students

A Stone Flower Followed Him Home

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The Stone Flower monument in Croatia
The Stone Flower, also known as Kameni Cvijet, is a concrete memorial monument designed by architect and sculptor Bogdan Bogdanović. Completed in 1966, the monument is located at the site of the former Jasenovac concentration camp in Croatia. All photos by Noah Peters ’27.

A chance encounter at a Croatian memorial inspired Noah Peters ’27 to investigate how societies remember, reinterpret and preserve the past.

Peters stopped in the small Croatian village of Jasenovac after a massive stone flower caught his attention. He lifted his camera in a place still scarred by fighting between Croatian forces and a Yugoslav Army/Bosnian Serb paramilitary coalition. 

At the time, Peters didn’t understand what the monument commemorated or how much the unplanned stop would change his journey. It was early in a 10-week solo backpacking trip through Europe, immediately after a study abroad experience in Aberdeen, Scotland. 

He had few plans beyond seeing new places, taking photographs and eventually returning to Kalamazoo College. But the structure drew him into a history he had never studied—one that stayed with him throughout his travels and reshaped his academic plans. 

Called Kameni Cvijet, or The Stone Flower, the monument commemorates victims of Jasenovac, a World War II concentration camp established by the fascist Ustaše regime in what was then the Independent State of Croatia. Serbs, Jews, Roma, political opponents and others were imprisoned and killed there. 

After visiting, he began reading about the site and realized, in his words, that it represented “a theatre of the Second World War and of the Holocaust that is not particularly known or paid attention to in the West.” 

A self-taught photographer and history and political science double major, Peters already had an interest in Eastern Europe and the former Yugoslavia. His visit to Jasenovac gave those interests a new focus and pushed him to turn his curiosity into a formal research project. 

Peters came to K from Grand Rapids, Michigan, partly because of study abroad and the pre-orientation program LandSea. He was drawn to opportunities for adventure and exploration, but he never expected those interests to become part of his academic work. As he continued through Eastern Europe, visiting concentration camps and memorial sites in Hungary and Poland, he began comparing what the sites commemorated, how they presented their histories and what they asked visitors to understand. 

From Backpacking to Research 

Peters’ questions soon grew beyond a single monument: Why do Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina tell different stories about World War II? How had the dissolution of Yugoslavia reshaped memories of the conflict? What could the monuments themselves reveal about those changing interpretations? 

The resulting Senior Integrated Project (SIP) combined historical research with photojournalism, drawing on both of his majors while allowing him to investigate how political forces continue to shape public memory. As he explored the subject, he discovered it was far bigger than a single project could hold. 

“I’ve thought about this project every single day since, and it has been endless refining of a topic and an area of research that a career could be dedicated to,” he said. 

Competing Memories 

In Yugoslavia, World War II involved Nazi occupation, domestic fascist regimes, competing resistance movements, ethnic conflict and genocide. Peters explained that socialist Yugoslavia developed an account of the conflict that emphasized partisan resistance and liberation after the war. 

After Yugoslavia dissolved in the 1990s, governments and communities increasingly commemorated the war through competing national frameworks. Even the death toll at Jasenovac is difficult to establish, in part because records were destroyed or inaccessible and postwar accounts were shaped by political and ethnic conflict. 

Peters examined how those differences appeared at the sites themselves, including which monuments were maintained and which were damaged as an inadvertent consequence of war, while others were deliberately vandalized and destroyed. Their condition, he said, can indicate which histories governments and communities choose to recognize. 

“You can’t really destroy them, demolish them or take them down because that would be very overt revisionism,” he said. “But you can leave them and allow them to be overgrown without nationally recognizing them anymore.” 

Monument to the Uprising of the People of Kordun and Banija
Peters stands near Necropolis for the Victims of Fascism in Novi Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a World War II memorial site on Čamića Brdo hill. Opened in 1975 and designed by architect Bogdan Bogdanović, it commemorates about 700 civilians massacred there by Ustaše forces in August 1941.
The Monument to the Revolution at Mrakovica
The Monument to the Revolution at Mrakovica in Kozara National Park, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a 33-meter tall cylindrical sculpture made of concrete fins and embedded metal plates. It commemorates the Yugoslav Partisans and civilians who fought and died during the 1942 Kozara Offensive in World War II.
abandoned Hotel Igman on Mount Igman in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Peters stands inside the ruined interior of the abandoned Hotel Igman on Mount Igman in Bosnia and Herzegovina, originally built for the 1984 Winter Olympics.
The Spomen Vlak (Memorial Train) at the Jasenovac memorial
The Spomen Vlak (Memorial Train) at the Jasenovac memorial, featuring a Yugoslavian Railways class 20 steam locomotive and red freight cars.

Seeing History Through a Camera 

Photography gave Peters a way to document and compare those differences. What began as a personal interest became central to examining how monuments communicate through their design, condition and surroundings, even before a visitor reads a plaque or understands the historical context. 

“Many Western viewers of these monuments don’t know the context in which they were built,” he said. “Just like I did at one point, they gravitate toward these sites because they look cool. But while they are fascinating, they still represent how easy it is to impose different narratives on historical sites.” 

By placing the monuments within a shared visual record, Peters could consider how public memory is preserved, altered or allowed to fade. His photographs invite viewers to ask who built the structures, what they were intended to commemorate and how their meanings have changed. 

Bringing the Research Home 

Peters presented his work at K’s summer research symposium in August. Surrounded largely by STEM projects, he used his photographs to draw visitors to his poster and introduce them to a history many had not encountered. 

