Category: Events

Honors Day Convocation Salutes Student Success

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Hundreds of Kalamazoo College students were recognized Friday, November 7, during the annual Honors Day Convocation for excellence in academics and leadership. Students were recognized in six divisions: Fine Arts; Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures; Humanities; Natural Sciences and Mathematics; Social Sciences; and Physical Education. Recipients of prestigious scholarships were recognized, as were members of national honor societies and students who received special Kalamazoo College awards. Student athletes and teams who won Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association awards also were honored. Many of the awards presented are based on outstanding performance during the previous academic year. The students receiving Honors Day awards or recognition are listed below. 

FINE ARTS DIVISION

Brian Gougeon ’81 Prize in Art

  • John Brewer
  • Sara Bush

The Margaret Upton Prize in Music

  • Maya Davis

Charles Cooper Award in Fine Arts

  • Lena Barret
  • James Hauke

Fan E. Sherwood Memorial Prize

  • Bernice Mike

Theatre Arts First-Year Student Award

  • Maya Davis
  • Sebastian Nelson

DIVISION OF MODERN AND CLASSICAL LANGUAGES

LeGrand Copley Prize in French

  • Jessica Forbis

Hardy Fuchs Award

  • Sara Bush
  • Maren Palmer

Margo Light Award

  • Johe Newton Johnson

Department of Spanish Language and Literatures Prize

  • Sarah Guerrero Gorostieta
  • Jay Hernandez

Clara H. Buckley Prize for Excellence in Latin

  • Eleanor Campion
  • Sally Eggleston

Classics Department Prize in Greek

  • Aubrey Benson

Provost’s Prize in Classics

  • Sally Eggleston

HUMANITIES DIVISION

O.M. Allen Prize in English

  • Sarah Guerrero Gorostieta

John B. Wickstrom Prize in History

  • Brit Inman
  • Aliah Mohmand

Department of Philosophy Prize

  • Jessica Forbis
  • Cecilia Gray
  • Arden Schultz

L.J. and Eva (“Gibbie”) Hemmes Memorial Prize in Philosophy

  • Tavi Butki
  • Jessica Forbis

NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS DIVISION

Winifred Peake Jones Prize in Biology

  • Josephine Belsky
  • Chloe Brown
  • Avery Davis

Department of Chemistry Prize

  • Linda Chukwu
  • Carter Haley
  • May Pasillas

First-Year Chemistry Award

  • Teige Bredin
  • Caroline Johnson
  • Katherine Saurez

Lemuel F. Smith Award

  • William Tocco

Computer Science Prize

  • Lena Barrett
  • Alexander Russell

First-Year Mathematics Award

  • Ayako Jurgle

Thomas O. Walton Prize in Mathematics

  • Ingrid Gardner
  • Lauren MacKersie
  • Juniper Pasternak
  • Benjamin Whitsett

Cooper Prize in Physics

  • Nathan Gleason
  • Charles Gordon
  • Caroline Johnson
  • Katelyn Steinbrecher
  • Katherine Suarez

SOCIAL SCIENCES DIVISION

Departmental Prize in Anthropology and Sociology

  • Leila Bank
  • Veda Shukla

William G. Howard Prize in Political Science

  • Bo Chambers

William G. Howard Memorial Prize in Economics and Business

  • Jordan Doyle

C. Wallace Lawrence Prize in Business

  • Jack Duggins
  • Matthew Matuza

C. Wallace Lawrence Prize in Economics

  • Renzo Palomino Caceres
  • Maya Clarren

Irene and S. Kyle Morris Prize

  • Callie Abair
  • Jackson Keefer

Department of Psychology First-Year Student Prize

  • Kay Hanson

PHYSICAL EDUCATION DIVISION

Division of Physical Education Prize

  • Cameron Crosby
  • Addison Lyons

Lauren Rosenthal ’13 Memorial Prize

  • Eleanor Bernas

Maggie Wardle ’02 Prize

  • Maggie Westra

COLLEGE AWARDS

Henry ’36 and Inez Brown Prize

  • Jaylen Bowles-Swain
  • John Bungart
  • Abbie Caza
  • Ella Spooner

Davis United World College Scholar

  • Soyeon Jin

HEYL SCHOLARS: Class of 2029

  • Methmi Amaratunga
  • Stephanie Castillo
  • Eiden Jonaitis
  • Dewen Luo-Li
  • Gwendolyn MacEwen
  • Kaljona Thaumanavar

