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Class: Is Civil Discourse Still Possible in Politics?

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Americans are struggling to talk across political divides, but a classroom at Kalamazoo College recently became a laboratory for civil discourse. Political Science Associate Professor Justin Berry led what he describes as the best class he’s had the privilege of teaching: a senior seminar on political polarization that challenged students not just to study the problem but to actively engage with it.

“I teach a lot of the bigger kinds of classes—intro classes—on Congress and the presidency,” Berry said. “This was my first opportunity to teach a seminar-oriented class, and I was excited about the chance to design something new. I picked a topic that I thought was pertinent to what they’ve learned over their time in political science. It’s a topic that’s particularly relevant to the democracy they’re participating in today.”

Berry designed the course to give students the tools and experiences they need to model what he calls civil disagreement. Over the term, students examined the forces driving political polarization in the United States, from widening divides among elected officials and the public to the ways media and social media reinforce differences. They analyzed the most recent election cycle using various sources, and through dialogue and interviews, they practiced ways to communicate across these differences.

“I wanted to give them the space and the tools to engage in difficult conversations,” he said. “I wanted them to fundamentally disagree on ideas, concepts and values, and yet do so in a constructive, civil way, which I think is absent from our politics today.”

Berry also noted the delicate balance between creating a sense of safety while fostering genuine disagreement in a course of this nature.

“I want to engender an environment that’s intellectually, politically and socially safe, but at the same time, I don’t want it to be so safe that people aren’t actually sharing their true beliefs,” he said. “If everybody’s feeling happy and comfortable, we’re probably not engaging in a real political discussion because politics is conflictual.”

The class was able to achieve that balance, Berry said.

“There was enough overlap, commonality and trust in one another for us to engage in a meaningful conversation on a weekly basis,” Berry said. “Yet there was also enough disagreement to lead to a meaningful exchange. A student would have a strong opinion, attitude or concept, and people would push back and give different perspectives. I heard students say time and again that in their discussions, they changed an attitude or an opinion toward something and I thought that was great. That’s real conversation.”

Student observing a cell phone
Justin Berry teaches his polarization and civil discourse students
Political Science Associate Professor Justin Berry teaches his polarization and civil discourse students.

The Assignment That Changed Perspectives

The centerpiece of the course was an intentional challenge: students had to interview someone with drastically different political views and write about their conversation. For many students, this meant stepping far outside their comfort zones. What they discovered often surprised them.

Lyrica Gee ’26 spoke with her uncle in Florida, whose politics differed sharply from her father’s despite their similar upbringings.

“I had gone home with some of the questions that we’ve been asking in class,” she said. “I talked to my dad about it and heard some of his answers about the way he was raised by his parents and their ideological lenses. Then, going into that interview with his brother, who ended up with a totally different political perspective, it was interesting to see how such a similar background landed them in these different situations.”

Libby McFarlen ’26 emphasized the humanizing effect of the face-to-face conversation she had.

“It’s so much easier to see what people think and dismiss it when it’s online,” she said. “But when you’re actually speaking to someone face-to-face, it personalizes those opinions. You realize that your opinions about people who disagree with you are attached to a real person, not to a statistic or someone on the other side of a phone screen.”

Berry mentioned two outcomes from the project that were especially noteworthy to him.

“I had one student who interviewed her dad, and she valued the experience so much that she wants to do it with all of her family members and record the conversations to trace her family’s political story,” he said. “I also had some students who assumed those they interviewed had very different beliefs, only to find false polarization once they had the conversation. Sometimes our assumptions are just false, and these things that we think divide us are our own misperceptions.”

Two students talking in a polarization and civil discourse class
Reagan Woods ’26 (left) talks with Lyrica Gee ’26.
Student leads the class on polarization and civil discourse from a blackboard
Libby McFarlen ’26 leads a discussion.

Student-Led Learning Creates Community

For Reagan Woods ’26, the seminar did more than explore polarization; it gave students practical ways to understand and challenge it.

“Polarization in past political science courses has been an undergirding theme that doesn’t get talked about,” she said. “It’s almost like the boogeyman—this unnamed force that drives our political differences and our current political economy. I like that we have a course where we can address it head-on and say, ‘This is what this is. Let’s name it. Let’s talk about it. Let’s dissect it.’”

The seminar’s structure was deliberately collaborative. Rather than traditional lectures, students led discussions, preparing activities and questions to engage their peers with weekly readings on topics such as media, geographic, and identity-based polarization. Woods described these readings as tools that could be kept in a tool belt, ready to use for class discussions, as well as outside the classroom.

“We have this tool belt full of theories, so what do we do with it now,” she asked. “Do we tackle polarization? Is this a problem we can fix? And while there is no one answer to that, I think it still got the gears turning. We can ask, ‘Is polarization an inevitable problem?’ Dr. Berry also mentioned that we’ve been more polarized before when we fought the Civil War and during the revolution, but we survived as a nation. This is not a hopeless cause, which I think was a hopeful message.”

Hollis Masterson ’26, who is pursuing majors in political science and history, appreciated how the seminar synthesized his undergraduate work.

“The interview assignment and leading class discussions were probably the most important to the classroom experience,” he said. “They offered a great sense of community and understanding among us about where our politics lie, our backgrounds, and that variability of where we all come from.”

Berry said the students embraced the student-led process.

“One thing I found really special about the class was how kind and gracious they were with one another,” he said. “In today’s world of social media and our phones, more often I’ll walk into a classroom, and students won’t be engaging with each other. But because they were developing the lesson plan, I would walk into class, and no one was on their phones—they’d be chatting about the reading they’d done. They posted questions on social media to poll other K students about their attitudes toward topics like political violence, and then they brought up the results in class. We would talk about the different responses in the community, so the conversations didn’t just end in the class; they kept flowing. That, for me, is a rare occurrence.”

The student-led approach created unexpected benefits. Masterson noted that the class brought together political science majors who had rarely shared a classroom before their senior year.

“It became this slow development of a community,” he said. “I wish we could have started this cohort sooner, but having the opportunity to tie everything together as a group made this one of the most valuable experiences of my education.”

Two students talk about their civil discourse and polarization class
Hollis Masterson ’26 (left) talks with Dymytri Hayda ’26.
Reagan Woods talks with Libby McFarlen.

From Skeptic to Scholar

Maddie Hanulcik ’26 had an experience with the course that reflects the transformative power it had.

“I was excited to take the senior seminar with my cohort, but to tell you the truth, I wasn’t excited about the topic,” she said. “We know that polarization exists, so I wondered whether we needed to make a whole class about it.”

Hanulcik’s perspective shifted drastically as the course progressed. What she initially dismissed as obvious became fascinating as she discovered the depth and breadth of polarization’s impact. The transformation was so complete that Hanulcik chose polarization as the focus of her Senior Integrated Project (SIP). Her project examines why Generation Z has significantly lower faith in democracy than Generation X and how the media influences this decline.

“If people don’t believe in democracy, that’s really scary,” Hanulcik said. “Even if a democracy is not functioning the way you want it to, it’s important to change it for the better instead of just abandoning it. We need to have things like civil discourse and a civil society to keep democracy alive.”

Two students listen in civil discourse and polarization course
Lilly Cleland ’26 (left) and Maddie Hanulcik ’26
Students in a classroom sit in a semicircle around their professor
Senior Libby McFarlen (from left), Estrella Arana, Lilly Cleland, Maddie Hanulcik, Reagan Woods and Lyrica Gee talk with Associate Professor of Political Science Justin Berry.

Challenging Assumptions

Perhaps the course’s most powerful lesson was how small the actual policy differences could be between opposing sides.

