Author: Craig Simpson

Tasnim Gharaibeh is on a mission to make machine learning accessible to all students

When Tasnim Gharaibeh started teaching at Kalamazoo College, the diversity of majors in some computer science classes—psychology, physics, math, history and religion—surprised her. Yet, she quickly saw that students across departments could handle the work and gain skills applicable to their field of study. In fact, she soon believed that nonmajors could benefit from more advanced courses in her own research area, machine learning.

One aspect of artificial intelligence, machine learning involves providing a computer model with a large enough data set that the computer can be “smart enough—not like a human, but smart enough” to use that previous knowledge to make decisions. For example, researchers can train a model with thousands of images that are labeled “cancer” or “no cancer,” then ask the model to evaluate new images for evidence of cancer.

While computer scientists can and do build models, thousands of models already exist that can be modified or trained to address a new problem or answer a different question, which makes machine learning accessible to a broader audience.

Having developed a course in machine learning for K’s computer science department, Gharaibeh began to consider how to build a machine learning course for nonmajors.

“I want machine learning to be reachable and understandable by any major,” Gharaibeh said. “They need just to know that these models are available. In my Ph.D., I worked with a lot of text, thousands of papers. As a human, I cannot do that, but if you have a machine learning model, you can. So how about the history department? They have a lot of text and books, so they can use machine learning. How about the bio department? How about the psychology department? Computer science now is a language or a tool that is essential in each field.”

Born in the United Arab Emirates, Gharaibeh earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science in Jordan and taught at a university in Saudi Arabia for seven years before moving to Kalamazoo to complete her Ph.D. in computer science at Western Michigan University. She came to Kalamazoo College in 2022, to fill the newly created Bollinger Assistant Professor of Computer Science endowed position.

Judith ’77 and William Bollinger established the professorship in 2021, as part of the Brighter Light Campaign, in recognition that computer science knowledge and skills are applicable and crucial in nearly every discipline and can benefit every student. At the time, the number of computer science majors had increased tenfold over 10 years, and the department’s offerings were also in great demand from nonmajors.

In the classroom, Gharaibeh’s first priority is establishing an inclusive, welcoming environment—something she herself has not always experienced and she knows firsthand is vital to one’s ability to learn. Gharaibeh encourages students to move around the classroom or computer lab and collaborate, reminding them, “You are not a tree; move!” She brings in guests who use computer science in a variety of jobs to share their experiences with the class.

She also focuses on practical learning—pencil and paper exercises and projects that connect to the real world. As an undergraduate student, she sometimes struggled to see the point of what she was studying. As a professor, Gharaibeh—along with the rest of the computer science department at K—focuses on projects that tackle real-life problems. For example, one class worked to train a model to help people communicate in sign language.

“This is one project that the students love, and me also,” Gharaibeh said. “They have the feeling that they are doing something useful, and in this way, they will see, oh, our studying is productive, practical.”

When students designed their own projects, they surprised Gharaibeh with the depth and professionalism of their results.

“I told them, I have a feeling that I am in a formal, big conference,” she said. “Groups are exchanging details, they are presenting their work, and as a teacher, you know that, oh, they are getting the topic they are learning. They understand what they are talking about.”

The Bollinger Endowed Professorship brought Gharaibeh to K, and with her, opportunities for students to benefit from her expertise in machine learning. The department has now been able to offer its introductory course every term, along with a beginning programming course. Having Gharaibeh help shoulder the load of required computer science courses has increased those offerings and freed up her colleagues in the department to develop courses in their areas of interest.

Sandino Vargas-Pérez, associate professor of computer science, teaches a seminar for students from any department on the ethical use of artificial intelligence.

Pam Cutter, professor of computer science and department chair, developed a first-year seminar, “Exploring Technology for Accessibility,” which engaged a class roughly split between computer science majors and nonmajors for the first time in fall 2023. Cutter also developed a new offering this winter: an interdisciplinary senior seminar, “Generative AI: Concepts, Techniques and Implications,” encouraging students from a range of fields to explore how Generative AI can be—and is being—used to solve problems in their given disciplines, along with the societal and ethical implications of this technology.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Science Nicholas Polanco will offer a new class in cybersecurity. This course will introduce students to the fundamental principles of securing computer systems and networks, with a focus on practical skills and real-world applications. Students will learn about topics such as cryptography, network security, risk assessment, ethical hacking and defense strategies against cyber threats.

The Bollinger Endowed Professorship also made it possible for Gharaibeh to engage with continued education, research and conference participation. Conferences supply vital opportunities to network, collaborate, develop research and stay current in the field, and Gharaibeh is grateful for the financial support provided by the Bollinger Professorship.

