Professor of English Babli Sinha has received a fellowship administrative position sponsored by the Great Lakes Colleges Association as Kalamazoo College’s director of AI and education.
In this role, she will develop guidelines and policies for AI use in conjunction with K’s Gen AI Coordinating team and its Teaching and Learning Committee. Her responsibilities will include developing faculty resources to foster critical thinking about AI and pedagogy; creating opportunities for dialogue about AI technologies among faculty, staff and students; and gathering information about the promises and limitations of AI in various disciplines, divisions and departments.
The GLCA cohort of fellows including Sinha will meet regularly to foster their professional and leadership development while grounded in self-reflection and strategic self-awareness. Together, they will share their learning, successes and challenges on their project and administrative responsibilities with each other.
Sinha will serve through the 2026–27 and 2027–28 academic years.
Professor of English Babli Sinha has received a fellowship administrative position sponsored by the Great Lakes Colleges Association.
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 ’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.
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.
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.
Bernice Mike ’26 (from left), Mo Silcott ’27 and Grace Helmbolt ’29 rehearse for “The Country Wife.”
A fresh adaptation of a Restoration-era comedy will bring sharp satire, tangled relationships and plenty of laughs when the Festival Playhouse at Kalamazoo College, 129 Thompson St., presents William Wycherly’sThe Country Wife.
Directed by Professor of Theatre Arts Ren Pruis, the production will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14–Saturday, May 16, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 17. The Thursday performance will include a post-show talkback with cast members and a reception. Tickets are available online at the playhouse’s box office.
Adapted by Rachel Atkins from the classic comedy, The Country Wife follows three interconnected stories that blend comedy, deception and social commentary while exploring themes of gender expectations, desire and independence.
Assistant Director Hannah Ulanoski ’26 said K audiences will enjoy the new spin on an old play as it follows Margery Pinchwife, who is trying to escape her overly controlling and jealous husband before he relocates them to the isolated countryside.
“Our production is based around the idea that the audience is sitting in on a rehearsal, so I think they’ll get a kick out of the mishmash of modern and Restoration-esque costuming and props on stage,” she said. “Compared to the original text, this version is centered more around the women of the town, and in the case of the virtuous ladies, they are shown to have a ton of autonomy.”
Actor Ben Perry ’28, who portrays Jack Pinchwife, the show offers far more than a traditional comedy.
“This play is super funny with ridiculous events occurring left and right,” Perry said. “I guarantee you will laugh out loud during multiple moments. This feels like a long episode of a sitcom, where you don’t know what’s going to happen in the next scene, but it’s going to be better than you can imagine.”
Perry describes his character as an emotionally complicated man whose fear of losing his wife fuels much of the play’s tension.
“He truly loves his wife but believes there is no other choice but to manipulate those around him,” Perry said. “It’s fun playing the antagonist in a show that has an ensemble of troubled people because I have to stand out in a way that the others can’t.”
To capture the humor, Perry said he leans into an exaggerated, almost cartoonish style of anger inspired by classic animated characters such as Daffy Duck and Donald Duck. Although this marks Perry’s first appearance in a K production, he brings extensive experience to the role, having performed in approximately 50 shows. He said he appreciates how Festival Playhouse productions balance entertainment and meaningful storytelling.
“Through this comedy, they are telling another story of empowering women’s voices and choices through laughter and satire,” Perry said. “This is the right amount of silly that keeps audiences entertained scene to scene while also keeping them engaged with the overall story.”
Both Perry and Ulanoski praised Pruis’ collaborative directing style.
“She’s very serious about the work she does and brings a sense of professionalism to each rehearsal,” Ulanoski said. “I admire that about her. As a theatre major, there’s a lot to take away from this experience, even if I don’t pursue directing in the future.”
Perry added that he appreciates how Pruis allows actors to build on the foundation they’re given, which he said is a rare quality in directors. He also loves the welcoming atmosphere created by the cast and crew at the Festival Playhouse.
