Co-editors Lana Alvey ’24 and Greta Salamun ’25 are reminding students to submit personal creative written projects and visual artwork to this year’s Cauldron, a printed publication produced by its student organization at Kalamazoo College.
College Archives show The Cauldron has been published annually, except for a hiatus during the pandemic, since 1962. As two students who are passionate about writing, Alvey—an English and psychology double major—and Salamun—an English major—are honored to play a part in the reconstruction of The Cauldron and hope that this year’s edition will reflect K’s population of talented writers and artists.
Most of the editorial staff is composed of English and art majors along with many STEM-focused students, too. They work with Alvey and Salamun to select the content from submissions and organize each edition with support, advice and design services provided through College Marketing and Communication. Categories within the publication include poetry, nonfiction, fiction and art. Professor of English Andy Mozina, the magazine’s faculty advisor, provides guidance and advice to the co-editors; his help ensures that the official unveiling of the hard copies during spring term of ninth week’s Community Reflection at Stetson Chapel runs smoothly.
“When we hold the finished product during the reflection, there will be a moment of thinking ‘we did it,’ with all the students’ hard work toward this piece of art and literature, especially when we can flip through it,” Alvey said. “It will be powerful to see it. We’re proud to be this vessel for creative writing and art.”
In a nod to its former years, the co-editors plan to release this edition as a bound book, suitable for coffee tables, bookshelves and keepsakes.
Lana Alvey ’24, an English and psychology double major, is a co-editor of the 2023-24 edition of The Cauldron.
Last year’s edition of The Cauldron was a spiral-bound book that co-editors Alvey and Salamun are upgrading to a bound book this year.
Kalamazoo native Greta Salamun ’25 said she has always wanted to attend K and major in English.
Pages from past editions of The Cauldron show work of alumni such as contemporary artist Julie Mehretu ’92 and Tony Award winner Lisa Kron ’83.
“It will be a testament to how The Cauldron has returned and evolved,” Salamun said. “We had a spiral-bound book last year, which still felt great, but we’ve wanted to get back to the old format. If that much can change in a year, imagine what else might happen in 10 years’ time. You never know.”
For students uncertain whether they want to submit their personal work, Alvey and Salamun encourage everyone to participate.
“I think we’re removing the high stakes from sharing your work, considering that no one is graded for it,” Salamun said. “If we just submit something, knowing it doesn’t have to be hard, it can be light-hearted and fun because this campus is full of great students.”
In fact, students can think of participating in The Cauldron as being part of a legacy because many accomplished alumni such as the world-famous contemporary artist, Julie Mehretu ’92, and Tony Award winner, Lisa Kron ’83, contributed to The Cauldron as K students. In addition, theStephanie Vibbert Award will honor select pieces of writing that best exemplify the intersection between creative writing and community engagement. The final award is the Divine Crow Award where recipients will be selected blindly by a member of the greater Kalamazoo community.
“I feel that seeing your name in print and in an actual bound book is a big incentive for submitting your work,” Alvey said. “We have shown that we are good writers when we were accepted into K. This is a cool way to show what you can do, especially during the Community Reflection, where some students read their work aloud and we pass it out as a physical copy.”
Students who want to see their names and work published as writers and artists should use The Cauldron’s Google Docs form to submit before 11:59 p.m. Monday, February 26. All students, regardless of their majors and minors, are encouraged to participate.
“I’m from Kalamazoo and I’ve always wanted to attend this College and major in English,” Salamun said. “What I love about The Cauldron and writing is that it gives students, like myself, a creative outlet for expression. I know we have a lot of STEM majors here, and it can be a little nerve racking for students to try taking on poetry, short stories, art, or whatever it may be. But that creative outlet is so valuable.”
“To the students who have submitted, thank you,” Alvey said. “We know submitting can seem very daunting, but we are so excited to read your work and get it out there because the student population is very talented. We hope more people will submit their work to The Cauldron, so it can return to its bound form. I think being a part of such a great historical magazine and legacy is very powerful and it’s an honor.”
Ty Horky ’24 (left) and Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci ’24 are co-presidents of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, which created Compete for a Cause to support local charities and foundations.
Kalamazoo College’s football team joined the women’s soccer team in fall by raising breast cancer awareness and supporting the West Michigan Cancer Center with pink t-shirt sales.
