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Successful Campaign Closes and Exceeds Expectations!

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Participants in the Campaign for Kalamazoo College hold up signs indicating $129,140,336 was raised
The Campaign for Kalamazoo College raised $129,140,336!

Kalamazoo College made history today.

At a special celebratory gathering of students, faculty and staff, the College announced the completion of The Campaign for Kalamazoo College, which surpassed its $125 million goal by raising more than $129 million and, in so doing, became the most successful fundraising campaign in K’s history, generating more financial resources than the last two campaigns combined.

“We are grateful to the thousands of alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends who made contributions and volunteered time and talent to make this campaign a success,” said President Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran.

“We also celebrate the deeper meaning of this campaign,” she added, “that a liberal arts education is the best education to enrich a life, in the fullest sense of that word, and the best education to provide lessons that go beyond just employment. There are centuries of evidence to support that notion and now a successful Kalamazoo College campaign to affirm it. And, by the way, a liberal arts education also happens to be the best education not for one job but for multiple jobs, which is likely to be the future for current students.”

President Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran gives two thumbs up
President Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran

Campaign participation was widespread. More than 17,000 donors have made gifts and pledges. Twelve donors committed to gifts of $1 million or more. Sixty-three percent of faculty and staff participated in the campaign.

The ultimate beneficiaries are K students, current and future, who do more in four years so they can do more in a lifetime. The campaign funded five capital projects and seven new endowed faculty positions. Capital projects include the renovations of the Weimar K. Hicks Center and the athletic fields complex and the construction of the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership building. Ground has been broken on the new fitness and wellness center, and fundraising will continue for the planned renovation of the College’s natatorium.

The campaign created 30 new funds to support Senior Individualized Project research opportunities for students (the SIP is a graduation requirement at K) and created 35 new permanently funded student scholarships.

“This campaign is about much more than numbers,” said Wilson-Oyelaran. “This campaign is an affirmation of the liberal arts. This campaign is about alumni, parents, and friends who continue to give to Kalamazoo College so that others can benefit from the way that K practices the liberal arts.”

Photos courtesy of Jessie Fales ’18

The Importance of Diapers

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Advertisement for 2015 St. Luke's Community Diaper DriveA person may be more inclined to think of diapers as a nuisance, but in fact they are a need and, for many in Kalamazoo, an unmet need. Jax Gardner, departmental coordinator for history and social sciences at Kalamazoo College, is working to address that need through her other coordinator role: that of managing the St. Luke’s Community Diaper Drive.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, with support from the Arcus Center for Social Justice at Kalamazoo College, is holding a community diaper drive through October 14.

For low-income families, purchasing diapers can be a challenge. SNAP and WIC benefits do not provide diapers, and adequately providing diapers for a child can cost more than a $1,000 per year.

“More than one in three Kalamazoo families struggle to provide adequate diapers for their children,” Jax said. “It’s an unconscionable gap in how we care for the young children of our community because diaper need can affect maternal/child bonding, childcare accessibility, and infant health.”

The drive is collecting disposable diapers in all sizes, along with wipes and creams; all donated items will be distributed through local charitable organizations including Loaves and Fishes, Ministry with Community, the YWCA and St. Barnabas Diapers.

Financial donations can be made payable to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, with “Diaper Drive” in the memo line, which will be used to wholesale purchase diapers in needed sizes.

Donations can be made at the following locations:

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 247 W. Lovell St.
St. Luke’s Thrift Shop, 432 S. Burdick St.
Kalamazoo College (1200 Academy Street) at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, the Hicks Student Center and Dewing Hall.

“We hope that this drive will generate interest and conversation toward addressing diaper need in Kalamazoo with a long-term, sustainable plan,” Jax said.

Convocation 2015

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Kalamazoo College faculty participate in ConvocationKalamazoo College kicks off the 2015-16 academic year on Wednesday Sept. 9 at 3:00 p.m. with its annual opening convocation ceremony for new students.

The ceremony will take place on the campus Quad and be available via live streaming. In case of rain, the ceremony will move into Stetson Chapel.

President Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran, Provost Michael McDonald, Dean of Students Sarah Westfall, Chaplain Elizabeth Candido ’00, faculty, staff, and student leaders will welcome new students and their families. Nike Foundation Partnerships and Communications Manager Tieneke vanLonkhuyzen ’06, from Portland, Oregon, will deliver the keynote address.

