Category: Institutional Announcements

K Announces Commencement Speaker, Honorary Degree Recipients

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2026 Commencement Speaker Michael Soenen
Commencement speaker Michael Soenen ’92

Kalamazoo College will honor two distinguished alumni at its 2026 Commencement on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. on the College Quad. Filmmaker and business leader Michael Soenen ’92 will deliver the keynote address to graduates and their families and receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, while Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert J. Shiller ’67 will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Science. Additionally, President Jorge G. Gonzalez, who will be retiring from the College on June 30, will be recognized with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. A livestream of the ceremony will be available on the College’s website.

About Michael Soenen ’92

Michael Soenen is the CEO of Nothing to See Here: Productions and the creator and lead producer of Nothing to See Here: Watts, a documentary offering a powerful and unfiltered look at life in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. His path to filmmaking was an unexpected turn in a business career that has spanned venture capital, health care and retail.

Soenen graduated from Kalamazoo College with a degree in Economics and Business. Early in his career, he served as vice president, president, CEO and chairman of FTD Group and an analyst at Salomon Brothers. He later became a partner at Valor Equity Partners and served as executive chairman of Manduka, the yoga products company. He has served as a director at several companies, including health care apparel brand FIGS, Benchmark Analytics, and Fooda. In 2011, he was selected as a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, a program which mobilizes leaders to tackle society’s biggest challenges.

The genesis of Nothing to See Here came during a police ride-along while Soenen was volunteering with a nonprofit organization in Watts. His experience led to a project equipping residents—including students, former gang leaders, community leaders and police officers—with iPhone cameras that were used to document their daily lives. Working without a script or predetermined outcomes, these first-time filmmakers came together and fostered dialogue that transformed longtime rivals into collaborators, contributing to a historic peace pledge and significant reduction in homicides. The documentary rewrites the script on who gets to tell their stories and how, and has since earned more than 100 awards worldwide, with a wider release planned. A screening of the film and panel discussion with several of the filmmakers will take place on K’s campus on June 11, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership.

Michael Soenen Commencement 2026
Michael Soenen ’92

About Robert J. Shiller ’67

Robert J. Shiller is an American economist, academic and author who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2013, shared with Eugene Fama and Lars Peter Hansen. At the time of the award, he was widely recognized for having forecast both the dot-com stock bubble and the U.S. housing bubble. He is also the co-creator of the Case-Shiller Home Price Index—a benchmark measure widely used in the housing market—and the author of several books, including Irrational Exuberance, his bestselling analysis of speculative market bubbles.

Shiller is the Sterling Professor Emeritus of Economics at Yale University, where he was a faculty member for more than four decades. His scholarship has ranged across financial markets, financial innovation, behavioral economics, macroeconomics, real estate and statistical methods, as well as public attitudes, opinions and moral judgments toward markets. He has also contributed regularly as a columnist for The New York Times and Project Syndicate. He has been research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research since 1980 and served as vice president of the American Economic Association in 2005; as president of the Eastern Economic Association in 2006-07; and as president of the American Economic Association in 2016.

Commencement Honoree Robert Shiller
Robert Shiller ’67

A Detroit native and graduate of Southfield High School, Shiller attended Kalamazoo College before completing his B.A. at the University of Michigan. He went on to earn his Ph.D. from MIT. He returned to K as a guest lecturer in 1989 as part of the Monroe Lecture Series.

Among his many honors, Shiller has received the 2017 Truman Medal for Economic Policy, the 2018 Global Economy Prize from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, and the 2021 Presidential Medal of Lithuania. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Econometric Society, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and American Philosophical Society, a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship.

Shiller has previously received honorary degrees from the University of Michigan, the University of Connecticut, Georgetown University and the University of Paris Dauphine.

