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Kalamazoo College
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Kalamazoo College (K College or K) is an innovative private liberal arts college located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1833, the institution was American Baptist in origin, and acknowledges its historical relationship with that denomination, but today maintains no religious affiliation. Kalamazoo College is one of the United States' 100 oldest academic institutions.
The school has an impressive study abroad program, perennially atop national undergraduate study abroad rankings.
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Encyclopedia
Kalamazoo College (K College or K) is an innovative private liberal arts college located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1833, the institution was American Baptist in origin, and acknowledges its historical relationship with that denomination, but today maintains no religious affiliation. Kalamazoo College is one of the United States' 100 oldest academic institutions.
The school has an impressive study abroad program, perennially atop national undergraduate study abroad rankings. Over 85% of the roughly 1300 students spend either one, two or three trimesters studying in a foreign country.
Kalamazoo College also has the distinction of producing the largest number of Peace Corps volunteers per capita, as well as ranking in the top 1 percent for number of graduates who go on to earn a Ph.D.
Kalamazoo College is a member of the Great Lakes Colleges Association. It is also listed in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives.
2008-09 tuition is $38,166.
History
Kalamazoo College was founded in 1833 by a group of Baptist ministers and was originally dubbed the "Michigan and Huron Institute." The Institute's charter was granted on April 22, 1833, making Kalamazoo College the first school to be chartered by the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan. Instruction at the Institute began in the fall of 1836. In 1837, the name of the fledgling college was changed to the "Kalamazoo Literary Institute" and the school underwent its first attempt to secure recognition as a college from the state of Michigan. In 1838, however, the University of Michigan opened the Kalamazoo Branch of the University of Michigan, providing a local competitor to the Literary Institute. In 1840, the two schools merged, and from 1840 to 1850 the College operated as the Kalamazoo Branch of the University of Michigan. In 1850, the Kalamazoo Literary Institute name was restored and in 1855 the school finally received an educational charter from the State of Michigan, establishing explicit recognition of the school as a college. After receiving its educational charter, the school changed its name to Kalamazoo College.
James Stone, the first president of Kalamazoo College, led the school from 1842 through 1863 and was responsible for instituting the high academic standards that allowed the College to receive its charter. Shortly after becoming president, Stone proposed the addition of a theological seminary to increase the supply of ministers in the region. With the support of the Baptist church, classes at the Kalamazoo Theological Seminary began in 1848 with 11 students. At the same time, the Female Department continued to expand under the watchful eye of Lucinda Hinsdale Stone. In 1845-46, almost half of the 90 students enrolled in Kalamazoo were women.
The Stones also played a role in the creation of the Republican Party. A meeting of disgruntled Michigan Whigs, Democrats, and abolitionists at the Stones' Kalamazoo residence set the date for an anti-slavery convention in Jackson, Michigan, which resulted in the formal birth of the Republican Party.
In 1861, the graduating class of the Seminary includes ex-slave Rufus Lewis Perry, the first known student of African descent to attend. Kalamazoo College also served as a pioneer in coed education, granting its first degree to a woman in 1870.
In 1877, Kalamazoo College students published the first edition of The Index, a student-run newspaper that continues to publish today. In addition to the newspaper, the college also publishes "The Cauldron," an annual literary-arts journal; and "The Passage" -- an annual compilation of students' work from study abroad.
Kalamazoo College's reputation as an academic powerhouse and a leader in international education was built during the presidency of Weimer Hicks, who served from 1954 to 1971. Hicks conceived of the "K Plan" program under which most Kalamazoo students spend at least one term abroad and spend at least one term working in an academic internship. As part of the original "K Plan," Kalamazoo College students had the opportunity to attend school year-round. One typical pattern was:
- First year: Fall: On campus; Winter: On campus; Spring: On campus; Summer: Off
- Sophomore Year: Fall: On campus; Winter: On campus; Spring: Career Development Internship; Summer: On campus
- Junior year: Fall: Study Abroad; Winter: Study Abroad; Spring: On campus; Summer: On campus
- Senior year: Fall: Senior Individualized Project; Winter: On campus; Spring: On campus
Variations to this schedule -- such as spring-term study-abroad programs, full-year study-abroad programs, and winter SIPs -- were also common. However, the college scrapped its summer term in 1996 due to the difficulty of attracting students to a year-round college.
Academics
Kalamazoo College is among the 100 oldest colleges and universities in the United States and is recognized as one of the most outstanding liberal arts colleges in the nation. It offers 28 majors spread across the fields of Fine Arts, Humanities, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Physical Education, and Social Sciences. There are 11 unique interdisciplinary majors to choose from as well.
