Professor of English Bruce Mills receives the Lux Esto Award of Excellence from Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez at the Founders Day community reflection.
Director of Grants, Fellowship and Research Jessica Fowle ’00 receives Outstanding Advisor Award from Gonzalez at the Founders Day community reflection.
Associate Director of the Center for International Programs Alayna Lewis receives the First-Year Advocate Award from Gonzalez at the Founders Day community reflection.
Professor of English Bruce Mills is this year’s recipient of the Lux Esto Award of Excellence as announced today during the College’s Founders Day celebration, marking K’s 191st year.
The award recognizes an employee who has served the institution for at least 26 years and has a record of stewardship and innovation. The recipient—chosen by a committee with student, faculty and staff representatives—is an employee who exemplifies the spirit of K through excellent leadership, selfless dedication and goodwill.
At K, Mills has taught classes on short fiction, identities, African-American literature, American literature from 1500–1790 and 1790–1865, and the life and legacy of James Baldwin. He also leads the digital humanities portion of the Humanities Integrated Locational Learning (HILL) project, a Mellon Foundation-funded effort combining classroom and in-person experiences in cities such as New Orleans, San Diego and St. Louis that seeks solutions to societal problems while promoting the critical role of the humanities in social justice work.
Mills has published creative nonfiction in The Georgia Review; New England Review; September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond; and Gravity Pulls You In: Parenting Children on the Autism Spectrum. He also co-edited the book Siblings and Autism: Stories Spanning Generations and Cultures. Further, his advocacy in relation to autism has led to presentations at numerous conferences.
Alexa Wonacott, Amelie Sack, Maxwell Goldner and Zachary Ufkes of the Lux Esto Singers perform “Stand in That River” by Moira Smiley.
President’s Student Ambassadors Gabriel Coleman (pictured) and Grey Gardner read the Kalamazoo College land acknowledgement.
Kalamazoo College employees, such as Center for International Programs Executive Director Margaret Wiedenhoeft, who are celebrating milestone anniversaries were recognized at Founders Day.
Mills “has been dedicated to the campus community, with one nominator saying he has done wonders at making his classroom environment open, comprehensive and accessible to anyone, even in higher level classes,” Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez said in presenting the award. “He meets students where they are, making sure that course content is easy to understand and that concepts can be applied to people’s own lives and their own academic understandings. At the same time, he pushes students to think bigger and think differently while making classes engaging, appropriately challenging and fun.”
In accordance with Founders Day traditions, two other employees received additional community awards. Director of Grants, Fellowship and Research Jessica Fowle ’00 was given the Outstanding Advisor Award and Associate Director of the Center for International Programs (CIP) Alayna Lewis received the First-Year Advocate Award.
Fowle is a key individual when it comes to referring K students and faculty to Fulbright’s U.S. Student Program and Scholar Program immersion opportunities. She recently was selected to be part of the inaugural Fulbright Program Adviser (FPA) Mentors Cohort. As an FPA mentor, Fowle is one of 20 experts from around the country providing virtual training and information sessions, presentations at the Forum for Education Abroad, and personal advice to new Fulbright program advisers who are looking to structure applicant support and recruitment at their own institutions. She has been a part of K’s staff in various roles for more than 20 years including nearly five as director of grants, fellowships and research.
“Advisors are academic mentors who work closely with our students, pay attention to their academic progress, and help them identify and fulfill their goals while working towards completing their degrees,” Gonzalez said. “As evidenced in the nominations received, she accomplishes all of this and more.”
Through the CIP, Lewis organizes international student orientation and its activities. She also helps students with F-1 and J-1 Visa regulations, and study abroad programs in Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean and Spain. Her passion for study abroad came from a trip to Spain while she was in high school and her own undergraduate experience studying abroad in Mexico.
Gonzalez noted that nominators said Lewis makes herself available to meet individually with students and listens well to help solve a variety of challenges with compassion. Beyond academics, she helps students by assisting in critical matters such as taxes and legal documentation. Plus, during winter break, many international students stay on campus with Lewis organizing grocery trips, meals and events, making being away from home much easier.
Members of the 2023–24 President’s Student Ambassadors stand to be recognized at Founders Day
Members of the 2024-25 President’s Student Ambassadors stand to be recognized at Founders Day.
Founders Day attendees applaud Lux Esto Award recipient Bruce Mills.
