Institutional Announcements Archives - Page 9 of 25

K Among Top Producers of Fulbright Recipients

Posted on February 16, 2021March 21, 2022

Kalamazoo College is among the top producers of Fulbright recipients for the 2020-21 academic year.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced Monday that Kalamazoo College is among the top producers of Fulbright recipients among colleges and universities for the 2020-21 academic year.

Six K representatives out of 15 applicants were named Fulbright recipients, placing the College among the top-producing bachelor’s institutions for the third time in the last four years. It was the most recipients among colleges of K’s category in Michigan.

Many candidates apply for the Fulbright Program as graduating seniors, though alumni may apply as well. Graduating seniors apply through their institution. Alumni can apply through their institution or as at-large candidates.

K’s representatives in 2020-21 and their host countries are:

Georgie Andrews ’20, Austria
Grace Beck ’19, Colombia
Paige Chung ’20, Vietnam
Brett Fitzgerald ’19, Moldova
Matthew Flotemersch ’20, Germany
Juan Avila ’19, Andorra

“This recognition shows how our students desire the cultural experiences they gain from being abroad, and they get those experiences through their opportunities at K,” Center for International Programs Executive Director Margaret Wiedenhoeft said. “It shows that our faculty and international partners inspire and enable students to make a difference in the world.”

About the Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Top-producing institutions are highlighted annually in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 380,000 participants, chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential, with opportunities to exchange ideas and contribute to solutions to shared international concerns. More than 1,900 U.S. students, artists and young professionals in more than 100 fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants to study, teach English and conduct research abroad each year. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in more than 140 countries throughout the world.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State, funded by an annual appropriation from Congress to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education.

The Fulbright Program also awards grants to U.S. scholars, teachers and faculty to conduct research and teach overseas. In addition, about 4,000 foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the United States annually to study, lecture, conduct research and teach foreign languages.

K Ranks Highly Among Top Liberal Arts Colleges

Posted on January 27, 2021October 30, 2023

Upjohn Library Commons in Winter for Top Liberal Arts Institutions — Kalamazoo College is the only institution in Michigan ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges by AcademicInfluence.com.

AcademicInfluence.com is endorsing Kalamazoo College as one of the top four-year schools in the country where students can excel in the liberal arts, according to rankings released this week.

The website is the information center for a data-analytics company that measures the influence and thought leadership of a college’s or university’s faculty and alumni, providing prospective students a place where they can draw insightful comparisons between schools.

K, at No. 45, is the only institution in Michigan to reach the list of top liberal arts colleges. The website mentions K’s thought leadership on subjects such as political science, economics, sociology, biology, literature, mathematics and philosophy as just a few of the reasons why.

“Job demands are changing,” AcademicInfluence.com Academic Director Jed Macosko said. “More is expected of today’s college graduates. This makes the liberal arts appealing and practical. Students who can demonstrate a breadth of skills and the flexibility to take on anything asked of them are finding greater success postgraduation. … If you’re a student looking for a well-rounded education, these schools should be at the top of your list.”

The K-Plan is K’s distinctive approach to the liberal arts and sciences. Its open curriculum utilizes rigorous academics, international and intercultural experiences, a hands-on education and independent scholarship to help students think critically, solve problems creatively, and collaborate across cultures and languages.

“A liberal arts model provides the most thorough college education because it teaches students how to attain not just one, but a variety of skillsets that employers desire, while engaging with the world,” Director of Admission Suzanne Lepley said. “To be named among the top 50 liberal arts institutions in the country is an honor for Kalamazoo College as it shows how well we prepare students for a global, modern workplace.”

Learn more about the list of top liberal arts colleges from AcademicInfluence.com.

Your Clicks Showed These Were K’s Top Stories in 2020

Posted on December 17, 2020March 21, 2022

Kalamazoo College students, faculty, staff and alumni made 2020 a little brighter with their accomplishments throughout the year. The College’s 10 most-clicked feature stories recognized those who championed our community and exhibited a dedication to learning, teaching, health and perseverance through unprecedented challenges. Here’s a year-end roundup of what you read the most, shaping K’s top stories of the year. We’re eager to see what accomplishments will come in 2021.