About President Jorge G. Gonzalez

Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez has led the institution since 2016, guiding strategic efforts to strengthen the student experience, expand access to the K-Plan and modernize the College’s historic campus. During his tenure, Kalamazoo College completed major campus projects including a new LEED-certified natatorium, a new Admission Center, renovations to Stetson Chapel and upgrades to academic and campus infrastructure. In 2025, the College began construction on new residence halls that will increase access to on-campus residential life for K students.

A strong advocate for the liberal arts, Gonzalez has worked to broaden educational opportunity and support student success, helping shape classes that have been among the most diverse in the College’s history, including growth in first-generation and Pell-eligible students. He guided the institution through the COVID-19 pandemic with a collaborative leadership approach and led the successful Brighter Light Campaign, which raised more than $203 million in support of student access, faculty, facilities and student life—the largest fundraising campaign in the College’s history. Gonzalez has also served on the boards of numerous educational, civic and community organizations at the regional and national levels.

Before joining Kalamazoo College, Gonzalez served as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college at Occidental College and spent more than two decades as an economics faculty member at Trinity University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Monterrey Institute of Technology and master’s and doctoral degrees in economics from Michigan State University.

Portrait of Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez
Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez

About Kalamazoo College

Founded in 1833, Kalamazoo College is a nationally recognized liberal arts and sciences college located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Through the K-Plan, its signature approach to education, students design a personalized path that combines rigorous academics with study abroad, undergraduate research, career and civic engagement, and a Senior Integrated Project. Known for its global, experiential approach to learning, Kalamazoo College is a member of Colleges That Change Lives and is included on The Princeton Review “Best Colleges” and “Best Value Colleges” lists. Learn more at kzoo.edu.

Karlyn Crowley Named 19th President of Kalamazoo College

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Portrait of Karlyn Crowley in downtown Kalamazoo
Karlyn Crowley will be the 19th president of Kalamazoo College.

Kalamazoo College has named Karlyn Crowley, provost at Ohio Wesleyan University, as its 19th president following a national search. Crowley was appointed by unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees and will succeed President Jorge G. Gonzalez, who will retire on June 30, 2026. She will begin her role as president on July 1, 2026.

“Dr. Crowley is a strategic, innovative, and deeply collaborative leader who brings both intellectual rigor and a bias for action,” said Jody Clark ’80, president of the Board of Trustees and chair of the search committee. “She understands the moment facing liberal arts colleges and has demonstrated the ability to translate bold ideas into meaningful outcomes for students. Just as importantly, she brings an authentic energy and belief in this work that is both compelling and contagious. We are confident she is the right leader to build on Kalamazoo College’s strengths and lead us forward.”

“Kalamazoo College represents what the liberal arts must be right now—rigorous, globally engaged, and deeply connected to the lives students want to lead,” said Crowley. “I am drawn to the K-Plan as a powerful foundation, and I look forward to working with the campus community to build on its strengths in ways that deepen student opportunity, strengthen outcomes, and position K as a national leader in liberal arts education. This is a college with both a remarkable legacy and extraordinary potential.”

As provost of OWU, Crowley has guided a series of transformative academic initiatives, including the university’s first comprehensive general education revision in 50 years, the establishment of a university-wide faculty development center, and the launch of new programs in public health, entrepreneurship, and a nursing pathway. Most recently, she oversaw the introduction of mechanical engineering through OWU’s new Conrades School of Engineering and helped bring comprehensive civil discourse training to campus through a partnership with the Constructive Dialogue Institute.

A champion of student success, she co-led the “Move the Needle” retention initiative, which achieved the largest first-to-second-year retention increase in OWU’s history.

Her work in strategic partnerships and philanthropy reflects a similar focus on access and opportunity. She co-led a transfer agreement with Columbus State Community College that resulted in a 250% increase in transfer enrollment, and helped establish pathways to advanced degrees through articulation agreements with institutions including Case Western Reserve University and Miami of Ohio. She also played a key role in cultivating and securing gifts for OWU’s Smith Center for Faculty Excellence, the Westwood Real Estate and Community Development Program, and the Conrades School of Engineering. Previously, she collaborated with corporations such as Humana, Schneider, and the Green Bay Packers on educational initiatives.

