Hoop house sounds like a nickname for a basketball arena.
In the field of agriculture, however, it’s a term for a kind of light yet sturdy, metal-framed greenhouse with a clear polyvinyl cover that can be erected anywhere it’s needed. A hoop house provides a year-round environment for growing vegetables, flowers and other cold-sensitive plants.
Kalamazoo College’s Just Food Collective collaborated on a proposal for a “hoop house” greenhouse that, with contributions from alumni and friends of the College, will greatly expand the year-round gardening space at the College. Gathering in the College greenhouse the group currently uses are some of the Just Food Collective members involved in the proposal (from left): Maya Gurfinkel ’20, Aiden Voss ’20, Natalie Thompson ’19, Elliott Boinais ’21 and Lee Carter ’18.
It will be several times the size of the College’s existing greenhouse behind Hoben Hall. And unlike that structure, where potted plants are grown on tables, the crops in the hoop house will be planted in ground-level boxes, making them easier to tend, sustain and harvest.
Ultimately, say student organizers such as Lee Carter ’18, a CCE Civic Engagement Scholar, the food produced in the hoop house could become part of the supply chain for the College’s Dining Services and perhaps for other food programs in the Kalamazoo community. It’s part of a wider goal of the Just Food Collective to increase the use of locally sourced food, easing nutritional inequities, bringing more transparency to the food supply system and reducing the College’s carbon footprint.
The idea has been around for over a decade. CCE Director Alison Geist says it got its start with a group called Farms to K, a program that grew from the service-learningfirst-year seminars Cultivating Community, first taught in 2008 by English professor Amelia Katanski ’92, and Roots in the Earth, led by College Writing Center Director Amy Newday, that focus on food justice and sustainable agriculture. Katanski and Newday serve as advisors to the group and Larry Bell ’80, founder of Bell’s Brewery, has provided support.
An artist’s depiction of the College’s new 1,800-square-foot hoop house, which will be erected in a corner of the intramurals field north of the Fitness and Wellness Center.
The CCE, students and faculty revived and expanded the mission of Farms to K in spring 2016 as the Just Food Collective, whose mission includes policy work on food insecurity. The students involved included Carter, who says he grew up in a “back to the land, homesteader” household in rural New Hampshire that always had a vegetable garden. With Newday, an owner of Shelbyville, Michigan’s, Harvest of Joy Farm, as mentor, they drew up a simple proposal for a hoop house, and Anika Sproull ’17, wrote a senior individualized project (SIP) advocating that K invest in sustainable agriculture.
Over the next two years, more than a dozen students devised a detailed, illustrated proposal and prepared a presentation that, Geist says, “just bowled over” President’s Staff. The proposal lays out the plan and explains how it would provide learning opportunities for existing classes and connect to campus programs such as a composting initiative. It also details the involvement of paid and volunteer student workers, tells how it would fulfill existing College policies concerning environmental justice and sustainability, looks at what other colleges and universities are doing and even includes the results of an informal survey demonstrating K student support for the idea.
Alumni and other supporters of the College, impressed by the plan, contributed the $26,200 needed to fund it.
“I was personally blown away by how quickly [the College] raised the money,” says Just Food Collective Civic Engagement Scholar Natalie Thompson ’19, who participated in the presentation.
Geist says she believes the donors were enthusiastic because they saw it as “a really K kind of thing,” where students used the freedom inherent in the K-Plan to take the lead and work outside of traditional structures. It’s the sort of student-led initiative, with one foot in the classroom and the other in contemporary social issues, that will spread throughout K’s curriculum under the new strategic plan. The plan calls for the College to “become the definitive leader in integrating academic rigor with life-changing experiential education in a values-driven community.”
“This is a really good example” of what the plan envisions, Geist says. “We’re not educating leaders of tomorrow, we’re educating leaders of today.”
As a 2018-19 Civic Engagement Scholar, Just Food Collective member Elliott Boinais ’21 will be in charge of the project, advised by Newday.
Geist cites it as a “fellowship in learning” — a principle that has illuminated the College’s approach to education for almost a century and which defines the CCE’s mission.
“It provides a prototype for what this kind of collaborative learning community can look like and achieve in the future,” she says.
“I hope it’s going to outlast our time here,” says Just Food Civic Engagement Scholar Aiden Voss ’20.
The graduating Carter regrets he won’t be around for the completion of the hoop house, which the philosophy major says he has dreamed about since he was a sophomore in a nearby Living-Learning Housing Unit, gazing at the intramural field as he drank his morning coffee while sitting on a sofa he dragged onto the porch.
Still, his K-Plan has revolved around food, with a SIP on food and philosophy and his experience helping lead a sustainable agriculture initiative. And his next step demonstrates the value of the education he received when, he says, he chose K over culinary school: This fall, he will begin work as a line chef at Canlis, the James Beard Award-winning restaurant widely acclaimed as Seattle’s finest.
Imagine an opportunity to travel abroad, retrace your heritage, teach English in a foreign country, greet family you’ve never known and promote international understanding between cultures. Katie Johnson ’18 will have that opportunity through a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant that will take her to Lithuania this fall.