K will welcome 367 first-year students (including 30 matriculating international students), 18 transfer students, and 28 visiting international students. New students come from 29 states within the United States of America including Oregon, Florida, Maine and Texas, and from 23 countries including, Japan, Ecuador, Greece, Vietnam, and Sierra Leone. Students of color from the U.S. make up more than 25 percent of the incoming class.

Eleven members of the incoming class of 2019 are the first “Kalamazoo Promise Eligible” students to attend K. Through a partnership announced in June 2014 by The Kalamazoo Promise and the 15-member Michigan Colleges Alliance (MCA), eligible Kalamazoo Public School (KPS) graduates enrolling at an MCA member institution will receive free tuition and fees. The Kalamazoo Promise, now in its tenth year, was established by anonymous donors who pledged to provide free college tuition and fees for KPS graduates attending 43 state universities and community colleges in Michigan. With the addition of the 15 MCA liberal arts college members, Michigan 58 institutions are now Kalamazoo Promise eligible.

 

WE Instead of THEY

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Former Associate Provost for International Programs Joe Brockington in commencement attireJoe Brockington, Ph.D., associate provost for international programs at Kalamazoo College, died on August 10, 2015. In addition to his post in the Center for International Programs, Brockington also served as professor of German language and literature. [NOTE: The memorial service for Joe Brockington will occur Monday, August 17, at 2 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Saugatuck (296 Hoffman Street). The College will take one bus and two vans to the service. Faculty, staff and students interested in attending may register by emailing Renee Boelcke at Renee.Boelcke@kzoo.edu. Those taking the College transportation will meet on Academy Street, outside of Anderson Athletic Center at noon on Monday, August 17. The bus and vans will return to campus at the conclusion of the memorial service.]

Brockington earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D degrees from Michigan State University, and began his career at Kalamazoo College in 1979 as an instructor in German language and literature. During his 35-year career at K, Brockington served in several roles in the Center for International Programs before being named associate provost in 2000. He was recognized internationally as a safety and risk management expert in study abroad programming. During his career he served in various positions of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, including chair of the Section on U.S. Students Abroad and member of the International Education Leadership Knowledge Committee. He also served as a member of the founding board of the Forum on Education Abroad, the Association of International Education Administrators. Brockington published and presented numerous papers on modern German literature as well as a variety of study abroad topics, including orientation and re-entry, international programs administration, and campus internationalization. He led best practices workshops in legal and risk management issues and co-edited the third edition of NAFSA’s Guide to Education Abroad for Advisers and Administrators.

“Joe interacted with generations of K students,” said President Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran, “and increased their opportunities for independent research and service learning abroad. He was a faithful advocate for international students at K, working with colleagues to ensure a full and productive K educational experience. Joe significantly expanded K’s reputation as a leader in study abroad and international programming. He will be missed by many in the K family and throughout the world.”

In the fall of 2008 Kalamazoo College celebrated its 50th anniversary of sending students abroad. Brockington devoted his career to that important educational tradition. Some 80 percent of K students have studied in programs ranging from China and Japan to India and Israel; from Kenya and Senegal in Africa to Ecuador, Costa Rica, Chile, and Mexico in South and Central America. Their options have included European programs in Greece, Hungary, Denmark, Italy, and England as well as the opportunities that have continued (since the program’s origins) in France, Spain, and Germany. Most students study in a foreign language and live with host families. And most participate in an Individualized Cultural Research Project that requires them to get out into a community, participate in a service project, and write a report about the experience. All of that is part of the legacy of Joe Brockington. “The goal,” he once said, “is to help the student look at other cultures, other peoples, and say ’we’ instead of ’they.’”

Dr. Brockington is survived by his wife, Catherine, and their three sons (and K alumni): Andrew ’04, David ’99, and Samuel ’01. Visitation will occur Sunday, August 16, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Dykstra Funeral Home in Holland, Michigan (188 32nd Street). A memorial service will take place Monday, August 17, at 2 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Saugatuck (296 Hoffman Street). The College will take one bus and two vans to the service. Faculty, staff and students interested in attending may register by emailing Renee Boelcke at Renee.Boelcke@kzoo.edu. Those taking the College transportation will meet on Academy Street, outside of Anderson Athletic Center at noon on Monday, August 17. The bus and vans will return to campus at the conclusion of the memorial service.

Kalamazoo College alumni Annie Gough ’15 and Eric Silverstein ’14 selected as Challenge Detroit Fellows

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Kalamazoo College alumna Annie Gough
Annie Gough ’15

Kalamazoo College alumni, Annie Gough ’15 and Eric Silverstein ’14 have been selected as two of 30 Fellows to participate in Challenge Detroit, an urban revitalization program focused on attracting and retaining talent in Detroit in an effort to spur revitalization. Gough and Silverstein were chosen from hundreds of applicants to collaborate with individuals from all over the country and live, work, play, give, and lead in Detroit.