“I’m a transfer student from Michigan State and didn’t know many of the people that I was auditioning with,” Perry said. “I could’ve been met with neglect and felt like I was an outsider during this process, but I was quickly welcomed in. If you have been in theatre before, you know that auditions can often feel like a competition against your other castmates. However, this was probably the most pleasant audition process I ever went through, mostly because of the encouragement and conversations I shared with my peers. I am lucky to have this opportunity to perform with these intelligent and fine actors that I share the stage with.”
Perry and Ulanoski believe audiences will connect with the play’s emotional depth and unpredictability.
“This feels like a show for anyone to enjoy,” Perry said. “There are common lewd jokes, relationship dramas, and if you stick around long enough, maybe a sword will be used.”
“The Country Wife is a good play for the Festival Playhouse because it’s honestly really funny, and it feels good to laugh sometimes,” Ulanoski added. “The name of this year’s season is ‘For Your Entertainment’ and this show fits in perfectly.”
Africa Month: Homecoming will focus on the category of home and the mobilities that carry people to and from their homes, across land, time, memory and knowledge.
Kalamazoo College will host world-renowned scholars, artists, filmmakers and performers from four continents Thursday, May 14–Saturday, May 16, for its second annual Africa Month. The assemblage will provide a space of conviviality and community for conversations, meals and joyful music at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, 205 Monroe St.
Director of African Studies Dominique Somda, Assistant Professor of French Manfa Sanogo, Associate Professor of Anthropology Espelencia Baptiste and Professor of English Babli Sinha are the event’s convenors.
In 2025, the first edition of Africa Month helped K relaunch its African studies concentration while invited scholars and the community rethought and questioned their knowledge of Africa and from Africa. This year’s edition, themed Homecoming, turns its focus to the category of home and to the mobilities that carry people to and from their homes, across land, time, memory and knowledge. The event offers a space to think through African studies in its broadest sense, embracing Africans and the homes of African descendants alike.
“Home, in postcolonial thought, is never a stable or innocent place,” Somda said. “It is both a site of return and a terrain of struggle. Homecoming asks what it means to return when histories of colonial violence, displacement and extraction have profoundly transformed the conditions of belonging.”
Sinha said that the exploration of this theme will take place through a variety of media including art, film, scholarship and music, “reflecting the ethos of the liberal arts as it explores Africanness through many forms of knowledge and expression in dialogue with each other.”
Sanogo said the continuation of Africa Month helps establish a lasting tradition of K engagement and institutional commitment to centering African and diasporic voices, knowledge, culture and lived experiences.
“Calling it Homecoming highlights the importance of creating a space where these experiences can circulate across borders and generations,” he said. “We hope this program will resonate both on campus and in the broader Kalamazoo community.”
Presenters, speakers and panelists will include:
Cheikh A. Thiam, professor of English and Black studies, Amherst College
Sakiko Nakao, assistant professor of African history and French, University of Tokyo
Hilary Jones, director of graduate studies for history, University of Kentucky
Alain Kassanda, filmmaker
Julia Woods ’20, New York University Ph.D. candidate
Brian Klein and Justine Davis, Afro-American and African studies assistant professors, University of Michigan
Klara Boyer-Rossol, historian, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Franck Rakotobe, assistant professor of French at the American University of Paris
Erol Josué, a Vodou priest, performer and director general of Haiti’s National Bureau of Ethnology
Espelencia Baptiste, Kalamazoo College associate professor of anthropology
“This is a new annual rendezvous: a place to learn, think and celebrate in a world where Africa and Africans are too often seen only through the lens of lack,” Somda said. “The event of the year, Homecoming, speaks to experiences we all carry: mobility, nostalgia, the journey away and the journey back.”
Cheikh Thiam
Sakiko Nakao
Alain Kassanda
Hilary Jones
Julia Woods ’20
Brian Ikaika Klein
Justine Maisha Davis
Klara Bover-Rossol
Franck Rakotobe
Erol Josué
Africa Month: Homecoming
“Homecoming, especially for Africans in the diaspora, asks us to think about homemaking by negotiating history, identity, power and mobility. It is a constant search for stability and meaning in spaces and places shaped by colonial disruptions and global economic inequalities.”
