E-News - November 2024

Thankful Thursday 11.21.24

At Coe College, we believe the future is built on the generosity of those who cherish their past. November 21, 2024 marks a new giving tradition at Coe: Thankful Thursday.

 

Giving back to Coe is about more than just maintaining the college’s traditions — it’s about moving forward together. Your gift to the Annual Fund helps provide scholarships, enhance academic programs and offer enriching opportunities to current students. It is your way of ensuring that future Kohawks have access to the same life-changing experiences that shaped your journey. Click here to learn more.

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Katie Ameku ’25 selected as a Rhodes Scholar

Coe College senior Katie Ameku is among 32 students from the United States selected as a Rhodes Scholar. The preeminent global academic award provides scholarships and travel expenses to study at the University of Oxford.

Nearly 3,000 U.S. students applied to be Rhodes Scholars. Committees in 16 districts across the country selected 238 finalists for interviews.

Ameku, who is from Independence, Missouri, is a mathematics and physics major at Coe. She is the youngest elected official in Missouri, organizing Democratic election efforts in her home precinct. On campus, she is a senior resident assistant and lobbied for Title IX training for researchers. She has conducted physics academic research and also traveled to Georgia Tech and Penn to contribute to research projects as well.

As a Rhodes Scholar, Ameku plans to pursue a philosophy, politics and economics degree at Oxford. It’s a signature degree at Oxford and frequently chosen by world leaders. 

Not only am I honored with the opportunity to pursue further education at Oxford, but being able to represent Coe is truly, truly the greatest honor. Having access to a network of changemakers and people that are also like-minded is going to further prepare me for my future.

- Katie Ameku '25

Ameku is Coe’s third Rhodes Scholar, joining Darryl Banks ’72 and Paul Engle ’31. Plus, over the past eight years, three Coe students have been finalists for the Rhodes Scholarship, including Ameku. Kohawks have an advantage in pursuing prestigious scholarships and fellowships — Coe has a dedicated resource on campus, Associate Professor of English and National Fellowship Advisor Dr. Amber Shaw (pictured above).

The Rhodes application process is lengthy and rigorous and Ameku credits Shaw with valuable guidance and organization during the application period. The two have been working closely over the past six months.

"When Katie called me to tell me the news, it was one of the professional highlights of my career. Hearing the excitement in her voice and knowing she had just experienced something life changing was really gratifying to me as an advisor,” Shaw said. “I am so proud of Katie for all the hard work she has done, not just on her Rhodes application, but on four years of work in her classes and her political commitments in Missouri and around the U.S.”

Across the past decade, Coe has a strong tradition of national academic recognition. Forty-three Kohawks have won Truman, Goldwater, Fulbright, Gilman and National Science Foundation scholarships and fellowships. The Rhodes Scholarship for Ameku brings that total to 44.

"This prestigious award is without peer for undergraduate excellence and puts a Kohawk side-by-side with future global leaders. Presidents, diplomats, leading academics, renowned scientists, artists and some of the best medical minds are Rhodes Scholars. What an incredible accolade for Katie, and it is an honor for Coe as well,” said Coe College President David Hayes ’93. 

The Princeton Review ranks Coe faculty as the #22 Most Accessible Professors in the nation. All Kohawks are guaranteed an internship, research opportunity or off-campus study before graduation.

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Kohawk Athletics & Alumni

The no. 25 Coe College Football team is headed back to the NCAA DIII Football Championship for the second-straight season after being selected as an at-large bid during Sunday's selection show. The Kohawks will travel to Bethel University from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on Saturday, November 23 to face the Royals at noon. We encourage alumni in the Twin Cities area to support the Kohawks this Saturday!

 

Top 25s, tournament championships, conference leaders… that’s nothing new. Kohawks rise to the occasion and they shine doing so. Across 26 varsity sports, Kohawks reach the pinnacle of performance competing across the American Rivers Conference and NCAA DIII. We invite you to support your favorite teams on their journey to success: Kohawk Athletic Fundraising.

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Election, voting & community engagement on campus

At Coe College, student engagement in the voting process has long been a priority and this past election cycle was no different.

CoeVotes, our student-led non-partisan voter engagement club again played a key role in encouraging political participation on campus. The Fall 2024 term witnessed a variety of initiatives and events designed to make it easier for every eligible voter to cast their ballot. This included registration drives, debate watch parties and campus serving as an early voting site.

On October 24, hundreds of students, faculty, staff and community members were able to take part in the democratic process on Coe’s campus. As Iowa allows for same day voter registration, over 70 students were able to register and vote using their Coe ID and a Letter of Residency. This number exceeded any other early voting site for same day registrations according to the Linn County Auditor’s Office. In total, over 220 letters were created for Coe students; three times the number created during the 2020 election cycle.

By providing these opportunities for engagement, Coe College and CoeVotes cultivated a culture of political awareness and active citizenship, ensuring that students were not only informed voters but also active participants in the democratic process. A special thanks to the student leaders of CoeVotes for their dedication to supporting their fellow students (Jacob Slattery ’26, Jessica Adams ’25, Brady Dahl ’25 and Lily Mayo ’27).

