Kalamazoo College Board Chair Charlotte Hall ’66Si Johnson ’78 will begin serving as Kalamazoo College Board Chair beginning July 1, 2019.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo College Board of Trustees has unanimously elected Si Johnson ’78 to become chair of the Board effective July 1, 2019.
A retired Stryker executive, Johnson follows Charlotte Hall ’66 as chairperson. Johnson has served on Kalamazoo College’s Board of Trustees since 1996, and has been vice chair since 2010. Johnson says the Board’s terrific chemistry and passion for K places it in a strong position to execute the College’s new strategic plan.
“Si cares deeply about K,” said President Jorge G. Gonzalez. “His involvement with the College during the past three decades and his experience as a trustee are a tremendous asset to K. This decision continues Charlotte’s legacy of strong leadership, and provides the entire Board great momentum moving forward.”
A long-time leader in United States journalism, Hall has served on K’s Board of Trustees since 1999 and as its chair since 2012. During Hall’s tenure as Board chair, the College has increased its student population and become a more diverse and inclusive community. She was chair of the Board at the conclusion of the College’s most successful comprehensive fundraising campaign in its history, and she participated in the selection of K’s two most recent presidents, Gonzalez (2016-present) and Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran (2005-2016). She will stand for re-election for another three-year Board term in June.
“Charlotte’s counsel in the first years of my presidency at K has been invaluable. I am deeply grateful for her support and encouragement,” said Gonzalez.
Choosing where you will spend the next four years of your life is a big decision, and a college campus visit is a great tool to help you decide. Talking to current students, eating in the cafeteria and attending a class can give you a sense of whether the college you’re exploring will be a good academic and social fit.
Whether you’re just starting your search or you’re pretty sure Kalamazoo College will be your academic home, campus visit options such as individual visits, open houses and Visit the Zoo are beneficial.
“Our programs are designed to give prospective students a real feel for life as a student at Kalamazoo College,” says Admission Event Coordinator Sarah Matyczyn. “We want students to leave campus knowing whether or not K is the right fit for them.”
Whether you’re just starting your search or you’re pretty sure Kalamazoo College will be your academic home, the following campus visit options are available:
Individual visits are designed to fit a prospective student’s needs and schedule. A weekday campus visit provides the broadest number of activities and the best opportunities to learn about K. A class visit is an option along with an info session and campus tour. Saturday visits are available, but activities are limited because classes won’t be in session. When you arrive on campus, you will even find a designated parking spot waiting for you. No parallel parking required.
Open houses are designed with a broader audience in mind. There are student-led panel discussions, guided campus tours and other prospective students to talk with. Parents are encouraged to join their student to learn more about K. Open houses are held twice in the fall and twice in the spring. They are perfect for high school juniors or seniors who want more information on K.
The most in-depth campus visit option is the Visit the Zoo program, designed for admitted students and their families. This is a two-day event to help students make a final decision before the deposit deadline. Students may spend the night, talk with alumni and meet faculty members. Parents can sit in on a parent panel and ask questions about K. This is a fun and informative event for the whole family that covers topics such as financial aid. There are typically four Visit the Zoos in the winter and spring terms.
By choosing the campus visit option that fits your needs, you can leave confident about moving forward in the application process, whether you’re a junior choosing to apply or a senior making your deposit. Plan your campus visit today. You can sign up online or call the visit team to get started.
As we celebrate 60 years of study abroad being a hallmark of Kalamazoo College’s experiential education, Suzie and I are reminded of our own international experiences during our college years and how they changed our lives.
Happy holidays from Kalamazoo College! Click on this image for our holiday video.
Now, as we travel around the country and the world meeting with K alumni, we hear how important their study abroad and study away experiences were to their growth as people. How immersing themselves in another culture made them open to different perspectives. How navigating unfamiliar environments made them empathetic. How tasting new foods made them willing to take risks. How overcoming language barriers made them more resourceful. We are also mindful that because K is a study abroad site, for our international students, those same life-changing experiences are happening right here on our fair Arcadian hill.
During this celebratory time, we are grateful to be part of K’s global family. Where ever you find yourself in the world this season, we wish you peace and joy.
Kalamazoo College has named a new provost to provide vision and direction for the academic program. President Jorge G. Gonzalez tapped Danette Ifert Johnson, currently the vice provost at Ithaca College in New York, for the top academic position. She will begin her role on July 1, 2019.