“Despite the fact that ideologically and verbally we have all of these differences, when it comes down to policy, the difference between a moderate Republican and a moderate Democrat is maybe an inch wide,” Gee said. “The difference between voting for one person and voting for the other is sometimes just about how much you dislike the other team.”

Hanulcik, a self-described libertarian, was one of only two non-left-leaning individuals in a class of 20. Initially, that made her feel uneasy, but as class conversations progressed, she found common ground she hadn’t expected.

“People started asking me why I felt the way I did, and after explaining, they said, ‘Oh, I share almost every belief that you have. I just came to it in a different way in my head.’”

The experience helped Hanulcik recognize her own polarization.

“At the beginning of the class, I was polarized against people who were polarized,” she said. “But then I realized I have to have conversations and help them understand the dangers of polarization and what it can lead to.”

She came to see polarization not as a simple left-right divide but as a problem created by extremes on both sides.

“Most individuals here in the U.S. have a similar concept of good or bad,” she said. “Discourse is driven by the extreme ends of both parties, and folks are slowly pulled from the middle. At what point do we lose that extreme dialogue and start communicating with folks in the middle?”

McFarlen captured a common takeaway from the course: people on both sides of the aisle really aren’t as different as they think; they are just shaped by different environments and experiences.

“It doesn’t mean they are your enemies,” she said. “It just means that they think differently, and it’s important to try to understand why people think the way they do.”

Gee reflected on how social media algorithms and sensational journalism exacerbate division for entertainment and profit.

“We’re stoking this fire between the two sides to make it more entertaining,” Gee said. “The entertainment aspect is making us grow further apart because we are sitting in our anger rather than in any critical thinking.”

Associate Professor Justin Berry
Associate Professor of Political Science Justin Berry
Civil Discourse and Polarization Class
Seniors Maddie Hanulcik, Reagan Woods, Lyrica Gee, Lilly Cleland, Estrella Arana and Libby McFarlen listen to Associate Professor of Political Science Justin Berry.

Beyond the Classroom

The lessons students learned have already begun influencing how they engage with politics beyond the classroom. McFarlen said the course changed how she views political campaigns, making her more attentive to how candidates target different audiences and frame their messages.

For Masterson, the course sparked greater interest in state and local politics, where he said bipartisanship still occasionally exists. He’s applying to master’s programs at Tufts University, George Washington University, and three Australian universities, having fallen in love with Australian politics during study abroad.

Gee, who plans to pursue political journalism in Washington, D.C., sees the course as foundational to her future work.

“I always want to look toward educating others and helping them get through really complex bureaucratic systems,” she said. “Having some of these ideas in my head is going to be very helpful in understanding the complexities within people.”

Hanulcik plans to join the Peace Corps after graduation.

“I love being abroad,” she said. “I like moving all the time, and I like helping people in some way, shape or form. I want to live my life as a life of service.”

Libby McFarlen listens in the civil discourse an polarization class
Libby McFarlen ’26

A Model for Democratic Citizenship

For Professor Berry, the course represents more than an academic exercise. It’s about preparing students for democratic citizenship in a fractured era.

“We have reached the point where we can no longer discuss politics with those with whom we disagree,” he said. “I wanted to provide students with a venue to grapple with difficult political questions and model how to engage in civil disagreement. It is a vital component of democratic citizenship, and it is not a skill we have effectively modeled for them.”

The results speak for themselves. What began as a required senior seminar became what multiple students described as their favorite class at K. In a moment defined by division, the course offered a glimmer of hope, proof that with curiosity, respect, and honesty, real conversation is not only possible; it’s transformative.

Estrella Arana ’26

LandSea Pre-Orientation Program Earns National Recognition

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When first-year students arrive at Kalamazoo College, many carry with them the same questions: Will I fit in? Will I find my people? Can I handle what college throws at me? For those who begin their college experience with K’s LandSea outdoor pre-orientation program, national data suggest the answers are increasingly “yes.”

 According to the 2025 Outdoor Orientation Benchmarking Survey (TOOBS), LandSea continues to stand out among peer institutions nationwide for helping students build communication skills, perspective-taking and problem-solving. The survey ranked K’s program first nationally in several leader-trust metrics and in resilience, which measures students’ increased confidence in handling difficult situations after participating. Research shows these qualities help students persist academically and socially throughout their education.

For LandSea and Outdoor Programs Director Jory Horner, the results are affirming.

“It’s gratifying,” Horner said. “We put a lot of time and energy into this program, especially into leader training, and it’s nice to see that investment showing up in meaningful ways for both participants and leaders.”

Not Just for ‘Outdoor People’

Held each year before first-year orientation, the optional LandSea pre-orientation program includes hiking, camping, paddling, rock climbing and nights under the stars. But Horner dispels the idea that the program is only for seasoned outdoor enthusiasts.

“Most of the students who come on LandSea aren’t outdoorsy people at all,” he said. “We have students who have never slept outside before.”

For some, the experience can feel intimidating at first. Yet that discomfort often becomes one of the program’s most powerful teaching tools.

“One of the things TOOBS measures is a student’s ability to face challenges after the trip,” Horner said. “That’s something we’ve scored highly on for many years.”

The numbers reflect what students themselves describe when they return to campus.

“We hear students say things like, ‘I just got back from LandSea, and I did more than I thought I could,’” Horner said. “They’ll say, ‘There’s no test that’s going to scare me now.’ That mindset carries over into academics and everything else.”

Participants live and travel in small groups, typically of eight to 10 students, working together for 18 days in the Adirondack Mountains. There’s also a shorter six-day option at Camp Merrie Woode in Kalamazoo for students who want more creature comforts. In both experiences, students cook meals together, navigate trails, problem-solve and manage daily challenges as a unit alongside people they have just met.

“You’re learning how to live closely with a small group, how to communicate and how to handle differences,” Horner said. “These are the same skills students need when they’re back on campus.”

Measuring What Matters—After the Dust Settles

TOOBS is sent to students at about 25 participating colleges each year, around six weeks into the fall term—after classes have begun, friendships have formed, and the realities of college life have set in. K has participated since about 2012, placing LandSea within an ongoing national conversation about how experiential education supports student transition.

The survey uses a “proxy pretest” approach, asking students to think back on how they perceived their skills, confidence, and perspectives before LandSea and then assess how those changed afterward. The method, developed and presented through research connected to the University of New Hampshire and scholar Brent J. Bell, aims to measure growth rather than surface-level enthusiasm.

“That timing is really important,” Horner said. “If you ask students about a program like this right when they finish it, they’re riding the high of the experience. TOOBS lets that afterglow wear off and asks them to reflect once they’ve had time to compare LandSea to everything else they’re experiencing at college.”

‘Finding My People’

Research connected to TOOBS consistently shows that students’ biggest fear entering college is not academic rigor, but whether they will fit in and find a sense of belonging. By the time LandSea students arrive on campus for orientation, many already have a core group they recognize, trust and feel comfortable with during the first challenging weeks.

The outcomes measured by TOOBS align closely with internal data collected by K’s Office of Institutional Research. An analysis comparing LandSea participants and non-participants between 2012 and 2022 revealed consistently higher outcomes for those who completed the program. LandSea participants showed higher retention rates, greater persistence to graduation, and higher cumulative GPAs than their peers.

LandSea Pre-Orientation rock climbing
Tess Peters ’29 was among the LandSea Adirondacks participants last fall.
LandSea Pre-Orientation canoeing
Bea Putman ’26 was among the LandSea Kalamazoo leaders last fall.
LandSea Leaders
Although LandSea is designed for incoming students, Director Jory Horner emphasizes that its success rests heavily on student leaders.
LandSea backpacking group
The LandSea program includes activities such as hiking, camping, paddling and rock climbing.

