Coe News & Features

Katie has a lot to smile about. With less than a year until graduation, Katie is ready to make the most out of her senior year at Coe. Before this summer, questions about life after college followed her like a dark cloud. Fortunately, one of the hallmarks of Coe’s close-knit community is open communication between students and faculty.

Josh Conte '23 made the impossible possible. Law firm internships are already a challenge to find, but Josh managed to secure an internship...and a job. The aspiring corporate lawyer is starting a part-time role with Shuttleworth & Ingersoll as a full-time Coe student. A pinchful of perfect timing and a heavy dose of hard work led Josh to every law student’s dream.

While Kohawks enjoyed summer break, campus was buzzing with the launch of a new bookstore. Coe College is partnering with Akademos to provide a comprehensive online bookstore powered by TextbookX and with Sodexo to provide an on-campus spirit store.

Coe College students have access to a notable advantage: Coe’s powerful alumni network. In fact, The Princeton Review ranks Coe 20th in the nation for Best Alumni Network among private colleges. The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor alone is home to over 4,000 alumni with thousands more around the world providing students internship, networking, mentorship and employment opportunities. It might sound too good to be true, but this creates real impact for students like Caroline Strauel '22.

The Clark Merit Scholars for the 2021-2022 academic year are Lila Dabill ’22, Natalie Hansen ’22, Zach Niemeyer ’22, Allyssa Roeker ’22 and Luke VanderSchaaff ’22. 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.

Coe recently welcomed 438 students to the college, which is in the top 7% of four-year colleges and universities on The Princeton Review Best Value Colleges list, and ranks 10th nationally in the private college category on its list of Best Schools for Internships and 20th for Best Alumni Network. Coe is the only Iowa college or university to earn rankings in both categories.

Coe College is pleased to announce the 2021-2022 Thursday Forum lecture schedule. The lecture series is for older adults seeking to expand their knowledge in an academic setting. Throughout the academic year, the forums will explore topics in music, science, politics, literature and education using a blend of lecture, media and discussion.

On August 10, 2020, Cedar Rapids experienced a severe storm with damaging winds reaching more than 100 mph. Called a derecho, the storm left thousands without power for weeks, affecting access to food, fuel and even shelter. Coe College lost more than 200 trees alone, while Cedar Rapids lost more than 670,000 trees. With over half a million trees destroyed, ReLeaf Cedar Rapids was born to lead the reforestation of Cedar Rapids with Rachael leading the charge.

Ella Brazell ’25 was facing a decision typical of others her age on May 1, National College Decision Day. The then-high school senior had narrowed down her college list to two — one of the options being Coe College. But, it was time to decide where she would enroll in the fall.

Coe College attracts those who are bold, passionate and engaged, even if they don’t find their way to campus until later in life. Joan Lipsky is a prime example of someone who had the qualities of a Kohawk well before becoming a member of the Coe community.

Kailey Blunk '22 is a go-getter. As a first-year student, she planned her four years at Coe College in seven hours and now is leveraging her talent to get the most out of summer. The communication studies and public relations double major, with double minors in creative writing and gender studies, fills the little free time she has with any opportunity to write.

MyKeisha Wells is trading Coe’s campus for the bustling streets of Sharjah as a recipient of the prestigious U.S. Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.

As a peer consultant and executive function coach at the Coe College Writing Center, Ally is taking her coaching talents to a second writing center. She was selected to intern at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia writing center.

Later this year, Coe College will begin construction on its new Center for Health and Society (CHS), which will house the college’s innovative programs related to health and well-being in all aspects of society. HS to be named in honor of Coe’s 15th president, David McInally, and former Coe First Lady Janice McInally.

Shayla James ’13 can’t imagine her life without music. After all, she’s played the piano since she was 6 years old.

This year, The Princeton Review ranked Coe 10th nationally on its list of Best Schools for Internships in the private college category, as well as 20th for Best Alumni Network among private colleges. In keeping with those rankings, nearly 50 Coe students are completing internships this summer, and many of them are making connections with Coe alumni in the process.

Known for a long tradition of lively lectures and captivating performances, the Marquis Series will return for a complete season during the 2021-22 academic year.

Coe College is proud to introduce the Coe Kids on Course Scholarship beginning fall 2022. The college is partnering with the Zach Johnson Foundation to provide a renewable award of $36,000 per year to eligible incoming Kids on Course students who meet admission and renewal criteria.

Coe College is introducing a new interdisciplinary data science major, beginning fall 2021. As a college dedicated to equipping its students with the tools and connections to be positive change leaders, adding data science is a natural forward-thinking step. Less than one-third of college campuses in Iowa offer a data science degree.

Harold Walehwa, ’21 and Dr. Neal McNabb, Assistant Professor and Chair of Social & Criminal Justice, have been named Coe College recipients of 2021 Iowa and Minnesota Campus Compact (IAMNCC) Presidents’ Awards. About 90 individuals and organizations are honored for accomplishments that exemplify and celebrate the public purpose at the heart of education.