E-News - August 14, 2023

Find your Kohawk connection on the new alumni website

Coe.edu/alumni is your new one-stop shop to connect with all things Coe, including fellow Kohawks. With alumni feedback, the Advancement Office has taken the best parts of the old alumni website and made them better than ever. We look forward to better serving you on this new online Kohawk community.

We recently sent alumni an email containing their custom invitation to join us on Coe Connect. Check your email for your official link to become part of this Kohawk-only platform today! Coe Connect allows you to search an alumni directory, converse with fellow alumni in Spaces and share life updates. Alumni and friends are also still able to register for favorite events and make gifts safely and securely. Even more features will be forthcoming, so stay tuned!

The 41st Annual Coe Athletic Golf Outing & Fundraiser

July 20 welcomed a beautiful day at Hunters Ridge for the 41st Annual Coe Athletic Golf Outing & Fundraiser. A group of 92 enthusiastic golfers took to the links to enjoy a day of golf, sun, smiles and fundraising for a great cause. Over $24,000 was raised at this year's event to support athletic initiatives! The continued growth and success of Coe athletics is made possible by all those involved in the golf outing, and especially the generous support of its sponsors.

If you weren't able to attend, be sure to:

Take a look at photos from the day on our 2023 golf outing page.
Peruse our list of this year's sponsors.
View the recap video of 2022-2023 athletic achievements.

Luke Smailes '21 shares his Coe story. Without his experiences on the Coe baseball team, interest in data analytics and collaboration with Associate Professor of Economics Ryan Baranowski '08, Smailes would not have experienced his success as an alum.

Shock and ice cream: Another Kohawk earns Gilman to study internationally

It certainly seems like Faith Webb ’25 has always been on a path to spend time traveling the globe. She’s confident and adventurous. She knows about assimilating into a different country. She’s kept a diverse group of friends and has always held a strong interest in global cultures.

If there was ever any doubt about her wandering the world, a Gilman award has erased it. Webb earned a highly competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship sponsored by the United States Department of State toward the end of spring term. The scholarship enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, and Webb has chosen to travel to South Korea in the fall of 2023.

“Traveling to Korea will enhance my education in lots of ways, starting with taking courses with different groups and cultures — it’s one thing to hear about a place and its people; it’s another thing to live it,” Webb said.

As an art and communications major, Webb will take courses in those areas, as well as Korean language classes, while studying at Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul. She is eager to find out what inspires her professors across all the subjects she will study.

Webb, herself, is also a source of inspiration. Always easy with a smile and a wave, she shows no trepidation about continuing her journey in Korea, and there have already been a lot of miles in her journey.

Born in Liberia, Webb spent most of her younger years in Kansas City. While in school, she developed an interest in Eastern culture, but she also knew she wanted to get out of her comfort zone when it came to college, so she looked for landing places at least a few hours away.

Coe began to stand out simply because of some of the stats at first — particularly Coe’s national internship ranking (currently #12) and the high percentage of students who double major (40%). As she continued to explore her options she honed in on Coe because it was apparent her varied experiences were valued and she would have multiple opportunities to gain even more experience outside the classroom.

“I also asked a lot about studying abroad during the admission process because I have a yearning to travel and explore,” Webb said.

In a prescient twist, as a first-year student, Webb befriended an exchange student from Sookmyung University. That friendship strengthened her interest in South Korea specifically, and she began to learn more about the Gilman during information sessions World Languages Department Chair and Director of Off-Campus Study John Chaimov facilitated.

With career interests centered in visual marketing and an interest in working in an international setting, Webb began to seriously consider applying for the Gilman. She also volunteers at the Catherine McAuley Center and works with Americorps assisting with immigration materials for refugees, but knew she was ready to take on the application process this past December.

“The most difficult part was the essays — it ended up being about nine pages of writing, but the writing center really helped,” Webb said.

She also noted that Chaimov, her advisor Assistant Professor of Art and Film Studies Zen Cohen, the Registrar’s Office and an additional Charles and Phyllis Lindsay Scholarship for Study Abroad were all instrumental in completing her application and having the means to make the trip.

When she found out she received a Gilman scholarship, there was shock — and ice cream. She texted the news to her mentor, went out and celebrated with a cone, and then texted her whole family. Now she will be en route to Seoul August 24.

“I’m excited,” Webb said. “I’m sure there will be obstacles, but I love challenges.”

Early bird registration is open for Homecoming

Registration for Homecoming 2023 is officially open! We can't wait to welcome alumni back to campus as our Kohawks fight on for victory. Sign up to attend today to reconnect with classmates and faculty, celebrate traditions and make memories. Early bird pricing is available through August 18. Not only that, but all registrations received by September 2 will be entered into a drawing to win one of five Homecoming weekend packages, including the chance to kick a field goal on the football field. You don't want to wait!