Kalamazoo College volleyball spectators supported women’s health and the YWCA by purchasing red t-shirts at a match last fall.
Kalamazoo College’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) developed an idea last fall that is supporting local charities and foundations with the help of students, faculty, staff, parents and the community.
SAAC representatives, including co-presidents Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci ’24 and Ty Horky ’24, created Compete for a Cause, which allows K athletic teams that play in a specific season to select a beneficiary to back and a cause to amplify during a chosen Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) game on their schedule. Starting last term, student-athletes collaborated with local nonprofits, donning custom warm-up shirts on game day to raise community awareness. These custom shirts were available for sale, with all proceeds benefitting their partner organizations.
“Savera and I have been on the SAAC board since we were sophomores and we’ve moved up the committee together along the way,” Horky said. “Doing this was about how we can make something for the SAAC organization that lasts longer than us being here and how we can implement a plan to give back to the communities around us.”
SAAC’s first steps toward such efforts involved meeting with MIAA Commissioner Chris Brown and K athletics administrative representatives with the hope of getting the entire conference involved and initiate introductions with local charities. Their support proved to be inspiring.
“I think the support from administration, from the MIAA Commissioner all the way down, was nothing but positive,” Horky said. “Right off the bat, they just asked, ‘How can we help you? What can we do to get the ball rolling?’ Everybody being behind us has been a huge help.”
Then, despite weathering some in-game storms, the first season of Compete for a Cause was successful. Rajendra-Nicolucci’s women’s soccer squad, for example, chose breast cancer awareness as its cause, selected a game that coincided with a football contest, and conducted a united breast-cancer awareness day between the teams to benefit the West Michigan Cancer Center (WMCC).
Compete for a Cause Games
Kalamazoo College’s volleyball team raised women’s health awareness by supporting the YWCA of Kalamazoo with red t-shirt sales last fall.
In October, the football and women’s soccer teams raised breast cancer awareness by supporting the West Michigan Cancer Center with pink t-shirts.
The men’s soccer team raised food insecurity awareness by supporting Loaves and Fishes in Kalamazoo with orange t-shirt sales in October.
K’s men’s and women’s basketball squads are teaming up to support the houseless and the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission in their games on February 3.
K’s swimming and diving teams will raise mental health awareness and support Gryphon Place during their home meets on February 3.
A special thank you to Capital National Bank, HAP, Miller Johnson Attorneys of Kalamazoo and Underground Printing of Kalamazoo for their support.
K’s fall athletics teams secured well more than $1,000 in t-shirt sales and online donations for the West Michigan Cancer Center, the YWCA of Kalamazoo and Loaves and Fishes through Compete for a Cause events.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Council met with MIAA Commissioner Chris Brown and K athletics administrative representatives to generate their support for Compete for a Cause.
K’s football and women’s soccer teams endured a rain storm during their Compete for a Cause events, but still successfully raised funds for the West Michigan Cancer Center.
WMCC Director of Development Anne Witherspoon was invited to attend, raise awareness, share information and accept donations to support their mission.
“It was wonderful to see the student-athletes support the community through this initiative,” Witherspoon said. “Beyond just being incredible students, who I enjoyed spending time with, their impressive organization and professionalism fostered a meaningful connection with the K community, letting us share the WMCC mission with parents, fans and donors.”
Athletes were gratified by the support they received and the end result.
“It was definitely more work than we thought, especially with the business aspect of things, but we’ve learned that there’s so much in the Kalamazoo community to love,” Rajendra-Nicolucci said. “It was interesting to see how much we can do just by talking to people. Anne Witherspoon, who works at the West Michigan Cancer Center, said one of her best memories of the day was sitting with Ty and getting to know him and our school. Those connections go a long way and show there’s more to playing a college sport than the gear and winning.”
Horky (second from left) and Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci (fourth from right) are co-presidents of SAAC.
In serving SAAC, Rajendra-Nicolucci and Horky have consistently organized campus events for students, including student-athletes. But the first Compete for a Cause events have been special as they’ve reached out to the at-large community. And now, it’s time for K’s winter athletics teams, including Horky’s men’s basketball team, to take the effort’s reins.
