the way.
Regardless, Barch went on to elect a biochemistry major and stuck with football. She’s been on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll the past three years. She also became a President’s Student Ambassador—representing the College at formal events for community leaders, alumni and donors as an extension of the president’s office—and an Admission employee who leads prospective students on campus tours.
While she may have just wrapped up her collegiate football career, she’s looking forward to starting the next phase of her life. After graduating next spring, she would like to follow her dad’s lead into law enforcement and work in forensics, possibly starting with an internship with the Michigan State Police.
“I was in a 400-level chemistry class with Dr. Jennifer Furchak this fall called instrumental analysis, and we got to meet with an alumna from K who works in forensics in Tennessee,” Barch said. “Hearing from her and having that class was interesting. I think I would like working in ballistics and firearms analysis. Thinking about how I can trace one little shell casing back to wherever it came from seems cool to me. And yet I’m not too stressed about what I’m going to do. Whatever God has planned for me is going to work itself out.”
Kicker Madison Barch ’24 caught a two-point conversion against Trine on November 11, representing what are believed to be the first non-kicking points tallied by a woman at any level in college football history. Photo by Laura Moat.
Barch recognizes the support she receives from family when she discusses her football achievements. They include (from left) brother-in-law, Josh Abate; second-oldest sister, Mackenzie Abate; dad, Peter Barch next to Madison; her mom, Michele Barch; oldest sister, Meaghan Barch; younger sister, Marissa Barch; and cousin, Amanda Krieger.
Barch completes a kick in a Kalamazoo College football game. Her recent two-point conversion against Trine made college football history. Photo by Kimberley Moss.
Barch stands with some of her family members on Senior Day. Photo by Kimberley Moss.
A National Science Foundation grant for almost $250,000 is boosting inclusivity and access to lab experiences in the Kalamazoo College Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniela Arias-Rotondo, known around campus as Dr. DAR, was awarded $249,972 under the foundation’s Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (LEAPS-MPS). The LEAPS-MPS grant emphasizes helping pre-tenure faculty at institutions that do not traditionally receive significant amounts of NSF-MPS funding, including predominantly undergraduate institutions, as well as achieving excellence through diversity.
Arias-Rotondo will use the grant funding primarily to pay her student researchers—typically eight to 10 per term, known as DARlings—and to bring more research experiences into the classroom.
While the chemistry and biochemistry department is typically not able to pay students to work in the lab during the school year, “This grant lets me do that, so my students can work in the lab instead of having to take another job on or off campus,” Arias-Rotondo said. “That’s a great way to ensure that more people can have access to this experience, as opposed to only the people who have free time they can volunteer.”
The grant will also pay students who work in the lab over the summer (usually four or five), freeing up departmental and College funding that would normally pay those stipends.
“Not having to pay those four or five students through the provost’s office or the chemistry and biochemistry department means we will have money for other students to do research with us here in our department, or maybe in biology or physics, so that benefits not just my group, but the department and the College as a whole.”
The other primary focus of the grant is a re-design of the lab portion of the inorganic chemistry course CHEM 330.
“While we have some good lab courses here in our department where students get to learn a lot of techniques and a lot of concepts, many of those lab experiences are what we call canned experiments, meaning that they are not open ended,” Arias-Rotondo said. “You are making X compound, or you’re running Y experiment, and we know what you’re going to get in the end. We have some courses where we do more open-ended labs, which the students tend to enjoy more because there’s more of the unknown and problem solving. It’s very transformative because it shows you a different side of chemistry.”
Inspired by the work of colleagues in the department, particularly Dorothy H. Heyl Professor of Chemistry Regina Stevens-Truss, Arias-Rotondo has been able to use the grant to revamp the lab for CHEM 330, inorganic chemistry, to more closely resemble research.
“That’s really good for the students,” Arias-Rotondo said. “It’s more work, but it’s also more rewarding, because now they are doing things that are new, and they are making molecules that no one made before.”
Providing access to lab experiences for more students at K truly changes lives.
“It gives them the opportunity to see what research is really like,” Arias-Rotondo said. “It also gives them a challenge that is theirs. I’ve seen students who were very unsure of what to do—not because they are not good, but because they’ve never had the opportunity to prove themselves—and you give them this task. You support them, you tell them, ‘This is hard, but I trust that you can do it,’ and they rise to the challenge. It’s amazing to see the transformation in them. They learn a lot about chemistry. They learn a lot of techniques. They get a better idea of what a career in research could look like. And they learn a lot about themselves, about asking for help and working independently, but also working as part of a team, about troubleshooting, and they gain a lot of confidence.”
Working in a lab also increases students’ sense of belonging.
“They make friends,” Arias-Rotondo said. “They meet people within our department, further ahead or behind, depending on who they are. They meet more professors and students, and they feel more a part of the department, even before they declare their major. They’re like, ‘Oh, this is my place. These are my people.’ And it helps them see themselves as scientists.”
In addition to paying student researchers and improving lab coursework experiences, the grant is paying for supplies in Arias-Rotondo’s lab, where she and her DARlings work on making compounds that can absorb solar energy and turn it into electricity using manganese, a low-cost, low-toxicity alternative to the materials currently used in solar energy conversion, which tend to be rare, expensive and difficult to mine.
The grant will also provide a summer salary for Arias-Rotondo’s research, help fund travel for students to attend conferences and share their results, and potentially purchase or update small instruments for the lab.
Arias-Rotondo applied for the LEAPS-MPS grant in January 2023, with the help of Director of Grants, Fellowships and Research Jessica Fowle and colleagues in the chemistry department.
“Jess is amazing; I don’t think I could have done this without her,” Arias-Rotondo said. “I also had a lot of support from my department with writing, reading drafts, giving feedback.”
In August, she learned she had been awarded the grant, and it started Sept. 1. Arias-Rotondo has two years to spend the money, with an option to extend it to a third year if needed.
“It’s just under a quarter million,” Arias-Rotondo said. “Sometimes I can’t believe that anyone would trust me with that. I say this because a lot of times, I look around and think, ‘Who thought that I could do this?’ It’s a dream come true, and this grant is amazing, but it’s also like, ‘Wow, someone thought that I could do it.’
“A lot of times students don’t trust themselves. Imposter syndrome is a real thing, and students look at me and think, ‘Oh, she’s got it. Professors know what they’re doing.’ It’s important to me to let people know that’s not true. It’s not like one day your feelings of inadequacy just lift off, and now you feel so confident that everything is great. You keep having doubts. I care about letting them know that, so if they get to grad school, or they get their Ph.D., or whenever, and they still feel like they are faking it, they still feel like they are not good enough, they know that doesn’t mean that they are not good enough. That’s just the way our brains work. You can be great and still feel like you’re not. I keep talking about that because it’s important to normalize it.”
Experiences like those afforded by the LEAPS-MPS grant go a long way toward building students’ confidence in themselves.
