About 70 first-year students—including Sarah Werner and her family from Clinton Township, Mich., photographed here—arrived August 16 to begin their Kalamazoo College journey via LandSea, an optional 18-day wilderness backpacking, climbing, canoeing, glad-I-brought-my-bug spray experience in Adirondack State Park, a six-million-acre tract in northern New York. After checking out their gear, the campus, and each other, participants pile onto a bus and head east at 7PM for a nine-hour overnight trek. A team of student and staff leaders awaits their arrival in New York. Welcome, bon voyage, and good luck LandSea 2012 participants. We’ll see you back here on Sept. 3!
students
Two K Students Among Monroe-Brown Summer Interns
Two Kalamazoo College undergraduates are among 39 local college and university students selected to work with Kalamazoo area businesses as part of the summer 2012 Monroe-Brown Internship cohort. Umang Varma ’15 is a marketing IT intern at LKF Marketing in downtown Kalamazoo, and Ashton Galloway ‘13 is an IT intern at BASIC in Portage.
Umang “has been the best thing ever,” says Heather Isch, vice president at LKF Marketing, a full-service advertising agency in downtown Kalamazoo. “He is such a fast learner and a quick thinker. We just love him.” Isch, who oversees day-to-day web project development for the firm, is delighted to have an undergraduate with Umang’s combination of technical skills and social savvy.
These sentiments were expressed repeatedly during a recent site visit by the CCPD. Umang’s coworkers seemed genuinely sad to know that he’d be leaving for Budapest on study abroad at the end of the summer.
During his time at LKF, Umang has contributed to the development of a number of time-sensitive web development projects. His love of debugging code earned him a role in developing the firm’s forthcoming mobile-ready customer management system as well as helping with a searchable photo gallery in a client’s WordPress site.
Ashton Galloway has “loved programming from a young age,” and at his internship with BASIC, a fast-growing Portage-based company offering integrated HR solutions to 9,000 employers nationwide, he is “getting a feel for how software development works in a small company—something you don’t get in a classroom.” Ashton has had the opportunity to do coding on a number of projects this summer, including several interrelated modules of a very large FMLA administration software platform rewrite.
Ashton’s colleagues at BASIC value the technical and soft skills he brings to their work. In addition to his experience with database development, IT Manager Bruce Weston and VP of Operations Kim Shook have appreciated Ashton’s critical thinking skills and ability to work as part of a team. Ashton has participated in project management meetings, rewritten outdated code, and taken initiative to do research on functional coding that has helped inform his work. “This summer has taught me that there’s way more planning going on in developing software than I understood before,” he says.
The Monroe-Brown Internship Program is a collaborative effort between the Monroe-Brown Foundation and Southwest Michigan First. Through a combination of applied career experience and college scholarships, the program provides local college and university students with career-building relationships with area companies, with the goal of retaining the best and brightest college graduates in southwest Michigan.
Employers independently select their interns, using their own hiring methods and criteria. Selected interns work for a minimum of 400 hours during the summer, receiving hourly wages, valuable networking opportunities, and up to $6,000 in scholarship funding.
“These are very competitive internships,” says Joan Hawxhurst, director of the College’s Center for Career and Professional Development. “This year 376 students applied for 43 positions, so local companies have their pick of the best and the brightest. We are thrilled to have two outstanding students representing the College so well this summer.”
K Professor and Students Publish Encouraging Science on the Search for a Useful Bio-Indicator
Maintaining good human health depends in part on reliable markers. Think blood pressure in cardiovascular medicine or blood sugar and triglyceride levels in determining the effects of diet on metabolic disorders. Reliable markers are important for ecological health as well, which is why science seeks them. Associate Professor of Biology Ann Fraser and five Kalamazoo College undergraduates recently published peer-reviewed science (“Evaluating Multiple Arthropod Taxa as Indicators of Invertebrate Diversity in Old Fields,” The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 45, Nos. 1 – 2) that advances efforts to find a manageable indicator of the effect invasive species have on biodiversity.
Like most good science, the journey was both years long and collaborative—as well as a great example of the kind of professor-student partnerships that make science education at K great—a matter of “more in four years.” The idea for the project began with some preliminary data gathered during a lab exercise in Fraser’s Organism Diversity class. That field work took place at the College’s Lillian Anderson Arboretum, where the class sought to test whether the invasive plant species known as spotted knapweed was affecting ground-dwelling invertebrates (mainly insects). Joe Waller ’06 followed up on the preliminary class data with a more in-depth study for his Senior Individualized Project. He used pitfall traps to collect invertebrates in areas with varying densities of knapweed but was soon overwhelmed with huge numbers and types of insects to sort through. He shifted the focus of his SIP to determine whether a certain insect or other arthropod species, such as spiders, might be a proxy or reliable marker for general invertebrate diversity. He spent most of his summer sorting through and classifying thousands of specimens. In late summer a second round of pitfall sampling was conducted and the project’s torch was passed to other undergraduates.
