students

Festival Playhouse to Stage “Student Body”

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The Kalamazoo College Festival Playhouse’s 55th season, featuring the theme of Assumption and Confusion, continues this week with the powerful play Student Body.

Student Body Rehearsal
Kalamazoo College students rehearse for Student Body, which runs Thursday, Feb. 21-Sunday, Feb. 24, at the Nelda K. Balch Festival Playhouse.

Written by Frank Winters and directed by Visiting Theatre Arts Assistant Professor Bianca Washington, the play approaches complicated ethical questions when a college student wakes up after a party in her parents’ house and finds a video on her camera of a sexual encounter. The woman in the video might or might not be unconscious as others watch, leading the 10 characters, consisting of seven women and three men, to debate whether a sexual assault has occurred and who they should tell about it.

“The setting is written to be a university in the middle of nowhere, but the director made a bold decision to place it at K,” said Ynika Yuag ’21, who noted that some of the characters will wear Kalamazoo College apparel.

In her role as a dramaturg, Yuag is responsible for working with the director on background research and how current events and perspectives might inform or shape the production. “K isn’t exactly the middle of nowhere,” she said, “but the campus is small enough that we all get to know each other, which really makes [the production] personal. The more I work on it, the more I realize how it fits the theme of Assumption and Confusion.”

The performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21 through Saturday, Feb. 23, with a 2 p.m. showing on Sunday, Feb. 24. Yuag said a lobby display with interactive elements will allow audience members to engage with ideas related to the play through proxy stations before and after the show. Plus, there will be talkback sessions featuring facilitators and cast members after each show. The scheduled facilitators include:

Be advised, there is strong language and a graphic discussion of sexual violence in the show.

Tickets for all four shows at the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse are available by visiting festivalplayhouse.ludus.com or by calling 269.337.7333. Adults are $15, seniors are $10 and students are $5 with an ID. Kalamazoo College students, faculty and staff are admitted free with their College IDs.

Learn more about Student Body at reason.kzoo.edu/festivalplayhouse.

Two K Student-Athletes Attend NCAA Convention

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Two student-athletes represented Kalamazoo College at the 2019 NCAA Convention in Orlando, Florida, earning an insider’s look at the governance and maintenance of college sports.

Jared Pittman and Amanda Moss at NCAA Convention
Jared Pittman ’20 and Amanda Moss ’19 attended the NCAA Convention in Orlando, Florida.

Jared Pittman ’20 and Amanda Moss ’19 attended business sessions with hundreds of athletes, athletic directors and college administrators from Division I, II and III schools around the country, including K Athletic Director Becky Hall. By attending these sessions and sharing their feedback with Hall, a voting member of the NCAA, they were able to have a voice in how rules affect Division III athletes’ experiences.

Football coach Jamie Zorbo approached Pittman, a running back and captain on the football squad, about attending. Women’s basketball coach Katie Miller recommended that Moss, a guard on Miller’s team, attend. As leaders in their sports at K and as participants in the school’s Athletic Leadership Council, Pittman and Moss were logical choices, especially as they hope their careers one day involve athletics.

“It was fascinating because the NCAA president [Mark Emmert] emphasized that [the organization] is a democracy,” said Moss, who is also a midfielder for K’s women’s lacrosse team. “In addition to being informational, it was also a time for college representatives to interact and share best practices.” For example, through Division III legislation proposed at the conference, representatives agreed to drop some social media restrictions for coaches and athletic department staff to better align Division III recruiting rules with those in Divisions I and II.

“The world of college athletics is much bigger than I thought it was,” Pittman said of his experience at the convention. “It gave me a new-found appreciation for how rules and regulations are developed in college sports. It also gave me a bigger passion for all sports, because I interacted with athletes I wouldn’t otherwise know, especially those from sports K doesn’t have. Athletics can do a lot for young people.”

NCAA Convention
Jared Pittman ’20 and Amanda Moss ’19 attended the NCAA Convention with hundreds of athletes, athletic directors and college administrators from Division I, II and III schools around the country, including Athletic Director Becky Hall.

Pittman and Moss agreed an opportunity to network was their best benefit of attending at the convention.

“We were fortunate enough to travel in a group with other MIAA [Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association] athletes from schools like Calvin, Hope and Alma,” said Moss, who also has prepped for a career in sports with an NBA internship and by serving as the president and co-founder of K’s Sports Business Club. “It was enjoyable because we brought that K perspective, but heard from the schools we compete with each year. It was great because we attended business sessions during the day, and at night, we were able to explore Orlando.”

