The Tartan - Spring 2023

Visiting assistant professor Alex Zablocki, background, is pictured assisting Alma College student Chloe Johnson on a ceramics project. Read more about the college’s new core curriculum, which will provide students with the skills they need to become lifelong learners, on page 18.

ON THE COVER

The Rev. Dr. Andrew Pomerville ‘01, assistant vice president for community engagement, is pictured speaking with Alma College student Alivia Giles. Pomerville, the head of the college’s new Center for College and Community Engagement (3CE), helps students like Giles discover the meaning of “vocational identity” during their time at Alma. Read more on page 12.

MISSION

Alma College’s mission is to prepare graduates who think critically, serve generously, lead purposefully and live responsibly as stewards of the world they bequeath to future generations.

BRING THE TARTAN TO LIFE

Use your mobile device to scan this QR code. When you do, you’ll be taken to The Tartan website. There, you can enjoy web-exclusive content about Alma College that we just couldn’t fit in this edition.

For more info, visit alma.edu/tartan

ROOTED IN A NEW TRADITION

The new Traditions Tree Project is helping to bring encouraging messages to incoming classes of Alma College students.

AROUND THE WORLD AND BACK AGAIN

Thanks in large part to the generosity of others, a pair of students from Russia managed to avoid returning home at a time of turmoil and found family at Alma College. CREATING CONNECTIONS

The Center for College and Community Engagement (3CE) is helping students, staff and faculty transform their classrooms and the outside world.

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ALMA TO THE CORE

Our new core curriculum lives the mission of Alma College in new and exciting ways, benefiting students long after their graduation.

MILESTONE VICTORIES

In 2022, the Alma College football team achieved something no other team in Scots’ history has done — a perfect, 10-0 regular season record, and so much more.

PLAID COMES HOME

Homecoming 2022 was a hit, with current students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members turning out in big numbers.

In keeping with our longstanding liberal arts tradition, this new core still requires students to take courses in different disciplines. However, the core is now more tailored to each student than ever before. It provides them with the skills they need to become a lifelong learner, and an attractive candidate for the jobs they seek. I appreciate our faculty for their commitment to this project, a process that took several years of work.

The core curriculum is not the only driver of change on campus, however. Alma College is proud to assist our students with harnessing that energy and building the connections that can impact our communities — local, state and national — in ways that we never have before.

We’re doing this through the Center for College and Community Engagement (3CE), which was launched in 2021 and has already done an incredible job with teaching students the value of civic responsibility, engaging in meaningful service, and discovering their purpose and vocation.

3CE staff are working on programming all across campus — with students, faculty and staff — on new service and service-learning opportunities, faculty and staff engagement and training, interfaith partnerships and curricular programming to promote ethical reflection and engagement. We’re excited by the possibilities that their efforts afford us and can’t wait for what’s to come.

I’ve never been afraid of change, especially when it advances the college toward our mission. As we make these changes at Alma College, I’m grateful to have your support, and look forward to seeing how we can change the world together. ❖

— JEFF ABERNATHY, PRESIDENT

Rooted in a new tradition

TRADITIONS TREE PROJECT HELPS BRING ENCOURAGING ALUMNI MESSAGES TO INCOMING CLASS.

The white pine tree is a symbol that unites us as one at Alma College. It’s at the center of our seal, on the mace, and all over our website, publications and papers. But the white pine isn’t just a symbol — the trees are literally all over campus, from the Stone Recreation Center to the Swanson Academic Center to Hamilton Commons.

What better way could there be to introduce our incoming class of first-year and transfer students to Alma College than to tell them about our white pine trees? As much as they tell us about our history, they embody so many qualities about the journey of the individual. They embody growth, renewal, and a connection to the community to which the incoming class now belongs.

Since 1985, it has been tradition at Alma College to gift incoming classes with an evergreen tree. This year, for the first time, we were pleased to add a new twist to this custom.

We gave our alumni and other supporters the opportunity to sponsor trees with personal messages of welcome and encouragement. As with any new initiative, we were a little cautious with respect to our expectations for this push.

But we were thrilled by the results. We ended up with 217 donors to the project: alumni, faculty, staff, parents and a current student who sponsored a total of 413 trees — numbers that exceeded our expectations. We gave our sponsors the opportunity to write personal messages to our first-year and transfer students to accompany their trees, and more than a few tears were shed in reading them at this year’s Traditions Dinner.

Our hope is that students will carry these encouraging notes with them and remember that they are now a part of this welcoming community of Scots.

