For the second year in a row, Kalamazoo College has earned awards from the National Association of Campus Activities—Mid-America Region, during its annual conference in Grand Rapids. Awards were given to campus events at member institutions in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia during the 2011-12 academic year.
K earned the NACA Region’s coveted Program of the Year award for its annual Monte Carlo Night, the annual winter casino event at which students are the players (using funny money supplied by the College), and professors and administrative staff are dealers and croupiers. A DJ and dancing, food, and great prizes from the “Millionaire Shop” are also featured. The alcohol-free event is a formal affair with participants dressing to the nines. It’s K’s signature event for students each year, attracting nearly 1,000 participants.
K’s Homecoming Sock Hop Dance earned the NACA’s Outstanding Campus Collaboration. It’s the second year in a row for a K win in this category. Carried out in collaboration with K’s Student Commission and Student Activities Committee, the Sock Hop attracted more than 600 K students to the Anderson Athletic Center during Homecoming weekend.
Emily Lott rounded out the 2012 NACA awards for K by earning the Outstanding Graduate Assistant award. A graduate student from Western Michigan University, Emily has served as an advisor, mentor, and resource for many K students since her arrival on campus in August 2011. She recently planned and implemented the “NextGen Workshop” for the Michigan College Personnel Association’s annual conference, designed to be a resource for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in the field of Student Affairs.
“The NACA awards represent the best achievements by student development professionals at small colleges and large universities throughout our six-state NACA region,” said Kalamazoo College Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students Sarah Westfall. “I’m very happy for our students and Student Involvement staff, and am pleased to know that K is out front in the effort to create educational and recreational opportunities for our students and professionals.”
Dean Westfall praised Assistant Dean of Students Brian Dietz and Assistant Director of Student Involvement Kate Yancho for providing the organizational leadership behind these and other activities for K students. Read more about K’s award winning Office of Student Involvement effort here.