The sorting, identification, and matching of this second sample with the first sample were conducted by Alyssa Bradshaw ’08, David Hyman ’08, Michael Johnson ’06, and Rob Morrison ’06. “We were able to identify several insect groups as promising indicators of larger invertebrate diversity in old field habitat,” said Fraser. “More work across a greater number of field sites is needed to confirm their usefulness as bio-indicators, but this is an encouraging first step in finding manageable ways to assess the impact of invasive plant species on invertebrate diversity.”
Fraser cited the pivotal role of Morrison in bringing the project to completion and publication, earning him first author on the paper. Such studies are time-consuming but well suited to undergraduate research projects. The K grads continue their science education in various ways. “Rob Morrison is conducting his Ph.D. in applied entomology at Michigan State,” said Fraser. “Joe Waller, I believe, is in a physician assistant program at Michigan or MSU. Alyssa Brayshaw has been working as a research assistant in wildlife biology and is applying to graduate programs in that subject; David Hyman is in medical school at Loyola University in Chicago, and Michael Johnson will begin his Ph.D. in paleontology at the University of Wisconsin this fall. It’s very satisfying to see this collaborative project come to fruition with a peer reviewed publication.”
Kalamazoo Students Intern in Ann Arbor
Several Hornets have settled in Wolverine territory this summer, taking advantage of the resources at a large research university by interning in offices and laboratories throughout Ann Arbor. The Kalamazoo College’s Center for Career and Professional Development caught up with four of them:
Psychology major Megan Martinez ’13 is working to understand links between social, psychological, and physical causes of pain. With the guidance of her supervisor, Ross Halpern, M.D., head of Ross Halpern and Associates Psychiatric Clinic, she is reviewing and analyzing patient files for data connecting childhood abuse, grief, and chronic pain. Martinez said she began her internship thinking that “pain was purely a physical phenomenon, one that should be addressed by doctors and medicine. [However] working in Dr. Halpern’s office has helped me realize that pain, particularly chronic pain, is often influenced by social and psychological factors.” Dr. Halpern has given Martinez plenty of opportunity to take responsibility and guide decision-making on their data project, empowering her to recognize her capacity to conduct independent research and analysis.
Kaitlyn Greiner ’15 is working with Upjohn Professor of Medicine and Oncology Stephen Weiss, M.D., at the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute to identify mechanisms for invasion and growth of brain tumor cells. One of only a few undergraduates accepted into the Weiss research lab, Greiner said she is “learning valuable techniques and tests that I have no doubt I will need to use in my upper-level biology classes,” and is gaining “a great deal of access to both literature regarding my research and people who are very knowledgeable about what they are researching.” Greiner reports that her time in the Weiss lab has allowed her to practice what she learned in her first-year biology classes and “clarified my desire to do medical research.” Greiner has impressed Dr. Weiss with her curiosity and interest, and has already been invited back to the lab next summer.
Chemistry major Sara Adelman ’14 enjoys talking about K with her alumna supervisor, Nichole Hein ’01, M.D., who is “paying it forward” after her own great experiences with undergraduate summer internships. Dr. Hein is hosting her second K-intern this summer while working as a post-doc in the laboratory of John Fink, M.D., a professor in the Department of Neurology and director of the Neurogenetic Disorders Program in the UM Medical School. In her gene sequencing work this summer, Adelman, who impresses Fink and Hein with her “maturity, independence, and drive,” has found and is double-checking a mutation that might be connected to age-dependent neurologic degeneration. Using her K academics in the lab this summer has helped Adelman recognize that “what I’m learning really has relevance in the real world.”
Kathryn Chamberlain ’13 exudes enthusiasm as she describes her internship in the UM Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute where she investigates stimuli-induced dopamine release levels with her supervisor, Jennifer Cummings, Ph.D. “It is a learning experience, it is great skill building, and it is opening doors for future opportunities I may have in the field of neuroscience.” Between describing her new-found prowess at building and calibrating carbon fiber electrodes and showing off dozens of graphs of individual experiments using her tiny glass creations to collect data, Chamberlain said her summer work will become part of her Senior Individualized Project at K, and is a pivotal influence in her decision to seek a research career.