We appreciate everyone who participated in the Traditions Tree project. If you’re hearing about this for the first time and wish to become involved yourself, please visit alma.edu/traditionsgiving or scan the QR code on this page. ❖

— EMALEE (SUTHERLAND) ROSE ’04, DIRECTOR OF ANNUAL GIVING

and back again

RUSSIAN STUDENTS FIND SUPPORT FROM ALMA IN FACE OF HARROWING JOURNEY.

Russian students Regina Galeeva, left, and Liudmila Budaragina are pictured on campus at Alma College in October 2022.

For Russian students Regina Galeeva and Liudmila Budaragina, 2022 will be remembered as a difficult, stressful year, marked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 and the practical challenges it posed for them as students studying abroad.

However, 2022 will also be remembered as a time of growth and enlightenment, as the two students managed to avoid returning home at a time of uncertainty and turmoil, thanks in large part to the generosity of others. Instead, Galeeva and Budaragina traveled the world; meeting new people, learning interesting things and overcoming obstacles that would have kept them from doing what they loved most.

FRIGHTENING HEADLINES

Galeeva and Budaragina came to Alma College through the Year of Exchange in America for Russians (YEAR) program that’s designed for exemplary students who wish to study for one year in the United States. Galeeva, a history major who is fascinated by the American civil rights movement of the 1960s, and Budaragina, a political science major who wishes to someday work for a humanitarian aid organization, were drawn to Alma because of its powerful Model United Nations (MUN) program.

At the 2022 Midwest Model UN Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, the Alma College team was its usual dominant self, en route to winning two “outstanding delegation” awards, the highest recognition at the conference. For its two lone

Russian students, however, the conference was marked by distraction and worry, as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine during the event.

“I remember very clearly picking up my phone and seeing the news,” Budaragina said. “We were shocked and scared, but we tried to put it in the back of our minds. It was important to us to be good delegates and help our MUN team to success. We didn’t want to let anyone down.

“I didn’t know what to expect when we came back to Alma — whether my friends would be upset with me for what had happened in Russia — but I immediately felt so much support. There were so many messages and emails from people telling me they would always be there for me. It meant so much at the time, and it continues to mean a lot to me now.”

SUMMER OF TRAVEL

The students’ year in the U.S. was expected to end in April, but due to the situation back home, they said, they did not want to return immediately. Galeeva and Budaragina convinced the YEAR program to allow them to stay for another year, which would give them time to complete their college degrees.

However, the arrangement forced them to apply for and be accepted as Alma College students. This meant they needed to pay for tuition, room and board — which they could not afford.

Thankfully, Bart Housman ’06 and wife Ashley came forward to assist, and established the Model UN Student Support Fund, which provides support to Model UN students that can include, but is not limited to tuition. Alma College also provided financial support.

“I think what you saw was some incredible generosity from the donor who came forward to help in this situation, as well as the administration of Alma College, which also came through in a big way to help students who exemplify our mission statement through and through,” said Derick “Sandy” Hulme, the Arthur L. Russell Professor of Political Science and MUN advisor. “My hat goes off to them.”

The two students took full advantage of their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They participated in a Spring Term course taught by Hulme, Presidential Library Research, that took them to Boston to explore the Kennedy Presidential Library and Boston Public Library. Then, Galeeva and Budaragina took part in the Posey Global Leadership Fellows Program, flying to Sierra Leone and volunteering at the Makankisa Child Care Center, an orphanage that Alma College and community partners helped to build in 2018.

“This was the most incredible experience,” Budaragina said. “Despite everything these kids are going through, they want to know about the world. We told them everything we could: everything we knew about space, dinosaurs, and the world. They couldn’t get enough. When you see kids being happy about things you take for granted, it makes you feel better about your place in the world.”

HICCUPS ON THE RIDE BACK TO THE U.S.

A short trip back to their hometowns in Russia gave Galeeva and Budaragina some much-needed family time and assurances that those close to them were well. Before long, they were jet-setting again: this time, to Gurugram, India, for an internship through MUN. While in India, the two students worked at the Shiv Nadar School, teaching seventh- through 12th-graders about MUN.

“I couldn’t believe how engaged and interested these children, some as young as seventh grade, were about world events,” Galeeva said. “They were saying to us, ‘Tell us everything you can about climate change,’ like they wanted to know so they could make a difference in their world. It was such a pleasure to teach them — and now, they’re messaging us on social media, telling us to come back.”

By mid-August, it was time to come back to Alma and begin the Fall Term. However, an old issue would come back to haunt the two students. When they went to board the plane back home, they were told that because their visas had expired in April, they couldn’t enter the U.S. They would need to apply for a new visa before they could get on the plane — and that process, according to some information they saw online, could take upwards of two years.