POSSE SCHOLARS: Class of 2029

  • Elyzet Alfaro
  • Sarah Baker
  • Marley Bell
  • Zeina Coreas
  • Lavar Ganther
  • Marcus Lloyd
  • Vex Maldonado
  • Sophia Mes
  • Zaira Ramirez
  • Coltrane Randolph
  • Jordan Rivas

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS: Class of 2029

  • Drew Abbott

SLAVA-CICA AND SPASA VOYNOVICH SCHOLARS

  • Olivia Schleede

ALPHA LAMBDA DELTA: Class of 2029

Alpha Lambda Delta is a national honor society that recognizes excellence in academic achievement during the first college year. To be eligible for membership, students must rank in the top 20% of their class and earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 during the first year. The students below are members of the Class of 2029 who have met or exceeded those benchmarks and have been invited to join the Kalamazoo College Chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta.

  • Leila Bank
  • Grace Barber
  • Josephine Belsky
  • Derek Blackwell
  • Teige Bredin
  • John Brewer
  • Ellie Britt
  • Chloe Brown
  • Ava Buccafurri
  • Sara Bush
  • Haziel Cerroblanco
  • Bo Chambers
  • Brendan Clinard
  • Toby Comensoli
  • Cameron Crosby
  • Avery Davis
  • Maya Davis
  • Francis Ernzen
  • Max Feliks
  • Mathias Florian
  • Jessica Forbis
  • Nathan Gleason
  • Brizza Gonzalez
  • Cole Grupenhoff
  • Sarah Guerrero Gorostieta
  • Carter Haley
  • Britt Inman
  • Weslee Innes
  • Caroline Johnson
  • Ayako Jurgle
  • Jackson Keefer
  • Ava King
  • Shay Kruse
  • Katelyn Long
  • Mairead Lynch
  • Jay McDaniel
  • Jacey Merkle
  • Aliah Mohmand
  • Meena Moritz
  • Sebastian Nelson
  • Renzo Palomino Caceres
  • Mario Pomorski
  • Brody Quinn
  • Cory Rapp
  • Julia Reisor
  • Wyatt Ruppenthal
  • McKenna Ryan-Elbert
  • Simon Sawyer
  • Halen Sherwood
  • Veda Shukla
  • Katelyn Steinbrecher
  • Calvin Strader
  • Katherine Suarez
  • Nora Zemlick

FINE ARTS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

  • Annice Bellows
  • Mag Burkander
  • Emmett Carlson
  • Elliot Corpuz
  • Sophia Deguzman
  • Ale Demea
  • Desmond Distel
  • Molly Duffy
  • Kellen Fisher
  • Ana Lucia Galarreta
  • Ryan Goodrich
  • Lana Gouin-Hart
  • Sofia Gross
  • Sarah Hagan
  • Abram Haynes
  • Scarlett Hosner
  • Aelitta Kazarov
  • Genevieve Nagel
  • Alessi Neder
  • Sam Pattison
  • Benjamin Perry
  • Ellison Redwine
  • Alice Seigner
  • Saba Sikharulidze
  • Ana Slouber
  • Laurel Stowers
  • Zara Strauss
  • Chloe Stuckey
  • Nolan Surach
  • Mathias Takacs
  • Arielle Tenner
  • Lauren Thompson
  • Jey Trebley

MIAA AWARDS

These teams earned the 2024–25 MIAA Team GPA Award for achieving a 3.300 or better grade point average for the entire academic year.

  • Baseball
  • Men’s Basketball
  • Men’s Golf
  • Men’s Lacrosse
  • Men’s Soccer
  • Men’s Swimming & Diving
  • Men’s Tennis
  • Women’s Basketball
  • Women’s Cross Country
  • Women’s Golf
  • Women’s Lacrosse
  • Women’s Soccer
  • Softball
  • Women’s Swimming & Diving
  • Women’s Tennis
  • Volleyball
Teige Bredin performs at a piano
Teige Bredin ’28 performs Intermezzo in “A Major, Opus 118, No. 2” by Johannes Brahms at Honors Day Convocation.
Honors Day Convocation
Four students at Stetson Chapel
Four students at Honors Convocation
Students at Honors Convocation
Students at Honors Convocation
Four students at Honors Day Convocation
Students at Honors Day Convocation
Students participate in Honors Day Convocation
Students participate in Honors Day Convocation at Stetson Chapel on Friday, November 7.
Sarah Guerrero Gorostieta '28 accepts the Department of Spanish Language and Literatures Prize from Professor of English Amelia Katanski '92 at Honors Day Convocation
Sarah Guerrero Gorostieta ’28 accepts the Department of Spanish Language and Literatures Prize from Professor of English Amelia Katanski ’92 at Honors Day Convocation.
Parents, families, faculty, staff and students gather for Honors Day Convocation at Stetson Chapel
Parents, families, faculty, staff and students gather for Honors Day Convocation at Stetson Chapel.
Honors Day Convocation
Students were recognized in six divisions at Honors Day Convocation: Fine Arts; Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures; Humanities; Natural Sciences and Mathematics; Social Sciences; and Physical Education.
Students gathered at Stetson Chapel
Students participate in Honors Day Convocation at Stetson Chapel.
Parents, families, faculty, staff and students gather at Stetson Chapel
Parents, families, faculty, staff and students gather for Honors Day Convocation at Stetson Chapel.
Honors Day Convocation
Hundreds of Kalamazoo College students were recognized Friday, November 7, during the annual Honors Day Convocation for excellence in academics and leadership.

