Coe News & Features

Coe College senior Katie Ameku is among 32 students from the United States selected as a Rhodes Scholar. The preeminent global academic award provides scholarships and travel expenses to study at the University of Oxford. Nearly 3,000 U.S. students applied to be Rhodes Scholars. Committees in 16 districts across the country selected 238 finalists for interviews.

Katie Ameku ’25 has been named a Rhodes Scholarship finalist. Rhodes Scholars receive up to three years of fully funded study at Oxford University in England, which includes a living stipend and transportation back and forth between the United States and the United Kingdom. Ameku will be interviewing for the scholarship November 15-16 in Chicago. She is Coe’s third finalist in the past eight years.

Coe College has joined 18 other private, nonprofit colleges and universities across the state of Iowa in approving the Iowa Private Transfer Guarantee admission agreement with Iowa community colleges. Through this agreement, students pursuing an associate degree at any Iowa community college are guaranteed admission to Coe, as well as the other member institutions of the Iowa Private Transfer Collaborative (IPTC).

The Prison Learning Initiative (PLI) at Coe College will host a Correcting the Narrative event on Thursday, November 14 at 7:00 PM in Kesler Auditorium on the first floor of Hickok Hall on Coe’s campus. It is free and open to the public. Correcting the Narrative is a public awareness, story-telling campaign that challenges common beliefs and misperceptions about people who have been involved in the criminal legal system.

Students interested in Coe College’s new aviation management & flight operations program can now pursue a guaranteed admission option for a seamless transition into their aviation education and career. Coe is introducing a direct entry program for Fall 2025 admitted students who plan to pursue flight school at the college, guaranteeing admission to those who meet specific criteria by December 1, 2024. The direct entry option at Coe is a new benefit for students interested in the aviation management and flight operations program.

Coe continues to reinforce its reputation as a college that helps its students achieve socioeconomic growth. For the fourth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Coe as one of the Top Performers on Social Mobility. The U.S. News & World Report rankings place Coe in the top 100 nationally for social mobility, and #2 in the state of Iowa. The methodology tracks enrollment and graduation figures of economically disadvantaged students.

Coe College is a top 100 liberal arts college in the nation, according to a recently released list from Washington Monthly. This set of rankings is unique, in that they measure what the college does for the country based on contributions to the public good across three categories — social mobility, research and promoting public service.

Coe College is pleased to announce a new scholarship program designed to provide significant financial support to qualified students from Illinois. Eligible first-time students enrolling at Coe in Fall 2025 will receive an Illinois Kohawk Award matching the amount of the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant. This grant offers $8,400 per year in additional scholarships to eligible Illinois residents on top of Trustee Scholarships already valued at up to $40,000.

Coe College is the recipient of a $225,000 grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This significant funding will be used to acquire state-of-the-art computing resources, further solidifying Coe's position as a leader in STEM education, hands-on learning and student research.

On the heels of the Department of Education’s announcement of another Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) delay, Coe College is recommitting to ensuring Iowans have economic clarity regarding college pricing and access to a transformative higher education. With a broad FAFSA launch now planned for December instead of October, Coe will cap out-of-pocket costs for first-year incoming students from Iowa at $24,000.

Coe College continues to earn national accolades for accessible professors and career services. The Princeton Review released updated 2025 rankings Tuesday and Coe remains the only college or university in Iowa to land on the publication’s Best Career Services (No. 8 nationally) and Most Accessible Professors (No. 22 nationally) lists.

Coe College invites local community members to participate in Thursday Forum, a weekly series in which faculty share expertise on a variety of timely topics of interest. Coe has been providing this educational opportunity to the community for over 30 years. Join us for an exceptional lineup of lectures that promises to inspire and inform.

When Leilani Rocha first received mail from Coe College in her Los Angeles mailbox, she had no idea it would lead her to a transformative college experience 1,810 miles away in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Now a 2024 graduate with a major in sociology, Rocha is ecstatic about how her Coe journey shaped her future in health care administration.

Coe was recently honored as a 2024 Major Champion by the Zach Johnson Foundation (ZJF) at the organization’s annual gala. The recognition celebrates the ongoing Kids on Course partnership. Based in Cedar Rapids, Kids on Course provides tutoring, enrichment, parent engagement, summer learning and long-term mentoring for students at high poverty schools, beginning with programming in elementary school and continuing throughout their education.

As Coe College seniors Maggie Wanyana Nansamba ’25 and Celestte Panduro-Orellana ’25 prepare for a term abroad, they share more than just the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship helping to facilitate their adventures. Both exemplify Coe's commitment to creating globally minded graduates equipped to make an impact.

Coe College’s Prison Learning Initiative (PLI) was awarded a grant from the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM). The grant funding is part of an effort to foster the development and execution of innovative community-based learning initiatives.

50 years of global flavors and friendships! This past year, Coe College's International Club celebrated half a century of bringing cultures together. From sizzling pans to colorful performances, I-Club continues to spice up campus life and foster lasting connections.

Coe College’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site has been officially renewed for three years with an award of $464,737 funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Novy co-founding Partner and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Coe College, David Tominsky ’98, is teaching a May Term class alongside Assistant Professor of Psychology and Faculty Co-Director of C3: Creativity, Careers, Community Dr. Samantha Brown. The course is geared toward young Iowa entrepreneurs and titled “Why to Start a Startup.”

In partnership with Revv Aviation and the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID), Coe College is opening a flight school and aviation management program. Those interested in becoming a professional pilot can complete their certification while enrolled as students within Coe's new aviation management concentration.