Story and photo by Joan Hawxhurst, director, Kalamazoo College Center for Career and Professional Development.
Hornet’s Olympics
Chris Manning ’12 finished 88th out of 139 swimmers with a time of 1:04.73 in the 100m Breaststroke at the Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb. on Monday, June 25. Manning moved up nine spots, but did not qualify for the the evening’s finals.
“Chris had an absolutely amazing season this year and to end his career with a top 100 finish at the Olympic Trials is really icing on the cake,” said Kathy Milliken, Kalamazoo College’s head swimming and diving coach.
“The amount of determination that he showed to get to the meet by training by himself for the last three months and the composure that he showed stepping up on the blocks with the best swimmers — pro and all college divisions — made me feel extremely honored to be his coach. He made all those associated with Kalamazoo College swimming very proud today and over the last four years.”
Dean’s List Spring 2012
Congratulations to the following students, who achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or above in three courses during the Spring 2012 quarter.
| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T V W Y Z | ||
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Laura Abram Emily Bair Stefano Cagnato Rachel Dandar Erin Eagan Alan Faber III Ellie Galas |
Zari Haggenmiller Michael Ignagni Thomas Jackson Margaret Kane Michael Lamrock Dane Macdonell Brendan Nagler Franco Ojimba |
Crestina Pacheco Meredith Quinlan Christopher Ralstrom Clemence Saillant Tyler Tabenske Hayden Uihlein Trevor Vader Mary Wald Fei Yao |
Senior Awards 2012
The following students received awards during the Senior Awards Ceremony, June 9, 2012
Fine Arts Division
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.
- Joanne A. Heppert
- Daedalian James Derks
- Taylor Stamm
THE GEORGE EATON ERRINGTON PRIZE, awarded to an outstanding senior art major.
- Angela M. Frakes
THE LILLIAN PRINGLE BALDAUF PRIZE IN MUSIC, awarded to an outstanding music student.
- Erin C. Donevan
THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT AWARD, given by the Music Department of the College for outstanding contributions to the musical life of the campus.
- Gina Marie Cosgrove Bravata
- Rachel Meria Cohan
- Gus L. Hay
- Elizabeth Antoinette Hubbell
- Michael P. Ignagni
- Elizabeth Anne Kur
- Madelaine Mae McCann
- Jacob R. Price
- Hailey R. Schurr
- Alison Raeann Smith
THE FAN E. SHERWOOD MEMORIAL PRIZE, awarded for outstanding progress and ability on the violin, viola, cello or bass.
- Eleanor E. Wong
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.
- Jacob C. Arnett
- Kate Elise Fodor
THE RUTH SCOTT CHENERY AWARD, given to a graduating senior who has excelled academically and in theatre and who plans to continue the study of theatre arts following graduation.
- David H. Pimentel
- Marianne Renee Stine
THE IRMGARD KOWATZKI THEATRE AWARD, awarded to the senior who has excelled both in academic areas and in theatrical productions during four years at the College.
- Samuel T. Bertken
THE CHARLES TULLY DESIGN AWARD, given annually to a senior who has achieved excellence in some aspect of theatre design.
- Kyle A. McCord
Foreign Languages Division
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.
- Douglas Colton
- Nicholas R. Gersch
- John C. McGowan
THE PROVOST’S PRIZE IN CLASSICS, awarded to that student who writes the best essay on a classical subject.
- Rachel A. LoPatin
THE JOE FUGATE SENIOR GERMAN AWARD, awarded to a senior for excellence in German.
- Nathan Colello Gilmour
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.
- Laura Whitney Abram
- Lauren Jean Case
- Kellea S. Floyd
- William Patrick Gallagher
- Aaron E. Geller
- Johnny T. Ho
- Sarah C. Holman
- Ian Powell
THE ALLIANCE FRANCAISE PRIZE IN FRENCH, awarded for excellence in French by an advanced student.
- Kathleen C. Golembiewski
THE SENIOR SPANISH AWARD, given by the Department of Romance Languages for outstanding achievement in Spanish.
- Jameson Kane Drouin
- Joshua Anthony Imperial
- Mayra A. Montero
Humanities Division
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.
- Allison Nicole LaRose
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.
- Kathleen C. Golembiewski
THE MARY CLIFFORD STETSON PRIZE, awarded for excellence in English essay writing by a senior.
