Cirque du K, the official circus club for students at Kalamazoo College, will conduct its annual spring performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Dalton Theater at Light Fine Arts.
The organization launched in 2006 as a few friends playing together with circus equipment and has grown and evolved each year along with the new and improving skill sets of each member. Cirque du K aims to:
educate students in a distinctive art form, providing a practical outlet where participants learn and develop skills in a safe environment;
entertain, enrich, and engage communities on and off campus with a multitude of interesting skills and techniques;
aid students who want to continue pursuing circus arts through education, outreach and fund raising.
Both performances are free to attend and the public is welcome.
Kalamazoo College’s rich diversity will be on display Saturday, Feb. 10, as the Asian Pacific Islander Student Association and KDesi join forces to stage their award-winning annual Asia Fest.
The Asian Pacific Islander Student Association and KDesi will team up Saturday to stage Asia Fest.
In an “Asia’s Got Talent” showcase at Dalton Theatre, students from the two groups will perform music and dances representing their cultures. Judges will choose the winning act. The students will also stage a fashion show.
Everyone is invited. Asia Fest director Li Li Huynh says doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show gets underway at 8 p.m. Food will be provided.
The two groups received the College’s 2016-2017 Black and Orange Leadership Award for Best Collaborative Initiative for last year’s show.
As refugees face ostracism and persecution in fleeing from natural disasters, violence, war and other hardships, a Kalamazoo College student organization is reaching out with a helping hand.
Refugee Outreach Kalamazoo (ROK) raises awareness of refugees and their struggles, while connecting volunteers with nonprofit organizations that offer displaced people the resources they need. Emily Worline (left) is the group’s founder.
Refugee Outreach Kalamazoo (ROK) raises awareness of refugees and their struggles, while connecting volunteers with nonprofit organizations that offer displaced people the resources they need. Many Americans might envision refugees as people who live in camps thousands of miles away. But this organization of proactive students sees the needs of local families, and sparks change in Kalamazoo.
The organization has been so well received outside the college that Western Michigan University and Michigan State University have established their own chapters of ROK, with a University of Michigan chapter a possibility. Each chapter cooperates with community and government organizations to accomplish its mission of connecting the community to the global migrant disaster to benefit those displaced. Through education, building relationships and fundraising, they aim to bridge the gap between displaced populations and communities.
Katryn Walsh ‘19 is the president of ROK at K, leading a small-but-determined group of about seven regular Kalamazoo College members, while planning for growth.
“The process of relocating is often times an extremely difficult, disheartening, and tiring process so our hopes are to be supportive and positive for families that have moved to an unfamiliar community,” Walsh said. “As for the volunteers, I believe it is important to raise awareness and educate everyone about refugees and the current refugee crisis in our world right now.”
Cecilia De Boeck ’17, a Kalamazoo College student from Iowa City, Iowa, and an international and area studies major, preceded Walsh as ROK at K’s president. She first was inspired to work with refugees during an internship in the summer of 2015 in Minneapolis. There, she worked at the International Institute of Minnesota, an organization that helps refugees apply for green cards.
“I think this is important because we’re creating a bridge between the displaced population and Kalamazoo,” De Boeck said. “Some cities have done pretty well welcoming refugees, but we’re making sure they’re welcome here.”
De Boeck added she’s looking into one day working as a paralegal, hoping she can do pro bono work for immigrants, refugees and vulnerable populations.
“We’re working to put a face to the refugee crisis by creating a platform for their voices to be heard,” says ROK’s founder Emily Worline, while mentioning her organization’s effort this year to donate furniture through Samaritas, a social ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Kalamazoo. “This is an issue that is not going away.”
Such civic engagement is a vital tenet of the K-Plan, Kalamazoo College’s approach to experiential education. What opportunities will you find when you research our student organizations? Learn more about groups such as Refugee Outreach Kalamazoo today.
Malak Ghazal ’19 (left), Ian Freshwater ’19 and Jazzilyn Dubois ’17 are pictured on the plane en route to attend the annual Student Government Institute hosted by the National Association for Campus Activities. This year’s conference will be held at the University of Oregon, and these three Hornets will join students from around the country to hone their leadership skills and learn strategies to effectively manage student government and represent student needs. Ghazal, Freshwater, and Dubois all served on the Interim Body of Student Representatives during the 2015-16 academic year, and are involved in ongoing work to redefine student government at Kalamazoo College in an effort to best meet needs of the current student body.