Katie Johnson ’18 developed a taste for international travel when she studied abroad in Budapest, Hungary. She liked the experience so much that she decided to apply for a Fulbright grant when she returned. That grant will take her this fall to Lithuania.
Johnson – a business major and psychology minor from Okemos, Michigan – has yet to receive the specific assignment that details her Fulbright destination city and school. She expects, however, to work in a rural village within about three hours of the capital, Vilnius.
Johnson will travel to Washington, D.C., for an orientation in July before heading to Lithuania in late August or September.
Kalamazoo College was identified as one of the top-producing Fulbright colleges and universities in the 2017-18 academic year. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for U.S. graduating seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to research, study or teach English abroad for one academic year.
Such recognition is one of the highest honors the federal government gives with regard to scholarship and international exchange. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected as a result of their academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields, to promote international understanding.
“I feel very fortunate to have attended K,” said Johnson, who has also served on the Athletic Leadership Council, received internships and held an externship at Ryzome Investment Advisors during her college years. “I don’t think I would’ve had these opportunities at another school.”
Johnson chose Kalamazoo College because attending would allow her to play for the women’s lacrosse team while still getting to study abroad. That led her during her junior year to Budapest, Hungary, where the people she met and the independence she gained shaped her world view and sparked her desire to seek more adventures.
“I got back from study abroad and I decided to apply for a Fulbright because I wanted to study abroad again,” Johnson said, noting she soon began a year-long application process. “I thought the opportunity to teach English was interesting. Plus, my grandfather is from Lithuania, and my grandma and great-grandma were teachers. It seemed like a great fit.”
Since then, Johnson has begun learning Lithuanian through her grandfather.
“It’s a hard language to pick up because only about 8 million people in the world speak it,” Johnson said, although she is attending a church in Chicago where the sermons are in Lithuanian and talking with friends who have traveled to Lithuania. She also has a best friend from Estonia with whom she bonds over a similar culture and family background including grandparents who immigrated to the United States for the same reasons.
“I’m going to go and hope for the best because I want to understand more about the Lithuanian culture and how it has changed since my grandpa arrived after World War II,” Johnson said.
Among recent K representatives receiving Fulbright grants, Johnson joins:
Andrea Beitel ’17, who earned a research/study award and is in the United Kingdom.
Riley Cook ’15, who earned a research/study award to travel to Germany.
Dejah Crystal ’17, who earned an English teaching assistantship in Taiwan.
Sapana Gupta ’17, who earned an English teaching assistantship in Germany.
The College Singers, a 24-voice choral ensemble that specializes in social justice-themed programming, will perform its concert titled “EXCESS: Shadows of Pleasure and Power” in two free, public performances in Kalamazoo. The first will take place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, at First Congregational Church and the second at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 3, in the Dalton Theater of the Light Fine Arts Building at Kalamazoo College.
The College Singers will perform its concert titled “EXCESS: Shadows of Pleasure and Power” in two free, public performances May 30 and June 3 at First Congregational Church and the Dalton Theater at Kalamazoo College respectively.
In the wake of an epidemic-level crisis around opioid abuse in the United States, the program explores genres from Broadway to folk, and from Renaissance songs to vocal jazz, each touching on those experiences that can enhance life in moderate quantities, but which quickly become destructive when taken to extremes. Chris Ludwa, director of the College Singers, described it as entertaining and educational, suggesting that audience members will experience a range of emotions as the concepts of indulgence, self-control and balance are explored as part of the human condition.
The program will touch on the love affair people tend to have with caffeine, alcohol, sex, power and relationships. There will be music from the musicals “Wicked” and “Chicago,” madrigals of Monteverdi, soul music by Sam Cooke, and more.
Both concerts are supported by a free-will offering to work toward the goal of local and Midwest touring to share these social justice concerts with an ever-increasing audience.
The College Singers includes music majors and non-music majors, offering a different approach to choral singing. Ludwa calls it “singing with a higher purpose,” a hallmark for which he is well known in the Midwest.
For more information on the concerts, contact Ludwa at cludwa@kzoo.edu or 231-225-8877.
Being a student at Kalamazoo College means discovering new opportunities to get involved everywhere you look on campus, even where you eat.
Baker Sarah Ross (right) talks with student Lezlie Lull as she points toward examples of the vegan banana cake and vegan/gluten-free black bean brownies students created May 10 during the vegan desserts event at Hicks Student Center.
Kalamazoo College Dining Services on Thursday offered students hands-on fun with a vegan desserts class taught by Sarah Ross, a Dining Services baker with 20 years of experience in the food-preparation industry.
Although Ross admitted she sometimes indulges in Greek yogurt or certain cheeses, she strives to maintain a vegan diet, occasionally finding baking or cooking ideas through family recipes and on the Internet. From there it’s a matter of increasing the ingredients in the right balances to find many of the dishes she serves to students.
Lezlie Lull, Rigel Bobadilla, Miranda Flores-Tirado and Shannon Carley participated in the class, learning to bake vegan banana cake and vegan/gluten-free black bean brownies from scratch. The desserts are easy enough to concoct at any off-campus apartment or on campus with the right supplies and tools. The students stirred, mixed, poured, folded, whisked, blended and processed until their delectable creations were complete.