“I’m really excited for all the things that this grant is doing for students,” Arias-Rotondo said. “It gives them a lot of opportunities. You can see how excited they are when they present posters, or when they talk about research with their friends, not just learning chemistry, but also self-confidence that they can do hard things. You can see the progression. It doesn’t matter how good they were when they started. At the end of it, they are so much tighter with each other, they have learned so much, and they are so much better.”
A grant from the National Science Foundation will help Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniela Arias-Rotondo pay students who work in her research lab, such as Maxwell Rhames ’25 (left) and Caelan Frazier ’23, pictured during the summer of 2022.
Arias-Rotondo took a holiday photo before the end of term with her fall 2023 student researchers, the first group to be paid for their school-year work in her lab.
Arias-Rotondo is pictured with her summer 2023 lab group, (from left) Maxwell Rhames ’25, Maddie Coffman ’24, Deepa Jha ’24, Arias-Rotondo, Sam Ewald ’24, Mirella Villani ’24 and Will Tocco ’26.
Arias-Rotondo is pictured with a 3D-printed version of one of the molecules her lab has made.
Arias-Rotondo is pictured at Commencement 2023 are graduating DARlings (from left) Shay Brown ’23, Chloe Lucci ’23, Arias-Rotondo, Mia Tucci ’23, Zekie Mulder ’23 and Caelan Frazier ’23.
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 Fall 2023 academic term. Students who elect to take a letter-graded course on a credit/no credit basis (CR/NC) are not eligible for Dean’s List consideration during that term. Nor are students who receive an F, NC or W grade for that particular term. Students with incomplete (I) or in-progress (IP) grades will be considered for the Dean’s List upon receipt of their final grades. Dean’s List recognition is posted on students’ transcripts. Kudos to the entire group for Fall 2023.
Congratulations to the students who qualified for the Fall 2023 Dean’s List.
Fall 2023
A
Shannon Abbott Amirat Adebiyi Fuzail Ahmed Maya Alkema Caleb Allen Randa Alnaas Mahmoud Alsafadi Altanshagai Altankhuu Fanny Alvarado Lana Alvey Farida Amini Zahra Amini Paige Anderson Eleanor Andrews Unayza Anika Michael Ankley Connor Anspach Madison Anspach Maya Arau Peyton Arendsen Kaelyn Arlington Alexandra Armin Emily Auchter Edith Aviles James Azim
B
Annalise Bailey Poppy Balkema Elizabeth Ballinger Evan Barker Ethan Barnes Brianna Barnes Shyane Barnes-Taylor Lena Barrett Gabriella Barry Joseph Basil Nathan Bauer Emma Becker Justin Beckrow Saniyah Bedell Conner Bell Shelby Bennett Aubrey Benson Jane Bentley Thomas Bentley Alexandrea Bernal Eleanor Bernas Jonah Beurkens Thalia Bills Katherine Black Henry Black Douglas Blackwood Preston Blanzy Axel Bodeux Lukas Bolton Alexandra Bonebrake Dylan Bonnett Jack Boshoven Sotirios Bougioukos Eleni Bougioukou Juliette Bournay Jaylen Bowles-Swain Yvette Boyse-Peacor Allison Bozyk Aerin Braunohler Jay Breck Chloe Briggs Avery Brockington Blair Brouwers Jonathan Brunette Chloe Bryant Jaden Buist John Bungart Leah Bunnell Victoria Burnham Ian Burr
C
Erendira Cabrera Isaiah Calderon Kennedy Campbell Eleanor Campion Olivia Cannizzaro Luis Castro-Limon Emma Caulkins Abigail Caza Daniel Celedon Ashley Chance Josetta Checkett Yongwan Cho Trustin Christopher Noah Chun Eva Clancy Thomas Clark Maya Clarren Kai Clingenpeel Mai Elise Code Madeleine Coffman Logan Coller Quinn Collins Courtney Cotter Cate Cotter Holden Coulter Lucy Cripe Maeve Crothers Gwendolyn Crowder Smith Chase Cummins Isabel Curtis
D
Erik Danielson Claire Davis Hillary Davis Jasmine Davis Zachary Dean Tara Dean-Hall Shruti Debburman Lillian Deer Carson Deines Jacquelline Del Raso Jair Delgado Enrique Delzer Lina Denney Olivia Depauli Maansi Deswal Zachary DeVito Devi DeYoung Alexander Di Dio Michaela Dillbeck Mariam Diouf Shane Dong Alexia Dowell Jordan Doyle Charles Doyle Isaac Duncan
E
Matthew Edwards Sally Eggleston Abigail Eilertson Sara Elfring Evelyn Ellerbrock Owen Ellis Marvin Ernst Dilynn Everitt Caleb Ewald Chad Ewing
F
Blake Filkins Bridget Finco Sara Finks Ava Fischer Morgan Fischer Vincent Fodale Robyn Foley Kirsten Formell Daniel Foura Hillary Fox Kinga Fraczkiewicz Emma Frederiksen Matthew Freels Landrie Fridsma
G
Dillon Gacki Lucy Gallagher Ethan Galler Ana Garcia Aliza Garcia Brynna Garden Grey Gardner Ingrid Gardner Roberta Gatti William Geiger Grace Getachew Maira Ghaffar Aidan Gillig Abigail Gilmore Georgios Gkolois Samuel Gladhill Laura Goia Maxwell Goldner Lukas Graff Cecilia Gray Natalie Greene Cameo Green Kaitlyn Grice Natalie Gross Fiona Guikema-Bode Kendra Guitar Oliver Gutierrez
H
Sophia Haas Marissa Haas Aiden Habboub Emily Haigh Blu Haney Alison Hankins Geneva Hannibal Abel Hansonbrook Madeline Hanulcik Rachel Harman Sophie Hartl James Hauke Isabelle Hawkes Pauline Hawkes Willow Hayner Jacob Hazlewood Zachary Heikka Megan Herbst Litzy Hernandez Sophia Herold Maya Hester Ashlen Hill Hadley Hilner Bijou Hoehle Jacob Hoffman Annika Hokanson Olivia Holmes Julia Holt Ronin Honda Jaelyn Horn Joseph Horsfield Tyler Houle Gavin Houtkooper Ethan Huebsch Alek Hultberg Megan Hybels Kennedy Hynde
I
Carson Ihrke Jasmine Ivy
J
Gloria Jackson Angela Jacobo Colton Jacobs Teddy Jacobson Kai James Rex Jasper Morgan Jenkins Halley Johnson Anne Catherine Johnson Cloe Johnson Johe Newton Johnson Hayden Johnston Zane Jones
K