— Kalamazoo College Associate Professor of Anthropology Espelencia Baptiste
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.
Kalamazoo College students help youths in the Community Advocates for Parents and Students (CAPS) program learn about acids and bases during a demonstration at Interfaith Homes.
Kalamazoo College students Carter Haley ’28 and Gloria Jackson ’26 are working to expand access to science education for local youth, creating opportunities for hands-on learning both in the community and on campus. Through K’s Center for Civic Engagement (CCE), they mentor Kalamazoo Public Schools students as part of Community Advocates for Parents and Students (CAPS), a grassroots program serving youth at Interfaith Homes. On Tuesday, May 5, they will bring those students to the College for Family Science Night—an annual event open to all KPS families—offering interactive science activities and a firsthand look at college life.
In addition to participating in experiments, the young scholars will tour key campus spaces including the Center for Civic Engagement, Hicks Student Center and a residence hall before sharing a meal in the dining hall. The goal, Haley said, is to help students envision themselves in a college environment.
“I feel school can sometimes be traumatizing for marginalized groups, and I want to try to break the barrier between academia and fun,” Haley said. “We are here every day doing what they will be doing. We can show them the faces we see and the spaces we go. It matters that we can show them they can get to the same place.”
Organized through the College’s physical science departments and coordinated by Assistant Professor of Chemistry Cecilia Vollbrecht, Family Science Night invites KPS families to explore science demonstrations led by K students. No registration is required. In past years, as many as 160 community members have attended, with about 40 K students volunteering as demonstrators alongside campus organizations such as Sisters in Science and the College’s chapter of the American Chemical Society.
As volunteers, K students practice science communication while engaging children through experiments that use everyday household materials. Past activities have included Magnetic Munchies, which extracts iron from cereal using magnets; Butterfly Wings, which creates colorful designs using coffee filter chromatography; and Spies in Disguise, which introduces acids and bases through invisible ink.
CAPS was founded in 2006 in response to the Kalamazoo Promise to help ensure students are reading at grade level and prepared for college. Many participants face systemic barriers that make those goals more difficult to achieve, representing an inequity that motivates student mentors like Haley and Jackson.
K students showed Family Science Night attendees learn about ways to make ice cream.
Lessons in acids and bases helped Family Science Night attendees experiment with invisible ink last year.
“When I joined CAPS, I was drawn toward the idea of working with a different type of community,” Jackson said. “They face different challenges from me, and I appreciate learning from their experiences and seeing what their lives are like. It’s inspiring and has made me want to learn more about the greater Kalamazoo area.”
For Haley and Jackson, Family Science Night represents the kind of opportunity their students deserve but rarely get.
“They’re the sweetest kids I know, and getting the college readiness they deserve is important,” Jackson said. “They deserve the same rights and access to activities like Family Science Night.”
“I think Family Science Night gives kids in the community a chance to come to K’s campus, climb that hill, and get into the Dow Science Center to learn how science works in real life,” Haley said. “STEM requires resources to run experiments and see things firsthand, and this lets them experience that.”
Both students emphasized that the Center for Civic Engagement and CAPS make opportunities like this possible, not just for K students, but for the community partners they serve.
“I’m always shouting out the CCE,” Jackson said. “They’re creating meaningful ways for students to connect with organizations across Kalamazoo.”
“I hope this can shine light on the work that the CCE does because they employ a couple of hundred students every year to work for their programs or internships in some way,” Haley said. “People need to be more aware of who they are and know that it provides good opportunities for students and the community.”
Kalamazoo College will host two visiting scholars this month for annual lectures in religion and mathematics, scheduled for May 6 and May 12.
First, an associate professor from Oberlin College will provide the 2026 Thompson Lecture in Religion at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, in the Olmsted Room at Mandelle Hall, with a talk titled Leisure and Religion in South Asian Women’s Workplaces in Spain.