Students used ingredients such as black beans, salt, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla to prepare vegan desserts.
Dining Services regularly offers engaging activities such as Random Acts of Yum, which provides students with free treats such as root beer floats; special Chef’s Table dinners featuring locally sourced and sustainable foods; and an emergency coffee truck during finals week. This, however, was an opportunity to get hands on.
“We’ve done contests and events in the past, which have been fun, but not much that has involved teaching skills,” Dining Services Marketing Coordinator Tabitha Skornia said, adding more opportunities like the vegan desserts class are in the works. The next class will be a cheese class May 24. Plus, Dining Services is looking for suggestions on what else it might offer.
“What students like changes over time,” Skornia said. “We’d like to keep these varied, so students can keep walking away with different skills.”
Miranda Flores-Tirado prepares ingredients for vegan/gluten-free black bean brownies during the vegan desserts event May 10 at Hicks Student Center.Shannon Carley blends ingredients for vegan/gluten-free black bean brownies during the vegan desserts event.
If you have ideas for food-inspired, hands-on opportunities, Dining Services wants to hear from you. Skornia is reachable by email at Tabitha.Skornia@kzoo.edu. In the meantime, feel free to try the vegan banana cake or the vegan/gluten-free black bean brownies yourself with the recipes below.
Vegan Banana Cake
3 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
3 cup banana puree
2 tsp vanilla extract * Can also use applesauce, mango puree and pear puree.
Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, oil, fruit puree and vanilla.
Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients gently.
Pour into desired pan and bake at 325 degrees until a toothpick comes out clean.
Vegan/Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies
3 cups black beans drained and rinsed
4 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 cup quick oats
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup maple syrup or agave
½ cup sugar
½ cup oil
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
* Optional: 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
Blend all ingredients except chips in a food processor until very smooth.
Fold in chips and pour into a greased 8-by-8 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes and allow to cool completely.
Actors rehearse for “Intimate Apparel,” which runs through Sunday at the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse, 129 Thompson St. The play is set in a New York boardinghouse in the early 1900s.“Intimate Apparel,” which runs through Sunday at the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse, 129 Thompson St., won the 2004 New York Drama Circle and Outer Critic Circle awards.
The Kalamazoo College Festival Playhouse will present its final production of the academic year, “Intimate Apparel,” May 17-20 at the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse, 129 Thompson St.
The play – which addresses race, love and dreams – is set in a New York City boardinghouse in the early 1900s. It concerns Esther, a young African-American woman who pursues her ambition of becoming a seamstress. Esther falls in love with Mr. Marks, a white Jewish fabric seller, although she agrees to marry George, a Caribbean man with whom she corresponds under false pretenses. The play will be directed by Karen Berthel.
“Intimate Apparel” is written by Lynn Nottage, an associate professor of theatre at Columbia University, whose plays often discuss the lives of women of African descent. She is acclaimed as one of the most poetic and honored of contemporary American playwrights, and “Intimate Apparel” – the winner of the 2004 New York Drama Circle and Outer Critic Circle awards – is widely considered to be her most moving and thoughtful play.
“Intimate Apparel” – the winner of the 2004 New York Drama Circle and Outer Critic Circle awards – is widely considered to be Lynn Nottage’s most moving and thoughtful play.“Intimate Apparel” focuses on Esther, who falls in love with Mr. Marks, a Jewish fabric seller, although she agrees to marry George, a Caribbean man with whom she corresponds under false pretenses.
Tickets, all of which are general admission, are free with a Kalamazoo College ID. Other student tickets are $5, senior tickets are $10 and adult tickets are $15. The May 17-19 shows will be at 7:30 p.m. The May 20 show will be at 2 p.m. A talkback with cast members will take place after the May 17 performance.
Call 269-337-7333 or visit festivalplayhouse.ludus.com to reserve tickets today. Tickets also will be available at the door one hour before each show.
Two free concerts this week in the Dalton Theater at the Light Fine Arts Building will demonstrate the breadth of student music experiences at Kalamazoo College. Both concerts feature groups directed by Music Professor Thomas Evans.
The Kalamazoo College Jazz Band will be one of two groups performing in free concerts this week that will demonstrate the breadth of student music experiences on campus.
The Academy Street Winds, formerly known as the Kalamazoo College Symphonic Band, will perform from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday. The group is a beloved creative outlet for woodwind, brass and percussion students. Community musicians joined the ensemble in winter 2016 to expand the group’s sound and capabilities.
The group performs one concert each term, playing exciting arrays of challenging band music. The band is a great favorite for its members and its audiences as the programs are coordinated around diverse themes, which allow for performances of much-loved pieces, both classic and new. The theme for this concert is “Channel Surfing.”
Then, enjoy K’s Jazz Band from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday. The group is known for its eclectic collections of contemporary and classic jazz arrangements that provide the students participating and the audience members an electric experience. The concert is titled “Everything in its Right Place.”