With resourcefulness and determination, Galeeva and Budaragina worked to ensure this would not be the case. They found that the consulate in Mumbai, India, was willing to work with Russians to get American visas in as little as 10 days. Thanks to Alma College MUN alumni who were living

Galeeva and Budaragina are pictured taking part in the Posey Global Leadership Fellows Program, volunteering at Sierra Leone’s Makankisa Child Care Center.

in India, they managed to secure the necessary funds they needed to pay for the application. Then, it became a harrowing wait to see if they would be granted entry.

“We knew that if we did not get a visa, we would probably be heading back home, and we didn’t want to go there,” Galeeva said. “So, for three straight days, with Dr. Hulme, we practiced every question they would ask us. The border agents were suspicious of any Russians entering the U.S., and we did not want to give them reason to be suspicious of us. We worked very hard to be ready for their questions, and it paid off.”

After a tense meeting with a border agent — during which Galeeva said “every minute felt like an hour” — the students were finally granted their visas and were bound for Alma. Waiting for them in Detroit was Hulme, who said he “could not believe” they were actually there, after everything they had been through.

THE

BIG PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

With an exciting summer behind them, Galeeva and Budaragina are now thinking about the future. They’re looking forward to once again competing at MUN events and continuing Alma’s streak of excellence. They are both considering going to American or European graduate schools after leaving Alma; Galeeva likely to study law and Budaragina to continue her studies of political science.

Both are very concerned about the situation in Ukraine and its implications for the future of their homeland, and the world. But mostly, they are filled with feelings of appreciation for Alma College and the people who make it up; those who enabled them to stay in the U.S., with their friends, and learn lessons that can make a difference in the world. ❖

Students from all over the world travel to Michigan to be a part of Alma College’s Model United Nations team.

You can help this group of exemplary Scots, whom the Huffington Post called a “powerhouse” in international competition.

Learn more by scanning this QR

or by visiting

Galeeva and Budaragina are pictured taking part in a Model UN internship at the Shiv Nadar School in India; and back home at Alma again!

connections Creating

connections

THE CENTER FOR COLLEGE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (3CE) IS HELPING STUDENTS, STAFF AND FACULTY TRANSFORM THEIR CLASSROOMS AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

In early 2020, around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a diverse group of leaders from across Alma College got together to ask themselves: What makes Alma distinct?

One of the key answers that came from that task force was “vocational identity.” It’s an idea that goes back to the very founding of Alma College, said the Rev. Dr. Andrew Pomerville ’01, assistant vice president for community engagement. If Alma College students, staff and faculty work to benefit the communities around us, we can build the skills and fuel the passion to contribute actively and thoughtfully to whatever communities we eventually call home.

It’s also from that group that the Center for College and Community Engagement (3CE) was founded in fall 2021. Led by Pomerville and Carla Jensen, director of experiential learning, the 3CE offers students opportunities to engage, learn and grow in partnership with the local community.

The 3CE is an interdisciplinary venture, something that crosses administratively between the Provost’s Office and faculty, Student Affairs, Admissions and Advancement. On one hand, the 3CE is active in the classroom, partnering with faculty to help students examine sustainable solutions to fundamental civic questions. On another, it’s sponsoring work with local nonprofit organizations, connecting students with hands-on volunteer opportunities to encourage their sense of civic engagement.

The 3CE encompasses quite a bit of work across campus, but its purpose is clear: to help Alma College fulfill its mission to the greatest extent possible.

“There is data on outcomes that show that these kind of highimpact practices affect student outcomes in so many positive ways: whether it’s their community engagement later in life, career outcomes, self-efficacy, comfort in engaging with

The Rev. Dr. Andrew Pomerville ’01, assistant vice president for community engagement, is pictured at far left, next to Alma College student Marcus Owens Jr. and graduate assistant Blake Jonassen ’22.

diversity, and others,” Jensen said. “Wherever students go in life, the experiences they have at Alma will be transformative for where they go next: to lead, serve, grow and everything they want to do.”

GETTING THEIR HANDS DIRTY

Thanks to the 3CE, Alma College students are making a difference in their communities from the first day they set foot on campus. Scots in Service Day took place on Aug. 28, involving more than 300 first-year students — about 80 percent of the total class of incoming students — in communityengaged work in the Alma area. Among other activities, students created cards of affirmation for children in foster care, picked up trash on school playgrounds, and gave a fresh coat of paint to signs at city parks.