Danette Ifert Johnson, currently the vice provost at Ithaca College in New York, will be Kalamazoo College’s new provost.
Johnson brings a wealth of experience to Kalamazoo College. A tenured professor at Ithaca College, Johnson has spent four years as vice provost. She also served as the inaugural director of Ithaca’s Integrative Core Curriculum, experience Gonzalez says will serve her well at K.
“In addition to her extensive administrative experience, Danette has a long record of teaching success, and her scholarly accomplishments are considerable,” said Gonzalez. “K is reimagining our signature K-Plan, the individualized academic and experiential path each student creates, to ensure it meets the needs of this generation. Danette will lead a talented and engaged academic community and partner with other leaders of the College to build upon and support an innovative vision to advance Kalamazoo College.”
Johnson says K’s reputation for excellence in residential liberal arts education, and integrating rigorous and meaningful classroom and experiential opportunities drew her to this role.
“My interactions throughout the search process confirmed that the community-wide commitment to prepare students for an ever more complex and diverse world is genuine,” said Johnson adding, “I am especially eager to collaborate with K’s outstanding faculty and staff as we look for ways to enhance the outstanding educational experiences already in place. I am excited to begin working with President Gonzalez and the entire K community.”
An alumna of West Virginia Wesleyan College, Johnson served her alma mater as president of the Alumni Council and a member of the Board of Trustees. She has been a faculty member at West Virginia Wesleyan and Texas Tech University in addition to Ithaca College. She served as the executive director and president of the Eastern Communication Association (ECA), which honored her as a distinguished teaching fellow and distinguished research fellow.
Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in speech communication and history from West Virginia Wesleyan College, a master’s degree in educational psychology from West Virginia University, and her master’s degree and Ph.D. in communication studies from Northwestern University.
Kalamazoo College’s previous provost, Michael A. (Mickey) McDonald, left the College to become the president of the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA) of which Kalamazoo College is a member.
Johnson was selected after a national search conducted by an on-campus search committee and assisted by the firm Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, an executive search firm specializing in the education and non-profit sectors. The search committee was chaired by Rosemary K. Brown Professor in Mathematics and Computer Science Alyce Brady. Also serving on the committee were: Greg Diment ’84, Information Services; Dennis Frost, History and East Asian Studies; Binney Girdler, Biology and Environmental Studies; Shanna Salinas, English; Mary Beth Sarhatt, Trustee; Sarah Westfall, Student Development; and Jordan Wiley ’19. Wendy Fleckenstein provided administrative support.
“My thanks go to Alyce and the entire search committee for their hard work and success in evaluating a highly qualified pool of candidates. I am delighted with the outcome. Danette will be an excellent leader at the College,” said Gonzalez.
Vote in the midterm election today with some help from K Votes, a non-partisan coalition that informs Kalamazoo College students, faculty and staff about voting and civic engagement.
Emily Kowey stands next to a Kalamazoo College shuttle that will take students to the Douglass Community Association today for voting in the midterm elections.
The coalition, offered through the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement, is offering a shuttle to the Douglass Community Association, where you will vote if you registered through your campus address. Faculty and staff are driving the shuttles, which will run until 8 p.m. with pickup at the Hoben Hall lounge. Enjoy hot chocolate and donuts while you wait for a shuttle. Students, faculty and staff registered to vote through an off-campus address may find their polling place online.
After you vote, join K Votes and the Political Science Department to watch returns. Political Science Professor Justin Berry will attend an election night watch party with students, faculty and staff from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Dewing Hall, Room 103.
For more information on these midterm election-related opportunities, contact Emily Kowey in the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement at 269.337.7565 or Emily.Kowey@kzoo.edu.
An idea from the Kalamazoo College Board of Trustees is ensuring that K’s students will continue to thrive in the K-Plan. The board has decided that three of its members, elected to three-year terms, will serve as recent-graduate trustees. The advantage is that trustees with better knowledge of how current students navigate their educations and experiences will help the board make more informed decisions in guiding the College.
Mark Ghafari ’14 serves as one of three recent-graduate trustees on the Kalamazoo College Board of Trustees.
As the board convenes this month, the recent-graduate trustees are:
Mark Ghafari ’14, a financial adviser at Merrill Lynch in Grand Rapids, Michigan;
Asia Liza Morales ’15, a strategic projects specialist at the Posse Foundation in New York City; and
Jerrod Howlett ’09, a manager of product solutions at Google in New York City.
