E-News - September 3, 2019

Homecoming 2019: Game On!

Coe’s 2019 Homecoming celebration is October 24-27.

Alumni, friends and community members are invited to campus for a memorable weekend filled with activities and fun.

Signature events include the All-Alumni Celebration and Silent Auction, as well as the All-Alumni Recognition Reception and Program. The annual Homecoming Showcase Concert will be held, as well as athletic contests, including Kohawk football versus Simpson.

Reunion celebrations will include those from the classes of 1969, 1979, 1983-1985, 2003-2005 and 2009. Affinity gatherings will be held for music alumni, the Sigma Nu 65th anniversary and the Alpha Omicron Pi 50th anniversary.

For registration and a full schedule of events, go to alumni.coe.edu/homecoming19.

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The tradition of Reunion Giving

Homecoming is the perfect time to celebrate your favorite Coe traditions — and start a new one with a reunion gift.

The goal of Coe’s Reunion Giving program is to help alumni reconnect with the college and reestablish friendships with classmates, as well as increase the number of alumni who attend their 50th reunion. Reunion Giving also provides the financial support that allows Coe to continue leading the way as one of the nation’s premier liberal arts colleges.

Reunion Giving encourages alumni to go above and beyond their regular or ongoing financial support of Coe — or make their first annual gift — in recognition of their reunion. Reunion gifts offer an opportunity for alumni to celebrate their time at Coe and what their Coe education has done for them by giving something back to the college and to future generations of Kohawks.

For further information please contact Corporate Relations and Reunion Giving Specialist Jordan Timm at 319.399.8605 or jtimm@coe.edu.

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Local partnership brings high school interns to Coe 

Internships are a big deal at Coe — not just for current Kohawks, but for area high school students as well.

Over the summer, Coe hosted three local high school interns on campus through a C3 partnership with Workplace Learning Connection (WLC). A department of Kirkwood Community College, WLC works with schools in seven eastern Iowa counties to provide career events, job shadow experiences and internships to high school students. It partners with area businesses and organizations to help students explore their interests and learn more about possible career options.

The three students were hosted by Coe faculty members and completed internships in chemistry, biology and psychology. Assistant Professor of Psychology Renee Penalver hosted intern Paige McGovern of Central City, who helped program experiments and collect data for a project involving language and cognition. Penalver remarked that the experience will give McGovern an advantage when she starts working toward a degree. “She will have a strong background in experimental methodology and some statistics before starting college,” Penalver said.

McGovern enjoyed working alongside Coe students in Penalver’s lab and learned a lot in her time on campus. “I loved getting to learn more about psychology at Coe College and getting an idea as to what some research and studies are like. After starting this, I learned that I am really interested in memory and development. I plan to become a psychologist and study memory,” she said.

Professor of Chemistry Marty St. Clair noted the value of the internships for both Coe and the interns. “These experiences are another way to get the word out into local high schools about the opportunities available for students at Coe. It’s also a great opportunity to help high school students discern what areas of study are most appealing to them,” he said. St. Clair hosted Linn-Mar High School student Jack Tupper, who assisted with studies of water quality in eastern Iowa. Tupper worked with St. Clair’s team of Coe students, taking samples and measurements out in the field and carrying out laboratory analyses.

For Tupper, the internship was a great way to learn more about chemistry through hands-on experience. “It gave me good insight into the wide array of careers in the field of chemistry and introduced me to some solid connections within it. The internship helped cement the thought that I want to do chemistry as a profession and has shaped the classes I am looking to take,” he said.

Coe appreciates the opportunity to work with WLC, and the feeling is mutual. “WLC is grateful for our partnership with Coe College,” said Linn County Internship Coordinator Ann Brendes. “The opportunities in the chemistry, biology and psychology departments have helped students determine high school classes to take, colleges they may want to attend and careers they may want to pursue. We are excited that Coe College is committed to area students and showing them the value of an education on their campus.”

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Another summer of exploration at the Wilderness Field Station

In a recent interview with Environmental Monitor, Wilderness Field Station Director and Assistant Professor of Biology Jesse Ellis describes the sights, sounds and research efforts happening in Northern Minnesota. Click here for the article.