Support LandSea

Help LandSea continue to set the standard for pre-orientation excellence. Make a gift to ensure future students have a strong start to their K journey. 

“For us, that’s really validating,” Horner said. “It confirms that the things we’re focusing on—belonging, trust, confidence—actually matter in measurable ways.”

LandSea Leaders Make it Possible

Although LandSea is designed for incoming students, Horner emphasizes that its success rests heavily on student leaders.

“They give an incredible amount of time,” he said. “They’re balancing classes, jobs and other commitments, and then they dedicate weeks to training in leadership, wilderness medicine and emergency response.”

Many leaders are drawn not by the outdoors, but by the chance to help others.

“The number one reason they give is, ‘I wanted to help ease the transition to K for the next incoming class,’” Horner said. “They take that responsibility seriously.”

And as LandSea continues to earn national recognition, Horner sees the results not as a conclusion but as affirmation.

“Our goal has always been to help students start college feeling capable, connected and supported,” he said. “Seeing those outcomes reflected in the data makes all of us really proud.”

Festival Playhouse Explores Body Image in ‘Most Massive Woman Wins’

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In a waiting room at a liposuction clinic, four women sit with their thoughts, their bodies, and their personal histories. What unfolds is The Most Massive Woman Wins, the next production by the Festival Playhouse at Kalamazoo College. 

It’s a play that confronts body image, misogyny and the personal costs of trying to fit into a society obsessed with women’s appearances. Written by Madeleine George and directed by Milan Levy ’23, the show will run at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 26 to Saturday, February 28, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, March 1. Tickets are available at festivalplayhouse.ludus.com. 

Since graduating from K, Levy has built a directing résumé that includes codirecting Smart People with Face Off Theatre Company, Kalamazoo’s Black-owned theatre company, in fall 2024. When Professor of Theatre Arts Lanny Potts reached out about the opportunity to direct at Levy’s alma mater, they immediately said yes. For Levy—who also serves the College as a program coordinator in the Office of Student Activities—this show is deeply personal. 

“Being someone who grew up a plus size woman, I saw so much of myself and the insecurities I’ve held, spoken through the words of these women,” Levy said. “I wanted to explore this play for myself, and everyone who would connect to this story.”  

Four actors from "The Most Massive Woman Wins" huddle during a rehearsal
Victoria (Gracie) Burnham ’27 (from left), Shay Kruse ’28, Helen Stoy ’26 and Sofia Gross ’29 are among the student actors in “The Most Massive Woman Wins” slated for February 26–March 1 at the Festival Playhouse.

The play unfolds as a series of monologues and scenes that move between the clinic’s waiting room and the women’s memories of schoolyards, workplaces and relationships. Each character has arrived at the same door, having traveled a completely different path to reach it. 

Liliana Stout ’26 plays Sabine, a Ph.D. student and committed feminist who wrestles with an internal conflict between her politics and her desire for intimacy, driving much of the play’s emotional tension. Stout describes the character as deeply angry and in constant dialogue with herself. 

“She can’t overcome the loneliness, and she has to find a way to balance being the deeply moral, feminist person that she is while wanting the love that she hasn’t found,” Stout said. 

Two casts will perform in the production, with Stout being the only actor to take the stage each night. Stout noted that the ensemble spans the full range of K class years, from a first-year student to seniors, and at least one cast member is performing on stage for the first time. The other actors include: 

  • Gracie Burnham ’27 and Emily Reese ’27 who portray Rennie, a teenager consumed by an eating disorder, trying to gain the love and acceptance of her mother.   
  • Sofia Gross ’29 and Shay Kruse ’28 who play Carly, a loving mother who believes her hard work will ensure her daughter doesn’t end up the way her and her mother did. What happens when this belief is challenged? 
  • Helen Stoy ’26 and Zoee Perez ’26 who act as Cel, a woman who struggles with self-harm and needs the help of others to keep her grounded. 

The play is set in the 1990s, but both Levy and Stout say its concerns feel urgently modern, as medications promising rapid weight loss dominate public conversation and the media continues to project narrow definitions of beauty. 

“We’re returning to the 90s in a way,” Levy said. “People are now using Ozempic and GLP-1s to lose weight. It’s all about looking skinny but that doesn’t equate to healthy. Expecting us all to have the same body or work towards it, is putting an impossible standard.” 

For Stout, the play is an invitation to empathy rather than judgment. She hopes audiences leave with a more generous understanding of why people arrive at decisions around changing their bodies. 

“It’s easy to stop and judge someone for doing something like plastic surgery or liposuction and say they’re lazy, or taking the easy way out, or that they just don’t love themselves,” she said. “I hope watching the show encourages people to take a moment to pause and instead find a way to understand what they’re going through and show them love instead.” 

Levy wants audiences, especially those who have felt the pressures these characters embody, to feel seen. 

“I want this show to give voice to the things people never felt they could share or say out loud,” they said.

Ensembles Present Concerts, Feb. 15 and 20 

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Kalamazoo College will sound as vibrant as it feels this month, with two campus music ensembles inviting audiences to shake off the winter chill through music inspired by movement, mood and color.  

Academy Street Winds 

The Academy Street Winds will present a dance-themed concert featuring waltzes, a tango, a malambo, and more at 4 p.m. on Sunday, February 15, at Dalton Theatre. Winter Dances will feature a title piece by Brian Balmages, the celebrated work Satiric Dances by Norman Dello Joio, and other selections that capture the emotions and motions of movement. Admission is free; donations are appreciated. 

The ensemble is a beloved creative outlet for woodwind, brass and percussion musicians, bringing together both students and community members to expand the group’s sound and capabilities.Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Greg Bassett serves as the group’s director. 

Kalamazoo College Jazz Band 

The Kalamazoo College Jazz Band, directed by Visiting Instructor of Music Sandra Shaw, will present Colour My World at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 20, at Dalton Theatre. Admission is free; donations are appreciated.  

The concert will begin with Chicago’s Colour My World. It will continue with tunes that describe different colors to add visual stimulation and evoke specific emotions and feelings while reflecting shared experiences. Listeners are encouraged to dance if the music inspires them during the show. 

For more information about both performances, contact the Department of Music at 269.337.7070 or Susan.Lawrence@kzoo.edu. 

Jazz Band ensembles
The Kalamazoo College Jazz Band will be one of the ensembles performing this month.

Outdoor Leadership Conference Returns to K

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The Midwest Outdoor Leadership Conference is returning to Kalamazoo College February 6–8, offering a weekend of student-led workshops, networking and hands-on learning focused on outdoor leadership and sustainability education. 

The annual event will connect more than 50 students from small, medium and large institutions across the region. K students will be able to participate at no cost and without the need to travel. 

“It really doesn’t matter what students’ majors are. It’s just all about outdoor leadership and sustainability education,” said Josie Belsky ’28, one of the five conference organizers including Madeline Moss ‘26, Zoe Allen ’28, Chloe Brown ’28 and Ava King ’28. 

Belsky’s journey to organizing the conference began when she attended last year’s event at Earlham College. Moss had heard about the conference through her first-year seminar, Wheels of Change. After missing last year’s conference while studying abroad, Moss jumped at the opportunity to help organize when Sofia Fleming ’25, a previous conference attendee, reached out. 

For Moss, an English major, the conference represents an opportunity to bridge academic interests with outdoor pursuits—a combination not always obvious to those outside the field. 

Outdoor Leadership Conference
Kalamazoo College last hosted the Midwest Outdoor Leadership Conference in 2020 with gatherings like this one at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership. The conference is returning to K Feb. 6–8.

“At K, we don’t have a lot of leadership-specific courses or an outdoor education major, so this is an opportunity for us to be able to touch base with students from other schools who might be interested in that and who have a lot of background in it, while also learning from them,” Moss said. “Being able to intersect my interest of the outdoors and sustainability with English is a nice thing about the conference.” 

