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Kalamazoo College

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Kalamazoo College is a small, private liberal arts college located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1833, the institution was Baptist in origin, but today maintains no religious affiliation. The college is fairly well-known and respected for its academic rigor and study-abroad program; over 90% of the 1300 or so students at the college spend several months studying in a foreign country. In 2003, US News & World Report 2003 Edition America's Best Colleges ranked Kalamazoo College as #1 in study abroad programs. (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). Comprehensive fees for the 2006-7 academic year total $33,969.

Kalamazoo College is a member of the Great Lakes Colleges Association.

Contents

History

Kalamazoo College was founded in 1833 by a group of Baptist ministers and was originally dubbed the "Michigan and Huron Institute." 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, entailing explicit recognition of the school as a college. After receiving its educational charter, the school changed its name to Kalamazoo College.

James Stone was the first president of Kalamazoo College and led the school from 1842 through 1863. Stone was responsible for institution of high academic standards that allowed the College to receive its charter. Stone 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 that resulted in the formal birth of the Republican Party.

Kalamazoo College 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. Kalamazoo College has two other student-run periodicals: Mayhem's Murmurs (founded 2003), a weekly non-partisan political newspaper, and Lucinda Lives (founded 2004), a semi-regular publication of the Women's Studies Department.

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 were common, however. Spring-term study abroad programs or full-year study abroad programs, and winter SIPs were also common. However, the College scrapped its summer term in 1996. Some attribute the decision to the admissions office's difficulty in attracting students to a year-round college.

Humphrey House, home of the Humanities division.
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Humphrey House, home of the Humanities division.

Academics

Kalamazoo College is widely recognized as an academic leader among national liberal arts colleges. The "K plan"--or the academic plan that Kalamazoo offers its students--consists of a rigorous liberal arts education, supplemented by one or more terms abroad and the opportunity to pursue substantive internships during the summers. Additionally, all Kalamazoo College 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 before graduating.

Kalamazoo College is a national leader in study abroad opportunities. The school offers students the opportunity to study abroad for three, six, or nine months and requires no extra tuition payments. Well over 90% of Kalamazoo College students spend at least one term abroad. Kalamazoo College maintains partnerships with over 50 foreign universities on six continents. Kalamazoo College was the number one school in the country per capita in 2005 for the 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 boasts an incredible conference win streak in men's tennis. As of 2004-2005, the Hornet tennis squad have won their conference championship an astounding 68 years in a row.

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 then reviewed videotape of the game and determined that Baird had, in fact, released his shot before the buzzer and 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 MIAA 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.

Student Life and Traditions

Hoben Hall taken from Hicks Center.
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Hoben Hall taken from Hicks Center.

The small size of the student body precludes the presence of a Greek system on campus, though an agreement with Western Michigan University allows Kalamazoo students to rush there. However, there is an active extracurricular component to student life. Organizations can be founded through a relatively brief petition process and receive Student Commission funding after one quarter of existence. Once formed, student organizations are a main source of entertainment for the student body, and will routinely organize lectures, performances, dances, or movie showings.

Currently, the spring quarter of every year contains two notable social events. One is Crystal Ball, a campus dance held by the college's GLBT organization, to which many students come dressed as the opposite sex, in BDSM garb or in fantastical costumes.

The second is the Day of Gracious Living. This day is never given a specific date, and is instead announced the night before by the President of the Student Commission as a surprise to the faculty and the rest of the student body. On the day of gracious living, classes are cancelled. Though this tradition was originally started with the intention that the students devote their free day to community service, it has evolved into a campuswide trip to the beaches of Lake Michigan in South Haven or elsewhere.

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 manned by professors as dealers. They play for scrip redeemable for prizes.

During the fall quarter, there is Fall Fest, in which student organizations provide fall activities for the students to do such as pumpkin carving. There is also a lively homecoming dance.

The campus is built around a grassy hill known as "The Quad". The Quad is also the site of numerous large scale events throughout the year, including Homecoming, Spring Fling (an all day family-friendly student party), Convocation and Commencement. Further, at the top of the hill lies Stetson Chapel, which is 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 and down the hill.

Another notable tradition for freshmen include the option to take a 19 day trip to Canada before orientation during what is called LandSea. LandSea is a program for 80 freshmen to get into the back country for 19 days hiking, canoeing, climbing, rappelling and learning many skills to help transition from high school to the rigorous college academics. Students guide themselves with a leader in their group to keep their trip safe and also participate in a solo experience.

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.
Hicks Center and Stetson Chapel at Kalamazoo College
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Hicks Center and Stetson Chapel at Kalamazoo College


Notable alumni



External links















 





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