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Coe College recognized among top 15% of U.S. colleges

Coe College is included in the 2020 edition of The Princeton Review’s “Best Value Colleges,” profiling 385 of the nation’s 2,500 colleges.

This flagship college guide ranks schools based upon 140,000 student surveys. Students were asked to rate their college and provide information on a multitude of topics including academics and campus life.

The Coe Promise plays an important role in differentiating Coe from other colleges and universities. Every student at Coe is guaranteed participation in an internship, research, practicum or off-campus study experience during their four years on campus. This fosters “an environment where student growth through leadership and responsibility is possible.”

Coe’s location in the heart of a thriving metropolitan city and its proximity to Fortune 500 companies and the MedQuarter, gives students access to thousands of job and internship opportunities. This statement rings true as year after year nearly 100% of reporting graduates have been employed or in graduate school within one year of graduation.

Coe’s profile notes its professors are “devoted to the understanding of course context and success of the students” and academics can be “difficult but in a way that [is] enjoyable and strengthening.”

Other factors contributing to Coe’s inclusion in The Princeton Review’s “Best Value Colleges” include affordability of Coe’s undergraduate education, the fact that Coe maintains the largest student-run undergraduate writing center in the country and the school’s student-centered approach to learning.

“All of the factors mentioned above contribute to both an intimate and unparalleled academic experience,” Coe President David McInally said. “Students choose Coe because they are looking for a personalized learning experience. Our hands-on approach to learning and graduate-level research opportunities are second to none.”

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C3 puts fresh spin on traditional event

C3 is switching things up with a new concept for the Fall Internship & Career Fair on October 1.

In the past, the career fair was held in the afternoon, putting it at odds with science labs and athletic practices. This year the fair will be held over the lunch hours and will include a light lunch for business participants, alumni and faculty.

Two new features will showcase the Coe difference as well. Ask an Alum will feature local alumni who have connected with C3 on various LinkedIn groups. Students will get a chance to mingle with young alums to ask questions such as, “What do you wish you had known at my stage in college about transitioning from being a student to a professional?” and “What was the one thing that surprised you most about life after Coe?”

Another feature this year is the Faculty Meet & Greet, which will allow local business representatives to speak directly to Coe professors. Employers can share their company’s hiring trends and the most sought-after skills in their field. Faculty can showcase the work they do in their classes and their research to create a positive buzz in the community about Coe’s academics. Faculty will help C3 make a case for hiring Coe interns and new grads and will be able to reconnect with young alums in the Ask an Alum feature.

The Fall Internship & Career Fair will be held in the Eby Fieldhouse gym on Tuesday, October 1, from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM. If you would like to participate in the event or have questions, contact Nanci Young at nyoung@coe.edu.

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Coe College’s Thursday Forum speakers to present on wealth of topics

Psychology, history, science, government and the arts — Coe College’s 2019-2020 Thursday Forum lectures embrace all of these. Anyone who has wondered why people act the way they do, how museums loan out valuable works of art or what CRISPR is will have the opportunity to learn this and more by attending this year’s forum series.

Thousands of community members have expanded their knowledge and more than 150 speakers have presented at Coe’s Thursday Forum over the last 30 years. This year’s lineup also includes forums on Alexander the Great, democracies worldwide, the brain, film music and America’s history of slavery.

Thursday Forum lectures are held in Kesler Lecture Hall in Hickok Hall on the Coe campus. Each session begins with coffee and pastries from 8:45-9:15 a.m., followed by the lecture until 11:30 a.m. Each series concludes with an optional luncheon on the final Thursday. Please join the Coe community for the following events:

• Four “Big Ideas” that Changed Psychology: Freud, Skinner, Piaget and the Brain Scientists: In this four-week series beginning Sept. 5, James Y. Canfield Professor of Psychology Wendy Dunn will introduce the “big ideas” that have guided research and development in the field of psychology. Each session will examine how a notable scientist or group of scientists revolutionized understandings of psychology. 
• The Life and Legacy of Alexander the Great: Associate Professor of History Angela Ziskowski will explore the ascent of the Macedonian state through the succession and legacy of Alexander the Great, one of the most famous figures from Greek history. This four-week series begins Oct. 3.
• Populism and Democracy in Venezuela, Brazil, Turkey and the U.S.: In recent decades, democracies around the world have been weakened by populist governments. In this four-week forum beginning Oct. 31, Coe Physics Department faculty originally from Venezuela, Brazil, Turkey and the United States will explore the status and crisis of democracy in their home countries.  
• Art Loan Logistics: Following Grant Wood’s “Boy Milking Cow” From Coe to the Big Apple: Assistant Professor of Art History Ranelle Knight-Lueth will take forum participants behind the scenes to learn all that is involved in loaning valuable works of art between museums. This Dec. 5 session will focus particularly on the loan of three large panels from Coe’s permanent collection to the Whitney Museum of American Art.  
• CRISPR Technology and the Brave New World of Genetic Engineering: On Jan. 16 and 23, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biology Patricia Storlie will take forum participants behind the hype of CRISPR technology to understand this exciting new biotechnology tool. The forum will explain the history of CRISPR and its technology, then examine how CRISPR is revolutionizing science and medicine.
• The Golden Age of Neuroscience: Understanding Addiction, Stress and Brain Disorders: This four-week forum, led by faculty from Coe’s biology and psychology departments, will provide an introduction to neuroscience. The series will explore addiction and behaviors associated with it, the biological process of stress and the mechanisms that lead to brain disorders. The series begins Feb. 6.
• Film Music, Concert Music and the Hollywood Connection: Over the course of this four-week forum beginning March 5, Instructor and Teaching Artist in Music Alan Lawrence will explore significant milestones in film music of the past century. Through film clips and music recordings, audience members will learn about important film composers and the connections between film music and concert music.  
• Slavery and the Civil War in American History and Memory: Whipple Associate Professor of History Brie Swenson Arnold will explore the United States’ complicated history and memory of slavery and the Civil War. Beginning April 2, the four-week series will shed light on broader issues in U.S. politics, culture and society — particularly Americans’ efforts to come to terms with a complicated history of race and racism.

Admission is $35 for a four-week course or $12 per week. The closing luncheon is an additional $10. Payment can be made in person on Thursday mornings by cash or personal check. Credit card payments can be processed online only. For more information about paying by credit card or directly from your checking account, or to order gift certificates, call 319.399.8523 or visit www.coe.edu/thursday-forum.

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Courier Class Notes deadline is September 15

Do you have news you would like printed in the Fall Courier? Send us your submission by September 15 using the Update Your Info form or by sending an email to courier@coe.edu.

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Upcoming Alumni Events

September 24 — Alumni Lunch with President McInally — Don't miss out on a networking lunch opportunity to meet with other Coe alumni and learn about the exciting initiatives on Coe's horizon. Coe President Dave McInally will share an update on the college and information related to the strategic plan.

October 24–27 — Homecoming 2019 — It's game on! Join Kohawks on campus at this year’s Homecoming and relive some of the best years from the past! Don’t miss out on celebrating reunions, seeing campus updates and reconnecting with classmates, faculty and friends. Enjoy signature events such as the Homecoming Showcase Concert, All-Alumni Celebration, Brat ’n’ Beverage and of course — the football game!

October 27 — Bike Lehn IV — Bike from Chrome Horse Saloon NewBo to Ely and back on the Cedar River and Hoover trails (20 miles round trip) or run/walk the NewBo and downtown area while enjoying food and drink specials to celebrate the memory of our friend and Coe colleague Dan Lehn.

The Alumni Office and C3: Creativity, Careers and Community are excited to continue providing opportunities for local alumni to meet current Kohawks. C3 emphasizes the connections between Coe and the corridor, and we are excited to grow the alumni-student network in a fun way. We are asking Coe alumni to join us in helping prepare current Kohawks for life after college and the careers that await them. There are a variety of opportunities, so click here to see them all and sign up!

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