Emilia Bachrach will draw from her ongoing ethnographic research in Barcelona, Spain, to consider how South Asian Hindu and Muslim women build social and economic networks while navigating their minoritized religious status. Her monograph on the subject, Religious Reading and Everyday Lives in Devotional Hinduism, was published in 2022 as part of the American Academy of Religion’s Religion in Translation Series with Oxford University Press.
The memorial event is named for Paul Lamont Thompson, who was K’s president from 1938–49. It brings in speakers who enrich the ethical understanding of the College’s position in society. The lecture was established by a gift from Thompson’s sons and daughters-in-law to recognize the crucial role he played in guiding the College through the Depression and World War II.
A meet-and-greet reception will follow the lecture. Contact Office Coordinator Sarah.Bryans@kzoo.edu for more information.
Then, in the 2026 George Kitchen Lecture, a teaching professor from the University of Michigan will explore mathematical models that are used to predict real-world behavior.
At 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, P. Gavin LaRose will discuss Discrete Population Models, Cobwebs and Chaos in Dewing Hall, Room 103. The talk will investigate a population of creatures such as bacteria or insects and model what it would do. Attendees can expect to find some mathematical cobwebs, surprises and chaos.
Kitchen loved mathematics and believed that its applications could be cultivated in every student. The memorial lectureship named for him was established in 1999 to honor the mathematician who inspired students and fellow math teachers at Portage North High School and K.
Oberlin College Associate Professor Emilia Bachrach
P. Gavin LaRose, University of Michigan
For more information, contact Office Coordinator Kristen Eldred at 269.337.7100 or keldred@kzoo.edu.
Randa Alnaas ’27 observed an orchestra rehearsal ahead of a concert at Miller Auditorium and met with the stage manager. The experience was a highlight of her job shadow given her own experience in stage management at K’s Festival Playhouse.
When Kalamazoo College student Randa Alnaas ’27 walked into the EPIC Center in downtown Kalamazoo, she wasn’t nervous. Instead, she felt curious and ready to learn about what happens behind the scenes of a professional performing arts organization.
Alnaas, a theatre arts and economics double major, recently completed a one-day job shadow with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (KSO) as part of K in the Zoo, a program coordinated through the Career Studio at the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD). The experience offered her a rare look into the administrative, marketing, and operational side of a major arts institution while helping her begin connecting two academic passions that often feel separate in the classroom.
“I wanted to learn more about the administrative side of the arts,” Alnaas said. “Whether it’s performing music or theater, I’ve always thought about how the business side supports the creative work.”
Alnaas learned about the opportunity through CCPD communications that highlighted available job shadows across a wide range of industries. Although options included fields such as finance and computer science, the KSO listing immediately stood out. After submitting her application and explaining her interest in arts administration, she was selected and connected with the KSO’s marketing team to arrange her visit.
From the moment she arrived, Alnaas said the experience felt thoughtfully planned. She received a detailed itinerary outlining who she would meet and what she would do throughout the day. Her visit began with a tour of the KSO offices inside the EPIC Center, which houses multiple arts-related organizations.
“It was nice to see that kind of creative community all in one building,” she said. “There were music organizations, film offices and so many arts-related jobs all in the same space.”
Throughout the day, Alnaas had meetings across departments including marketing, fundraising and executive leadership. She learned how audience-focused advertising differs from donor outreach, for example, and gained insight into how orchestras balance ticket pricing, fundraising and long-term sustainability.
One of the most impactful conversations was with KSO’s interim CEO Jonathan Martin, who shared stories from more than four decades in the industry.
“He was very passionate and encouraging,” Alnaas said. “We talked about competition in the arts, staying motivated and how important it is to love what you do.”
Many of those discussions centered on the KSO’s efforts to make orchestral music more inclusive and accessible. As the organization moves beyond its centennial celebration, the orchestra is undergoing a broader rebranding, rethinking its visual identity and outreach strategies to engage younger and more diverse audiences.
“That was meaningful for me,” Alnaas said. “Seeing an institution recognize its history and actively work to be more inclusive felt really powerful.”