“Being able to tie in my different interests and education into something that helps build confident women of character is something that means a lot to me — and something that makes a lot of sense,” Davidson said. “The support from the 3CE has been intense. We meet monthly and they’re very interested in collaborating with me on it. I really appreciate these opportunities.” 1 2

The spirit of community engagement through the 3CE doesn’t end after the first week of a student’s college career. The Alma College Community Engagement (ACE) scholarship program has been overhauled to be a cornerstone of the work that 3CE does. The program — which offers full-tuition scholarships to exemplary students in Gratiot, Isabella and Montcalm counties — now carries with it a requirement to partner in the community to provide leadership, support and sustainable engagement.

ACE scholars meet with 3CE staff multiple times a year throughout their college experience, beginning with discussions about what they perceive the needs of their communities to be and continuing into how they make a difference. With help from community partners, students learn about fundraising, sustainability and creativity, before ending their college careers learning about how they can create new leadership to carry on their projects after graduation.

Madison Davidson, a second-year student and an ACE scholar, is working to install a local affiliate of the Girls on the Run nonprofit organization, which designs programming that strengthens third- to eighth-grade girls’ social, emotional, physical and behavioral skills. Davidson said she participated in Girls on the Run programming as a child growing up in Alma and it had a positive influence on her life, but the local connection had died out in recent years.

EXTENDING COMMUNITY SPIRIT INTO THE CLASSROOM

The 3CE has extended its influence to the classroom, thanks to Alma College faculty who have designed courses around the concept of community-engaged learning: using reflection to connect community partnerships with academic course objectives to enrich the educational experience of students, teach civic responsibility, and meet the needs of a community.

Students in integrative physiology and health science (IPHS) courses are working with public safety personnel in the city of Alma police and fire departments to test their heart strength, while beginning in 2023, accounting students will learn how to file taxes by preparing tax returns for local individuals.

The 3CE worked with Anne Porter, assistant professor of English, to develop a new Spring Term course in 2022, “Interviewing and Active Listening.” Students learned how to build rapport with other people, focus conversations and prepare to conduct informational interviews with members of the community. These interviews led to a broader understanding of Alma College’s place within the community — and how the college could potentially help more people.

“It’s crucial for people doing any type of community work to explore the skill of active listening, because positive changes come from a place of shared understanding,” Porter said. “People don’t often understand the values they hold in common — and the only way you can do that is by talking to each other. What the 3CE and I tried to do in this course was to teach students to cultivate conversations, so they focus less on their differences.”

The 3CE also sponsored and assisted students and faculty with entering the Michigan College Alliance (MCA) College Community Challenge in 2021. This project, a local subset of the nationwide Ford Foundation College Community Challenge, is designed to connect faculty with students to create projects that benefit their communities. Alma College was awarded more than $30,000 in stipends, scholarships and grants through the MCA competition and has been asked to participate in it again this year.

EVEN FURTHER OUTREACH

The Alternative Breaks program — which allows students to spend time doing service work both within and outside the community — has been expanded and revitalized under the 3CE.

1) From left, Alexander Montoye, associate professor of IPHS at Alma College, instructs Donald L. Pavlik Middle School sixth-grader Blake Smith on using blood pressure monitors, as part of the Alma Enrichment Partnership Program: Science.

2-4) Alma College student volunteers are pictured participating in Scots in Service Day in August.

5) Samantha Boyer, a first-year student from Howell, is pictured painting a sign in the city of Alma’s Riverside Park as part of Scots in Service Day in August.

6) Alma College students Victoria Zions, left, and Devin Carapellucci are pictured conducting stress tests for Alma Fire Department firefighters, a project paid for with a grant through the CCCE.

Students now serve during fall, winter, spring and summer breaks, as well as on select weekends during the academic term. Service trips that travel outside the region are thematically connected to those in the local community, and students are offered opportunities to apply what they learn during travel breaks in their home community through ongoing engagement.

Alternative Breaks student leaders receive training about how to plan and lead ethical, responsible community engagement and then put these skills into action. They gain leadership experience while helping identify partner organizations, plan trip logistics, recruit participants, and lead service and reflection. All participants are asked to consider and share how their Alternative Breaks support their ongoing community engagement, both in Gratiot County, and wherever they call home.

Ten percent of the Alma College Class of 2022 participated in an Alternative Break during their college careers, and Danielle Nykanen hopes to see that number rise for future classes. Nykanen, a senior at Alma who serves as co-president of the student organization, said she has gone on several Alternative Breaks during her time at the college and they have proven to be fun ways to build community.

7) From left, Pavlik Middle School eighth-grader Nora Barnaby measures the strength of sixth-grader Ainsley Falor’s hand grip during an Alma Enrichment Partnership Program: Science event in September.