Throughout her career, Crowley has focused on aligning the enduring strengths of the liberal arts—critical thinking, communication, and ethical reasoning—with emerging student needs and evolving career pathways. This approach has been shaped by her experience as both a student and leader within “Colleges That Change Lives” institutions, including Earlham College, Ohio Wesleyan University, and now Kalamazoo College.

Before joining Ohio Wesleyan in 2020, Crowley spent 18 years at St. Norbert College in Wisconsin, where she served as the interim assistant vice president for academic affairs, founding director of the Cassandra Voss Center, and professor of English and women’s and gender studies. A frequent speaker and published voice on the value of liberal arts education, she is widely recognized as a thought leader in higher education.

“Dr. Crowley is a fierce and enthusiastic proponent of the liberal arts, with a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing colleges like K today,” said Beau Bothwell, associate professor of music and member of the search committee. “In a large pool of highly accomplished candidates, she distinguished herself with a record of turning vision into positive action. She brings a deep respect for faculty voices and collective governance, and we are excited to work with her as we collectively help the K-Plan evolve for the future.”

Crowley holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Virginia and a B.A. in English and women’s studies from Earlham College. Crowley and her family—spouse John Pennington and their daughter, Ada—look forward to joining the Kalamazoo community.

The College’s presidential search process included a series of listening sessions for campus and community members, as well as a comprehensive survey to collect feedback and input. The Presidential Search Committee was composed of alumni trustees, faculty, staff, and students. The committee was assisted by DSG Storbeck, a leading academic executive search firm, and chaired by Clark.

The College will hold an event introducing Crowley to the K community on May 18 at 11 a.m. in Stetson Chapel. The event will be in-person for faculty, staff, and students and livestreamed. A link to the livestream will be available at the presidential search website.

About Kalamazoo College

Founded in 1833, Kalamazoo College is a nationally recognized liberal arts and sciences college located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Through the K-Plan, its signature approach to education, students design a personalized path that combines rigorous academics with study abroad, undergraduate research, career and civic engagement, and a Senior Integrated Project. Known for its global, experiential approach to learning, Kalamazoo College is a member of Colleges That Change Lives and is included on The Princeton Review “Best Colleges” and “Best Value Colleges” lists. Learn more at kzoo.edu.

LandSea Pre-Orientation Program Earns National Recognition

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When first-year students arrive at Kalamazoo College, many carry with them the same questions: Will I fit in? Will I find my people? Can I handle what college throws at me? For those who begin their college experience with K’s LandSea outdoor pre-orientation program, national data suggest the answers are increasingly “yes.”

 According to the 2025 Outdoor Orientation Benchmarking Survey (TOOBS), LandSea continues to stand out among peer institutions nationwide for helping students build communication skills, perspective-taking and problem-solving. The survey ranked K’s program first nationally in several leader-trust metrics and in resilience, which measures students’ increased confidence in handling difficult situations after participating. Research shows these qualities help students persist academically and socially throughout their education.

For LandSea and Outdoor Programs Director Jory Horner, the results are affirming.

“It’s gratifying,” Horner said. “We put a lot of time and energy into this program, especially into leader training, and it’s nice to see that investment showing up in meaningful ways for both participants and leaders.”

Not Just for ‘Outdoor People’

Held each year before first-year orientation, the optional LandSea pre-orientation program includes hiking, camping, paddling, rock climbing and nights under the stars. But Horner dispels the idea that the program is only for seasoned outdoor enthusiasts.

“Most of the students who come on LandSea aren’t outdoorsy people at all,” he said. “We have students who have never slept outside before.”

For some, the experience can feel intimidating at first. Yet that discomfort often becomes one of the program’s most powerful teaching tools.

“One of the things TOOBS measures is a student’s ability to face challenges after the trip,” Horner said. “That’s something we’ve scored highly on for many years.”

The numbers reflect what students themselves describe when they return to campus.