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Dows adorned with new mural

With the help of Student Senate and volunteers from across the campus community, artist and Coe alum MayLing Chuong '22 created a mural inspired by the work of Professor Emeritus Bob Kocher.

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Coe introduces direct entry program for aviation management and flight operations

Students interested in Coe College’s new aviation management and flight operations program can now pursue a guaranteed admission option for a seamless transition into their aviation education and career. Coe is introducing a direct entry program for Fall 2025 admitted students who plan to pursue flight school at the college, guaranteeing admission to those who meet specific criteria by December 1, 2024. The direct entry option at Coe is a new benefit for students interested in the aviation management and flight operations program.

Beyond guaranteed admission, students who qualify for direct admission will receive an Early Aviators Award valued at $500 per year for four years. This is in addition to scholarships valued up to $40,000 per year which are awarded at the time of admission.  Direct entry students will also benefit from flight school priority enrollment and personalized academic advising regarding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. The flight school priority ensures flight training within the student’s first term as long as a valid FAA medical certificate is secured. Coe is partnering with Revv Aviation to operate the flight school out of the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID).

There is undeniable opportunity within our aviation management and flight operations program right now. The Eastern Iowa Airport is a dynamic backdrop for future aviators, and we are pleased to offer this opportunity.

-Julie Staker ’93, Senior Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing & Institutional Effectiveness

To be eligible for direct entry, students must complete and submit Coe’s financial aid estimate form, participate in an official campus visit before December 1, 2024 and submit their enrollment fee by December 1, 2024. 

"We are excited to partner with Coe College on their aviation program," said Revv Chief Flight Instructor Jerome Howard. "If you want to pursue a career in aviation, getting in the air through the direct entry program at Coe is the way to go."

The need for pilots and support personnel across the aviation industry has reached a critical level. There is estimated to be a 17,000 pilot gap as many are leaving the position due to age-mandated retirement, and the increase in demand is driving commercial pilot starting salaries near $90,000 or more. Coe will help train the next generation of pilots. Students who choose Coe for FAA pilot certification will also graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration with a concentration in aviation management and flight operations, which is preferred by major carriers and creates higher earning and career promotion potential.

Studying aviation at Coe comes with other built-in advantages. Cedar Rapids has a rich aviation history — the Wright Brothers grew up in Cedar Rapids — and a strong aviation network remains. Coe students will learn firsthand from industry professionals and expand their network even before they graduate, which is easy to do with CID as your educational setting. A thriving regional hub, the airport served 1.5 million passengers in 2024 and accommodates five airlines with service to 19 nonstop destinations.

Lenss and CID have been instrumental in the formation and launch of the aviation management and flight operations program at Coe, while the TrueNorth Legacy Foundation has provided a generous investment to jumpstart the initiative.

Click here for full eligibility criteria and information.

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Coe baseball players volunteer with St. Luke’s Planting Forward Project 5.0

In October, the Coe baseball team volunteered with UnityPoint Health — St. Luke's Hospital's Planting Forward Project 5.0. The team helped unload 2,300 donated trees.

What a great group of guys who were so very helpful… My staff and I are always so impressed with the student-athletes who get up early to help with this project.

-Tonya Arnold '95, St. Luke’s Foundation Director of Grants & Administration

Since the Derecho, Coe students, staff and faculty have helped the Planting Forward Project 5.0 unload over 12,000 trees! Thank you to all who continue to give back to our community.

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Alumni engagement: Be our guest

Corridor alumni — be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!

Join us Sunday, December 8 for a 2:30 PM showing of Beauty and the Beast at Theatre Cedar Rapids. Alumni and families are invited to take in the magic of the theater with exclusive discounted tickets and a Kohawk reception with hot Coe-coa and cookies at intermission.

Space is limited, so be sure to sign up today before seats are gone. Stick around immediately following the show for a group photo on stage.

Reserve Tickets

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Alumni travel: Discover the archaeology of Greece

Explore the ruins and legends of ancient Greece with a Classical archaeologist and the provost of Coe College. In addition to archaeological sites, the trip will include numerous famous museums in Greece, private tours of sites and collections not available to most of the public, shopping opportunities, free time to explore and memorable Mediterranean dining!

• Parthenon of Athens

• Shops of the Plaka

• Theatre of Dionysus

• Day trip to Mount Parnassus

• So much more!

This trip will occur October 11-22, 2025. Spend 11 nights across Greece: 5 in Athens, 2 in Santorini and 4 in Nafplio. Cost is $8500 (single occupancy) or $8000 (double occupancy). This does not include airfare. RSVP by December 13 to secure your spot for this unforgettable trip! Click here to learn more and view the entire tentative itinerary.

Questions: If you have trip-related questions or want to reserve your spot, please email aziskowski@coe.edu.

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Recommend a Kohawk

You know Coe, so you also know why students from all backgrounds thrive as Kohawks! If there is someone in your life who could be a good fit at Coe... let us know!

Recommend a Student

We'll reach out and take it from there! We just need to know who to contact. And remember — children of alumni receive an annual $1,000 Legacy Award!

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