In the afternoon, Alnaas shifted from the administrative world to the performance side of the organization. She observed an orchestra rehearsal ahead of a concert at Miller Auditorium and met with the stage manager, which was a highlight given her own experience in stage management at K’s Festival Playhouse and through the New York Arts Study Away Program.
“Even though there’s no script the same way there is in theater, there’s still so much coordination happening to support the musicians,” she said.
Alnaas noted how different rehearsals looked compared with formal concerts, with musicians dressed casually and working collaboratively.
“It really humanized the whole process,” she said.
The experience came full circle when Alnaas attended the concert the next evening using complimentary tickets provided by the KSO. Sitting in the audience, she recognized the people she had met just a day earlier and felt connected to the performance in a new way.
“I felt like part of their community,” she said. “It changed the way I experience live performances.”
Alnaas lived in Armenia for two years, where she first fell in love with the performing arts after attending an opera in the capital city of Yerevan. Although she attended several orchestral performances overseas, she said the KSO experience renewed her appreciation for Kalamazoo’s local arts scene.
Academically, the job shadow helped her bridge economics and theater in ways she hadn’t before. Learning about ticket pricing, budgeting and labor costs made classroom concepts tangible and applicable.
Although Alnaas said she doesn’t yet have a clearly defined career path, the jobs shadow experience expanded her sense of possibility. That’s exactly what she hopes other students take away from programs like K in the Zoo.
“Whatever the outcome, you learn more about yourself,” she said. “These opportunities are so valuable, and the CCPD does a great job preparing students and supporting us throughout the process.”
For Alnaas, job shadowing with the KSO affirmed something she already believed: it’s possible to build a meaningful career doing work you love, especially when education, experience, and curiosity come together.
“I’m finally connecting my majors,” she said. “Now I’m thinking analytically and creatively about theater, and practically about how economics works in real life.”
Kalamazoo College students, faculty and alumni attend the American Chemical Society (ACS) Conference. Pictured (from left) are Caden Frost ’26, Will Tocco ’26, Baylor Baldwin ’26, Ellen Robertson ’08, Ava Schwachter ’27, ACS president-elect Christina Bodurow ’79, Associate Professor of Chemistry Blakely Tresca, Bea Putman ’26, Devi DeYoung ’26 and Christopher Aldred ’26.
Will Tocco ’26 joined an elite group this spring as one of just six undergraduates nationwide selected from more than 1,400 nominees to present at the American Chemical Society’s Presidential Symposium in Atlanta.
Tocco’s selection came through two pathways. He had already been approved to present at a specialized inorganic chemistry symposium at the ACS National Meeting, one of the field’s premier annual gatherings. Separately, because Kalamazoo College offers an ACS-certified degree, the chemistry department was invited to nominate a student for the Presidential Symposium and put Tocco’s name forward.
“I felt very honored,” Tocco said. “It was a great experience to network, meet people and learn how professionals found their way, because I’m still figuring out what I want my career to look like.”
Roger F. and Harriet G. Varney Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniela Arias-Rotondo and Dorothy H. Heyl Professor of Chemistry Regina Stevens-Truss nominated Tocco. For Arias-Rotondo, sending students to conferences is central to her lab’s mission.
“Every opportunity for students to share their work and practice presenting is valuable,” she said. “Conferences give them the chance to get feedback from experts in the field and expose them to perspectives they may not encounter on campus.”
One highlight of the experience was a private reception hosted by the ACS president the evening before the symposium, where Tocco mingled with leading scientists and industry professionals. He met a senior scientist from Pfizer, the president of the Goldwater Foundation and the president of the ACS. He also connected with ACS president-elect Christina Bodurow ’79, a K alumna and member of the College’s Board of Trustees.
Absorbing Light, Moving Electrons
The opportunity stemmed from research Tocco has been developing in Arias-Rotondo’s lab at the intersection of chemistry and renewable energy. Building on work started by Maxwell Rhames ’25, he has helped develop single-molecule dyes capable of absorbing light and converting it to electricity, an approach with potential applications in next-generation solar panels and hydrogen fuel production.