- Allison Nicole LaRose
THE DWIGHT AND LEOLA STOCKER PRIZE, awarded for excellence in English writing: prose or poetry.
- Stewart J. Finnegan
- Kimberly Grabowski
- Rebecca Ellen Staudenmaier
THE JAMES BIRD BALCH PRIZE, for the senior having done the best work in American History.
- Sarah Christina Baumann
THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT AWARD, given for outstanding work in the major.
- Ariel Marie Schnee
THE HODGE PRIZE IN PHILOSOPHY, awarded to that member of the graduating class who has the highest standing in the field.
- Nathan Colello Gilmour
THE MARION H. DUNSMORE MEMORIAL PRIZE IN RELIGION, awarded for excellence in any year’s work in religion.
- William A. Schlaack
Natural Sciences & Mathematics Division
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.
- Lindsey Sara Gaston
- Heather Rae Russon
THE ROBERT BZDYL PRIZE IN MARINE BIOLOGY, awarded to one or more students with demonstrated interest and ability in marine biology or related fields.
- Mirae Katherine Guenther
- Zachary K. Janes
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.
- Kelsey Meredith Hassevoort
- Nathan C. Robinson
- Alison Raeann Smith
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.
- Kelsey Meredith Hassevoort
THE ANNUAL UNDERGRADUATE AWARD IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, sponsored by the American Chemical Division of Analytical Chemistry and the Journal of Analytical Chemistry, to an undergraduate student who displays an aptitude for a career in analytical chemistry
- Caitlyn W. VanGelderen
THE ANNUAL UNDERGRADUATE AWARD IN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, sponsored by the American Chemical Division of Inorganic Chemistry, to an undergraduate senior student planning on pursuing graduate studies in chemistry.
- Masroor Hossain
THE KURT KAUFMAN FELLOW, given annually to a senior with the best Senior Individualized Project in the Chemistry Department.
- Aidan J. Klobuchar
- David M. Robinson
THE LEMUEL F. SMITH AWARD given to the major 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.
- Aidan J. Klobuchar
THE OUTSTANDING CHEMISTRY STUDENT FROM KALAMAZOO COLLEGE, sponsored by the Kalamazoo Section of the American Chemical Society and is given to the graduating student who has demonstrated leadership in the chemistry department and plans to pursue graduate studies in chemistry.
- Margarite Matossian
THE CLARKE BENEDICT WILLIAMS PRIZE, awarded to that member of the graduating class who has the best record in mathematics and the allied sciences.
- Daniel J. Esman
- Aidan J. Klobuchar
- Jacob R. Price
THE JOHN WESLEY HORNBECK PRIZE, awarded to a senior with the highest achievement for the year’s work in advanced physics toward a major.
- Alexander C. Dombos
- Lynn Mormino
- Jacob R. Price
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.
- Evan I. Levine
THE SENIOR ATHLETIC AWARD, given by the Department of Physical Education to the outstanding senior female athlete.
- Erin Lynn Campbell
THE MARY LONG BURCH AWARD, for a senior woman who has manifested interest in sports activities and excelled in scholarship.
- Kelsey Meredith Hassevoort
THE KALAMAZOO COLLEGE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AWARD, for a graduating senior who has most successfully combined high scholarship with athletic prowess.
- Alexander C. Dombos
THE C. W. “OPIE” DAVIS AWARD, awarded to the outstanding senior male athlete
- Christopher J. Manning
THE KNOECHEL FAMILY AWARD, awarded to a senior member of the swim teams in recognition of demonstrated excellence in both intercollegiate swimming and academic performance.
- Christine Lewis
- Kevin B. Lodewyk
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.
- Katherine Grue
- Kelsey Johnson
Social Sciences Division
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
- Hannah Hindman Reischl
- Dana Robinson
THE BARTLETT LAW AWARD, awarded to an outstanding student of Economics or Political Science active in extracurricular activities who plans to pursue a career in law.
- Matthew Thomas DuWaldt
- Claire Victoria Madill
THE A. M. FINK MEMORIAL PRIZE IN BUSINESS, awarded to an outstanding Economics and Business major, active in extracurricular activities, who plans to pursue graduate work or an immediate career in business.
- Calder Alexander Leaver Burgam
- Cameron Carl Lang
THE WILLIAM G. HOWARD MEMORIAL PRIZE, awarded to a senior who has done the best work in a major in economics..