Amalia Kaerezi Jessica Kaplan Eliza Karlin Samuel Kartes Isabelle Kastel Emilia Kelly Alyson Kemery Mphumelelo Khaba Harriet Khamisi Hibah Khan Hyunwoo Kim Dong Eun Kim Vivian Kim Lily Kindle Caleb Kipnis Kendyl Kirshman Claire Kischer Alexander Kish Kathryn Klahorst Noah Kleiner Mart Klenke Steven Kloosterman Melody Kondoff Maxine Koos Daniel Koselka Emma Kovacevic Julia Kozal Jason Krawczyk Jack Kreckman Molly Kreibich Loden Krueger Annabelle Krygier Clayton Kryszak Kieya Kubert-Davis Ealin Kubicki Laryn Kuchta
L
Rylee Lambert Olivia Laser Annmarie Lawrence Elijah Layne Grace Leahey Huin Lee Margaret Lekan Kelsey Letchworth Kael Lewicki Sage Lewis Luis Lizardo-Rodriguez Alex Lloyd Alondra Lopez Jose Lopez Bernal Grace Lounds Teresa Lucas Lee Lum Jacob Lynett
M
Ellie Mace Lauren MacKersie Brett Manski Lesly Mares-Castro Ana Marín Vintimilla Ariadne Markou William Martel Cassidy Martini-Zeller Isabelle Mason Hollis Masterson Virginia Matta Lillian Mattern Matthew Matuza Zachary Maurice Benjamin Maurice Cedric May Carter Mayne Lauren McColley Vincent McCollum Grace McGlynn Kira McManus Ethan McNertney Raven Medina Rachel Meston Eva Metro-Roland Estelle Metz Gabriel Meyers Allison Meyers Carter Miller Brittany Miller Ella Miller Jade Milton Gloria Mireles Lauren Mitchell Elana Mitchell Lina Moghrabi Jana Molby Jacques Monchamp Dylan Montross Eliana Moreno Wyatt Mortensen Sarah Morton Maren Mosher Lorelei Moxon Fadi Muallem Mary Ellen Muenzenmaier Claire Mullins Anna Murphy Madison Murphy Braden Mussat Ella Myers
N
Elias Nagel-Bennett Nailia Narynbek Kyzy Blagoja Naskovski Ryan Neihsl Chloe Nelund Robert Newland Nguyen Nguyen Vinh Nguyen Yen Giang Nguyen Joshua Nichols Theodore Niemann Dustin Noble Savannah Norman Will Norwood Haleigh Nower
O
Ileana Oeschger Amara Okoro Gabriel Olivier Alexander Olsen Reece Omodio Kevin Oneill B Osborne Aryka Ostroski
P
Chelsea Paddock Maren Palmer Astrid Parker Eleanor Parks-Church Hannah Parsons Rachael Pashturro Juniper Pasternak Eric Paternoster Audrey Pegouske Mia Pellegrini Isabella Pellegrom Kaitlin Peot Alex Pepin Addison Peter Maya Peters Noah Peters Margaret Peters Paige Peterson Indigo Philippe Mia Pierce Isabella Pimentel Madison Pisano William Plesscher Alex Plesscher Madelyn Portenga Bea Putman
Q
Suha Qashou Matthew Quirk
R
Elizabeth Rachiele Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci Leah Ramirez Sara Reathaford Emily Reece Liam Regan Lissette Reynoso Maxwell Rhames Claire Rhames Cody Rigley Sheldon Riley Narelle Robles Jocelyn Rodriguez Ash Rodriguez Olivia Roncone Amelia Rooks Luke Rop Brigid Roth Elizabeth Rottenberk Oliver Rubin Nathaniel Rulich Elliot Russell
S
Sophia Sajan Richard Sakurai-Kearns Abigail Samson Ryan Sanborn Leslie Santos Olivia Schleede Sophia Schlotterer D.J. Schneider Annika Schnell Cyanne Schuitema Arden Schultz Ava Schwachter Amalia Scorsone Keven Sedano Ordonez Jacinda Servantes Alison Settles Brendon Shaffer Morgan Shearer Tillie Sheldon Riley Shoemaker Cassidy Short Clara Siefke Mo Silcott Zachary Simmons Colby Skinner Dawson Skupin Maja Smith Grace Snyder Anoushka Soares Allison Sokacz Harry Spark Jonah Spates Ella Spooner Sophia Sprick Florian Stackow Marlee Standke Adam Stapleton Joseph Stein Taylor Stephens Molly Stevison Helen Stoy Donovan Streeter Abbygale Stump Drake Suggs Hannah Summerfield Kaleb Sydloski Brandon Sysol
T
Madison Talarico Levi Thomas William Thomas Minh Thu Le Jayden Thurmond-Oliver Emily Tiihonen William Tocco Jose Torres-Rios Phoebe Tozer Vincent Tran Vincent Tremonti Danielle Treyger Frances Trimble Maria Tripodis Joshua Troxler May Tun
U
Zachary Ufkes Hannah Ulanoski
V
Tony Vaisanen Anthony Valade Lucy Vandemark Hannah Vander Lugt Cameron VanGalder Cate VanSchaik Laila Vincent Madison Vrba Jessalyn Vrieland
W
Kaytin Waddell Ava Wagle Ipsa Wagle Annslee Ware Charles Wester Jack Wheeler Benjamin Whitsett Jay Wholihan Alicia Wilgoren Hannah Willit Siona Wilson Zoe Wilson Reagan Woods Maximilian Wright Emma Wrobleski
Y
Yan Yazhuo
Z
Jacob Zeller Sofia Zeller Maggie Zhu Rebecca Zoetewey Margaret Zorn Lee Zwart
An annual report released last month from the Institute of International Education (IIE) shows that Kalamazoo College remains among the top higher-education institutions in the country for study abroad opportunities thanks to student participation.
The Open Doors Report surveys more than 2,000 institutions including doctoral universities, master’s colleges and universities, baccalaureate colleges, associate’s colleges and special-focus institutions, and ranks K 18th among baccalaureate colleges for having 233 students abroad in 2021-22. The College is also ninth among baccalaureate institutions across the country for the percent of undergraduates who went to international sites in the same year.
K students choose from 58 study abroad programs of varying lengths and emphases in 29 countries on six continents over three, six or nine months. The ventures allow students to challenge their assumptions about themselves and other cultures in a rigorous experiential education environment.
“It’s thrilling to see the College’s strong study abroad placement in the Open Doors Report as it reflects the strengths of our global programs, our commitment to international immersion, and our dedication to worldwide partnerships,” Center for International Programs Executive Director Margaret Wiedenhoeft said. “This is a solid showing, especially considering that programs in the period analyzed were still affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions. We’re proud that our faculty and staff remain resolute in continuing our long-valued tradition of ensuring overseas experiences for our students.”
Kalamazoo College students on study abroad pose outside the main building at the Universidad
de Extremadura in Caceras, Spain. Photo by Resident Director Victoria Pineda.
