civic engagement Archives - Page 6 of 6

Senior Awards Ceremony 2017

Posted on June 10, 2017April 4, 2022

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

K Ranks 13th in Producing Peace Corps Volunteers

Posted on February 28, 2017March 22, 2022

The Peace Corps announced today that Kalamazoo College ranks No. 13 among small schools on the agency’s 2017 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. There are 10 Hornets currently volunteering worldwide. In 2016, Kalamazoo College ranked No. 14.

Peace Corps Volunteers — Britta Seifert ’12 (left) volunteered with the Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan for 27 months.

“Peace Corps service is an unparalleled leadership opportunity that enables college and university alumni to use the creative-thinking skills they developed in school to make an impact in communities around the world,” Acting Peace Corps Director Sheila Crowley said. “Many college graduates view the Peace Corps as a launching pad for their careers because volunteers return home with the cultural competency and entrepreneurial spirit sought after in most fields.”

Since the Peace Corps’ founding in 1961, 247 Kalamazoo College alumni have traveled abroad to serve as volunteers. Three Michigan schools rank as Top Colleges this year, making Michigan among 11 states and the District of Columbia with at least three ranked schools.

Service in the Peace Corps is a life-defining, hands-on experience that offers volunteers the opportunity to travel to a community overseas and make a lasting difference in the lives of others.

Peace Corps Kalamazoo College — Joy Campbell’s experience at Kalamazoo College motivated her to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco.

Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. Through their experience, volunteers gain a cultural understanding and a lifelong commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today’s global economy.

The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing colleges and universities annually according to the size of the student body. View the complete 2017 rankings of the top 25 schools in each category and find an interactive map that shows where alumni from each college and university are serving.

Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 225,000 Americans of all ages have served in 141 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov.

Performances Explore Local Reproductive Health Issues

Posted on February 17, 2017March 22, 2022

Kalamazoo College students are collaborating with Planned Parenthood of Southwest Michigan on a theatre performance that will raise awareness about reproductive health in Kalamazoo County. “Pro-Voice: Reproductive Justice Monologues,” will stage on Sunday, February 26, at 5 p.m., and on Monday, February 27, at 7 p.m. Both performances will occur in the Connable Recital Hall of the Light Fine Arts Building on K’s campus. The events are open to the public. For tickets, contact in person Brenda Westra (in the Department of Psychology office suite in Olds-Upton). Tickets are $10; all proceeds will go to Planned Parenthood.

Project collaborators include Planned Parenthood, Kalamazoo College’s Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement, Professor Karyn Boatwright’s “Feminist Psychology of Women” class and Professor Alison Geist’s “Contemporary Issues in Public Health” course.

The “Pro-Voice” monologues will be performed by K students, based on interviews students in the aforementioned classes conducted with local people whose stories illuminate the importance of Planned Parenthood’s services to the community. The performances, which were devised and directed by K senior Lindsay Worthington, also incorporate interviews of policymakers and service providers regarding maternal and child health in Kalamazoo County.

“The events will do more than raise awareness of reproductive health issues,” said senior psychology major Ashley Schmidt. “It also will be an act of empowerment. We hope this performance highlights how important it is to raise the voices of those often ignored. We can make a difference when we work together.”

Be Part of the Vision for the City’s Future

Posted on January 25, 2017September 17, 2024

Kalamazoo College faculty, staff and students are invited to an Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 Master Plan Meeting on Tuesday, January 31, at 6 p.m. in the Mandelle Hall Olmsted Room. That meeting is one of 12 neighborhood gatherings being organized by the city. Each meeting focuses on a specific neighborhood and provides an opportunity for participants to share input on where they live, work or play. The hands-on activities and small discussion groups that characterize these open-house style meetings allow participants describe the improvements they’d like to see and the priority of projects they consider optimal. Some of the topics for the Kalamazoo College/West Main Hill neighborhood meeting will be: pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure; vehicular management (including on-street parking and traffic calming; M-43/West Main; West Michigan Avenue at M-43/West Main; West Michigan Avenue Lovell Street. Questions on this meeting or the Imagine Kalamazoo process can be sent to Christina (Dudek) Anderson ’98.