Challenge Detroit is a one-year fellowship program that provides the opportunity for tomorrow’s leaders to work at top regional companies, while spending one day a week collaborating with area nonprofits to address regional challenges and opportunities, including multi-modal transportation, homelessness, and community development.

During their year with Challenge Detroit, Annie will work with partnering host company Beaumont Health System, while Eric will work with partnering host General Motors.

Annie graduated from Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South High School and earned a B.A. degree in English at K. During her time at K, she also studied abroad at University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

Kalamazoo College alumnus Eric Silverstein
Eric Silverstein ’14

“Growing up right next door to the city, I have always fostered a fondness for Detroit’s complex culture and history,” said Annie. “Now, I am eager to understand and identify with the city on a more intimate level by being fully immersed through living, working, playing and giving here.”

Eric is a Troy (Mich.) High School grad who earned a B.A. degree in psychology from K. He studied abroad at Universidad Antonio de Nebrija in Spain during his time at K.

“I have always welcomed adversity, so I guess you could say we have mutual interests,” said Eric.

During their year in Detroit, Annie and Eric will share their stories through regular blogging, video logging, and social media updates. For more information on Challenge Detroit and see videos with Annie and Eric talking about their upcoming experiences, visit www.challengedetroit.org/the-fellows.

 

Kalamazoo College Announces 10 Finalists for 2015 Global Prize for Transformative Social Justice Leadership

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Advertisement for Global Prize for Transformative Social Justice LeadershipKalamazoo College is pleased to announce the ten finalists for its 2015 Global Prize for Transformative Social Justice Leadership, a juried competition hosted by the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership (ACSJL), in which one project will receive a $25,000 prize.

The 24-member Global Prize jury that selected the finalists included Kalamazoo College faculty, staff, and students, as well as social justice advocates from the Kalamazoo region. All have done work on relevant social justice issues represented in the applicant pool.

Kalamazoo College received 87 entries—in the form of eight- to ten-minute videos—from 22 nations and 18 states within the United States.

Finalists’ projects collectively address economic justice, cultural and environmental preservation, immigration, mass incarceration, reproductive justice, racial justice, gendered violence, trans and queer liberation, workers’ rights, and issues specifically impacting people with mental illness, youth, indigenous communities and children in the foster care system. The scope of each project varies, some focusing on local communities, others looking at national or transnational issues.

Here are the ten projects, listed in alphabetical order with their location.

  • At Crossroads: Forest Dwellers of India. Madhya Pradesh, India.
  • Bavubuka: Transformative Voices of Justice. Kampala, Uganda.
  • Black on Both Sides. Chicago, Ill.
  • Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement. Los Angeles, Calif.
  • Justice for the Injured Colombian General Motors Workers. Bogota, Colombia.
  • Mujeres, Lucha y Derechos Para Todas A.C. Región Norte del Estado de México, México.
  • Our Community Is Our Campaign. Madison, Wisc.
  • Radical Mental Health: Paths for Individual & Collective Liberation. New York City.
  • Trans Women of Color Collective: Shifting the Narrative. Washington, D.C.
  • Uno por Uno: Puente Human Rights Movement. Phoenix, Ariz.

“We believe these ten projects provide outstanding examples of transformative thinking and practice on both personal and systemic levels,” said ACSJL Executive Director Mia Henry. “The Global Prize weekend promises to be both inspirational to our community and pivotal for finalists. Leaders from all ten projects will have opportunities to learn from one another, as well as receive capacity-building support.”

All finalists will be awarded $1,000 and brought to K’s campus Oct. 9-11 for Prize Weekend. During the weekend, finalists will present their work to an audience consisting of a jury of global activists, members of the K campus, and the public. They will also engage with each other through a Global Leadership Exchange.

The recipient of a $25,000 Global Prize will be announced by Kalamazoo College President Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran during the weekend. A full schedule and the list of jurors will be announced later this summer.

Kalamazoo College’s inaugural Global Prize for Social Justice Leadership, now a biennial event, was held in 2013. Jurors for that competition chose to split the prize among three projects.

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership was launched in 2009 with support from the Arcus Foundation (www.arcusfoundation.org), including a $23 million endowment grant in January 2012. Supporting Kalamazoo College’s mission to prepare its graduates to better understand, live successfully within, and provide enlightened leadership to a richly diverse and increasingly complex world, the ACSJL will develop new leaders and sustain existing leaders in the field of human rights and social justice.

