awards

A Strong Sustainability Finish

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Logo for 2014 Recycle Mania tournamentThe Recyclemania 2014 tournament is “in the books;” and Kalamazoo College finished first in two categories–the Per Capita Classic, and Bottles and Cans. Recyclemania is the annual friendly competition among 461 universities and colleges in the U.S. and Canada dedicated to promoting waste reduction and recycling on campus.

Colleges and universities competing in the eight-week competition are ranked according to how much recycling, trash, and food waste they collect. Between the early-February kickoff and the tournament’s final day on March 29, participating schools collectively recycled or composted 89.1 million pounds of recyclables and organic materials, preventing the release of 126,597 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent into the atmosphere, which is the same as preventing annual emissions from 24,823 cars. K’s share of that success in greenhouse gas reduction is 139 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which converts to 27 cars off the road or the energy consumption of 12 households.

Rob Townsend, facilities management, and the coordinator of K’s Recyclemania tournament presence, administered K’s participation this year a little differently than in previous years: “No advertising, promotion, or public relations of any sort,” he said. “I was curious to see how well the College would do in the tournament just going about its daily business.” In other words, to what degree is recycling and waste minimization in our DNA, so to speak. Despite the strong finish, K won’t rest on its laurels. “We have some weaknesses,” says Townsend. “I would love to see us improve our waste minimization struggle,” the number of pounds of waste generated per person. Winner in that category was Valencia Community College (Kissimmee, Fla.), generating a meager 2.87 pounds of waste per person. K finished 134th at 81.8 pounds per person.

At least we are recycling much of that waste. At 48.62 pounds, K took first in the total pounds of recyclables per person (a.k.a. the “Per Capita Classic”). In the bottles and cans category, K led the way with nearly 15 pounds of recycled materials per person.

K did well in other tournament categories. In addition to its first place finishes, it placed in the top 20 in the Grand Champion category, the Paper category, and the Corrugated Cardboard category.

Outstanding Community Advocates

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Roxann Lawrence helps a student with schoolwork
Roxann Lawrence (right) and a CAPS student

Seniors Roxann Lawrence and Raven Fisher have integrated community service into their undergraduate academic learning in ways that are unmatched by most college students in the state of Michigan. And it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Roxann and Raven are co-recipients of the Outstanding Community Impact Award, given annually by the Michigan Campus Compact (MiCC). Only six such awards are given in the state (and some 600 students were nominated). In addition to honoring Roxann and Raven (both of whom will address the 18th Annual Outstanding Student Service Awards Celebration on April 12 in East Lansing, Michigan), MiCC will also bestow its Heart and Soul Award to 14 other Kalamazoo College students. They are Dana Allswede, Zoe Beaudry, Ebony Brown, Jordan Earnest, Amy Jimenez, Sherin John, Komal Khan, Colin Lauderdale, Katherine Mattison, Ayesha Popper, Chelsey Shannon, Eren Sipahi, Sarah Sullivan, and Madeline Vermeulen. The Heart and Soul Award recognizes students for their time, effort, and personal commitment to communities through service.

Roxann and Raven have been involved with Community Advocates for Parents and Students (CAPS), an advocacy and tutoring initiative founded in 2005 in response to the Kalamazoo Promise, which provides college tuition for Kalamazoo public schools graduates to any Michigan public university, college, or junior college. CAPS believes that all children, despite their economic circumstances, can learn and successfully take advantage of the Kalamazoo Promise College Scholarship Program. The program has made a difference for some 400 socioeconomically disadvantaged children.

Raven Fisher helps a student with schoolwork
Raven Fisher (left) and a CAPS student

Roxann and Raven were CAPS tutors during their first year at K. As sophomores they took a leadership role as Civic Engagement Scholars (CES) in the CAPS program. The CES program is part of the College’s Center for Civic Engagement. They are serving as co-directors of all K tutors in the program during their senior year. Both women are active in other campus organizations. Raven is president of K’s Black Student Organization; Roxann is president of the Caribbean Society. Roxann’s Senior Individualized Project focused on LGBT issues in her native Jamaica. Raven’s SIP involved working with Kalamazoo Public Schools on a program to introduce and measure the effect of a culturally relevant math curriculum for middle school students.