- Matthew Thomas DuWaldt
- Johnny T. Ho
- Claire Victoria Madill
THE EUGENE P. STERMER AWARD IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, awarded to a senior in Economics and Business for excellence in academic work
- Patrick A. Miller
- Rachel Christine Pitzer
- Joseph J. Prepolec
THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL RELATIONS PRIZE, awarded for leadership in the major, reflecting commitment to inter-disciplinary thinking and social justice.
- Dion Bullock
- LaShawn M. Etheridge
THE E. BRUCE BAXTER MEMORIAL AWARD, awarded to a senior showing outstanding development in the field of political science.
- Zachary Ryan Holden
THE WILLIAM G. HOWARD MEMORIAL PRIZE, awarded for excellence in a year’s work in political science.
- Calder Alexander Leaver Burgam
- Emily K. Wolf
THE EUGENE P. STERMER AWARD IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, awarded to a student in public policy and/or international affairs for excellence in academic work in the senior year.
- Alyssa M. Rickard
- Theodore J. Sweetser
THE MARSHALL HALLOCK BRENNER PRIZE, awarded to an outstanding student for excellence in the field of psychology.
- Keith R. Moreno
THE XARIFA GREENQUIST MEMORIAL PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT AWARD, given in recognition of distinctive service to students and faculty in Psychology by a student assistant.
- Emily Renee Geister-Danville
- Katharine Ellen Grills
- Alexander P. Griffin
THE RICHARD D. KLEIN SENIOR AWARD IN PSYCHOLOGY, given for outstanding work in the Senior Individualized Project.
- Chloe E. Page
THE RICHARD D. KLEIN SENIOR AWARD IN PSYCHOLOGY, given for outstanding contributions to the community.
- Elise Wolf Williams
THE DONALD W. VAN LIERE PRIZE, given for excellence in psychology research.
- Katharine Ellen Grills
- Tristan A. Morioka
- Courtney Lynne Narker
THE DONALD W. VAN LIERE PRIZE, given for excellence in psychology coursework.
- Kara Jane Milton
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.
- Angela M. Frakes
- Sarah C. Holman
- Allison Nicole LaRose
Non-Departmental Awards
THE GORDON BEAUMONT MEMORIAL AWARD, awarded to the deserving student who displays qualities of selflessness, humanitarian concern, and willingness to help others, as exemplified in the life of Gordon Beaumont.
- Lashawn Etheridge
- Anna Miller
THE HENRY AND INEZ BROWN PRIZE, awarded in recognition of outstanding participation in the College community.
- Courtney Nartker
THE ALPHA LAMBDA DELTA MAY BRUNSON GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP, given to a senior working toward a graduate or professional degree.
- Matthew Thomas DuWaldt
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.
- Zena S. Blake-Mark
THE ALPHA LAMBDA DELTA MARIA LEONARD SENIOR BOOK AWARD, given to the Alpha Lambda Delta member graduating with the highest GPA.
- Alexander C. Dombos
- Kelsey Meredith Hassevoort
- Zachary Ryan Holden
- Claire Victoria Madill
- Kara Jane Milton
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.
- Britta A. Seifert
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.
- Alexandra N. Crockford
- Obineche S. Nnebedum
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.
- Saskia Boggs
- Kathleen W. Sly
- Emily K. Wolf
The Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute for Service-Learning awards LAPLANTE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS to recognize and reward students who have shown outstanding dedication to civic engagement. The LaPlante Scholars design and lead community programs that promote a more just, equitable and sustainable world.
- Paul A. Garza
- Alexander P. Griffin
- Jay W. McMillan
- Anna Marie Miller
- Ellen Curtin Murphy
- Obineche Nnebedum
- Catherine Anne Wadsworth Oldershaw
- Ian Powell
- Dana Robinson
- Anna F. Witte
The VIBBERT SCHOLARS honor and exemplify the spirit and leadership of Stephanie Vibbert, activist, scholar, artist, poet and feminist, by creating programs that promote equality and social justice.
- Angela M. Frakes
- Meredith Loomis Quinlan
- Taylor Stamm
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.