The experience reinforced his hope of bringing greater attention to Jasenovac and its contested history, particularly among English-speaking audiences in the United States. Support from the College through the Cook-Lahti Award for Undergraduate Research or Creative Activity provided Peters with the resources to pursue his questions thousands of miles from campus after his initial study abroad experience. 

Peters is quick to name the mentors who supported his project. Christina Carroll, associate professor of history, and Jessica Fowle, director of health careers, fellowships, and undergraduate research helped turn his initial curiosity into a research agenda, encouraging him to pursue the topic more deeply and seek the funding that made his return trip to Europe possible. 

“Dr. Carroll has been this consistent, driving force for me. She has pushed me to make the most of my time here at K and on this topic,” he said. “Jessica helped me apply for the grant, refine my research proposal and get a clear idea of what I wanted to do, both for myself and to present to the grant committee.” 

It became the kind of opportunity he hopes other K humanities students will seek out.  

“Be ambitious with what you want to research,” he said. “Be ambitious with how far you want those grants to take you, and where those funds can take you. The grounds for creating opportunities for yourself are here for anyone. It’s not easy, but all it takes is persistent work.” 

Looking Beyond the Monument 

Peters now plans to pursue graduate study and continue investigating public memory in the former Yugoslavia, particularly at Jasenovac. Photojournalism also remains a possibility. 

The Stone Flower first taught Peters to look beyond a monument’s appearance. His research has since taught him to examine what public memorials preserve, what they leave unspoken and who has the power to shape their meaning. 

The Stone Flower Monument
A close-up of The Stone Flower with an upward view through the petals. The monument is near Lonjsko Polje Nature Park, a large wetlands preserve that causes many white storks (one is visible) to nest near the monument.
Peters stands outside the Monument to the Revolution at Mrakovica.
Peters stands near the Monument to the Uprising of the People of Kordun and Banija, which is located on the Petrova Gora mountain range in Croatia. The abstract structure is a prominent example of Yugoslav World War II memorial architecture called Spomenik, which means monument in Serbo-Croat. The monument was vandalized, with many of its steel panels being stolen, during Operation Storm in the War of Croatian Independence in 1995.

Intercultural Center Assistant Director Invites Students to ‘Pull Up’ 

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Jordan Johnson, assistant director, intercultural center
Intercultural Center Assistant Director Jordan Johnson

“Pull up!” 

That’s what Jordan Johnson says when he emphasizes his open-door policy for Kalamazoo College students, especially those who aren’t quite sure where they fit in yet. As the College’s new assistant director for intercultural student life, he is looking forward to meeting students as first-year orientation begins Wednesday, September 9.  

“We are cool and down-to-earth people in the Intercultural Center,” Johnson said. “Our main goal is to make sure you’re comfortable. Research says that students who feel like they belong succeed. Comfort, engagement and being able to have trust in someone is a part of that belonging, so pull up. That’s what we’re about.” 

Johnson previously worked in higher education at Western Michigan University. Although he valued that experience, he was drawn to K for an opportunity to work with a smaller student population. More than anything, he wants to hear from students. 

“At a larger institution, your work can get drowned out, and I wanted to come here and be effective with a smaller population,” Johnson said. “I want to use my higher education experience to make a greater impact.” 

His approach to his work is informed by his own experience as a college student. Johnson was a first-generation student from Detroit. When he arrived on campus, he said he had to learn the language of higher education, understand college classroom dynamics, and adjust to expectations that differed from those he encountered in high school. 

Eventually, Johnson found support from a staff member he trusted enough to ask questions and seek advice. That experience has stayed with him. Now, he wants to be that kind of person for K students, especially those who might not immediately feel that they know how to navigate college. 

One of his primary responsibilities at the Intercultural Center will be supporting the success of first-generation students, partly by setting up a First-Generation Day celebration. Johnson said first-generation students are often balancing family dynamics, cultural backgrounds, and an educational environment unfamiliar to them. He wants to honor the resilience it takes to make that journey.  

“We don’t just want them in the institution just for the sake of being here,” he said. “We want to celebrate and acknowledge them. Belonging doesn’t just mean that I am here and I’m just existing. I want them to say, ‘I find purpose in being here. I’m comfortable being here.’” 

Johnson knows from experience that getting involved can be difficult, particularly for students who are naturally more reserved. He said he was reclusive as a college student and not especially socially engaged. But when he pushed himself beyond his comfort zone, he found friendships, relationships and opportunities that extended into his education and professional life. His advice to K students: Take the chance. 

“One little step out of your comfort zone here and there can probably yield great results,” he said. 

For new students, that might mean striking up a conversation at orientation or walking into the Intercultural Center for the first time. Johnson wants the center to be a place where students can build connections, find a sense of belonging, and discover opportunities to become more involved in the K community.  

Student participation, he said, will be essential. He plans to continue programs that make everyone feel welcome such as Food for the Soul while also establishing a Black Male Summit and exploring partnerships with other institutions and organizations to expand programming available to K students. 

The invitation to participate extends to everyone, and especially to students who might feel as though they are the only person on campus with their specific background. Getting involved is a part of the college experience. 

“We pay to be here,” Johnson said. “We pay to be in college. It’s an investment. Make the most out of it.” 

Johnson believes every person has a unique story, and he wants the Intercultural Center to be a place where students can show up as themselves, find people who will listen and discover opportunities to build community.  Johnson also appreciates conversations across cultures. And rather than expecting people to become experts on someone else’s culture, he encourages students to practice cultural humility. In other words, he wants students to approach each other as learners. 

With first-year orientation just days away, Johnson is ready to start listening. 

