Druanna Darling ’19 said she had not considered attending Kalamazoo College until the Kalamazoo Promise was extended to Michigan Colleges Alliance schools in 2015. Photo by Catalina Gonzalez.
When students in the Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) receive their diplomas, 92 percent of them are eligible for an outstanding graduation gift: a tuition-free post-secondary education thanks to the Kalamazoo Promise.
KPS graduates who have lived in the district and have been students for at least four years can have as much as 100 percent of their in-state tuition and fees paid for thanks to the Promise, a program funded by anonymous donors. The program is applicable to community colleges, public universities, and since 2015, to 15 private institutions in the Michigan Colleges Alliance, including Kalamazoo College.
Fortunately for Druanna Darling ’19, this promise was made at just the right time.
“I remember there being a press conference during the summer before my senior year (in high school) and my mom was the one who showed me the Promise was being extended” to private schools, said Darling, whose family moved to Arizona when she was 6, only to return because of what the Promise offered her. “We had heard a lot of great things about Kalamazoo College and it was a part of our community, but it never seemed accessible to me. K wasn’t even on my radar.”
A chance to attend K with smaller class sizes and one-on-one opportunities to work with professors was extraordinarily appealing. The opportunity to have her tuition covered convinced her to visit campus. Two campus tours and an overnight stay later, Darling was sure she had found her second home.
“It felt like the students were more of a priority at K,” she said. “Elsewhere, the colleges accepted a huge group of students and the students paid their tuition. At K, faculty and staff were more personal and invested in students. I felt accepted immediately.”
Darling, a psychology major and Loy Norrix alumna, applied to the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Western Michigan University. Ultimately, she decided K was the only place she wanted to experience college. That college experience will culminate Sunday, June 16, when she will be one of eight KPS graduates to graduate from K, representing the College’s first class of Promise-eligible students.
Promise-eligible students have added a perspective of their own to K’s student body, Director of Admission Suzanne Lepley said. They are smart, well-prepared for college and know the community well, although most just start to learn of K’s distinctive offerings—including the K-Plan, the College’s approach to the liberal arts and sciences—shortly before applying.
“They have been educated in the richly diverse KPS system and that learning perspective transfers to the community at K,” Lepley said. “Despite being raised in the city, many spend little, if any time on our campus before attending. They tend to experience the College in a special way as they explore a part of the community they might not have known.”
Darling said she will graduate with a very limited amount of debt that she feels won’t be a burden thanks to the Kalamazoo Promise. And four years after first falling in love with K, her passion for K hasn’t changed.
“I keep thinking I might want to declare a second major and stay for a fifth year,” she joked. “I don’t think my view of it has changed at all. As an entering student, I was overjoyed. The environment is so warming. I have felt supported every day.”
Much of that support has come directly from the faculty. Darling worked with Assistant Professor of Psychology Brittany Liu in Liu’s research lab, and she has received assistance from professors in applying for jobs and graduate school as she hopes to one day work with autistic children.
“Personally, I know a lot of individuals who went to big universities,” Darling said. “There are a lot of things their education has lacked such as an opportunity to learn about social justice issues. At other universities, you might learn about physics or writing a good paper. But at K you learn about how to be a better citizen.”
Butter’s schedule will include conversations with students over coffee from 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. in the Book Club at Upjohn Library Commons, and her main speaking presentation at 4:30 p.m. in the Olmsted Room at Mandelle Hall, which is open to the entire K community. Her book, Shores Beyond Shores: From Holocaust to Hope, My True Story, will be available for $20 in the Book Club and can be paid for in cash or by check.
Butter was born Irene Hasenberg in 1930 in Berlin, Germany, and grew up as a Jewish child in Nazi-occupied Europe, where she lived with her parents, John and Gertrude; and her brother, Werner. She had friends in common with Anne Frank after moving to Amsterdam in 1937 when her dad accepted a job with American Express. There, her family felt safe from the growing threat of Nazis until Germany invaded in 1940.
Holocaust survivor Irene Butter and her brother, Werner, as children.
Her grandparents, who were still in Germany, were taken to Theresianstadt concentration camp in 1942 and Butter never saw them again. Her immediate family was rounded up in 1943. She survived Camp Westerbork and Camp Bergen-Belsen before coming to the U.S., arriving in Baltimore in 1945.