Text by Christina Anderson

Civic Engagement Conference Promotes Global Citizenship

Posted on November 4, 2016March 23, 2022

About 75 people from 17 private liberal arts higher-education institutions and 11 nations met Oct. 23-25 at Kalamazoo College for a civic engagement conference. “Civic Engagement and the Liberal Arts: Local Practice, Global Impact,” an Institute of the Global Liberal Arts Alliance, was hosted by the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement (CCE).

Faculty, staff, students and representatives of community-based organizations presented workshops, panel discussions and case studies to share innovative courses, programs and approaches that promote global citizenship and social justice in their communities and around the world.

Civic engagement conference participants connected and vowed to work across institutions and nations to address the world’s most pressing problems. Representatives came from the American University of Nigeria, American University of Beirut, Ashesi College University in Ghana, Foreman Christian College University in Pakistan, Lingnan University in Hong Kong, American University of Paris, American University of Greece, American University of Bulgaria, FLAME University in India, and ACODE in Kampala, Uganda; as well as seven liberal arts colleges in the in the U.S.

The CCE, established in 2001, connects Kalamazoo College faculty and students with more than 50 community-based organizations, schools and the City of Kalamazoo through student-led programming and service-learning courses across the curriculum. It promotes food justice, educational and health equity, neurodiversity, adult literacy, juvenile justice, women’s and girls’ empowerment, neighborhood vitality and more.

GLAA Institute on Campus Will Explore Global Community-Based Learning

Posted on October 5, 2016March 23, 2022

A partnership focused on adult literacy is part of K's Center for Civic Engagement — A partnership focused on adult literacy is part of K’s Center for Civic Engagement

On October 23-25 Kalamazoo College will host the Global Liberal Arts Alliance (GLAA) Institute on Civic Engagement. The institute is titled “Civic Engagement and the Liberal Arts: Local Practice, Global Impact,” and its Sunday evening (October 23) keynote address, “Seeking Refuge from Boko Haram: How a University Responded to a Humanitarian Crisis in Northeast Nigeria,” is free and open to the public. The talk will occur at 7 p.m. in the Mandelle Hall Olmsted Room. The lecture will be delivered by Margee Ensign, president of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola, Adamawa. Adamawa is one of the three northeastern Nigerian states still under a state of emergency as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency. Ensign also leads the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), a local Yola-based response to the escalating violence, which has successfully promoted peace in the area through education, empowerment and community development. Under Dr. Ensign, API is also currently undertaking humanitarian relief work in the region and providing food aid to more than 100,000 internally displaced people sheltering with family members in Yola. Dr. Ensign has been internationally recognized for her pioneering work at AUN.

The GLAA Institute on Civic Engagement gathers representatives (students, faculty, staff, and community partners ) from 21 countries. “The most pressing problems we face are interconnected and global in nature,” said Alison Geist, director of The Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement at Kalamazoo College. “As liberal arts institutions, our missions and strengths position us as leaders for social change in our communities and around the world. This gathering brings together educators, students, activists and scholars whose commitment to the common good spans disciplines, differences and the globe. We have much to learn from one another.”

Civic engagement encompasses endeavors from voting to volunteering with community organizations to social justice activism and advocacy. It includes course-based and co-curricular experiences in which students work beside and learn from members of local communities to address complex social issues, building a foundation for active and informed engagement in democratic processes and social change. When combined with purposeful reflection and theoretical understanding, these opportunities enable students to gain civic, academic, and personal knowledge, and develop important skills.

Civic engagement and community-based learning—the notion of learning in and with communities—“is essential in college,” says Geist, “if we want all of our students to flourish by living in and contributing to equitable, sustainable, and just communities.”

