Archive - LuxEsto

LuxEsto - The Digital Magazine of Kalamazoo College

Spring 2022

Brewing a dream TOC

Brewing A Dream

Dongkeun Jeon ’16 is the youngest beer executive in South Korea with his brews literally reaching stratospheric levels, thanks to a unique marketing partnership with NARA Space Technology, Inc. Yet it was in his business classes at K that he learned to really reach for the stars.

Diving Deep Into Friendship

Though more than a decade separated the K experiences of Lynn (Achterberg) Offerdahl ’85 and Jeff Gorton ’00, their remarkably similar paths intertwined through both providence and the helping hand of a beloved coach.

Lights, Camera, Access!

Inspired by a fellow theatre maven and friend, Vincent Liff ’73, alumni create a fund to help current and future generations of theatre students access internships, conferences and professional experiences.

presidents letter

President’s Letter

In January, I had the privilege of moderating a panel for The Council of Independent College’s Presidents Institute. The topic was a fascinating new book by Richard A. Detweiler, president emeritus of the Great Lakes Colleges Association, entitled The Evidence Liberal Arts Needs: Lives of Consequence, Inquiry, and Accomplishment (MIT Press 2021). The book offers […]

Life With K: A Safe Return to Gatherings

K alumni regional events have returned to in-person gatherings after more than a year of exclusively virtual events. Since March 2020, when attendees at the last pre-COVID-19 alumni event were exchanging light-hearted elbow bumps and wondering about the spreading coronavirus, the Office of Alumni Engagement has developed creative virtual events for alumni. While happy hours […]

Click a decade to jump to that decade’s class notes. A special first semester of my sophomore year in college by Karen Lake De Vos ’59 In May of 1956, an annual evening event took place in the lounge of Mary Trowbridge Hall at Kalamazoo College—room drawing for the following academic year. It was instituted […]

Janet (Ensing) Skillman ’46 on January 14, 2022. Janet earned a bachelor’s in biology at Kalamazoo College and a master’s in zoology with a specialty in poisonous snakes. She was an avid horsewoman, hunter and fisherwoman and was selected by Outdoor Life to present the Conservation Pledge to President Harry Truman. She also met Presidents […]

Winter 2022

Meeting People Where They Are

Nicholas Gann ’12 took a serpentine path through forests, cities and mountains before landing his role as strategic partnerships manager for the Wyoming Office of Tourism. Along the way, his liberal arts education helped him learn as much about himself as he did about other people.

Art That Moves The World

Fiorella Ikeue ’06 uses art to illustrate the beauty of our planet, combining her biology degree from K with a passion for science illustration. Through her work, we’re invited to view the intricacies of the natural world through fresh eyes.

fallen telephone pole in street

Since 2017, Hurricane Maria, earthquakes and the worst pandemic in a century have combined to continually devastate Puerto Rico, the native home of Associate Professor of Anthropology Adriana Garriga-López. Garriga-López and Providence College Professor Jessica Mulligan—along with students from both colleges—are studying the effects of these disasters on local healthcare workers, supported by a National Science Foundation grant.

The Enduring Legacy of Tish Loveless

Tish Loveless, who coached at K from 1953 until her retirement in 1986, was the most successful coach of women’s teams in the history of the MIAA. Her pursuit of equitable funding for women’s sports lives on today through the Tish Loveless Women’s Athletic Endowment.

presidents letter

President’s Letter

The Brighter Light Campaign, which was launched during Homecoming weekend, reminds us that an investment in Kalamazoo College has ripple effects that are felt not just on campus, but in the communities where our students and graduates live, work and study. This is evident in the story of Nicholas Gann ’12, who is combining his […]

Charles Bullwinkle Hamilton ’71 took every opportunity to make the most of his four years at K. He wrote for The Index, played soccer and did an internship in Washington D.C. as a legislative clerk in the Library of Congress. To earn money, he worked in the cafeteria. He met and married his first spouse […]

Elaine (Hrach) Vanderberg ’52 has published the first in a series of four children’s books she has written. Each book follows a main character’s journey toward overcoming challenges, and the books are meant to give children hope and a way to find happiness. The first title is Timmy, the Timid Cloud (Dorrance Publishing Co. 2021), […]

Helen Bernice (Place) Sparks ’46 on August 26, 2021, in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Helen lived in South Bend, Indiana, for 91 years before moving to Illinois. On July 19, 1947, she was united in marriage to Fred Sparks. Together, they enjoyed 46 years of marriage until his passing in 1994. Helen received her bachelor’s in […]

Fall 2021

Creating a Buzz from K to K-State

Entomologists Rob Morrison ’06, Marco Ponce ’19 and Sandra Lizarraga ’21 combine research and mentorship with buzzworthy results at Kansas State University.

opportunities stem

Opportunities STEM from Heyl’s Legacy

Since 1971, the F. W. and Elsie L. Heyl Science Scholarship Fund has enabled STEM scholars like Paul Flynn ’83 and Annie Tyler ’22 to pursue their dreams.

changed chemistry

Changed Chemistry

The career of Ed Hortelano ’83 has spanned continents and product lines—from diaper adhesive to 3D printers. It all started with the K-Plan.