Students at Kalamazoo College must fulfill specific degree requirements in order to graduate. During the first term, students must enroll in a First-Year Seminar. Upon graduation, students must demonstrate a proficiency in a second language at an intermediate level and satisfy a quantitative reasoning requirement. There is a physical education requirement as well.
To facilitate a liberal arts education, students must also fulfill general course requirements in four areas of study:
- Literature, Creative Expression, Fine Arts and History (3 units)
- Natural Science, Mathematics, and Computer Science (2 units)
- Philosophy and Religion (2 units)
- Social Science (3 units)
The student-to-faculty ratio is 12:1. Ninety-five percent of Kalamazoo College's faculty have doctorates or terminal degrees in their fields.
Kalamazoo College opened the new Upjohn Library Commons on January 3, 2006. The new library includes the completely renovated skeleton of the older, and an extension which adds to its volume capacity.
Curriculum
Kalamazoo College is an academic leader among national liberal arts colleges and emphasizes the importance of an experiential education. The academic plan -- known as the "K plan" -- consists of a rigorous liberal arts education supplemented by one or more terms abroad and internship opportunities during the summer. All students are required to complete a Senior Individualized Project (SIP), which may take the form of a thesis, an artistic performance, or any other work-intensive project of a student's choosing. Kalamazoo College is also unique in that it requires its students to take comprehensive exams in their major field of study before graduating. Kalamazoo College is the only undergraduate institution in the United States that requires both a senior project and a comprehensive examination.
Service-Learning
Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute
In the spirit of change, Kalamazoo College initiated the service-learning program in the 1997. According to an article in the winter 2004 edition of Lux Esto, “The concept (of Service Learning) fit well with the College’s commitment to experiential learning and has grown in popularity.” [Armstrong]. In 2001, Trustee Ronda Stryker dedicated to her grandmother the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute for Service Learning. This Institute was created to house several Service-Learning programs in the school. In 2004, Kalamazoo was among only sixty-nine other such college programs existing in the United States. [Armstrong] The current director of the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute is Allison Geist. Geist -- with assistant director Breigh Montgomery and community liaison Teresa Denton -- created programs in order to encourage student participation in the community and to allow students to embrace Kalamazoo as a whole. In 2008, Kalamazoo College contains twenty-three on-going service-learning programs. There are several courses in the college that incorporate service-learning into their curricula, thereby encouraging students to participate in the community. The programs in service-learning include CAPS, HYPE, AMIGOS, the Woodward School, and Farms to K.
Woodward School
Kalamazoo College operates several programs in the Woodward School, among them its tutoring program. Kalamazoo College students and students at Woodward pair up in order to work one-on-one in after-school tutoring to tackle problems in math, science, and writing. The program has been proven to increase students’ scores in the Michigan Educational Assessment Program [Kalamazoo College]. Another program taking place in Woodward is a literacy program, where 'K' students help children and adults improve their reading and writing skills. The programs are currently run by seniors Erin Steyle and Andrew Tyner for the 2008-2009 academic year. The program runs throughout the week, and Kalamazoo College students tutor at least three hours a week for a ten-week curriculum.
CAPS
CAPS or Community Advocates for Parents and Students is an “all-volunteer” program that takes place at the Interfaith Homes. CAPS, run by sophomores Meghan Wilson and Erin Thompson for the 2008-2009 academic year, allows Kalamazoo students to break out of college life and interact with students from grades K-12. This program was “created in response to the Kalamazoo Promise”. The Kalamazoo Promise -- a scholarship program for Kalamazoo Public School students -- provides students the opportunity to attend in-state public universities and community colleges with tuition expenses being partially to entirely covered. The scholarship requires attendance of four years or more in the Kalamazoo Public School system, with the student maintaining a GPA of 2.0 while in college to be eligible. Although Kalamazoo College is not on the list of public universities or community colleges, it is still involved in the process. Kalamazoo College students to tutor in math, science, social studies, English, and even social skills. The program meets after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 - 5:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Western Michigan University students join Kalamazoo College students in the volunteer process, creating a sense of community throughout the Greater Kalamazoo Area.