“Honestly, we didn’t talk about sports much,” Pittman said. “It was more about character and how we improve our institutions, especially with Division III being about academic experience as much as athletics.” In fact, he noted from his networking that K’s student counseling resources such as the Counseling Center and efforts related to sexual-violence prevention through groups such as Green Dot are advanced when compared with its peer institutions. “It was really cool getting to know the delegates from other MIAA schools and developing friendships,” Pittman said. I’m blessed to have the chance to attend K and compete in Division III. If I didn’t, I probably never would have had the chance to attend the convention.”

Read more about the 2019 convention and its news at the NCAA’s website.

Declaration of Major Day a Milestone for Sophomores

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Male student smiles and signs Declaration of Major Day forms
Declaration of Major Day is a festive gathering where sophomores designate their majors, minors and concentrations at Kalamazoo College.

There are two camps of students who come to college: those who know exactly what they want to study — or are pretty sure they know — and those who don’t. Kalamazoo College takes a different approach to helping students decide their major. Through the K-Plan, students explore and discover academic fields for a year and a half before choosing a major. Best of all, the curriculum is designed to give students this freedom while keeping them on track to graduate in four years. This past Wednesday’s Declaration of Major Day, the midpoint of their sophomore year, was a festive gathering where students formally designated their majors, minors and concentrations.

The banquet hall at Hicks Student Center was packed as each department set up a booth. Students went from table to table, committing to their fields of study and getting stickers declaring their choices. They celebrated the big moment with one another and the rest of campus with a piece of cake baked for the event by Dining Services.

“Declaration of Major Day is a 15-year tradition at Kalamazoo College,” Associate Dean of Students Dana Jansma said. “College students everywhere are required to declare a major, but here at K we make it a special event and celebration.”

Jansma also said it’s a way to celebrate students finding their academic home.

“It is a real rite-of-passage for sophomores,” she said.

K senior Emma Eisenbeis, a political science and German double major, recalled the excitement of her Declaration of Major Day. “This event gives you the opportunity to situate yourself in your academic community with your fellow peers and faculty. It really hits you that this is the start of your career path,” Eisenbeis said.

This event typically merges the two camps of students into one, where they all have a sense of where their paths are headed. And if something changes, no worries. Thanks to the flexibility of the K-Plan, the College will work with students to make a switch of major or majors as seamless as possible.

American College Theatre Festival Honors 3 Students

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Three from a Kalamazoo College contingent of 15 who attended were recently honored with awards at the 51st annual Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival regional event in Madison, Wisconsin.

American College Theatre Festival Honorees
Kate Kreiss (clockwise from lower left), Teyia Artis and Rebecca Chan were Kalamazoo College representatives recently honored with awards at the American College Theatre Festival in Madison, Wisconsin.

During the festival, theater students from across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin presented their work to industry professionals, participated in workshops, attended performances and competed for awards and scholarships. The three students who collected specific awards were:

  • Kate Kreiss ’19 and Rebecca Chan ’22 who competed in the Institute for Theatre Journalism Advocacy (ITJA) events; and
  • Teyia Artis ’21, who competed in the Stage Management Fellowship category.

The ITJA events allowed Kreiss and Chan to participate in a series of seminars focusing on theater criticism and how it’s changing with technology. Both wrote deadline-oriented critiques and responses about shows they watched each night, targeting a general audience of event attendees with their work.

Kreiss earned runner-up honors from event faculty.

“It was a hugely beneficial experience that truly married journalism with activism and encouraged us to use our critiques to advocate for what we as writers and artists felt needed to be put on stage,” Kreiss said, adding she advocates for thoughtfully-done stories that reflect modern life.

American College Theatre Festival
Fifteen students represented Kalamazoo College at the American College Theatre Festival in Madison, Wisconsin.

“As a senior, receiving an honorable mention from ITJA and participating in the course has shown me a way to marry my theatre arts and English majors, and has offered me with a career path that I hadn’t considered,” Kreiss said.

Chan was given top honors as the ITJA nominee from Region III. In other words, she is eligible to become one of four students selected for the national American College Theatre Festival this year in Washington, D.C.

“It was a lot of work, and a lot of late nights, but the experience was wonderful,” Chan said. “Attending the workshop helped me discover a new skill, theater criticism, and it’s now something I really enjoy. Without the support and encouragement of the Theatre Arts Department, I probably wouldn’t have ever seen myself as a potential theater critic. Now, I’m excited to keep practicing this craft, and hopefully, I’ll move on to nationals.”

