E-News - October 11, 2023

Homecoming 2023 was filled with reunions, celebrations, athletic victories and over 350 alumni and friends reconnecting. This year’s recap video contains only a glimpse of the weekend and its memories. The Alumni Awards Recognition Program, hosted by the Coe College Alumni Council, and the football game, where the Kohawks dominated against the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves, were streamed virtually.

Coe’s annual Internship & Career Fair continues to grow

The 2023 Internship & Career Fair was hosted by C3: Creativity, Careers, Community on October 5 and welcomed 60 employers to campus. This year’s fair saw 100 additional students from last year, with over 250 students participating in the Career Fair. Among the employers, over 20 Coe alumni returned to their alma mater in representing their organizations.

The ability to participate in networking and career events allows students to gain professional experiences and explore options related to their interests. Coe is well-known for providing these connections, ranked No. 8 in the nation for Best Career Services and No. 12 for Internships by The Princeton Review. The fair is open to all students, regardless of year or major, and Kohawks took advantage of the opportunity to learn about career paths during and after their time at Coe.

Several initiatives encouraged students to confidently attend the fair and make direct connections with employers. C3 continued their partnership with TRIO to ensure the event was accessible for all participants, accommodated sensory needs and provided a guided experience navigating the fair. TRIO is a federally funded grant program that promotes academic excellence and personal development in historically underserved student populations, including those with limited financial means, first-generation college students and/or disabled students.

New this year, C3 descended upon Gage Memorial Union to motivate students to “Capture Your Future” at a career fair preparatory event. Over the lunch hour, students could register for the fair, receive resume and LinkedIn advice, practice their elevator pitch and even have a professional headshot taken by the Marketing Office.

The fair itself integrated digital involvement by encouraging students to directly connect with employers on Handshake through scanning QR codes. In addition, five professors leading First Year Seminar (FYS) courses brought their entire class to the event, exposing first-year students to what a career fair is all about, preparing them for networking in future years and integrating experiences outside the classroom with academic learning.

“The Career Fair is a great opportunity for students to network with organizations right in their backyard,” said Director of C3 Joe Demarest. “These relationships are mutually beneficial both for our students and the Cedar Rapids and Eastern Iowa communities. We’re grateful for our employer partners, and it’s great to see these connections continue to develop.”

There are many ways that alumni and employers can continue connecting with Coe students and C3, including expressing interest in volunteer opportunities or making sure their organization is represented in Coe’s alumni-owned business directory.

Coe College will integrate industry-leading experiential learning platform into its curriculum after selection to inaugural Work-Based Learning Consortium

Students at Coe College will receive advanced insights into the day-to-day demands of their chosen industry with the implementation of an industry-leading experiential learning platform as part of the course curriculum. The learning platform, Riipen, will integrate real-world, employer-designed projects into existing courses to equip students with skills, applicable experiences and professional connections to support their future careers.

The opportunity to integrate Riipen is in partnership with the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), which selected Coe as one of the 25 inaugural institutions to participate in the Work-Based Learning (WBL) Consortium. The CIC is an association of more than 700 nonprofit independent colleges and universities, state-based councils of independent colleges, and other higher education affiliates.

The WBL intends to ease student barriers to internship access and job market preparation, particularly for students from underrepresented groups. Access to Riipen is valued at over $65,000 per institution and will be administered free of charge to the selected colleges and universities.

“This is an exciting opportunity for students to gain valuable hands-on experience through internships embedded in their courses. That these internships are available to all students regardless of where they are located levels the playing field for all students. We are grateful to our funders for making this possible,” said Titi Ufomata, CIC senior vice president for academic programs.

Inclusion in the WBL strengthens Coe’s already robust and well-regarded commitment to experiential learning. With the college’s location in Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s second-largest city, Kohawks are able to access hundreds of internships within walking distance of campus, and even more nationally through the college’s engaged alumni network, which includes 4,000 local Kohawk graduates. The Princeton Review currently ranks Coe as the No. 12 private school in the nation for internships, and lists Coe as having the No. 8 Best Career Services nationally.