Gonzalez also recognized the students who served as President’s Student Ambassadors in the 2023–24 academic year and introduced those who will serve the College beginning this fall in 2024–25. As student leaders, President’s Student Ambassadors serve as an extension of the president’s hospitality at events and gatherings, welcoming alumni and guests of the College with a spirit of inclusion. About 15 students serve as ambassadors each academic year. The students selected show strong communication skills; demonstrate leadership through academic life, student life or community service; and maintain a minimum grade-point average.
The 2023-24 ambassadors have been:
Madison Barch ’24
Gabriel Coleman ’24
Blake Filkins ’26
Grey Gardner ’26
Emily Haigh ’24
James Hauke ’26
Madeline Hollander ’25
Gavin Houtkooper ‘25
Renai Huang ’24
Lukas Hultberg ’24
Jessica Kaplan ’26
Alex Nam ’25
Blagoja Naskovski ’24
Isabella Pellegrom ‘25
Tyrus Parnell, Jr. ’25
Maxwell Rhames ‘25
Emmeline Wendel ’24
Ava Williams ‘25
The 2024-25 ambassadors succeeding this year’s seniors will be:
The University of Notre Dame’s math department chair will visit Kalamazoo College at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, to deliver the annual Kitchen Lecture.
Professor David Galvin will deliver a talk titled “Question Everything: Paradoxes, Surprises and Counterintuitive Truths” in the Hornets Suite, 1600 W. Michigan Ave. He will discuss mathematics as an exact science that contains oddities and paradoxes that have serious implications and consequences in the real world. By the end of the discussion, attendees should expect to see that it’s a wise strategy to take nothing for granted and question everything.
Galvin has been teaching at Notre Dame since 2013 since serving the University of Illinois, the Newton Institute and the University of Washington as a visiting professor. He also completed postdoctoral work at the University of Pennsylvania after obtaining a Ph.D. in math from Rutgers University, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cambridge University.
The George Kitchen Memorial Lectureship was established at K in 1999 to honor the life of George Kitchen, a mathematician who had been an inspiration to students and fellow mathematics educators throughout his teaching career at Portage Northern High School. Kitchen believed that a love for mathematics and its applications could be cultivated in every student.
The lectureship is supported through gifts from his students, friends and colleagues. It provides high school students and educators with an opportunity to hear mathematicians speak about their work at a level intended for high school students. The public is welcome to attend.
More information on this event is available by contacting Physics, Math and Computer Science Office Coordinator Kristen Eldred at 269.337.7100 or keldred@kzoo.edu.
University of Notre Dame Professor of Mathematics David Galvin will deliver the Kitchen Lecture at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, in the Hornets Suite at Kalamazoo College, 1600 W. Michigan Ave.
Kalamazoo College is spotlighting its President’s Student Ambassadors to let you know who they are and the roles they serve for K. As student leaders, ambassadors serve as an extension of the president’s hospitality at events and gatherings, welcoming alumni and guests of the College with a spirit of inclusion. About 15 students serve as ambassadors each academic year. The students selected show strong communication skills and demonstrate leadership through academic life, student life or community service. Meet Gavin Houtkooper ’25through a Q-and-A conducted with Social Media Ambassador Blagoja Naskovski ’24.
Gavin Houtkooper ’25, from Battle Creek, Michigan, majors in business with minors in Spanish and computer science. He is a member of the Kalamazoo College men’s soccer team, a treasurer of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, a national honor society that recognizes excellence from a student’s first year.
What’s your favorite part of your K Experience?
My favorite part about being a student at K is the outstanding people that I get to be around daily, my fellow classmates and my world-class professors. I also love that the K-Plan allows me to take control of my education and take the classes in areas that I am interested in. Through the K-Plan, I have been able to continue playing the sport I love (soccer), I will be studying abroad in Madrid, Spain, this spring, and I have obtained internships through our fantastic alumni network.
Why did you accept the invitation to serve as a President’s Student Ambassador?
“I decided to serve as a President’s Student Ambassador (PSA) because a teammate on the men’s soccer team was in the program and told me about the amazing experience he had. He met alumni, got an internship through the people he met and then turned that into his first job out of college. After hearing his story, applying to be a PSA was a priority for me.”
Through the K-Plan, President’s Student Ambassador Gavin Houtkooper plays soccer, is studying abroad in Madrid, and has earned outstanding internships.
Houtkooper is a treasurer of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, an honor society that salutes first-year excellence.