This interdisciplinary approach defines the conference’s appeal. Workshops range from technical skills such as scuba diving and rock climbing to more philosophical discussions about what wilderness means and how to decolonize one’s understanding of the outdoors.  

Planning the conference has been a crash course in event management for the organizing students, who have met weekly since the start of the academic year with support from Outdoor Programs staff. The planners have coordinated with campus organizations like the Office of Student Activities. They’ve also reached out to local organizations such as the Kalamazoo Nature Center and engaged with students about their Senior Integrated Projects (SIPs) and other campus initiatives. 

The organizers emphasize that the conference welcomes everyone, regardless of outdoor experience. 

“One of the bigger barriers is that it can be a little intimidating to go to a conference—you feel like you have to come in with something, but in reality, it’s for everyone,” Belsky said. “There’s no experience necessary. You don’t even have to be an outdoorsy person. It’s just meant to be fun.” 

Hosting the conference offers an opportunity to showcase how K’s sustainability infrastructure has evolved, particularly through the Environmental Stewardship Center. 

“K has gone through a lot of changes, and I think this feels somewhat grounding back to our history of sustainability in leadership and student-led learning,” Moss said. “The fact that we hosted this conference back in 2020, before the pandemic, and a lot of things have shifted since then, and the fact we’re adapting it to the way that the school is now, says a lot about our dedication to creating a space of outdoor stewardship.” 

Attending this conference at other schools has been eye-opening for K students. Last year at Earlham, for example, Belsky and others learned about Earlham’s Quaker heritage and toured facilities including horse stables, composting operations and a community building where people sell handmade art and pottery. 

But beyond workshops and campus tours, the conference creates lasting connections. 

“I’m still in contact with the people I met at last year’s conference,” Belsky said. “One of them came to visit me and my roommate last year, too, which was fun.” 

She also emphasizes the conference’s professional value. 

“It’s a good way to network with people and make connections that will help you so much in your future career,” Belsky said. 

The organizers express deep appreciation for Outdoor Programs Director Jory Horner, Outdoor and Environmental Coordinator Greta Farley ’22 and Outdoor Leadership Training Center Coordinator Hannah Wolfe ’21, who provided crucial guidance. Farley’s perspective as a former student organizer has been particularly valuable. 

“Sometimes we get fogged up with the student mindset and think we’re so busy that we couldn’t possibly do this,” Moss said. “But it felt grounding to have them tell us that we’re capable of it, and we could do so much more than we expected.” 

With the conference happening on campus, the organizers have a simple message for the K community: Join us. 

“The fact that it’s here is huge for us because we know, especially for student-athletes and people involved in student organizations, it’s hard to get away on the weekends,” Belsky said. “Your lives get busy, especially at K, because we’re always so involved. But it’s here. It’s so close, so come join us.” 

For more information, registration and schedules, see the conference’s website. 

Ten Days Opened a World Through Short-Term Study Abroad  

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For some Kalamazoo College students, study abroad can feel out of reach—too long, too expensive or too intimidating to fit into already full academic and personal schedules. But for 23 students who spent 10 days in the Dominican Republic during winter break, a short-term, faculty-led program offered something transformative: a first step into global learning that reshaped how they see the world and themselves.  

Led by Associate Professor of Spanish Ivett López Malagamba, the immersive experience brought students to Santiago de los Caballeros, a mid-sized city in the Dominican Republic, where they lived with host families, conducted daily academic work and navigated life almost entirely in Spanish.   

Students sitting at an outdoor table in the Dominican Republic while on short-term study abroad
Kalamazoo College students who participated in short-term study abroad over winter break were welcomed to the Dominican Republic with a special dinner.
Students participate in an orientation during short-term study abroad in the Dominican Republic
Students participated in an orientation when they arrived in the Dominican Republic.

An Accessible Path to Global Learning  

The short-term program targets students who may face barriers to longer study abroad opportunities, including first-generation college students, students of color, student-athletes and those balancing multiple commitments on campus. It was first launched as a pilot program in 2019, funded through a grant from the Mellon Foundation, which supported faculty planning, along with Center for International Programs funds. Additionally this year, the Ambassador Martha L. Campbell and Consul General Arnold H. Campbell Foreign Study Endowment and the Robert J. Kopecky ’72 Endowed Study Abroad Fund helped high-need students afford the experience. The Campbell Endowment was established in 2009 to support and enhance the foreign study experience for K students. The Kopecky fund was established in 2022 to help maximize the number of students who participate in study abroad while encouraging students to explore the culture around them during their international experience. 

For some participants, the Dominican Republic trip marked their first time traveling internationally or even boarding an airplane.  

“For them, this was not just an academic experience; it was a personal milestone,” López Malagamba said.  

Academically, the program is tied to the Spanish curriculum. Students must have completed Spanish 201, the final course in K’s language requirement sequence for Spanish. In the fall, participants enroll in a preparatory course and attend predeparture sessions focused on Dominican history, race relations, politics and the country’s deep connections to the United States and the Caribbean. And once they are in the Dominican Republic, the learning is nonstop.  

“Every day is academic,” López Malagamba said. “Even when students are on a beach or in a community celebration, they are learning—about economics, migration, tourism, race, history and the environment.”  

Students visit Samana in the Dominican Republic during short-term study abroad
In the coastal region of Samaná, students encountered a lesser-known chapter of shared history: communities founded by formerly enslaved people from the U.S. who settled there in the 19th century.
Chocolate making at Sendero del Cacao
Students had a chance to make chocolate while learning about the country’s export economy through cocoa farming, studying the role of tourism in shaping cities, and examining the deep ties between the Dominican Republic and the United States. 

Learning Beyond the Classroom  

Students explored the Dominican Republic through lectures, guided visits and hands-on experiences that reinforced themes from their language coursework, including urban life, nature, the arts and professions. They learned about the country’s export economy through cocoa farming, studied the role of tourism in shaping cities, and examined the deep ties between the Dominican Republic and the United States.  

In the coastal region of Samaná, students encountered a lesser-known chapter of shared history: communities founded by formerly enslaved people from the U.S. who settled there in the 19th century. A guide, himself a descendant of those settlers, shared how English once flourished in the region before being suppressed and how that legacy still shapes Dominican identity.  

“These are moments where students realize that U.S. history doesn’t stop at our borders,” López Malagamba said. “It lives in other places, in other people’s stories.”  

Environmental justice was another key focus. Students learned how coastal communities balance the economic need for tourism with the protection of ecosystems, national parks and marine environments that sustain local livelihoods.  

Living with host families added another layer of immersion and challenge. Students had to adapt to new routines, unfamiliar foods and different cultural expectations, all while communicating in a second language.  

“There’s always a moment where students feel overwhelmed,” López Malagamba said. “They miss their familiarity. They realize how hard it is to express themselves fully. But then something shifts.”  

That shift often comes in small victories: asking for directions, explaining a preference at the dinner table or successfully navigating a conversation they once would have avoided.  

“By the end, students realize, ‘I can do this,’” she said. “That confidence is powerful.”  

Spanish Class at Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra
K students participated in a Spanish class while visiting the Dominican Republic.
Students visit Monumento a los Heroes de la Restauracion on study abroad
Students visited the Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración, which was built for the 100th anniversary of the Dominican War of Independence, which was fought in 1844 to gain sovereignty from Haiti.

‘I’m Hooked’  

For Tom Clark ’27, the Dominican Republic trip became a lifeline to study abroad after he had to cancel plans for a longer program in Greece. The business major, who is dual-enrolling at Western Michigan University to pursue exercise science, realized too late that he couldn’t balance a two-term study abroad with his academic timeline.  