2016 Presidential Campaign Report

Posted on September 16, 2016March 23, 2022

Author Sasha Issenberg — Sasha Issenberg

Sasha Issenberg, a leading author and journalist on American politics, will deliver the 2016 William Weber Lecture in Government and Society. The lecture, “The Victory Lab 2016: A Report from the Campaign Trail,” will take place on Tuesday, September 27, at 8 p.m. in the Mandelle Hall Olmsted Room, and it is free and open to the public.

Issenberg is the author of three books, including The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns. He covered the 2012 election as a columnist for Slate and the 2008 election as a national political reporter in the Washington bureau of The Boston Globe. His work has appeared in New York magazine, The New York Times Magazine, and George.

For the book The Victory Lab (dubbed by POLITICO as the “Moneyball for politics”) Issenberg went on the campaign trail and uncovered the hidden story of the analytical revolution upending the way political campaigns are run. Renegade thinkers are crashing the gates of a venerable American institution, shoving aside its so-called wise men and replacing them with a radical new data-driven order. In the 2016 Weber Lecture, Issenberg will discuss what he’s seeing in the current race and how it compares to past campaigns.

The William Weber Lecture in Government and Society was founded by Bill Weber, a 1939 graduate of Kalamazoo College. Past lecturers have included David Broder, Frances Moore Lappe, E.J. Dionne, Jeane Bethke Elshtain, William Greider, Ernesto Cortes Jr., John Esposito, Benjamin Ginsberg, Frances Fox Piven, Spencer Overton, Tamara Draut, Van Jones and Joan Mandelle.

SMART Girls and K Women Team Up for Art Hop and More

Posted on May 2, 2014March 24, 2022

K students with some of the SMART group girls — K students (l-r) Morgan Mahdavi ’14, Chelsey Shannon ’14, Isabelle Ciaramitaro ’16, and Jordan Earnest ’14 with some of their SMART Girls.

Each Friday afternoon during the fall, winter, and spring quarters of the 2013-14 academic year, five Kalamazoo College female students have met with 16 Kalamazoo area preteen girls in a mentoring program focused on themes of identity, self-awareness, and self-worth.

Every Friday afternoon. For two hours. No exceptions.

“Consistency is most important in our mentor role,” said Jordan Applebaum Earnest ’14. “The girls know to expect us every Friday for the school year.”

Morgan Mahdavi ’14, Chelsey Shannon ’14, Isabelle Ciaramitaro ’16, Rian Brown ’16, and Jordan are mentors for the SMART Girls program, a collaboration of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kalamazoo and the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement at K.

The K women meet with the SMART Girls (ages 9-12) at the Boys and Girls Club to discuss themes of identity, self-awareness, and self-worth. Another team of K women also mentors a Teen SMART Girls program at the Club. Both groups of mentors meet regularly on their own to plan lessons for the girls and hold structured reflections about their own mentoring experiences.

“Over the course of the year, our lessons, activities, discussions, and writing exercises with the girls have placed a strong emphasis on healthy relationships, self-care, and emotional processing,” said Jordan. “The girls have come to recognize their own strengths and they have developed more confidence, determination, and positive energy.”

“We have, too,” said Jordan.

Jordan is a Civic Engagement Scholar through the “Mary Jane” Center and serves as director of the SMART Girls program. Hers is a funded position paid through a grant to the Center by former City of Kalamazoo Mayor Caroline Ham. The other K students are volunteers.

During the Friday May 2 downtown Kalamazoo Art Hop, K mentors and SMART Girls will host “Who We Are,” a photographic exhibit meant to demonstrate the inner strengths that each SMART Girl believes she possesses. Each SMART Girl served as art director for her own photo, choosing the props and poses that Georgina Graff ’16 captured with her camera.

“The photos represent who the SMART Girls want to grow up to be,” said Jordan. “They demonstrate qualities such as trustworthiness, intelligence, health, and creativity—all chosen by the girls themselves.”