IIE shares the Open Doors Report yearly through the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The organization, founded in 1919, is a private, not-for-profit leader in the global exchange of people and ideas as it creates programs of study and training for students, educators and professionals from all sectors in collaboration with governments, foundations and other sponsors. Those programs include the Fulbright Program and Gilman Scholarships administered for the Department of State.
For more information on this report, visit the study abroad section of the Open Doors website.
Darsalam Amir ’24, a triple major in business and economics, biochemistry, and religion, is launching a natural fragrance company based on her family’s heritage from her dorm room.
With the help of a student team from Amy MacMillan’s Principles of Marketing class, Amir held a fragrance testing in Hicks Student Center to narrow down which scents she should produce and sell first.
Operculum onycha shells from Chad are a key ingredient in the handcrafted perfumes and incense Amir makes in her dorm room and sells at oudalsalamscents.com.
Darsalam Amir ’24 started pondering the idea of launching a fragrance business based on her family’s cultural heritage in high school.
At Kalamazoo College, she found the support she needed to bring that dream to life before she graduates. As of November 15, Oud Al Salam is up and running, offering body oil, incense and perfume in two different sandalwood and musk scents at oudalsalamscents.com.
A triple major in biochemistry, economics and business, and religion, Amir was born in Sudan. Her mother is Sudanese, and her father’s family is from Chad. The two African nations share a border, and Amir’s parents grew up in similar cultures.
After living in several different African countries, Amir’s family settled in Ghana when she was 3 years old. When she was 11, they moved to Lansing, Michigan—both times for educational opportunities for Amir and her siblings. At the same time, her father insisted that they speak only Zaghawa at home and maintain connections to their cultural background through food, dress and music.
The creation and use of natural scents represent a big piece of that cultural connection for Amir. On the Oud Al Salam website and on her Instagram at oud_al_Salam, Amir shares both updates about her scents and insights into their cultural significance.
“The scents and fragrances I create are a direct reflection of the cultural significance of perfumes and incense in my community,” Amir said. “They have held a special place in our lives for generations and have been a part of our traditions and rituals. The art of crafting perfumes and incense is a communal activity in my family and community.”
In Ghana and in the U.S., Amir’s mother found Sudanese communities that gathered often at each other’s houses.
“I vividly remember the gatherings, the sharing of fragrances, and the discussions about formulas and tweaks to create unique scents,” Amir said. “This cultural practice fostered a sense of togetherness, identity and appreciation for our heritage. By sharing these fragrances with a broader audience through my company, I am preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of my family and community. The scents are not just products; they are a bridge that connects people to our roots, evokes memories and fosters an understanding and appreciation of the beauty of diversity.”
Having completed an early college program, Amir came to K with both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in pre-health studies. She planned to earn a bachelor’s in biochemistry and proceed to medical school.
“I came to K thinking, ‘I know exactly what I want, I’m going to get in and out,’” Amir said. “I only needed a few courses to get my degree. Then the K culture got me and I wanted the full experience.”
Amir worked with a student team from Amy MacMillan’s Principles of Marketing class to help launch her natural fragrance business. Pictured at the end-of-term presentation are (from left) James Dailey ’26, Helen Le ’26, Amir, Francesca Ventura ’26, Zach DeVito ’26 and Eric Paternoster ’26.
Principles of Marketing students James Dailey ’26 (left) and Eric Paternoster ’26 stage a photo shoot for the natural fragrance business launched by Amir.
Amir’s Principles of Marketing student team staged a photo shoot to create this promotional image for her website.
Amir realized business classes at K might help her budding entrepreneurship more than her years of unsatisfying internet research had. She started with introductory economics classes and basic accounting—which she found fascinating—before working her way up to marketing classes with L. Lee Stryker Associate Professor of Business Management Amy MacMillan. She found inspiration in MacMillan’s Principles of Marketing course, where students work with clients to build a marketing plan.
“Our client was in nonprofit work,” Amir said. “She wasn’t making any money, but she was running this business, and I thought, ‘If she’s doing it, I could do it, too.’ It was a real-world situation. I had thought I was doing market research by watching YouTube videos and reading online articles. Now we were doing real market research and it was so impactful.”
Amir had been working in a pharmacy and saving as much as she could to invest in her company. When she finished the Principles of Marketing course as an enrolled student consultant, she approached MacMillan about returning as a client.
“I knew Darsalam to be a very dedicated student, so I knew that she would follow through and make it a worthwhile project,” MacMillan said. “I was also intrigued with her idea. When you introduce a new product, you want to make sure it is truly something new and different that meets a meaningful need. In this case, the idea of this high-end perfume that would incorporate ingredients from Chad seemed like a unique positioning that would have appeal.”
While the class has had a few past clients who are current K students, that happens rarely—and MacMillan gets excited about it every time.
“What I love about it is students supporting other students, and the recognition that you don’t have to wait until you’re grown up to be an entrepreneur; you can be an entrepreneur now and have these great ideas,” MacMillan said. “What really excites me about this is that peer-to-peer experience.”
Working with Amir provided her team with real-time, hands-on experience.
“The student teams work with the client the whole term,” MacMillan said. “The final presentation is usually a plan the client can execute sometime in the next six to 12 months. What is just wild about this project is that they’ve actually been off and running. They did fragrance testing in Hicks where they helped test both the appeal of certain fragrances and which ideas resonated most to help Darsalam understand not just how to choose the fragrances, but how to position and market them. It’s unfolding under their eyes, a business using their input in real time.”
During summer 2023, Amir traveled to Chad for the first time since her family settled in Ghana so many years ago. While conducting interviews, visiting museums and translating texts in service of her Senior Integrated Project examining how the Zaghawa people of Chad embraced Islam and synchronized it with their pre-Islamic beliefs and practices, Amir also spent time with family she had never met and visited local markets, with a cousin as her guide, to buy fragrance ingredients.
Amir’s ingredients for her fragrances include musk stones, sandalwood and operculum onycha shells she purchased in markets in Chad.
Amir is launching a natural fragrance company, Oud Al Salam, to share an important aspect of her family’s culture. “My work is a tribute to the traditions I cherish and a means of sharing the richness of my Sudanese-Chadian heritage with the world.”
Helen Le ’26, a member of Amir’s Principles of Marketing student team, agreed.
“Everything we have learned in class we apply immediately to our project,” Le said. “I feel like it is a more authentic experience and perspective. This class allows me to quickly apply the knowledge I’ve learned in practical situations.”
The project experience taught Le about handling workload, working in a group, time management, how to promote and execute ideas, and more.
“Darsalam’s energy and attitude will bring her and the business more success in the future,” Le said. “‘Where Fragrance Becomes a Cultural Connection’ is one of my favorite Oud Al Salam mission statement sentences. This is the part I like the most about this start-up; it is not only about selling a product, but also the experiences and the cultural promotion.”