“I went through all the predeparture stuff, was all ready to go, and then I realized I wouldn’t be able to do it,” Clark said. “But right as I dropped it, I got an email about this trip to the Dominican Republic. I saw it was over winter break, so it wouldn’t take away from credits that I would need. It was perfect.”  

The trip marked Clark’s first time leaving the country, and the experience immediately challenged his assumptions about privilege and perspective.  

“I thought I was familiar with other cultures,” he said. “I thought of myself as an empathetic person who could put himself in the shoes of others. And then I actually took the trip, and my understanding was much different.”  

Simple differences struck him immediately. Getting off the airplane, he looked for a water fountain to fill his bottle only to realize public drinking fountains don’t exist in places without widespread access to clean water. The language immersion then proved to be both challenging and rewarding. Clark hadn’t taken a Spanish class in nearly a year, and the first few days were rough. But surrounded by Spanish speakers constantly—including his host parents, who spoke no English—he found his skills returning and improving rapidly. Those challenges, in fact, became opportunities for connection.  

Among Clark’s favorite moments was a joint class session with Dominican students learning English as a second language, meeting people his age from vastly different backgrounds, yet fundamentally similar. He made a friend named Casey who runs a fashion brand with 60,000 Instagram followers and is working toward getting a green card.  

The experience reframed how Clark thinks about language learning. In a classroom, he explained, students have varying levels of investment. On the trip, everyone was committed, making the learning more dynamic and applicable.  

“We were talking about how another language is like learning a superpower,” he said. “I learned I could travel to many countries and be perfectly fine. I could meet people and connect better. The Dominican is a tiny island, so I’m hooked on imagining what the rest of the world is like.”  

Tres Ojos National Park
Tres Ojos, or Three Eyes National Park, is a 50-yard, open-air limestone cave.
Students at Tres Ojos National Park
Students walk through Tres Ojos National Park.

Discovering New Perspectives  

For Sarah Guerrero Gorostieta ’28, a first-generation college student, the Dominican Republic trip offered something unexpected: a chance to see her own culture through new eyes while discovering how much she still had to learn.  

“I have never learned so much in such a short amount of time about myself, my peers and an entirely new country,” Guerrero said. “With my Mexican heritage, I assumed because I’m Hispanic and because they’re Hispanic, there would be some similarities between us. There definitely were, but there was also so much nuance.”  

Although Mexico and the Dominican Republic were both colonized by Spain, Guerrero learned how French and African influences shaped Dominican culture differently. More importantly, she heard those histories directly from Dominicans themselves.   

Guerrero’s experience was framed with many memorable moments. She recalls feeling grateful for trying plantains for the first time, exploring caves and seeing the ocean.  

“I’d never felt so many emotions packed into one trip,” she said. “And I’m really excited to carry all of those lessons into study abroad.”  

Guerrero is next hoping to study at Belfast University in Northern Ireland, where she wants to explore political tensions and the media’s role in conflict—themes she first encountered in the Dominican Republic through a guest lecture on how the media weaponizes political relationships during elections.  

Santiago de los Caballeros Tour of the City
Students stopped at St. James the Apostle Cathedral during a tour of Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic.
Downtown Santiago de los Caballeros
Associate Professor of Spanish Ivett López Malagamba (right) led the short-term study abroad experience through places such as downtown Santiago de los Caballeros.

Opening Doors for Student-Athletes  

For Riley Shults ’28, a runner on K’s cross-country team, the 10-day format meant he didn’t have to choose between his sport and international experience.  

The short-term trip to the Dominican Republic didn’t change Shults’ academic trajectory, he said, but it reinforced the direction he wanted to pursue. He is declaring an anthropology-sociology major in February and is now planning to study in Oaxaca, Mexico, during the winter of his junior year through a program focused on community engagement and Indigenous cultures.  

“I knew that I wanted to care about people, and I knew that I wanted to travel the world,” he said. “This program was the first real experience that I got to have of that.”  

One question lingered throughout the trip: Can such a short program truly transform students in the way longer study abroad experiences do? And for Shults, the answer is unequivocal.  

“One hundred percent,” he said. “I barely talked to anyone on that trip before it, and now I see them every day. Every little aspect fundamentally changed who we are because we were forced to think about someone other than ourselves. It’s not just about me anymore. It’s about the whole world.”  

The change came through small moments that accumulated into profound shifts. Shults discovered he loves beans and rice. He overcame his lack of confidence in his language skills and found himself thinking in Spanish. He engaged with complex political histories he’d only read about in textbooks as his host mother shared stories each morning about the country’s history under dictator Rafael Trujillo.  

“I used to think one way, and now I think this other way,” he said. “Study abroad pulls people out of their comfort zones. Once you push past that boundary your learning is only limited to what you allow yourself to find.”  

One particularly memorable moment came during a Sunday block party in a working-class neighborhood of Santiago. Community organizers welcomed the K group with music, announcements and open celebrations. 

Students danced alongside children, parents and grandparents in the streets. Shults found himself at the center of that celebration, dancing with elderly women who grabbed his red hair for good luck. He moved freely without self-consciousness in a way he’d never experienced at home.  

“Every single person is not caring about what other people say, they’re just moving,” he said. “It’s such a different culture than ours. Here, people don’t just dance. We’re always thinking about what other people are doing. But that’s not what they think. They’re just going to have fun.”  

His experience now surfaces in unexpected moments back on campus. In a class about water systems, Shults reflected on the reality that Dominican tap water isn’t safe to drink.  

“I’m sitting in class thinking, ‘I lived this,’” he said. “I lived this example where you don’t have water right on the tap.”  

A resident of the Los Pepines neighborhood dances with Riley Shults '28
A resident of the Los Pepines neighborhood dances with Riley Shults ’28.
Visit to the Monumento a los Heroes de la Restauracion
The Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración is the tallest building in Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic.

Distinct Opportunities Bring Transformations  

Although the program lasts just 10 days, its impact extends far beyond winter break. López Malagamba noted that many students return with renewed interest in longer study abroad opportunities and greater confidence in navigating unfamiliar environments. For her, watching students undergo their transformations in just 10 days remains the most rewarding part of leading the program.  

“These students come back with a different understanding of what it means to be a global citizen,” she said. “They’ve lived with families who welcomed them. They’ve navigated challenges in a second language. They’ve sat with discomfort and come out stronger.   

“These programs remind students that the world is bigger than the U.S. and their immediate communities,” she said. “They learn that their actions matter, that their country has an impact elsewhere, and that shared humanity exists across borders. That’s the kind of learning that stays with you long after the trip ends.”  

K Students Explore What Makes a City ‘Stick’

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Senior business majors at Kalamazoo College are stepping into a hands-on consulting experience this winter, partnering with a local coalition to explore one of Kalamazoo’s most compelling questions: How can our city foster a stronger sense of belonging and create the kind of social, cultural, and recreational experiences that encourage recent graduates to stay? With nearly 25,000 undergraduate students across the area’s colleges and universities, it’s a question with real potential to shape Kalamazoo’s future.

A 2024 report from the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research found that nationally, only 47% of public university graduates and 43% of private college graduates stay in the same metro area as their alma mater. While job opportunities often drive alumni migration, the Kalamazoo region offers notable employment options: according to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, 20 Fortune 1000 companies have headquarters here, and the greater metro area is home to numerous smaller businesses and nonprofits, offering diverse career pathways for new grads. This project, therefore, focuses on another part of the equation: “value of place”— the cultural vibrancy, amenities and social connections that shape daily life and make a location truly stick.