“We hear students say things like, ‘I just got back from LandSea, and I did more than I thought I could,’” Horner said. “They’ll say, ‘There’s no test that’s going to scare me now.’ That mindset carries over into academics and everything else.”

Participants live and travel in small groups, typically of eight to 10 students, working together for 18 days in the Adirondack Mountains. There’s also a shorter six-day option at Camp Merrie Woode in Kalamazoo for students who want more creature comforts. In both experiences, students cook meals together, navigate trails, problem-solve and manage daily challenges as a unit alongside people they have just met.

“You’re learning how to live closely with a small group, how to communicate and how to handle differences,” Horner said. “These are the same skills students need when they’re back on campus.”

Measuring What Matters—After the Dust Settles

TOOBS is sent to students at about 25 participating colleges each year, around six weeks into the fall term—after classes have begun, friendships have formed, and the realities of college life have set in. K has participated since about 2012, placing LandSea within an ongoing national conversation about how experiential education supports student transition.

The survey uses a “proxy pretest” approach, asking students to think back on how they perceived their skills, confidence, and perspectives before LandSea and then assess how those changed afterward. The method, developed and presented through research connected to the University of New Hampshire and scholar Brent J. Bell, aims to measure growth rather than surface-level enthusiasm.

“That timing is really important,” Horner said. “If you ask students about a program like this right when they finish it, they’re riding the high of the experience. TOOBS lets that afterglow wear off and asks them to reflect once they’ve had time to compare LandSea to everything else they’re experiencing at college.”

‘Finding My People’

Research connected to TOOBS consistently shows that students’ biggest fear entering college is not academic rigor, but whether they will fit in and find a sense of belonging. By the time LandSea students arrive on campus for orientation, many already have a core group they recognize, trust and feel comfortable with during the first challenging weeks.

The outcomes measured by TOOBS align closely with internal data collected by K’s Office of Institutional Research. An analysis comparing LandSea participants and non-participants between 2012 and 2022 revealed consistently higher outcomes for those who completed the program. LandSea participants showed higher retention rates, greater persistence to graduation, and higher cumulative GPAs than their peers.

LandSea Pre-Orientation rock climbing
Tess Peters ’29 was among the LandSea Adirondacks participants last fall.
LandSea Pre-Orientation canoeing
Bea Putman ’26 was among the LandSea Kalamazoo leaders last fall.
LandSea Leaders
Although LandSea is designed for incoming students, Director Jory Horner emphasizes that its success rests heavily on student leaders.
LandSea backpacking group
The LandSea program includes activities such as hiking, camping, paddling and rock climbing.

Support LandSea

Help LandSea continue to set the standard for pre-orientation excellence. Make a gift to ensure future students have a strong start to their K journey. 

“For us, that’s really validating,” Horner said. “It confirms that the things we’re focusing on—belonging, trust, confidence—actually matter in measurable ways.”

LandSea Leaders Make it Possible

Although LandSea is designed for incoming students, Horner emphasizes that its success rests heavily on student leaders.

“They give an incredible amount of time,” he said. “They’re balancing classes, jobs and other commitments, and then they dedicate weeks to training in leadership, wilderness medicine and emergency response.”

Many leaders are drawn not by the outdoors, but by the chance to help others.

“The number one reason they give is, ‘I wanted to help ease the transition to K for the next incoming class,’” Horner said. “They take that responsibility seriously.”

And as LandSea continues to earn national recognition, Horner sees the results not as a conclusion but as affirmation.

“Our goal has always been to help students start college feeling capable, connected and supported,” he said. “Seeing those outcomes reflected in the data makes all of us really proud.”

K Completes Major Electrical Infrastructure Project

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President Jorge G. Gonzalez flips a switch marking the completion of Kalamazoo College's electrical upgrades
President Jorge G. Gonzalez flips the switch to mark the completion of Kalamazoo College’s electrical upgrades.
Three attending the ceremony marking the completion of Kalamazoo College's electrical upgrades
Partners including engineering designer Abonmarche Byce, construction manager Owen-Ames-Kimball, and electrical contractor Hi-Tech Electric helped make the upgrades possible.