With the selection process completed, CIC and Riipen will work with an on-campus Coe team to update curricula and integrate experiential learning into course materials beginning Spring 2024.

The on-campus team at Coe is spearheaded by Associate Dean for Faculty Development Marc Falk and Associate Vice President for Advancement Barb Tupper '89.

“Experience is such a crucial part of education, so this is a fantastic addition for our students and faculty. We expect this to heighten our abilities to continue increasing skills and creating connections for our students and within our community,” said Tupper.

“This is another valuable tool for Coe students and faculty. Riipen will help strengthen students’ ability to apply what they learn in the classroom to a career field, and that level of real world application is exactly what employers are looking for,” Falk added.

For the past decade, nearly 100% of reporting Coe graduates are either employed, continuing their education, enlisted in the military or volunteering full-time within nine months of graduation.

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Coe College continues to help students achieve socioeconomic growth

After earning multiple top rankings from The Princeton Review highlighting Coe College’s ability to connect students with professors and career opportunities, Coe has once again been recognized for the long-lasting positive impact it has on Kohawks after graduation.

For the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Coe as one of the Top Performers on Social Mobility. Coe earned the No. 67 liberal arts college ranking in the nation for helping students elevate their socioeconomic status.

Coe also rose in the overall rankings for National Liberal Arts Colleges, jumping from No. 142 to No. 130. Considering that Coe just welcomed one of the largest classes to date, representing 26 states, 27 countries and including 48 international students, it’s no surprise Coe continues to climb in national rankings.

With national accolades for career services, accessible professors and internships from The Princeton Review, Coe excels at connecting students with professional opportunities to help them bolster their socioeconomic standing. Kohawks access first-rate services on campus to help them find internships, conduct research and complete volunteer opportunities that build attractive resumes.

“Coe’s commitment to helping students find mobility opportunities adds to the thriving community around us in Cedar Rapids, and helps these students begin building a lifetime of success,” says Coe College President David Hayes ’93. “I’m proud that Coe continues to help students grow well beyond their graduation date.”

Fly Fast. Fly Fierce. Talons Out!

Coe College Athletics has unveiled new supplemental athletic branding featuring the tagline “Fly Fast. Fly Fierce. Talons Out!” as well as a secondary athletic graphic. Keep an eye out for more information about purchasing your new Talons Out apparel.

Great opportunities to work at Coe

Do you value making a difference in the lives of students? Do you thrive in an engaging, collaborative environment, committed to educational excellence and lifelong learning? Do you want to work for an organization that is one of the top importers of talent to Cedar Rapids and the corridor? Then check out our current openings and apply to join our team today!

Coe Connect: Check out Class News

This past summer, alumni were invited to join the Kohawk community on Coe Connect, Coe’s online platform specifically for alumni. What you may not know is everything that Coe Connect has to offer. Alumni can share life updates and class news online to stay in-the-know about their classmates’ accomplishments and lives almost immediately. For your news to also be featured in the Courier alumni magazine, share your news by December 1.

Upcoming & Virtual Events

Wizard of Oz

Lions, tigers and bears, oh my! Coe College is going to the Wizard of Oz at Theatre Cedar Rapids! Alumni are invited to take in the magic of Oz and live theater with exclusive discounted tickets and a Kohawk reception at intermission. Join us on Sunday, December 3, for the 2:30 p.m. matinee. Space is limited, so be sure to sign up today before seats are gone. There’s no place like Coe…

50th Annual Culture Show

International Club has invited alumni to take part in the Culture Show as part of its 50th anniversary celebrating unity and diversity. If you have a talent, fashion or something else to showcase, I-Club welcomes alumni participants to enhance this year’s show! Share your interest by this Saturday, October 14, to reserve your spot to perform. The Culture Show will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 28, in Sinclair Auditorium. The event is free to attend in-person for alumni in the Cedar Rapids area, and it will also be livestreamed for Kohawks across the country. Here are some of the talents showcased at last year's Culture Show.

There are always ways for the Coe alumni community to be involved with Coe and events on campus. You can stream music events and athletic home games from wherever you are, and stay up-to-date on the Coe calendar to find other interesting and exciting events.