“When you talk about Jordan Johnson—or JoJo, as a lot of people like to call me—I am a fan of originality,” he said. “I love authenticity. I encourage people to be themselves at all times. Be yourself, man. As long as you are being true to yourself, I’m here for it. Pull up!” 

One Lab, Three Student-Athletes and Some Tiny Worms

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Student-athlete Sara Cate Finks '27 works in the summer lab of Dwight Williams
Sara Cate Finks ’27 is one of three student-athletes performing summer research alongside Dwight Williams, the Kurt D. Kaufman Associate Professor of Chemistry.

At 10 p.m., when many college students have called it a day, Sara Cate Finks ’27 is still waiting on worms.

The rising Kalamazoo College senior and distance swimmer isn’t pulling a late night because of an upcoming exam. The microscopic C. elegans she studies operate on their own biological clock, meaning experiments happen when they’re ready, not when it’s convenient.

It’s the kind of schedule that might overwhelm some students. But for Finks, and a growing number of student-athletes at K spending their summers in chemistry labs, it’s simply another example of the discipline, adaptability and persistence they’ve already learned through athletics.

Finks works in the research group of Dwight Williams, the Kurt D. Kaufman Associate Professor of Chemistry, known affectionately to his students as Dr. D. Her project uses microscopic worms to study neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. By tracking how the worms respond to their environment, she can measure changes in memory and determine whether experimental drugs might reverse the effects of disease-related genetic mutations.

Her path to the project began with a simple question from Williams after she completed his organic chemistry course.

“How do you feel about worms?” He asked.

“Worms are fine,” Finks replied.

That answer launched a research experience that now shapes her summers, informs her academic future and serves as the foundation for her Senior Integrated Project.

Finks’ willingness to adapt to unpredictable schedules is one reason Williams believes student-athletes often thrive in research environments.

“It’s beneficial because it just gives us another perspective on the student experience and how students are actually making the most out of the K-Plan as a whole,” Williams said. Their presence in the lab, he added, also helps other students see what’s possible when they pursue multiple passions at K.

Just a few feet away from Finks, two fellow student-athletes also are hard at work in the Williams lab.

Julia Kozal ’27, a member of the women’s lacrosse team, is synthesizing an asymmetric maleimide derivative, a natural-product compound connected to antimicrobial resistance. Her goal is to create four versions of the molecule and test how small structural changes influence its ability to combat bacteria.

Landrie Fridsma ’27, a softball player, is spending her second summer in Williams’ lab synthesizing chromone compounds that may help protect neurons from damage associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The compounds are designed to interact with receptors in the brain that help prevent harmful calcium buildup linked to neurodegeneration.

Although their projects differ, all three students share something beyond chemistry: experience balancing demanding commitments.

Ask Williams what sets student-athletes apart in the lab, and time management comes immediately to mind. In a research environment where experiments, reactions and data collection often unfold simultaneously, Williams said athletes arrive with an understanding of how to organize their schedules and remain productive amid competing priorities.

Student-athlete Landrie Fridsma '27 working in the summer lab of Dwight Williams
Landrie Fridsma ’27
Student-athlete Julia Kozal '27 works in the summer lab of Dwight Williams
Julia Kozal ’27
Sara Cate Finks works in the summer resesarch lab of Dwight Williams
Sara Cate Finks ’27

The students see the connection, too. Fridsma, who regularly spends full days in the lab during the summer, credits softball with teaching her persistence as much as planning. She also values the collaborative atmosphere among her fellow researchers.

With several student-athletes working in the lab, questions often get answered through conversations with peers before anyone seeks out Williams. Kozal traces her own approach to research directly to lessons learned on the lacrosse field.

“I am a very goal-oriented person, so having that and having determination, and not really wanting to quit ever is helpful,” she said.

Long days in the lab don’t feel unusual, she added. The same mindset that gets her through early morning practices helps her push through difficult experiments.

Finks sees a similar connection between swimming and science. Having competed for 18 years, she says athletics taught her to finish what she starts.

“Once I start a project, I need to get to the end of it,” she said. “It’s the same thing with swimming. Once I start a race, I have to finish that race. There’s no stopping halfway through.”

For Williams, their experiences illustrate the opportunities K students have to pursue multiple interests without having to choose between them—including demanding research and college athletics.

“Our students get a chance to do both,” Williams said.

Beyond the science itself, all three students describe the lab as a community built on mentorship, trust and encouragement.

Kozal returned to Williams’ lab for a second summer because she wanted to continue a project she had already begun. She credits him with helping students become more independent and confident researchers. Fridsma agrees.

“He definitely pulls the best out of each and every one of us, and he takes the time to learn all of us and how we perform best,” she said.

Williams sees those relationships as one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

“I think they add an aspect of diversity to my lab in particular,” he said of his student-athletes. “It’s a lot of fun.”

For Finks, Kozal and Fridsma, the summer has reinforced a lesson they first learned through athletics: meaningful progress rarely happens all at once. Sometimes it’s measured in a faster race. Sometimes it’s measured in a successful experiment. And sometimes it’s measured at 10 p.m., waiting for a tray of microscopic worms to be ready.

Bonjour, Opportunity: Chemistry Student Earns Elite Fellowship in France

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Dwight Williams' summer chemistry research lab including Olivia Cannizzaro
Olivia Cannizzaro ’26 (third from left in back) participated in summer research last year through the lab of Dwight Williams, the Kurt D. Kaufman Associate Professor of Chemistry (fourth from left in back).

