E-News - October 2026
Coe’s demisemiseptcentennial celebration was a sunny success
Homecoming was a weekend full of Kohawk pride, celebration, nostalgia and connection. What better way to honor the college’s 175th anniversary than with a Homecoming for the ages?
Young Alum Trustee nominations are now open
Attention Kohawk alumni from the Classes of 2024, 2025 and 2026: Have you ever thought about giving back to your alma mater by being part of the Coe College Board of Trustees? Do you know someone who would be great for this role? It is time once again to nominate for this position, which will serve a two-year term beginning in fall 2027.
If you were nominated previously, you MUST be nominated again to be considered for this upcoming term.
The Young Alumni Trustee must meet the following criteria:
- a Coe College alumni from one of the past three graduating classes (2024, 2025 or 2026)
- able to demonstrate active participation in the campus community during their time as a student
- demonstrate a collaborative spirit and willingness to serve and work for the good of the college
Nominations close Tuesday, November 17 at 12:00 AM CT after which all nominated candidates will be invited to fill out an application for the position. Candidate review and selection will occur during the coming months to appoint the Young Alum Trustee by June 2027. Please share the names of deserving individuals with us today by completing this nomination form.
Thankful Thursday: Celebrating 175. Thankful for Our Past. Giving for Our Future.
For 175 years, generations of Kohawks have shaped Coe through their experiences, connections and generosity. This Thankful Thursday, we celebrate those who have helped make Coe what it is today and those helping create what comes next. On Thursday, November 19, 2026, we invite alumni, family and friends of Coe to come together in a celebration of gratitude and support for Coe College. Keep an eye out for updates on this day of giving as we get closer to Thankful Thursday!
Students found success at the annual Career Fair
Over 200 students and a mix of 56 employers and grad schools made the perfect equation for a successful Career Fair on September 22, 2026. Coe’s campus career center, C3, put on a fantastic event where all students, no matter their year or major, found an invaluable takeaway.
Networking with employers, chatting in-person with graduate school representatives, handing out paper copies of C3-approved resumes, learning about current job-shadow and internship opportunities and much more awaited students in the Kohawk Arena, filled for the day with tables, professionals and company swag. Also, as students exited the fair, there were free professional headshots available to all thanks to support from the Coe College Alumni Council and longtime partner Joe Photo.
All in all, this annual event is repeatedly a knockout when it comes to viewing the potential that awaits our Kohawks right here in the Cedar Rapids area. The impact on students from seeing their future in and around Cedar Rapids is immeasurable, made even more meaningful by the alumni who table with their own current companies.
Thank you to all those who made this year’s career fair possible, including our amazing employers and grad school representatives, our C3 team, our alumni volunteers and our eager students who impressed with their professionalism and preparedness.
Read President Hayes’ State of the College
Each fall, Coe College takes a moment to reflect on our accomplishments and look ahead to the future through the annual State of the College address. This year’s spotlight features a powerful message from President David Hayes ’93 on the college’s perseverance as we celebrate 175 years.
Learn updates on Coe’s progress and President Hayes’ vision for the year ahead as we continue to grow, innovate and inspire. To read the full remarks, we invite you to view the complete State of the College address.
Coe partners with Ascendium to provide free federal student loan repayment support
Coe has partnered with Ascendium Education Solutions to provide additional help to students and alumni as they navigate federal student loan repayment, with no cost to the borrower.
Ascendium’s main focus is helping borrowers with repayment, but enrolled students can also reach out with general federal loan questions. However, for questions about current financial aid or specific loan information, the Coe College Office of Financial Aid or the alumni loan payment information webpage are valuable resources. Students and alumni may hear directly from Ascendium by phone, email or text.
Coe expands its presence at the Eastern Iowa Airport with a larger hangar space
Coe College aviation studies & flight operations students have a new base of operations at the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) to support the program’s growing enrollment.
A larger space
This academic year, students, staff and faculty began operating from the former fixed-base operator facility at CID, establishing a larger Coe College aeronautical field station. The facility is located directly on the tarmac adjacent to CID’s control tower, placing aviation students in the middle of the airport’s full commercial flight schedule — a prime learning environment for future pilots. The transition was completed ahead of the Fall 2026 term and was driven by program enrollment growth.
