Coe News & Features

Each year the nation’s top college students pursuing careers in public service submit their Truman Scholarship application. This year netted 840 applicants from 346 institutions. The scholarship committee narrowed the field to 199 finalists who will participate in formal interviews. Of the finalists, approximately 60 will receive the award. Coe College is one of only two colleges in the state of Iowa to produce a finalist.

For the second year in a row, a Coe College student was granted access to observe negotiations at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) at the U.N. headquarters in New York City.

Coe College is proud to host political sportswriter Dave Zirin. Named one of UTNE Reader’s “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Our World,” Zirin is nationally known as an author, columnist for The Nation magazine and host of Sirius XM Radio’s popular “Edge of Sports” podcast. Zirin is also a columnist for SLAM magazine and the Progressive.

Once again, Coe College is included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2018-19 Fulbright students. Coe has been recognized on this prestigious list for five of the past seven years — positioning the college among the top 12 Fulbright-producing bachelor’s institutions in the nation.

Examine how cities can be redesigned to meet modern challenges with Joan and Abbott Lipsky Professor of Political Science Bruce Nesmith and Assistant Professor of Economics Drew Westberg.

The Center for Creativity and Careers hosted its third annual health care career fair for Kohawks on Feb. 6 from 4-6 p.m. Employers from all areas of health care were on hand to discuss internships, volunteer and job opportunities.

For the second year in a row, Coe College has been named a Best Value College by The Princeton Review and is included in its Top 25 Best Schools for Internships list. This year, Coe isn’t just in the top 25 — it’s in the top 15 and remains the only Iowa school on the list. Coe advanced from its previous rank of 23 in 2018 to a current rank of 15.

Coe College is proud to host Cirque Zuma Zuma — a theatrical circus exhibition featuring talented performers from 16 African nations. This production celebrates the rich history of African music, dance and acrobatics, dating back over 2,500 years.

Written by Charles Mee, directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts Dr. Deanna L. Downes and choreographed by Alvon Reed ’03, “Big Love” is a modern-day adaptation of Greek dramatist Aeschylus’ play “The Suppliants.” The title may imply a simple love story; however, murder, betrayal, gender issues, societal pressures and heartache are woven throughout the script.

Examine the representations of women in the Hebrew Bible with Joseph E. McCabe Associate Professor of Religion Meira Kensky. This Thursday Forum series begins by surveying the issues surrounding women in the Hebrew Bible while introducing interpretive strategies scholars have used to understand these texts — including an examination of Rebecca in the Book of Genesis.

Step into Coe College Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Ben Chihak’s virtual reality world. Through their research, Chihak and his students ask participants to step in front of virtual bicyclists careening down a path. The goal? Safely cross between two bicycles.

Following the discovery of the first radio pulsar in 1967, Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell was credited with one of the most significant scientific achievements of the 20th century. Bell Burnell will speak at the 16th annual Coe College Contemporary Issues Forum at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in Sinclair Auditorium on the Coe College campus.

Examine the rich history and culture of Catalonia — a region in the northeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula — with William P. and Gayle S. Whipple Associate Professor of Spanish Monica Fuertes-Arboix.

Kailey Ann Blunk ’22 is a first-year creative writing and communications major at Coe College. During the fifth grade, Blunk begrudgingly began writing. She was forced by her teacher to enter a short story competition. Ultimately she won first place, and her love of writing was born.

The Coe College chapter of the Society of Physics Students has been recognized for its excellence as a top-tier student-led physical sciences organization.

“This is your future, go further and aim higher,” is a phrase commonly heard by Carolina Sanchez ’19. As the oldest of four and a first-generation college student born to Jose and Luz Sanchez, she takes this advice from her parents to heart.

The unveiling of Coe’s “World War I in Remembrance” exhibit coincided with the observance of Veterans Day. Alice Kitchin Enichen ’53, daughter of former Coe professor Dr. Joseph Kitchin, visited Coe on Nov. 12 to deliver opening remarks.

Christmas will be celebrated with the annual Christmas Convocation beginning at 11 a.m. and Christmas Vespers at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 4, both in Sinclair Auditorium. The services will feature the Coe College Chorale and Handbell Ensemble.

If you saw “Intimate Apparel” at Theatre Cedar Rapids (TCR), you may not have realized that you were among a talented team of Kohawks. When one-third of the cast, three members of the crew and the director and assistant director are Coe students, alumni or professors — crimson and gold shine in the spotlight.

The Iowa/USA Wrestling camp will be held at Coe College beginning July 2019. Most recently housed at Grand View University, Iowa wrestlers will prepare at Coe for Cadet and Junior National Wrestling Championships over the next three summers.