Kalamazoo College student Olivia Cannizzaro ’26 has been selected as one of just 30 undergraduates nationwide for the inaugural Lafayette Fellowship, a highly competitive program funded by the French government that drew thousands of applicants from across the U.S. 

The fellowship, named for the Marquis de Lafayette, commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence and France’s role in it. It provides a fully funded first year toward a master’s degree in France, covering tuition, travel and visa costs, along with an intensive leadership curriculum. For Cannizzaro, a chemistry major and Heyl Scholar, the recognition feels surprising and affirming. 

“I was shocked, actually,” she said. “I opened the letter and I didn’t know how to react.” 

Cannizzaro had also applied for Fulbright fellowships, yet the clarity she felt while applying to this one hinted that it might be the strongest match. She submitted her application last December at the Paris airport, hurrying to finish it before departing for winter break travel. 

“It all kind of clicked that this fellowship was perfect for me,” she said. “It was more aligned with what I wanted to do.” 

A Global Perspective on Health Care 

Cannizzaro traces that sense of alignment to her study abroad experience in France, where she completed an Integrative Cultural Research Project (ICRP) at a free health care clinic serving refugees and migrants. There, she began comparing the French and American health systems while observing physicians who volunteered their time outside of hospital hours to provide basic care. 

The experience left a lasting impression and reshaped her sense of purpose. 

“The doctors were so gentle,” she said. “It was inspiring to see the patient care and bedside manner these doctors had for patients in complicated situations.” 

Her work abroad deepened her interest in health care equity and set her on a path toward a career in the field. Upon returning to Kalamazoo, she became involved in the Health Professions Society, eventually serving as secretary, and volunteered extensively with Meals on Wheels. She delivered food to Kalamazoo residents along routes serving up to 30 households, even in the harsh Michigan winter. 

Mentorship and Scientific Discovery 

Although her study abroad experience helped define her interests, Cannizzaro’s work in the chemistry department—including her lab work under Dwight Williams, the Kurt D. Kaufman Associate Professor of Chemistry—provided the foundation to pursue them. 

She met Williams in Organic Chemistry II, a course she described as the most challenging she had taken until she enrolled in his advanced synthesis course. 

“He taught me perseverance,” Cannizzaro said. “Learning to fail and try again really set me up for success.” 

That perseverance carried over into summer research in Williams’ lab, where Cannizzaro worked to synthesize a novel compound with potential applications in diabetes and insulin resistance research. Through the experience, she found herself drawn not only to the chemistry itself but to its implications for human health. 

“Working in Dr. D’s lab here involved a little bit of natural product synthesis, but I really liked the biology—the health care part of what this drug I was making could be doing,” she said. 

Williams has supported her throughout her academic journey, writing recommendation letters for every program she pursued. 

“At the Heyl banquet this year, we had Guiding Light Awards, and I feel that phrase really encompasses what Dr. D has been to me,” Cannizzaro said. “His door is usually open. He always says, ‘Hey,’ and he’s always got some sort of wisdom for me.” 

Continuing the Journey in France 

This fall, Cannizzaro will attend Université Paris Cité, a fellowship partner institution closely connected to Paris’ hospital network, where she will pursue a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. The program emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together students from biological and engineering backgrounds to address global health challenges. 

“The goal is an interdisciplinary approach, and at K, we get a liberal arts education, so we’re exposed to all different types of classes,” she said. “This program aligns well with K in that way.” 

Courses will be taught in English, though Cannizzaro is fluent in French through her heritage and her time studying abroad. As a French citizen through her mother, she also has the option to remain in France after the fellowship, a possibility the program encourages. 

Olivia Cannizzaro working in the Williams lab under a fume hood.
Cannizzaro working in the Williams lab.
Olivia Cannizzaro works in the chemistry lab with Anni Schnell
Cannizzaro worked alongside Anni Schnell ’26 in the Williams lab last summer.
Olivia Cannizzaro working in the Williams chemistry lab.
Cannizzaro working in the Williams lab.
Click here to learn more about K and apply! >>

Looking Ahead 

Cannizzaro will graduate on Sunday and depart for France on June 29. The fellowship begins with a three-week leadership program starting July 3. On July 4, the inaugural cohort will gather at the Palace of Versailles to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, a symbolic setting tied to Lafayette’s legacy and the historic alliance between France and the U.S. For Cannizzaro, the moment will mark the beginning of a new chapter shaped by years of academic exploration, mentorship and global engagement. 

“I couldn’t be more grateful to Kalamazoo College,” she said. “It guided me on this journey and prepared me for this amazing opportunity before me.” 

Scandalous! Dickens, True Crime and Podcasts Come to K

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Archivist Lisa Murphy reviews some of the materials she provided to students for Novels and Podcasts that explored the Dickens classic "Bleak House"
Archivist Lisa Murphy ’98 reviews some of the materials she gave students for Novels and Podcasts, a class that incorporated the Charles Dickens classic “Bleak House.”

Blindfolded professors dumped in a cornfield. A campus scandal that landed in The New York Times. And a 19th-century Charles Dickens novel with more in common with true crime podcasts than most people would guess. Welcome to Novels and Podcasts, a distinctive new English course at Kalamazoo College. 

The winter course, led by Professor of English Ryan Fong, drew students from across disciplines into a conversation about how serial storytelling works and why it still resonates today. At the center of the syllabus sat Dickens’ Bleak House, an 1852–53 masterwork about an inheritance lawsuit, tangled secrets and systemic injustices in Victorian England. Students compared it with groundbreaking true-crime podcasts such as Serial, which has captivated millions with its own drip-feed of suspense, scandal and revelation. 

The parallels, it turns out, were hard to ignore. 