“I told the students I’m working with, if we got something published and we need to go to a conference, don’t worry,” Gharaibeh said. “We have this funding here, and so the money will not be something that will not allow you to do publishing. Do the work. The rest will come.”

She is currently working with two students on machine learning research. Involving students in her research offers Gharaibeh time-saving assistance and fresh ideas, while providing students with practical learning, valuable experiences and the possibility of publication.

That kind of win-win relationship has been typical of Gharaibeh’s experience at K, and an opportunity she relishes.

“The environment here is a very supportive environment for students and colleagues,” Gharaibeh said. “I found this very satisfying for me, the relationships among the colleagues. I found the relationships with students very friendly, maybe because the size is small, so you know each student. I have the feeling when I’m teaching, they are listening and open, they just want to learn.”

Sage Lewis ’25 hopes her research will drive movement toward sustainability in public transportation

Sage Lewis ’25 could have completed a bare bones Senior Integrated Project (SIP) on public transportation in Kalamazoo relying on affordable and accessible academic research.

However, a grant from a research endowment established as part of the Brighter Light Campaign threw open the doors to firsthand research, more academic resources, and a deeper and broader experience that benefits Lewis as well as, potentially, Kalamazoo and beyond.

Funding provided by the Richard J. Cook and Teresa M. Lahti Endowment for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity “meant that I didn’t have to limit what I wanted to do,” Lewis said. “I had a lot of hopes and aspirations and I’m going to meet most of them because the grant allowed me to pursue my research the way I wanted and gave me a lot of freedom.”

An economics and Spanish double major with a concentration in public policy and urban affairs, Lewis tackled an economic analysis of Kalamazoo’s public transportation with a sustainability perspective for her SIP. Thanks to the Cook and Lahti grant, she was able to live in Kalamazoo in August and work directly with Metro Executive Director Sean McBride for an insider’s perspective; investigate more academic resources; and attend a virtual conference on sustainable transportation (with additional funding from the Gilchrist Economics and Business Academic Scholars Grant, established by Heather Gilchrist Campbell ’79 and Christian Campbell).

Lewis took inspiration for her SIP from an economics and climate change seminar taught by Assistant Professor of Economics Darshana Udayanganie, and from her father, who spent part of his youth in Europe and frequently complains about the lack of good public transportation in the U.S.

On study abroad in Madrid, Lewis saw for herself the importance of access to public transportation and decided to explore how the sector could become more environmentally sustainable while remaining economically feasible.

The SIP dives into possible paths forward, such as maintaining the current system, transitioning entirely to electric vehicles, switching to exclusively hybrid vehicles, or developing a mixed fleet of electric and hybrid, and analyzes each option for environmental and economic sustainability.

Udayanganie, who is Lewis’ advisor, helped her plot her approach, including how to find academic papers exploring transitions to sustainability and public transportation as well as how to organize her thoughts into literary review, analysis and recommendations. She also encouraged Lewis to apply for SIP funding.

“I was applying for it when I was in Spain, so at the time, I was feeling very distant from the College,” Lewis said. “When I heard that I received this grant, it made me feel like I’m still part of the K community. It opened up so many avenues in terms of my research and this project, and it made me feel like even the provost cared about my project and found it important that I was able to explore my project to the best of my abilities without limitations.”

The Cook and Lahti Endowment provides student stipends, specific project needs and essential student travel related to faculty-advised projects to encourage and facilitate faculty-mentored student research and creative activity.

“Dr. Darshana is encouraging of all the ideas I want to include, even though my SIP is not the same as when I sent the proposal; it changes and it grows,” Lewis said. “However it evolves, she supports it. I think she just wants me to be the best I can be.”

From her SIP, Lewis has learned that while the transportation sector’s impact on the environment is even more substantial than she thought, reducing the amount of pollution caused by public transportation faces serious hurdles in bureaucracy and economic feasibility.

In Kalamazoo, she said, the transportation department is working to make improvements, but because of the economic cost, change comes slowly—not at a rate that would prevent further environmental damage and pollution. Lewis hopes her analysis will support the recommendations she wants to make to the department. She also has talked with Udayanganie about possibly continuing her research and publishing it as an academic paper.

In the future, she hopes to pursue employment and possibly graduate school in public policy or a related field, and to use that work to shape a better world.

Her K experiences, including jobs in the Office of Student Activities, as a First Year Experience Mentor, and as a teaching assistant and departmental student advisor; founding and serving as president of Art Club; and working on her SIP, have taught Lewis that when she commits to her goals, nothing can stop her, and that her efforts are appreciated.

“That’s why I want to go into public policy, because I could continue making those differences for the world through policymaking,” Lewis said. “I’m passionate about so many different things, and I can excel in all of them. I’m not defined by my major or the main interests I have as a person. We’re all interested in so many different things, and K encourages you to pursue that and find who you are as a well-rounded individual.”