Upon arrival, Butter was told not to talk about her experiences, so she focused on high school, graduating from Queens College in New York City, and becoming one of the first women to earn a Ph.D. in economics from Duke University. She married Charlie Butter and both became professors at the University of Michigan.
“I didn’t ask to go through the Holocaust,” she says on her website, “but I was saved through the miracles of luck and the love and determination of my Pappi (father). I owe it to him and everybody who suffered to talk about what I learned because suffering never ends, so our work must continue.”
A Shakespearean comedy featuring a shipwreck, a love triangle and a secret identity is coming soon to Kalamazoo College. The Festival Playhouse will present Twelfth Night, known as one of Shakespeare’s liveliest comedies and a complex look at love and gender identity, as its spring production.
Sophie Hill ’20, Jorence Quiambao ’21, Trevor Loduem-Jackson ’21 and Kate Kreiss ’19 rehearse for their roles in the Festival Playhouse production of Twelfth Night.
In the play, Duke Orsino of Illyria falls in love with Olivia, who rejects him. Viola shipwrecks on Orsino’s shores. With the help of a captain, Viola disguises herself as a man, calling herself Cesario to enter Orsino’s service. Orsino sends Cesario to woo Olivia for him not realizing Cesario is really Viola, who begins to fall in love with Orsino. As Cesario charms Olivia, Olivia falls in love with Cesario, again rejecting Orsino.
Everybody got that? Welcome to the final installation in this season’s Playhouse theme, Assumption and Confusion.
“With Shakespeare, you know (the comedy) is going to be funny,” said Rebecca Chan ’22, who is serving as the play’s dramaturg. “You just never know how much until you act it out. Both (Director Karen Berthel) and the actors have been good at finding those moments. People love Shakespeare, but this play is one of Shakespeare’s more accessible works.”
In her role as a dramaturg for Twelfth Night, Chan is responsible for working with the director on background research and how current events and perspectives might inform or shape the production. Chan will oversee a lobby display, which will promote the idea that queerness isn’t a modern phenomenon, emphasizing the character Viola, who poses as Cesario. Chan said she hopes the display will be educational and help debunk some misconceptions about gender and queerness, while contextualizing those themes for the audience.
“In classic literature, many characters were gender queer or presented differently from how you would expect,” Chan said. “The myth is that queerness is a modern concept. It’s really as old as time.”
The play will run from Thursday, May 16-Sunday, May 19. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7:30 p.m. The Sunday show will start at 2 p.m. All shows are at the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse Theatre, 139 Thompson St.
Tickets are available through the Playhouse’s online box office. They cost $15 for adults, $10 for seniors 65 and older, and $5 for students. Tickets for Kalamazoo College students, faculty and staff are free when they present K-IDs at the door.
A top-honors finish in a recent theatre regional event led Rebecca Chan ’22 to an even bigger stage in April.
Rebecca Chan ’22 (second from right) was one of two first-year students and four students overall selected to attend the Kennedy Center American College Theatre event in Washington, D.C.
Chan, a theatre major from Howell, Michigan, has returned from the week-long Kennedy Center American College Theatre National Festival in Washington, D.C., where she was one of only four students from around the country to participate in its Institute for Theatre Journalism Advocacy (ITJA) events. There, Chan engaged in a series of seminars with well-known journalists from publications such as the Washington Post, American Theatre and National Public Radio, focusing on theatre criticism and how it’s changing with technology.
The opportunity meant extending the experience she received at the regional festival in Madison, Wisconsin, where she wrote deadline-oriented critiques and responses about shows she watched each night. The event, which included students from across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, was where Chan received her first experiences in theatre journalism and became one of just eight students from around the country to earn top honors. From those eight students, four were chosen to attend nationals.
“I was taken aback by the opportunity,” Chan said. Before this year, “I didn’t have a background in journalism. This validated my experience from regionals on a second level. I felt really blessed to have the opportunity. The fact that the seminars sparked so much conversation was something I enjoyed. I loved to see people sorting through my ideas.”
Chan credited her theatre classes in her first year at K for helping her develop the skills that enabled her to write so successfully.
“I took three theatre courses involving fundamentals of acting, playwriting and stagecraft,” she said. “Those three prepared me to evaluate a lot of different things, including the technical aspects and structures of a play. They really bolstered what I was able to do.”