Two Kalamazoo College juniors have won a scholarship for their innovative plan to use a business approach to address an economic inequity. The issue, called pay to play, is a growing concern as low- and even middle-income families find they can’t afford the sometimes hefty fees required for their children to participate in youth athletic leagues.
R.J. Goodloe ’19 says he learned about pay to play while in high school in relatively affluent Laguna Hills, California. He says his father, president of a youth basketball league there, often had to deal with requests for forbearance or help on fees.
Zach VanFaussien (left) and R.J. Goodloe, both ’19, are recipients of the Michigan Colleges Alliance Independent Innovators Network Scholarship for their plan to create a business that would help address the problem of inequities in youth sports participation caused by “pay to play.” Each will get $2,500, while Senior Economics Instructor Chuck Stull, who advised them, will receive $500.
In a city where median family income tops $100,000, Goodloe, a 3/2 engineering major who played football in his first year at Kalamazoo College, says learning that families couldn’t afford the cost of having their children play organized sports “kind of blew me away.”
“Somewhere along the way we introduced this idea of pay to play in youth sports,” says Goodloe. “It was not accessible to all. A lot of my character came from playing youth sports. I didn’t like the idea that someone might not get that opportunity because they couldn’t afford it.”
So during the fall 2017 term, he teamed with close friend and roommate Zachary VanFaussien ’19, a business and economics major and a Hornets quarterback, to draw up a business plan for a nonprofit that would address the problem. As VanFaussien describes it, the company “would be a sustainable crowd-funding site for youth sports to eliminate pay-to-play.”
Responding to a message from K’s Center for Career and Professional Development, they submitted their plan to the Michigan Colleges Alliance Independent Innovators Network Scholarships program and were awarded a scholarship worth $2,500 apiece. Chuck Stull, senior instructor of economics and business, who advised them on the plan, will receive $500.
Though Goodloe says he had been thinking about the issue for several years, it was at K that he and VanFaussien developed the skills to address a social justice initiative to a solid business plan, the sort of “out-of-the-box” thinking, in Goodloe’s words, that characterizes K’s approach to the liberal arts.
“Going to a smaller, private school, you get a lot of faculty attention that you wouldn’t normally get at a larger college or university,” he says. “I think having personal relationships with faculty is a key to my success.”
“Being named an Independent Innovator confirms that I made the right decision in choosing a college,” says VanFaussien. “It truly shows the importance of innovation and following your own path.”
His and Goodloe’s entry was one of six to net the scholarships. Any student attending one of the 14 member colleges and universities of the Michigan Colleges Alliance, including K, can apply.
MCA board members, scholarship donors, and representatives from partner entrepreneurial organizations across the state — including Steelcase, Ford Motor Co., PVS Chemicals and ASG Renaissance — reviewed the entries.
“This is our third round for the scholarships,” says MCA President Robert Bartlett. “We’ve seen a lot of ideas around sports, but Zachary and Robert applied this strategy to a real need in many communities. It has great potential.”
Goodloe says that while the scholarship is earmarked for his and VanFaussien’s tuition, he hopes they can apply the money they save to making their plan a reality.
The pair aren’t the first K students to win the scholarship. In fall 2017, Mansi Dahal ’20 won for her plan to open a small clothing manufacturing business that employs women who have been physically, verbally and sexually abused.
For more information on the Michigan Colleges Alliance and the scholarships it offers, visit michigancolleges.org.
Congratulations to the following Kalamazoo College students, who received awards during the Senior Awards Ceremony on June 10, 2017, in Stetson Chapel. The awards include all academic divisions, prestigious scholarships, and special non-departmental awards. Again, congratulations to all graduates and members of the Class of 2017.