MIAA ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL: Student Athletes 2024–25

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association each year honors students at MIAA-member colleges who achieve in the classroom and in athletic competition. Students need to be a letterwinner in a varsity sport and maintain at least a 3.5 grade-point average for the year.

A

  • Callie Abair
  • Fuzail Ahmed
  • Isaac Ahn
  • Maya Alkema
  • Adnan Alousi
  • Mahmoud Alsafadi
  • Emiliano Alvarado Rescala
  • Paige Anderson
  • Eleanor Andrews
  • Jeremy Ardshahi
  • Peyton Arendsen

B

  • Poppy Balkema
  • Carter Bandemer
  • Grace Barber
  • Joseph Basil
  • Conner Bell
  • Eleanor Bernas
  • Derek Blackwell
  • Douglas Blackwood
  • Eleni Bougioukou
  • Jaylen Bowles-Swain
  • Ella Boyea
  • Teige Bredin
  • Ellie Britt
  • Lukas Broadsword
  • Anna Buck
  • Tavi Butki
  • Zachary Butters

C

  • Raymond Cargill
  • Samantha Carpentier
  • Isabella Caza
  • Abigail Caza
  • Trustin Christopher
  • Nathaniel Clark
  • Thomas Clark
  • Logan Coller
  • Jordan Cook
  • Josee Cooke
  • Cate Cotter
  • Derek Courtney
  • Sebastian Courtright
  • Lucy Cripe
  • Mia Crites
  • Cameron Crosby
  • Chase Cummins

D

  • James Dailey
  • Erik Danielson
  • Ethan Daugherty
  • Jacob Davis
  • Carson Deines
  • Ethan DeNeen
  • Alexander Di Dio
  • Taylor Dinda-Albright
  • Jordan Doyle
  • Jack Duggins

E

  • Alden Ehrhardt
  • Rebecca Elias
  • Elise Elliot
  • Chad Ewing
  • Bradley Eziuka

F

  • Sara Finks
  • Alex Fleming
  • Jordan Flink
  • David Fooy
  • Jessica Forbis
  • Landrie Fridsma

G

  • Dillon Gacki
  • William Geiger
  • Mallory Gentry
  • Logan Gillis
  • Makala Goddard
  • Lukas Graff
  • Charles Graves
  • Lillian Grelak
  • Kaitlyn Grice
  • Cole Grupenhoff

H

  • Sydney Hagaman
  • Alison Hankins
  • Colten Hansen
  • Madeline Hanulcik
  • Sophie Hartl
  • Pauline Hawkes
  • Zachary Heikka
  • Gerardo Herrera-Sanchez
  • Maya Hester
  • Alyssa Hinkley
  • Garrick Hohm
  • Timothy Hollern
  • Ronin Honda
  • Jaelyn Horn
  • Tyler Houle
  • Gavin Houtkooper
  • Ethan Huebsch
  • Alek Hultberg
  • Kennedy Hynde

I

  • Carson Ihrke
  • Macy Ivins

J

  • Nolan Jannenga
  • Halley Johnson

K

  • Seth Keana
  • Jackson Keefer
  • Alyson Kemery
  • Samuel King
  • Ava King
  • Alexander Kish
  • Kathryn Klahorst
  • Mart Klenke
  • Toni Koshmider
  • Julia Kozal
  • Daryn Krause
  • Jack Kreckman