To examine that element, K’s business capstone class is working with Sarah Olszowy, chief experience officer at Greenleaf Hospitality Group, and other members of the Kalamazoo Marketing Coalition, a cross-sector group representing business, regional development, city government and destination marketing. Their coalition aims to improve collaboration and synergy among marketing teams promoting the region. Additional members include Kimberly Viers, marketing and communications manager at Southwest Michigan First; K alumna Dana Wagner ’10, director of marketing and communications at Discover Kalamazoo; Meghan Behymer, downtown coordinator for the City of Kalamazoo; and Allie Lochart, senior marketing manager at Greenleaf Hospitality Group.

Amy MacMillan, L. Lee Stryker Professor of Business at K, is co-teaching the capstone with Visiting Assistant Professor of Business Matthew Schultz. Mirroring the structure of a professional consulting firm, student teams composed of team leads and associates will research the issue and develop data-driven proposals. Each recommendation will need to show meaningful potential for positive return on investment within three years.

The business capstone combines two senior-level courses, one in marketing and one in finance, into a program named The InKubator for Experiential Innovation, a teaching approach that immerses students in real-world problem solving while strengthening their analytical and design-thinking skills. As an InKubator course, students will engage with guest mentors and presenters from various disciplines, drawing on humanities perspectives to expand their creative thinking and problem-solving approaches.

“We invite artists, authors, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and other innovators to our program to help unleash our creative potential,” said MacMillan.  “Our business students take courses across the liberal arts—in creative writing, psychology, languages, sociology, music, and more. Most students studied abroad. They’re often amazed to find how relevant these courses and experiences are in business problem-solving.  At a time when it’s tempting to outsource brainwork to AI, we nurture human creativity to the fullest—and, yes, we’ll harness the power of AI, too.”

Expanding learning beyond the classroom, the course will meet periodically at the downtown Radisson in meeting space provided by Greenleaf Hospitality Group. Throughout the term, Olszowy will review student progress and offer guidance as teams refine their ideas.

The course will conclude with a final presentation in which students will share their proposals directly with Olszowy and other coalition representatives, offering K students an opportunity to contribute to an important conversation already underway regarding talent retention and community development in the region.

“This partnership with Kalamazoo College brings fresh perspective and real momentum to one of our community’s most important questions,” said Olszowy. “Engaging K students in this work gives us an invaluable window into what the next generation is seeking in a community. Their ideas and lived experiences support Greenleaf Hospitality Group’s role as the host of Kalamazoo and help shape a more vibrant, welcoming city that inspires recent graduates to build their future here.”

Inkubator for Experiential Education 2026 students group picture
Kalamazoo College’s business capstone class is working with Sarah Olszowy, chief experience officer at Greenleaf Hospitality Group, and other members of the Kalamazoo Marketing Coalition, a cross-sector group representing business, regional development, city government and destination marketing. Their coalition aims to improve collaboration and synergy among marketing teams promoting the region.
Inkubator for Experiential Education
Amy MacMillan, L. Lee Stryker Professor of Business at K, is co-teaching the capstone with Visiting Assistant Professor of Business Matthew Schultz.
Inkubator for Experiential Education students
Business majors at K are partnering with a local coalition to explore one of Kalamazoo’s most compelling questions: How can our city foster a stronger sense of belonging and create the kind of social, cultural, and recreational experiences that encourage recent graduates to stay?
Inkubator for Experiential Education
The course will meet periodically at the downtown Radisson in meeting space provided by Greenleaf Hospitality Group.

Study Abroad Journey Opens Doors to International Relations 

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When Harper Schrader ’26 arrived last year in Jordan for her study abroad experience, she had never spoken a word of Arabic. Three months later, she returned to Kalamazoo College not only fluent enough to navigate daily life in the Middle Eastern nation, but also with ideas for a career path that would take her back across the globe. 

Today, she interns remotely for the Jordanian embassy in Washington, D.C., combining her passions for journalism and international relations. 

“I definitely couldn’t have imagined this experience had I not attended K,” Schrader said. “Being able to study abroad and graduate on time—while also getting to do my (Senior Integrated Project) abroad and the internship—is cool.” 

Schrader, a Kalamazoo native who came to the College through the Kalamazoo Promise, was drawn to K specifically because of its study abroad opportunities. Unlike some institutions where studying overseas can delay graduation or limit academic options, K’s flexible curriculum allowed her to pursue international experiences without sacrificing other opportunities. 

Choosing the Road Less Traveled 

When it came time to select a study abroad destination, Schrader deliberately avoided the well-trodden paths to Europe that many students take. She considered Senegal and Korea before narrowing her focus to the Middle East, ultimately choosing Jordan, which is also known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. 

“I wanted to go somewhere that a lot of people weren’t going,” she said. “I was more interested in the Middle East, so that’s how I narrowed it down.” 

A conversation with a Jordanian international student during her sophomore year helped seal the decision. That student provided invaluable insights into the program and what daily life in Jordan would be like, easing Schrader’s concerns about diving into an entirely new culture and language. 

The program, run through CET Academic Programs—one of K’s partner organizations with centers in China, Brazil and Jordan—required students to take a language pledge upon arrival, committing to speak only Arabic. For Schrader, who had no prior experience with the language, this was daunting. 

“I was a little nervous, but it actually helped having the language pledge, because I was in an environment where that was all I was hearing,” she said. “I started picking up words without realizing it.” 

The program began with two intensive weeks of Arabic instruction before students launched into elective courses. Schrader and her cohort attended classes at a center within walking distance of their apartments, where they were paired with “jirans”—an Arabic term that loosely translates to “neighbors”—who were Jordanian university students that helped with assignments and led cultural excursions around the city. 

Adjusting to a New Reality 

Jordan is home to numerous ancient attractions including two of Schrader’s favorites: Petra, which is an ancient city famous for its rock-cut architecture and water engineering near the modern town of Wadi Musa; and the Citadel, an archaeological site and historic landmark on the highest hill in downtown Amman, offering panoramic city views while showcasing layers of history from the Bronze Age through the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad period. 

For Schrader, exploring these historical treasures became a highlight of her stay, although the experience still had its adjustments and challenges. She began wearing a hijab the day she arrived in Jordan, a personal decision that felt natural in her new environment. 

An unexpected challenge emerged as she navigated the range of perspectives represented among the American students in the program. Many were preparing for government service careers and approached learning Arabic purely in terms of future policy or security work. This experience deepened her commitment to approaching international relations and journalism with cultural sensitivity and respect, values that would shape her academic and professional pursuits. 

Pursuing Journalism in Amman 

Schrader hadn’t thought seriously about journalism until she took an introductory course with Professor of English Marin Heinritz ’99 during her first spring semester. Yet watching journalists like Clarissa Ward and Anthony Bourdain on CNN had already planted seeds of interest, and the class caused those seeds to grow. 

In Jordan, she enrolled in a media course focused on the Middle East, where discussions covered cultural considerations in reporting and the role of social media during the Arab Spring. The class visited the Jordan Times newspaper, where students met with the editor-in-chief to discuss reporting in the region. 

“There are a lot of differences between the U.S. and Jordan when it comes to the customs of interacting with people,” Schrader said. “For example, it wouldn’t be common to have a male person interviewing a woman there, or a woman interviewing a male.” 

She also noted that topics such as royal families and religion are often approached more cautiously if at all out of respect for cultural sensitivities. 

“Someone wouldn’t write something negative about the small Christian population, for example, because it would be seen as disrespectful,” she said. 

Schrader had initially planned to intern with the Jordan Times during her study abroad semester, but scheduling conflicts prevented it. Undeterred, she returned to Jordan this past summer and spent three months working with the English-language newspaper, focusing primarily on digital content and video editing. 