FINE ARTS DIVISION
Art and Art History
THE LILIA CHEN AWARD IN ART, awarded to students in their junior or senior year who distinguish themselves through their work in ceramics, sculpture, or painting, and who exhibit strong progress in their understanding of art. Kelan Gill Madeline Clair Lawson Kelsi Levine Giovanni Lo Grasso Helena Maija Marnauzs Harrison Thomas Parkes Christa Scheck Jie Xu
THE GEORGE EATON ERRINGTON PRIZE, awarded to an outstanding senior art major. Gabriela E. Latta Malikah Q. Mahone
THE MICHAEL WASKOWSKY PRIZE, awarded to an outstanding junior or senior art major. Erin Brown Rachel Catherine Selina
Music
The LILLIAN PRINGLE BALDAUF PRIZE IN MUSIC, awarded to an outstanding music student. John Bowman Valentin Frank Gabrielle Holme-Miller Vethania Stavropoulos
THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT AWARD, given by the Music Department of the College for outstanding contributions to the musical life on campus, for achievement in performance areas, and for academic achievement. John Bowman Alexis Diana Diller Johanna Drentlaw Rachel Elizabeth Fadler Hannah Lehker Daniel Moore Cody Mosblech Eric S. Thornburg Camila Trefftz Myles Truss Olivia Marguerite Weaver Lindsay Worthington
THE FAN E. SHERWOOD MEMORIAL PRIZE, awarded for outstanding progress and ability on the violin, viola, cello or bass. Siwook Hwang Hannah L. Kim
THE MARGARET UPTON PRIZE IN MUSIC, awarded each year to a student designated by the Music Department Faculty as having made significant achievement in music. Thaddeus Martin Buttrey
Theatre Arts
THE RUTH SCOTT CHENERY AWARD, given to a graduating senior who has excelled academically in theatre and who plans to continue the study of theatre arts following graduation. Thaddeus Martin Buttrey Monica Johnson Kyle Lampar Sarah Levett Lindsay Worthington
THE COOPER AWARD IN FINE ARTS, for a junior or senior showing excellence in a piece of creative work in a theatre arts class: film, acting, design, stagecraft, puppetry, speech. Madison Louise Donoho
THE IRMGARD KOWATZKI THEATRE AWARD, awarded to the senior who has excelled both in academic areas and in theatrical productions during the four years at the College. Sarah Levett
THE SHERWOOD PRIZE IN FINE ARTS, given for the best oral presentation in a speech-oriented class. Quincy Isaiah Crosby
THE CHARLES TULLY DESIGN AWARD, given annually to a senior who has achieved excellence in some aspect of theatre design. Lindsay Worthington
FOREIGN LANGUAGES DIVISION
Chinese
THE CHINESE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD recognizes seniors who have excelled in the study of the Chinese language and China-related subjects on campus and abroad in China. Dejah Crystal Marlon Gonzalez Amanda Johnson Natalie A. Schmitt Katherine Wynne
Classics
THE CLARA H. BUCKLEY PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN LATIN, awarded to an outstanding student of the language of the Romans. Brittany Jones
THE DEPARTMENTAL PRIZE IN GREEK Danielle Marie Gin
THE PROVOST’S PRIZE IN CLASSICS, awarded to that student who writes the best essay on a classical subject. Danielle Marie Gin Brittany Jones
German
THE JOE FUGATE SENIOR GERMAN AWARD, awarded to a senior for excellence in German. Frances Mary Heldt
Japanese
THE JAPANESE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY, COLLEGE CHAPTER, is awarded in recognition of the student’s achievement in their study of the Japanese language and for their overall academic excellence. Corrin Elise Davis Alexis Diana Diller John Mihalik Fowler Anh P. Lam Bailee M. Lotus Elinor Ruth Rubin-McGregor Christa Scheck Ke Sheng Carolyn Elizabeth Topper
Romance Languages
THE ALLIANCE FRANCAISE PRIZE IN FRENCH, awarded for excellence in French by an advanced student. Maribel Blas-Rangel Elijah Wickline
THE SENIOR SPANISH AWARD, given by the Department of Romance Languages for outstanding achievement in Spanish. Cory Gyulveszi Caroline Elena Sulich
HUMANITIES DIVISION
American Studies
THE DAVID STRAUSS PRIZE IN AMERICAN STUDIES, awarded for the best paper written by a graduating senior in his or her junior or senior year in any field of American Studies. Jessica Paige Hansen
English
THE GRIFFIN PRIZE, awarded to the senior English major who, like Professor Gail Griffin, demonstrates an exceptional ability to bridge his/her analytical and creative work in the English department. Alyse Michelle Guenther Rachel Williams
THE ELWOOD H. AND ELIZABETH H. SCHNEIDER PRIZE, awarded for outstanding and creative work in English done by a student who is not an English major. Danielle Marie Gin
THE MARY CLIFFORD STETSON PRIZE, awarded for excellence in English essay writing by a senior. Sara McKinney
Sarah Schmitt
THE DWIGHT AND LEOLA STOCKER PRIZE, awarded for excellence in English writing: prose or poetry. Erin Elizabeth Bensinger Serena Li Bonarski Jon R. Jerow Caroline Marie Peterson
History
THE JAMES BIRD BALCH PRIZE, for the showing academic excellence in American History. Frances Mary Heldt
THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT AWARD, given for outstanding work in the major. Claudia Quinn Greening Frances Mary Heldt
Philosophy
THE DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY PRIZE, awarded for excellence in any year’s work in philosophy. James Michael Reuter
THE HODGE PRIZE IN PHILOSOPHY, awarded to that member of the graduating class who has the highest standing in the field. Jon R. Jerow Caroline Marie Peterson
Religion
THE MARION H. DUNSMORE MEMORIAL PRIZE IN RELIGION, awarded to a graduating senior for excellence in the major. Hannah Nicole Cooperrider Danielle Purkey Dakota Lynn Trinka Natalie Cristina Vázquez
NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS DIVISION
Biology
THE H. LEWIS BATTS PRIZE, awarded to the senior who has done the most to support the activities of the Biology Department and to further the spirit of collegiality among students and faculty in the Department. Suma J. Alzouhayli
THE DIEBOLD SCHOLAR AWARD, given to one or more seniors in recognition of excellence in the oral or poster presentation of the SIP at the Diebold Symposium. Lucy Merrill Theresa Marie Shuryan Sarah Caroline Smith Cameron Werner Katherine Wynne
THE ROBERT BZDYL PRIZE IN MARINE BIOLOGY, awarded to one or more students with demonstrated interest and ability in marine biology or related fields. Na Young Kim
THE WILLIAM E. PRAEGER PRIZE, established by the faculty in the Biology Department and awarded to the most outstanding senior major in Biology, based on academic achievement in the discipline. Kathleen George Katherine Wynne
Chemistry
THE ANNUAL UNDERGRADUATE AWARD IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, sponsored by the American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry, to an undergraduate student planning on pursuing graduate studies in chemistry. Collin Joseph Steen
THE ANNUAL UNDERGRADUATE AWARD IN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, sponsored by the American Chemical Society Division of Inorganic Chemistry, to an undergraduate student planning on pursuing graduate studies in chemistry. Sonam Shrestha
THE ANNUAL UNDERGRADUATE AWARD IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, sponsored by the American Chemical Society and subcommittee for the Division of Organic Chemistry, to an undergraduate student who displays significant aptitude for a career in organic chemistry. Rachel Elizabeth Fadler
THE ANNUAL UNDERGRADUATE AWARD IN PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY, sponsored by the American Chemical Society and subcommittee for the Division of Physical Chemistry, to an undergraduate student who displays significant aptitude for a career in organic chemistry. Eric S. Thornburg
THE OUTSTANDING CHEMISTRY STUDENT FROM KALAMAZOO COLLEGE, sponsored by the Kalamazoo Section of the American Chemical Society and is given to the graduating senior who has demonstrated leadership in the chemistry department and plans to pursue graduate studies in chemistry. Sarah Glass
THE KURT KAUFMAN FELLOW, given annually to seniors who receive Honors in the Senior Individualized Project (SIP) conducted with faculty in the Chemistry Department. Suma J. Alzouhayli Sarah Glass Eric S. Thornburg Myles Truss
THE LEMUEL F. SMITH AWARD, given to a student majoring in chemistry pursuing the American Chemical Society approved curriculum and having at the end of the junior year the highest average standing in courses taken in chemistry, physics,and mathematics. Collin Joseph Steen
Mathematics and Computer Science
THE CLARKE BENEDICT WILLIAMS PRIZE, awarded to that member of the graduating class who has the best record in mathematics and the allied sciences. Jill Denise Antonishen Yicong Guo
Physics
THE JOHN WESLEY HORNBECK PRIZE, awarded to a senior with the highest achievement for the year’s work in advanced physics toward a major. Jill Denise Antonishen Michelle Sugimoto
PHYSICAL EDUCATION DIVISION
THE GEORGE ACKER AWARD awarded annually to a male athlete who in his participation gave all, never quit, with good spirit supported others unselfishly, and whose example was inspirational. Andrew Marten Bremer
THE HORNET ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AWARD, for a graduating senior who has most successfully combined high scholarship with athletic prowess. Brent Yelton
THE MARY LONG BURCH AWARD, for a senior woman who has manifested interest in sports activities and excelled in scholarship. Grace Fitzgerald Smith
THE C. W. “OPIE” DAVIS AWARD, awarded to the outstanding senior male athlete. Branden Metzler
THE KNOECHEL FAMILY AWARD, awarded to a senior male and a senior female member of the swim teams in recognition of demonstrated excellence in both intercollegiate swimming and academic performance. Stuart Murch Colleen Elizabeth Orwin
THE TISH LOVELESS AWARD, given by the Department of Physical Education to the outstanding senior female athlete. Colleen Elizabeth Orwin
THE CATHERINE A. SMITH PRIZE IN WOMEN’S ATHLETICS, awarded to a woman athlete who in her participation gave all, never quit, with good spirit supported others unselfishly, and whose example was inspirational. Suzanne Miller Grace Fitzgerald Smith
SOCIAL SCIENCES DIVISION
Anthropology and Sociology
THE RAYMOND L. HIGHTOWER AWARD, given to a graduating senior for excellence in and commitment to the disciplines of sociology and anthropology and leadership in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology. Emily Levy Chenxi “Abby” Lu Yaneli Soriano Santiago
Economics and Business
THE WILLIAM G. HOWARD MEMORIAL PRIZE, awarded to a senior for excellence in academic work in an economics or business major. Shanice Buys Kyle Hernández Amanda Johnson
THE PROVOST PRIZE IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS, awarded to a senior for excellence in academic work in a business major. Eric Castle De Witt Philip Ritchie Aidan M. Tank
THE ROBERT AND KAREN RHOA PRIZE IN BUSINESS Quinton E. Colwell Brett Garwood
THE ROBERT AND KAREN RHOA PRIZE FOR OUTSTANDING SIP IN BUSINESS Amanda Crouch
Political Science
THE E. BRUCE BAXTER MEMORIAL AWARD, awarded to a senior showing outstanding development in the field of political science. Melissa Erikson
