Living Legend

Letitia (Tish) Loveless on a tennis court
Tish on the playing surface where her teams won 23 conference titles

On Saturday, September 12, Kalamazoo College will pause in its busy orientation week to honor a living legend: Professor Emerita, Coach Emerita, and Women’s Athletic Director Emerita Letitia (Tish) Loveless, Ph.D.

On that day the College will dedicate the “Tish Loveless Court” in the Anderson Athletic Center. A continental breakfast reception and court dedication will occur at 10 a.m. The volleyball match between K and Trine University will follow at 11 a.m.

Tish is considered the pioneer of women’s athletics at Kalamazoo College. She is the most successful coach of women’s teams in the history of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the oldest athletic conference in the country.

Tish’s teams won 28 league championships–23 in tennis, four in archery, and one in field hockey. Her 1986 women’s tennis squad finished third in the nation.

Tish came to Kalamazoo College in 1953 as an instructor of physical education. She rose through the ranks and was named professor of physical education in 1974. When she arrived, there was not intercollegiate schedule for women. By 1978, women competed in seven varsity sports. Tish served as director of women’s athletics from 1953 to 1986. On October 30, 1992, Kalamazoo College inducted Tish into its Athletic Hall of Fame.

Letitia (Tish) Loveless participates in a field hockey practice
Tish was a hands-on coach, shown here participating in a Hornet field hockey practice

Tish believed in the benefits of competition for all persons, regardless of skill level, and she worked tirelessly to ensure an opportunity to compete for all. She added new sports and classes, and not just those that reflected her own particular interests. She paid attention to what students wanted, and she learned and taught fencing, modern dance, folk dance, social dance, and swimming. On several occasions (basketball is an example), at the urging of passionately committed students, Tish would take on the head coaching role (educating herself on the fly) in the sport’s transition phase from club sport to varsity sport. She also served as a leader in the LandSea program and, true to the liberal arts marrow of the institution to which she dedicated her career, she sang in Bach Festival chorus and participated in the Faculty Readers’ Theatre.

Tish was a trusted counselor and source of support for students and colleagues alike. Her tenure at K made a difference in the lives of countless Hornet athletes and PE students. In 2008, Elaine Hutchcroft ’63 and her late husband Alan Hutchcroft ’63 established the Tish Loveless Women’s Athletic Endowment. Both Elaine and Alan competed as Hornet athletes, and both admired Coach Loveless.

Tish Loveless is the teacher/coach/administrator/human being with whom you could place your daughter, at any age, and be absolutely certain she would receive all the right messages about her worth!

Professor of Chemistry Jeff Bartz is the new Kurt D. Kaufman Chair at Kalamazoo College

Professor of Chemistry and Kurt D. Kaufman Chair Jeff Bartz with some of his students in K's Dow Science Center
Professor of Chemistry and Kurt D. Kaufman Chair Jeff Bartz with some of his students in K’s Dow Science Center…

Professor of Chemistry Jeffrey Bartz, Ph.D., is Kalamazoo College’s new Kurt D. Kaufman Chair. His appointment—made at the recommendation of Provost Mickey McDonald and confirmed by the College’s board of trustees—becomes effective July 1, 2015, and runs through June 30, 2020.

The chair was established through a gift by late Kalamazoo College Trustee Paul Todd ’42 in recognition of Kurt Kaufman’s significant leadership and wide influence as a faculty member at K. It’s awarded to a K faculty member to “recognize and honor campus leadership and excellence in teaching.” Regina Stevens-Truss (Chemistry) has held the Kaufman Chair for the past five years.

“I offer my warmest congratulations to Professor Bartz,” said K President Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran. “Provost McDonald’s recommendation highlights Professor Bartz’s ongoing excellence as a teacher in the classroom, in the laboratory, and as a mentor. He is known as a teaching innovator on campus and for mentoring and supporting students of color and first-generation students.”

Professor Jeff Bartz with three students at K's laser lab
…and in the College’s Laser Lab.

Jeff Bartz joined the K chemistry department as an assistant professor in 1997 and became a full professor in 2011. He teaches courses in physical and general chemistry and works with K students in the research laboratory. His research is in the area of chemical dynamics.

He earned a B.S. degree in chemistry with a minor in mathematics from Southwest Minnesota State University in 1985 and his Ph.D. degree in physical chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1992.

Visit Professor Bartz’s webpage.

Kurt Kaufman was a professor of chemistry at K from 1956 to 1980 who was lauded by students and faculty colleagues as an accomplished researcher and gifted communicator who loved to teach. He died in 2008.