Artis was initially awarded a certificate of merit from the American College Theatre Festival for her work with “It Can’t Happen Here,” the Festival Playhouse production in fall 2018. That honor allowed Artis to submit a prompt book from the show to the Region III event in Madison, where student stage managers received feedback from professionals. Her honor from those professionals provides her with a Stage Management Fellowship certificate and a book consisting of tools for stage-management success.

“It means a lot to me because it shows that the judges took time to look through my prompt book and saw what needed improvement,” Artis said. “I truly appreciate the textbook as it will guide me to my future career as a stage manager.”

According to its website, The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival “showcases the finest in university theater across the nation. Through eight regional festivals plus the national festival in Washington, D.C., the festival celebrates artistic excellence and offers students individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, dramatic criticism, theatre management, directing and design.”

The festival aims to:

  • Celebrate the finest and most diverse work produced in college and university theater programs;
  • Encourage the production of new plays, especially those written by students and experimental works alongside revitalized or newly conceived classics;
  • Help participants develop their theater skills and achieve professionalism; and
  • Improve the quality of college and university theater in the U.S.

Learn more about the Region III Festival at its website.

Learn more about Theatre Arts at Kalamazoo College at our website.

Professor’s Project Promotes Pollinators, Begets Buzz

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pollinators
Alexa Dulmage ’21 (left) is among the students who help Kalamazoo College Biology Professor Ann Fraser (right) support pollinators and sample bee diversity at Lillian Anderson Arboretum.

Kalamazoo College Biology Professor Ann Fraser is hoping to create some buzz with her latest project at the Lillian Anderson Arboretum.

Part of her project aims to sustain more pollinators such as bees after a perceived decline in the state’s pollinator population since the 1990s. The Kalamazoo Community Foundation is providing support of $7,000 from the Love Where You Live Environment Fund toward Fraser’s project, which will help her and K students create:

  • a better food supply for pollinators by planting the wildflowers they desire;
  • an improved nesting habitat often consisting of clear ground; and
  • an information campaign that will encourage southwest Michigan residents to use fewer pesticides, especially in their yards and homes.
Pollinators
Erik Funke ’19 helps Biology Professor Ann Fraser support pollinators and sample bee diversity at Lillian Anderson Arboretum.

The rest of Fraser’s project, supported by Kalamazoo College, will develop protocols for bumble-bee monitoring that K students and local citizen scientists can use at nature preserves through collaborations with the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy. Fraser said about 465 types of bees are native to Michigan including nearly 100 at the arboretum.

“This will help us develop some long-term monitoring so we can record populations year after year to spot declines as they’re beginning to happen,” Fraser said, noting that these studies involve wild bees, not bees maintained in hives. That means it’s important to maintain food supplies and nesting areas rather than hives.

“There have been European studies that have shown significant declines in insect populations,” she added. “But without our own measurements, we can only ask, ‘is it true?’ Empirical evidence will call us to act.”

pollinators
Aya Abe ’16 was among the students who helped Biology Professor Ann Fraser support pollinators and sample bee diversity at Lillian Anderson Arboretum.

That action would be important assuming a population decline because “bees are the most important pollinators of plants,” Fraser said. “Without bees, plants don’t reproduce. Fruit crops rely on pollinators and losing pollinators will affect our food supply.”

As a result, “this support from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation is a wonderful gift,” Fraser said. “It’s the catalyst we’ve needed to get it off the ground.”

Fraser has been a professor at K since 2003. She normally teaches introductory biology, entomology, animal behavior and chemical ecology courses, although she is taking a two-term sabbatical. With that time, she will study similar successful projects executed through schools such as the University of Wisconsin, University of Minnesota and the University of Illinois.

Fraser said other projects have also grown locally, including one last year along Drake Road in Oshtemo Township. Part of Fraser’s research will examine whether the Lillian Anderson Arboretum project benefits pollinators by continuing to survey bee populations pre- and post-habitat enrichment. Her own teams will start preparing areas at the arboretum for planting this spring and summer before planting begins in fall.

Community members and students looking to contribute to educational, awareness and research efforts should stay tuned for more information on how to volunteer as plans develop.