Kalamazoo College has completed a major multi-year project to modernize its electrical infrastructure, strengthening the safety and reliability of campus power while also building capacity for future growth. 

Engineering for the project began in early 2022, with construction starting in fall 2023. The project introduced a new 8,320V power service and modernized medium-voltage switchgear across campus. All new underground cabling was designed in a two-loop configuration to enhance reliability, and new main distribution panels were installed so that each building can operate independently. In addition to reliability and safety, the project also supports K’s sustainability goals. New transformers use mineral oil for insulation and cooling, eliminating risks of contamination in the event of a leak. For the first time, the College can also monitor and measure energy consumption in every building—an important step toward meeting the goals outlined in the College’s Climate Action Plan. 

This work was made possible with the support of several partners: engineering designer Abonmarche Byce, construction manager Owen-Ames-Kimball, and electrical contractor  Hi-Tech Electric. Funding support came in part from The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, whose $2 million grant supported the project as well as enhancements to K’s science facilities.  

“This infrastructure modernization will contribute greatly to the reliability and safety of our campus electrical system. Some of the components that were replaced were 80 years old,” said President Jorge G. Gonzalez at a ceremony to celebrate the switchover to the new system. “Together, we’ve brought this project from blueprint to reality. Lux Esto!”  

Two attendees hold light-bulb-shaped cookies
Ceremony attendees were treated to cookies shaped like light bulbs.
An electrical box with a switch is connected to industrial lights
The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation helped support the electrical project with a $2 million grant that also supported enhancements to K’s science facilities.

Kalamazoo College Announces 2025 Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipients

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Kalamazoo College will welcome Jody Olsen, former director of the Peace Corps and former trustee of the College as its keynote speaker for the 2025 Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, June 15, at 10 a.m. on the campus Quad.

Olsen is a lifelong leader in international service and education, known for her decades-long commitment to global engagement, public health, and cross-cultural exchange. She began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia (1966–68) and held multiple leadership roles within the agency, including acting director; deputy director; chief of staff; regional director, North Africa, Near East, Asia, Pacific; and country director in Togo.

Olsen was nominated to be the director of the Peace Corps in 2018 and served in this role until 2021. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread globally, Olsen made the unprecedented decision to evacuate all 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers from 61 countries and successfully orchestrated their safe return to the United States. She then developed a comprehensive reentry plan for volunteers to return to service. During her tenure, Olsen launched the Virtual Service Pilot Program, opened a new Peace Corps program in Vietnam and re-opened service to three countries in which Peace Corps had previously served. She also championed global women’s economic empowerment and led Peace Corps HIV/AIDS mitigation efforts in Africa.

Outside of the Peace Corps, she has served as a visiting professor and founder of the Center for Global Education Initiatives at the University of Maryland-Baltimore, where she led interdisciplinary global health projects. Her other leadership roles have included senior vice president of the Academy for Educational Development; vice president of Youth for Understanding, a national student exchange organization; and executive director of the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, the organization that administers the Fulbright Senior Scholar Program.

A former trustee of Kalamazoo College (2010–18), Olsen currently serves on several nonprofit boards, including as co-president of Women of Peace Corps Legacy, chair of the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation Advisory Board and chair of the Board of Visitors for the College of Education, University of Maryland. Her memoir, A Million Miles: My Peace Corps Journey, was published in 2024.

Olsen received a B.S. from the University of Utah, a master’s in social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and a Ph.D. in human development from the University of Maryland, College Park. Among her honors, she received the University of Maryland President’s Award in 2021, two honorary doctorates and a teaching fellowship at Harvard’s Kennedy School. 

Olsen will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Kalamazoo College.

Additionally, an honorary doctorate of humane letters will be presented to another individual who has been a champion for independent higher education, Ronda Stryker.