THE WILLIAM G. HOWARD MEMORIAL PRIZE, awarded for excellence in a year’s work in political science. Erica Marie Vanneste
THE EUGENE P. STERMER AWARD IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Alivia Combe DuQuet Gunyeop Lee
Psychology
THE MARSHALL HALLOCK BRENNER PRIZE awarded to an outstanding student for excellence in the field of psychology. Kyle Hernández
THE XARIFA GREENQUIST MEMORIAL PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT AWARD, given in recognition of distinctive service to students and faculty in psychology by a student assistant. Janelle Brittany Grant Janay Ruth Johnson Ashley Vail Schmidt Caroline Elena Sulich Matthew Jacob Zhiss
THE RICHARD D. KLEIN AWARDS IN PSYCHOLOGY Maribel Blas-Rangel (Senior Award) Sarah Jayne Bragg (Senior Award) Francisco Lopez Jr. (Senior Impact Award) Landen Skinner (Senior Impact Award)
THE DONALD W. VAN LIERE PRIZES IN PSYCHOLOGY Daniella Y. Glymin (Coursework) Rachel Lifton (Coursework) Mackenzie Norman (Coursework) Ashley Vail Schmidt (Coursework) Caroline Elena Sulich (Coursework) Camila Trefftz (Coursework) Kaela Van Til (Coursework) Sarah Jayne Bragg (Research) Hannah Kim (Research) Paris N. Weisman (Research)
Women, Gender and Sexuality
THE CATHERINE A. SMITH PRIZE IN HUMAN RIGHTS, awarded to a senior who has been active on campus in promoting human rights, furthering progressive social and cultural change, and combating violence, repression, and bigotry. Danielle Purkey
THE LUCINDA HINSDALE STONE PRIZE, awarded to a student whose scholarship, research or creative work in women’s studies, in the form of a SIP or other academic work, is most impressive. Audrey J. Negro
COLLEGE AWARDS
THE ALPHA LAMBDA DELTA MARIA LEONARD SENIOR BOOK AWARD, given to the Alpha Lambda Delta member graduating with the highest GPA. Grace Fitzgerald Smith
THE GORDON BEAUMONT MEMORIAL AWARD, awarded to the deserving student who displays qualities of selflessness, humanitarian concern, and willingness to help others, as exemplified in the life of Gordon Beaumont. Sarah Jayne Bragg Mireya Guzmán-Ortíz
THE HENRY AND INEZ BROWN AWARD is awarded in recognition of outstanding participation in the College community. Sidney Katherine Wall
THE VIRGINIA HINKELMAN MEMORIAL AWARD is awarded to a deserving student who displays a deep concern for the well-being of children, as demonstrated through career goals in the field of child welfare. Moises Hernandez
THE BABETTE TRADER CAMPUS CITIZENSHIP AND LEADERSHIP AWARD, awarded to that member of the graduating class, who has most successfully combined campus citizenship and leadership with scholarship. Grace Fitzgerald Smith Yaneli Soriano Santiago
THE MAYNARD OWEN WILLIAMS MEMORIAL AWARD, for the best student entry in the form of an essay, poetry, paintings, sketches, photographs, or films derived from Study Abroad. Jack Clark Hannah Nicole Cooperrider Alyse Michelle Guenther Anh P. Lam Sarah Jean Schmitt Camille Rose Wood Lindsay Worthington Samantha Young
THE LARRY BELL SCHOLARSHIP Award Marian Jayne Strauss
The Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement recognizes THE HAM SCHOLARS, who work through community partnerships to empower girls and young women to lead and advocate. Sarah Jayne Bragg
THE MOSES KIMBALL SCHOLARSHIP Award Francisco Lopez Jr.
The Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute for Service-Learning recognizes LAPLANTE STUDENT SCHOLARS who have shown outstanding dedication to civic engagement and who design and lead community programs that promote a more just, equitable and sustainable world. Moises Hernandez Annalise Elizabeth Robinson Caitlyn Whitcomb
The Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement recognizes the VIBBERT SCHOLARS, students who honor and exemplify the life and spirit of Stephanie Vibbert–scholar, activist, poet, feminist and artist–by leading programs that promote equity and justice through the arts and feminist organizing. Emily Kowey
THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP RECOGNITION AWARD is awarded to students who have provided key elements of leadership in their organizations, athletic teams, academic departments, employment, and the wider Kalamazoo community. Students were nominated by faculty and staff members in January. Seniors eligible for this award also had to meet a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average requirement and be in good academic and social standing at the College. Suma J. Alzouhayli Riley M. Boyd Sarah Jayne Bragg Allie J. Brodsky Thaddeus Martin Buttrey Liz Clevenger Sabrina Esha Dass Eric Castle De Witt Dana Theresa DeVito Nate Donovan Erin DuRoss Kayla Dziadzio Melissa Erikson Sarah Glass Ellie Simon Goldman Marlon Gonzalez Moises Hernandez Gabrielle Holme-Miller Allia V. M. Howard Emily Kowey Emily Levy Chenxi “Abby” Lu Leland Harrison Rene Merrill Branden Metzler Suzanne Miller Colleen Elizabeth Orwin Lauren A. Perlaki Douglas S. Robinett Jacob Scott David Jordan Smith Grace Fitzgerald Smith Katie Sorensen Anhtu Vu Sidney Katherine Wall Lindsay Worthington
Four Kalamazoo College chemistry students from Professor Laura Furge’s lab attended the Great Lakes Drug Metabolism and Disposition Discussion Group annual meeting on May 4 and 5 in Kalamazoo. The entourage included three – Sarah Glass ’17, Christi Cho ’17 and Cydney Martell ’19 – who presented their research regarding enzymes that help the human body interact with and process prescription drugs. Their research is relevant to prescription drug discovery and treating diseases, especially in predicting how individuals will respond to their medications.