A teammate from Kalamazoo College’s men’s soccer team told Gavin Houtkooper about being a President’s Student Ambassador, inspiring Houtkooper to seek the position.As a President’s Student Ambassador, Houtkooper enjoys meeting K alumni when they return to campus for events. He says K alumni have done some incredible work in the world, and in his experience, they are always looking to give back to current students.Houtkooper encourages new President’s Student Ambassadors to attend as many events as they can to talk with alumni because one conversation can create life-changing connections.
What is your favorite part of being a President’s Student Ambassador?
“My favorite part of being a PSA is meeting K alumni when they come back home to K for events. Our alumni have done some incredible work in the world, and in my experience, they are always looking to give back to current students. Through my conversations with alumni, I was able to navigate the internship search process and ultimately land one for this coming summer.”
What would you recommend for the incoming President’s Student Ambassadors in 2024–25?
“I would recommend that any new PSA attend as many events as possible. We never know who we will talk to at a given event. But in my experience, one conversation can create life-changing connections with an alum who may be able to help you navigate life after K.”
Kalamazoo College is spotlighting its President’s Student Ambassadors to let you know who they are and the roles they serve for K. As student leaders, ambassadors serve as an extension of the president’s hospitality at events and gatherings, welcoming alumni and guests of the College with a spirit of inclusion. About 15 students serve as ambassadors each academic year. The students selected show strong communication skills and demonstrate leadership through academic life, student life or community service. Meet Emmeline Wendel ’24 through a Q-and-A conducted with Social Media Ambassador Blagoja Naskovski ’24.
Emmeline Wendel ’24, from Seattle, Washington, is pursuing a double major in international and area studies with a focus on Western Europe and Spanish with a Chinese minor. On campus, she works at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership as an event coordinator, as a program mentor for the Caceres, Spain, study abroad program, and she is the president of the Chinese Language and Culture Club. In previous years, she worked as a civic engagement scholar for Students for Reproductive Freedom at the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement.
What’s your favorite part of being a student at K?
“My favorite part of being a student at K is all the opportunities to leave campus and become an engaged global citizen. Whether I am conducting a digital humanities project in St. Louis, enhancing my writing skills and knowledge about sustainability in Costa Rica, or improving my Spanish-speaking skills in Spain, K allows me to incorporate soft politics into my education and pursue my international career and network.”
President’s Student Ambassador Emmeline Wendel ’24 works at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership as an event coordinator, is a program mentor for the Caceres, Spain, study abroad program, and serves as the president of the Chinese Language and Culture Club.
Wendel discusses the Lunar New Year celebration at Kalamazoo College.
Wendel visited cities throughout Europe such as London when she was participating in study abroad in
Cáceres, Spain.
Wendel (second from left) is the president of the Chinese Language and Culture Club at Kalamazoo College
Why did you accept the invitation to serve as a President’s Student Ambassador?
“I decided I wanted to serve as a President’s Student Ambassador because I am grateful for all the financial support opportunities I have received from the college. I want to ensure two things for other current and prospective K students: They can engage in the same if not more opportunities like me and enhance the college experience by acknowledging and collaborating with others to solve issues on campus.”
What is your favorite part of being a President’s Student Ambassador?
“My favorite part of being a PSA is having the opportunity to familiarize myself with philanthropy campaigns and events that involve outreach with alumni.”
What would you recommend for the incoming President’s Student Ambassadorsin 2024–25?
“I would recommend that a student highlight and celebrate all the little, big and in-between accomplishments, studies and extracurriculars/ communities you are a part of. That being said, I would also remind K students to be thoughtful about where, when and who they give their energy because in order to uplift a community, you must take care of yourself first.”
A Kalamazoo College student is being honored by a national nonprofit organization for his work as a K Votes Civic Engagement Scholar.
Nik Krupka ’24, a philosophy and political science double major, is one of 137 students from across the country to reach the Student Voting Honor Roll through the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, an initiative of Civic Nation.
The challenge is celebrating advocates such as Krupka, who advance on-campus, nonpartisan efforts to achieve excellence in democratic engagement while improving civic learning and voter participation. Civic Nation works to build a more inclusive country by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders and influencers to tackle social challenges.