“Most of Dickens’ novels were written in serialized installments over many months,” Fong said. “In this class, I wanted to explore the continuities between that form of storytelling—when it became popular in the 19th century—and how it shows up today in podcasting, where stories unfold incrementally over time.” 

For their final project, students in the course didn’t write papers—they made podcasts. Working in groups, they designed five-episode series using materials from the College Archives before recording episodes in the library’s audio lab. Students used documents, old editions of the Index student newspaper, historical faculty meeting minutes and photographs curated by College Archivist Lisa Murphy ’98 to inform their storytelling. Reference Librarian Kelly Frost also helped students deepen their research through specialized library guides, and Elena Pulliam in the Rare Book Room showed students two serialized versions of works by Dickens: Bleak House and Little Dorrit. 

Those archival discoveries became the backbone of their storytelling. The students’ explorations ranged widely across K’s history, but a couple of groups zeroed in on a notorious 1890 campus kidnapping prank so outrageous that it landed in national headlines. Students transformed the episode into serialized audio narratives, echoing the same suspense techniques they studied in Dickens and modern podcasts. 

Lisa Murphy with the portrait of
Murphy holds the portrait of William Des Autels.

“The story was that two professors stopped by Upper Hall, which was the men’s dorm,” Murphy said. “They had been invited to the birthday party of student William Des Autels, and when the two professors showed up, a bunch of students burst in, loosely bound their hands, blindfolded them and marched them up past Monroe Street to a cornfield.” 

Students at the time testified to trustees that the young professors, who were close to the students’ ages, knew it was a prank and that the situation got blown out of proportion. 

“The controversy became more about the punishment, the reaction and the bad publicity for the College,” Murphy said. “William Des Autels, who later became a Baptist minister, was expelled and there were several suspensions.” 

Several years later, the College and its faculty board awarded a degree to Des Autels because he had been so close to graduating at the point of his expulsion. But today’s students were attracted to the unusual circumstances.  

“It’s fun telling the college’s stories, because a lot of students don’t know about the archives or about the College’s history,” Murphy said. “Watching them have fun and seeing their disbelief, especially at this kidnapping story, was exciting.” 

Other students explored different historical narratives. Sarah Guerrero Gorostieta ’28 produced a podcast examining former College President James Stone and his wife, Lucinda Hinsdale Stone, an early feminist advocate for coeducation. In the 1860s, both faced backlash from conservative Baptist leaders and students resistant to progressive ideas, ultimately leading to their departure from the College. 

The research inspired Guerrero and helped her feel a deeper connection to Lucinda, the College and K’s history. 

“That was only possible because of the deep archival research we had to do,” she said. “This class was extremely valuable to my journalism aspirations because we were given the tools to create a passion project that bridged relevant local history to contemporary questions and conversations.” 

She added that the course changed her perspective on literature, making it one of her favorite classes at K so far. 

“I never thought I would become as enthralled with Dickens’ work the way I did, but Bleak House, and the themes we explored through the book, helped me understand why pre-20th century literature is worth studying,” she said. 

Behind the scenes, teaching assistant James Hauke ’26 kept podcasting operations running. Hauke guided students through the recording process, from the first-time in the studio to final edits, and came away impressed with the course and the students. 

“I appreciate that every Dr. Fong class is a conversation, where there are no lectures and 20 people or so are talking to each other,” Hauke said. “Everyone speaks. There’s never one person who’s raising their hand and taking all the questions. Everyone is a part of it, and I think that’s why he loves podcasts so much. They’re just conversations. I’d say the conversations are why Dr. Fong is a great professor.” 

From Dickens’ serialized mysteries to student-produced podcasts, the course showed that great storytelling, whether in print or audio, still unfolds one episode at a time. Fong said he will offer the class again, in part because it also showcased campus resources that students might have repeatedly overlooked. Now, they have used those resources to investigate the history of student life and culture, conduct independent research, and evaluate the information they found. 

“It was exciting to see students go into the archives and realize the richness of materials there,” he said. “It was equally exciting to see them use the audio lab and develop skills that are going to be increasingly important in the future. Watching students connect literature, history, research and creativity in this way was incredible, especially as they collaborated and engaged with contemporary and historical issues.” 

K Students Sweep Ecology Conference Awards

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Three students and a faculty member at the Ecological Society of America conference
Annaliese Bol ’26 (from left), Mia Crites ’26, Hailey Yoder ’26 and Professor of Biology Binney Girdler attend the Ecological Society of America Great Lakes Chapter Conference in Cleveland.

Three students recently represented Kalamazoo College at the 2026 meeting of the Great Lakes Chapter of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) in Cleveland, Ohio, where two of them swept the top undergraduate honors for their research presentations. 

Annaliese Bol ’26 received the conference’s award for Best Undergraduate Talk, while Mia Crites ’26 earned Best Undergraduate Poster. Fellow student Hailey Yoder ’26 also attended the conference alongside Professor of Biology Binney Girdler to present Senior Integrated Project (SIP) research.  

Bol presented findings from research she conducted with Assistant Professor of Biology Clara Stuligross, examining how heat waves affect blue orchard bees, a native solitary bee species that plays an important role in agricultural pollination. 

“Two hundred to 300 of these blue orchard bees can do the same work in an acre of almond trees as two hives of honeybees,” Bol said. “Two hives is about 90,000 honeybees, so these bees are efficient pollinators.” 

Her project explored whether heat stress during the bees’ larval stage hurts their future ability to reproduce. Bol said her findings offered some encouraging news amid broader climate concerns. 