L

  • Jordon Larco
  • Braeden Lavis
  • Annmarie Lawrence
  • Maya Lee
  • Aidan Liedeke
  • Alexander Ligman
  • Addison Lyons

M

  • Kyler Maiorana
  • Natalie Maki
  • Larson Makie
  • Alexandria Mason
  • Matthew Matuza
  • Zachary Maurice
  • Benjamin Maurice
  • Grace McGlynn
  • MacKale McGuire
  • Jacey Merkle
  • Rachel Meston
  • Gabriel Meyers
  • Brittany Miller
  • Marin Miroslavich
  • Jackson Mitchell
  • Mary Ellen Muenzenmaier
  • Elizabeth Muenzenmaier
  • Andrew Munger

N

  • Mackenzie Newhall
  • Robert Newland
  • Emma Newlove
  • Maeve Nolan
  • Allison Nutt

O

  • Gabriel Olivier
  • Nicholas Olmeda
  • Tyler Omness

P

  • Brennan Pannucci
  • Alex Pepin
  • Patrick Perez
  • William Plesscher
  • Evan Pollens-Voigt
  • Mario Pomorski
  • Juliana Pullen

Q

  • Brody Quinn

R

  • Elizabeth Rachiele
  • Spencer Rasmussen
  • Liam Regan
  • Keegan Reynolds
  • Jaycee Rider
  • Cody Rigley
  • Sheldon Riley
  • Donovan Rinehart
  • Amelia Rooks
  • Luke Rop
  • Charlotte Ruiter
  • Wyatt Ruppenthal

S

  • Zenaida Sackett
  • Simon Sawyer
  • Cecilia Schihl
  • Leo Schinker
  • Annika Schnell
  • Sophia Schwartz
  • Eric Sheppard
  • Colby Skinner
  • Dawson Skupin
  • Jillian Smith
  • Jonah Spates
  • Ella Spooner
  • Adam Stapleton
  • David Stechow
  • Jacquelyn Stoddard
  • Grace Sweet

T

  • Levi Thomas
  • William Thomas
  • Vincent Tran

V

  • Anthony Valade
  • Gavin Van Kampen
  • Lucy Vandemark
  • Hannah Vander Lugt
  • Lauren Vanderstelt
  • Tyler Vanderzanden
  • Cameron VanGalder
  • Mitchel VanGalder

W

  • Annslee Ware
  • Riley Weber
  • Jordan Wesaw
  • Ava Williams
  • Gretchen Wilson
  • Alexander Winter
  • Darius Wright

Y

  • Hailey Yoder

Grammy-Award Winners to Perform at K

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A Grammy-award winning musician and storyteller will team up with a Grammy-award winning string quartet for a concert coming soon to Kalamazoo College with support from the Department of Music. 

Robert Mirabal—an elder of the native American Taos Pueblo community—and ETHEL will share a united performance at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 13, at Stetson Chapel. The collaborators, through years of friendship, have developed a blend of joy, compassion and virtuosity in their previous programs including Music of the Sun, The River and Song for Taos. 

Together, they offer a ceremony of original music, movement and wisdom through a new program titled The Red Willow, commissioned by the Taos Chamber Music Society. The pinnacle of the program is the central work, The Red Willow Suite. 

ETHEL and Mirabal have performed across the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia together, and are sure to be appreciated by local audiences. Advance tickets are available online through the Connecting Chords Festival website. General admission is $22; seniors, veterans and active military are $18; ages 25 and under are $5; and a family of two adults and children are $40. Tickets also will be available at the door for $25, $20, $5 and $40 for these same groups. 

For more information on the performance, contact Connecting Chords at 269.382.2910 or director@mfsm.us. 

Grammy Award Winners Robert Mirabal and Ethel
Robert Mirabal and Ethel will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 13, at Stetson Chapel.

Shakespearean Comedy Enters the Disco Era at Festival Playhouse

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Jack Dewey ’27 will have a handful of flamboyant costumes to wear, including a bright blue velvet suit, when he plays a not-so-typical King Ferdinand of Navarre in the Shakespearean Love’s Labour’s Lost, coming to the Festival Playhouse.

Running November 6–November 9, the show takes the Bard’s witty comedy about love and vows and spins it into a vibrant 1970s spectacle filled with music, dancing and retro flair.

“We’ve got flashing lights, dance numbers, sequined costumes—everything is colorful, loud and alive,” Dewey said. “It’s less like seeing Shakespeare and more like watching Mamma Mia.”