“It’s exciting when you see a student take an idea and make it into a reality, especially when it aligns with a passion of theirs,” MacMillan said. “It’s a way for Darsalam to blend her business skills with her cultural heritage and to bring something new and different to the market.”
The student team has provided crucial marketing research, surveys, product testing and pricing assistance, Amir said. Her friend Amalia Kaerezi ’25 helped design the logo. An entrepreneurship workshop with David Rhoa, visiting assistant professor of economics and business, has helped inspire and shape Oud Al Salam. Her chemistry knowledge and lab experience proved invaluable in the process of developing the fragrances. Even her religion major has played a role, as a summer 2023 trip to Chad in service of her Senior Integrated Project in the religion department offered an opportunity to learn from family, practice perfumery and purchase ingredients—musk stones, sandalwood and operculum onycha shells.
Other supplies, such as bottles and labels, have been purchased online.
“One of the main hurdles has been finding reliable vendors who understand and share my vision for designing unique and appealing product packages,” Amir said. “This process has taught me the value of persistence and the importance of building strong partnerships with suppliers who believe in the same aesthetic and quality standards that I uphold. Balancing my business with my other commitments both on and off campus has been another significant challenge.”
In addition to her three majors and her pharmacy job, Amir works in the College library and as a residential assistant for Trowbridge and Dewaters halls. She also serves as president of Kalama-Africa and as an active member of the diversity committee for Kalamazoo College Council of Student Representatives.
“Sometimes we walk behind Harmon past the K buses that say, ‘More in four,’” Amir said. “Whenever my friends see that, they’re like, ‘That’s you, Darsalam! They said more in four, you said more in a lifetime, and you’re doing it.’ That slogan speaks to me right now. I tried to get all the experience that I could in these four years.”
Amir plans to graduate in spring 2024 and take two gap years to develop Oud Al Salam before beginning medical school. She is looking into fellowships that could help her travel around Africa to learn more about the art of perfumes and incense.
Launching Oud Al Salam is just the beginning of the dream. Amir wants to explore sustainable and eco-friendly packaging, collaborations with local artisans, support for the communities where she sources ingredients, and classes for people interested in learning more about perfumery.
“I’m genuinely excited about the future of my company,” Amir said. “My primary goal is to see it thrive and reach new heights, with our scents becoming household names that people trust and love. I envision physical stores opening up across Michigan, offering our customers a tangible and immersive experience with our fragrances.
“My goal is not just to sell products but to create a brand that resonates with people on a deeper level and contributes positively to society.”
Amir said her fragrance company’s name is derived from the Arabic word for “comes from wood” as well as from her name.
If National Philanthropy Day, celebrated every November 15, enables the country to recognize big and small acts of generosity—through giving, volunteering and charitable engagement—there’s plenty of room to recognize our own engaged Kalamazoo College communities such as the class of 1973.
Volunteers from the alumni group connected with their classmates as a part of their 50th reunion to secure more than $300,000 from 64 of its members to endow a scholarship supporting K students.
Scholarships open the doors to K’s transformative education and experiential opportunities. This year’s recipients of the Class of 1973 Endowed Scholarship include Shannon Abbott ’24. She recently reflected on her time abroad in Japan, an experience that she says broadened her horizons.
“I love language learning and wanted to try a new language while studying at K,” she said. “I chose Japanese because I already had an interest in Japanese culture and thought it was a unique language to have the privilege to learn. Upon taking my first Japanese classes, I made close friends and had lots of fun, so I continued to study Japanese. Although Japanese is difficult, I find it to be a very rewarding language to learn and practice.”
The six-month study abroad experience allowed Abbott to meet new people through a homestay and an internship where she studied tea culture by learning sadou, a tea ceremony, and working in a tea shop. She also visited relevant sites in Kyoto before returning to K and applying her knowledge toward Japanese department events and its official social media.
Abbott added that she gained a clearer sense of independence that classroom experiences wouldn’t have provided.
“I think that being in an environment where you completely surrender to being a student—as a foreigner to the language, customs and norms—opens one up to new ways of thinking and thriving,” she said. “I believe I gained more life experience and experiential knowledge during those six months than I have throughout most of my adult life. I am extremely grateful for the funds I have received because they allowed me to live a dream. I made so many connections and friends in Japan, and I plan to go back and continue building those relationships.”
National Philanthropy Day is an opportunity to honor and celebrate the contributions of alumni and friends who support Kalamazoo College through their time, talent and charitable giving.
“The generosity of individuals and groups like the class of 1973 not only enhances educational opportunities for our students, it also inspires others to contribute to the growth and success of future generations,” Vice President for Advancement Karen Isble said. “This day serves as a reminder of the vital role that philanthropy plays in shaping a brighter future for students at K.”
Shannon Abbott ’24, pictured here on study abroad in Japan, is one of this year’s recipients of the Class of 1973 Endowed Scholarship.
A group of volunteers connected and engaged with their classmates to secure more than $300,000 from 64 members of the class of 1973 to endow a scholarship for Kalamazoo College students.
National First-Generation Day celebrates students, faculty and staff around the country who are the first in their family to pursue a four-year undergraduate degree. November 8 was identified as the date because it honors the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which expanded college opportunities for low-income and first-generation populations.
Championed by the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Center for First-Generation Student Success, the day brings awareness to the strengths of first-generation students. At Kalamazoo College, we seek to affirm those strengths and the assets they bring to us by supporting, elevating and increasing their visibility on campus.
Here are a few stories of our students and staff. We asked them about their involvement and activities, why they chose K and their advice for other first-generation students.
Lizbeth Blas-Rangel ’24
Involvement and activities: During my time at Kalamazoo College, I have actively engaged and volunteered in several initiatives on campus and within the local community. I am currently a part of GEMS (Girls Empowered and Motivated to Succeed), an impactful mentorship program that mentors newcomers and refugees. I’ve volunteered in ESL classes at Milwood School and volunteered at Read and Write Kalamazoo (RAWK). I’ve also dedicated my time to the County ID program, providing essential identification services to residents of Kalamazoo.
Why I chose K: I chose to attend Kalamazoo College because of its open curriculum and small environment. The open curriculum has allowed me to explore a variety of classes and truly find what I am passionate about. Also, having small classes has allowed me to directly engage and connect with my professors and classmates, which has fostered a deeper understanding.
My advice to other first-generation students: Embrace your uniqueness; your background is a strength! Never be afraid to ask questions and seek help. Remember, you belong here!
Lizbeth Blas-Rangel ’24
Finn Brent ’24
Involvement and activities: During my time at K, I have been involved in Ultimate Frisbee, the soccer team and the Aspiring Law Student Organization at different points throughout. I have done two community building internships that were offered through the Center for Civic Engagement.