Michigan Campus Compact is a coalition of college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the public purpose of higher education. MiCC promotes the education and commitment of Michigan college students to be engaged citizens. Roxann and Raven were nominated for the Outstanding Community Impact Award by Teresa Denton, associate director of K’s Center for Civic Engagement.

Like Lit? Come to K …

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Dean of Kalamazoo area poets Con Hilberry
Con Hilberry, dean of Kalamazoo area poets, during a recent reading and celebration of his latest collection of poetry in the College’s Olmsted Room. Photo by Ly Nguyen ’14.

… would be the advice of an article by Anna Clark titled “Kalamazoo quietly emerging as a literary hot spot” that appeared in the Detroit Free Press and Lansing State Journal. Of course, K stands for Kalamazoo (the city) but certainly includes Kalamazoo College. The article quotes Bonnie Jo Campbell (author of American Salvage and Once Upon a River, among others) extensively, and Campbell has taught creative writing at K, and she has served as the College’s 2012 Summer Common Reading author. Literary prizes abound for Kalamazoo-area-related authors (Campbell has been a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics’ Circle Award; David Small is a National Book Award finalist for his graphic memoir Stitches (and a former faculty member in K’s art department); and Western Michigan University’s Jaimy Gordon is the 2010 National Book Award Winner (Lord of Misrule). Kalamazoo College connections abound, as well. Campbell was a frequent member of  a Monday night poetry class taught by Professor Emeritus of English and poet Con Hilberry (11 books, including, most recently, the highly acclaimed Until the Full Moon Has its Say). Campbell’s poems have appeared in Encore Magazine. Other former students of Con include published poets (and Kalamazoo residents and alumnae) Susan (Blackwell) Ramsey ’72 (A Mind Like This) and Gail (McMurray) Martin ’74 (Begin Empty Handed and The Hourglass Heart). Kalamazoo College Writer in Residence (and Kalamazoo resident and alumna) Diane Seuss ’78 will soon publish Four Legged Girl, which follows her two previous volumes of poetry (It Blows You Hollow and Wolf Lake White Gown Blown Open). Fiction writer and Professor of English Andy Mozina has published The Women Were Leaving the Men, and his new collection of short stories, Quality Snacks, is forthcoming. Professor of English Bruce Mills is currently on sabbatical promoting his new memoir An Archeology of Yearning. Mozina and Mills both reside in Kalamazoo. Professor Emeritus of English Gail Griffin (another Kalamazoo resident) is using her retirement to work on her next work. She is the author of the breathtaking “The Events of October”: Murder-Suicide on a Small Campus. Gail is also a published poet, and she has written a number of essay collections, including Calling: Essays on Teaching in the Mother Tongue and Season of the Witch: Border Lines, Marginal Notes. Yes, Kalamazoo College is the right place for literature. There may be no other place where it’s likely to go better.

Tenure and Class Dean Appointments

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Four outstanding Kalamazoo College teachers were awarded tenure and promoted to the rank of associate professor. The four individuals, and their departments, are: Dennis Frost (Ph.D., Columbia University), history and East Asian studies; Christine Hahn (Ph.D., University of Chicago), art and art history; Autumn Hostetter (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison), psychology; and Babli Sinha (Ph.D., University of Chicago), English and media studies. Frost, who is the Wen Chao Chen Associate Professor of East Asian Social Sciences, will serve as Dean of the Sophomore Class. Hostetter will serve as Dean of the Junior Class. Features on these four will appear in upcoming issues of the College’s publications.