Gifts to the Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center have assured its future and cleared a path beyond K for Ava Loncharte ’25

Launched in 2019 with a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, The Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center (ESC) enriches the student experience and supports K faculty and staff by bringing together all things sustainability—from research and courses to extracurriculars and career exploration. The Center serves as a hub for programs and resources such as the Lillian Anderson Arboretum, Hoop House garden, Sustainability SIP Symposium, Environmental Conservation Organization, and student internships.

“It’s a place to be involved in meaningful work around sustainability and environmental issues that a lot of our students are really concerned about, where they can satisfy or expand that passion,” said Binney Girdler, professor of biology and director of the environmental studies program.

Since its founding, the ESC has coordinated funding from multiple sources to keep things running. While the Arboretum receives funds from the College’s operational budget, the ESC itself does not, instead relying on grants as well as gifts from alumni and friends of the College, including many given as part of the Brighter Light Campaign.

“There’s no one big organization that’s going to fund all these experiences,” Girdler said. “You have to cobble together a little grant here, a little something there, some small and medium donations, and it’s not easy. That’s another reason the ESC is so important to support and enhance K, because it’s a centralized place where we can bring together interest, funding, opportunities and mentors.”

In 2022, part of a $5.25 million gift to the Brighter Light Campaign from Larry Bell ’80 established endowed funds for the ESC. Thanks to that endowment, Sara Stockwood has been able to expand her work as ESC and Arboretum director from a 75% position to full time, as well as add a part-time coordinator (a position shared with Outdoor Programs).

“The gift ensures that the Center’s funding for staff salaries and benefits is more reliable,” Stockwood said. “It ensures that there will be funds for the future, funds forever, which makes the Center more stable.”

With that certainty and stronger staffing, Stockwood can focus more than ever on coordinating grants and other gifts to enable events, programs and internships.

Among the brighter opportunities made possible through gifts to the ESC, internships with local contract sheep grazing business Tending Tilth stand as a shining example. Lauren Burns, owner of Tending Tilth, needed help caring for and moving her sheep over the summer, and she wanted to provide the kind of hands-on learning she wished had been available when she was earning a biology degree at Western Michigan University.

Around the same time, Doug Doetsch ’79 and his wife, Susan Manning, were establishing a current-use gift through the Campaign, the Seminary Hill Sustainability Internship, to fund internships focused on sustainable agriculture or architecture.

After Girdler invited students with an environmental studies concentration to visit the farm and meet Burns as well as the sheep, Ava Loncharte ’25 applied for the Seminary Hill funding to intern with Tending Tilth for summer 2023.

“Logistically, working with that gift has been very simple,” Stockwood said. “The Tending Tilth internship fits very well with what (the donors) were looking for. I think the experience has been impactful for the students, and something they would not have come across in their normal studies at K, but which has a lot of connections to the things they are studying.”

A biology major with an environmental studies concentration, Loncharte found her social and academic community at K through the Hoop House and the Just Food Collective, and she was hooked from that first visit to the farm.

As Burns took the students around the farm on a cold, muddy March day, they came across a sheep who had just given birth. Burns asked who would like to help carry the newborn lambs into the shelter.

“I didn’t want to step on toes; I was sure everyone would want to,” Loncharte said. “I waited a minute, and nobody volunteered, and I was like, ‘I really, really want to hold that lamb.’ So, I got to hold this baby, baby lamb, and it was hands on and outside and dirty and super cool, and that was the moment I knew I wanted that internship. Later, Lauren told me that was also the moment when she was like, ‘That’s the intern I want.’”

Along with another K intern, Loncharte spent the summer setting up, taking down and moving fencing; helping sheep on and off the trailer; performing health checks on the animals; spending time with the sheep and supplying them with water; and interacting with curious observers when the sheep grazed in public areas. Burns also introduced her to concepts, experiences and professionals in many fields that touch contract grazing: agriculture, animal care, the fiber industry, beekeeping, hydrogeology, forestry, entrepreneurship and business. Loncharte appreciated the real-world workplace balance of science, business, interpersonal relationships and specific job skills.

“I know the students I work with are not all going to be tending sheep after this, but I really enjoy the mentorship aspect, and I want them to get experience in a lot of different areas,” Burns said. “They ask great questions, and they make me think about my business and what I want out of it as well. It’s been wonderful working with them. I appreciate their hard work in all weather and their willingness to learn.”

The Seminary Hill Sustainability Internship gift made this experience possible for Burns, who values the students’ contributions yet would struggle to pay them fairly for their work at her small operation, as well as for Loncharte and other students who crave this type of experience yet need to earn money over the summer.