“We found some interesting evidence that the bees aren’t being affected by heat waves in the way that we studied them,” she said. “It’s rare to find good news when you’re working with climate-change science.” 

Bol said the conference gave her valuable experience presenting research ahead of K’s Diebold SIP Symposium for the Department of Biology, and she connected with ecologists from across the Great Lakes region, including participants from the United States and Canada. 

“It was just a super fun experience,” Bol said. “If any students have the opportunity to go present their work, they should just do it.” 

After graduating this spring, Bol plans to pursue a master’s degree in animal behavior at Stockholm University in Stockholm, Sweden. 

Crites presented research from her SIP completed in the lab of Associate Professor of Biology Santiago Salinas. Her project investigated whether adaptation to pollution affects the ability of Atlantic killifish populations to respond to thermal stress. 

“My main goal with this SIP was just to gain some experience in the lab as an undergrad, specifically in designing and running an experiment, and then writing the paper afterward,” Crites said. “I accomplished most of my goals, got a taste of what research is really like, and feel more prepared leaving K to venture on in the scientific world.” 

The conference marked the first time Crites had attended and presented at a professional academic gathering. 

“Talking to other conference goers that share a similar love for biology helped me to solidify that this is something that I want to continue to be involved in and have a large passion for,” she said. 

At the conference banquet, Bol and Crites received award certificates, $150 prizes from the ESA and gift baskets that were presented by the Great Lakes Chapter’s past chair, Andrea Corbett of Cleveland State University. 

Crites said the experience reinforced her interest in pursuing ecology and evolutionary biology after graduation. 

“As of right now, I don’t have any plans locked in for after graduation, but I’d like to travel a bit, ideally find a seasonal job or two working in a biology lab, and then eventually go back to grad school to study ecology and evolutionary biology,” she said. 

More Ecology Research

Also presenting at the Great Lakes ESA conference was Hailey Yoder ’26, whose SIP has made waves of its own with her hands-on coral reef restoration work in the Galápagos Islands. Read more about her SIP. 

Student Annaliese Bol receives an award for her ecology research
Bol receives rewards from former ESA Great Lakes past-Chair Andrea Corbett for earning Best Undergraduate Talk honors at the ESA ecology conference.
Student Mia Crites receives an award for her ecology research
Crites receives rewards from former ESA Great Lakes past-Chair Andrea Corbett for earning Best Undergraduate Poster honors at the ESA ecology conference.

ACS Conference Proves K ‘Punches Above its Weight Class’

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Kalamazoo College students, faculty and alumni attend the American Chemical Society (ACS) Conference
Kalamazoo College students, faculty and alumni attend the American Chemical Society (ACS) Conference. Pictured (from left) are Caden Frost ’26, Will Tocco ’26, Baylor Baldwin ’26, Ellen Robertson ’08, Ava Schwachter ’27, ACS president-elect Christina Bodurow ’79, Associate Professor of Chemistry Blakely Tresca, Bea Putman ’26, Devi DeYoung ’26 and Christopher Aldred ’26.

Will Tocco ’26 joined an elite group this spring as one of just six undergraduates nationwide selected from more than 1,400 nominees to present at the American Chemical Society’s Presidential Symposium in Atlanta. 

Tocco’s selection came through two pathways. He had already been approved to present at a specialized inorganic chemistry symposium at the ACS National Meeting, one of the field’s premier annual gatherings. Separately, because Kalamazoo College offers an ACS-certified degree, the chemistry department was invited to nominate a student for the Presidential Symposium and put Tocco’s name forward. 

“I felt very honored,” Tocco said. “It was a great experience to network, meet people and learn how professionals found their way, because I’m still figuring out what I want my career to look like.” 

Roger F. and Harriet G. Varney Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniela Arias-Rotondo and Dorothy H. Heyl Professor of Chemistry Regina Stevens-Truss nominated Tocco. For Arias-Rotondo, sending students to conferences is central to her lab’s mission. 

“Every opportunity for students to share their work and practice presenting is valuable,” she said. “Conferences give them the chance to get feedback from experts in the field and expose them to perspectives they may not encounter on campus.” 

One highlight of the experience was a private reception hosted by the ACS president the evening before the symposium, where Tocco mingled with leading scientists and industry professionals. He met a senior scientist from Pfizer, the president of the Goldwater Foundation and the president of the ACS. He also connected with ACS president-elect Christina Bodurow ’79, a K alumna and member of the College’s Board of Trustees. 

Absorbing Light, Moving Electrons 

The opportunity stemmed from research Tocco has been developing in Arias-Rotondo’s lab at the intersection of chemistry and renewable energy. Building on work started by Maxwell Rhames ’25, he has helped develop single-molecule dyes capable of absorbing light and converting it to electricity, an approach with potential applications in next-generation solar panels and hydrogen fuel production. 

“They can be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and then you can burn that hydrogen as a fuel source,” Tocco said. 

Tocco synthesized one such complex and demonstrated that it can move electrons through nearly every step of the energy-transfer process. 

“It can absorb the light and do everything up until the handoff, but it doesn’t want to release the electron,” he said. “A solar panel needs to absorb light and give off electrons.” 

Unlocking that final step by enabling the compound to release its electron and complete the cycle will be the focus of future work in the lab after Tocco graduates. His contributions have already refined procedures for synthesizing key molecules, giving future students a strong foundation to build on. 

“Will is a strong synthetic chemist, and his work is opening the door for new students to join this project and make contributions,” Arias-Rotondo said. “It is impossible to overstate his contributions to our research group, both scientifically and personally. He is always willing to support and encourage others.” 