“It is an honor to be recognized among the other students from around the country for the work we have done here at K,” Krupka said. “I feel humbled to be among so many others since it shows the extent to which these projects are collaborative. Fostering an engaged community is a job much larger than a single person, and it was inspiring to see that, in fact, far more than just one person has taken up this task. I hope that K continues to see its students honored in similar ways as the years go on, and I know it will be so.”
Nik Krupka ’24 (left) is one of 137 students from across the country to reach the Student Voting Honor Roll through the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, thanks to his work as a K Votes Civic Engagement Scholar.
Krupka helped his peers at K register to vote, learn about the issues at stake, and find information on critical ballot measures in local and state races in 2023 through K Votes, the non-partisan coalition that informs K students, faculty and staff members about voting and civic engagement through the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement (CCE). He said he initially found out about K Votes through a friend he met in a Constitutional and Race Law class taught by Associate Professor of Political Science Justin Berry last year.
“Before then, I had never really engaged with the program,” Krupka said. “My friend was graduating at the time, and I was looking for a way to get out of my shell since I tend to keep to myself, so I was excited to meet the folks at the CCE when he connected us. Over that summer, I met with the CCE several times to talk more about my interests—particularly in the institutional dynamics of social change—and how they fit into the overarching vision for K Votes. I was over the moon when everyone at the CCE put their trust in me, especially inasmuch as this would be an amazing way to further develop those interests. That said, it was also a chance for me to expand my comfort zone and orient my efforts toward service more broadly. I’m proud to do work that I can stand behind that gets people critically thinking about their roles in this sometimes-confusing political system.”
The CCE aims to provide everyone—from first-time voters to those who have voted for years—information on the voting process, registration and knowledge regarding what their vote means. It has worked with dozens of faculty and staff for more than 15 years to support student-voter engagement. In recent years, CCE post-baccalaureate fellows and paid student Civic Engagement Scholars have built community connections and campus structures through K Votes. Those efforts have helped hundreds of students through quarterly voter education events, democratic advocacy and activism, and the countless individual efforts by students to get their votes cast.
“It’s important for every community to vote and make themselves heard,” Krupka said. “Kalamazoo College students, staff and faculty are no exception to that. What can be said about K in particular, is that its community takes to heart many of the things a liberal arts education seeks to imbue its students with. We gladly take up the research, critical thinking, teamwork and communication needed for productive political thought, and that should inspire us with the confidence to go out and push for the changes we want to see in the world. To this end, it is important to reject the notion that what we do here is of purely instrumental value. We don’t—or shouldn’t—come here just because it is a stepping stone to a job or graduate education later on. To really embrace the value of what we do here, K’s community needs to get involved, whether that means voting or something else. K Votes has shown me how small a part of our learning takes place in the classroom alone. The world is bigger than what is in our books.”
ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Executive Director Jennifer Domagal-Goldman said students have a powerful role to play in fostering active and engaged campuses and getting their peers to participate in democracy regardless of whether it’s a presidential election year or one with critical state and local races on the ballot.
“These honorees hosted candidate information sessions, created guides on polling location accessibility, registered their peers to vote and so much more,” she said. “We know these students will continue to make a difference in our democracy.”
For more information on the CCE, K Votes and Civic Engagement Scholars, visit the CCE website.
Kalamazoo College is spotlighting its President’s Student Ambassadors to let you know who they are and the roles they serve for K. As student leaders, ambassadors serve as an extension of the president’s hospitality at events and gatherings, welcoming alumni and guests of the College with a spirit of inclusion. About 15 students serve as ambassadors each academic year. The students selected show strong communication skills and demonstrate leadership through academic life, student life or community service. Meet Maxwell Rhames ’25 through a Q-and-A conducted with Social Media Ambassador Blagoja Naskovski ’24.
Maxwell Rhames ’25 from Adrian, Michigan, is a chemistry major with minors in anthropology and sociology. He is involved heavily with the chemistry department as a research student and a teaching assistant. He is also a member of the Academy Street Winds, a leader of K’s chemistry club, and a member of Higher-Level Education in Dow, an organization that seeks to eliminate boundaries for students pursuing graduate school in the natural sciences after K.
What’s your favorite part of your K Experience?
“My absolute favorite part about being a student at K is working alongside such amazing faculty. The professors here are exquisite and truly care about making sure that their students understand the material and can apply it in relevant and advanced ways.”
Why did you accept the invitation to serve as a President’s Student Ambassador?
President’s Student Ambassador Maxwell Rhames ’25 is a research student and teaching assistant in the chemistry department.
