Category: News Releases

News Releases

Watts Told its Own Story, Violence Dropped; Film Coming to K

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2026 Commencement Speaker and Watts filmmaker Michael Soenen
“Nothing to See Here: Watts” filmmaker Michael Soenen ’92

Kalamazoo College alumnus Michael Soenen ’92, the concept creator and producer of Nothing to See Here: Watts, will return to K on June 11 to screen a documentary created by 20 members of the Watts community—including rival gang members, former Los Angeles Police Department officers, students and victims of violence—credited with catalyzing the 90% reduction in homicides in Watts during the 12 months after its community screenings. 

The film has earned more than 100 awards worldwide. It has screened for 4,000 people at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, at the King Center in Atlanta for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and at Harvard University. Time magazine called it “a working playbook for how communities can reclaim their streets by telling their own stories.” Deadline described it as “one of the most remarkable documentaries of the year.”

The free event will take place Thursday, June 11, at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, 205 Monroe St. Doors open at 5 p.m. with the film beginning at 5:30 p.m. The screening is expected to end around 7 p.m., with a 30-minute panel afterward. Dinner and movie snacks will be provided. Registration is available online.

Soenen, who created the concept and produced the film, will be in attendance with filmmakers LaWanda Hawkins, whose son Reginald was murdered in an unsolved 1995 killing and who founded Justice for Murdered Children in his memory; Tyrone Riley Sr., a former Grape Street Crip and high school basketball coach; and Cornelius Wills, a former Bounty Hunter Blood and gang interventionist.

The event will feature LaWanda Hawkins’ “Silent March”—an exhibit featuring more than 200 pairs of shoes, each belonging to a child lost to violence in the community.

After the screening, the filmmakers will join in a panel discussion with representatives from local organizations Bent Not Broken, Peace During War and KalSAFE. The conversation will connect themes from the documentary with efforts in Kalamazoo to support youth, prevent violence and build safer communities.

For more information about the screening, contact Arcus Center Associate Director CoCo Canders at Coco.Canders@kzoo.edu.

About the Film

Nothing to See Here: Watts is a community-made documentary produced by Nothing to See Here: Productions, created by 20 members of the Watts community—including rival gang members, former LAPD officers, students and victims of violence. More information and trailer at www.nothingtoseeheremovie.com.

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.

Movie poster for "Nothing to See Here: Watts" says, "What happens when Bloods, Crips, police and victims of violence make a film?"
A movie poster for “Nothing to See Here: Watts.”

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.

Arcus Center Slates Women’s Day Conference

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As International Women’s Day approaches, Kalamazoo College will host a landmark conference titled Resisting Harm, Building the Future: Beyond Borders and Binaries from Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8, at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, 205 Monroe St. 

The three-day gathering unites activists, scholars and community organizers from around the world to explore critical issues of gender justice, environmental activism and liberation movements. Through panel discussions, workshops and collaborative planning sessions, participants will examine how communities can respond to systems of harm while building pathways toward collective liberation.  

Attendees may register online for any or all of the sessions scheduled from 7:30 a.m.–8 p.m. Friday, 7:45 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturday, and 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Sunday. The public is welcome. 

Friday’s programming opens with a panel titled Acting with Love in Systems of Harm, featuring speakers who will discuss interventions of care and hope that challenge rape culture, misogyny and policing. The afternoon session, Beyond Binaries, explores gender outside rigid norms through contexts including immigration, technology and sexuality. 

Among the presenters are Aqdas Aftab from Loyola University Chicago, Wazhmah Osman from Temple University, and Frances Vicioso from OutFront Kalamazoo, alongside academic researchers and therapeutic practitioners working at the intersection of intimacy, healing and social justice. 

Saturday’s schedule tackles environmental and technological justice along with an examination of the climate crisis. The panel We All Live on this Earth will demonstrate connections between land, gender, violence, capitalism and race, offering concrete ideas for action. Later in the day, speakers will address knowledge access, censorship, media literacy, and the role of artificial intelligence in shaping contemporary life. 

The conference also spotlights grassroots organizing strategies. Saturday afternoon’s Organizing for Action panel features Bochra Triki, a Tunisian feminist and LGBTQ activist; Shona Espinoza from Food Not Bombs Kalamazoo; and other community organizers sharing lessons from on-the-ground activism. 

A standout session titled How Do We Care for Each Other? on Saturday morning will bring together Black polyamory activist Chanée Jackson Kendall; researcher Os Keyes from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell; and sexual educator Roma de las Heras Gómez to reimagine relationships, love and care networks outside of state structures. 

The conference concludes Sunday morning with a planning and discussion session focused on takeaways and next steps, followed by a student-led action project. The final component underscores the event’s commitment to translating dialogue into meaningful community engagement. 

All panels and meals will take place at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, with breakfast, lunch and evening appetizers provided each day. The workshops scheduled for Friday and Saturday afternoons offer hands-on opportunities for participants to develop skills and strategies for social change work. 