Make Plans for Martin Luther King Jr. Day Events

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Kalamazoo College students, faculty and staff will take part in events Friday, Jan. 18, and Monday, Jan. 21, to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The events are open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Friday

11 a.m., Community Reflection, Stetson Chapel

Tasleem Jamila Martin Luther King Jr Day
Tasleem Jamila, an international poet, vocalist, author, speaker, educator and holistic health advocate, will be a guest performer at the Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation Monday, Jan. 21, at Dalton Theatre.

The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Reflection is an opportunity for Kalamazoo College students, faculty and staff to speak from their experiences and hearts on this year’s theme, “Kneeling for Justice, Then and Now.”

Monday

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Black History 101 Mobile Museum Exhibit, Light Fine Arts lobby

This exhibit is an award-winning collection of more than 7,000 original artifacts of Black memorabilia dating from the trans-Atlantic slave trade era to hip-hop culture. The Black History 101 Mobile Museum has traveled to 32 states, visiting more than 300 institutions including colleges, K-12 schools, corporations, conferences, libraries, museums, festivals, religious institutions and cultural events. Community members are invited to stop by throughout the day to view the exhibit.

10:50 a.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation at Dalton Theatre, Light Fine Arts

Speaker Khalid El-Hakim will deliver the keynote, “The Truth Hurts: Black History, Honesty and Healing the Racial Divide.”

Khalid El-Hakim is the founder and curator of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum. He has received national and international attention for his innovative work of exhibiting Black history outside of traditional museum spaces. Most recently he was named one of the 100 Men of Distinction for 2017 by the highly respected business magazine, Black Enterprise. He holds a master’s degree in socio-cultural studies of education from Western Michigan University and is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Dylan Milton ’21 will be the student speaker. Tasleem Jamila, an international poet, vocalist, author, speaker, educator and holistic health advocate, will be a guest performer. She is the CEO of My Soul Speaks, a company that creates interactive workshops, presentations and performances across the world. Her work focuses on social action, community healing and revitalization through art and expression.

12:30 to 2 p.m., Coffee and Conversations with Khalid El-Hakim, Black History 101 Museum Curator, in the Light Fine Arts lobby

Khalid will be available at the museum exhibit for questions and one-on-one dialogue about the Black History 101 Museum and the exhibit at K. Tea, coffee and lemonade will be available.

12:45 to 3 p.m., MLK Day Brunch and Workshop, “Writing Your Own Freedom Song” with Tasleem Jamila, Intercultural Center at Hicks Student Center

Brunch will be served at 12:45 p.m. followed by a 70- to 80-minute workshop. Attendance is limited to 40 students. RSVP to Natalia T. Carvalho-Pinto at ncarvalh@kzoo.edu to attend. This event is open only to students from Kalamazoo College, Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

3:40 p.m., annual Commemorative Walk

Kalamazoo College participants will ride buses from Red Square to MLK Park in Kalamazoo. After the MLK Park event, participants may take buses back to K. One bus will take participants to a celebration at the State Theatre, after which a 6 p.m. bus will return participants to K.

5 to 6 p.m., Community Celebration, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick, Kalamazoo

Immediately after the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Walk, Bronson Healthcare and Ascension Borgess Hospital invite the public to a community celebration. For accommodations and further information, contact Mikka Dryer at 269.341.8323 or Sister Sue McCrery at 269.226.5937.

7 p.m., Movie Night and Discussion, Intercultural Center at Hicks Student Center.

Kalamazoo College students, faculty and staff are welcome to watch the movie “Selma” with popcorn and pizza provided.

K Student Club Goes Nuts for Squirrels

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What buries food, stares at you, drags pizza across campus and runs across tree limbs in the Quad? They’re squirrels, and a group of Kalamazoo College students dedicates time to watching them.

Squirrels at Kalamazoo College
Squirrels draw a lot of attention from Kalamazoo College students, especially from those in the Squirrel-Watching Club. Marissa Castellana ’20 won the club’s photo contest in spring 2018 with this photo taken on campus.

“My housemates and I were interested in the squirrels around our house last year because it seemed like they were always doing something strange,” said Ryan Mulder ’20, a Spanish and business double major from Grand Rapids, Michigan. One of the squirrels even sounded like it was “barking” at him.

“I was so surprised because I never knew that squirrels made noises like that,” Mulder said.

That observation sparked the idea for an official student organization, the Squirrel-Watching Club.

“We knew there were similar clubs at other schools and it seemed like fun to start our own,” said Mulder, the organization’s president. “Squirrels are just so curious that it’s easy to find them doing something weird.”