Stryker is a member of the Board of Directors for Stryker Corp., the medical equipment company founded by her grandfather, Homer Stryker. She also serves as the vice chair of Greenleaf Trust and vice chair of Spelman College’s Board of Trustees.

A stalwart champion of access and equity in higher education, Stryker began her career in public school special education. Her subsequent service and generosity in support of independent higher education has been recognized by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) with their 2018 Award for Philanthropy for her work with Kalamazoo College, Spelman College and her alma mater, University of Northern Colorado, among other schools. Her giving has funded scholarships, endowed faculty chairs and capital campaigns at these institutions.

An emerita trustee of Kalamazoo College, she served on the Board for 28 years and co-chaired the Campaign for Kalamazoo College under President Emerita Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran. She has supported the College with her philanthropy, time and advocacy. Among other investments in K, she established the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement in 2001, named for her grandmother.

Portrait of 2025 Commencement Speaker Jody Olsen
Jody Olsen, a former director of the Peace Corps and Kalamazoo College trustee will be the keynote speaker at the 2025 Commencement on Sunday, June 15. She also will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the College.
Ronda Stryker
Ronda Stryker will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters at the 2025 Commencement for her work as a champion of independent higher education.

At Spelman, Stryker supported renovations to its historic Sisters Chapel, established the Gordon-Zeto Center for Global Education and in 2024 bestowed upon the college a transformational gift for student scholarships and other critical strategic needs.

Stryker also has provided philanthropic support that has had a profound impact on Kalamazoo-area organizations, including a gift to help establish the WMU Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine in 2011. She is a strong advocate for the benefits of diversity and her philanthropic interests are focused on the empowerment of women and support of non-traditional student enhancement programs at colleges and universities.

Stryker received her B.A. from the University of Northern Colorado and her M.A. from Western Michigan University. Her honors have included an honorary doctorate from University of Northern Colorado and a YWCA Lifetime Women of Achievement Award.

For more information about the commencement ceremony, including a full schedule of events, please visit our website.

Six New Heyl Scholars to Attend K in 2025–26

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Six Kalamazoo County high school students seeking to major in STEM-related fields will attend Kalamazoo College in the 2025-26 academic year as Heyl scholars.   

The Heyl Scholarship Fund was established in 1971 through the will of Dr. Frederick Heyl and Mrs. Elsie Heyl. Frederick Heyl was the first chemist at The Upjohn Company, later becoming a vice president and the company’s first director of research. When he retired in 1945, he had contributed scientifically to about 80 research papers and patents while also teaching chemistry at Kalamazoo College. He maintained a lifelong passion for science and education and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from K in 1937.     

Since then, Heyl scholarships have enabled hundreds of high school graduates from Kalamazoo County to attend Kalamazoo College for STEM-focused majors or Western Michigan University for nursing, with renewable benefits for up to four years that cover tuition, fees, housing and a book allowance.    

This year’s K recipients of the scholarships and their high schools are:   

  • Methmi Amaratunga​, Portage Central and the Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center (KAMSC)  
  • Stephanie Castillo​, Kalamazoo Central  
  • Eiden Jonaitis​, Loy Norrix and KAMSC 
  • Dewen Luo-Li​, Portage Central and KAMSC 
  • Gwendolyn MacEwen​, Portage Central and KAMSC 
  • Kaljona Thanmanavar​, Kalamazoo Central and KAMSC 
Eight students chosen as Heyl scholars for 2025-26
The 2025 Heyl scholars include (back row from left) Fiona Braun, Kaljona Thanmanavar, Margaret Winter and Gwendolyn MacEwen. Front row from left: Stephanie Castillo, Eiden Jonaitis, Methmi Amaratunga and Dewen Luo-Li.

Two additional Heyl scholars—Fiona Braun​ of Loy Norrix and Margaret Winter of Parchment and KAMSC—will attend the Western Michigan University Bronson School of Nursing. 