“They can be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and then you can burn that hydrogen as a fuel source,” Tocco said.
Tocco synthesized one such complex and demonstrated that it can move electrons through nearly every step of the energy-transfer process.
“It can absorb the light and do everything up until the handoff, but it doesn’t want to release the electron,” he said. “A solar panel needs to absorb light and give off electrons.”
Unlocking that final step by enabling the compound to release its electron and complete the cycle will be the focus of future work in the lab after Tocco graduates. His contributions have already refined procedures for synthesizing key molecules, giving future students a strong foundation to build on.
“Will is a strong synthetic chemist, and his work is opening the door for new students to join this project and make contributions,” Arias-Rotondo said. “It is impossible to overstate his contributions to our research group, both scientifically and personally. He is always willing to support and encourage others.”
Tocco’s presentation was well received, particularly at the inorganic symposium as more of the audience was familiar with the topic. Ahead of the conference, he contacted faculty at the University of Notre Dame, where he will begin his doctoral studies this fall, and one professor made a point to attend.
“He had his own presentation, but he took the time to come see mine,” Tocco said. “That was really inspiring.”
Tocco also earned an honorable mention for the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), a highly competitive award that provides three years of funding for graduate study. Although the honorable mention does not include funding, it is a significant distinction.
“As an undergrad, getting that honorable mention is big because I’m a year behind most others applying,” he said. He plans to apply again next year as a first-year doctoral student.
From Math Major to Chemist
Tocco presents his research at the ACS Conference.
DeYoung presenting at the ACS Conference.
K representatives attend the ACS Conference in Atlanta.
Arias-Rotondo, Bodurow, Frost, Tocco and ACS President Rigoberto Hernandez at the ACS Conference in Atlanta.
Tocco did not arrive at K intending to pursue chemistry. He planned to major in mathematics, entering with dual enrollment calculus credits, before taking General Chemistry I with Arias-Rotondo.
“I just had so much more fun than I did in any other class,” he said. “Even what some might consider boring felt kind of cool.”
On the first day of class, Arias-Rotondo—known to her students as Dr. DAR—mentioned her research and invited interested students to speak with her. By the next term, Tocco had joined her lab, where he has worked since.
“When I first started chemistry, I thought I’d get my bachelor’s degree and find a job,” he said. “But I kept going to conferences, kept learning and realized I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. A lot of that was Dr. DAR’s influence.”
Tocco also credits Associate Professor of Chemistry Blakely Tresca, who organized a group of graduate student mentors to help K students navigate the demanding GRFP application process.
“I wouldn’t have started it without his help,” Tocco said.
The process also strengthened his Senior Integrated Project, as feedback on his grant proposal turned into improvements.
Tocco’s undergraduate experience also has included a Research Experience for Undergraduates fellowship at Duquesne University and a study abroad term in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He will graduate this spring with a major in chemistry and a minor in mathematics.
A Lab Community in Atlanta
Tocco was not the only K student to attend the conference. He was joined by fellow chemistry and biochemistry students Caden Frost ’26, Ava Schwachter ’27, Bea Putman ’26, CJ Aldred ’26, Jack Bungart ’26, Max Plesscher ’26, Baylor Baldwin ’26 and Devi DeYoung ’26, along with Arias-Rotondo and Tresca. The students shared an Airbnb, and the trip became as much a bonding experience as a professional one.
“We went to the Georgia Aquarium, went to dinner, hung out and watched movies,” Tocco said. “It was a great experience to be professionals and also just spend time together.”
That blend of close community and high-level research is what Tocco sees as distinctive about K.
“Kalamazoo College punches above its weight class,” he said. “Our professors are well connected, so if we don’t have an instrument, we know someone who does. I’ve built relationships with all of the chemistry faculty, and that wouldn’t always happen at a larger institution.”
Arias-Rotondo has seen the impact firsthand. After returning from Atlanta, she led students through a debrief, reflecting on what they learned.