From there, Chan ensured she maintained her skills independently from the end of regionals until nationals.
“I made sure that I practiced writing every so often,” she said. “I wasn’t sure how to practice specifically for theater journalism, but I made sure I had a good foundation going.”
The ITJA aims to develop arts journalists who can advocate for excellence in the arts through a variety of media—web, print and broadcast. Chan was one of two first-year students selected to attend the national event among the four participating. The other two were seniors, including one from California who soon will pursue a Ph.D., and one from Missouri who majors in journalism.
“I liked having (the journalism major) in the room because she had that student perspective and she’s in the process of finding a job,” Chan said. “It was neat to be on an equal playing field with someone with so much experience in the field.”
Chan said she would like to pursue another opportunity with the Kennedy Center events in the future. As a first-year, she’s not certain which area of theatre will be her focus, but “journalism is another form of writing for me to play with and explore,” she said. “I like to stay open to possibilities.”
Eighteen Kalamazoo College students traveled to the eighth annual Midwest Outdoor Leadership Conference at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, where they affirmed K’s standing among its peers as a leader in environmental education.
Adventures are common for Kalamazoo College student organizations, and one February adventure was notable for stirring Outing Club’s devotions to pursuing outdoor activities and professions. The student group of 18 traveled to the eighth annual Midwest Outdoor Leadership Conference at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, where they affirmed K’s standing among its peers as a leader in environmental education and met peers with similar passions from around the region.
The conference, conducted annually at a different higher-education institution each year, provides undergraduates interested in outdoor-recreation careers a chance to learn from each other while networking, developing their leadership skills and building new technical skills.
“To most of the colleges attending this conference, a small college has about 5,000 students,” said Outdoor Programs Director Jory Horner, noting K’s student body of just over 1,400. “Attending this program differentiates us as a liberal arts school because the students are keeping their interest in it alive by dedicating their time. Other colleges are blown away that this is something our staff can handle with just the ingenuity and resourcefulness of our students, who receive no academic credit for it.”
All attendees are encouraged to serve as presenters during the outdoor leadership conference, including Riley Gabriel ’21 and Matt Giguere ’21, who presented on linking the principles of Leave No Trace, dedicated to leaving wild places the way others would like to find them, to everyday life. Kit Charlton ’21 also was among K’s representatives, and all of them noted how K stands out among schools attending the conference as a leader in environmental education.
“We have an emphasis on sustainability, plus comprehensive composting and a hoop house,” said Gabriel, an English major with a concentration in environmental studies from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, mentioning just a few of K’s environmental projects. “A lot of the programs we have undertaken aren’t available at other schools.”
Workshops over the conference’s two days included lessons in best practices for hiking, diversity and inclusion in outdoor education, and methods for adaptive recreation activities such as rock climbing. The event fits well with the Outing Club’s mission of providing K students with environmental awareness while teaching how to lead outdoor activities and wilderness trips.
“We’ve been very fortunate to have a committed group over the years,” said Charlton, an English and critical ethnic studies major from Berkley, Michigan, referencing K’s participation in seven of the conference’s first eight years.
The Outing Club allows K students to continue where many leave off with LandSea, the College’s outdoor orientation program offered to incoming students through Outdoor Programs. LandSea, conducted in Adirondack State Park in New York State, helps students meet their peers, gain self-confidence, earn a partial physical education credit and develop classroom skills, even before moving to campus. Outdoor Programs also offers wilderness trips over student breaks, outdoor-themed physical education classes, equipment rental and opportunities to learn wilderness first aid.
Horner “reminds us often of the differences between Outdoor Programs and Outing Club,” said Giguere, a biology major from Portage, Michigan, who attended the conference for the second consecutive year. Outing Club “encourages other students by example to get outdoors, and the support we’ve had from LandSea and Student Development has been exciting.”
Outing Club, Outdoor Programs and the Center for Environmental Stewardship will work together to extend the College’s reputation for environmental education next February as they host the Midwest Outdoor Leadership Conference Feb. 7-9 at K. Although organizers have just started making plans, they say they will incorporate K’s dedication to diversity, inclusion and social justice into their conversations.
“We’re excited to draw on the resources we have at K to bring social justice ideas into the conference and view it through that lens,” Charlton said.