HYPE
Helping Youth through Personal Empowerment, or HYPE, takes place in the Kalamazoo County Juvenile Home (KCJH). Its mission is to promote “restorative, community-based justice by building meaningful relationships with the youth in the juvenile home and through advocacy of the Kalamazoo community”. [HYPE] The HYPE program, run by juniors Andrew Dozier and Erin Mette for the 2008-2009 academic year, entails a group of Kalamazoo College students traveling to the Kalamazoo County Juvenile Home to speak to the youth inside the home. During the sessions, K College students work on social skills and conflict resolution to help the juveniles develop skills in situations they might encounter in the outside world. In the spring of every year, HYPE brings the “PeaceJam” program to the Juvenile Home. Students plan activities in order to promote aspiration among the KCJH youth and to encourage goal-setting. The program meets every Saturday from 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
AMIGOS
Academic Mentorship In Giants On-going Success, or AMIGOS, is one of Kalamazoo College’s bilingual programs. AMIGOS takes place at Kalamazoo Central High School and at Maple Street Middle School. Maple Street AMIGOS is run by sophomores Kathleen O’Donovan and Cooper Wilson for the 2008 - 2009 academic year. Kalamazoo Central AMIGOS is run by seniors Thomas Nudell and Lauren Kroll. These are on-going tutoring programs where Kalamazoo College students help with homework and practicing English skills. The programs allow tutors and tutees build a familiar relationship and exchange experiences. In order to create a greater connection between pairs, the programs also provide tutees an opportunity to spend time on the Kalamazoo College campus. AMIGOS runs throughout the year, allowing tutors to teach at least two hours a week.
Farms to K
Farms to K is a program that incorporates agriculture and service-learning within the curriculum. Run by senior Holly Anderson for the 2008 - 2009 academic year, Farms to K promotes healthy eating and the importance of fresh food as well community-building. Students wanted access to local fresh food shops on campus, so Farms to K works with Farmers' Markets and Kalamazoo College’s dining service Sodexho to include more fresh vegetables and fruits in the cafeteria's offerings. Tasting events and film festivals are some of the events hosted by the program.
Study Abroad
Kalamazoo College is a national leader in study abroad opportunities. US News & World Report America's Best Colleges 2003 ranked Kalamazoo College's study abroad program #1 in the country (Note: 2003 was the last year study-abroad programs were ranked; now US News & World Report clumps 'Programs to look for' together in a general list). The college offers students the opportunity to study abroad for three, six, nine, or twelve months and requires no extra tuition payments. Comprehensive fees for the 2007-8 academic year total $35,838. Nearly 85% of Kalamazoo College students spend at least one term abroad and the college maintains partnerships with over 50 foreign universities on six continents.
Academic Distinctions
A recent study by Higher Education Data Sharing lists Kalamazoo College in the top 1 percent of colleges and universities whose graduates go on to earn a Ph.D. According to this study, Kalamazoo College is ranked #8 among all small colleges and -- when compared with all academic institutions -- it ranks #1 in Ph.Ds per capita. Among all undergraduate institutions, Kalamazoo College was #1 per capita in 2005 for recruitment of Peace Corps volunteers.
Athletics
The school's sports teams are called the Hornets. They compete in the NCAA's Division III and the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). Kalamazoo College is best known athletically for men's tennis due to an incredible conference win streak. As of 2006-2007, the Hornet tennis squad have won their conference's championship an astounding 69 consecutive years. Kalamazoo College competes in the following sports:
Fall Sports:
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Men's Tennis
The Kalamazoo College men’s tennis team has won 70 consecutive Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships (1936 - 2007) with a record of 426-2 in the MIAA from 1935 - 2007. Kalamazoo has won seven NCAA Division III national championships and has made 25 consecutive NCAA III tournament appearances.
National Runners-up - NCAA Division II:
National Championships - NCAA Division III:
- 1976 - Men's Tennis
- 1978 - Men's Tennis
- 1986 - Men's Tennis
- 1987 - Men's Tennis
- 1991 - Men's Tennis
- 1992 - Men's Tennis
- 1993 - Men's Tennis
National Runners-up - NCAA Division III:
- 1982 - Men's Tennis
- 1985 - Men's Tennis
- 1997 - Men's Tennis
- 1999 - Men's Tennis
Men's Swimming and Diving
Men's swimming and diving at Kalamazoo College has an impressive history. The team is known for producing individual national champions in the pool and on the boards, and also for maintaining a national presence with at the NCAA Division III national championships. The swimming and diving team is the second most successful athletic program at Kalamazoo College, after the men's tennis team, and it is also one of the with .
Academic Achievement
- Don Knoechel, NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship 1980
- Curt Crimmins, NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship 1984
- Markus Boos, GTE Academic All-American 2nd Team 2000
- Evan Whitbeck, NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship 2002
- Scott Whitbeck, NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship 2004
Athletic Achievement and Contributions
- Brad Shively, Head Coach of Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving at Washington University in St. Louis.