“The response to our aviation studies & flight operations was overwhelmingly positive in our first year of offering the concentration, and we had strong initial enrollment,” said Director of Aviation Programs Anna Dvorak ’21. “There continues to be healthy demand for air travel and we want to help pilots and other aviation personnel be prepared for continued expansion.”
Fall 2025 was the first academic term that the flight school portion — flight operations — of Coe’s aviation program was active. Academic courses began on campus during the Spring 2025 term with an Introduction to Aviation course taught by Eastern Iowa Airport Director Marty Lenss. The program has continued to grow since its launch, with 45 students participating in flight operations during the Fall 2026 term.
In partnership with ATD Flight Systems, Certified Flight Instructors previously taught lessons out of Coe’s original hangar, which accommodated four aircraft. The new facility will house six aircraft, with additional room to expand as enrollment continues to grow.
A program on the rise
With the first full class of Kohawk aviators returning and enrollment in the aviation program continuing to increase with 34 new students this fall, the new facility offers more space for meetings, study sessions, networking events and the program’s Redbird flight simulator, in addition to housing more aircraft. The growth in the program mirrors CID’s growth as the airport continues to set monthly and annual passenger records while adding more daily flights.
“Seeing Coe’s program take off like this has been incredibly fulfilling. I’ve watched student aviators learn and grow as pilots every day, and the fact that’s going to continue to happen at a larger scale is impactful for the airport and the industry as a whole,” said Eastern Iowa Airport President & CEO Marty Lenss.
Next session for reduced-credit online business degree starts soon
The next session start date for Coe’s new reduced-credit business administration bachelor’s degree with a concentration in strategic leadership is October 26. Specifically designed for adult students and working professionals, this degree is offered exclusively in an online format.
This streamlined program requires 24 total credits for completion, making it an economical and flexible option for those looking to build sought-after business abilities on their own schedule. The curriculum combines practical, ready-to-use skills such as strategic thinking, communication, project management and culture building with foundational business fundamentals like management, finance and marketing. The goal of the degree is to help recipients become more desirable candidates for career advancement.
The program is structured to accommodate busy lifestyles, with courses available over eight-week sessions. Students will have on-demand access to course materials and recorded lectures. Despite the online format, students will maintain full access to Coe’s nationally recognized support services, including success coaches, the Learning Commons and C3: Creativity, Careers, Community.
For more information visit www.coe.edu/online.
Coe’s resident ghost, Helen, has haunted campus for over 100 years
Three weeks into her college education, first-year student Helen Esther Roberts fell victim to the Spanish flu epidemic on October 19, 1918. Over 100 years later, her ghost remains at Coe, pulling harmless pranks on staff, faculty and students alike.
Helen was only 18 when she died in Voorhees Hall, which was used as an infirmary as cases of the flu spread through Cedar Rapids in October 1918. Many say Helen still “lives” in Voorhees, where she makes herself known from time to time.
“Encounters with Helen include sightings of a figure or feeling a cold breeze near the clock and phone calls received with a weak unknown girl’s voice on the other end,” wrote Henrietta Arnold Professor of History Bethany Keenan. “Voorhees women report being locked out of their rooms, electrical items that turn on and off unexpectedly and pictures falling from the walls. It is rumored that Helen does not approve of gentlemen visitors in the women’s dorms, and she is not afraid to let them 
know. The women of Helen’s sorority, Delta Delta Delta, appear to suffer more sightings than others. Although Helen’s actions are unnerving they’re never mean or vindictive as she is a friendly ghost.”
One supposed manifestation of Helen’s haunting is the grandfather clock still standing in Voorhees today. Her parents donated the clock to the school in their daughter’s memory; a plaque at its base reads, “Given by Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Roberts of Strawberry Point, Iowa, in memory of their daughter, Helen Esther, a Coe Freshman. She died October 19, 1918, in the nation-wide Spanish influenza epidemic.”
Alumni and students have reported their spooky Helen experiences since the seventies. “If you happen to see or hear from Helen, give her a warm Kohawk welcome,” Dr. Keenan suggests.