E-News - July 15, 2020

Homecoming 2020 Update

On June 20, President Dave McInally shared the Safe Campus Initiative with the campus community, detailing the procedures and protocols that will be in place when Coe welcomes new and returning students to campus in August. As part of this initiative, we have closely considered the prudence and feasibility of our fall traditions and alumni events. With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to spread across the country and around the world, Coe has made the unfortunate but necessary decision not to hold a traditional on-campus and in-person Homecoming celebration this October.

While there are so many things that make a Coe Homecoming special, central to the experience are the intimate moments shared with friends: the hugs with old classmates, the stories shared at a full dinner table and the chance to mingle and walk around campus freely. With the college’s plan to keep students, faculty and staff safe on campus for the fall, and to ensure our alumni are entering a safe campus environment, we consulted with our Homecoming steering committees and the Alumni Council and decided we would move our traditional Homecoming celebrations to fall of 2021.

This decision was not reached lightly, as we recognize the significance that was to be Homecoming 2020. Aside from a chance to host the biennial Coe College Black Alumni Association reunion and have hundreds of Phi Tau alumni on campus for their centennial celebration, we also were looking forward to honoring the Class of 1970 at their 50th reunion and honoring this year’s Alumni Award recipients and Hall of Fame inductees.

We are determined to celebrate these important alumni and valuable affinity groups, and we are hopeful we will be able to celebrate in 2021 with full rooms of alumni, laughter throughout the hallways and a fun campus celebration as in years past.

We extend our thanks to the alumni who have been integral in helping to plan and organize details related to Homecoming 2020 programming and fundraising. We are grateful for your commitment to Coe and each other, and we will celebrate the Kohawk way once it’s safe to do so.

For the most up-to-date information, go to www.alumni.coe.edu/homecoming20. If you have questions, please email alumni@coe.edu.

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Coe College presidential search process paused

An update from Presidential Search Committee Chair and Trustee Ken Golder ’82 to the campus community:

After much discussion and consideration of the nationwide COVID-19 impact and Coe’s response and contingency plans for the fall term, the reasons to pause our search have increased substantially. Therefore, the committee has announced to the Board of Trustees that it is in the best interest of the college to pause our search activities at this time.

We considered the potential quality of candidates in the pool and their hesitation from leaving their current institution and, of course, the unpredictability of Coe’s condition as we get to this fall. Most importantly, our final phase of on-campus interviews with finalists would have been scheduled shortly after Coe’s reopening in September and October, when we are unsure of our ability to hold large group meetings. We feel that it would be short-changing the candidates, the campus and the selection process itself with COVID-19-related limitations on our effectiveness as a committee.

We have completed great prep work thus far — broad listening sessions, a clear leadership agenda and a compelling search profile — and that part of the process will be ready to go whenever we determine that conditions will allow an effective restart for ads and interviews.

We will all have more clarity of circumstances as we draw closer to the fall, and will keep you informed of our plans. Thank you for providing your input and support to our search committee.

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Carviou selected for exclusive FOX internship through alum Curt Menefee

An internship with FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) is the perfect opportunity for a public relations and kinesiology major like Marley Carviou ’22. Carviou is the first Kohawk chosen for this studio programming internship that is exclusive to Coe students and made possible by co-host of “FOX NFL Sunday” Curt Menefee ’87.

“I think it’s truly special that Curt is doing this for a Coe student,” Carviou said. “I’m excited to go and represent Coe.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Carviou is completing a part-time, four-week internship remotely this July. FOX is assigning all the interns who would have been on-site to various departments needing assistance within the company. Next summer, Carviou will travel to Los Angeles and complete the eight-week internship as originally planned.

“Once Marley is in the studio, she will have the opportunity to learn the many varied aspects of what it takes to put on a televised sporting event,” Menefee said. “From working behind the scenes with network producers, editors and researchers to spending time on stories and in the the studio with various announcers and hosts, the exposure to so many different elements of television sports production will hopefully provide her the kind of insight that will help guide her toward a decision about a future career.”

Carviou currently is undecided about what that career might be. At Coe, she works in the Sports Information Department, taking photos, working on the website and assisting behind the scenes at home games. She’s eager to dive deeper into all those elements at FOX.