8) Alma College students Danielle Nykanen and Natalie Walsh are pictured taking part in an Alternative Break at Dream Works Resale Shoppe in Ithaca, Mich.

9-10) Alma College students, staff and faculty are pictured taking part in an Alternative Break in Louisiana and Texas, assisting with cleanup and reconstruction following Hurricane Laura.

11) Hunter Wilson ’20 is pictured with her dog, Layne, whom she adopted following an Alternative Break to Horse Creek Wildlife Sanctuary and Animal Refuge in Tennessee.

“I’ve made some great friendships through Alternative Breaks. It’s a chance to get out of your comfort zone, meet new people and do something positive with your time away from class,” Nykanen said. “Our affiliation with the 3CE has only been a positive for us. It’s allowed us to better connect with the communities we’re trying to serve.”

The 3CE is also funding a partnership program designed to bring local middle school students into Alma College

3CE BY THE NUMBERS

500+ students participated in community-engaged programming since 3CE launched

2,000+ hours spent volunteering during Alternative Breaks in 2021-22

classrooms, in order to benefit from college faculty and use equipment they wouldn’t otherwise find in their schools. The Alma Enrichment Partnership Program: Science, an eight-week long experience for 17 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students, launched in September, and organizers hope to expand the programming to include disciplines outside the sciences in the future.

“I don’t think we could ask for a better resource to be optimized and utilized than this, which is right in our students’ backyards,” said Stacey Criner, superintendent of Alma Public Schools. “I am very grateful for our partnership with Alma College and hope to see it continue. It’s in line with where we need to be.”

NEXT STEPS

There are big plans for the future of the 3CE. Organizers are working to build out its offerings, both curricular and co-curricular, and tracking students who are involved in those programs during their entire time at Alma. The hope is that every student who is interested in taking part in 3CE programming will have opportunities to do so.

The 3CE is moving its physical location in 2023, from its current digs at the Tyler-Van Dusen Campus Center to the new Hatcher Learning Commons. When it does, it will be even more capable of meeting students, staff and faculty where they are at, and connecting them with where they want to go.

“We’re thrilled for all that we have done so far and excited for what’s to come in the future,” Pomerville said. “We believe this is something that makes Alma truly distinct — both in line with our past and where we’ve come from, as well as geared toward the future of the institution. If you’re reading this, we invite you to come along for the ride.” ❖

ALMA COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2022-23

Darryl G. Schimeck ’82, chair

Deborah Lynch Fitzgerald ’93, vice chair

David A. Devine ’90, secretary

Erika K. Powers Appelt ’91

Karen M. Asner ’89

Brian E. Bartes ’87

Eric P. Blackhurst ’83

Kevin F. Blatchford ’83

Carol J. Burns

Robert G. Cramer ’88

Charles A. Deacon ’80

Stephen C. Falk ’72

Douglas B. Gross ’77

Charles B. “Chip” Hardwick ’88

Greg Hatcher ’83

Christopher Hufnagel ’94

Rachelle S. Jacques ’93

Cardell D. Johnson ’02

Burt R. Jordan ’89

David P. Larsen ’84

Karen M. Magnuson ’78

Edward K. Osowski ’87

Derron Sanders

Bryan K. Segedi ’81

Kim Taylor ’83

James E. Wheeler II

John M. Wilson ’90

Alma to the core

OUR NEW CORE CURRICULUM LIVES THE MISSION OF ALMA COLLEGE IN NEW AND EXCITING WAYS, BENEFITING STUDENTS LONG AFTER THEIR GRADUATION.

The new core curriculum of Alma College encourages students to explore, question, integrate and apply, providing them with the skills they need to become a lifelong learner, and an attractive candidate for any job.

Otherwise known as “general education” or “distributive requirements,” the new core curriculum will help students go beyond their major into something more suited for the liberal arts mission that has been at the center of Alma College for its 137-year history — something that will produce thinkers who can adapt, learn, and solve all sorts of problems after college.

Laura von Wallmenich, associate professor of English and American studies coordinator, and Amanda Harwood, associate professor of biology and environmental sciences, are the co-coordinators of the new core curriculum. Working together, they believe they have created something that will prove to students there is more to college studies than what is in their chosen major.

“If we construct a core curriculum that produces a class of Alma graduates who instinctively know that when they look at a knotty problem, they should see how far one perspective gets them before switching to another, then we have graduated a group of thinkers and problem solvers,” von Wallmenich said.

NO MORE ‘TICKING A BOX’

Here’s a situation that generation after generation of students in both college and high school have faced: They have either completed the required coursework for their major or are in the process of doing so. However, they still have “elective” course obligations they need to fulfill. So, they approach their schedules like a sampler plate; with an Intro to Geology course here and an English Composition course there.

communication

associate

From left,

instructor Julia Terhune and

professor Bob Cunningham are pictured.

