This page provides resources, alumni engagement and campus updates for Kalamazoo College’s class agent volunteers.
Fiscal Year 2019-20 Results
Gifts to the Kalamazoo College Fund during Fiscal Year 2019-20 (July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020) resulted in an unprecedented $2,663,896.96. In these challenging times it is more important than ever for students to receive an education that will empower them to make a difference in the world. Thank you, class agents, for helping to make the year a success through your fundraising, networking and gratitude outreach to your classmates throughout the year and for your own gifts to K.
FY 2019-20 Kalamazoo College Fund Gifts by Class Year
FY 2019-20 All Gifts to Kalamazoo College by Class Year
Class Agent Roles and Responsibilities
As volunteers for the Kalamazoo College Fund, class agents provide leadership to your alumni classes by:
- Making personal, meaningful annual gifts to the Kalamazoo College Fund.
- Building connectedness between K and your alumni classmates through on-going communication.
- Writing a Class Agent appeal letter at the beginning of the academic year.
- Thanking classmates for their gifts.
- Encouraging class note submissions and contact information updates.
- Making follow-up contacts to classmates to ensure gifts are renewed.
- Using social media to reach out to classmates.
- Developing creative ways to sustain class giving and alumni event participation.
- Assisting in planning reunion events and a reunion giving program in collaboration with the Office of Alumni Engagement and the Kalamazoo College Fund.
Fiscal Year 2020-21 Class Agent Initiatives
| Initiatives | Timeline |
| Class Agent Appeal Letters | July 2020 – compose letter September 2020 – letters mailed |
| End of Calendar Year Fundraising | November and December 2020 |
| Day of Gracious Giving | April 2021 – preparation May 2021- date to be announced |
| End of Fiscal Year Fundraising | June 2020 |
| Donor Gratitude | Throughout the year |
| Alumni Class Networking and Communication | Throughout the year |
| 0&5 Reunion Event and Giving Program Preparation |
Throughout the year April 23-25, 2021 – 0&5 Homecoming and Reunion Weekend |
Class Agents in the News
Class Agent Transitions
Carter Dougherty ’92 from Takoma Park, MD is retiring from his class agent role after 10 years of service. We are grateful for Carter’s creative alumni leadership and his thought-provoking class agent appeal letters. The class of 1992 is routinely in the top five classes for Day of Gracious Giving donors and dollars and consistently has a strong annual class participation. Carter is the communications director at Americans for Financial Reform. In this year’s appeal letter, Carter shared that his “Kalamazoo College study abroad led, in a roundabout way, to a wife (long story) and to a job, which led to Frankfurt.” Carter’s and Hannah’s children, Lucinda and Caio, were born in Frankfurt. The Dougherty family has a new member – a “pandemic puppy” named Friede. Thank you, Carter, for your service. We wish you much success as you embrace new ways to serve your beloved K.
Class Agents Serving on the Alumni Association Engagement Board
Kalamazoo College’s Alumni Association is governed by the Alumni Association Engagement Board. The group is responsible for the management of the Association’s business and serves in an advisory capacity regarding alumni events, award programs and volunteer opportunities, while assisting with admission and development efforts. Thank you to class agent currently serving on the Alumni Association Engagement Board, including:
Vice President and Alumni Trustee: Milo Madole ’12
Secretary: Don Schneider ’63
At-Large Members: Evan Bontrager ’11, Emily Finch ’17, Steve Helm ’71, Mary-Katherine Thompson Miller ’06, Alex Morgan ’11, Kriti Singh ’17 and Jason Wright ’02.
Social Media Resources
Kalamazoo College Class Agents Facebook Group
The Kalamazoo College Class Agents Facebook Group presents an opportunity to network with class agent volunteers from the classes of 1951 through 2020 and keep up-to-date on campus news and class agent responsibilities. If you are not active on Facebook, contact Sandy Dugal to receive email updates when posts occur.
Your Alumni Class Facebook Groups
Each alumni class has a Kalamazoo College class Facebook group. Class agents and reunion volunteers serve as administrators of this group along with Sandy Dugal and an Office of Alumni Engagement colleague. These groups are a great way to stay in touch with your classmates.
Kalamazoo College Social Media Accounts
Follow your alma mater on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Share, retweet or repost stories for your classmates and K friends.
K Welcomes New Vice President for Advancement
Karen Isble, Vice President for Advancement joined the College on September 14. She comes to K from the University of California, Irvine where she has been both the associate vice chancellor and campaign director for university advancement. She is a Detroit native and worked in arts administration and fundraising roles in Detroit and Chicago. She oversaw prospect development and the data technology infrastructure for the 600-member development team at the University of Michigan.
Isble succeeds Vice President for Advancement Al DeSimone, who recently retired after nearly a decade at the College. Read the complete story here.
Homecoming and Reunion Weekend
Homecoming and Reunion Weekend and the annual Emeriti Club Gathering (originally scheduled on campus for October 23-25, 2020) have been postponed to April 23-25, 2021. The health and safety of our alumni, students, faculty and staff continue to be our top priorities. We appreciate your understanding as we navigate these still uncertain times. We look forward to celebrating our 0&5 reunion classes in the spring. Please visit Homecoming and Reunions for more information.
Proposed Dates for Future Homecoming and Reunion Weekends
| Reunion Classes | Dates |
| 0&5 Reunions | April 23-25, 2021 |
| 1&6 Reunions | October 15-17, 2021 |
| 2&7 Reunions | October 21-23, 2022 |
| 3&8 Reunions | October 13-15, 2023 |
| 4&9 Reunions | October 11-13, 2024 |
Alumni Events
The Office of Alumni Engagement is hosting many virtual events this year, including regional Hornet Happy Hours, K-Talk lifelong learning opportunities and meetings with President Jorge G. Gonzalez. Visit the website for additional details. Class agents are encouraged to serve as Hornet Hosts at events. Learn more about hosting events here.
COVID-19 and Fall Term Information
With an abundance of caution, Kalamazoo College made the decision to shift to a fully virtual term for Fall 2020. The College continues to follow the guidelines and restrictions set forth by the State of Michigan. Visit the COVID-19 page for campus updates and links to public health information.
Convocation and the Class of 2024
On September 10, 2020, we welcomed the class of 2024 into the K community as we launched the new academic year with Convocation. The event featured addresses from President Jorge G. Gonzalez and Provost Danette Ifert Johnson, an invocation from Chaplain Elizabeth Candido ’00 and a keynote speech from College Trustee Beth Washington ’94, the vice president of community health, equity and inclusion at Bronson Healthcare. View the video here.
For More Information
If you have any questions or would like to a request class roster and giving history report to support your class agent role, please contact:
Sandy Dugal
Associate Director, Kalamazoo College Fund
Coordinator, President’s Student Ambassadors
sdugal@kzoo.edu
269.337.5959