- Jeff Gorton, competitor at the 2004 Olympic Trials in 3-meter diving.
- Mark Fino, Head Coach of Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving at Oberlin College.
- Scott Whitbeck, assistant swim coach at The College of Wooster (2005-2007), University Massachusetts Amherst and State University of New York at New Paltz.
- Derek Jansen, Founder of
Men's Basketball
Basketball Dispute
In 2001, the Kalamazoo College men's basketball team was at the center of a lengthy dispute regarding the outcome of a January 20 game with league rival Olivet College. With Olivet leading 70-69, Kalamazoo College center Kevin Baird made a shot at the buzzer that was initially waved off by referees. The referees reviewed videotape of the game and determined that Baird had, in fact, released his shot before the buzzer and then awarded Kalamazoo College a 71-70 victory. After the game, Olivet filed a protest with the conference commissioner, claiming that officials had misapplied the way in which videotape may be used. On January 23, the conference upheld the protest and awarded Olivet the victory. Kalamazoo then filed a protest with the NCAA, claiming that Olivet's protest was in violation of NCAA bylaws. On February 1, the NCAA upheld Kalamazoo's counter-protest and again awarded the game to the Hornets. The dispute between Olivet and Kalamazoo received national attention and Baird's shot was shown repeatedly on ESPN.
Fight Song
The words to the college fight-song, "All Hail to Kazoo," were written by A.G. Walton ('11) with music by D.R. Belcher ('09), arranged by Burton Edward Fischer.
Student Life and Traditions
Student organizations are one of the main sources of entertainment for the student body. They routinely bring in speakers as well as stage performances, dances, and movie showings.
During the fall quarter, there are two main events: Fall Fest and Homecoming dance. In Fall Fest, student organizations provide activities for the students, such as pumpkin carving and bobbing for apples.
During the winter quarter, the college holds the annual Monte Carlo night, on which the student body raises money by gambling in a makeshift casino where the professors are the dealers. They play for scrip redeemable for prizes, and the money is changed from year to year to prevent counterfeits.
Currently, the spring quarter of every year contains several notable social events. One is the Day of Gracious Living.
Day of Gracious Living
Since 1974, the college has upheld a springtime tradition of canceling all classes for an unscheduled “Day of Gracious Living” (DOGL). The day was initially instituted by the administration to give students and faculty a break from the rigors of campus life. Like today's students, many took this opportunity to spend a day at the beaches of Lake Michigan. In the years since, the authority to schedule and announce the DOGL has been transferred to the president of the College Student Commission.
In 1980, six years after the day’s inception, the city of Kalamazoo was struck by a massive tornado which devastated much of the downtown community. In the aftermath of the storm, the student body used their free day to assist the city and its residents in their cleanup efforts. Since 1980, students have continued to use their DOGL for purposes both recreational and service-minded.
Another springtime tradition is the Spring Fling: an all-day, family-friendly student party. There is usually cotton candy, live music, inflatable jungle-gym equipment, and a wide variety of other social activities. Crystal Ball, a popular cross-dressing dance hosted by the school's GLBT club Kaleidoscope, also takes place in the spring of each year.
Another notable tradition for K College freshmen is an optional portion of the orientation program called LandSea. Each year, 100 freshmen, along with 20 student leaders and multiple guides, venture into Killarney Provincial Park before the school year begins. The program, consisting of 18 days of hiking, canoeing, climbing, rappelling and sailing, imparts both 'hard skills' like orienteering and outdoor survival, as well as 'soft skills' such as conflict resolution and relationship-building. Student "patrols" travel through the park with two student leaders and also participate in a 2-day solo experience. Many regard LandSea as significant in bridging the difficult transition from high school to college.
Service Learning is also one of the most common extracurricular activities for K students. Many work with children from the surrounding public elementary schools, such as Woodward Elementary, and also with local high schools. The college organizes these activities through programs such as PALS and AMIGOS. Some students volunteer at health clinics; others work as Spanish translators at Bronson Methodist Hospital and Borgess Medical Center.
The campus is built around a grassy hill known as "The Quad". The Quad is the site of numerous large-scale events throughout the year, including Homecoming, Spring Fling, Convocation, and Commencement. Furthermore, at the top of the hill sits Stetson Chapel -- a favorite location for alumni wedding services. The Quad is home to another popular Kalamazoo College student tradition -- "streaking the Quad" -- a noisy, late-night descent from the Chapel, down the hill, and back to the top again. Tradition dictates that students must touch the college sign before returning to the top. There is a mass-streak after the spring performance by Frelon, the Kalamazoo College dance group, and also during the day by the senior class.