Tocco’s presentation was well received, particularly at the inorganic symposium as more of the audience was familiar with the topic. Ahead of the conference, he contacted faculty at the University of Notre Dame, where he will begin his doctoral studies this fall, and one professor made a point to attend. 

“He had his own presentation, but he took the time to come see mine,” Tocco said. “That was really inspiring.” 

Tocco also earned an honorable mention for the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), a highly competitive award that provides three years of funding for graduate study. Although the honorable mention does not include funding, it is a significant distinction. 

“As an undergrad, getting that honorable mention is big because I’m a year behind most others applying,” he said. He plans to apply again next year as a first-year doctoral student. 

From Math Major to Chemist 

American Chemical Society Conference presenter Will Tocco
Tocco presents his research at the ACS Conference.
American Chemical Society Conference Presenter Devi DeYoung
DeYoung presenting at the ACS Conference.
K Reps in Atlanta for Chemical Conference
K representatives attend the ACS Conference in Atlanta.
Two students, an alumna, a faculty member and the president of ACS
Arias-Rotondo, Bodurow, Frost, Tocco and ACS President Rigoberto Hernandez at the ACS Conference in Atlanta.

Tocco did not arrive at K intending to pursue chemistry. He planned to major in mathematics, entering with dual enrollment calculus credits, before taking General Chemistry I with Arias-Rotondo. 

“I just had so much more fun than I did in any other class,” he said. “Even what some might consider boring felt kind of cool.” 

On the first day of class, Arias-Rotondo—known to her students as Dr. DAR—mentioned her research and invited interested students to speak with her. By the next term, Tocco had joined her lab, where he has worked since. 

“When I first started chemistry, I thought I’d get my bachelor’s degree and find a job,” he said. “But I kept going to conferences, kept learning and realized I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. A lot of that was Dr. DAR’s influence.” 

Tocco also credits Associate Professor of Chemistry Blakely Tresca, who organized a group of graduate student mentors to help K students navigate the demanding GRFP application process. 

“I wouldn’t have started it without his help,” Tocco said. 

The process also strengthened his Senior Integrated Project, as feedback on his grant proposal turned into improvements. 

Tocco’s undergraduate experience also has included a Research Experience for Undergraduates fellowship at Duquesne University and a study abroad term in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He will graduate this spring with a major in chemistry and a minor in mathematics. 

A Lab Community in Atlanta 

Tocco was not the only K student to attend the conference. He was joined by fellow chemistry and biochemistry students Caden Frost ’26, Ava Schwachter ’27, Bea Putman ’26, CJ Aldred ’26, Jack Bungart ’26, Max Plesscher ’26, Baylor Baldwin ’26 and Devi DeYoung ’26, along with Arias-Rotondo and Tresca. The students shared an Airbnb, and the trip became as much a bonding experience as a professional one. 

“We went to the Georgia Aquarium, went to dinner, hung out and watched movies,” Tocco said. “It was a great experience to be professionals and also just spend time together.” 

That blend of close community and high-level research is what Tocco sees as distinctive about K. 

“Kalamazoo College punches above its weight class,” he said. “Our professors are well connected, so if we don’t have an instrument, we know someone who does. I’ve built relationships with all of the chemistry faculty, and that wouldn’t always happen at a larger institution.” 

Arias-Rotondo has seen the impact firsthand. After returning from Atlanta, she led students through a debrief, reflecting on what they learned. 

“Every time we take students to conferences, colleagues from other schools tell me how well our students present,” she said. “We could see the growth that happened in just a few days.” 

Looking ahead, Tocco imagines returning one day to a lab that has continued to evolve. 

“It’ll be exciting to see what others build,” he said. “That’s what makes it special.”

Water Policy Speaker, SIPs Highlight Earth Day at K

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A Michigan Environmental Council representative who wants to keep the state’s water clean, filled with wildlife, and available to all Michiganders will speak at Kalamazoo College on Earth Day. 

Reese Dillard, the council’s water policy coordinator, will deliver a keynote titled Relationship Building: A Means to Energize a Political Movement at the 2026 Senior Integrated Project (SIP) Sustainability Symposium. Her talk will begin at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, 205 Monroe St. Senior presentations will follow at 7:30 p.m.  

Dillard argues that political engagement can be challenging, but affecting change for the sake of the environment is possible through building relationships and making connections. By doing so, Michigan can grow a community of individuals committed to policy that prioritizes environmental success and collaborative government. 

Before joining the environmental council, Dillard worked for Michigan House Minority Leader Donna Lasinski and as a field service technician for a botanical garden and arboretum. She holds a degree in political science from the University of Michigan and has taken coursework in criminal justice and corrections at Siena Heights University. 

SIPs at K are capstone experiences, a lot like a senior thesis. A total of 17 seniors will present their work tied to sustainability including Luke Werner ’26, who looked at history to examine how we can protect the modern-day Great Lakes; and Hailey Yoder ’26, who worked toward coral reef restoration in the Galápagos Islands. 

Together, the students’ projects and Dillard’s keynote reflect a shared goal of turning knowledge into action. The free public event is sponsored by the Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center and K’s environmental studies concentration. 

Portrait of Earth Day speaker Reese Dillard
Reese Dillard, the Michigan Environmental Council’s water policy coordinator, will speak on Earth Day—Wednesday, April 22—at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership.

This Student Looked to the Past to Help Protect the Great Lakes Today

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Student in a hat and jacket holding a fish he caught
Luke Werner ’26 holds a pike.