“It will help highlight the things I am most interested in, which is exactly what I wanted,” she said.

Menefee, a member of the Coe Board of Trustees, wants to open doors for fellow Kohawks.

“I’m a big believer in the benefits of internships,” Menefee said. “Being immersed in the day-to-day environment of an industry that you are interested in provides you an opportunity to find out what it is that draws you toward that industry as a future career.”

“Within the ICR Iowa corridor, businesses provide a number of excellent internship opportunities for Kohawks,” noted Barb Tupper, co-director of C3: Creativity, Careers, Community, the on-campus office that coordinates internships locally and nationwide, including the application process for this FOX internship. “Coe has been named to The Princeton Review’s list of Top 25 Best Schools for Internships three years in a row due to the robust business community in the ICR corridor as well as alumni like Curt who want to pay it forward. We are grateful to him for providing this transformative experience for a Coe student each summer.”

“I’ve been fortunate enough — thanks in no small part to the skills that Coe provided me — to be a part of a couple of different types of television productions,” said Menefee, who got his start at local news station KCRG. “Whether doing a live broadcast like on ‘FOX NFL Sunday’ or taped production such as A&E’s ‘America’s Top Dog,’ I’ve been able to help match up some of the networks’ production needs with a chance for Kohawks to get an internship opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise.”

Menefee was instrumental in making it possible. The paid position with FSMG includes travel expenses to and from California, the cost of summer housing, transportation and meals all provided through his generosity. He even spoke with each of the candidates and helped determine who would interview with FOX. Moving forward this opportunity will be available for one Kohawk each summer.

“He seems like a super nice guy,” Carviou said. “When we meet in person, I want to thank him for all he has done for Coe.”

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Psychology undergrad gets rare experience co-authoring research paper

In spring 2018, Hayley Walton ’19 was a junior in Coe’s Advanced Experimental Psychology class. Two years later her work alongside Assistant Professor of Psychology Scout Kelly has culminated in publication.

Walton and Kelly are credited as co-authors on “‘I’ll work out tomorrow’: The Procrastination in Exercise Scale” in the Journal of Health Psychology. Their study created a scale to measure exercise procrastination and compare it with self-reported physical activity.

“In the field of psychology, it is pretty rare for an undergraduate student to co-author a peer-reviewed paper,” Kelly said. “This reflects that students at Coe get a deeper, more interactive role in the research process with more responsibility and a more meaningful contribution to the work.”

An international business and psychology major with a minor in economics, Walton was one of several students assisting Kelly with initial research during their course. When Kelly was awarded an internal grant to continue her research, she invited Walton to work with her over the summer. Walton was involved every step of the way — researching scale development, helping design and conduct the study and assisting with data analysis.

“I could tell from Hayley's work throughout our research process that she would be able to contribute meaningfully to a publication at the level of a co-author,” Kelly said. So, during her senior year, Walton’s work continued, writing the introduction and methodology sections of their research paper.

“Hayley and I had such a wonderful working relationship,” Kelly said. “Our weekly meetings were characterized by great conversation and really helped keep the project on schedule. There's no way I would have gotten this paper published by now if I had tried to do it on my own.”

Walton said Kelly provided excellent guidance along the way so that she was challenged without being overwhelmed.

“Scout is an extremely gifted educator,” Walton said. “While she is unbelievably intelligent, she has a drive to make sure others understand the material as well. I feel so honored that we were able to work together throughout my time at Coe.”

Walton encouraged others to engage in research, citing the opportunity to build relationships with faculty and fellow Kohawks while gaining a deeper understanding of a new topic. Now working as a member of the Leadership Development Rotational Program at CRST, Walton noted her research experience gave her a lot of confidence.

“Coe does not have a culture with limitations,” Walton said. “Whether inside the classroom or out, you are never told you can't do something. Due to this, we never limited ourselves or our research. We continued to find success every step of the way.

“Coe has amazing faculty who invest in their students,” she added. “None of this would've been possible without the amazing faculty.”

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Coe alumna helps build COVID-19 test kits

Maggie Welchhance ’08 jumped at the opportunity to play a key role in the defense against COVID-19. Currently working as a lab technician at Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) in Coralville, Iowa, she makes COVID-19 test kit components.