Rhames, Arias-Rotondo and Ann Marie Johnston ’24 talk about undergraduate research in this video produced by Ethan Galler ’25.
Rhames (left) helps Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniela Arias-Rotondo and Caelan Frazier ’23, in the lab in the summer of 2022.
Rhames (second from right) was among five students who participated in the American Chemical Society Conference in Indianapolis in winter 2022. He was joined by Shay Brown ’23, Crystal Mendoza ’23, Lindsey Baker ’24, Arias-Rotondo and Frazier.
“I wanted to serve as a President’s Student Ambassador so that I could share the wonders of the K College community and student body with alumni and friends of the College. As an ambassador, I find it very rewarding to be able to meet an incredibly diverse group of people and share my K story with them and hear their stories in response.”
What is your favorite part of being a President’s Student Ambassador?
“My favorite part about the President’s Student Ambassador program is the ability to work so closely with President’s Staff and interact frequently with members of the College community, such as alumni and friends of the College. Being able to speak with these individuals and share my experiences and stories has proven incredibly rewarding and is by far my favorite part of the role.”
What would you recommend for the incoming President’s Student Ambassadors in 2024–25?
“I would recommend that interested students speak with current ambassadors to hear more about what the program entails. In general, I think that any interested students should absolutely apply to become a President’s Student Ambassador because it is an incredibly rewarding role!”
The ECO Club and Art Club got together to take recycling materials and express themselves in collaborative artwork for the sake of reducing waste.
The two organizations used items such as cans, plastic bottles, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, toilet paper tubes, plastic bags and egg cartons in creating art.
Sustainability is an issue that unites many student organizations at Kalamazoo College, making collaboration natural.
Two Kalamazoo College student organizations took a cooperative approach to conservation this year by testing the theory that one person’s trash can be another’s treasure.
The Environmental Conservation Organization (ECO) Club and Art Club got together to take recycling materials—such as cans, plastic bottles, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, toilet paper tubes, plastic bags, egg cartons and more—and express themselves in collaborative artwork for the sake of reducing waste.
Geneva Hannibal ’26, Claire Kischer ’26 and Gwen Crowder Smith ’26 have guided Art Club since the beginning of the calendar year with their president, Sage Lewis ’25, on study abroad.
“Art Club is special to me because as a biology major, I won’t regularly be taking art classes,” Hannibal said. “I really love art, and as a first-year student, Art Club gave me and my friends the opportunity, space, and materials to continue doing art in college. Art Club was described to me as a place for everyone to participate in the visual arts, especially for those who aren’t in art classes.”
She said Randa Alnaas ’27 of ECO Club was among the first to approach Art Club about working together. Saying yes to her was a no-brainer.
“Like most people our age, all three of us value sustainability,” Hannibal said. “I think the success of this will be that more students are interested in Art Club and ECO Club. We’d love to see more people come to us with ideas like Randa did, even if it isn’t for collaborations with other student orgs. Anything that gets students inspired to take on leadership roles or help with events is a success.”
Noah Pyle ’25, a task force leader for ECO Club, said busy schedules prevented cooperation between the groups last year, but once a get-together was on the calendar, securing materials proved to be easy.
Noah Pyle, a task force leader for ECO Club, said busy schedules prevented cooperation between the groups last year, but once a get-together was on the calendar, securing materials such as cans, plastic bottles, and cardboard proved to be easy.
Randa Alnaas of ECO Club was among the first to approach Art Club about working together. Geneva Hannibal said saying yes to her was a no-brainer.
“It’s nice being a part of ECO because sustainability is something that everyone cares about at K,” said Shahriar Akhavan Tafti (right). “The possibilities for collaboration here are almost limitless.”
Students can find more information about ECO Club at bit.ly/ECO-CLUB or on Instagram at @kzooeco. They also can check out Art Club on Instagram at @kzooartclub.
“We sent out emails to say if you have these items, and you’re willing to clean and donate them for our event, we’d be more than happy to take them off your hands,” he said. “We ended up getting a decent amount of material. Just from that request, we received enough for people to be at the event the whole time and keep busy making their projects.”
Shahriar Akhavan Tafti ’24 of ECO Club said the meetings with Art Club exemplified how K student organizations can come together in a liberal arts environment, foster a community that is environmentally conscious and artistically vibrant, and nurture a passion for the arts and sustainability.