K Student Activities Committee and Office of Student Involvement Claim Awards for “Hunger Games” Event

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K Student Activities Committee and Office of Student Involvement group photoKalamazoo College won the Outstanding Campus Collaboration Award and Program of the Year at the National Association of Campus Activities Mid America Region 2013 conference. It was the third year in a row that K was honored with either the Campus Collaboration Award or the Program of the Year in the region that includes colleges and universities throughout Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Illinois.

K’s Student Activities Committee and the Office of Student Involvement claimed both awards on the basis of a single program—Zoo After Dark: Winter Quarter Quell (Hunger Games)—developed by the Childish Games Commission (CGC), a student run organization.

“CGC is a unique group on the K campus,” said Assistant Director of Student Involvement Kate Yancho. “They meet at midnight every Friday and play games. Tag, Dodgeball, Kick-the-Can, Capture-the-Flag, etc. When they approached us about cosponsoring a Zoo After Dark (our late night series) with a Hunger Games themed event, we were more than excited to accept the challenge. As we began to plan the event, the campus began to buzz with excitement. ‘What will this be like?’ ‘How will we play?’ The anticipation was palpable.”

Kate continues: “The CGC partnered with us on other events leading up to the event to help build more excitement. Our weekly craft series, Wind Down Wednesdays, most notably. Campus was blanketed with Mockingjays, and the leaders of the organization dressed as characters from the books throughout the week. We focused on the logistics and let the CGC focus on the rules and procedures for the game.

“On the night of the event, students excitedly entered our Hicks Student Center. The main gathering space was set up with food (Greasy Sae’s Chili Bar, District Cupcakes, and more), skill testing workshops and activities (knot tying lanyards, mini bow and arrow craft, Mockingjay button making, and others), and a large screen with images from the Hunger Games as well as the soundtrack playing through the sound system. Then, districts offered tributes, the rules were explained, and the games began.

“But, how could the 225 people who came possibly all play? Well, they didn’t. About 20 students acted as ‘tributes’ who were filmed via a live video feed that was broadcast into the main gathering space and the other participants became spectators in the ‘Capitol.’ They could send gifts, see the antics, get engaged and involved.

“The feedback we received from students who participated was spectacular. They loved this idea. CGC had offered Quidditch before, which was innovative and fun, but this really seemed to capture them. In fact, we are working on another Hunger Games themed event with this group currently. We love when students have these unique ideas. And, we love it even more when we can make them reality!”

Senior Leaders Honored

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Kalamazoo College Senior Leadership Award winnersThirty-two students–all members of the Class of 2014–earned the prestigious Kalamazoo College Senior Leadership Award. Each student was nominated by at least one faculty or staff member. They include founders and leaders of student organizations and programs, athletic team captains, residence assistants, peer leaders, civic engagement scholars, student commissioners and officers, teaching and laboratory assistants, and service-learning and social justice leaders. In terms of leadership, they are the best-of-the-best at an institution whose mission is to develop enlightened leaders. Pictured are (l-r): first row–Roxann Lawrence, Ayoki Levy, Sarah Sullivan, Yesenia Aguilar, Lori-Ann Williams, Anna Asbury, Emma Dolce, Nathalie Botezatu; second row–Hsu Tun, Geneci Marroquin, Ramon Rochester, Claire DeWitt, Sherin John, Brenda Guzman; third row–Erran Briggs, Marc Zughaib, Amanda Mancini, Umang Varma; fourth row–Lucas Kushner, Amy Jimenez, Ismael Carrasco, Amanda Bolles, Nicholas Beam, back row–Tendai Mudyiwa, Ian Good, Colin Lauderdale, Edward Carey, and Mark Ghafari. Not pictured are Keaton Adams, Raven Fisher, Michael Korn, and Kari Paine.

Art Professor Honored for Civic Engagement

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Associate Professor of Art Sarah Lindley receives an award
Associate Professor of Art Sarah Lindley received the Michigan Campus Compact Faculty/Staff Service Learning Award.

