Coe News & Features

On December 9, three student aviators completed solo training flights — the first three students to solo in program history. All students in Coe’s program fly in their first term to work up to their first solo flight as quickly as possible.

A timeline of the ideation and development of the aviation management & flight operations program at Coe College.

Coe College’s aviation management & flight operations program is taking off in multiple literal ways! The latest civil aviation operation numbers from the Eastern Iowa Airport demonstrate just how often Kohawks have been taking to the skies — all Coe aviators are able to fly in their first term.

Thanks to a new $1.3 million federal grant, Coe College is launching a global research initiative that puts undergraduate students in the driver’s seat of high-level physics. Coe will lead the research collaboration that includes research universities like Caltech, Notre Dame and the University of Iowa.

A Coe College junior has played a key role in a major milestone for the MACRO Consortium — a research alliance co-founded and led in part by Coe faculty. The first consortium-wide peer-reviewed paper has been accepted for publication in the prestigious Astrophysical Journal.

Coe College President David Hayes ’93 has been appointed to the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. The group has been assembled to invigorate the Pre-K-12 talent pipeline toward STEM careers.

Coe College has partnered with the Google AI for Education Accelerator to provide the most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools, resources and training for Kohawks, helping to prepare them for an increasingly AI-driven professional landscape.

The 2025-2026 Coe College Clark Merit Scholars – Conrad Hoffman ‘27, Ankita Kandel ‘26, Lily Mayo ‘26, Laura Neumark '26 and Gracey Swanson ‘26 – exemplify the heights students can reach at Coe College.

Coe College Fran Allison and Francis Halpin Professor of Physics Dr. Mario Affatigato ’89 has been named president of the American Ceramic Society (ACerS), a leading international organization dedicated to the advancement of ceramic materials and technologies.

Another national publication has named Coe as a best college in the country. U.S. News & World Report ranked Coe as a Best National Liberal Arts College and as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. Coe rose 10 spots to #126 in the liberal arts college category and rose four spots to #81 in the social mobility category. In Iowa specifically, Coe ranks #2 among liberal arts colleges regarding social mobility.

The Global Pathways Program is an internship experience that creates an immersive experience in international affairs through connections and activities with Iowa’s network of international partnerships, including its longstanding relationship with the Republic of Kosovo. Tailored to the interns’ particular interests and career goals, students learn about multiple aspects of international relations, including state and citizen diplomacy, human rights, international law and policy and international development.

Coe College continues to be recognized as a top liberal arts college in the country, performing particularly well in categories that relate to contributions to the public good, like access, affordability, outcomes and promoting public service.

Today, Coe College is welcoming a group of remarkable new Kohawks to campus as part of the Coe College Class of 2029. Nearly 400 students moved into their residence halls and are beginning New Student Orientation.

Tim Busch is bringing the confidence that can only be earned with decades of experience to Coe College’s aviation management & flight operations program. He is an assistant chief instructor with ATD Flight Systems, which is running the flight school portion of Coe’s program. He will begin conducting flight lessons this fall at Coe’s Aeronautical Field Station at the Eastern Iowa Airport for the initial class of aviation students.

New and updated accolades from The Princeton Review laud Coe as a Top 20 college in the nation across three crucial student support categories. Coe has the #11 Best Career Services, is #14 for Best Student Support and Counseling Services and has the #18 Most Accessible Professors. Coe is the only college or university in Iowa to earn a ranking in these categories.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved Coe College’s application to operate the ground portion of its aviation management & flight operations program as a Part 141 approved school. Future Kohawk pilots training at Coe’s Aeronautical Field Station at the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) will learn under the rigorous curriculum, which will allow them to pursue an accelerated path to their pilot’s license.

Coe College Director of Athletics & Recreation Steve Cook announced the addition of women’s wrestling as an NCAA sport on July 30, and he is adamant Coe will be “all in” on building the program.

Beginning this academic year, students at Coe College can study risk management/insurance as a concentration within the college’s Stead Department of Business Administration & Economics. There is increasing demand for a risk management skill set, particularly across the insurance and financial industries. The growth is driven by global economic uncertainties, regulatory changes, changing weather patterns and increasing reliance on risk mitigation strategies.

With the aviation industry approaching an employment gap in critical positions across the field, CID has established the Aviation Workforce Development Campus (AWDC) at CID, partnering with Coe College and Kirkwood Community College to provide essential education and training.

The college is announcing its first online degree — a bachelor of arts in business administration with a strategic leadership concentration, offered through the Stead Department of Business Administration & Economics. The online degree will be an affordable route for those looking to improve their career readiness, and is designed specifically to be a flexible option for working students.