Originally written in the 1590s, Love’s Labour’s Lost follows four noblemen who swear off women and worldly pleasures to focus on their academic studies—until a visiting princess and her ladies arrive, undoing their oaths. In this production, Dewey and his fellow lords are reimagined as having the swagger and energy of college fraternity brothers, complete with banter, bravado and bad decisions.

“I’ve never played someone who’s just an absolute jerk before,” Dewey laughed. “In most of my roles, I’ve been the hopeless romantic or the sad guy. This time I get to be a switchblade-comb-wielding, smooth-talking, terrible flirt, and it’s so refreshing.”

Four cast members of Shakespearean comedy Love's Labour's Lost Rehearse at Festival Playhouse
The cast of the Shakespearean comedy “Love’s Labour’s Lost” includes Hannah Ulanoski ’26 as Marcade (from left), Jack Dewey ’26 as King Ferdinand of Navarre, Morgan Smith ’29 as the Princess of France and Max Wright ’26 as Boyet.

The decision to set the play in the 1970s, Dewey said, came from the creative team’s desire to capture an era defined by liberation and self-expression.

“All of our costumes are incredibly sequined and shiny,” he said. “The ’70s were about freedom and individuality, and that fits perfectly with the play’s humor and feminist themes.”

A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dewey said he hadn’t heard of Kalamazoo College until he began receiving recruitment emails. One campus visit changed his future, helped in part by having family living in southwest Michigan. 

“I stepped foot on campus and thought, ‘This is what I want my college experience to look like,’” he said.

Since becoming a student at K, Dewey has performed in Eurydice and Little Shop of Horrors. Even with that experience, Love’s Labour’s Lost is his most physically demanding role.

“We’re running, sliding and lunging, all while speaking in Shakespearean English,” he said. “It’s wild, but this cast makes it so much fun.”

That cast includes several first-year students, including Morgan Smith as the princess of France; Jey Trebley as Berowne; Sam Pattison as Dumaine; Dewen Luo-Li as Rosaline; Laurel Stowers as Maria; and Abram Haynes as Longaville. Dewey said their energy has transformed rehearsals into what he calls the best kind of organized chaos.

“Half the cast are first-years, and they’re so loud, outgoing and funny,” he said. “It’s incredible to see the youngest people leading the charge.”

He also credits acting leaders such as Bernice Mike ’26 as Katherine, Owen Ellis ’27 as Costard and Max Wright ’26 as Boyet for the experience they bring to the cast. Despite the challenges of Shakespeare’s language, Dewey said the company’s modern take makes the story accessible and hilarious.

“I don’t always know what every word means, but I know what my character is trying to say,” he said. “That’s what makes it fun, translating Shakespeare’s intentions into something audiences can feel.”

For anyone hesitant about seeing Shakespeare, Dewey insists this production will change their mind.

“If anyone wants to dip their toes into Shakespeare, this is the play to see,” he said. “It’s an hour of chaos, comedy and color.”

Love’s Labour’s Lost will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 6–Saturday, November 8, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, November 9. Tickets are available through the Festival Playhouse box office website and by phone at 269.337.7333. For more information on the production, contact Theatre Company Manager Kirsten Sluyter at Kirsten.Sluyter@kzoo.edu.

Ford Made Cars But Religion Drove Him

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Henry Ford built cars, but author and scholar Kati Curts will highlight in an upcoming Kalamazoo College event how religion often drove him. 

Curts, an assistant professor of religious studies at the University of the South, will deliver the 2025 Armstrong Lecture, titled How Ford Transformed Religion in America, at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, November 4, in the Olmsted Room in Mandelle Hall. This event, presented by the Department of Religion, is free and open to the public. 

In her book Assembling Religion: The Ford Motor Company and the Transformation of Religion in America, Curts explores Ford’s life as a devout Episcopalian, reader of New Thought philosophies, and fervent believer in efficiency as a moral duty with his business functioning as a kind of ministry. Her public talk will provide a religious history of Ford and the Ford Motor Company, repositioning them within critical studies of religion and examining how Ford helped transform American religious life in the 20th century. 

The Armstrong Lecture series at K is made possible by the Homer J. Armstrong Endowment in Religion, established in 1969 through generous donations honoring Armstrong, an eminent pastor and longtime trustee of the College. 

For more information, contact Academic Office Coordinator Sarah Bryans in the Department of Religion at Sarah.Bryans@kzoo.edu. 

Portrait of Kati Curts
Kati Curts, an assistant professor of religious studies at the University of the South, will deliver the 2025 Armstrong Lecture at Kalamazoo College.