Harper Schrader rides a camel outside Petra while on study abroad in Jordan
Harper Schrader ’26 visited several historical sites in Jordan including Petra, which is an ancient city famous for its rock-cut architecture and water engineering.
Harper Schrader on study abroad in Jordan near the ancient city of Petra
Schrader obtained an internship with the Jordanian embassy in Washington, D.C., shortly after returning from study abroad.
Wadi Rum in Jordan
Wadi Rum, meaning Valley of the Moon or Valley of High Places, is Jordan’s famous desert valley known for red sands, rock formations and ancient inscriptions.

From Study Abroad Student to Intern 

When Schrader returned from Jordan in September, she brought with her not just memories and language skills but a professional opportunity that perfectly merged her interests. A roommate from her study abroad program had worked for the Jordanian embassy, and when Schrader reached out about internship possibilities, the timing proved fortuitous. 

“I applied, not really thinking I would get it just because I don’t have any experience in international relations, but I did get it,” she said. 

Now, working remotely with the embassy’s Information Bureau in Washington, D.C., Schrader monitors press releases, think tank events and social media posts by politicians, compiling them into reports while helping to draft media statements. 

“It’s really fun for me to combine an international relations interest with journalism,” she said. “It’s like the perfect intersection.” 

The position, which she plans to continue until around June, has its limits as only Jordanian citizens can be hired for full-time positions. Yet it has already opened doors and created valuable connections. She has worked with officials close to the ambassador and met other students passionate about Jordan and the Middle East. 

Confronting Media Narratives 

Through her work monitoring international media coverage, Schrader has developed strong opinions about how the Middle East is represented in Western journalism. Although she believes Jordan itself is portrayed fairly, she’s critical of the coverage of other countries in the region. 

“I think especially places like Iraq or Palestine are dehumanized,” she said. In fact, she’s found herself relying less on mainstream outlets such as the New York Times and the Washington Post, instead turning to social media to follow journalists on the ground, particularly in Gaza. 

Jordan hosts refugees from Iraq, Palestine, Syria and Yemen, bringing international recognition. The country maintains a delicate balance—about 60% of Jordan’s population is estimated to be of Palestinian origin, which can create tension when the king maintains relationships with the United States and other Western powers. 

“In Jordan, of course, it can feel frustrating for people if seeing the king, for example, be friends with the United States when a majority of the population there is Palestinian,” Schrader said. “But when you put it into the perspective of Jordan having little natural resources, their biggest strength is that they’re a peaceful country.” 

This understanding of geopolitical complexities is precisely what Schrader hopes to bring to her future career. She’s currently applying to master’s programs to pursue a thesis examining how different regions and wars are represented in media, with a particular focus on how media can manufacture consent for conflicts and military actions. 

Looking Forward 

Schrader’s journey from Kalamazoo to Jordan and back again has been shaped by supportive mentors, including Professor of English Babli Sinha, who serves as her SIP advisor despite Schrader never having taken her classes. 

“She’s inspired me the most,” Schrader said. “She doesn’t make me limit myself when it comes to journalism. She encouraged me with journalism and to follow what I’m passionate about.” 

For her SIP, Schrader wrote a narrative journalism piece about her two visits to the West Bank and Jerusalem during her time in Jordan, including a stay with a family in Bethlehem. “It’s been rewarding to write what I’m passionate about,” she said. 

On campus, she helps run both the student newspaper, The Index, and the literary magazine, The Cauldron. She’s also been involved with Students for Justice in Palestine since her first year and helped revive the Muslim Student Association after returning from study abroad. 

When asked what she’d want Americans to know about Jordan, Schrader’s answer cuts to the heart of why cross-cultural exchange matters. 

“I think that it can be easy to let what we’ve been told about the Middle East come to mind when we’re first thinking about these countries, but it’s really important to go there and to talk to the people,” she said. “You’ll realize that the people your age—and people in general —are more like us than we think. I think that’s the biggest thing.” 

For Schrader, study abroad wasn’t just an academic experience or a chance to see the world. It was a transformative experience that helped her discover her calling. From struggling through her first Arabic conversations to working for a foreign embassy, she’s living proof that stepping outside one’s comfort zone can lead to extraordinary opportunities. 

“It helped me meet other people interested in the same things I’m interested in and opened my eyes up to what I can do outside of what I’m studying at K, which is cool,” she said. 

K Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Kalamazoo Promise

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Editors Note: Carson Williams ’25, a former Kalamazoo Promise scholar, wrote this story for College Marketing and Communication.

On November 10, 2005, then-Superintendent Janice Brown stood in front of a school board meeting and made an announcement that would change the lives of students in Kalamazoo, Michigan: The Kalamazoo Promise. The initiative promised that Kalamazoo Public Schools students who attended KPS for at least grades 9–12 would receive a graduated scholarship covering up to 100% of tuition and mandatory fees at 43 eligible Michigan community colleges and universities, funded by a group of anonymous donors. These donors had gathered previously and recognized “the hurdle that college tuition poses in determining the futures of young people.” They then posed the question: what could students accomplish without worrying about the potential financial burden that often comes when seeking higher education? The Kalamazoo Promise Foundation was their answer. Kalamazoo became the first city in the United States to offer full scholarships. 

As monumental as this announcement was, one of the gaps was that the Kalamazoo Promise could not be used at the private liberal arts institution in the city it was born in: Kalamazoo College. But 10 years after the initial unveiling of the Promise, K and other private schools that were part of the Michigan Colleges Alliance (MCA) declared that they would be joining with the Kalamazoo Promise Foundation, with eligibility beginning in fall of 2015. The Promise would cover funds equal to the average tuition and fees of the undergraduate programs at the University of Michigan, and the MCA institution would cover the rest. Since 2015, 230 Promise scholars have enrolled at Kalamazoo College, 40 of whom were first-generation college students. Currently, there are 85 Promise scholars at K.  

Since partnering with the Kalamazoo Promise, K has worked extensively to ensure that Promise scholars feel welcome on campus and have access to all resources possible. Wraegan Williams is the Promise liaison at K who fulfills this role. “I work closely with colleagues across campus and at the Promise office to proactively address student needs and connect them with academic and wraparound supports to help them thrive both during their time on campus and in their professional pathways as graduates,” Williams said.  

“We are working hard to move from partnership to true collaboration with KPS and the Kalamazoo Promise Foundation,” said Shannon Milan, K’s director of Admission.  “That means creating intentional opportunities for connection, access, and belonging. Our goal has been simple but powerful: to help KPS students see themselves at Kalamazoo College. A place that believes in them, values them, and is ready to walk alongside them as they take their next steps.”  

K has focused on more intentional forms of outreach, including their new annual “Why We Promise” visit day, which salutes the high potential of KPS students and helps them envision their future through K. This day, as well as K’s other forms of outreach to KPS students, have concentrated on a few key messages: possibilities in a place that believes and values students; inspiring students toward curiosity, courage, and community; displaying gratitude to KPS scholars, families, educators, and the Promise team for all of their work to create better opportunities; and highlighting that K is the right choice for students who want to ask big questions and make a difference, because K will challenge, support and celebrate them through each step. 

K promotes the mantra that KPS students who are unsure about leaving their hometown for college “can go far by staying here.”  

“We want KPS students to understand that staying in Kalamazoo doesn’t mean limiting their horizons,” Milan said. “It means launching from a strong foundation. At Kalamazoo College, they can take full advantage of the Promise while still accessing the kind of global, transformative experiences that define a world-class education.”  

Building on that message, K emphasizes what it means by “going far.” One of these ways is through K’s study abroad program, which is also covered by the Promise. Fifty-five percent of K’s Promise scholars have participated in study abroad or study away. Students can also join K’s alumni network that reaches beyond Kalamazoo.  

“Being part of this network means students can remain deeply rooted in Kalamazoo while gaining lifelong global connections.” Milan said.  