Kalamazoo College students host two forums this week focusing on race and ethnicity on the K campus.
“Konsciousness” (Wed. March 4, 7PM, Banquet Room, Hicks Student Center) is a structured discussion open to K students, faculty, and staff to hear what students talk about and experience on campus regarding race and ethnicity.
“Stories You’ve Never Heard Before” (Thu. March 5, 7:30PM, Connable Recital Hall, Light Fine Arts Building) is a “Think Tank” event also open to K students, faculty, and staff, that will allow young men of color on campus to tell their stories.
These two events are not open to the general public.
“Konsciousness” grew out of an independent study course that K seniors Asia Morales and Bronte Payne had with Assistant Professor of English Shanna Salinas, Ph.D. Asia and Bronte will facilitate Wednesday’s discussion.
“As students, we believe there has been a severe lack of physical space to have difficult conversations such as this one,” Asia and Bronte wrote in a Feb. 24, 2015 editorial in The Index, K’s student newspaper. “Our hope is that in providing this space, we as a community can take steps forward together on important issues which affect all of us.”
In their editorial, Asia and Bronte state that students will be at the center of the discussion, with faculty and staff forming a silent audience, with the opportunity to submit written questions to students.
“We have chosen this format because we feel strongly that this will serve as an opportunity for faculty and staff … to hear what students are talking about and what students are experiencing on this campus outside of the classroom and the office.”
“Stories You’ve Never Heard Before” is sponsored by the K student organization Young Men of Color. In an email invitation to the campus community, they stated that they invite students, faculty, and staff, to “Come hear the unique experiences we have gone through both in our communities and on K’s campus.
“We would like to share our perspectives and life experiences with the campus community to spark productive dialogues among our peers, administration, and faculty and staff, as well as help our campus community gain a better understanding of our identity as young men of color.”
Young Men of Color, according to their mission statement, “seek to provide the leadership that establishes a safe space of brotherhood, social support, and a common sense of fellowship on campus. Through these collaborative efforts we will unite the young men of color while encouraging internal accountability, eradicating negative stereotypes at large, and inducing academic excellence.”
Claire De Witt ’14, president of the Jewish Student Organization at K, prepares for the Passover Seder with students, faculty, staff and guests on campus.
When Associate Professor of Religion and History Jeffrey Haus came to Kalamazoo College nearly a decade ago, the Jewish Studies program was almost non-existent.
With just a handful of classes that focused on Jewish faith, culture, and history, Haus got to work building a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary curriculum from the ground up. Today, he directs a Jewish Studies program that boasts 14 classes, ranging from beginning and intermediate Hebrew language courses to “Women in Judaism” to the “American Jewish Experience.”
“I’d like to say it’s all been my doing,” jokes Haus, who came to K from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. “But you can’t start a program if nobody cares. The College made a commitment to support the program; the administration made a commitment, too. There’s an openness on the campus to Jewish students.
“It’s indicative of how K has changed over years and become more diverse. The Jewish Studies program is part of that change for the better.”
It’s hard to pin-down exactly how many Jewish students there are at K, Haus says. The College does not ask students their religious affiliation and doesn’t keep track of such information. But his best estimate puts the number somewhere between 100 and 150 students.
Associate Professor of Religion and History Jeffrey Haus directs K’s Jewish Studies Program.
It’s a demographic that has more opportunities than ever before on campus to celebrate their faith, engage with other Jewish students, and feel a sense of inclusiveness.
“I have heard from Jewish alumni from the ’70s and ’80s who said when they were students here, they didn’t feel out of place, but there was no real organized Jewish life.” says Haus. “It’s different when you know you have a critical mass of Jewish students to support one another and create some cohesion.”
During the 2013-14 academic year, six students (Jewish and non-Jewish) signed up for the Jewish Studies concentration. As the program continues to grow, its deepening reach bodes well for the College in many ways. In addition to increasing awareness of and appreciation for the Jewish history and traditions, the concentration’s courses provide an arena for discussing issues of identity, power, and social justice.