The men’s and women’s basketball teams are combining their efforts to support homelessness awareness and the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission during their home games on Saturday, February 3. The same day, the swimming and diving teams will spread mental health awareness and donate all of their proceeds to Gryphon Place.
Separately in their time at K, Rajendra-Nicolucci played women’s golf for two years and taught biology and English to children in Spain during her study abroad experience. After graduating, she hopes to develop a career in medical or pharmaceutical sales. Horky also wants to build a career in medical and pharmaceutical sales and might consider playing basketball as a graduate student to fulfill a final year of eligibility. But Compete for a Cause’s effectiveness will be what they and other SAAC participants point to as they define their legacies at K.
“Students are busy all year, whether it is with school responsibilities, work responsibilities, athletic responsibilities or extracurriculars,” Rajendra-Nicolucci said. “Something as simple as this initiative can remind us that there is always more to be done. Giving back is something you will never regret. Whether it is the connections that you make along the way or the touching moments, these feelings are just as good or even better than the feeling of winning a double overtime game. Everyone is welcome to these games, and we hope to see you and the rest of the Kalamazoo community continue to give back to something greater than just a game.”
This year, the Kalamazoo College Counseling Center has been working on changes to its offerings with the goal of providing more equitable access and more tailored services to students when they need it most.
Starting winter term, the center will eliminate its seven-session limit for individual on-campus counseling, instead adopting a more flexible customized clinical care model. This approach helps ensure students receive the amount of support that best suits their needs.
“Having a session limit tends to put pressure on the student to use all the sessions available to them right away, whether they need them all at that time or not. This may not be the best approach for them, and it can also limit availability for other students seeking support,” said Erica Pearson, director of the counseling center. “Some students may only need three sessions to get the support they’re seeking, while some students may benefit from 10 sessions. Some students may come to us looking for coping strategies, get the info they need, and not need us again until later in the year if something else comes up for them. By introducing a customized clinical care model, the staff is better able to address the needs of more students more effectively.”
Another major enhancement for the center was the introduction of its partnership with Uwill this fall. With Uwill telehealth counseling services, students can receive secure and confidential access to a therapist in addition to what is offered on campus. Students can choose a therapist based on their preferences regarding gender, language, ethnicity and focus area; and schedule a session for video, phone, chat or messaging. “I think some people may worry that because it’s telehealth, the level of care is not equivalent to the services we offer on campus. However, that’s not the case. They’ll have access to licensed professionals, just as they would here, and they’ll have an opportunity to choose someone based on their personal preferences,” Pearson said.
Counseling Center Director Erica Pearson, Ph.D., LPC, NCC
In addition to telehealth counseling services, the center’s partnership with Uwill has expanded crisis services with a 24/7 support line staffed by licensed therapists. “It’s important that students know that this is a support line, not just a crisis line. Now students can talk with a licensed therapist any time of day, between academic quarters, when they’re out of town,” said Pearson. With this service significantly expanding student access to on-demand mental health support, the counseling center will be eliminating walk-in hours on campus and utilizing that time for additional pre-scheduled appointments.
“We hope these changes help address an important need at a time when students are really prioritizing their mental health,” Pearson said. “Offering around-the-clock accessibility through Uwill breaks down barriers of time and availability that often hinder access to services, and it allows our staff to dedicate more time to scheduled appointments on campus. And by utilizing a customized clinical care model, the center is better equipped to provide effective, empathetic and personalized care on campus.”
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Matthew Edwards Sally Eggleston Abigail Eilertson Sara Elfring Evelyn Ellerbrock Owen Ellis Marvin Ernst Dilynn Everitt Caleb Ewald Chad Ewing
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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
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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
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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
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Carson Ihrke Jasmine Ivy
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Ileana Oeschger Amara Okoro Gabriel Olivier Alexander Olsen Reece Omodio Kevin Oneill B Osborne Aryka Ostroski
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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
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Suha Qashou Matthew Quirk
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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
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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
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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
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Zachary Ufkes Hannah Ulanoski
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Tony Vaisanen Anthony Valade Lucy Vandemark Hannah Vander Lugt Cameron VanGalder Cate VanSchaik Laila Vincent Madison Vrba Jessalyn Vrieland
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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
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Yan Yazhuo
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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.