About five to 10 students attend most meetings, employing binoculars and a 10-pound bag of squirrel feed to foster their observations. They also are active on social media and have conducted a squirrel photo contest.

“The most unique thing about the squirrels on K’s campus is that they’re somewhat used to the students and are more likely to interact with us,” Mulder said. “I think the most interesting encounters we have had with the squirrels on campus would not have taken place had they not grown up with so many people around.”

Mulder is among many club members on study abroad this term, so National Squirrel Appreciation Day on Jan. 21 will have to pass this year without any official club activities. However, Mulder will still mark the day.

“To celebrate National Squirrel Appreciation Day I think I will try and learn more about squirrels’ importance in the ecosystem in order to better appreciate them,” he said.

Meetings are expected to continue again soon thanks to the rascals that keep current students entertained and capture intrigue from incoming students.

“The squirrels at K are a fun distraction from schoolwork and just being outside to relax and watch them is great for the stress that can come with tough classes,” Mulder said.

Kalamazoo College has more than 70 student organizations including the Squirrel-Watching Club. For more information on the Squirrel-Watching Club, message the group through its Instagram page, @SquirrelsofKCollege.

Cafsgiving Makes Finals Prep More Palatable

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Student lifting plates during Cafsgiving
Students enjoyed tables full of delectable Thanksgiving treats during Cafsgiving on Thursday. You can see more pictures from the event on our Facebook page.

Kalamazoo College students flocked Thursday to the Hicks Student Center to participate in an annual tradition that makes preparing for fall-term finals a little more palatable.

Cafsgiving, a Thanksgiving-style meal served by faculty and staff through Kalamazoo College Dining Services, presented students with delectable delights including ham and turkey, a multitude of breads, mashed potatoes and gravy, and an array of pies and desserts that could satisfy any student’s hunger.

Long lines formed early outside the cafeteria, as they always do for Cafsgiving. But professors and staffers, including Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez, served appetizers and hors d’oeuvres as students waited their turns.

The meal is served each year on the last Thursday of the fall term with students anticipating winter break. The mood was complete this year with a turkey-shaped ice sculpture at the punch table proclaiming “Happy Cafsgiving,” dimmed lights and snow gently falling outside.

‘Praying with Lior’ Screening Available Saturday

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Join the Film and Communities Living-Learning House at 2 p.m. Saturday in Dewing Hall Room 103 for a screening and discussion of the New York Times Critics Pick documentary “Praying with Lior.”

Praying with Lior film Lior standing over candle
“Praying with Lior” publicity photo

The film, directed by Ilana Trachtman, is about a Jewish boy who has Down syndrome and is preparing for his bar mitzvah after losing his mother at age 6. Many in Lior’s family and community believe Lior is close to God, although he’s also a burden, a best friend, an inspiration and an embarrassment, depending on who is asked and when. According to the film’s website, “Praying with Lior” is the centerpiece of an ambitious outreach campaign to change the way people with disabilities are perceived and received by faith communities.

“Praying with Lior” won audience awards at the Boston, Washington, San Diego and Vancouver Jewish film festivals as well as 2008 media awards from the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the National Down Syndrome Congress.

The discussion will include submitted commentary from the director. For more information, email Ellie Hughes of the Film and Communities Living-Learning House.

Jazz Band Fall Concert Scheduled for Friday

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Kalamazoo College’s Jazz Band will conduct its fall concert, titled “Aurora,” at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, at the Dalton Theater at Light Fine Arts.

Kalamazoo College Jazz Band performs
The Kalamazoo College Jazz Band will perform its fall concert Friday at Light Fine Arts.

Directed by Thomas G. Evans, K’s Jazz Band pulls together an eclectic collection of contemporary and classic jazz arrangements to provide the students participating and the audience an electric experience. Hear past performances through the Music Department’s Jazz Band website.

Other Music Department events this weekend include:

  • the Kalamazoo Philharmonia fall concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, in the Dalton Theater. The Philharmonia will collaborate with the West Michigan Opera Project to present another concert featuring “Susannah,” an opera from American composer Carlisle Floyd; and
  • the College Singers, a 32-voice choral ensemble, will perform a program featuring the music of pop artists such as Carole King and Stevie Wonder in three cities. The concerts will include a Sunday, Nov. 11, performance at Light Fine Arts.

Prospective students visiting for this weekend’s open house or these concerts can find information related to the music scholarships available to performers in these groups at our website.