“Jewish Studies,” says Haus, can therefore “serve as a nexus where K students can connect different parts of a liberal arts education. Studying Jewish history and religion, they can apply lessons learned from other subjects.”
In addition, the College’s curricular emphasis on social justice increases the relevance of Jewish Studies courses. “Social justice, human rights, and the relationships between majorities and minorities are central themes in Jewish history, religion, and culture,” Haus says. “Jewish communities the world over have always been committed to caring for the less fortunate. The history of Jews is therefore a history of extraordinary communal creativity in areas such as education, economics, and charity.”
Currently, there are two study abroad sites in Israel for K students—one at the Rothberg International School at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the other at the Ben-Gurion University in Be’er Sheva, located in the Negev, a starkly beautiful desert region in the south of the nation. Both sites have their advantages, Haus says, but the Be’er Sheva site might provide a bit more authentic experience—and a better deal.
“Jerusalem is where the action is, but it’s also more expensive, and there are more limits when it comes to course offerings,” says Haus. “There are also many more Anglophones in Jerusalem, and you can get by just speaking English. In Be’er Sheva, you have a little more diverse course offerings and it’s a bit more cost effective. There are also more chances to use and learn Hebrew and hang out with Israelis. You can get by with English, but you need to use Hebrew.
“I think that no matter how many Jews there are on campus, there’s never been a better time to be a Jewish student at K,” adds Haus. “Between the strong support from the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, strong support from the administration, and growing number of Jewish activities on campus, as well as this program, it’s leaps and bounds better than what was seen here decades ago. It’s great to have that in a liberal arts setting.”
Jewish students looking for a sense of belonging have traditionally become a part of the Jewish Student Organization, which is open to Jewish and non-Jewish students and has been on campus for decades.
Claire De Witt ’14 is deeply rooted in K’s Jewish student culture and community. The East Lansing native and double major (history and religion with a concentration in Jewish Studies) is the president of the JSO
About 10 to 15 students are part of the JSO each year, De Witt says, and they are involved with organizing campus-wide events for Jewish and non-Jewish students, faculty, and staff. Many events center around Jewish holidays, when traditional meals are prepared, such as baking hamentashen for Purim. Other activities include building a sukkah on campus for Sukkot and donating trees to Israel for Tu Bishvat.
The biggest event the JSO organizes is a Passover Seder, with a full dinner and service put on by student members. About 60 K community members annually attend the Seder, De Witt says, a time when JSO members can educate other College members about the Jewish faith.
“I enjoy JSO because of the community I am able to cultivate through our events and weekly meetings,” says De Witt. “We are a close-knit group that enjoys movie nights and cooking events together throughout the year. As a Jewish student I truly appreciate having a safe space to gather, celebrate, and share the cultural heritage with which I so strongly identify.”
JSO isn’t the only group that has become a support network for students of the faith.
“Even six years ago, you didn’t have an option about what kind of Jewish student you wanted to be on campus. Today we have Jews from many different traditions,” says K Chaplain and Director of Religious Life Elizabeth Hakken Candido ’00. “There is more diversity among Jews. JSO used to be the primary vehicle for support, and in the past there was a feeling that if you were Jewish, you needed to be involved with JSO. There is enough room now to not have to be in JSO, if you don’t want to, and still feel supported.”
Madeleine Weisner and Jennifer Tarnoff feel that sense of belonging. The two seniors will graduate in June and have seen the campus become more inclusive and supportive of those who share their faith.
Several days a week, you can find Weisner, from Minneapolis, and Tarnoff, from Chicago, in the basement of Stetson Chapel in a cozy, albeit cramped, space called “The Cavern.” It’s a safe spot for sharing stories, hanging out and sampling free cookies and tea, or picking up “George,” the Cavern’s communal acoustic guitar. Although not tied to any particular religious tradition, there is an element of faith that permeates the space.
Currently, there are eight Jewish student chaplains, the most ever, Hakken Candido says. Student chaplains are the primary volunteers who help organize activities for the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life. Haus recalls that when he arrived at the College there were no Jewish students in those roles.