10. K Alumna’s Art to Honor K9 Salute Team

The Michigan War Dog Memorial has hired Suanne Martin ’84 to sculpt a statue memorializing the dogs that performed in ceremonies to honor the canines that once served our country, troops, police, firefighters and citizens.

9. Co-Authorship Program Engages Children in Quarantine

Two psychology classes led by James A. B. Stone Professor of Psychology Siu-Lan Tan engaged children from 5 to 12 years old in a virtual co-authorship program this spring. The children, guided by Tan’s students, wrote and illustrated their own storybooks in a project that reached from Michigan to France.

8. Professor’s Creative Trailer Motivates Biology Students

When Assistant Professor of Biology Santiago Salinas learned that Kalamazoo College would be transitioning to distance learning for the spring semester, he created a movie trailer, complete with atmospheric soundtrack and compelling narrative voiceover, to excite his vertebrate biology class for the term.

7. Religion Chair’s Book Offers ‘Glimmers of Hope’ for LGBTQ Mormons

Younger generations of Latter-day Saints in congregations nationwide are commonly aligning themselves with more progressive views related to gender identity as shown in Taylor Petrey’s book, Tabernacles of Clay: Sexuality and Gender in Modern Mormonism.

6. Maddie Odom ’20 Braves the Frontlines of COVID-19

Armed with three years of experience as an emergency medical technician, Odom volunteered at a drive-through coronavirus testing site at the former Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit. There, Odom volunteered for more than nine hours per shift, six days a week, to serve as many as 800 people a day through the Coronavirus Community Care Network, a coalition of local governments and health services.

5. Alumna Fights Pandemic from Singapore to Michigan

Natasha Bagdasarian ’99 was an international figure in the fight against COVID-19 this year, first as a physician and epidemiologist in Singapore, and then a consultant and senior public health physician in her home state.

4. K Alumnus Pioneered Technology Behind COVID-19 Testing

In the 1990s, Lincoln McBride ’80 founded and led the technology program that commercialized a system to detect and quantify small amounts of genetic material with unparalleled speed sensitivity and accuracy. Earlier this year, the latest generation of that technology was the worldwide workhorse and gold standard for COVID-19 testing.

3. Faculty, Staff Prepare for Distance Learning

A social media meme that circulated in spring of the late children’s TV star Mr. Rogers reminded people to “look for the helpers” in a crisis. When that crisis was COVID-19, those helpers for students were K faculty and staff.

2. Pandemic Strikes with Students Far from Home

Students who visited countries such as China, Germany and Spain, and international students who remained in Kalamazoo, had stories to tell about their experiences as COVID-19 and the global responses to it emerged.

1. Fulbright Honors Five from K

Five Kalamazoo College representatives are receiving one of the highest honors the federal government provides regarding scholarship and international exchange.

Happy Holidays from Kalamazoo College

Posted on December 8, 2020March 21, 2022

Dear Friends,

Jorge and Suzie Gonzalez in the holiday video — Happy holidays from Kalamazoo College! Click on this image for our holiday video. Watch to the end for a cross-stitch Buzz pattern like the one featured in the video.

The holidays are often a time of gratitude and reflection, and this holiday season is no exception. The collective efforts of our faculty, staff, students, families, alumni and friends to support our student body and the institution through this pandemic have been nothing short of extraordinary. It shows that we are stronger together as we work to move K forward, and we could not be more grateful for this community.

We wish to thank not only those who are helping us deliver on K’s educational mission and vision; we also want to thank all of you who are facing incredible challenges this year while serving our society: the healthcare workers, the teachers, the scientists, the agricultural and food-processing workers, the small business owners, the retail and restaurant workers, delivery persons, and so many more.

As we go forth this season, we hope you are able to find some time to rest, read a good book, video chat with family and friends, and enjoy favorite traditions. Most of all, we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy, stay safe and have a happy and peaceful new year.