“It’s nice being a part of ECO because sustainability is something that everyone cares about at K,” he said. “The possibilities for collaboration here are almost limitless.”
Students can find more information about ECO Club at bit.ly/ECO-CLUB or on Instagram at @kzooeco. They also can check out Art Club on Instagram at @kzooartclub.
You’ve selected a small plastic peg (pink for female, blue for male), popped it in one of the four available station wagons, and placed it on the colorful board. You’ve chosen your starting direction—college or career—and off you’ve driven, spinning the whirring, ticking wheel and faithfully following the path. Collecting paydays, halting for marriage and the requisite spousal peg, adding baby pegs to your car as landing spaces dictate. Buying houses, hoping to make a profit when you sell. Advancing on the pre-determined path toward retirement, always with an eye to amassing as much wealth as possible along the way; that, after all, is how you win at the Game of Life.
Maybe you drive that path without questioning. Or maybe you wonder, every time: Why do I have to get married? Shouldn’t there be more forks in the road? Can I invent my own career path? What if winning wasn’t tied to wealth?
Growing up, Maddie Hurley ’24 loved playing the Game of Life with her two brothers or with a babysitter. A kid with a big imagination, Hurley’s play often centered around stories—narrating Barbie’s life, developing family dramas through playing house and reading books.
“I think I liked this board game specifically because it has that imaginative aspect,” Hurley said. “I could pretend I was a person with this home, or doing this career, and play out this made-up scenario.”
For the most part, she didn’t question the game too much as a child.
“I remember there were times, though, where I was like, ‘I don’t want to get married,’” Hurley said. “Or times where I would land on a square or draw a card that would tell me I had a boy or a girl, and I would be like, ‘I don’t want any boys. I only want girls,’ or I wouldn’t want to use a pink peg. I didn’t want to be a boy, but I wanted the color blue. I also remember wanting the highest-paid career so I could buy the most stuff and retire to the nicest place at the end; I always wanted to be the lawyer.”
Hurley found herself reflecting on what lessons she might have unknowingly absorbed from the Game of Life’s proscribed path and limited options during a junior-year women, gender and sexuality (WGS) seminar, WGS 390: Feminist and Queer Inquiries, with Assistant Professor of Art History and WGS Anne Marie Butler.
One text from the class that especially resonated with Hurley, Living a Feminist Life, by Sara Ahmed, explores life paths and happiness, and how society shapes our beliefs about those concepts. An article she came across in her independent research, “That Wasn’t Very Free Thinker” by Kim Hackford-Peer, relates a story of the author attending her son’s elementary school assembly. To show how the letter Q is always paired with U, second grade students acted out marriage between the quarterbacks and the queens.
Maddie Hurley ’24 reimagined the Game of Life to be more inclusive and exploratory as part of a junior-year women, gender and sexuality (WGS) seminar, WGS 390: Feminist and Queer Inquiries.
Biochemistry major Maddie Hurley ’24 values the women, gender and sexuality (WGS) courses she has taken at K. “I took WGS 101 my sophomore year and I loved it. It had a big impact on me and changed the way I not only thought about our world and our society, but about myself. It had me questioning my own sexuality, the way I think of gender, the way I think of race. It was so applicable to everything in everyday life.” For WGS 390, Hurley used scholarly literature to deconstruct and reimagine the Game of Life and examine the concepts of heteronormativity and happiness.
“Although it’s an innocent idea and a fun way to help kids learn to spell, it’s so rooted in heteronormativity and gender fatalism,” Hurley said. “Those readings got me thinking about how these life paths have been constructed for me starting at a young age. What did I play? What movies did I watch? That led me to believe I have to get a job, be successful, get married, have kids, and buy a house, or I’m not going to be happy. How did I develop this belief? Where did it come from? Sorting through that reflection and thinking about what I did growing up, I ended up at the Game of Life.”
For her final project for the class, Hurley decided to reconstruct the Game of Life, so it no longer sent the message that there exists one, heteronormative path to happiness. Drawing on scholarly literature, she designed new elements to the game and analyzed the concepts of happiness and heteronormativity as well as the ways systems reinforce the dominant heteronormative narrative.
“Ahmed talks about the Middle English word ‘hap,’ which really means chance,” Hurley said. “You can’t complete certain steps to gain happiness. It’s something that you fall upon—something that just happens.”
