Coe News & Features

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.

Coe College announces Transfer+ a transfer option allowing students with an associate degree to bypass additional general education requirements and immediately engage with the state’s premier faculty, career services and internships in their field of interest

A prominent Cedar Rapids businessman and current Coe College student will address the Class of 2024 during Coe’s Commencement. Duane J. Smith, executive chairman, TrueNorth, will address Kohawk graduates as Coe College’s 2024 Commencement guest speaker. Cecilia Kintopf ’24 will address her classmates as the student speaker.

Zach Huitink ’09, Piper Cooper ’22 and Luke VanderSchaff ’22 are all representing Coe at the top-ranked public affairs college in the country, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. And it’s not just representation, they’re excelling in the competitive education environment.

Tyler Salrin ’25 came across Coe serendipitously during his senior year of high school, but since that moment, he has been intentional in his pursuits, including his latest accolade — a Goldwater Scholarship. The Goldwater is a highly regarded scholarship for students who intend to pursue research careers in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

Ever since she learned about Fulbright teaching assistantships in high school, Sarah Hyatt ’24 saw an opportunity to combine her love of traveling and education. That opportunity just became reality as Hyatt was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program English Teaching Assistantship for the 2024-25 academic year. Hyatt joins the nearly 30 Kohawks to receive Fulbrights in the past decade.

The Iowa Ready initiative is driven by additional scholarships and grants for first-time college students from Iowa to ensure a direct cost equal to or less than the 2023-24 average direct cost of Iowa’s three regent institutions — $21,060 — which includes tuition, fees, housing and meal plan. Many students will see an out-of-pocket cost less than the regent average of $21,060 as additional scholarships, grants, work-study and loans are applied.

Learning beyond the classroom and gaining real-world experience is a pillar of the liberal arts approach at Coe College. One of the college’s most unique and memorable opportunities for hundreds of alumni is the Wilderness Field Station (WFS).

For decades, the people, businesses and organizations of Cedar Rapids have welcomed Kohawks to their new hometown. And, for decades, Kohawks have strived to give back to the Cedar Rapids community. While the importance of community building and involvement remains, the manner in which the Coe community reaches beyond the physical space of the campus is always evolving…

A longstanding partnership between Coe and Tanager has served student and community needs, improving the lives of others.