- Jacob Christopher Arnett
- Zena S. Blake-Mark
- Dion Bullock
- Leonidas M. Caldwell
- Rachel Meria Cohan
- Mark J. Denenfeld
- Benjamin Gawel Ensroth
- LaShawn M. Etheridge
- Katherine A. Grue
- Kelsey Meredith Hassevoort
- Joanne A. Heppert
- Jennifer Michelle Fiandaca McCutcheon
- Tanjanequa F. McMeans
- Anna Marie Miller
- Ellen Curtin Murphy
- Obineche S. Nnebedum
- David H. Pimentel
- Daniel Pohanka
- Jacob R. Price
- Meredith Loomis Quinlan
- Hannah Hindman Reischl
- Heather Rae Russon
- Melba N. Sales-Griffin
- William A. Schlaack
- Paula Alana Silverman
- Dalton S. Simancek
- Kathleen W. Sly
- Caitlyn W. VanGelderen
- Molly Christine Waytes
- Max A. Wedding
- Sandrine Zilikana
Heyl Scholars 2012
The 2012 Heyl Scholars were honored with a dinner on the Kalamazoo College campus.
The F.W. and Elsie L. Heyl Scholarship awards full-tuition scholarships to graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools or the Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center (KAMSC) for the study of nursing at Western Michigan University or science and math at Kalamazoo College. Benefits also include room and board and a book allowance. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years.
Since 1972, the Heyl Scholarship Fund has awarded more than 400 scholarships worth some $30 million.
The Heyl Scholars of 2012 are (l-r): front row—Kelsey Lankford, Kalamazoo Central High School; Yu-Chyn Chiang, Kalamazoo Central High School; Aya Abe, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix High School; second row—Riley Lundquist, Portage Northern High School/KAMSC;Sarah Manski, Vicksburg High School/KAMSC; Kyle Sunden, Gull Lake High School/KAMSC; back row—Paige Maguire, Kalamazoo Central High School/KAMSC;Robert Hudson, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix High School; and Reid Blanchett, Vicksburg High School/KAMSC. Chiang, Abe, Lundquist, Manski, Sunden, Maguire, Hudson, and Blanchett will attend Kalamazoo College. Lankford will attend the WMU School of Nursing. Photo by Anthony Dugal Photography.
The Magnificent Five
Majors Sandrine Zilikana ’12 and Mara Livezey ’13 and biology major Lindsey Gaston ’12 joined chemistry department faculty members Regina Stevens-Truss and Laura Lowe Furge at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Meeting in San Diego in late April. The students presented results of their summer research experiences (part of the Senior Individualized Projects for Sandrine and Lindsey) as part of both the Annual Undergraduate Poster Competition and the regular scientific sessions of the meeting.
More than 200 students from schools across the country were part of the undergraduate poster competition. Zilikana’s research measured differences in reducing the potential of cancer cell types to affect drug delivery. She conducted this scientific work at the University of Michigan with Professor Kyung-Dall Lee. Gaston’s showed that a specific hormone prevented nerve cell death after brain injury. Her research, conducted with Professor Vishal Bansal at the University of California-San Diego, will be included in a manuscript just accepted to the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology. Livezey presented the results of a study she has worked on for the past two years in Furge’s lab modeling the interactions of inhibitors with human cytochrome P450 enzymes. That study was recently published in Drug Metabolism Letters. While in San Diego, Stevens-Truss directed a teaching workshop for middle school and high school science teachers in the San Diego area. Her innovation in development of the workshop has drawn increasing numbers of teachers to the workshop and provided a new platform for scientists to collaborate with and mentor the nation’s secondary school science teachers.
The workshop was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Next year’s meeting will be in Boston, and Stevens-Truss and Furge plan to attend with another group of students. Stevens-Truss will also lead another teaching workshop there.
Great Leaders
They are great teammates, adept at leading and following. They speak articulately and they listen justly. They are athletic captains, student organization officers and participants. They may see what others see but often dream what few others do. They are the kind of people who believe that a significant piece of what it means to be human is developing and using that part of our soul which exists in relationship to others. Kalamazoo College recognized 31 seniors with the 2012 Senior Leadership Recognition Award this month.
Pictured are (l-r): front row—Tanjanequa McMeans, Ellen Murphy, Caitlyn Van Gelderen, Rachel Cohan, Meredith Quinlan, Paula Silverman; second row—Melba Sales-Griffin, Katy Grue, LaShawn Etheridge, Sandrene Zilikana; third row—Ben Ensroth, Heather Russon, Molly Waytes, Jennifer McCutchen, Katy Sly, Joanne Heppert, Obineche Nnebedum; fourth row—Jacob Arnett, Dalton Simancek, William Schlaack, Hannah Reischl, Anna Miller; back row—Max Wedding, David Pimentel, Daniel Pohanka, Dion Bullock, Jacob Price, and Mark Denenfeld. Not pictured are Zena Blake-Mark, Leonidas Caldwell, and Kelsey Hassevoort.