So, Hurley included a square on the board that prompts players to draw from an emotion deck that may or may not provide them with a happiness card—the key to winning Hurley’s version—at random. She also introduced more options to many game elements.
“You can choose not to get married or you can choose multiple partners. You could choose to have kids or not have kids. You could get a pet. I included more jobs, like being a janitor or an artist. Instead of buying houses, you could be a traveler. You don’t even have to use a car or a person peg; there could be random player pieces you could choose. I wanted it to be very open-ended.
“I wanted no hierarchy of what is better and what is worse. You can just explore, and no matter which options you choose, you can still win, because everybody has the same opportunity to pull the happiness card.”
Another article the WGS 390 students read, “Punks, Bulldaggers and Welfare Queens: The Radical Potential of Queer Politics” by Cathy Cohen, brought home to Hurley the importance of avoiding a false dichotomy between queerness and heterosexuality. She made the game as inclusive as possible by adding to rather than replacing the traditional path of career, marriage, children, retirement.
“I wanted to make the board more extravagant,” Hurley said. “More pathways, more options. There is not one path to happiness, and we should all question things in our lives—the choices we’ve made, why we made those choices, the impact our experiences have had on our beliefs of life goals, happiness, what it means to be successful. Sara Ahmed wrote something like, ‘To live a feminist life is to question your way of life.’ I loved that, it really stuck with me, and I hope this project could make people question the games they’ve played, the shows they’ve watched, and how those things have influenced them.”
Hurley continues to question and explore her own choices and path. Even as she applied to Ph.D. programs in chemical biology and biochemistry, she asked herself if this was the future she wanted or simply the one she felt was expected.
“As of now, I am going to defer my enrollment a year to the University of Illinois, take a gap year, gain some work experience, and then circle back and see if this is something I want to do,” Hurley said. “I do like science, and I do like school. We’ll see.”
Hurley grew interested in a possible career in research while completing her Senior Integrated Project (SIP), which involved a research experience in a chemical biology lab at the University of Illinois over summer 2023. She has also participated in research at K, in Assistant Professor of Chemistry Blake Tresca’s lab. Other K experiences include studying abroad in Scotland, playing tennis and serving as president of the Food Recovery Network, as well as exploring the WGS offerings.
“Before going into this seminar, I didn’t recognize how heteronormativity is always in the background,” Hurley said. “We as a society don’t process it, because it is normalized, institutionally, through media, in board games. For anyone who deviates from that heteronormative path, there is always a fear of unhappiness, judgment, lack of success. This course and the readings helped me realize how those expectations were socially constructed. How many people have followed that path and are unhappy? It helped me reframe that perspective that heteronormativity tells us what will lead to happiness. You can’t achieve happiness, it’s just something that happens. Sometimes happiness is just there.”
Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Collective Undergraduate Research and Activism e-Conference
Five Kalamazoo College students, including Maddie Hurley ’24, presented their work during the Great Lakes Colleges Association’s Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Collective undergraduate research and activism e-conference on March 28–29.
Anne Marie Butler, Kalamazoo College assistant professor of art history and women, gender and sexuality (WGS), is a co-convenor of the collective and a conference organizer. Held annually for four years, each conference has included K students. Participation develops professional skills, including public speaking and creating a presentation for an external audience, and offers experience that serves students well whatever their next step may be. The conference also features two professional development panels, one focused on careers and one on graduate school.
“Many students present their senior research or SIP, so it provides a practice run if they have a departmental presentation, and a chance for them to share their work with a wider audience,” Butler said. “Students who attend the conference but don’t present can see the amazing research their peers are doing and will hopefully be inspired to present in a future year. I encouraged all of my students from my spring 2023 junior seminar, as well as my SIP students and other students from my classes to apply, and I was so happy that Maddie was interested, because her project does a great job of applying some of the theory we read in class to create a fun and innovative project.”
A biochemistry major, Hurley had previously participated in a poster session at an undergraduate science research conference. In addition to a different presentation format and a virtual experience, the WGS conference offered a different atmosphere.
“It was more open and flexible, and discussion based,” Hurley said. “It was nice to have a conversation about my project with other students and learn about the research they did, to see that we were all genuinely interested and learn about somebody else’s experience.”
Butler said the conference is for students of all years and majors.
“As long as the project ties into WGS themes in some way, we welcome those presentations,” Butler said. “We love creative, activist and research projects, and we have had projects from areas as diverse as biology, visual art, psychology, music and languages. Maddie is an awesome student. She’s very thoughtful and committed to understanding and working with course materials and makes great connections and applications beyond the materials as well, as seen in her project.”