It’s a system that allows students to get a peek into different disciplines and ways of thinking. However, that system is reflective of an older idea of education, one that relies on introductory courses in a way that is unsustainable today. It puts seniors in classrooms with first-year students — people who may go to the same school, but are on completely different tracks in their educational journeys.

In place of the sampler plate, the faculty say, they are embracing the symbolism of a tree. Students will begin their careers at Alma College by establishing a wide base of knowledge, before making intentional strides further up the trunk and toward the branches. Students are still required to take courses in different disciplines, but those courses will be more tailored to their personal situation than they were before.

“To use one example, we previously told students that they needed to take a course in mathematics in order to graduate. But we didn’t tell them why it was important for them to do so,” Harwood said. “Now, we’re telling them, ‘You need to take a course in quantitative reasoning, and one way you can satisfy that requirement is by taking mathematics.’ It’s about meeting learning outcomes, rather than ticking a box.”

EXPLORING DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

In the new core curriculum, in the first year that students enter Alma College, they’ll be given the tools they need to succeed, and then the opportunity to consider different perspectives for solving problems. They will then decide which problems are important to them — what fundamental questions they want to answer in the world — before moving on to putting their skills to use.

Among the highlights of the new core curriculum are “Explore” courses that are designed for first- and second-year students. Regardless of their major, students will be required to take at least one course in four different “Explore” categories during their first and second years: Making and Understanding the Arts, Examining Self and Society, Applying Scientific Thinking and Engaging in Inclusion, Equity and Justice (JEDI).

These courses intentionally cut across disciplines. For example, Harwood said, a biology professor and an English professor may both teach courses that meet the JEDI requirement, while an art professor and a political science professor may both teach about Examining Self and Society. The goal is for Alma students to understand there are different ways to approach similar issues.

Pictured at left is Amanda Harwood, associate professor of biology and environmental sciences, and at right is Laura von Wallmenich, associate professor of English and American studies coordinator. The two long-tenured faculty members are co-coordinators of the new core curriculum.

“I always say that everyone in general education builds their own toolbox, outside of their major. Our old core curriculum model might have only given you a hammer. But now, we’re giving you screwdrivers, wrenches, and anything else you can think of,” Harwood said. “We live in a complex world. You need many tools to fix the important issues we face.”

ANSWERING FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS

More than ever before, Alma’s new core curriculum acknowledges the student by saying, “Tell us what’s important to you.” As students progress, they will explore a fundamental issue or a question of their own choosing and decide how the different perspectives they learned about in their first two years can address those questions. These are called “Themes” courses.

Examples of various themes students may choose from are: “How can we solve the environmental crisis?,” “How do we navigate questions of human rights?,” and “What cultures and identities shape who we are?” Students will be required to take courses in three different disciplines that address these questions.

Students will conclude their time at Alma by applying what they have learned, both in their majors and in their general education courses, with an Interdisciplinary Seminar (IDS). It’s the equivalent of a capstone; a course that requires assessment and reflection of what a student has learned and how they’ve learned it, outside of their chosen major.

ROOTED IN THE LIBERAL ARTS

While the new core curriculum reflects a more current model of higher education than the old, it is still deeply rooted in the mission of Alma College. In fact, von Wallmenich said, it’s rooted even deeper than the old: students will have more shared experiences with their classmates than they did previously, taking courses that have an increased emphasis on interdisciplinary education.

“Our new core curriculum is completely unique to our institution. There’s no other college that uses this exact model,” von Wallmenich said. “It’s something that has been built around our mission statement. We see some aspects of it as literally living our mission.”

The new core curriculum will be consistently re-evaluated on a rotating basis; a sort of living document subject to updates as needed. It’s the product of five years of work, a project that began in 2018, that has been voted on and unanimously approved by faculty — somewhat of a rarity in the world of higher education.

“Those of us who had a transformative liberal arts education know that one of the biggest characteristics of it was that you learned how to learn. This system leans into that idea more intentionally, by ensuring that there are specific places where we’re asking students to reflect on what they have learned.”

— Amanda Harwood

“This wasn’t something that Laura and I did alone — I think every faculty member has their thumbprint on this in some way,” Harwood said. “I’m really appreciative of everyone’s efforts and the leap of faith they took in doing this. They knew it would change us in some pretty profound ways, but I think this is a good change that we needed to make.” ❖

ADVANCE WITH A HIGHER DEGREE

Learning Commons nears completion

ICONIC STUDENT CENTER TO BE NAMED AFTER GREG HATCHER ’83.