Students in front of Kalamazoo College sign

Shining a Brighter Light

Kalamazoo College publicly launched its Brighter Light Campaign on October 16, 2021, seeking to sustain and enhance the College’s offerings for future generations of students who will, in turn, bring a brighter light to the world.

presidents letter

President’s Letter

Dear Alumni, Families and Friends of KalamazooCollege: In 1912, Herbert Lee Stetson, the namesake of Stetson Chapel, became the seventh president of Kalamazoo College. He ushered in a period of growth and change, and under his leadership the College modernized the curriculum, expanded the faculty and grew the endowment to support future expansion. When the […]

Check It Out: Donor and Volunteer Honor Roll You can view the Donor and Volunteer Honor Roll at kzoo.edu/DonorHonorRoll The listing acknowledges individuals and organizations that made gifts to Kalamazoo College last fiscal year (July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021). Your philanthropy in support of the Kalamazoo College Fund, Hornet Athletic Association and various […]

Jean Marie (Armintrout) Koopsen ’48 on May 19, 2021. Jean graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1944 and from Kalamazoo College in 1948. She married Leon A. Koopsen ’50 on November 23, 1946, whom she had known since kindergarten. Both Jean and Lee worked at Koopsen’s Total Decorating Center, which closed in 2002, a […]

Spring 2021

Where Function Meets Fashion

When Beau Wangtrakuldee ’10 was four years into her doctoral program, an accident in the lab caused a chain of events that changed the course of her career. Today, this Ph.D. chemist-turned-entrepreneur is taking PPE from functional to fashionable with a sustainable and inclusive business model.

Riverblindness in Africa Taming the Lion's Stare

When the Many Pull Together for the One

For generations, the people of sub-Saharan Africa were afflicted by a disabling parasitic disease called riverblindness. Bruce Benton ’64 led two international programs at the World Bank to bring the disease under control, and he looks back on the success of these efforts in his new book, Riverblindness: Taming the Lion’s Stare.

Seamus Mullen's Hero Food

After a debilitating health crisis changed his approach to food, award-winning chef and cookbook author Seamus Mullen ’96 has made it his mission to share how healthy cooking can be muy deliciosa.

1968 Michael Mertaugh writes, “In 1966, Kalamazoo College sent its first group of foreign study students to the University of Clermont-Ferrand—the first class to attend in that foreign study location. We traveled to Le Havre from New York late in September, 1966, on the German liner, the Europa, and stopped briefly in Paris before taking […]

Dr. Richard A. Walker ’41 on October 26, 2020. At K, Dick played on the football, golf and basketball teams. In 2011, he was inducted into the Kalamazoo College Athletic Hall of Fame along with his basketball teammates, honoring the 1939 team for winning the MIAA Championship. In stunning fashion, Dick had scored the winning […]

Winter 2021

Calvert Johnson

Out of The Margins

He could have been a mathematician. He could have been a linguist. Yet a passion for music led Calvert Johnson ’71 on a journey beyond Bach, to the works of composers that history nearly forgot.

Finding A Way Forward

Amidst an economic recession, Sonya Olds Som ’94 took an opportunity to reimagine her career. As an executive recruiter, she now helps other professionals do the same, bringing clients and companies together to build a diverse talent pipeline.

Donald L. Hafner

For Don Hafner ’66, K made it possible to expand his horizons, taking him to Sierra Leone, Washington, D.C., Boston, Geneva—and even back in time to the Revolutionary War. Now he’s ensuring others have the same opportunities.

StudentSpotlight

Student Spotlight

Jonathan Townley ’22 describes his first pop/folk album, It was a privilege to know you when you were shorter, as an ode to grief, healing and the simple joys of life. As the COVID-19 lockdown began this spring—sending K students home amidst an uncertain public health crisis—Townley’s grandfather entered hospice care after a six-year battle […]

1960 On September 27, 2019, Donald H. Sanborn was awarded the 2019 Award for Distinguished Volunteer Service by the Michigan Historical Society at the organization’s state conference in Ludington, Michigan. A World War II veteran and retiree of The Upjohn Company, Don was recognized for his 78 years of combined volunteer service to the Schoolcraft […]

Eugene C. (Gene) Yehle ’41 passed away on Friday, August 7, 2020, at age 100, in Midland, Michigan. Gene is remembered by many for his humility; his faith; his caring for his late wife Millie during her decade-long battle with dementia; his service to the Midland community; and his employment at the Dow Chemical Company. […]

Fall 2020

Walking A New Path

Walking A New Path

K’s new Food and Farming Justice Pathway transforms interconnected ideas into on-the-ground (and in-the-ground) work, empowering students to make change.