Why I chose K: I chose to attend K because I liked the idea of attending a smaller school that prioritized academic success, and to make use of the Kalamazoo Promise, which I am a beneficiary of after attending Kalamazoo Public Schools.
My advice to other first-generation students: My advice would be to seek resources to be prepared to become accustomed to the differences between high school and college because it can be a big change with limited prior knowledge and there are plenty of resources available.
Finn Brent ’24
Yaire Cisneros Tovar ’26
Involvement and activities: I’m involved with the Latinx Student Organization, Sukuma Dow, and I occasionally volunteer at El Sol Elementary.
Why I chose K: I chose to attend Kalamazoo College because of the school’s flexible curriculum which allows me to explore different interests in majors and minors.
My advice to other first-generation students: My advice to first-generation students is not to be afraid to ask for help. Finding resources in college can seem overwhelming but they are there for a reason and can help open doors to opportunities.
Yaire Cisneros Tovar ’26
Samantha Cuevas-Ramos ’26
Involvement and activities: Some student organizations that I’m involved in are WOCA ((Womxn of Color Alliance), QTPOCC (Queer and Trans People of Color Collective) and LSO (Latinx Student Organization). Currently, I’m an FYE (First-Year Experience) mentor and it has been amazing, I really got to connect with a lot of first-years who are also first-generation. I think it’s important for them to have someone who they can relate to and go to when they need help or just to talk. In my first year, I volunteered at EL Concilio as a tutor for elementary school students, and because of this, it drove me to become a CAPS tutor for the CCE. I hope for the winter term of my sophomore year I can go back to volunteering at EL Concilio.
Why I chose K: When doing my college search during my senior year of high school, I was nominated for the POSSE scholarship. Although I didn’t get chosen, I fell in love with Kalamazoo College, and when I got in, I was so happy, so I decided to accept my offer. But I do have to say it was also because of the financial aid offer they had given me. To this day, I don’t regret coming to K.
My advice to other first-generation students: Put yourself out there. I’m typically a shy timid person but after taking a few steps out of my comfort zone I was really able to achieve a lot of things. A few things that I learned were to ask for help, I realized that if I didn’t reach out for help, I wasn’t going to be able to succeed in my classes. K has a lot of resources, like the writing center it’s an amazing place to go if you’re struggling in writing your paper for a class, the learning support center will help you get organized they also provide amazing studying tips, and your professors I mean they are here to help you to succeed in their class.
Samantha Cuevas-Ramos ’26
Abigail Gutierrez ’25
Involvement and activities: I’m a director in an acapella group on campus called ACAPOC (A Cappella People of Color). I have participated in the group since my first year on campus! I also am involved in The Cavern on campus where I am a student intern who works to create events on campus to bring the community together and I facilitate the Wednesday therapy dog visits in the cavern. I also am a mentor to first year students and I work to make their orientation and adjustment to campus as smooth as possible and make sure they know they are welcomed and cared for.
Why I chose K: Due to the incredible amount of financial aid the college was able to offer me, I knew that I would be able to come to college here. I also did lots of research on what the campus community was like and read that lots of professors knew their students by name. I knew that I would love to join a campus that was student run in many aspects as well.
My advice to other first-generation students: My advice is that no matter how much you miss home, it pays to stick it out and do something like attending college that has a chance of giving you better opportunities for your future. Also, when you get here, you will find that there are many people all around to support you, so reach out and know that you can always find someone who is on your team and wants you to succeed!
Abigail Gutierrez ’25
Maxine Horton ’17
Involvements and activities: I was involved with the Classics Club, volunteered at the Kalamazoo Institute of Art and I attended many of the events that were hosted on campus with my older sister, Hunter Brown ’16. However, I was busy working part-time for the Athletics Department and Facilities Management. Additionally, I was inducted into Alpha Lambda Delta; attended a Fulbright Commission, Durham University Summer Institute 2014; and went on study abroad to Rome in the American University of Rome program fall-winter 2015.
Why I chose K: I chose to attend K because of the opportunities to study abroad and the flexibility of the K-Plan, which allowed me to be hyper-focused on my studies in art history, history and classical studies. K provided me with the experiences and opportunities to uncover knowledge, get to know my professors on a one-to-one basis, and grow into a confident young adult.
My advice to other first-generation students: Kalamazoo College has the resources and the capability to take you wherever you want to go if you only ask. Although this experience was new to me, it was also new to my family, and while there were many learning curves along the way, the folks here at K were willing to help navigate me through it all.
Maxine Horton ’17
Grace Leahey ’25
Involvement and activities: On campus, I am involved with student development as a First-Year Experience mentor, Hillel at K and the Biochemistry Club as the vice chair.
Why I chose K: I chose Kalamazoo College because I really wanted the opportunity to foster connections with my professors and peers in a way I knew wouldn’t be available at a larger university. I also enjoyed the smaller campus size and the ability to start working on my degree without having to take general classes first.
My advice to other first-generation students: I would advise any first-gen students to always ask questions. There are so many resources just waiting to be tapped into and all it takes to gain access is to ask. Sometimes it’s hard to ask for help, but K has taught me that there will always be someone to help. The faculty and staff here really do want everyone to succeed.
Grace Leahey ’25
Elizabeth Rottenberk ’24
Involvements and activities: On campus, I am on the softball team as one of the team captains, I am a math consultant at the Math and Physics Center, I am a First-Year Experience mentor, president and co-founder of Hacky Sack Club, and I am one of the chair members of the Monte Carlo planning committee.
Why I chose K: I was eager to go to Kalamazoo College because it is academically competitive and I was offered to play for their softball team. What really got me to choose K is the small class sizes and the opportunity to explore different classes which led me to my math–English double major.
My advice to other first-generation students: As someone who has proven themselves amazingly by getting into a great college, do not feel like you need to keep proving yourself and go through your classes alone. Go seek help from others by collaborating with those in your class, going to office hours, going to helpful centers like the Math and Physics Center, Collaboration Center and more.
Elizabeth Rottenberk ’24
Sydney Salgado ’24
Involvements and activities: I am the upperclassmen co-president of our Latinx Student Organization. I am also a campus ambassador for my high school’s Schuler Scholar Program and the Departmental Student Advisor for the Spanish department. Additionally, I am very active in other student organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine, the Arab Student Union and Que Chevre. I have been blessed to be a part of all these organizations and opportunities and I am grateful for the students on campus who attend and organize collaborative and meaningful events.
Why I chose K: I decided to attend Kalamazoo College because K awarded me the most financial aid out of all the liberal art schools I applied to. I come from two hard-working immigrant parents, who have supported me in everything I do, so it was my goal to choose a college where they would not have to constantly worry about finding the means to help pay for my tuition.
My advice to other first-generation students: Take up your space! Share your thoughts in classrooms, with professors and with other students/friends/acquaintances. Your voice and your words matter, and they make a difference. Branch out! Go to club meetings or events your college hosts, even if you go by yourself. I promise you will meet some really cool people by doing this!