“It’s exciting,” she said. “We are a big part of this effort, and it gives me a boost knowing the work I am doing is having a direct impact on what is going on, and I can watch it play out in real time. It also feels like a big responsibility. People are counting on us. It’s somewhat humbling to know that we are a part of this big thing.”

Prior to the pandemic, Welchhance moved from laboratory team lead into a business analyst position at IDT. But she answered the call of duty when the pandemic hit, returning to assist in a laboratory role.

“Due to the COVID-19 situation, IDT has ramped up its manufacturing,” Welchhance said. “I was offered the chance to return to the lab. I don’t think my manager even finished asking the question before I said yes. I went from working at home to being back on site. My role right now is helping to produce the highest quality products as quickly as possible.”

Welchhance remembers her Kohawk experience as a time of academic and personal exploration.

“I was a biology major, but I still loved history and even took some art and music classes,” she said. “Multiple disciplines helped me learn to alter my way of thinking, experiencing and understanding events around me.”

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Legends of Coe: George Henry

What started out as a hobby for George Henry ’49 led him to a 67-year career capturing the history of Coe through his camera lens.

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Alumni Council Update

A message from Alumni Council President Charles Davis ’86:

Hello fellow alumni,

I hope you all are healthy and safe. We are going through a challenging time in our lives, our nation and our college. As alumni, it is reassuring to know our college continues to take unprecedented action to protect students, faculty and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As if the pandemic was not difficult enough, other recent events have been hard and disappointing as well. The fear, sorrow, uncertainty and hardship of a pandemic have been compounded by tragic reminders that systemic racism and injustice still shape so much of our communities where we work and live.

As an alumnus, I already was proud of the work the Coe administration has carried out regarding diversity and inclusion that put Coe far ahead of other small private colleges in those areas. I was moved by President Dave McInally's message to the Coe community about the George Floyd protests and his commitment to create concrete action steps for the college to continue to move forward on the issues of diversity and inclusion. As alumni, we too can do more. I invite the alumni body to stand with the college in #BlackLivesMatter.

On April 2, Coe hosted a Day of Gratitude on social media as a way to recognize and thank the Kohawk heroes serving on the front line during the pandemic. If you did not get a chance to see their stories, I encourage you to read them at alumni.coe.edu/frontlinekohawks. Coe's annual Day of Giving took place on June 11, and the Coe community came out in full force. Thank you to all alumni for supporting this wonderful tradition and for providing financial support for our current students.

Like many things in the spring, your Coe College Alumni Council met virtually for our April meeting and welcomed five new members: Amber Mason ’03, Ben Sagers ’18, Jessica Schau Nelson ’06, Pat Steele ’76 and Trè Cotton ’16. As always, if you have any thoughts, ideas or suggestions, please share them with us. Alumni are very important to the college and current students, and we want to hear from you.

Lastly, I would like to propose a challenge to all alumni. This pandemic and the movement to combat racial inequality have shown us the importance of connection, so to encourage connection among Kohawks everywhere, I am asking each alum to reach out to at least five other alumni via social media, phone, text or email. Check in with them, and you will be amazed at how it will lift your spirits and the spirits of others. Let’s stay connected!

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Have your plans changed?

During times like these, even the best-laid plans may need to be revisited. Like many people, you may be thinking about the impact of current events on your future, and Coe is happy to assist you as you reevaluate your plans. We have a variety of resources available that may be helpful in rethinking your retirement and inheritance planning for your family. For a copy of our FREE “Planning Your Legacy" wills guide and other valuable personal, financial and estate planning resources, visit our planned giving website.

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Upcoming Alumni Events

July 22 — Coe From Your Couch: A History of Glass and Glass Art — In this webinar led by Fran Allison and Francis Halpin Professor of Physics Mario Affatigato ’89, learn the history of the use of glass in art. From its earliest days, glass has been a medium for the expression of art, and only later did it become the functional material it is today. After its explosion as a popular commodity during the latter half of the Roman Empire, glass retained a special place in artistic endeavors, and its artistic impact lasts to this day. This webinar will show incredible examples of art going back several thousand years and also answer some historical questions.

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