In the 1970s the school did away with its "Societies" system -- not Greek -- because of its social divisiveness, but an agreement with Western Michigan University allows Kalamazoo students to rush there.
List of notable student organizations at Kalamazoo College:
American Chemical Society
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Chapter
Amnesty International
Animé Club (Japanese animation films)
Asian-American Student Association
Black Student Organization
Cauldron (Literary magazine)
Childish Games Commission
Cirque du K (circus club)
Economics and Business Club
EnvOrg (Environmental organization)
Free Burma
Habitat for Humanity
Health Professions Society (Pre-Med. organization)
Hindu Student Organization
Index (Student newspaper)
International Student Organization
Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship
Jewish Student Organization (Hillel)
‘K’ Cheer
Kalamazoo College Democrats
Kalamazoo College Republicans
Kaleidoscope (Gay/lesbian/bi-sexual/ally organization)
Mixed and All-Women A Cappella Groups
Mud and Mayhem Society
Music Performance Club
Pre-Law Society
Progressive Organization for Women
Sisters in Science
Students for Barack Obama Chapter
Up 'Til Dawn
WJMD (Campus radio station)
- Please note that there are many other student organizations not on this list.
Recycling Program
Kalamazoo College has become a leading institution in the area of recycling and environmental awareness. A crew of student workers operates one of the nation's most successful recycling programs and organizes the school's participation in the annual event, a competition among over 400 colleges and universities across the United States. In 2005, Kalamazoo College came to national prominence with a 3rd-place finish in the Grand Champion category. While annually placing in the top 5 in a variety of categories, in 2008 Kalamazoo College placed 1st in both the Grand Champion and Stephen K Gaski Per Capita Classic competitions.
Presidents of Kalamazoo College
In 2005 Dr. Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran became Kalamazoo College's 17th President and first female president, as well as the first African-American president of the school. She is the 22nd President overall, including interim and acting presidents. Her immediate predecessors are Bernard Palchick, who served as interim president and returned to the administration, and James F. Jones, who departed to become President of Trinity College, in Connecticut.
*James Stone (1843 - 1863)
- John Milton Gregory (1864 - 1867)
- Kendall Brooks (1868 - 1887)
- Monson A. Wilcox (1887 - 1891)
- Theodore Nelson (1891 - 1892)
- Arthur Gaylord Slocum (1892 - 1912)
- Herbert Lee Stetson (1912 - 1922)
- Allan Hoben (1922 - ;1935)
- Charles Trinh Goodsell (1935 - 1936) (interim)
- Stewart Grant Cole (1936 - 1938)
- Paul Lamont Thompson (1938 - 1948)
- Allen B. Stowe (1948 - 1949) (interim)
- John Scott Everton (1949 - 1953)
- Harold T. Smith (1953) (interim)
- Weimer K. Hicks *George M. Rainsford (1972 - 1983)
- David W. Breneman (1983 - 1989)
- Timothy Light (1989 - 1990) (acting)
- Lawrence D. Bryan (1990 - 1996)
- James F. Jones (1996 - 2004)
- Bernard Palchick (2004 - 2005) (interim)
- Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran (2005 - present)
Notable alumni
- Selma Blair, actress (graduated from the University of Michigan, but studied at Kalamazoo from 1990 to 1992)
- Garry Brown, politician
- Amy Courter, current National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol
- Holly Hughes, artist
- Gerald Ellis Rosen, United States District Court Judge
- Nagai Kafu, author
- Lisa Kron, Tony-Award-nominated actress and playwright
- Alexander Lipsey, Michigan politician
- Martin A. Larson, religion scholar
- Sean Mann, bioethicist, author, professor
- John E. Sarno, innovator in back-pain therapy
- Bradley A. Smith, Former Chairman, Federal Election Commission
- Mark Spitznagel, hedge fund manager
- Ty Warner, founder, Ty Inc. (Beanie Babies)
- Maynard Owen Williams, National Geographic correspondent
- Julie Mehretu, Artist, winner of MacArthur "Genius" Award
- Mike Vasas, singer/songwriter
- Michael Soenen, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of FTD Group, Inc
- Norman B. VanSile, President of Trannon Corp. notable businessman for spin off various subsidiaries and philanthropic works
- Bruce Benton, manager of the Onchocersias Coordinating Unit
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