Kalamazoo College’s Brighter Light Campaign Raises Over $200 Million

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Campaign exceeds $190 million fundraising goal

The Brighter Light Campaign, Kalamazoo College’s largest-ever fundraising campaign, has come to an end, raising a total of $203,236,489 from more than 16,500 donors.

Launched publicly in 2021, the campaign originally set out to raise $150 million to support “Brighter Opportunities, Brighter Minds, and Brighter Experiences” for K students through scholarships, faculty support, funding for study abroad and other curricular and co-curricular experiences, athletics and campus improvements.

In 2023, the College received an anonymous $30 million gift in support of residential life and student success programs—the biggest single gift commitment in the institution’s history. With the announcement of the gift, the College marked its 190th anniversary by expanding its campaign goal to $190 million—a goal the institution has successfully surpassed.

“I am so profoundly grateful to the thousands of members of the K community and beyond who have given so generously to the Brighter Light Campaign,” said President Jorge G. Gonzalez. “This historic achievement—the largest fundraising effort in K’s history—shows that our community believes in the exceptional education that Kalamazoo College delivers to our students. The campaign’s success will support the College in implementing its strategic plan and enable K students and alumni to bring a brighter light to the world—today and for years to come.”

With gifts ranging from $5 to $30 million, generous alumni, parents and friends, along with numerous foundations and corporations, were instrumental in strengthening K’s ability to improve student experiences and campus facilities. Some of the funding highlights include:

  • More than $81 million in scholarships to help K create Brighter Opportunities for more students, regardless of need.
  • Investments in Brighter Minds—including five new and augmented endowed faculty chairs, faculty development funds, and endowed support of experiential learning centers and programs—to ensure K’s tradition of exceptional undergraduate teaching and mentorship continues.
  • Gifts for athletics and arts programs, along with support for several critical campus projects, including construction of the natatorium, renovations to Stetson Chapel, modernized classrooms, and a new roof for Dow Science Center—that are helping to create Brighter Experiences for K students.  
  • More than $89 million for the College’s endowment, providing vital support not only for today, but for generations of students to come.

Karen Isble, vice president for College Advancement, shared, “The success of the Brighter Light Campaign has been the result of the efforts of many colleagues—current and past—and countless hours by the dedicated volunteers who help us engage alumni and encourage giving each year. Today, we celebrate the thousands of K alumni and friends who have chosen to invest in Kalamazoo College through their philanthropy.”

Kalamazoo College announced Monday that it had raised more than $200 million in the Brighter Light Campaign.
President Gonzalez speaks at the Brighter Light Campaign celebration
President Jorge G. Gonzalez speaks at the Brighter Light Campaign celebration.
“The opportunities here are endless and extraordinary scholarship is expected, encouraged, and most importantly, supported,” President’s Student Ambassador Max Rhames ’25 said at the Brighter Light Campaign event. “While we have seen the numerical value of your philanthropy here today, the ultimate return on investment is incalculable.”

K Joins Network Focused on First-Generation Student Success

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The FirstGen Forward Network—an organization that partners with colleges and universities, philanthropists, businesses and the public sector to catalyze first-generation student success in higher education—has selected Kalamazoo College to be among its newest members this year.

K joins 80 new members and more than 400 other institutions nationwide in their commitment to first-generation student success by boosting student experiences, enhancing academic and co-curricular outcomes, and building more inclusive institutional environments.

The recognition stems from a host of services the College offers first-generation students, which include:

  • The Career Launch Internship Prep Program (CLIPP), which guides students from their first-year through their senior year and empowers them to take control of their career paths.
  • Dinners and group discussions that help build networking opportunities while bolstering success in higher education.
  • A welcome event during Orientation that allows new students to hear from continuing first-generation students who speak about their K experiences.
  • A chance to participate in events related to National First-Generation Day, marking the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The legislation expanded college opportunities for first-generation populations.
First-Generation Student Success Panel at Orientation
A panel of first-generation students welcomed more first-generation students to Kalamazoo College during Orientation in September 2024.