Thirty students known for their invaluable contributions to the Kalamazoo College community were honored Friday at the 15th annual Senior Leadership Recognition Awards.
Thirty students known for their invaluable contributions to the Kalamazoo College community were honored Friday at the 15th annual Senior Leadership Recognition Awards. They were (top row, from left) Ian McKnight, Max Aulbach, Alexander Cadigan and Allen Vinson; (second row, from left), Emma Eisenbeis, Nicholas Ludka, Ian Freshwater, Sabrina Leddy, Zach Morales and Jacob Bonifacio; (third row, from left) Marco Ponce, Lauren Arquette, Sarah George, Hannah Meyers and Jordan Wiley; (fourth row, from left) Anthony Diep Rosas, Regina Shaw, Shivani Rana and Qynce Chumley; and (bottom row, from left) Sharat Kamath, Cydney Martell, Hayleigh Alamo, Nkatha Mwenda, Cecilia Ringo and Molly Brueger. Winners not pictured include Tapiwa Chikungwa, Joy Lim, Amanda Moss, Sharif Shaker and JayLashay Young.
The selection committee, consisting of Associate Deans of Students Karen Joshua-Wathel and Dana Jansma, asked faculty and staff through a letter in December to nominate students, while noting an exemplary nominee isn’t necessarily the “team captain” or “organization president.”
“The individual may be the person who always seems to have a positive attitude, is consistently involved in helping a group move forward, serves as a continual role model to other students, and who shows dedication, even in times of adversity,” the letter said.
The Senior Leadership Recognition Award winners represent talented athletes, outstanding academic performers, members of the President’s Student Ambassadors and student-organization standouts.
Here are the honorees along with brief statements from their nominators:
Hayleigh Alamo, nominated by Softball Coach Kelli Duimstra:
“Hayleigh is a third-year softball team captain, which speaks to her natural leadership ability and how much her teammates look up to her. … She is the person who connects every person on our team.”
Lauren Arquette, nominated by Assistant Professor of Political Science Justin Berry:
“Lauren is one of the strongest students with whom I’ve had the opportunity to work.”
Max Aulbach, nominated by Assistant Professor of Political Science Justin Berry:
“Max is a very strong and committed student. … The regularity and quality of his contributions to classroom discussions are unmatched.”
Jacob Bonifacio, nominated by Men’s Lacrosse Coach Vince Redko:
“More than any other player, I can rely on Jake to do the right thing and encourage others to be their best.”
Molly Brueger, nominated by Women’s Soccer Coach Bryan Goyings and Wen Chao Chen Associate Professor of East Asian Social Sciences Dennis Frost:
“Molly is an exceptional individual excelling in the classroom, on the soccer field and internationally. She is diligent, generous, intelligent, selfless and kind.”
Alexander Cadigan, nominated by Computer Science Chair Alyce Brady, Computer Science Associate Professor Pam Cutter and Men’s Tennis Coach Mark Riley:
“K is a better place because of Alex’s leadership as a [resident assistant], a [teaching assistant] in computer science, and as a mentor.”
Tapiwa Chikungwa, nominated by Residential Life Area Coordinator Erika Perry, and Alison Geist, Teresa Denton, Moises Hernandez and Emily Kowey of the Center for Civic Engagement:
“As a third-year [resident assistant], Tapiwa’s contributions have been invaluable. … Her authentic servant leadership has been an incredible asset. … As a Civic Engagement Scholar, she brings deeply informed and compassionate perspectives.”
“The scope of Qynce’s mentoring, leadership and initiative is notable, … a distinct example of living an authentic, undaunted existence.”
Anthony Diep Rosas, nominated by Dow Distinguished Professor in the Natural Sciences Jan Tobochnik (physics) and Residential Life Area Coordinator Ashley Knapp:
“He uses his position to advocate for those without a voice.”
“Emma’s combination of quiet confidence and a genuine desire to help others has enabled her to effectively lead a diverse group of peers as president of [the Kalamazoo College Council of Student Representatives].”
Ian Freshwater, nominated by Assistant Dean of Students Brian Dietz:
“Ian has done fantastic work serving on student government since his first year and has taken on key roles throughout.”