Ghafari is beginning his first year on the board, Morales is in her second year and Howlett is in his third.
In his years as a student, Ghafari majored in economics, played men’s basketball, studied abroad in Strasbourg, France, with travels through Belgium and the Netherlands, and learned about internships while working in the Center for Career and Professional Development.
Asia Liza Morales ’15 serves as one of three recent-graduate trustees on the Kalamazoo College Board of Trustees.
“It’s an unbelievable honor to provide the board with the perspective of a recent graduate,” Ghafari said. “I applaud the College for having this role, and it’s a great opportunity to advance the mission of the College. It’s an exciting time with President Gonzalez and a new strategic plan. It’s exciting to be able to help.”
The board is comprised of 33 trustees including Gonzalez. Its members reflect major sectors of society and represent nationwide locales as well as the Kalamazoo community and College alumni. All are tasked with serving current and future students by assuring K’s continued place among the top private liberal arts colleges in the country.
Morales says to those current and future students, “There are so many experiences to be had at K that don’t happen at other colleges. This place fosters an experience unlike any other. It can be anything and everything you want it to be. Once I got in the workplace, I knew how far ahead I was because of Kalamazoo College.”
Jerrod Howlett ’09 serves as one of three recent-graduate trustees on the Kalamazoo College Board of Trustees.
Morales was a Posse scholar on campus, majored in biology, minored in anthropology and sociology, served as a president’s student ambassador, and spent a semester abroad in Cáceres, Spain.
Howlett as a student sought outside-the-classroom activities such as intercollegiate athletics including tennis; arts experiences such as Premium Orange, an a capella group; and a summer internship through Compuware, a software company. He also wanted the personal access to faculty that K provided.
“The relationships I built with my professors and the level of care they took to invest in me were the pinnacle experience of attending Kalamazoo College,” Howlett said. The faculty “always ensured they could take time out of their day so we could learn more. I know I could always go to them to ask questions.
“I have no idea if I’d be in the same place without K. I know it helped me get here.”
Kalamazoo College tied for 11th in 2018 among small colleges and universities sending alumni to Teach for America, which recruits outstanding leaders to become lifelong advocates for educational equality in the U.S.
Kalamazoo College ranks 11th among small schools sending its alumni to Teach for America as seven from the class of 2018 joined the education organization’s corps.
Teach for America’s recruits work for at least two years in a low-income school district classroom, where they nurture students and build their own leadership skills. The experience helps recent graduates gain the context and clarity they need to move on to graduate school or continue developing educational equality in any sector. Recruits receive salaries and some receive student loan forgiveness.
The recruits, in 51 communities nationwide, will team up with more than 56,000 alumni leaders, who work as professional educators, policy makers, lawyers, business owners, nonprofit administrators, medical professionals and more, to expand children’s opportunities. Of the organization’s 3,600 recruits from more than 700 colleges and universities, seven recruits are 2018 K grads.
This year’s recruits are among Teach for America’s most diverse since its founding in 1990 with more than half the recruits identifying as people of color, about 45 percent coming from low-income backgrounds, and about a third being the first in their families to graduate from college.
Teach for America Recruitment Manager Jess Hernandez says K’s place in the rankings figures considering the sense the College’s students have for community engagement and the students’ highly respected educational achievements.
“We only accept about 14 percent of the recruits who apply, so Kalamazoo College should be proud it’s contributing such excellent numbers,” said Hernandez, who has worked with K students for about two years. “We’re looking for students who are leaders, and we’re looking for strong academics. Kalamazoo College students check off those boxes,” noting program and K alumni such as Michigan Rep. Darrin Camilleri.
“We see it in their civic engagement,” she added. “We see it in their orientation leaders. We know that (Teach for America) offers Kalamazoo College students an opportunity to continue their service work after college and that’s really attractive.”
Kalamazoo College is receiving nearly $300,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice through a shared grant to proactively prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking on campus.
K is the only Michigan institution and one of just a few small private schools among 60 colleges and universities nationwide to receive part of the $18 million being distributed. K’s portion, totaling $298,698, will:
create a Campus Coordinated Community Response Team;
expand training for campus safety officers and Title IX investigators;
expand victim services;
hire a full-time project coordinator who will focus on culturally relevant prevention efforts;
further enhance the College’s focus on student safety; and
support a K partnership with the Kalamazoo YWCA and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. The partnership will bring a victim advocate to campus for 20 hours a week and formalize response to incidents that involve students in the city.