Kalamazoo College SMART Girls mentors and mentees will host the Art Hop reception from 6-7:30 p.m. at Edison Place, 1350 Portage St., in the Washington Square/Edison neighborhood. The exhibit was curated with the help of Jessica Mancino from the Boys and Girls Club, and funded through a generous grant from Linda DeRose Primavera ’77.

K Civic Engagement Director Honored With Health Award

Posted on July 22, 2013April 5, 2023

Alison Geist, director of the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement, received the 2013 Spirit of Health Equity Award from Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services. The award recognizes her “ongoing commitment and dedication to health equity in the Kalamazoo community.” In addition to her work with the CCE (formerly the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute for Service-Learning), Geist teaches a course in public health at K and co-administers the College′s Community and Global Health concentration. She received the award at the First Annual Summit on Health Equity in Kalamazoo. Congrats, Alison!

Kalamazoo College Named to Presidential Honor Roll For Its Students’ Civic Engagement Record

Posted on March 5, 2013November 25, 2025

K student in civic engagement helps a child learn — K students will log more than 35,000 hours of civic engagement during the 2012-13 academic year.

Kalamazoo College has been named a Presidential Award Finalist in the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities.

K is one of only 14 institutions (and the only one from Michigan) receiving the Presidential Award Finalist honor out of nearly 700 nationwide that were considered. K has been recognized every year since the Honor Roll was launched in 2006, and was also named a Finalist in 2011. Five institutions were named Presidential Awardees this year, the highest honor.

“Selection as a Presidential Award Finalist is recognition from the highest levels of the federal government of K’s commitment to service-learning and civic engagement on our campus and beyond,” said Alison Geist, director of the College’s Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute of Service-Learning.

“This honors the commitment of K students and our community partners not only in Kalamazoo and throughout Southwest Michigan, but internationally, as well.”

According to Geist, about 74 percent of Kalamazoo College students will participate in civic engagement activities during their four years at the College. During the 2012-13 academic year alone, K students will contribute more than 35,000 hours to this effort. K offers about 30 service-learning courses that include community-based civic engagement activities, and students lead programs that take place every week throughout the year.

In the Greater Kalamazoo community, students work through approximately 40 different community partners including Kalamazoo Public Schools, Fair Food Matters, Goodwill Industries, Kalamazoo County Center for Healthy Equity, and Ministry with Community.

K students advocate for improved food access and health, and work in community gardens, serve as math tutors to elementary school children, employ theatre as empowerment with juvenile home residents, develop environmental justice programming with migrant workers for whom English is a second language, and many other roles to promote social justice.

“Our goal is to help K students gain hands-on, real world experiences that build their critical thinking, problem problem-solving, and communications skills, while fostering an interest in civic engagement and strengthening our community,” said Geist.

More and more K students are carrying this civic engagement interest to other countries, she added. About 85 percent of K students study abroad, mostly during their junior year, at more than 40 program sites on six continents. Many students now complete an Intercultural Research Project in their host country that includes a civic engagement component. Recent examples include a student who worked as a physiotherapy assistant at an aged care facility in Australia, another who taught English to students at a school for children of migrant workers in China, one who taught songs in Spanish to first-graders at a rural Mexican school, and one who raised funds to distribute portable solar-powered lanterns to elderly Kenyan residents.

Geist also commended the growing number of international students at Kalamazoo College who participate in civic engagement activities in Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan.

The Corporation for National and Community Service oversees the President’s Honor Roll in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school’s commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service. The entire 2013 Honor Roll list is available at www.nationalservice.gov/honorroll.

Kalamazoo College (www.kzoo.edu) does more in four years so that students can do more in a lifetime. K offers rigorous academic explorations in the liberal arts and the flexibility to shape non-classroom experiences (study abroad, civic engagement, career internships, social justice leadership, and professional networking) into a résumé that gives students a leg-up for graduate school and employment. The K experience develops the ability to think and solve problems, and we measure those outcomes to continually improve.