Saludos,

President Jorge G. Gonzalez and Suzie (Martin) Gonzalez ’83

Virtual Visits Help Maintain Optimism in Admission

Posted on November 4, 2020February 5, 2025

Spirits remain high with Kalamazoo College Admission representatives as they recruit first-year students for fall 2021.

“We had a strong class in 2020 and we’re hopeful we can have that again.” Admission Event Coordinator Sarah Matyczyn said. “We’re happy with where we stand considering the effects of the pandemic.”

This optimism is taking shape as a new normal arises in the admission process. In the wake of the pandemic, Admission is using more virtual ways to reach next year’s first-year students.

“If there’s a silver lining to COVID-19, it’s that we on multiple occasions have talked about creating virtual options for international students and west coast students because of the time difference,” Matyczyn said. “We value in-person connections, but this really pushed us, and moving forward, this will help us.”

Light Fine Arts Virtual Visits — A new virtual tour at kzoo.edu/tour offers 360-degree photos like the one represented here. The robust experience will allow prospective students to view the Kalamazoo College campus from a distance through virtual visits.

Prospective student opportunities for virtual visits include:

A new virtual tour. Provided through Virtually Anywhere, a series of 360-degree photos and tour stops give prospective students a robust experience and a feeling of being on campus regardless of where they are. Alumni will also appreciate the opportunity to revisit the campus this way anytime they want.
Student-led virtual tours. A current student tour guide walks prospective students and their families around campus, talks about each location and shares their K experience
The Weekly Buzz, a series that allows prospective students to get virtual news and information on the application and admission process through conversations with students and counselors. Previous topics now available through recordings include the liberal arts, the family’s role in the application process, and navigating college as a first-generation student.
A virtual open house. This is an ideal experience for prospective students looking to find their perfect college fit. They can meet with admission staff along with other members of the K community such as faculty to get to know the K-Plan and the college experience. The next one is scheduled for November 10.
High school virtual group visits. These events are meant for academically-prepared high school students. They include a student-led virtual campus tour and an information session.
Personalized video chats with admission counselors or meetings with students by phone, texting, video chat or email.

That’s not to say that in-person visits have gone away. In fact, they restarted September 23 with a more personalized experience. One socially-distanced tour group consists of just one prospective student and family per tour guide.

“The tours go into the Hicks Student Center, Hoben Hall so they can see a residence hall room, the library and the Fitness and Wellness Center,” Matyczyn said. “The rest of the trip is outside, but we will take them into Dow Science Center if they’re interested in science and want to see a lab. The feedback we’ve received is that the families are extremely grateful for the in-person visits. They’re also appreciative of the safety measures we’ve taken.”

Regardless, there are no changes in the admission process itself. K maintains its traditional test-optional status so students don’t have to submit an ACT or SAT score, and students will fill out the Common App along with an essay. In the meantime, how they choose to get to know K is up to them and help is always available.

“You can pick whatever experience is best for you,” Matyczyn said. “The counselors say the same thing. We might address high school juniors a little differently than seniors, but a counselor is always available to talk. If you want some advice or even if you want to talk to a current K student, we’ll make those connections for you.”

Alumni Can Help Admission

Represent your alma mater to prospective students through both virtual and in-person activities. Learn more at the Alumni Engagement website.

Convocation 2020: Bronson Healthcare VP to Deliver Keynote

Posted on September 4, 2020February 27, 2023

Convocation 2020 Keynote Speaker Beth Washington — Kalamazoo College trustee Beth Washington, the vice president of community health, equity and inclusion at Bronson Healthcare, will be the keynote speaker at Convocation 2020 on Thursday, September 10.

Kalamazoo College will open the 2020-21 academic year at 2 p.m. Thursday, September 10. That’s when the College will welcome 393 first-year students to the K family through a virtual Convocation, formally launching their undergraduate years.

Convocation is the first of two bookends to the K experience with the other being Commencement. The event will feature addresses from President Jorge G. Gonzalez and Provost Danette Ifert Johnson, an invocation from Chaplain Elizabeth Candido ‘00 and a keynote speech from College Trustee Beth Washington ’94.