Dean’s List Spring Term 2015

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

Spring 2015

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

A

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

B

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

C

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

D

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

E

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

F

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

G

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

H

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

I

 

J

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

K

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

L

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

M

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

N

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

O

Bryan Olert
Stephen Oliphant
Michael Oravetz
Alexandria Oswalt
Ty Owens

P

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

Q

Yilan Qiu

R

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

S

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

T

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

U

Amanda Ullrick

V

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

W

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

X

Cindy Xiao
Jincheng Xu
Mingyue Xu

Y

 

Z

Helena Zawal
Cheryl Zhang
Matthew Zhiss
Zhipeng Zhou

Senior Awards Ceremony 2015

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

FINE ARTS DIVISION

Art and Art History

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

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

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

Music

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

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

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

Theatre Arts

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

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

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

FOREIGN LANGUAGES DIVISION

Chinese

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

Classical Studies

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

THE DEPARTMENTAL PRIZE IN GREEK
Richard Woods

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

German

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

Japanese

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

Romance Languages

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

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

HUMANITIES DIVISION

American Studies

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

English

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

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

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

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

History

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

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

Philosophy

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

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

Religion

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

NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS DIVISION

Biology

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

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

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

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

Chemistry  

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

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

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

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

Mathematics and Computer Science

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

Physics

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

PHYSICAL EDUCATION DIVISION

Physical Education

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOCIAL SCIENCES DIVISION

Anthropology and Sociology

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

Economics and Business

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

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

Human Development and Social Relations

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

Political Science

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

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

Psychology

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

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

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

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

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

THE DONALD W. VAN LIERE PRIZE, given for excellence in psychology coursework.
Alexandra Groffsky
Elizabeth Hanley

Jenna Holmes
Tessa Lathrop
Perri Nicholson

Women’s Studies

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

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

COLLEGE AWARDS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Class of 2019 Heyl Scholars

Nine Heyl Scholars from the Class of 2019At a recent late-May dinner Kalamazoo College feted the 2015 Kalamazoo county high school graduates who earned Heyl Scholarships for Kalamazoo College (to major in science or math) or Western Michigan University (to attend the Bronson School of Nursing). The scholarship covers tuition, book costs, and room charges. Scholarship winners are (l-r): front row — McKinzie Ervin, Cydney Martell, Kayla Park; second row — Farzad Razi, Jessica Wile, Mia Orlando; back row — Pete Schultz, Maggie Smith, and Rachel Wheat. Ervin, Martell, Park, Razi, Wile, Orlando, Schultz, and Smith will attend Kalamazoo College. Wheat will attend WMU’s Bronson School of Nursing. (photo by Tony Dugal)

Amanda Johnson ’17 Earns Boren Scholarship to Study in China during 2015-16 Academic Year

Amanda Johnson
Amanda Johnson ’17 is among 171 undergrads nationwide to earn a Boren Scholarship. She will study the Chinese language in China during the 2015-16 academic year.

Kalamazoo College sophomore Amanda Johnson ’17 has received a David L. Boren Scholarship to study in China during the 2015-2016 academic year. The $20,000 award will allow her to study Chinese in Beijing and Harbin.

Boren Scholarships are funded by the National Security Education Program, a federal government program that focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to United States national security.

Amanda is one of only 171 undergraduate students (all U.S. passport holders) to receive the 2015-16 Boren award.

“Through the Boren Scholarship, I will focus on improving my Mandarin, immersing myself in Chinese culture, and taking part in both an internship and one-on-one study with a Chinese professor on a topic of my choosing,” said Amanda, a sophomore from Hudsonville, Mich.

In addition to pursuing majors in economics and political science and a minor in Chinese while at K, Amanda is secretary of finance for K’s Student Commission, a consultant for the student Writing Center, and a teaching assistant for the Economics Department. She also is active on campus with the movement for an intercultural center.

Upon receiving the Boren Scholarship, Amanda was enthusiastic about such a wonderful opportunity and the networks it would provide. She says it’s the result of “an amazing support system” that has helped her at K.

“By the time I submitted my final Boren application I had more than 18 rough drafts that had been edited by professors, staff members, and fellow students. This highlights what students at Kalamazoo College can do with a community that supports their endeavors.”

In exchange for funding, Boren award recipients agree to work in the federal government for a period of at least one year following their formal education. Amanda says she may consider fulfilling her Boren Scholarship requirement with the Department of Homeland Security as an asylum officer, helping adjudicate asylum cases by using her Chinese (and Spanish) language skills. Ultimately, she hopes to pursue a career with the United States Department of State and she is excited about the opportunity the Boren Scholarship will give her to jumpstart her career.

During the winter break of her sophomore year, Amanda interned with the Human Rights Initiative of Northern Texas, a nonprofit organization that provides immigration services to individuals who have experienced human rights violations in their home country. This internship opportunity, funded by the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, allowed Amanda to work with asylum applicants and utilize her Spanish and Chinese language skills throughout the application process.

The Boren awards are named for former U.S. Senator David L. Boren, the principal author of the legislation that created the National Security Education Program. Boren Scholars (undergrads) and Fellows (graduate students) will live in 40 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. They will study 37 different languages that are considered critical to U.S. interests, including Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin, Russian, Swahili, and Wolof.