Courier Class Notes deadline August 20

Have you gotten married, had a baby, published a book, met up with alumni or gained an accomplishment you want to share with the Kohawk community? Tell us! Your news can be printed in the fall Courier if you submit your news by August 20. Share with us online by using the Update Your Record form or by sending an email to courier@coe.edu.

On Coe Connect, you can submit news and stay up-to-date with fellow Kohawks almost immediately throughout the year. Class Notes will continue to be printed in the Courier.

2023-2024 Thursday Forum Lineup

Coe College is excited to invite local community members to participate in Thursday Forum, a weekly series in which Coe faculty share their expertise on a variety of topics of interest. Coe has been presenting this initiative to the community for over 30 years. This year, our series begins with insights on the Russia-Ukraine War, examines philosophy in filmmaking and ends with a series to make complex physics more approachable. With a can’t-miss lineup of engaging lectures, we’re excited for you to join us at the following series:

Perspectives on Russia, September 7 and 14, 2023: For a year now, the war in Ukraine has headlined the news, with Ukrainian thoughts and experiences easy to access from the outside. But what about the perspectives within Russia? Or its neighbors? Associate Professor of Anthropology Julie Fairbanks kicks off Thursday Forum with a two-week overview of the Caucasus region and its nuanced relationships to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Women in American Art, September 21 and 28, 2023: When we think of American artists, most people can name a few women — but not those behind the scenes. For two weeks, Assistant Professor of Art History Ranelle Knight-Lueth will take us on a journey from the colonial era to present day, discussing the incredible (and often untold) impact women have had on building an American artistic tradition.
Philosophy Through Film: How Movies and TV Shows Are Asking Life's Challenging Questions, October 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2023: Throughout history, philosophers have used speculative storytelling to explore and pose some of life’s most challenging questions. So…how does this present itself in modern media? Adjunct Assistant Professor of Philosophy Tom Javoroski spends a month on major philosophical questions, their presentations in film and television and what influential philosophers have had to say on the same subjects.
Hopes for our Health: How New Medical Devices and Techniques Work, November 2, 9 and 16, 2023: Over the past several decades, medical science has grown leaps and bounds, with scientists and engineers constantly finding better ways to care for patients. For three weeks, B.D. Silliman Professor of Physics Steve Feller will highlight some of the most important advancements in medical technology throughout recent decades.
The Health of Our Relationships, November 30, 2023: In a special one-week forum presented by Assistant Professor of Psychology Ellen Lee, audience members will discover how the health of our relationships impact our mental and physical well-being. Lee explains the behaviors that build connection as well as the science behind creating healthy relationships.
The Evolving Universe from the Big Bang to Homo Sapiens, January 25 and February 1, 2024: We know that the universe originated in a fraction of a second during the Big Bang — but how, exactly, did the Big Bang occur? And how did humanity as we know it today come to exist? Associate Professor of Physics Firdevs Duru walks us through the emergence of the Universe and life on Earth over the course of two weeks.
Hell for Christians: Justice after Death from the Bible to Dante, February 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2024: Across Christian literature, readers can find multiple visits to hell in which they are taken along to discover the various punishments enacted on those who have done wrong. In this four-week forum, Joseph E. McCabe Professor of Religion Meira Kensky and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Religion Geoff Chaplin examine the different presentations of hell in Christian tradition, Christian views on justice and their root in the Bible.
The Economics of U.S. Health Care, March 7, 21 and 28, 2024: The U.S. spends more money than any country on healthcare — yet, Americans are nowhere near the healthiest citizens on Earth. For years, politicians on both sides of the aisle have sought to solve our healthcare woes, with little success. Assistant Professor of Economics Chelsea Lensing '14 informs audience members on the economics of the U.S. healthcare system, its potential solutions and their respective pitfalls.
Four Hard Ideas of Physics, Explained Simply, April 4, 11, 18 and 25, 2024: When most people hear physics, they think of it as an entirely unapproachable subject. To close out this year’s forum, Fran Allison and Francis Halpin Professor of Physics Mario Affatigato '89 aims to make four “difficult” ideas of physics approachable for even the most apprehensive student.

Thursday Forum is held in Kesler Auditorium on the first floor of Hickok Hall. Attendees can arrive from 8:45-9:15 AM for registration and refreshments, immediately followed by the day’s lecture until 11:30 AM. Each presentation blends lecture, media (film, music, etc), and discussion for an engaging experience. All Thursday Forum events are open to the public.

Admission for each four-week series is $40, while admission to individual lectures and one-, two- and three-week forums is $12 per week. This includes the lecture and refreshments beforehand. Attendees can pay in-person with cash or personal check. All credit card transactions can be processed by registering online in advance at www.coe.edu/thursday-forum. For more information, visit the Thursday Forum website or call 319.399.8523.