About Kalamazoo College

Highly selective, nationally renowned and globally oriented, Kalamazoo College is the home of the K-Plan, a personalized and integrated approach to the liberal arts and sciences. The K-Plan combines excellent academicsstudy abroad, independent scholarshipcareer development and civic engagement in a flexible curriculum that allows students to make the most of their unique interests and gifts.

Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, K was founded in 1833, placing it among the 100 oldest colleges and universities in the nation.

“At no Ivy institution are the students so deeply engaged, so broadly prepared, or so heavily invested in a sense of community as at Kalamazoo. In short, no Ivy school is likely to have as much impact on a youth’s development.”

Loren Pope, Colleges that Change Lives

Our Mission

students walking into the Hicks Student Center

At K, our mission is to prepare our graduates to better understand, live successfully within, and provide enlightened leadership to a richly diverse and increasingly complex world.

See how we are continuing this mission through our strategic plan and institutional assessment.

Our Students

two students laughing

Curious. Smart. Determined. Fun. Athletic. Artistic. Engaged. These are a few of the words that describe our students—nearly 1,400 talented and diverse individuals from 37 states and 32 countries. For more information on student life, visit Life at K. For more information about admission, visit the Office of Admission.

Our Faculty

Professors at graduation

The faculty at K are distinguished scholars and exceptional teachers who are passionate about their fields of study. With a student-faculty ratio of 11:1, our professors have the time and space to mentor students in and outside of the classroom as they discover and hone their talents.

Our leadership

President Jorge Gonzalez

President Jorge G. Gonzalez is a fierce champion of the liberal arts and sciences. A welcoming presence on campus, you may catch him grabbing lunch at Welles Dining Hall, cheering on our Hornet athletes, or sitting in on student internship presentations. He supports our Hornets with an abiding commitment to academic excellence, experiential learning, intercultural understanding and community engagement.

Our K-Plan

Two students studying outside

Play in the jazz band. Learn French. Present your scientific research at a national conference. Study in Costa Rica. Intern at a nonprofit doing social justice work. Write poetry. Compete in intercollegiate athletics. Learn how to make an investment strategy. Take a stage combat class. The K-Plan’s flexible curriculum gives students the freedom to explore their passions while gaining real-world experience.

Our location

Downtown Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo combines all the advantages of a big city with the friendliness of a small town. Shopping, nature trails, coffee shops, breweries, restaurants, art galleries, theatre, live music, internship and other employment opportunities—there’s something for everyone in Kalamazoo.


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