“Every time we take students to conferences, colleagues from other schools tell me how well our students present,” she said. “We could see the growth that happened in just a few days.”
Looking ahead, Tocco imagines returning one day to a lab that has continued to evolve.
“It’ll be exciting to see what others build,” he said. “That’s what makes it special.”
Regina Stevens-Truss, the Dorothy H. Heyl Professor of Chemistry, is this year’s recipient of the Lux Esto Award of Excellence as announced today during Kalamazoo College’s Founders Day celebration, marking K’s 193rd year.
The award recognizes an employee who has served the institution for at least 26 years and has contributed significantly to the campus. The recipient—chosen by a committee with student, faculty and staff representatives—is an employee who exemplifies the spirit of K through selfless dedication and goodwill. President Jorge G. Gonzalez presented Stevens-Truss with the award in his final Founders Day before retiring in June.
In 2016, Stevens-Truss received K’s highest teaching honor, the Florence J. Lucasse Lectureship for Excellence in Teaching. In 2018, she was named the College’s director of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence grant, awarded to K’s science division. She’s also been a faculty leader for Sisters in Science, a student organization that visits local schools to encourage young women to pursue science; and Sukuma, a peer-based study group for students of color in the sciences.
“One of my favorite traits of this individual is their integrity and how I consistently see them promote goodwill on campus,” a nominator said about Stevens-Truss. “Our mission at K is to provide enlightened leadership to a richly diverse and increasingly complex world. Through her strong moral principles, gratitude and honesty, she does just what our institution stands for. She never fails to leave a strong, positive impression, and she never fails to foster long-term relationships. Her reputation of being a strong, intelligent, kind, supportive and nurturing person proceeds her.”
Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez presents Regina Stevens-Truss, the Dorothy H. Heyl Professor of Chemistry, with the 2026 Lux Esto Award at Founders Day events.
In accordance with Founders Day traditions, two other employees received community awards. Kurt D. Kaufman Associate Professor of Chemistry Dwight Williams was given the Outstanding Advisor Award and Assistant Professor of Theatre Quincy Thomas received the First-Year Advocate Award.
In 2025, Williams was awarded a three-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support his work developing new molecules that could help protect brain cells from dying from neurodegenerative diseases. In 2019, he was awarded a Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching grant from the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation and Course Hero.
Williams teaches courses including Organic Chemistry I and II, Advanced Organic Chemistry and Introductory Chemistry. His research interests include synthetic organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry and pharmacology.
A student in Williams’ nomination said, “He has played a significant and meaningful role in my time at K. He suggested courses that will be beneficial to me no matter what career path I decide to take. I have always appreciated how he is realistic and honest with me and genuinely cares as much as I do about my future.”
Gonzalez presents the 2026 Outstanding Advisor Award to Dwight Williams, the Kurt D. Kaufman Associate Professor of Chemistry, during Founders Day events.
At K, Thomas has directed Festival Playhouse productions including The Mountaintop, The Importance of Being Earnest, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Be More Chill. His research centers on subjects including counter-storytelling; Black performativity in American culture; representations of the marginalized in popular culture; comedic and solo performance; and performative writing.
Thomas teaches courses such as Directing, Theatre History and Playwriting. His courses are informed by his research on issues of cultural marginalization and misrepresentation in the arts, specifically of racial and ethnic minorities, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
One first-year student said in Thomas’ nomination for the award, “I hadn’t known what to expect out of the transition from high school to college, and some parts were definitely rougher than I’d thought they would be. At every moment when I or other cast members stumbled, he was always there. He checked in, listened, directed us to resources and helped us set boundaries. He made rehearsals a safe space and community where we could just breathe and keep going, and I’m so grateful for that. He made it clear that we were more important than the show.”
Gonzalez presents the 2026 Outstanding First-Year Advocate Award to Assistant Professor of Theatre Quincy Thomas.
Gonzalez also recognized the students who served as President’s Student Ambassadors in the 2025–26 academic year. 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 in a given 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.