Sarah George, nominated by Women’s Soccer Coach Bryan Goyings:
“Sarah is an extraordinary individual excelling at K in the classroom, on the soccer field and in the community.”
Sharat Kamath, nominated by Chief Information Officer Greg Diment, Kalamazoo College Fund Associate Director Sandy Dugal, and Alison Geist, Teresa Denton, Moises Hernandez and Emily Kowey of the Center for Civic Engagement:
“He works respectfully to build a more accepting, inclusive community.”
Sabrina Leddy, nominated by Chemistry Professor Regina Stevens-Truss:
“Sabrina has been a leader/mentor of the [American Chemical Society] student group since her sophomore year.”
Joy Lim, nominated by Study Abroad Adviser Alayna Lewis:
“Joy stands out as a leader, from the roles she has held to the manner in which she conducts herself and encourages others.”
Nicholas Ludka, nominated by Men’s Golf Coach Mitch Wilson:
“Nick is one of the top ambassadors for K and the [Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) ]. … He’s a two-time co-captain of the golf team and will finish his career as one of the top three Hornet golfers of all time.”
Cydney Martell, nominated by Interim Provost Laura Furge:
“A highly gifted scientist. … Simply the best combination possible of compassion, empathy, kindness, ability and intelligence.”
Ian McKnight, nominated by Assistant Professor of Political Science Justin Berry, Residential Life Area Coordinator Erika Perry, Assistant Dean of Students Brian Dietz and Kalamazoo College Fund Associate Director Sandy Dugal:
“What makes Ian stand out beyond being a strong student is the degree to which he commits not only to his personal growth, but also the broader community.”
Hannah Meyers, nominated by Women’s Lacrosse Coach Jessica Smith:
“Hannah is a two-year captain of the lacrosse team and a fantastic leader…she is the first player to offer assistance to younger players on and off the field.”
Zachary Morales, nominated by Men’s Lacrosse Coach Vince Redko:
“He has been instrumental in launching lacrosse at the College and he was our first All-MIAA selection in program history.”
Amanda Moss, nominated by L. Lee Stryker Associate Professor of Business Management Amy MacMillan, Women’s Basketball Coach Katie Miller and Women’s Lacrosse Coach Jessica Smith:
“Amanda is a dedicated leader in the classroom, on the basketball court, on the lacrosse field, and in the community. … She co-founded Sports Business Club. … She is a tenacious go-getter who sets an example of excellence for other students.”
Nkatha Mwenda, nominated by Biology Assistant Professor Anne Engh and Kalamazoo College Fund Associate Director Sandy Dugal:
“She embodies the sort of inclusive, cooperative leadership that we need in the world.”
Marco Ponce, nominated by Biology Professor Ann Fraser:
“Marco demonstrates commitment, fortitude and perseverance in all that he does. … He is gifted and the longest serving research assistant I had over my 16 years at the College.”
Shivani Rana, nominated by Assistant Dean of Students Brian Dietz:
“Shivani always comes to the table with a positive disposition, a genuine care for others, and a strong desire to make things better.”
“While always acting with integrity, she found ways to encourage others to expand their thinking and learn more about themselves.”
Sharif Shaker, nominated by Computer Science Chair Alyce Brady, Computer Science Associate Professor Pam Cutter, Swimming and Diving Coach Jay Daniels and Kalamazoo College Fund Associate Director Sandy Dugal:
“Sharif sets an example of dedicated and self-motivated learning … He is bright and is among the best writers we’ve ever seen.”
“Regina is a professional, thoughtful student leader and our entire career development team appreciates her positive demeanor, facilitation skills, and willingness to represent the department.”
Allen Vinson, nominated by Men’s Tennis Coach Mark Riley:
“Allen pushes his teammates to do the little things to be outstanding student athletes.”
Jordan Wiley, nominated by Baseball Coach Michael Ott and Kalamazoo College Fund Associate Director Sandy Dugal:
“Jordan had flourished and become one of our top academic, athletic and leadership examples we have in the baseball program. … As a President’s Student Ambassador, he is gracious and possesses an outstanding attitude.”
JayLashay Young, nominated by Assistant Dean of Students Brian Dietz:
“Jay is the epitome of the type of enlightened leaders we hope all K graduates become. … She created the Kalamazoo Dance Team and is a leader in student activities. … She is a unique combination of dedication, perseverance and optimism.”
