Coe News & Features

Deftly wielding a shovel, Coe College President David Hayes ’93 gently tamped down loose soil surrounding a recently planted tree the morning of his inauguration. It was an act which provided just a little protection for the sapling and its roots, but was heavy with symbolism.

Coe welcomed over 400 alumni and friends back to campus Homecoming weekend — reuniting old friends and celebrating what it means to be a Kohawk.

The 2022-2023 Arts@Coe season will be filled with toe-tapping music, thought-provoking speakers and even eye-watering laughter! Known for showcasing student, faculty and local talent, with featured national and international performances, the Coe College arts scene provides a thriving hub for both performers and those who love to be entertained.

Few people can claim to be as Coe-to-the-core as Nancy Skogsbergh ’53. The connection started young. As a seventh-grader, she hung out in Hickock Hall and greeted the president by name. As years passed, she would fire the starting gun for the Lamb-Kohawk cross country meet and used her Kohawk experience to become a top nursing educator in Eastern Iowa.

The newest addition to Coe’s campus already is attracting a crowd. After construction crews cleared out, the curious came in for the dedication of the David and Janice McInally Center for Health & Society (CHS). A large contingent of individuals and organizations from across campus and up-and-down the Corridor were on hand the evening of Thursday, September 29 to celebrate the project’s visionary roots and recognize the namesakes of the shimmering new three-story space.

Coe College is proud to announce the 2022-2023 Marquis Series schedule. For decades, Coe has hosted world renowned speakers, musicians, dancers, artists, filmmakers and theater and comedy troupes. The Marquis Series is known for its long tradition of welcoming Coe students, staff, faculty and the entire Cedar Rapids community to captivating performances and lectures.

The Clark Merit Scholars for the 2022-2023 academic year are Jenna Meehan ’23, Anh Nguyen ’23, Ryan Smith ’23, Skyler Stookey ’23 and JoAnna Voss ’23. The Clark Merit Award provides a scholarship equal to one year's tuition. The recipients of this prestigious award demonstrate qualities of character, integrity, intellect, leadership and social responsibility.

U.S. News & World Report named Coe as a Top Performer on Social Mobility, ranking the college as the No. 38 liberal arts college in the nation for creating opportunities for its students to elevate their own socioeconomic status. Coe is the highest ranked college or university in Iowa on the Social Mobility list.

Coe College continues to climb the ranks of liberal arts colleges which contribute to the public good, coming in at No. 78 in Washington Monthly’s annual liberal arts colleges ranking. This is an increase of 10 positions compared to last year, and a jump of 49 positions over the last two years. Washington Monthly ranks colleges based on three broad categories that all tie back to improving the lives of students and the world around them: social mobility, research and promoting public service.

A core group of faculty and staff from a variety of departments are collaborating with Coe’s C3: Creativity, Careers, Community center (C3) to engage students in finding their purpose and meaning in life beyond a career.

Traveling from as far as 7,500 miles away, and as near as two miles, Coe welcomes 400 new students and a geographically diverse class — both domestically and internationally. New students joining the Coe community represent 270 cities, 26 states and seven countries with 60 percent of the Class of 2026 enrolling from outside of Iowa. Also, 35 percent of the group comes from underrepresented backgrounds, which is the highest percentage for a single class in the college’s history.

Coe College is the only Iowa college or university to be nationally recognized by The Princeton Review in three crucial higher education categories — Best Career Services, Most Accessible Professors and Best Alumni Network. Coe is also the highest ranked school for internships in the state.

JaMarcus O’Banner ’23 has big dreams and an even bigger heart. While many students begin their college days eager to experience new adventures, JaMarcus stepped foot on campus focused on one goal. He was going to work hard on the football field and in the classroom to pursue a career as a financial advisor to make a positive impact in people’s lives.

Coe College has announced the addition of Donald Jaamal as the college’s Dean of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator. Jaamal will serve as Coe’s lead diversity officer. He was appointed by Coe College President David Hayes ’93 after an extensive national search and will be a member of Coe’s senior staff.

The Coe College Physics Department has received three grants totaling $892,062 to conduct advanced glass research, including separate $600,000 and $262,062 awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Coe College is excited to announce eight lecture topics for the 2022-2023 Thursday Forum series. For more than 30 years, Thursday Forum has been an engaging educational opportunity for adults in Cedar Rapids and the surrounding communities.

Jeremy Pham ’22 is in his first semester at one of the county’s most prestigious graduate programs in architecture – the University of Pennsylvania. The use of robotics in the curriculum made the program his top choice. Afterall, his passion for robotics began at Coe.

A life-changing experience steered Sofia Davis towards a career as a psychologist, as she knew she wanted to dedicate her life to serving others. As a rising sophomore at Coe College majoring in psychology, the aspiring doctor is the administrative intern for Lion’s Pride over the summer.

Kohawks Julien Duhautois and Uzir Thapa ’17 realized they had a lot in common when they met through mutual friends at a party at Coe College. They grew up playing tennis and loved the sport well before they played tennis for Coe together during Julien’s exchange year on campus. Since, they’ve started a company together and won the $3,000 first-place prize at the Fifth Annual Young Entrepreneur Convention.

Coe College is partnering with UnityPoint Health - St. Luke’s and Mercy Medical Center to provide nursing students with financial aid and guaranteed employment upon graduation. Coe students will have the opportunity to participate in one of the two partnerships that best meets their needs, while also helping to close a gap in health care staffing shortages. This is one of the many unique educational opportunities provided to Coe students as part of the new David and Janice McInally Center for Health & Society (CHS).