An Ace up his sleeve

An Ace up his sleeve

As the president of E.W. Grobbel Sons, Inc., Jason Grobbel ’84 has learned a few things about growing talent, and he says the secret of his success is too good to keep to himself.

Because of Fresh Peaches

Because of Fresh Peaches

From civil servant to theatre professor to director of FoodCorps Michigan, Addell Anderson ’78 has taken the passions she developed at K and turned them into a colorful tapestry of career experiences.

Ellen Jane (Ossward) Maxfield ’43 of Chesterfield, Missouri, passed away on January 16, 2020. Ellen was the beloved wife of the late Dr. Sterling A. Maxfield. Ellen was a member of the Grace United Methodist Church in St. Louis and the Manchester United Methodist Church in Manchester for over 38 years, where she was an […]

1966 A collection of original essays by some of New York’s most well-known and emerging urban experts, Racial Inequality in New York City since 1965 (SUNY Press) explores what city government has done and failed to do to address racial inequality, providing a comprehensive overview of racial inequality in the city’s economy, housing and education […]

Spring 2020

Working Toward A Cure

Working Toward a Cure

Thirty years have passed since the passage of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act. Today, the government’s fight to eradicate HIV and AIDS continues, and Harold Phillips ’88 is helping lead the charge.

For Mary Corcoran ’11, a college internship clarified a calling as an archivist and storyteller; now she mentors others who follow in her footsteps.

Sphere of Opportunity

Sphere of Opportunity

Hey, Alexa, where can you find opportunities for liberal arts graduates? At tech giants like Amazon. These alumni share how their K experiences primed them for success.

The Journey Comes Full Circle

The Journey Comes Full Circle

By Sarah Frink In the fall of 1963, two students travelled from Hong Kong to Kalamazoo, Michigan, to pursue their dreams. Each made the journey alone, unsure of what exactly they would find in this small Midwestern town with a funny name—yet they knew it would bring them one step closer to a better life. […]

1963 In 1959, Bob Brackenridge and Don Schneider, who grew up 45 miles apart in West Michigan, were assigned as freshmen roommates in Hoben Hall. They remained roommates all four years. After multiple terms in the Michigan Legislature, Bob retired to Tennessee with his spouse Sue (Wotila) ’65. After 50 years on the East Coast, […]

Winter 2020

Rooted in Social Justice

Rooted in Social Justice

A commitment to community engagement brought Moises Hernandez ’17 and Viridiana Carvajal ’15 together; in Kalamazoo, they found a place to call home.

If You Seek a Pleasant Michigan Brew, Look About You

K alumni are bringing their own brands of craft brews and sustainable eats to happy customers all across the mitten state.

The Patient Advocate

A childhood disability inspired Amy Houtrow ’96 to become a leader in pediatric rehabilitation medicine and a champion for accessible healthcare.

A Tendency for Tenacity

Whether starring as Mae West in her K senior project or appearing as a “turkey meatball lady” on TV, Deb Snyder ’82 has built a steady career playing quirky characters and clowns.

Spring 2019

Archaeologist Digs Into K-Plan Life Influences: Baseball, Babysitting, Rome and an Extraordinary Professor

Baseball, babysitting, Rome, classical studies and an extraordinary professor have contributed to the “below-ground” life of Terry Brock ’04.

A class reunion inspired Larry Banta ’73 to invest his energy in K’s infrastructure.

Pocket Contents

Barbara Meierhusby ’68 has a unique connection with Abraham Lincoln that still brings chills.

The Poetics of Surprise

For Aaron Coleman ’09 study abroad sparked a fascination with languages that started a pathway to poetry, translation and teaching.

Fall 2019

Drawn to Her Career

Pam Marsden ’78 traces her animation roots back to K theatre.

Lessons from The Park

For Vinay Sharma ’12, the lessons learned at LandSea would shape the course of his life.

Alexis Leverenz

The Right Ingredients

With entrepreneurial spirit, Alexis Leverenz ’97 has dabbled in bonds, pastries and everything under the kitchen sink.

The Write Stuff

Writer Joe Tracz ’04 explores coming of age through the lens of fantasy and a twist of technology.

life-with-k

Life With K: A Safe Return to Gatherings

K alumni regional events have returned to in-person gatherings after more than a year of exclusively virtual events. Since March 2020, when attendees at the last pre-COVID-19 alumni event were exchanging light-hearted elbow bumps and wondering about the spreading coronavirus, the Office of Alumni Engagement has developed creative virtual events for alumni. While happy hours […]