Fortune tellers, wanderers, hobbits and mermaids … meet them all through music when Kalamazoo College presents two public winter concerts this Friday and Saturday in Dalton Theater at Light Fine Arts.
Music Professor Thomas Evans will lead the Academy Street Winds in one of two winter concerts scheduled for this weekend.
The Academy Street Winds will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, March 1, featuring a theme of “Rogues and Vagabonds.”
The Academy Street Winds is a wind ensemble providing a performance outlet for woodwind, brass and percussion students. Community musicians joined the ensemble in winter 2016 to expand the group’s sound and capabilities. Conducted by Music Professor Thomas Evans, the group performs one concert each term, playing exciting arrays of challenging band music. The ensemble is a favorite of audiences as the programs are coordinated around diverse themes, which allow for performances of much-loved pieces, both classic and contemporary. Admission is free.
The Kalamazoo Philharmonia, directed by Kalamazoo College Associate Professor of Music Andrew Koehler, will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 2. Tickets to this concert are $5 each for the public, $2 for students and free for Kalamazoo College students who present their College IDs.
This orchestra unites professional and amateur musicians, including Kalamazoo College students and faculty, along with many from the community. The concert is titled “A Tale of Two Cities” and will compare works from Johannes Brahms’ “Symphony No. 1” and Alexander Zemlinsky’s “The Mermaid.” Both composers had ties to Vienna, Austria.
The Kalamazoo Philharmonia won the 2014 American Prize Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award for Orchestral Programming and has produced several CDs. It also has appeared on CBS Sunday Morning, and collaborated with the Bach Festival Chorus, as well as many renowned soloists. Listen to some of its recorded concerts at our website.
For questions about either of the winter concerts, call 269.337.7070 or email susan.lawrence@kzoo.edu.
The Kalamazoo College Festival Playhouse’s 55th season, featuring the theme of Assumption and Confusion, continues this week with the powerful play Student Body.
Kalamazoo College students rehearse for Student Body, which runs Thursday, Feb. 21-Sunday, Feb. 24, at the Nelda K. Balch Festival Playhouse.
Written by Frank Winters and directed by Visiting Theatre Arts Assistant Professor Bianca Washington, the play approaches complicated ethical questions when a college student wakes up after a party in her parents’ house and finds a video on her camera of a sexual encounter. The woman in the video might or might not be unconscious as others watch, leading the 10 characters, consisting of seven women and three men, to debate whether a sexual assault has occurred and who they should tell about it.
“The setting is written to be a university in the middle of nowhere, but the director made a bold decision to place it at K,” said Ynika Yuag ’21, who noted that some of the characters will wear Kalamazoo College apparel.
In her role as a dramaturg, Yuag is responsible for working with the director on background research and how current events and perspectives might inform or shape the production. “K isn’t exactly the middle of nowhere,” she said, “but the campus is small enough that we all get to know each other, which really makes [the production] personal. The more I work on it, the more I realize how it fits the theme of Assumption and Confusion.”
The performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21 through Saturday, Feb. 23, with a 2 p.m. showing on Sunday, Feb. 24. Yuag said a lobby display with interactive elements will allow audience members to engage with ideas related to the play through proxy stations before and after the show. Plus, there will be talkback sessions featuring facilitators and cast members after each show. The scheduled facilitators include:
Thursday: Ellen Lassiter Collier, K’s Title IX coordinator and director of gender equity
Friday: Dramaturg Ynika Yuag and Assistant Director Karishma Singh ’19; American College Theatre Festival adjudicator Derik McNish of Michigan State University will also provide a critique of the show after the talkback
Be advised, there is strong language and a graphic discussion of sexual violence in the show.
Tickets for all four shows at the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse are available by visiting festivalplayhouse.ludus.com or by calling 269.337.7333. Adults are $15, seniors are $10 and students are $5 with an ID. Kalamazoo College students, faculty and staff are admitted free with their College IDs.
Two student-athletes represented Kalamazoo College at the 2019 NCAA Convention in Orlando, Florida, earning an insider’s look at the governance and maintenance of college sports.
Jared Pittman ’20 and Amanda Moss ’19 attended the NCAA Convention in Orlando, Florida.