On summer mornings along the shores of the Great Lakes, Kalamazoo College student Luke Werner ’26 recognizes the rhythm of the water as something almost instinctive, shaped by years of fishing trips, charter boats and stories of salmon runs. And what began as a personal connection to Michigan’s waters became something far more ambitious: a deep historical investigation into how those waters were nearly lost and what their past can teach us about protecting them today. 

Werner spent the past year immersed in archives, government reports and decades-old ecological data to complete his Senior Integrated Project (SIP). Unlike many sustainability-focused projects rooted in biology or environmental science, Werner’s work emerged from the history department—an intentional choice that underscores a central argument of his research: understanding environmental crises requires an understanding of the past. 

His project traces the rise, collapse and partial recovery of fish populations in the Great Lakes, revealing how human decisions over centuries, rather than a single ecological disruption, set the stage for disaster. 

“I wanted to go back and really look at the history of the region,” Werner said. “We tend to latch onto big moments, including the invasions and the tipping points. But the more I learned, the more I realized those were just the final dominoes.” 

A Crisis Centuries in the Making 

Long before invasive species such as sea lampreys and alewives devastated the lakes in the mid-20th century, the ecosystem had already been strained by human impact. Werner points to a gradual shift away from the reciprocal relationship Indigenous communities such as the Anishinaabe had with the land. 

“The crisis wasn’t just caused by these fish showing up,” he said. “It was enabled by hundreds of years of decisions, including overfishing, damming rivers and pollution. We refused to cooperate with the lakes.” 

By the time invasive species entered through shipping routes and canals, native fish populations were already vulnerable. The result was catastrophic as sea lampreys decimated large fish, while alewife numbers escalated. 

“It genuinely became an international crisis,” Werner said. “You had industries collapsing, thousands of jobs lost, and entire ecosystems out of balance.” 

The Man Behind the Salmon 

In the 1950s, Howard Tanner, a fisheries biologist, was at the center of the most pivotal response to that crisis, as his bold proposal helped reshape the Great Lakes. 

Student holding up a fish he caught near the Great Lakes
Werner holds a large mouth bass.

Sustainability SIP Symposium Scheduled 

Kalamazoo College will celebrate Environmental Education Week April 20-24. Events will include the annual Sustainability SIP Symposium on April 22, which is Earth Day, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership. The event will honor more than a dozen students from a variety of majors who pursued themes of climate change, the environment, and sustainability in their research and projects. For more information, watch envirostewardship.kzoo.edu.  

Tanner, who had experience studying salmon in the Western United States, proposed introducing Pacific salmon, specifically coho and Chinook, into the Great Lakes as a biological control for alewives. 

“He knew salmon were strong, cold-water fish that could survive in the lakes,” Werner said. “And more importantly, they prey on alewives.” 

At the time, the idea was far from an assured solution. Introducing another non-native species carried risks, especially in an already unstable ecosystem. But Tanner framed it as a calculated, science-driven intervention. 

“It was a gamble, but it was an intentional one,” Werner said. “That’s the difference. These fish were chosen.” 

Within a year of Tanner’s proposal, hundreds of thousands of salmon were released into the lakes. The alewife populations plummeted, and a new recreational fishing economy took shape. 

“Tanner’s work didn’t just help stabilize the ecosystem,” Werner said. “It created this entire multi-billion-dollar recreational industry that still exists today.” 

A Solution That Requires Constant Attention 

Werner is careful not to describe the salmon introduction as a clean victory. 

“It’s more like it was managed into something sustainable and only with constant effort,” he said. 

Today, fish populations in the Great Lakes are still carefully balanced through a combination of stocking decisions, invasive species control and strict regulations. Too many salmon can deplete alewife populations, which in turn harms the salmon themselves. Too few salmon allow alewives to rebound. 

“It’s a cat-and-mouse game,” Werner said. “They actually have to adjust how many salmon they introduce each year to keep everything in balance.” 

That balancing act extends beyond species management. Werner points to modern environmental protections such as limits on commercial fishing, pollution controls and habitat preservation as direct responses to past failures. 

At one point, Michigan alone had more than 10,000 commercial fishing licenses. Today, that number has dropped to just a few dozen. 

“That’s one of the biggest changes,” he said. “We’ve shifted from this mindset of extraction to something much more intentional.” 

Why History Matters 

For Werner, the most important takeaway from his project isn’t just what happened, but how we understand it. 

“It’s really critical to analyze and reflect on our past,” he said. “We repeat the same mistakes all the time if we don’t.” 

By placing environmental issues in a historical context, his work reveals the complexity behind them, showing that crises are rarely sudden and solutions are rarely simple. 

“Being a history major, it’s impossible for me to take things at face value,” Werner said. “There are always layers—economic, social, political—that shape what happens.” 

That perspective, he argues, is essential for anyone working in sustainability. 

“I wanted to move beyond the big headlines, the big titles, and the simple understanding of history and look at the myriad causes of these issues from the late 1600s through the 1950s,” he said. “Realistically, there were hundreds of different factors that led to this crisis.” 

Looking Ahead 

As Werner considers a future in environmental work—whether with state agencies, conservation groups or fisheries management—his SIP serves as a capstone and a starting point. What began as a personal connection to the Great Lakes has evolved into a deeper understanding of how fragile yet resilient those systems can be. 

“It’s changed how I see the lakes,” he said. “It’s not just about what’s in them, it’s about our relationship with them.” 

As his research clarifies, that relationship—shaped over centuries—will determine how the Great Lakes are sustained for generations to come. 

“If we could get some agreements between governments—even if it’s just state and provincial governments—I think that would be a big boon for the environmental and economic success of the region,” he said.