More than 300 students were recognized Friday during the annual Honors Day Convocation for excellence in academics and leadership. Students were recognized in six divisions: Fine Arts, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social Sciences, and Physical Education. Recipients of prestigious scholarships were recognized, as were members of national honor societies and students who received special Kalamazoo College awards. Student athletes and teams who won Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association awards also were honored. The students receiving Honors Day awards or recognition are listed below.
Fine Arts Division
Brian Gougeon Prize in Art
Kennedy Campbell James Hauke Ix-Chel James Morgan Jenkins Eliana Moreno Sophia Sprick
The Margaret Upton Prize in Music
Tyrus Parnell
Cooper Award Max Joos
Sherwood Prize Addison Peter
Theatre Arts First-Year Student Award
Isaiah Calderon Helen Stoy Max Wright
Division of Modern and Classical Languages
LeGrand Copley Prize in French
Eleanor Bernas Shruti Debburman
Hardy Fuchs Award
Henry Black Elizabeth Muenzenmaier Mary Ellen Muenzenmaier
Margo Light Award
Noah Chun
Department of Spanish Language and Literatures Prize
Claire Kischer Gabriel Olivier
Clara H. Buckley Prize for Excellence in Latin
Nick Wilson
Provost’s Prize in Classics
Rebecca Elias
Classics Department Prize in Greek
Nick Wilson
Humanities Division
O.M. Allen Prize in English
Madeline Moss
John B. Wickstrom Prize in History
Laryn Kuchta Hollis Masterson
Department of Philosophy Prize
Anna Budnick Nik Krupka Madeline Lawson Lina Moghrabi
L.J. and Eva (“Gibbie”) Hemmes Memorial Prize in Philosophy
Noah Chun Adam Cornier-Bridgeforth
Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division
Winifred Peake Jones Prize in Biology
Michaela Dillbeck
Department of Chemistry Prize
Trustin Christopher Kendra Guitar Emma Newlove
First-Year Chemistry Award
CJ Aldred Devi DeYoung William Tocco
Lemuel F. Smith Award
Roman Ramos
Computer Science Prize
Zahra Amini Zoie Banger Narelle Robles Minh Thu Le
First-Year Mathematics Award
Eva Clancy
Thomas O. Walton Prize in Mathematics
Joseph Horsfield Tristan Uphoff
Cooper Prize in Physics
Eva Clancy William Tocco
Social Sciences Division
Departmental Prize in Anthropology and Sociology
Jaylen Bowles-Swain Isaiah Calderon Dillon Gacki Vrinda Girdhar Gloria Jackson
William G. Howard Memorial Prize
Andreas Fathalla Lukas Hultberg Blagoja Naskovski Sydney Pickell
C. Wallace Lawrence Prize in Business
Gavin Houtkooper Jonah Spates
C. Wallace Lawrence Prize in Economics
Ethan DeNeen Cole Koryto Meganne Skoug
Irene and S. Kyle Morris Prize
Maya Alkema Lucas Hanifan Alek Hultberg Vinh Nguyen Sasha Olsen
Department of Psychology First-Year Student Prize
Brigid Roth
Physical Education Division
Division of Physical Education Prize
Ryar Rinehart Ella Spooner
Lauren Rosenthal ’13 Memorial Prize
Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci
Maggie Wardle Prize
Jordan Doyle
College Awards
Gordon Beaumont Memorial Award
Anum Khan Rojina Timsina Jordyn Wilson
Henry and Inez Brown Prize
Madison Barch Brynna Garden Rylie Kipfmueller Brett Manski
Virginia Hinkelman Memorial Award
Ana Ramirez
Davis United World College Scholar
Randa Alnaas Asha Dawson Millie Williams
Heyl Scholars
Class of 2027
Abigail Eilertson Ava Schwachter Pauline Hawkes Anthony Valade Jason Krawczyk Benjamin Whitsett
Posse Scholars
Class of 2027
Estrella Barcenas Marcos Perez Lena Barrett Ashley Rodriguez Mary-Ava Gonzalez Mo Silcott Tyler Herrejon Kennedy West Gerardo Herrera-Sanchez Alicia Wilgoren
National Merit Scholars
Class of 2027
Annalisa Bauer Benjamin Whitsett
Voynovich Scholars
Beren Akpinar Nico Lipton
Alpha Lambda Delta
Class of 2026
Alpha Lambda Delta is a national honor society that recognizes excellence in academic achievement during the first college year. To be eligible for membership, students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 and be in the top 20 percent of their class during the first year. The Kalamazoo College chapter was installed on March 5, 1942.
Maya Alkema Baylor Baldwin Evan Barker Yvette Boyse-Peacor Avery Brockington Eleanor Campion Trustin Christopher Noah Chun Kai Clingenpeel Shruti Debburman Devi DeYoung Michaela Dillbeck Jordan Doyle Sally Eggleston Elise Elliot Caleb Ewald Vrinda Girdhar Kendra Guitar Sophie Hartl James Hauke Annika Hokanson Alek Hultberg Cloe Johnson Jessica Kaplan Emilia Kelly Laryn Kuchta William Martel Hollis Masterson Virginia Matta Kira McManus Brittany Miller Lorelei Moxon Elizabeth Muenzenmaier Mary Ellen Muenzenmaier Robert Newland Emma Newlove Theodore Niemann Gabriel Olivier Chelsea Paddock Mia Pellegrini Mia Pierce William Plesscher Bea Putman Alyson Ramillano Anoushka Soares Ella Spooner Molly Stevison Abbygale Stump Minh Thu Le William Tocco Hannah Ulanoski Zoe Wilson Reagan Woods Maximilian Wright Kathryn Zabaldo
Enlightened Leadership Awards
Performing Arts: Music
Emily Auchter Josephine Bischoff Axel Bodeux Hillary Davis Maansi Deswal Isaac Duncan Evelyn Ellerbrock Owen Ellis Maira Ghaffar Rex Jasper Ryleigh Jaworski Dong Eun Kim Annabelle Krygier Nicholas Laframboise Rylee Lambert Elijah Layne Alex Lloyd Isabelle Mason Cedric May Raven Medina Estelle Metz Ella Myers Amelie Sack Tobin Schiller Max Shawhan Phoebe Tozer Sebastian Vargas-Beltran
MIAA Awards
These teams earned the 2022-2023 MIAA Team GPA Award for achieving a 3.300 or better grade point average for the entire academic year:
Baseball Men’s Cross Country Men’s Golf Men’s Lacrosse Men’s Swimming and Diving Men’s Tennis Women’s Basketball Women’s Cross Country Women’s Lacrosse Women’s Soccer Women’s Softball Women’s Swimming and Diving Women’s Tennis Women’s Volleyball
MIAA Academic Honor Roll
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association each year honors students at MIAA member colleges who achieve in the classroom and in athletic competition. Students need to be a letter winner in a varsity sport and maintain at least a 3.5 grade point average for the entire school year.