The conference represents a collaborative effort to move beyond traditional academic conferences, creating space for practitioners, activists and scholars to learn from one another while building networks of solidarity and support. 

For more information about the Resisting Harm, Building the Future: Beyond Borders and Binaries conference, contact Arcus Associate Director Coco Canders at CoCo.Canders@kzoo.edu. 

Women's Day Conference Presenter Frances Vicioso
International Women’s Day Conference presenter Frances Vicioso
Women's Day Conference Presenter Os Keyes
International Women’s Day Conference presenter Os Keyes

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.

Mellon-Funded Project Brings Humanities Leaders to K

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A grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, provided to Kalamazoo College in 2022, will culminate this week with community partners from New Orleans, San Diego, St. Louis, Kalamazoo and more gathering at the College to share the successes of the Humanities Integrated Locational Learning (HILL) project.

The Learning in/from Place and Community Conference will take place Friday–Sunday, October 24–26. By bridging academic inquiry with local partnership, place-based practice, and regional perspectives, the conference offers a model for how liberal arts institutions can engage meaningfully with broad social themes.

“After four years of our students learning from community partners in each of these sites, we are excited to host many of them in Kalamazoo,” Associate Professor of Sociology Francisco Villegas said. “Here, they will be able to meet one another, connect with people doing similar work in Kalamazoo and across Michigan, and share lessons from their work. Each organization has substantial knowledge that is grounded in their geographic location and we hope the conference will further collaborations that will support our respective communities.”

The public is invited. No registration is necessary. Opening remarks will begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday in Dewing Hall, room 103, with a screening of the film BODEWADMI NDAW. A discussion will follow with filmmaker Davis Henderson ’25, artist Jason Wesaw of the Pokegon band of the Potawatomi tribe, and leaders from local Indigenous communities.

Saturday’s highlights include a plenary address by Jamala Rogers, the executive director of the Organization for Black Struggle, at 10 a.m. at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership. Additional panels throughout the day will cover history and preservation, local priorities and cultivating community.

Moderators on Saturday will include K faculty members Christina Carroll, associate professor of history; Espelencia Baptiste, associate professor of anthropology; and Marquise Griffin, associate director of the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement. Panelists will include:

  • Lulu Urdiales of the Chicano Park Museum and Community Center in San Diego, Ben Looker of St. Louis University, Amber Mitchell of the Henry Ford Museum and Dylan AT Miner of the University of Michigan from 11:15 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
  • Jazmin Ortiz-Ash of the Kalamazoo County ID program, Macrina Cardenas Montaño of Coalición Pro Defensa Del Migrante in Tijuana, Mexico, Kenlana Ferguson of the Michigan Transformation Collective, and Sashae Mitchell of the Center for Civic Engagement from 2–3:30 p.m.
  • Gloria Ward of Ms. Gloria’s Garden in New Orleans, Hristina Petrovska of Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Jackie Mitchell of Integrated Services of Kalamazoo and Shane Bernardo from Food as Healing in Detroit at 3:30 p.m.
Associate Professor of Sociology Francisco Villegas, a co-leader of the Humanities Integrated Locational Learning project
Associate Professor of Sociology Francisco Villegas
Associate Professor of English Shanna Salinas, a co-leader of the Humanities Integrated Locational Learning project
Associate Professor of English Shanna Salinas

Sunday will feature a digital humanities and student research exhibition from 9–10 a.m. at the Arcus Center. A plenary with People for Public Art Executive Director Monica Rose Kelly will follow along with a place-based art workshop featuring Kelly and Destine Price of the FIRE Arts Collaborative in Kalamazoo. The conference concludes with closing remarks at 12:30 p.m.

In 2022, the Mellon grant helped the College’s HILL project organizers design student coursework rooted in K’s commitment to experiential learning and social justice. The program addressed issues such as racism, border policing, economic inequities, homelessness and global warming, while examining history, how humans share land, and the dislocations that bring people to a communal space.

The project was envisioned by Villegas, Associate Professor of English Shanna Salinas and Professor Emeritus of English Bruce Mills. They invited K faculty to build curricula that reflected how power structures produce destabilizing dynamics and the collective responses of affected communities.

Students then had opportunities—locally and at sites across the country—to immerse themselves in heritage, culture, landscapes and community experiences through course materials, collaborative faculty-student research, community engagement, the development of program assessments and the sharing of oral histories tied to partnering projects and organizations. The Beyond Kalamazoo course clusters focused on themes of location and dislocation, emphasizing place-based learning through an integrated travel component in New Orleans, St. Louis or San Diego. The Within Kalamazoo cluster emphasized social issues in the Kalamazoo community. A digital humanities hub published, archived and assessed outcomes in coursework and partnerships.