Music Department Plans Four Fall Concerts for November

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A variety of musicians and ensembles will welcome audiences to several Kalamazoo College Department of Music fall concerts in November. 

Academy Street Winds, The Roaring 20s 

The Academy Street Winds will perform music from the Jazz Age at 4 p.m. Sunday, November 9, in Dalton Theatre at Light Fine Arts. 

The concert will be headlined by Kurt Weill’s Suite from Three-Penny Opera, which reflects new musical trends that followed World War I. 

The ensemble functions as 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. Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Greg Bassett serves as the group’s director. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. 

College Singers, Harvesting Joy 

The College Singers, directed by Associate Professor of Music Chris Ludwa, invite audiences feeling anxious over current events to participate in a brief respite with a concert that promises melodies, harmony and poetry from humanity’s great traditions of wisdom.  

Join this ensemble composed of mixed soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices representing music majors and non-music majors alike at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 12, at Stetson Chapel. Adult tickets at the door are $15. K students are admitted for free. 

Kalamazoo College Singers performing one of several fall concerts
The Kalamazoo College Singers will perform one of several music department fall concerts in November. Its performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. November 12 at Stetson Chapel.

Jazz Band, One Big Beautiful Biosphere 

The Kalamazoo College Jazz Band, directed by Visiting Instructor of Music Sandra Shaw, will celebrate the intricacies of amazing cultures through music from the regions of North America, West Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The program includes pieces by popular artists such as Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and Chick Corea.  

Listeners are encouraged to dance if the music inspires them during the show at 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 14, in the Dalton Theatre at Light Fine Arts. Admission is free, although donations are appreciated. 

Kalamazoo Philharmonia, Honor Your Elders 

The Kalamazoo Philharmonia will feature composers who learned from the greats before them in its fall concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, November 16, in the Dalton Theatre at Light Fine Arts. Composers and pieces will include: 

  • Maurice Duruflé: Trois Dances 
  • Paul Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice 
  • Andy Akiho: “in that space, at that time” from Sculptures 
  • William Grant Still: Symphony No. 1, Afro-American 

Founded in 1990 as the Kalamazoo College and Community Orchestra, the Philharmonia—directed by Professor of Music Andrew Koehler—brings together students, faculty, amateur and professional musicians of all ages to perform great music. Tickets at the door are $7 for general admission and $3 for students. Students with a valid Kalamazoo College ID will be admitted for free. 

Join Art Department for Screenings on International Animation Day

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The Department of Art and Art History at Kalamazoo College is inviting the public to celebrate the 24th International Animation Day on Tuesday, October 28. 

Join students, faculty and staff from 7–9 p.m. in the Light Fine Arts Recital Hall for a free screening of more than 15 animated short films from around the world, all of which have been created independently in the past year. Titles will include Horse Portrait by Witold Giersz, What the Frog? by Yi Han Tseng, Mushroom Potato Fish by Yusi Tao and Postcard Potholder by Chris Sagovac. 

This event will be held in partnership with the Central U.S. chapter of the Association Internationale du Film d’Animation (ASIFA), which scheduled the first International Animation Day in 2002. The day honors the first public performance of projected moving images, which was Émile Reynaud’s Théâtre Optique in Paris on October 28, 1892. Events for the day recognize the artistry, innovation and impact of animation across all media, from hand-drawn to computer-generated imagery (CGI). 

For more information on the event, contact Fine Arts Office Coordinator Marissa Klee-Peregon at 269.337.7050 or Marissa.Klee-Peregon@kzoo.edu. 

International Animation Day Poster says join us for a series of animated films from around the world on International Animation Day October 28 in Light Fine Arts
The public is invited for a screening of animated films from around the world from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, October 28, in the Recital Hall at Light Fine Arts. October 28 is International Animation Day.

Student Group Seeks Alumni Who Work in Law

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The Aspiring Law Student Organization (ALSO) at Kalamazoo College is seeking alumni to return to campus to talk with students about their journeys in the legal profession. Group leaders say those conversations are among the most valuable ways to show students what’s possible with a law degree. 

“Hearing from someone who sat in the same classrooms and then went on to pass the bar is incredibly valuable,” said Libby McFarlen ’26, ALSO’s president. “Alums can talk about how K prepared them in a way that other schools can’t.” 