Washington, a Kalamazoo native, has been the vice president of community health, equity and inclusion for Bronson Healthcare since 2015. Before that she worked as an educator and as the director of Jeter’s Leaders, a high school leadership program sponsored by Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation.

In addition to being a K trustee, Washington’s community work extends to Kalamazoo Valley Community College, where she serves on the Career and Community Training Advisory Board. She is also involved with the Southwest Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Coalition and serves on the board of Cradle Kalamazoo, which aims to reduce infant death rates.

As a student at K, Washington earned a degree in human resources and relations, and a secondary teaching certificate in social studies and English, while representing the College on the women’s basketball and softball teams.

All students, faculty and staff are invited to view the Convocation ceremony. For more information and a video of the feed on the day of Convocation, visit kzoo.edu/convocation.

Princeton Review Picks K Among Best Colleges

Posted on August 18, 2020February 5, 2025

Princeton Review Best Colleges — The Princeton Review highlights Kalamazoo College in its annual college guide, *The Best 386 Colleges*.

The Princeton Review again is endorsing Kalamazoo College as one of the nation’s best institutions for degree-seeking undergraduates. The education-services company highlights K in its annual college guide, The Best 386 Colleges, for the third consecutive year.

The schools aren’t individually ranked in the edition released today, but the honor places K in about the top 13 percent of the nation’s 3,000 four-year colleges. The Princeton Review chooses colleges for the book, one of its most popular publications, based on data it annually collects from administrators about their institutions’ academic offerings, and its surveys of college students who rate and report on various aspects of their campus and community experiences.

“We salute Kalamazoo College for its outstanding academics and we are truly pleased to recommend it to prospective applicants searching for their personal ‘best-fit’ college,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead author of The Best 386 Colleges.

The Princeton Review student survey features questions about professors, administrators, school services, campus culture and other facets of campus life. The K students the Princeton Review interviewed said the K-Plan allows students to develop strong personal relationships with their peers and professors on a campus run by and for the students. Plus, the open curriculum means students have more time to explore exactly what they want to learn.

In extra-curriculars, students say they can find their niche quickly in the small-school environment, allowing most to engaged in work they care about.

The Princeton Review’s school profiles in The Best 386 Colleges are posted at http://www.princetonreview.com/best386 where they can be searched for free with site registration. The Best 386 Colleges is the 29th annual edition of The Princeton Review’s “Best Colleges” book and is available for purchase online.

K Hires Vice President of Advancement

Posted on July 23, 2020March 21, 2022

Advancement Vice President Karen Isble_inside — Karen Isble, an associate vice chancellor and campaign director at the University of California, Irvine, will be K’s new vice president for advancement beginning Sept. 14. Photo credit: Steve Zylius/UCI.

President Jorge G. Gonzalez announced today that Karen Isble will join Kalamazoo College as the institution’s new vice president for advancement. Isble, associate vice chancellor and campaign director for university advancement at University of California, Irvine, will begin her new role on Sept. 14, 2020.

“Karen has had a long and successful career in advancement and administration, both in higher education and the nonprofit sector, and I’m confident that her expertise will allow us to build upon our past successes,” said Gonzalez. “She is smart, thoughtful, and passionate about opening the doors of K to students from all backgrounds.”

Isble joined UC Irvine in 2017 and led the planning and execution of the university’s $2 billion comprehensive multi-year campaign, “Brilliant Future.” In this role, she worked with campus leadership, deans, unit directors, faculty members, foundation trustees, volunteers and advancement staff to foster partnerships, create awareness, and coordinate the activities which support the university’s campaign fundraising goals.

Prior to joining UC Irvine, Isble served as assistant vice president for development at the University of Michigan. During her 11 years at Michigan, she oversaw the prospect development, data and technology infrastructure for the 600-member development staff community, covering 36 schools, colleges, units, and the academic medical center. Isble also played an integral role in the university’s $5.3 billion “Victors for Michigan” campaign, coordinating multiple aspects of campaign planning, and working with campaign counsel, volunteers, donors and university leadership.