“This grant is very competitive, so we’re excited to have this additional funding and support,” said Ellen Lassiter Collier, K’s Title IX coordinator and director of gender equity. She added documented endorsements of existing efforts from students, faculty and staff likely were determining factors for the Department of Justice in securing the shared grant.
“This kind of grant traditionally goes to public schools,” Lassiter Collier said. “That speaks to the work the College is already doing and the support we receive from across campus.”
K’s existing efforts include programs such as Green Dot, which offers bystander training that statistically reduces the likelihood of dating and domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault. Green Dot at K is funded through the State of Michigan Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program, which gave the College about $18,600 in 2016 and $41,800 in 2017.
The Department of Justice grant, though, will enhance such efforts and others, including the creation of targeted online training programs for students, to ensure the programs and training materials are culturally competent considering K’s diversity, and relevant to its student experiences such as study abroad.
With study abroad, for example, “We want students to know that the College is still a source of support and potential investigation should something happen abroad,” Lassiter Collier said.
For more information on the grant from the Department of Justice, visit its website.
Kalamazoo College is included in the newly published 2019 edition of “The Best 384 Colleges,” the annual college guide of the Princeton Review.
Kalamazoo College is included in the newly published 2019 edition of “The Best 384 Colleges,” the annual college guide of the Princeton Review.
The guide says K “brings a personalized approach to education through a flexible, open curriculum featuring real-world experience, service learning, study abroad, and an independent senior year project.” Among praise from students quoted in the guide’s Kalamazoo College entry: K “allows students to really develop personal relationships with their peers and professors” and is “a campus run by and for the students.”
Students also tell the Princeton Review that K:
“Will try as hard as possible to get you to graduate in four years.”
Enables students, through its open curriculum, to “have more time to explore exactly what they want to learn, rather than being required to take classes in which they have no interest.”
Has “a huge culture” among alumni “of giving back to the school and being there for each other” and for current students.
Has professors who “view students as equals and peers, and are open to listening to everyone’s ideas in classes.”
Provides “good food and fun activities” for students and a wide array of clubs and athletics that are open to everyone.
Attracts students “who show creativity, ambition and motivation.” “You will never find any two students who are the same here,” one student says.
“Our students in the Princeton Review say it in their own words: Kalamazoo College provides a distinctive liberal arts education that is among the best available anywhere,” said Eric Staab, Kalamazoo College dean of admission and financial aid. “It’s a real testament to the enduring value of the K-Plan and the K experience.”
The Princeton Review says the college rankings are based on surveys of 138,000 students at 384 top colleges that includes a wide representation by region, size, selectivity and character.
Kalamazoo College is among 20 colleges and universities nationwide to be named a Best Buy School in the just-published 2019 edition of the highly respected Fiske Guide to Colleges.
Kalamazoo College is among 20 colleges and universities nationwide to be named a Best Buy School in the just-published 2019 edition of the highly respected Fiske Guide to Colleges.
Fiske says it based the ratings on “outstanding educational value as determined by academic quality in relation to the net cost of attendance.” The guide says of Kalamazoo College: “Ninety-eight percent of students at this globally oriented liberal arts school receive financial aid and 70 percent study abroad for the same price that they pay for regular tuition.”
Eric Staab, K’s dean of admission and financial aid, says Fiske’s recognition comes as no surprise.
“At Kalamazoo College, the flexibility of the K-Plan, our integrated approach to an excellent education in the liberal arts and science, allows us to seek out students with a broad array of interests, achievements and experiences,” Staab says. “We work hard to ensure that cost is not a barrier for students who can contribute their distinctive ideas and talents to, and benefit from, our richly diverse campus and programs.”
Chartered in 1833, Kalamazoo College is among the nation’s 100 oldest colleges and universities. It ranks in the top 2 percent among the nation’s four-year liberal arts colleges for the percentage of graduates who go on to earn doctorate degrees.
K is the only college in the Great Lakes region named to the Best Buy Schools list, which is comprised of 10 public and 10 private universities and colleges.
Established by former New York Times education editor Edward B. Fiske, the Fiske Guide to Colleges has been among the foremost sources of information about higher education quality and affordability for more than 30 years. USA Today has deemed it “the best college guide you can buy.”
For more information about Kalamazoo College, visit www.kzoo.edu.
