Coe News & Features

Coe College Fran Allison and Francis Halpin Professor of Physics Dr. Mario Affatigato ’89 has been named president of the American Ceramic Society (ACerS), a leading international organization dedicated to the advancement of ceramic materials and technologies.

Another national publication has named Coe as a best college in the country. U.S. News & World Report ranked Coe as a Best National Liberal Arts College and as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. Coe rose 10 spots to #126 in the liberal arts college category and rose four spots to #81 in the social mobility category. In Iowa specifically, Coe ranks #2 among liberal arts colleges regarding social mobility.

The Global Pathways Program is an internship experience that creates an immersive experience in international affairs through connections and activities with Iowa’s network of international partnerships, including its longstanding relationship with the Republic of Kosovo. Tailored to the interns’ particular interests and career goals, students learn about multiple aspects of international relations, including state and citizen diplomacy, human rights, international law and policy and international development.

Coe College continues to be recognized as a top liberal arts college in the country, performing particularly well in categories that relate to contributions to the public good, like access, affordability, outcomes and promoting public service.

Today, Coe College is welcoming a group of remarkable new Kohawks to campus as part of the Coe College Class of 2029. Nearly 400 students moved into their residence halls and are beginning New Student Orientation.

Tim Busch is bringing the confidence that can only be earned with decades of experience to Coe College’s aviation management & flight operations program. He is an assistant chief instructor with ATD Flight Systems, which is running the flight school portion of Coe’s program. He will begin conducting flight lessons this fall at Coe’s Aeronautical Field Station at the Eastern Iowa Airport for the initial class of aviation students.

New and updated accolades from The Princeton Review laud Coe as a Top 20 college in the nation across three crucial student support categories. Coe has the #11 Best Career Services, is #14 for Best Student Support and Counseling Services and has the #18 Most Accessible Professors. Coe is the only college or university in Iowa to earn a ranking in these categories.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved Coe College’s application to operate the ground portion of its aviation management & flight operations program as a Part 141 approved school. Future Kohawk pilots training at Coe’s Aeronautical Field Station at the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) will learn under the rigorous curriculum, which will allow them to pursue an accelerated path to their pilot’s license.

Coe College Director of Athletics & Recreation Steve Cook announced the addition of women’s wrestling as an NCAA sport on July 30, and he is adamant Coe will be “all in” on building the program.

Beginning this academic year, students at Coe College can study risk management/insurance as a concentration within the college’s Stead Department of Business Administration & Economics. There is increasing demand for a risk management skill set, particularly across the insurance and financial industries. The growth is driven by global economic uncertainties, regulatory changes, changing weather patterns and increasing reliance on risk mitigation strategies.

With the aviation industry approaching an employment gap in critical positions across the field, CID has established the Aviation Workforce Development Campus (AWDC) at CID, partnering with Coe College and Kirkwood Community College to provide essential education and training.

The college is announcing its first online degree — a bachelor of arts in business administration with a strategic leadership concentration, offered through the Stead Department of Business Administration & Economics. The online degree will be an affordable route for those looking to improve their career readiness, and is designed specifically to be a flexible option for working students.

Coe College continues to cultivate the best opportunities for future pilots within its aviation management and flight operations program. A partnership with ATD Flight Systems brings an elevated level of experience and expertise to enrolled students who will be training out of the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) while taking classes on Coe’s campus adjacent to downtown Cedar Rapids.

Kohawks stepping into nonprofit careers are becoming powerful forces for change in their communities. In choosing paths that prioritize purpose, these graduates embody the values of service, leadership and community entrenched in a Coe College education. They remind us of the power of channeling education, skills and passion into meaningful work and that success can be defined by the lives changed through their compassion and commitment to their neighbors.

This spring, Kat Davis was awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which is sponsored by the United States Department of State. The scholarship provides financial assistance to students, facilitating opportunities to participate in study abroad programs and international internships. Davis is Coe’s sixth Gilman recipient in the past five years, which is particularly impressive considering there were 17,000 applicants and only 3,500 recipients this year.

Tyler Salrin ’25 is Coe College's newest National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. The fellowship will cover financial costs for three years of Salrin’s five year graduate study, which he will begin this fall within a material science and engineering graduate program after a second summer internship with SpaceX.

A prominent Eastern Iowa businessman, philanthropist and Coe College alumnus, as well as an accomplished current student will address the Class of 2025 during Coe’s Commencement Sunday, May 4. Forest Brown ’90, president of Brown's Family of Dealerships, will address Kohawk graduates as Coe College’s 2025 Commencement guest speaker. Celestte Panduro Orellana ’25 will address her classmates as the student speaker.

Two Coe College students will be the first to engage in an enlightening diplomatic internship. The immersive learning experience, named the Global Pathways Program, is a collaboration between Coe and the Consulate of the Republic of Kosovo in Des Moines, Iowa’s only foreign consulate. Supporting organizations include the Iowa Economic Development Authority, Iowa National Guard and the Iowa International Center.

Kohawk Sangai Dukuly ’25 is packing her bags as she prepares to join the Peace Corps in Sri Lanka in September, where she will be stationed for 27 months teaching English.

Retired President & CEO of Mercy Medical Center, Tim Charles, is teaching Exploration in Health and Society this term. Charles is thrilled to be bringing his wealth of expertise and experience into the Coe classroom. He is the latest prominent local industry leader to bring their first-hand knowledge and connections straight to Kohawks.