Jared Pittman ’20 and Amanda Moss ’19 attended business sessions with hundreds of athletes, athletic directors and college administrators from Division I, II and III schools around the country, including K Athletic Director Becky Hall. By attending these sessions and sharing their feedback with Hall, a voting member of the NCAA, they were able to have a voice in how rules affect Division III athletes’ experiences.
Football coach Jamie Zorbo approached Pittman, a running back and captain on the football squad, about attending. Women’s basketball coach Katie Miller recommended that Moss, a guard on Miller’s team, attend. As leaders in their sports at K and as participants in the school’s Athletic Leadership Council, Pittman and Moss were logical choices, especially as they hope their careers one day involve athletics.
“It was fascinating because the NCAA president [Mark Emmert] emphasized that [the organization] is a democracy,” said Moss, who is also a midfielder for K’s women’s lacrosse team. “In addition to being informational, it was also a time for college representatives to interact and share best practices.” For example, through Division III legislation proposed at the conference, representatives agreed to drop some social media restrictions for coaches and athletic department staff to better align Division III recruiting rules with those in Divisions I and II.
“The world of college athletics is much bigger than I thought it was,” Pittman said of his experience at the convention. “It gave me a new-found appreciation for how rules and regulations are developed in college sports. It also gave me a bigger passion for all sports, because I interacted with athletes I wouldn’t otherwise know, especially those from sports K doesn’t have. Athletics can do a lot for young people.”
Jared Pittman ’20 and Amanda Moss ’19 attended the NCAA Convention with hundreds of athletes, athletic directors and college administrators from Division I, II and III schools around the country, including Athletic Director Becky Hall.
Pittman and Moss agreed an opportunity to network was their best benefit of attending at the convention.
“We were fortunate enough to travel in a group with other MIAA [Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association] athletes from schools like Calvin, Hope and Alma,” said Moss, who also has prepped for a career in sports with an NBA internship and by serving as the president and co-founder of K’s Sports Business Club. “It was enjoyable because we brought that K perspective, but heard from the schools we compete with each year. It was great because we attended business sessions during the day, and at night, we were able to explore Orlando.”
“Honestly, we didn’t talk about sports much,” Pittman said. “It was more about character and how we improve our institutions, especially with Division III being about academic experience as much as athletics.” In fact, he noted from his networking that K’s student counseling resources such as the Counseling Center and efforts related to sexual-violence prevention through groups such as Green Dot are advanced when compared with its peer institutions. “It was really cool getting to know the delegates from other MIAA schools and developing friendships,” Pittman said. I’m blessed to have the chance to attend K and compete in Division III. If I didn’t, I probably never would have had the chance to attend the convention.”
Read more about the 2019 convention and its news at the NCAA’s website.
Declaration of Major Day is a festive gathering where sophomores designate their majors, minors and concentrations at Kalamazoo College.
There are two camps of students who come to college: those who know exactly what they want to study — or are pretty sure they know — and those who don’t. Kalamazoo College takes a different approach to helping students decide their major. Through the K-Plan, students explore and discover academic fields for a year and a half before choosing a major. Best of all, the curriculum is designed to give students this freedom while keeping them on track to graduate in four years. This past Wednesday’s Declaration of Major Day, the midpoint of their sophomore year, was a festive gathering where students formally designated their majors, minors and concentrations.
The banquet hall at Hicks Student Center was packed as each department set up a booth. Students went from table to table, committing to their fields of study and getting stickers declaring their choices. They celebrated the big moment with one another and the rest of campus with a piece of cake baked for the event by Dining Services.
“Declaration of Major Day is a 15-year tradition at Kalamazoo College,” Associate Dean of Students Dana Jansma said. “College students everywhere are required to declare a major, but here at K we make it a special event and celebration.”
Jansma also said it’s a way to celebrate students finding their academic home.
“It is a real rite-of-passage for sophomores,” she said.
K senior Emma Eisenbeis, a political science and German double major, recalled the excitement of her Declaration of Major Day. “This event gives you the opportunity to situate yourself in your academic community with your fellow peers and faculty. It really hits you that this is the start of your career path,” Eisenbeis said.
This event typically merges the two camps of students into one, where they all have a sense of where their paths are headed. And if something changes, no worries. Thanks to the flexibility of the K-Plan, the College will work with students to make a switch of major or majors as seamless as possible.