Kalamazoo College (www.kzoo.edu), founded in Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1833, is a nationally recognized liberal arts college and the creator of the K-Plan that emphasizes rigorous scholarship, experiential learning, leadership development, and international and intercultural engagement. Kalamazoo College does more in four years so students can do more in a lifetime.

I Can Garden and You Can Too!

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Master Gardener Jane Hoinville at the Jolly Garden
Master Gardener Jane Hoinville

Turns out I can weed a garden just as well as the next person! Who would have thought! Jolly Garden is located at 1324 Academy Street and needs volunteers just like you!

The College offers garden classes in the fall and spring and is maintained in the summer by Kalamazoo College students, faculty, staff members, and friends. Leading the efforts is Master Gardener Jane Hoinville, who “by day” works as a prospect research analyst in the College’s development unit. The garden first began in 2010 and is named after Seema Jolly ’07, the first instructor of the gardening course and a strong force behind the garden’s success.

Jane is also presenting master gardener information on vegetable gardening on July 30th at noon. Mark it on your calendar and see you at the Jolly Garden, where Jane can also answer any questions you may have about your own garden!

The garden is open for volunteer work on Tuesdays at noon and Thursdays at 5 p.m. throughout the summer.

Text and photos by Mallory Zink ’15

 

Coming to the ’Zoo? Lucky You!

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

Hornets and Bears, Oh My!

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Advertisement for K Night at the Kalamazoo Growlers gameKalamazoo College poet (and professor emeritus of English) Conrad Hilberry once wrote a poem about kids playing sandlot baseball, noting that, after a hit, the run from home to (hopefully) home again was counterclockwise—in other words: against time, a circle-sprint (maybe even ending in a dramatic slide) in the general direction of that magical place called when-we-were-younger.

Well, dust off your old baseball hat, it’s time for some time travel and everything else associated with an evening at the ballpark.

Kalamazoo College, and the Kalamazoo Growlers baseball association, presents “K Night” at Homer Stryker Field (undoubtedly the most aptly named baseball park in the country!) on Friday, July 17, at 7:05 p.m. And to throw in a little mythology to go with all that poetry, “K Night” activities include Star Wars Night and a raffle of Chewbacca-themed jerseys. Whoopee! Or, should we say: WOOKEE!

At the game, the College’s first class of Promise students will be introduced. And, speaking of firsts, the first pitch will be thrown by Kalamazoo College head softball coach Melanie Hamlin, the four-year collegiate standout from the University of Redlands. (After that first pitch, we wouldn’t be surprised if the home team asks her to stay on the field.)

Fireworks follow the game, and tickets ($12) include a new Growlers hat, which means you can throw out the old one you dusted off, or start a collection.

Bring your friends and family to support both Kalamazoo College and the Kalamazoo Growlers.

To get your tickets contact Lynsey VanSweden (269.337.7082) in the Athletic and Physical Education office. Last day to purchase tickets is Friday, July 10. Cash or check is accepted. Go Hornets! Go Growlers!

Exposure Pathways

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Sarah Lindley art installationAssociate Professor of Art Sarah Lindley was interviewed by WMUK about her installation “Exposure Pathways.”

Sarah is the creator of one part of a three-part art installation taking place in the former Plainwell Paper Mill. “Exposure Pathways” appears with “After Operation,” an exhibition of photographs by Steve Nelson, and with “The Way We Worked,” a traveling exhibition of historic photography from the Smithsonian Institute.

After producing paper for more than 100 years Plainwell Paper Mill ceased production in 2000. In 2006 the city of Plainwell purchased the site and subsequently moved its offices to a redeveloped area of the mill. Several of the vacant structures were razed, and the historic buildings remain in a state of decline. The abandoned structures are surroundings served as source materials for the explorations of the sculptress and photographer.

The installation can be viewed from June 13 to July 19 at the former mill, along the Kalamazoo River Superfund site. One enters the exhibition through Plainwell City Hall (211 North Main Street). Gallery Talks occur Saturday, June 20 at 10:30 a.m. or 1 p.m. Those talks are open to the public and families are welcome. An Artists’ Reception (also open to the public and families) is set for Wednesday, July 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Come earlier if you wish to see the space with better light. Hours for the exhibition are: Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday by appointment; Wednesday and Thursday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“My project is in the abandoned part of the mill,” says Sarah, “which is worth the trip, itself!”