K students presented the following projects at the conference:
Ryan Drew ’24, “The Epistemology of Woman: A Poetic Conversation Deconstructing Biology and Language”
Brynna Garden ’24, “The Influence of Natural Disasters on Violence Against Women”
Maddie Hurley ’24, “Remaking the Game of Life and Reframing Happiness”
Dugan Schneider ’24, “Breaking Linguistic Norms: オネエ言葉 (Onē Kotoba) as a Vehicle for Queer Identity Expression in Contemporary Japan”
Frances Trimble ’24, “(Re)imagining Knowledge Production in Higher Education Through Feminist Pedagogy”
Environmentally focused students are leading Earth Week events at Kalamazoo College this year.
Events will begin at 4 p.m. Friday, April 19, when K student organizations, the Environmental Stewardship Center and climate-action groups from around the city will gather for a climate rally at Bronson Park. Hear from sustainability-focused speakers and network with local environmentalists. The event is organized by Western Michigan University’s Climate Change Working Group and the ARDEA Youth Climate Coalition. K students interested in attending can gather in Red Square at 3:30 p.m. to walk to Bronson Park as a group.
Also Friday, Camran Stack ’24 and the student composting crew will host the K community at The Grove, between the Living Learning Houses and the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, for some cathartic composting in Rot Your Troubles at 6 p.m. Write down your fears, troubles and pet peeves on compostable materials, and transform them into healthy and abundant soil that supports plant life.
Then, join the student Bike Co-Op for a ride along the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail beginning at 4:10 p.m. Monday, April 22. Ten bikes are available through Outdoor Programs for student use on a first-come, first-served basis. The ride will depart from the Dewaters Hall parking lot. Or, if you want to enjoy nature a bit closer to campus, join Jessalyn Vrieland ’24 and the other Hoop House Interns from 4:30–6 p.m. for some gardening with food crops. By the way, watch for more information on a Hoop House After Dusk on Friday, April 26, in collaboration with the Kalamazoo College Council of Student Representatives (KCCSR). Dress up in earth tones, enjoy some snacks and have fun with crafts.
Finally, the annual Senior Integrated Project (SIP) Symposium focused on sustainability will kick off with a keynote address at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, in Dewing Hall, Room 103. Ashley Cole-Wick of the Michigan Natural Features Inventory will discuss her work to protect species of butterflies. Students then will present their SIPs in environmental studies, critical ethnic studies, biology and more at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, in the Hicks Student Center Banquet Room.
Earth Week events at Kalamazoo College are planned for Friday, April 19-Wednesday, April 24. Join Hoop House interns including Jessalyn Vrieland ’24 for an open house on Monday.
“Sustainability is about making a dedication to and caring for this Earth that has existed since before we were here,” Vrieland said. “It’s important to remember that what we do impacts the environment. It’s something that we should make space for and exist alongside rather than over.”
For more information on Earth Week and other environmental efforts at the College, visit the Sustainability at K website.
Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez has been elected to a three-year term on the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) Board. Gonzalez will represent Region V, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
“It is an honor to be joining the NAICU Board of Directors,” said Gonzalez. “This organization plays a pivotal role in advocating for and protecting the independence of private, nonprofit higher education institutions and it is committed to promoting access to higher education for every student, regardless of financial background.”
Founded in 1976, NAICU represents 1,700 institutions in the U.S. and is the only national membership organization solely focused on representing private, nonprofit higher education on public policy issues in Washington, DC. NAICU board members set the association’s agenda on federal higher education policy, actively encourage support for the association’s priorities and initiatives, and oversee the organization’s financial administration.
Gonzalez has served as K’s president since July 2016. He previously served Occidental College as its vice president for academic affairs and dean from 2010–2016. Before working at Occidental, Gonzalez was an economics faculty member at Trinity University for 21 years.
Gonzalez served as the president of the International Trade and Finance Association in 2014. He is the president of the Board of the F.W. and Elsie L. Heyl Science Scholarship Fund, the chair of the Board of Directors of the Great Lakes Colleges Association, and serves on the boards of the Annapolis Group, the American Council on Education, Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities, Michigan Colleges Alliance, Bronson Healthcare Group, Kalamazoo Community Foundation, and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez will represent NAICU’s Region V, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.