Additionally, a portion of a historic $30 million gift received by the College in 2023 will be used to coordinate campus efforts and focus on a student success model that includes a full-time staff member dedicated to providing support for first-generation students. Currently, 22% of K’s student body identify as first-generation college students, with recent incoming classes ranging from 25–30% first-generation. Understanding how K can best adapt to meet the needs of first-generation students as the population continues to grow at the College and nationally, while providing an environment where they can thrive and achieve their educational goals, has been an on-going strategic goal for the College.

“A Kalamazoo College education provides our graduates with many benefits, skills and experiences that help them lead successful and meaningful lives,” Associate Vice President for Student Development Brian Dietz said. “Ensuring that each one of our students prospers from the full array of these benefits is critical to the work we do as a College, and understanding the unique experiences of our first-generation college students enhances this work. Being a member of the FirstGen Forward Network gives us access to evidence-based practices and resources, and enables us to better identify, understand, and most importantly, remedy the challenges which hinder first-gen students from realizing all they want to achieve at K and beyond.”

Kalamazoo College Invites Alumni to Share Career Experiences in National Survey

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Kalamazoo College will soon be reaching out to thousands of alumni about their career preparation at K and their subsequent career pathways.

The College has partnered with Lightcast, a global leader in labor market data, to conduct the National Alumni Career Mobility Survey (NACM), which will be open from October 15 through December 15, 2024. Alumni will receive an email with a personalized invitation and link to participate. While the sender will say Kalamazoo College, the sender address will say kalamazoo@qumailserver.com. Don’t worry, it’s not spam—it’s safe to open and respond!

The project is being led by the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) and the Division of Advancement.

“We know our graduates go on to be successful in a variety of industries, and many credit K for helping them get their start,” said Valerie Miller, director of the CCPD. “We want to capture that bigger picture with quantitative data and find out what we are doing well and what we can do better to advance future K students’ career-readiness.”

The survey, which will take around 10 minutes to complete, is completely confidential. Data is shared with the College in aggregate and will be benchmarked with data from graduating peers across the nation.

Retirees may notice that the tool asks questions about a graduate’s “current” job. Would-be participants may reflect on their most salient or recent career experiences as they answer these questions.

“This survey is a really important tool to help us understand the career pathways of our alumni and improve how K prepares our students for future success,” said Alumni Engagement Director Suzanne Lepley. “These insights will also help us demonstrate the impact of a K education to prospective students and their families.  

“Alumni sometimes ask about ways to give back to the College that can have an impact but don’t require a huge time commitment or a monetary contribution. Sharing your insights through the NACM survey is a great way to support current and future students, and it only takes a few minutes.”

Alumni who did not receive an email can also access the survey through this survey link through December 15.

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College Raptor Honors K as a Gem for Academics, Athletics

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For the second year in a row, Kalamazoo College has been selected as a Hidden Gem by College Raptor, a planning platform that helps students and families find college matches driven by algorithms to find their best-fit schools at the best price.  

This selection—which places K among the top 15 institutions in the Great Lakes Region of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana—recognizes the College as one of the best in the country based on a combination of factors including retention rates, graduation rates, student-to-faculty ratio, endowment per student, selectivity and other key metrics as reported through the National Center for Education Statistics. 

“For students seeking the enriching experience of a smaller college with exceptional programs, institutions like K emerge as prime options, and we are honored to spotlight them with the recognition they genuinely deserve,” College Raptor co-founder and CEO William Staib said. 

College Raptor also ranks K 11th in the country among 25 Hidden Gems for Division III athletics. To qualify for either list, an institution must receive fewer than 5,000 applications per year, have fewer than 7,000 undergraduate students, offer at least five unique majors and have an acceptance rate of at least 10%. 

College Raptor’s full methodology is outlined on its website. 

Stetson Chapel in fall for College Raptor story
College Raptor places Kalamazoo College among the top 15 institutions overall in the Great Lakes Region of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana, and rates K 11th nationally for opportunities in Division III athletics.