Finally, K provides students with opportunities for internships, research and experiential learning that will help them grow outside of K.  

When asked about success stories of the Promise at K, Williams said that all of the successes she has witnessed began with the same belief: “Without the Promise, K wouldn’t have been a possibility.” Through the scholarship, Promise scholars can fully engage in the K-Plan—which unites academics, study abroad programs, independent study, career development, and civic engagement within a flexible and exciting curriculum.  

“The impact is clear: 81% of Promise scholars at K have completed a bachelor’s degree, with many continuing on to graduate school, professional programs, competitive internships, and strong employment outcomes, some right here in Kalamazoo, contributing to the same community that invested in their success,” Williams said.  

“At the heart of the Kalamazoo Promise is hope, and we see that hope come to life every day at K,” Milan said. “The Promise isn’t just about access to college. It’s about believing in the potential of every student in our community. We’re honored to be part of that story!” 

Living the Kalamazoo Promise at K

As a former Promise scholar and K alumna, I am beyond grateful for having the opportunity to learn at an institution like K free of financial burden. I talked to other K students, both alumni and current, who have utilized the Promise scholarship. 

Adam Dorstewitz-Verne ’22 

Adam earned his degree in computer science and economics, with a minor in mathematics. He currently works for baseball tech company Sydex Sports, which supports MLB, MiLB and NCAA baseball and softball teams that use their software for video coaching.  

What does the Promise mean to you personally? The Promise is what gave me the ability to choose the school I wanted to go to without fear of debt. I had the freedom to apply to Michigan-based schools only on how I felt about their program/what they had to offer me, instead of what the financial aid package might look like. The Promise meant college never felt financially unattainable.  

How has the Promise helped you pursue your dreams or goals at K? The Promise helped me get to K, and then after that, the knowledge that I was covered while at K meant finances weren’t in the back of my head as I was studying or pushing for a grade for fear of losing a scholarship. It freed me to just be a student, which is tenuous enough without fearing a grade-based financial aid package. The Promise gave me the flexibility to apply for the scholarship that gave me my first job after college, because I knew that I had the ultimate backup in the Promise and that I could reach for the stars and if I fell, I’d still be covered.

Ella Boyea ’26 

Boyea is a senior at Kalamazoo College with a major in business and a minor in anthropology and sociology. She recently completed her Senior Integrated Project, which included an internship with a bank in Lansing, Michigan, which she obtained through a K alum. At this internship, she helped with financials, marketing and the process of achieving and setting future goals. Boyea plans on heading into marketing after graduation. 

What does the Promise mean to you personally? To me, the Kalamazoo Promise represents an opportunity that shaped the direction of my future. It symbolizes the power of living in a community that cares, and it opened doors I may not have been able to walk through if I didn’t receive this financial stability. Growing up knowing that my education mattered to the people around me created a sense of belonging and motivation. It eased the financial burden of college, allowing me to focus on my academic interests and envision possibilities for myself that I could have only dreamed of before. The Kalamazoo Promise means freedom for people to be able to push themselves to shape who they will one day become.  

Since 2015, 230 Promise scholars have enrolled at Kalamazoo College, 40 of whom were first-generation college students. Currently, there are 85 Promise scholars at K.  

Kalamazoo Promise Scholar Adam Dorstewitz-Verne pitching for the Hornets
Adam Dorstewitz ’22: “I had the freedom to apply to Michigan-based schools only on how I felt about their program/what they had to offer me, instead of what the financial aid package might look like.”
Kalamazoo Promise Scholar Ella Boyea in a Hornets basketball uniform
Ella Boyea ’26: “To me, the Kalamazoo Promise represents an opportunity that shaped the direction of my future.”
Kalamazoo Promise scholar Ala Awad
Ala Awad ’26: “The Promise has allowed me to fully commit to my classes and explore career paths connected to business and healthcare without worrying about tuition.”
Tom Clark holding a tennis racquet
Tom Clark ’27: “Individuals who have been impacted by the Promise belong to a sense of community. There is a shared gratitude for the opportunity that has been given.”
Megan Hybels
Megan Hybels ’26: “Since I had the Promise, I felt better about choosing a major/program [that] I was passionate about, even if it’s less lucrative than other fields.”

How has the Promise helped you pursue your dreams or goals at K? The Kalamazoo Promise has given me the opportunity to attend an amazing school that works to build community, connections, and character. I have learned so much from the wide variety of classes I have taken here, [as] well as from my study abroad program to Madrid, Spain, my junior year which expanded my personality and social life tremendously. I am also appreciative of the clubs I am a part of and the Women’s Basketball team I am on here at K, which I would not have been able to do without the Promise giving me the chance to attend this school in the first place. 

Ala Awad ’26 

Awad is a senior at K completing a business major. He is currently working at his family’s restaurant, Nidal’s Shawarma King, and his future goal after graduation is to head into medical sales. Awad enjoys building relationships and helping people and feels that medical sales is the perfect place for him to grow professionally while staying connected to healthcare.  

What does the Promise mean to you personally? The Promise means support. It took a huge financial weight off my shoulders and gave me the chance to focus on my education and my future. It’s made college feel so possible and has motivated me to work even harder. 

How has the Promise helped you pursue your dreams or goals at K? The Promise has allowed me to fully commit to my classes and explore career paths connected to business and healthcare without worrying about tuition. It’s given me the freedom to build on my skills, take on leadership roles and stay on track toward my goal of going into medical sales after graduation.  

Megan Hybels ’25 

Megan earned her degree in religion with a history minor. She is currently enrolled in a Master of Arts program at Western Michigan University in their comparative religious studies department and is working as a grad assistant for WMU. She plans on working for an interfaith nonprofit in the future.  

What does the Promise mean to you personally? I think a lot of people choose to not go into the humanities because they are afraid they won’t get a job that pays well enough to pay off student loans. Since I had the Promise, I felt better about choosing a major/program [that] I was passionate about, even if it’s less lucrative than other fields.  

How has the Promise helped you pursue your dreams or goals at K? If I hadn’t had the Promise and felt more free to take a wide variety of different classes, I never would have taken a religious studies class and found out that it’s something I’m interested in.  

Tom Clark ’27 

Tom is a junior at K working on a business major with a psychology minor. He plans on pursuing a master’s degree in exercise science. Along with his studies, Tom is on the men’s tennis team.  

What does the Promise mean to you personally? For me personally, the Promise means a lot of different things. Not only does it mean an opportunity to further my education, but it also means family. I was privileged to intern at [The Kalamazoo Promise] and get an inside look at all of the people behind the scenes who are changing countless lives. I already was very appreciative of the gift of the Promise but am even more grateful having seen how much work is actually being done in order to make such a scholarship work.  

I also view the Promise as a sense of community. Whether it be in college, in a professional setting, individuals who have been impacted by the Promise belong to a sense of community. There is a shared gratitude for the opportunity that has been given. It is an easy point of connection to make with someone regardless of age, school, or occupation. Among most people that I have talked to, there is also a sense of willingness to give back. The Promise doesn’t take monetary donations, but giving time and volunteering is a way that people can repay the Promise for what it has done. I have already helped out at a couple of different events where I try to show the younger generation that there is an amazing opportunity for them that can be used in a variety of ways, whether that be a four-year degree, associate’s degree, or a trade school certification. The opportunities that the Promise provides are not given to everyone, so it is your responsibility to make the most of it.  

How has the Promise helped you pursue your dreams or goals at K? It has allowed me to fulfill a lifelong dream of being a college athlete. Without the Promise, I wouldn’t have been able to play a sport in college because of the cost of schooling, particularly at K. The Promise has allowed me to further my academic and athletic career, while forming countless relationships with people who I wouldn’t have otherwise met, and changed the trajectory of my life.