Fuzail Ahmed Maya Alkema Adnan Alousi Paige Anderson Eleanor Andrews Samuel Ankley Alexandra Armin Aidan Baas Madison Barch Travis Barclay Eleanor Bernas Luke Bormann Mairin Boshoven Jaylen Bowles-Swain Holly Bowling Ella Boyea Lukas Broadsword Anna Buck John Bungart Ian Burr Abigail Caza Isabella Caza Trustin Christopher Madeleine Coffman Zachary Connor Mia Crites Chase Cummins Emma Curcuru Erik Danielson Jessica Dant Claire Davis Kyla Davis Carson Deines Ethan DeNeen Sarah Densham Olivia Depauli Rorie Dougherty Jordan Doyle Ryan Drew Alexander Dubin Hannah Durant Rebecca Elias Elise Elliot Sara English Caleb Ewald Peter Fitzgerald Payton Fleming Parker Foster Andre Fouque Emma Frederiksen Aliza Garcia Brynna Garden Farah Ghazal Lillian Grelak Natalie Gross Kendra Guitar Sydney Hagaman Ryan Hanifan Alison Hankins Madeline Hanulcik Lucy Hart Sophie Hartl Zachary Heimbuch Maya Hester Jacob Hoffman Garrick Hohm Ronin Honda Jaelyn Horn Joseph Horsfield Molly Horton Tyler Houle Gavin Houtkooper Samuel Hughes Alek Hultberg Lukas Hultberg Michael Hume Madelaine Hurley Carson Ihrke Tristan James Jonathan Jiang Timothy Karubas Blake Kelsey Hunter Kiesling Meghan Killmaster Soussana Kimbouris Kendyl Kirshman Alexander Kish Lena Klemm Daniel Koselka Toni Koshmider Marissa Kovac Aidan Lancaster Louis Landreau Annmarie Lawrence Ilem Leisher Jacob Lynett Natalie Maki Benjamin Maurice Regan McKee Amy McNutt Rachel Meston Gabriel Meyers Luke Middlebrook Brittany Miller Cooper Mills Camille Misra Elana Mitchell Jana Molby Mackenzie Moore Samantha Moss Elizabeth Muenzenmaier Mary Ellen Muenzenmaier Anna Murphy Lindsey Nedd Justin Negrete Alexis Nesbitt Robert Newland Emma Newlove Dustin Noble Jeremiah Ohren-Hoeft Gabriel Olivier Brenden Oprinski Eric Paternoster Alexis Petty Sydney Pickell Benjamin Pickrel William Plesscher Harrison Poeszat Evan Pollens-Voigt Grayson Pratt Andrew Puckett Elizabeth Rachiele Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci Julia Rambo Sara Reathaford Liam Regan Keegan Reynolds Mya Richter Sheldon Riley Jacob Robertson Katherine Rock Luke Rop Alec Rosenbaum Eli Routt Charlotte Ruiter Maxwell Saxton Leo Schinker Vivian Schmidt Annika Schnell Amalia Scorsone Steven Shelton Cassidy Short Elizabeth Silber Colby Skinner Erin Somsel Jonah Spates Ella Spooner David Stechow Molly Stevison Emma Stickley Thomas Sylvester Ella Szczublewski Levi Thomas William Thomas Sophia Timm-Blow Renee Torres Jakob Torzewski Frances Trimble Oliver Tye Alexis Valdes Samantha Vande Pol Hannah Vander Lugt Cameron VanGalder Mitchel VanGalder Anna Varitek Gabriel Vidinas Joseph Wade Ivy Walker Riley Weber Margaret Wedge Dylan Wickey Andrew Widger Ava Williams Tony Yazbeck Hailey Yoder Jacob Zeller Sophie Zhuang Margaret Zorn
The curtain will rise beginning Thursday on a production that’s based on historical figures, but not historical fact, at Kalamazoo College’s Festival Playhouse.
Playhouse Creatures begins in 1669 as theatres in England are reopening after 17 years of Puritan suppression under a regime led by Oliver Cromwell. The Restoration Era is beginning with a monarchy re-established under King Charles II, who declares that women—for the first time in England—should be the actors in female-identifying roles.
The play examines five of the most famous actresses of the English stage to provide a moving and often comic account of the trailblazers. The characters include Doll Common, played by Brooklyn Moore ’24; Nell Gwynn, played by Jericho Trevino ’27; Mrs. Mary Betterton, played by Abby Nelson ’24; Mrs. Rebecca Marshall, played by Cameo Green ’24; and Mrs. Elizabeth Farley, played by May Moe Tun ’25.
Playhouse Creatures is the first play slated for the Festival Playhouse’s 60th season, which features a theme of “Systems as Old as Time,” focusing on the harmful systems that hold back the oppressed and how people fight against them. It will highlight the ways that joy, laughter and solidarity can still exist and thrive despite those systems.
Jericho Trevino ’27 (left) and May Moe Tun ’25 rehearse for “Playhouse Creatures,” which runs Thursday, November 2–Sunday, November 5, at the Festival Playhouse.
“Nell Gwynn, our main character, became an incredibly influential figure in English society, but she starts the show in a very low place, and we see her rise,” said Max Wright ’26, who is serving as the play’s dramaturg. “We also see the difference between the young, new actors and the women who were older after acting early in the Restoration.”
Wright is stepping into a production role for the first time. However, they have been acting since fourth grade and they were a featured actor in the Festival Playhouse show of Othello last year. Their responsibilities for this production include a lobby display that provides basic historical context, a brief look back on women in theater, and a view into the lives that the real-life characters led.
“It’s a very heavy show, but I think a lot of it is about overcoming the constraints that are placed on you and still making your way in the world, while finding your own place despite someone else’s expectations and the hardships you have to go through,” Wright said. “It’s very focused on the community aspect of how women have leaned on each other and the sisterhood of feminism in history.”
The play will be staged at 7:30 p.m. on November 2–4, and at 2 p.m. November 5, in the Festival Playhouse Theatre at 129 Thompson St. Thursday’s show will include American Sign Language interpretation in a performance made possible with support from Theatre Kalamazoo and the James Gilmore Foundation. Tickets are available online or by calling the Festival Playhouse at 269.337.7333. Audiences should be aware that the play’s content includes flashing lights and situations including abortion and simulated violence.
“Theatre in general is a wonderful experience because it tells stories in ways that can’t be done elsewhere,” Wright said. “The aspect of live theatre—of physically seeing a story played out in front of you—is a form of communication that we’ve had throughout history. That is how we share our culture. That is how we share our community. That is how we share the stories of ourselves in our past. This is one of the stories of our past and it was a crucial point in time for women and theatre in general.”