Current Kalamazoo College seniors Luke Winship (China/Mandarin) and Erin Eagan (Senegal/Wolof) are previous Boren Scholars.

 

Research Award Winner

The Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA)has awarded Kalamazoo College’s Lindsay O’Donohue, director of prospect development and donor relations, with the 2015 Margaret Fuhry Grant. The award is given to a prospect development practitioner based on her leadership, mentorship, volunteerism, and dedication to the profession. At K, Lindsay leads a team responsible for implementing a robust prospect development program designed to inform and strengthen fundraising activity. She is a member of the Advancement office’s senior management team and has played a key support role in The Campaign for Kalamazoo College, which is closing in on its $125 million goal. Before she came to K, Lindsay spent six years in political fundraising, four of those years as the compliance director for former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm. Lindsay is an active member of APRA-Michigan and served on the chapter’s Board of Directors from 2012-2014. She is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in political science. In July she will attend the APRA Annual International Conference in New Orleans to accept the award.

Lisa Ludwinski ’06 opens Sister Pie bakery in Detroit with help from $50,000 Hatch Detroit award

Lisa Ludwinski holding a pie
Lisa Ludwinski ’06 with a Sister Pie creation (Photo by Sylvia Rector, Detroit Free Press)

Lisa Ludwinski ’06 has opened Sister Pie, a bakery and coffee shop at 8066 Kercheval in Detroit’s West Village neighborhood. Lisa was the winner of Comerica Bank’s 2014 Hatch Detroit development grant meant to champion and support independent retail businesses in Detroit through funding, exposure, education, and mentoring. A $50,000 Hatch award allowed her to build out the new bakery complete with double convection ovens that help her create Buckwheat Chocolate Chip cookies, Salted Maple pies, savory hand pies, and more.

“I like whimsical things,” she told a Detroit Free Press reporter. “I come up with flavor combinations in my sleep and I try them in the kitchen the next day.” She also said she uses high-fat French butter, unbleached all-purpose and whole-grain flours, and locally sourced fruits and berries in season.

Lisa is a Detroit Mercy High School grad who earned a B.A. degree in Theatre Arts from K.

Lisa Ludwinski and Hatch Detroit representatives hold a prop check
Lisa Ludwinski ’06 wins $50,000 Hatch Detroit award in 2014.

Visit her and Sister Pie in person or at http://sisterpie.com and friend her on www.Facebook.com/SisterPie.

Read more here: www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/12106/sister_pie_a_detroit-baked_startup_opens_in_west_village#.VUD1PRDQpoE

Commitment, Heart and Soul

Four Michigan Campus Compact Award winners with Teresa Denton and Alison Geist
Several of the 2015 Michigan Campus Compact Award winners are flanked by their Center for Civic Engagement mentors and collaborators Teresa Denton (far left) and Alison Geist (far right). The students are (l-r) Jasmine An, Hannah Bogard, Mele Makalo, and Rose Tobin.

Eight Kalamazoo College seniors–each of them Civic Engagement Scholars in K’s Center for Civic Engagement–will receive Michigan Campus Compact (MiCC) Awards for their dedication to community service. Kacey Cook and Mele Makalo earned the MiCC Commitment to Service Award, recognizes up to two students per member campus in the state of Michigan for either the breadth or depth of their community involvement or service experiences. Only 31 students in the state will receive this award.

Jasmine An, Hannah Bogard, Alejandra Castillo, Katherine Rapin, Andrea Satchwell, and Rose Tobin will receive the Heart and Soul Award, “given to students to recognize their time, effort, and personal commitment to their communities through service. “We are thrilled that our remarkable students are receiving these awards,” said Alison Geist, director of the Center for Civic Engagement. “We are even more thrilled that we have had the honor to work closely with them.” The eight will be feted at an awards brunch in East Lansing on April 18. MiCC promotes the education and commitment of Michigan college students to be civically engaged citizens, through creating and expanding academic, co-curricular and campus-wide opportunities for community service, service-learning and civic engagement.

Senior Honored in Speech Contest

Vageesha Liyana-GunawardanaVageesha Liyana-Gunawardana ’15 won the Special Prize in the annual Michigan Japanese Speech Contest, held at the Japanese Consulate in Detroit. Vageesha’s speech was titled “The Policeman I Met That Day Does Not Know My Name.” According to his Japanese language teacher, Assistant Professor of Japanese Noriko Sugimori, the speech is based on his study abroad experience in Tokyo, during which Vageesha was questioned by the police on thirteen different occasions. Inspired by Nobel Peace Prize winner Lester Pearson, Vageesha’s reflection upon these seemingly negative experiences reaffirmed the importance of meeting people and making an effort to understand each individual at deeper levels in order to work toward world peace. His talk, of course, was delivered in Japanese. Vageesha is a chemistry major at Kalamazoo College. He is a United World College alumnus (he attended high school at Pearson UWC in Victoria, British Columbia) and a Davis Scholar. At K he also works in the Center for International Programs.