A Detroit native, Isble worked in arts administration and fundraising roles at the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Goodman Theatre prior to joining University of Michigan. She served for five years on the board of Apra, serving as president in 2013-14. She has been a speaker and author, regionally and nationally, with Apra, CASE and AFP, among others. Isble earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and her master’s degree from the University of Michigan.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be joining K, and I look forward to working across campus and with the community to ensure we can continue to make a transformational impact on its students for generations to come,” Isble says. “The opportunity to create a sustainable future for K through philanthropy and alumni engagement is an exciting challenge that I’m honored to undertake.”

Isble succeeds Vice President for Advancement Al DeSimone, who retired on July 1 after nearly a decade at the College. She was selected after a competitive nationwide search conducted by an on-campus committee with the assistance of Storbeck Search & Associates, an executive search firm specializing in the education and non-profit sectors. Comprised of faculty, staff and trustees, the committee was chaired by Provost Danette Ifert Johnson.

‘Fiske Guide to Colleges’ Honors K

Posted on July 20, 2020March 21, 2022

Kalamazoo College’s academic and experiential excellence again is recognized in the annual Fiske Guide to Colleges, the publisher Sourcebooks has announced.

In the 2021 version, available now, the publication says K students “pursue a liberal arts curriculum that includes language proficiency, a first-year writing seminar, sophomore and senior seminars, as well as a senior individualized project—directed research, a creative piece, or a traditional thesis—basically anything that caps off each student’s education in some meaningful way.”

In addition to senior individualized projects promoting independent scholarship opportunities, the guide praises other tenets of the K-Plan, the College’s four-part, integrated approach to an excellent education, including:

Rigorous academics. The flexibility and rigor of K’s curriculum provides students with a customized academic experience.
Experiential education. students connect classroom learning with real-world experience by completing career development internships or externships, participating in civic engagement and service-learning projects, and getting involved in social justice leadership work.
International and intercultural experience. Students choose from 56 study abroad programs in 29 countries across six continents.

The publication, compiled by former New York Times Education Editor Edward B. Fiske, is a selective, subjective and systematic look at more than 300 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada and the UK.

The guide’s readers discover the personality of a college based on a broad range of subjects throughout the text including the student body, academics, social life, financial aid, campus setting, housing, food and extracurricular activities.

“K’s academic terms may be fast-paced and the workload demanding, but students are given the flexibility to pursue their interests through individualized projects and off-campus exploration,” the publication says. “The result, says a senior, is a student body defined by open-minded, global citizens.”

K Voices Opposition to New ICE Policy Regarding International Students

Posted on July 8, 2020March 21, 2022

We at Kalamazoo College join with other higher education institutions to voice our opposition to guidance announced on July 6 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

At a time when we are facing a continued rise in COVID-19 cases around the country, colleges and universities require flexibility to adapt the delivery of curricula to keep our communities safe, and this flexibility should not come at a cost to our international students. International students have been an important and valued part of the Kalamazoo College community throughout its history, and this change in federal policy in the middle of a global health crisis shows a devastating lack of compassion and regard for our students.

The Center for International Programs (CIP) and Provost’s Office are strategizing about the best ways to support our F-1 visa holders given the recent directives. We are committed to creating an environment on campus that will allow them to study and remain in the U.S. for fall quarter and beyond.

Everyone at the College is committed to supporting our international students during this current situation and advocating on their behalf through as many channels as possible. I have already reached out directly to our congressional representative, Fred Upton, to express my dismay with the announcement and the need to extend the exceptions that were granted for the spring and summer, so that our international students can continue to study and learn at K, regardless of where they are living now and through the fall term. I encourage the K community to reach out to their elected officials, as well.

CIP will be communicating with students impacted by this decision and will be working with these students directly over the next weeks. While we are disappointed at the shortsightedness of this recent announcement, we will continue to engage in the world around us by providing a rich academic environment for students to thrive, no matter where they may call home.

Jorge G. Gonzalez

President

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Category: Institutional Announcements