Alma College announced in October that its new Learning Commons would be named after one of its most generous donors, Greg Hatcher.

Set to be complete in early 2023, the Greg Hatcher Learning Commons will effectively be the heart of Alma College’s campus — an iconic place to learn, socialize, study, create and live. Hatcher, a member of the Alma College Class of 1983 who currently serves on the college Board of Trustees, is the largest alumni donor in the history of the college.

“From the time I was a student, the liberal arts foundation that Alma College was built on has been the key driver to bringing students to the college and ensuring their success in years to come,” Hatcher said. “As a donor, you want to make sure that your gifts have the biggest impact possible. That said, I can think of no better way to make an impact than to do something that will support the academic core of Alma College, which continues to set the standard for liberal arts colleges nationwide.

Greg Hatcher ’83

The Learning Commons construction project is pictured in this October 2022 photo.

“Although only four years of my life were spent at Alma College, they were perhaps the most critical four years — somewhere I was able to set a blueprint for my life. I hope this gift will offer current and future students opportunities to do the same, in academics and elsewhere.”

Based in Little Rock, Arkansas, Hatcher is the CEO of The Hatcher Agency, the largest health insurance agency in Arkansas. Hatcher has been a member of the college’s Board of Trustees since 2008. He is a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame.

A public relations major during his time at the college, he also served as president of his junior class, president of the student body, and co-founded the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization. In 1983, Hatcher was named Alma College’s Top Senior Graduate, as well as Top Fraternity Man for both the local chapter and nationwide branch of Tau Kappa Epsilon. ❖

A season for the ages

SCOTS FOOTBALL WINS MIAA CHAMPIONSHIP AND NCAA PLAYOFF MATCHUP.

After the Alma College football team went 5-5 in the 2021 season, players and the coaching staff challenged themselves to do better. They did better. They did way better.

The Scots finished the 2022 regular season undefeated, going 10-0 and clinching the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) championship with a win at Bahlke Field — their first since 2004 — over fellow undefeated and longtime rival Albion College. 2022 marked the Scots’ first undefeated season since 1968.

The Scots won their first NCAA Division III football playoff game in history, routing Mount St. Joseph (OH) University at home by a score of 41-21, before falling in the second round against a tough Aurora (IL) University squad.

The Scots galvanized a hungry base of community, alumni and campus fans like little else in recent history, setting a home attendance record during the Albion game (4,405) and making headlines throughout the state for a season that was simply excellent — and unprecedented in Alma history.

It was a year of highlights. Six Scots; quarterback Carter St. John, running back Eddie Williams, linebacker Odin Soffredine, defensive back Austin Flowers, offensive lineman Alex

1) Alma College Head Football Coach Jason Couch ‘97 celebrates the team’s MIAA-championship winning victory over Albion College on Nov. 12. The win marked the Scots’ first MIAA title since 2004.

2) Alma freshman running back Ja’martae Hogan is pictured celebrating a touchdown reception in the Scots’ win over Albion College on Nov. 12.

3) Alma senior linebacker Odin Soffredine (0) is pictured making a tackle in the Scots’ first-round playoff matchup against Mount St. Joseph University on Nov. 19, with junior defensive lineman Lance Rademacher (90) assisting.

Dean, and tight end Cole Thomas, were named to the All-MIAA First Team. Eight more were named to the Second Team.

Williams finished the season as the team’s all-time single-season rushing leader with 1,184 yards on the ground. Kicker Joshua Hernandez set an MIAA record by kicking a 56-yard field goal against Adrian College. Six players received College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors.

The team even received some recognition from statewide and national sources. The Detroit Free Press did a big feature story on the team. U.S. Sens. Gary Peters ‘80 and Rob Portman, of Ohio, challenged each other in a viral video on social media before Alma squared off with Mount St. Joseph.

The key to the team’s success, said Head Coach Jason Couch ‘97, was a determined, talented group of senior leaders,

The Scots have ample reason for a hopeful future. But the time for dreaming about what is to come is in the distance. For now, the team is reflecting on what was a historic season — a season for the ages. ❖ 3 2 5 4

4) Alma sophomore quarterback Davin Reif (2) is pictured celebrating a touchdown run in the Scots’ win over Mount St. Joseph University on Nov. 19.

5) Alma freshman quarterback Carter St. John (4) reached rare air in the 2022 Scots football season, throwing for 2,593 yards and 27 touchdowns.