McFarlen is leading the effort to reinvigorate ALSO after the group had been relatively quiet in recent years. She stepped into the presidency at the encouragement of last year’s leader, who believed her passion for the field and professional connections could help strengthen the organization. She now works alongside Vice President Laura Goia ’27, an exchange student from Romania; Secretary Ella Miller ’26; and Treasurer Isabelle Mason ’27 to establish ALSO as a go-to resource for students considering careers in law. 

A major focus this year is to help students see law as a less-intimidating, more accessible field. McFarlen wants ALSO to balance serious programming—such as alumni panels and attorney visits—with lighter events designed to spark interest. For example, students can enjoy an upcoming movie night featuring the comedy film Legally Blonde, and also attend one of the standout events of this fall: an October 22 campus visit from the assistant director of admissions at Harvard Law School. 

Through these events, McFarlen hopes to showcase the variety of paths available in law. “A lot of people think being a lawyer is only about arguing in a courtroom, but there are so many areas—sports law, election law, patent law,” she said. “Students deserve to see that breadth.” 

McFarlen’s own experiences highlight the importance of real-world connections. Over the summer, she completed a legal internship with the City of Grand Rapids, working alongside prosecuting and litigation attorneys. As the only undergraduate among law school interns, she conducted legal research, prepared cases, and assisted attorneys in court. The experience confirmed her interest in criminal prosecution and underscored how rare it can be for undergraduates to access hands-on legal opportunities. 

“I was the youngest in the office, but it didn’t matter,” she said. “I learned so much, and I want other students to have those opportunities, too.” 

Looking ahead, ALSO is considering initiatives such as a mock trial team, law-themed trivia nights and panel discussions with government attorneys. McFarlen emphasized that inclusivity will remain central to the group’s mission along with it providing a support system and a launching pad for students whether they’re preparing for law school or simply curious about the profession. 

“Law can seem like a predominantly white, elite field,” she said. “We want students of color and students from all identities to see attorneys who look like them and know this path is open to them. Anyone is welcome to join whether they’re studying for the LSAT or just wondering what lawyers actually do.” 

Portrait of Aspiring Law Student Organization President Libby McFarlen
Aspiring Law Student Organization President Libby McFarlen ’26 wants Kalamazoo College students to see a breadth of opportunities available to them when they pursue the legal field.

Calling K Alumni in Law 

The Aspiring Law Student Organization (ALSO) wants to hear from you. If you’re a Kalamazoo College graduate working in the legal field, students would love to learn from your journey. 

Ways to get involved:

  • Speak on a career panel or Q-and-A session. 
  • Host a small-group discussion with students. 
  • Offer virtual mentoring or job-shadowing opportunities. 

Interested? Contact ALSO President Libby McFarlen ’26 at libby.mcfarlen22@kzoo.edu. 

Biblical Scholar: We Sometimes Get Scripture Wrong

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A popular YouTube personality, biblical scholar, best-selling author and podcast co-host will visit Kalamazoo College for a special event hosted by the Department of Religion on Wednesday, October 8.

Dan McClellan will explore how appeals to scripture are often used to authorize beliefs that might stem more from human assumptions than divine text in a lecture at 4:15 p.m. in the Olmsted Room at Mandelle Hall. The event, titled Bible Says So? How We Leverage the Bible to Authorize Our Own Dogmas, is free and open to the public. He will discuss insights from cognitive linguistics, the cognitive science of religion, and critical biblical studies to show that “the Bible says so” often really means “I say so, but I need the Bible’s authority.” A meet-and-greet will follow his presentation.

McClellan is an honorary fellow at the University of Birmingham’s Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion and the author of the April 2025 book The Bible Says So: What We Get Right (and Wrong) About Scripture’s Most Controversial Issues. In his research and public scholarship, he examines the ways people invoke biblical authority to defend cultural norms, political positions and personal convictions.

In 2023, McClellan received the Society of Biblical Literature’s Richards Award for Public Scholarship. He has more than 180,000 followers on his YouTube channel and is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also co-hosts the “Data Over Dogma” podcast with atheist Daniel Beecher.

For more information on the lecture, contact Academic Office Coordinator Sarah Bryans in the Department of Religion at Sarah.Bryans@kzoo.edu.

Portrait of Biblical Scholar Dan McClellan
Biblical scholar and YouTube personality Dan McClellan will visit Kalamazoo College for a special lecture hosted by the Department of Religion on Wednesday, October 8.