Tarnoff is a student chaplain, while Weisner works a paying job as a chapel intern.
“My dad wanted me to look at big state schools that had Hillels (a well-known Jewish campus organization),” Tarnoff says. “But I wanted to find a school that could continue the community feeling I had growing up Jewish. There were many other things that trumped going to a big school. There’s a lot of Jews at K. There’s definitely a community here.”
All too often, the Jewish high holiday of Yom Kippur occurs during orientation and move-in week. Although there is not an official College policy for them to do so, many professors and teaching staff will let Jewish students out of classes to attend services if they wish to, Hakken Candido says, and her office works with JSO to provide free rides to the synagogue of their choice. There are two synagogues in Kalamazoo—the Congregation of Moses, affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism; and Temple B’nai Israel, a Reform temple. Similar efforts are made for Rosh Hashanah, which also takes place in the early part of fall term.
The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life also hosts a “Break the Fast” dinner after Yom Kippur for new and returning Jewish students. The event is a great opportunity for freshman Jewish students to meet their older counterparts on campus, develop connections, and find out about Jewish life at K right at the beginning of the year.
“I didn’t grow up perhaps as religious as Jennifer. I didn’t really seek it out,” Weisner says. “But as my college life went on, I looked into my faith more. Having the college support me meant that I had room to grow in my own spirituality.”
Article by Chris Killian. Photos by Susan Andress.
Kalamazoo College won the Outstanding Campus Collaboration Award and Program of the Year at the National Association of Campus Activities Mid America Region 2013 conference. It was the third year in a row that K was honored with either the Campus Collaboration Award or the Program of the Year in the region that includes colleges and universities throughout Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Illinois.
K’s Student Activities Committee and the Office of Student Involvement claimed both awards on the basis of a single program—Zoo After Dark: Winter Quarter Quell (Hunger Games)—developed by the Childish Games Commission (CGC), a student run organization.
“CGC is a unique group on the K campus,” said Assistant Director of Student Involvement Kate Yancho. “They meet at midnight every Friday and play games. Tag, Dodgeball, Kick-the-Can, Capture-the-Flag, etc. When they approached us about cosponsoring a Zoo After Dark (our late night series) with a Hunger Games themed event, we were more than excited to accept the challenge. As we began to plan the event, the campus began to buzz with excitement. ‘What will this be like?’ ‘How will we play?’ The anticipation was palpable.”
Kate continues: “The CGC partnered with us on other events leading up to the event to help build more excitement. Our weekly craft series, Wind Down Wednesdays, most notably. Campus was blanketed with Mockingjays, and the leaders of the organization dressed as characters from the books throughout the week. We focused on the logistics and let the CGC focus on the rules and procedures for the game.
“On the night of the event, students excitedly entered our Hicks Student Center. The main gathering space was set up with food (Greasy Sae’s Chili Bar, District Cupcakes, and more), skill testing workshops and activities (knot tying lanyards, mini bow and arrow craft, Mockingjay button making, and others), and a large screen with images from the Hunger Games as well as the soundtrack playing through the sound system. Then, districts offered tributes, the rules were explained, and the games began.
“But, how could the 225 people who came possibly all play? Well, they didn’t. About 20 students acted as ‘tributes’ who were filmed via a live video feed that was broadcast into the main gathering space and the other participants became spectators in the ‘Capitol.’ They could send gifts, see the antics, get engaged and involved.
“The feedback we received from students who participated was spectacular. They loved this idea. CGC had offered Quidditch before, which was innovative and fun, but this really seemed to capture them. In fact, we are working on another Hunger Games themed event with this group currently. We love when students have these unique ideas. And, we love it even more when we can make them reality!”
What better way to fend off winter blues than to celebrate the ethnic diversity of Kalamazoo College’s student body? In February a number of ethnic student organizations joined the Office of Student Involvement to host and organize the 4th annual La Fiesta Desi Soul (LFDS) event. Student organizations–including the Black Student Organization (BSO), the Caribbean society, Kalama-Africa, K-Desi, the Asian Pacific Islander Student Association (APISA), the Latino Student Organization (LSO), and the Young Persian Society–have helped turn this into the biggest Zoo After Dark event.