The internship taught Loncharte about the science and business aspects of agriculture, food systems, regenerative soil practices, data collection and observation plant identification, and more.

“K being such a small school, we’re not always able to offer specific coursework in something like grazing and soil science,” Loncharte said. “I can’t get a degree from K in sustainable agriculture. What K does really well, though, is fund experiences that allow students to do so many diverse things that interest them. This internship helped me get the experience I wanted, and to have that as part of my K-Plan has allowed me to spread my wings so much more.”

Loncharte returned to Tending Tilth for a second summer internship in 2024, funded this time by the biology department and encompassing her Senior Integrated Project. Her internships helped her define the path she envisions herself taking after K.

“I would like to make my career around land stewardship, land management,” Loncharte said. “While being a mobile grazer is one way to do that, we talked about other ways that happens, too, and I met a lot of people who work on how to best steward the land. It’s a complicated question, and there isn’t an exact right answer, but what I’ve taken away the most is that I want to participate in that work. This internship has given me a sense of purpose and a passion I can use to guide the decisions I make, and the confidence that comes along with that.”

Thanks to K coaches, professors and alumni, Cody Rigley ’25 is primed for future success

As a high school senior in Berkley, Michigan, Cody Rigley ’25 knew he was looking for a college in the MIAA (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association) where he could continue to play football. One of his former teammates attended K, and he invited Rigley and another friend to check it out.

“We came out for a visit, and because of COVID, it wasn’t an official visit, we just came and walked around campus. Then through football recruiting, the coaches reached out to me, too. I went to a couple of other schools, but I knew this was the place that I wanted to go.”

Rigley has been a four-year starter on K’s football team. He started off on defense before switching to offense halfway through his first year on the team, and he’s been the left or right tackle ever since. He’s currently the O Line group leader, which is essentially the captain of his position group. He credits football with shaping his leadership skills, discipline and time-management skills—in particular, the mentorship he received from Head Coach and Director of Athletics Jamie Zorbo ’00. He also appreciates the connections he’s built with his teammates and with alumni. As a junior, players are paired with alumni mentors, and he appreciated the conversations and support he received from his mentor, Pat Nichols ’98.

Rigley said that in high school, he wasn’t always very focused on academics.

“I played football, basketball and baseball, so I always had a busy schedule. Then with COVID, the last two years were online and hybrid, so it was kind of easy. Then coming to a school like K that’s very academically challenging, while juggling football, was a shock. But just having the coaching staff and the football team around to support you—if you need something, just reach out. Being at K really expanded my work ethic and determination.”

It’s also prepared him well for the future.

“Coach Zorbo is really good with getting you set up for success after college. That was one of the main reasons I came here—that aspect of how he cares about what you’re doing after K, it’s not just that you’re a football player for four years; you have a life after that.”

At K, Rigley is majoring in business. This past summer he interned at O’Brien Construction on the east side of the state as a project engineer. It gave him the opportunity to learn a lot of different aspects of the job, from the coordination and communication with subcontractors to shadowing the site supervisor, to managing the budget and planning. He’s turning that experience into his Senior Integrated Project and hoping he might parlay it into a job.

“That’s definitely the type of field I want to go into,” Rigley said. “Something along the lines of construction or anything a little more blue collar, I guess you could say, because that’s what I’ve done my whole life. I’ve done landscaping. I worked as a chef for a bit. Working in a cubicle isn’t really my type of thing—being out there in a trailer on site every day is something I’d like to do, and I enjoy it a lot.”

While Rigley doesn’t have a minor, he has enjoyed taking classes outside his major and was surprised to find he really enjoyed his poetry and writing classes.

“Honestly, if you asked me as a freshman if I thought I was going to take poetry, I’d have said, absolutely not. I’m in my second course right now. It gets me to be more creative when I write.”

Rigley even named Assistant Professor of English Ben Kingsley as his Most Valuable Professor this season, a tradition among senior athletes at K. “He comes into class and engages us and brings good enthusiasm, and you don’t want to miss that class, because he just makes it fun.”

As a junior, Rigley went to Madrid on study abroad, one of the highlights of his time at K.

“It was a good group of people, and a lot of my friends were there. We traveled. We went to other major cities in Spain, like Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga. We went to Rome and Portugal. It was an awesome experience.”

Rigley is the recipient of the Ervin J. and Violet A. Kopecky Endowed Scholarship, which was established by Robert Kopecky ’72 in honor of his parents.

“Having this scholarship means a lot to me—obviously it helps me be able to come here and do the things I’m able to do and want to do. It also shows me how close the alumni feel to the school. At bigger schools, most alumni graduate and go do their thing, maybe they’ll go to a football game or something every once in a while, but here, alumni are giving back to the College. It shows that K is such a small, close-knit-school. Even when you leave, you’re still a part of K.”