‘Grand Bargain’ Judge Slated to Deliver Flesche Lecture

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Kalamazoo College will welcome back distinguished alumnus Gerald Rosen ’73 as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Donald C. Flesche Lecture. The event, “The Grand Bargain: Lessons from the Detroit Bankruptcy,” will take place at 8 p.m. Wednesday, September 24, in the Olmsted Room of Mandelle Hall. The lecture will be free and open to the public, and a livestream will be available for those unable to attend.

Rosen, a retired federal judge for the Eastern District of Michigan and former chief judge of the court, is best known for his role in Detroit’s historic bankruptcy case. His leadership in crafting the “Grand Bargain” helped the city exit bankruptcy in 2014 while protecting the pensions of thousands of retirees and preserving the Detroit Institute of Arts’ world-renowned collection.

Rosen also spoke at K in the 2015 Weber Lecture and was interviewed as a guest at an event for students in 2018. After earning his law degree at George Washington University, Rosen went on to a distinguished career in private practice before being appointed to the federal bench in 1989. During nearly three decades as a judge, including seven years as chief judge, he presided over landmark cases involving terrorism, constitutional questions and civil rights.

Rosen returns to campus as his story is reaching new audiences. His 2024 book, Grand Bargain: The Inside Story of Detroit’s Dramatic Journey from Bankruptcy to Rebirth, provides a behind-the-scenes account of how city officials, state leaders, philanthropists and creditors came together to negotiate a solution once thought impossible. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has described Rosen as “a very important figure in Detroit’s history” whose “daring leadership, wisdom and diplomacy” helped set the stage for the city’s recovery. Rosen discussed the book in a January interview with WMUK 102.1. He and his book also will be spotlighted in the fall edition of Lux Esto.

The annual Flesche Lecture honors Donald C. Flesche, a longtime professor of political science at Kalamazoo College, who influenced generations of students—including Rosen himself. While studying at K, Rosen majored in political science and took courses with Flesche that helped shape his career in law and public service.

Cover of Grand Bargain Book
Retired judge and author Gerald Rosen ’73 will visit Kalamazoo College on September 24 to deliver the annual Flesche Lecture. A livestream will be available.

Kalamazoo College Singers to Present Michigan Premiere

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The Kalamazoo College Singers will present the Michigan premiere of Hymnody of Earth, a song cycle composed by musician and choral director Malcolm Dalglish, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, at K’s Stetson Chapel, 1200 Academy St. 

The composer himself will play the virtuosic hammered dulcimer and will be joined by International Percussion Ensemble Director Carolyn Koebel on percussion. Associate Professor of Music Chris Ludwa will be conducting the 45-voice college choir. 

This 70-minute program features 19 songs, many of which are inspired by eco-poet Wendell Berry. This is the fourth time Ludwa has directed the piece, having previously led three performances in Indiana. He notes that the work is an all-time favorite among participating singers and audiences. 

Hymnody features the hammered dulcimer, an ancient instrument, often considered an ancestor of the piano, that has been popular in various cultures, including in the Middle East and Europe. Dalglish and Koebel are performing the piece with several other choirs in the Midwest this spring. 

While a music education student at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Dalglish designed and built more than 60 hammer dulcimers. He was a founding member of the popular folk trio Metamora and has nine albums, including solo offerings on the Windham Hill label. The American Boychoir, the St. Olaf Choir, the Indianapolis Children’s Choir and others have commissioned his folk-inspired music. In 1997, he formed the Oolites, an engaging young group of folk singers. Hymnody of Earth was their second CD; it is a spiritual celebration of nature that has been performed by choirs around the world. 

The Kalamazoo College Singers, outside Stetson Chapel, will perform with Malcolm Dalglish
The Kalamazoo College Singers are a mixed soprano, alto, tenor and bass choir.
Composer Malcolm Dalglish
Composer Malcolm Dalglish
Associate Professor of Music Chris Ludwa directing the Kalamazoo College Singers
Associate Professor of Music Chris Ludwa serves as the director of the Kalamazoo College Singers.
International Percussion Director Carolyn Koebel to perform with Kalamazoo College Singers
International Percussion Director Carolyn Koebel

“Dalglish’s songs are instantly accessible to anyone, yet somehow speak to the deepest part of our being on a soul level,” Ludwa said. “I’ve encountered few composers that can move both the skeptic and the most devout in the same way. His music is a balm to the weary human as he knits ancient musical traditions, texts that magically describe the magnificence of nature, and melodic and harmonic material that sends shivers up the spine and brings tears to the eyes.” 

Tickets will be available at the door for a suggested donation of $15. For more information, contact Ludwa at 231-225-8877 or cludwa@kzoo.edu.