The event’s origins trace back to Fall of 2008, according to the Assistant Director of Student Involvement Kate Elizabeth-Leishman Yancho. It was sponsored at that time by BSO, LSO, and K-Desi. “Compared to the first time when the event took place in the Welles Dining Hall with a relatively smaller crowd, the event has become one of the most highly attended events on campus”, says Yancho. Furthermore, LFDS won the award for the 2011 Outstanding Campus Collaboration by the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA).
Participating student organizations put up visuals, serve different dishes (catered by Sodexo) and sponsor interactive games for everybody. Sashae Mitchell ‘14, the president of the Caribbean Society, said the purpose of this event is to “share aspects of the culture of the ethnic student groups through music, food, dance, and fun activities.” Mitchell added that she would like to see “more students attend the event so that it outgrows Hicks!” When asked about the future goals for LFDS, Brittany King-Pleas ‘13, president of BSO, said she hopes “the educational component continues to expand and the members of the committee work together to create a bit of cohesion amongst themselves.”
K-Desi members performed a South Asian dance at “Mythbusters,” the 2013 Asiafest.
In 2012, “Redefining Asian” (aka Asiafest) received the “Program of the Year” award at the Black and Orange Awards Ceremony. In 2013 the Asian and Pacific Islander Student Association (APISA), formerly known as Asian Student Association (ASA), produced another spectacular Asiafest: “Mythbusters.” The show took place in a Dalton Theatre packed with by campus and community members. Performing student organizations included APISA, K-Desi, and Cirque du K, and many individual performers participated as well.
“Mythbusters” showcased different facets of the diverse Asian culture, and few forces break stereotypes as effectively as does an awareness of diversity. There were 15 lively performances divided into two acts that included traditional and modern dances, skits, instrumental performances, singing, and poetry reading. The opening piece was a video collection of campus interviews of students who described stereotypes they encounter and shared their opinions about appropriate versus culturally offensive questions. Audience favorites included the Matrix Ping Pong skit, a traditional South Asian dance by K-Desi, and Gangam Style, which received enthusiastic cheering from the audience.
APISA President Pavan Policherla ’13 says, “The purpose of Asia Fest is to aid the club in promoting Asian culture on campus in a fun and entertaining way, as well as try to educate the Kalamazoo community about some issues that the members of the club feel are important and need to be recognized.” Asian students and student organizations start working on the show at the beginning of winter quarter. Each year a new theme is selected by APISA members, one that pertains to issues they think need to be addressed. Asiafest has delighted the hearts of many every year and continues to uphold its tradition of depicting a realistic picture of Asia and its diverse population.
2013 Winners of the Battle of the Chemistry Clubs are (l-r): Lydia Manager ’13, Mara Livezey ’13, Joe Widmer ’14, Amanda Bolles ’14, Josh Abbott ’13, and Tibin John ’15
Kalamazoo College’s American Chemical Society (ACS) student group brought home to the chemistry department the coveted ‘Silver Sep Funnel’ Trophy from Michigan State University this winter. The students pipette-ed, read spectra, analyzed, and even danced their way to victory, and as the safest team (“which is the most important part for us,” says Regina Stevens-Truss, who shares co-advising duties for the group with fellow chemistry professor Jeff Bartz). The K ACS student group participated last year for the first time and placed sixth. This year, they won the overall competition, brought home best “safety dance,” earned most artistic accolades for the “best scientific-themed hangman,” and were also the “safest working team” based on OSHA standards.
2013 was the sixth annual Battle of the Chemistry Clubs, an event that originally put into the pipette pit (so to speak) the University of Michigan-Flint against the University of Detroit Mercy. The field has since grown to 12 schools, with Kalamazoo College joining in 2012. Competition consists of several activities that test a team’s knowledge and skill as it pertains to different chemistry concepts. All activities are team based (each with 4 or more students) and are scored and ranked based on time or accuracy. Morning prelims are followed by the afternoon’s “playoffs mode,” with only one team taking home the hardware.
Josh Abbott was the only returning K “letter winner” from last year’s sixth-place team. He vowed then that K would be well represented this year and wrote immediately after this winter’s competition to Dr. Truss: “I would just like to let you know we brought some hardware back for Dow.” Sweet!