Michigan Campus Compact (MiCC) honored Associate Professor of Art Sarah Lindley with its biennial MiCC Faculty/Staff Community Service-Learning Award, the highest honor that MiCC bestows on faculty and staff in the state of Michigan.

Lindley has made outstanding contributions in service-learning, and she has inspired students to become involved in service-learning through modeling, influencing, and instruction. She was nominated by Alison Geist, director of the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement.

Since 2005 Lindley has taught at least one community-engaged arts course every year, and her students have completed multiple projects involving a wide variety of community partners and thousands of residents. Lindley has worked with the County Center for Health Equity, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, Michigan Commission for the Blind, the YWCA, Education for the Arts, Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative, the Black Arts and Cultural Center, Ministry with Community, and Art Hop. She and her students have used arts as a vehicle for community and personal transformation, creating work that is useful, thoughtful, and inclusive. Lindley created the new Kalamazoo College Community Studio in the downtown Park Trades Center, and she has previously been honored with the Marcia Jackson Hunger Awareness Award by Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes.

MiCC is a coalition of college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the public purpose of higher education. The organization helps students develop into engaged citizens by creating and expanding academic, co-curricular, and campus-wide opportunities for community service, service-learning, and civic engagement.

Award for Japanese Speech a K First

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Megan Davis and Katherine Ballew with Professor SugimoriSenior Megan Davis and first-year Katherine Ballew participated in the Michigan Japanese Speech Contest (held at Hinoki International School, Livonia, Mich.). The title of Megan’s speech was “A Moment in Which I Made a new Realization About the World.” Katherine’s speech, “Heading Toward a World Without Racism” was awarded an Honorary Mention. It was the first time a Kalamazoo College student has won award in the Japanese speech contest. The students attended the contest with Noriko Akimoto Sugimori, assistant professor of Japanese language. Pictured at left are (l-r): Megan, Katherine, and Professor Sugimori.

Jessica English ’94 Delivers a Win for Birth Kalamazoo

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Kalamazoo College alumna Jessica English
Jessica English ’94

Jessica English ’94 is the grand prize winner of the Kzoom Video $10,000 video services giveaway in Kalamazoo. Jessica owns and operates Birth Kalamazoo, which offers natural childbirth and breastfeeding classes, birth and postpartum doulas, lactation consults, and birth doula training. She received $7,500 in video services, after receiving 4,091 votes in the online voting contest.

Raven Fisher ’14 is National Student Day Winner

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Raven Fisher
Raven Fisher

Raven Fisher ’14 earned third-place honors and a $1,000 prize in the 2013 National Student Day Contest that celebrates and promotes social responsibility by college students. The math major from Detroit received her award based on votes from online supporters who read her testimonial, titled “Lifelong Commitment to the Community.”

Lifelong Commitment to the Community
by Raven Fisher

All my life, I have enjoyed assisting those around me, rather it be with homework or an errand that they needed me to run. I have never seen these things as burdens but as opportunities to give back to my community.

During my junior year of high school, I was working at a summer math camp which helped youth from ages 13-21. We worked on a variety of math concepts in order to bring these students up to speed for the upcoming school year. While working with the students, I realized that a lot of them had a hard time grasping concepts that should have been mastered in 6th grade. However, given one on one attention and different options to learn the concepts, the students started catching on immediately.

On the last day of the camp, we played a Jeopardy math game. The students answered every question correctly and even corrected me on a problem in which I had solved wrong. Seeing their faces and senses of accomplishment gave me the same feeling. This is when I committed myself to lifelong community service and aspirations to be a math teacher.

Since then, I have done KDO [Keeping the Doors Open], a math summer camp at Kalamazoo College which helps middle school students stay on track with their math classes. I am also the Civic Engagement Scholar for Community Advocates for Parents and Students, which attempts to eliminate the inequities in education by providing underprivileged students with resources such as tutoring. After college, I will continue my passion for service as a teacher!

Congratulations, Raven!