The Learning in/from Place and Community Conference aims to show how the HILL project has deepened understanding of the humanities’ relevance to society by advancing innovative responses to interconnected issues through students and faculty. For more information, contact Salinas at Shanna.Salinas@kzoo.edu or Villegas at Francisco.Villegas@kzoo.edu.

K Retains ‘Hidden Gem’ Status for Academics, Athletics

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For the third 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 for 2026 places K among the top eight institutions in the Great Lakes Region of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. It further 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 today’s students, expanding the definition of ‘dream school’ to include attainable options that align with family income, grades and additional factors can help more students arrive at college with confidence,” College Raptor co-founder William Staib said. “That’s what our Hidden Gems list and College Match tool aim to do.”

Stetson Chapel picture for Hidden Gem story
Kalamazoo College has retained its status as a College Raptor Hidden Gem for 2026.

College Raptor also ranks K 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. 

‘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.

K Earns High Marks in Three National Publications

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Kalamazoo College is again drawing national attention for its quality in higher education with three national publications—Forbes, Washington Monthly and Money—ranking the institution among the top colleges and universities in the country. 

Forbes placed K as the top private school in Michigan and listed it third in the state overall through the 2026 America’s Top Colleges list. That recognition places the College No. 153 in the country regardless of size, location or public/private status. The business, finance and investing publication emphasized return on investment, alumni success, graduation rates, post-graduation debt and student outcomes in selecting the 500 institutions honored. Forbes also ranked K 46th among the nation’s top schools with fewer than 4,000 students and credited the College on its list of 25 private schools that award generous financial aid.  

K is featured on two lists through Washington Monthly, finishing 30th on both: The Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars and Best Bang for the Buck Colleges (Midwest). Washington Monthly editors have touted their lists of top colleges as an antidote to the U.S. News & World Report rankings. U.S. News heavily considers factors such as colleges’ reputations, wealth and their students’ SAT scores, which are often correlated with the income of students’ families. In comparison, Washington Monthly’s rankings are meant to measure accessibility, affordability and commitment to certain social ideals, with data points including colleges’ voter-registration rate and the percentage of degrees they award in fields such as health and education. 

Picture of Upper Quad to go with National Excellence story
Forbes, Washington Monthly and Money are honoring Kalamazoo College among the top national institutions of higher education.

Money revamped its Best Colleges in America ranking system two years ago into a star-ratings list. Of the 2,400 institutions the publication analyzed in 2025, 732 four-year public and private nonprofit institutions—including K—received at least a two-star rating based on 25 factors such as graduation rates, cost and what alumni can expect to earn. With three and a half stars, this is the third consecutive year K has been among the institutions ranked by Money. 

Cristin Reid ’90 to Deliver Keynote at Kalamazoo College’s 2025 Convocation

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Cristin Reid, Chair and CEO of Capitol National Bank in Lansing, Michigan, will deliver the keynote address at Kalamazoo College’s 2025 Convocation on September 11 at 3:30 p.m.

Reid, a 1990 graduate of Kalamazoo College, has built a distinguished career spanning finance and law.  Her early work in the legal field led to her appointment as counsel for a newly formed bank holding company led by her family; today, she serves as chair and CEO of that company, Capitol National Bank, where her leadership has been recognized nationally and statewide. Under her guidance, the bank was named a top five finalist in the country for “Extraordinary Bank of the Year” and was ranked by S&P Global in the top 100 banks in the country based on 2023 and 2024 performance. Reid was recognized by American Banker at the 2024 Most Powerful Women in Banking Gala and that year she and Capitol National Bank also were selected for the Influence and Impact Award in the Greater Lansing Entrepreneurial Awards. In 2025, she was named a Notable Leader in Finance by Crain’s Detroit Business.

In addition to her role at Capitol National, Reid is managing director of Access BIDCO, a regulated financial organization that delivers both financing and management consulting to small businesses, primarily across Michigan. She has served on the board at Access since 1994.

2025 Convocation Speaker Cristin Reid
Cristin Reid ’90, the chair and CEO of Capitol national Bank in Lansing, Michigan, will deliver the 2025 Convocation keynote address at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, September 11, on the Quad at Kalamazoo College.

Her commitment to economic inclusion and community vitality also extends into the nonprofit sector. Reid is the founder of the Capitol Foundation, which offers immediate gap financing to small businesses and individuals who do not qualify for traditional bank loans. Since its start, the foundation has returned over $1.2 million back to the community. She serves on several boards, including the Lansing Economic Area Partnership Board and the Michigan Bankers Association Board.

Reid holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Kalamazoo College, a juris doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Convocation marks the start of the academic year and formally welcomes the matriculating class of 2029 into the Kalamazoo College community. President Jorge G. Gonzalez, Vice President for Student Development J. Malcolm Smith, Provost Danette Ifert Johnson, Director of Admission Shannon Milan, Chaplain Elizabeth Candido, the Convocation speaker, faculty, staff and President’s Student Ambassadors will welcome students and their families. All students, families, faculty and staff are invited to attend in person or via livestream.