Cydney Martell ’19 is one of three students who presented their research regarding enzymes that help the human body interact with and process prescription drugs at the the Great Lakes Drug Metabolism and Disposition Discussion Group annual meeting. Their research is relevant to prescription drug discovery and treating diseases, especially in predicting how individuals will respond to their medications.
Cho – a chemistry major from Anchorage, Alaska – says her studies could help advance clinical research that ensures drugs won’t build up to toxic levels or negatively interact with other prescription drugs. She will attend the University of Washington as a graduate student starting this fall, where she has received a Graduate School Top Scholar Award to help fund her education. Yet K has made an impression on her.
“The faculty make a really good effort to create a friendly learning environment,” Cho said. “Chemistry be challenging at times. They try to bring the fun into every aspect of it.”
Glass – from Shelbyville, Mich. – in addition to presenting research, organized and planned the event’s luncheon, providing students, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and pharmaceutical industry representatives with networking opportunities. Glass majored in chemistry at K, minored in math with a biochemistry concentration, and finished her undergraduate studies in December after just 3 1/3 years. She will start pursuing a Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University this fall.
At K, “all the chemistry faculty are extremely helpful and knowledgeable,” Glass said. “Students get a lot of hands-on experience through labs and have opportunities to get involved in research early on.”
Martell – a chemistry major from Gull Lake, Mich. – plans to further her research in K labs this summer.
“For me the annual meeting was a great experience to see how the topics I have learned in biochemistry and through research can be used to understand and critically think about current research in industry and academia.” Martell plans to attend graduate school after K, where she will earn a Ph.D. She is leaning toward teaching research in her professional career.
K chemistry major and Furge lab research associate Sabrina Leddy ’19 also attended the meeting. K Visiting Professor Kyle Furge took the 13 students from his advanced biochemistry course to the meeting’s opening plenary.
The Great Lakes Drug Metabolism and Disposition Group website says the group:
provides opportunities for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and senior-level associates from regional universities to meet pharmaceutical scientists and pharmacologists from various academic and industrial backgrounds;
promotes regional visibility of the discipline of drug metabolism and disposition science;
facilitates informal dialogue between pharmaceutical partners and academic laboratories; and
enriches interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities for those interested in drug metabolism and disposition.
In early May, 28 Kalamazoo College students had the opportunity to share a meal on campus with eight professionals who have at least two things in common—the K-Plan and careers at the Stryker Corporation, a Kalamazoo-based Fortune 500 medical technologies firm.
The alumni returned to campus at the invitation of the Center for Career and Professional Development to meet with students who could learn about career paths at Stryker and the relevance of the K-Plan to those paths. At least 15 current Stryker employees got their undergraduate degrees at K, and both institutions are interested in strengthening the talent pipeline between the two.
The event began with a welcome by S. Si Johnson ’78, the retired group president of Stryker MedSurg Group and a current member of the College’s board of trustees. Johnson shared the four core values of Stryker—integrity, accountability, people, and performance—and reflected on how the critical thinking and problem solving skills inherent in a K education are great preparation for a career at Stryker.
After students and alumni enjoyed informal networking conversations over dinner, James N. Heath ’78, the retired president of Stryker Instruments and a member of K’s board of trustees, moderated an alumni panel that included Randy Rzeznik ’08, director of customer excellence, Neuro, Spine, ENT and Navigation; Bryce Pearson ’15, finance representative; Kevin Packard ’05, clinical marketing manager, Neuro, Spine, ENT and Navigation; and Michael Weslosky ’02, staff scientist.
Panelists reflected on their trajectories from K to Stryker and talked about the qualities of the company they find most attractive. The panelists’ K majors were varied—chemistry, economics, biology, and business—and each panelist cited the value of the work ethic instilled by the K-Plan and the 10-week term. They also stressed the importance of persistence in the pursuit of employment. Pearson, for example, shared the effort and time that was required before he secured a position at Stryker.
Heath also invited one of the students in attendance, junior Alex White, to describe the extensive process he’d gone through to secure an internship with Stryker for the upcoming summer.
Other alumni attending the event included Legal Counsel Christopher DiVirgilio ’04 and Senior IS Business Analyst Russ Hankey ’96.
Students and alumni agreed that the evening was a success and excellent preparation for the next step in the K/Stryker relationship: a half-day immersion K-Trek for selected students to the company’s headquarters in the fall.
In early May, 28 Kalamazoo College students had the opportunity to share a meal on campus with eight professionals who have at least two things in common—the K-Plan and careers at the Stryker Corporation, a Kalamazoo-based Fortune 500 medical technologies firm.