6) The Scots’ playoff run galvanized its fanbase like few events in recent athletics history. Alma toppled Albion College on Nov. 12 to win the MIAA championship before a Bahlke Field-record crowd of 4,405.

including 12 starters. They were Couch’s first recruiting class, after the former All-MIAA starting center came back to coach at his alma mater in 2018, and they worked hard to improve through the years, including a difficult 2020 season that was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When these guys decided be Scots, we were 2-8. I challenged them and said, ‘If we stay together, this group is going to be special. I think it’s an incredible testament to their nature that they stuck with it for so long, and I’m so happy for them to pay off like it did,” Couch said.

“Conference champs, 11 wins in a row? That’s phenomenal.”

Greg Hatcher Athletics Campus to include new indoor athletics facility

Alma College Athletics teams will enjoy a competitive edge, thanks to plans for a new, indoor athletic facility.

Alma College President Jeff Abernathy announced in November plans for a new indoor athletic facility — the hallmark building of what will be known as the Greg Hatcher Athletics Campus — also housing the Scots’ baseball field, Klenk Park, and soccer field, Scotland Yard.

Among other amenities, plans for the indoor facility include an indoor track, turf infield, coaches’ offices, locker rooms, athletic training space and a weight room. With the continued support of Scot Athletics donors, the goal is to start building the new indoor facility in 2023 and pursue additional revitalization and enhancement opportunities for the existing soccer, baseball and softball facilities. For more information, contact Scott Wills in the Alma Advancement office at (989) 463-7614 or willssd@alma.edu. ❖

IN MEMORIAM

HONORING OUR DEPARTED SCOTS

Alma College mourns the loss of alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students who have passed away. This page specifically honors the lives of the college community members whose passing we have become aware of since the last issue of The Tartan. To continue paying meaningful tribute to those we have lost, we have created a website where you can view full obituaries for each person. Visit alma.edu/in-memoriam to learn more.

1940s

Prudence Taylor ’45

Amy Middleton Caverne ’46

Betty Jane Richter ’46

Orthella “Red” Swalla ’48

Betty Jean Snow Allen ’49

1950s

Susan Brede Binder ’50

Robert M. Christenson ’50

Dorothy Michael Piedt ’50

Rex P. Richards ’51

William G. Williams ’51

Gail Donaldson Ruff ’54

Elizabeth “Sandy” Smith Shaw ’54

Laurence G. Stevens ’54

Raymond J. Shamberger ’56

Karen Homan Stadler ’57

Robert E. Atkins ’58

William T. Jones ’59

Charles M. Lewis ’59

William E. York ’59

1960s

Roy T. Abbott ’61

Ronald A. MacKenzie ’61

Stephen F. Engel ’62

Joe Neal Harris ’62

Ovonah Blanchard Warner ’62

Gary J. Zdun ’62

Barbara A. Mansfield ’63

Judith Geisler Watts ’63

Marion W. Mansfield ’65

Vickie Giesken Everson ’67

C. Richard Mills ’69

1970s

Floydene “Dean” Luke Mitchell ’70

Peter Tazelaar ’72

Ann Miner Thomas ’72

Connie VanSchelven ’72

Mark C. Miser ’77

1980s

Steven J. Hoffman ’80

Leo Rosencrants ’81

William J. Parkhurst ’83

Susan J. Gibson ’86

Van Russell Bensett ’88

Amanda Still Yannes ’88

Trustee Emeritus Warren Franklin Boos passed away on Sept. 8, 2022, at his beloved cottage on Glen Lake, Mich.

Boos was born July 14, 1934, in Detroit, the son of George and Ethel (Nelson) Boos. He married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Beverly Lou Barrett, on Aug. 20, 1955.

Boos spent a successful career as a senior vice president/investment analyst for

1990s

Jonathan Paul Gilbert ’92

Greg S. Stepke ’92

2000s

Tyler E. Edwards ’16

Former Faculty and Staff

Denise Bakker

Jennifer Gotaas

Ruth G. Spencer

June M. Teverbaugh

Friends of the College

James B. Conant

Dean M. Gettemy

Jake W. Goffnett

Janet Treischmann Greenlees

Beatrice A. Idema

Jerrold M. Jung

James Warthman

Ruth E. Watson

PaineWebber/UBS. He became involved with Alma College through consulting, working to help manage the college’s investments. He joined the Board of Trustees in 1968 and served through 1977, serving as a trustee consultant for many years after that time.

In 2009, he and his wife established the Warren F. and Beverly B. Boos Endowed Scholarship with a $25,000 gift to help support good students with need.

Alumni award winners announced

The Alma College Advancement Office announced winners of the 2022 Alumni Awards in five areas, spanning multiple generations of Alma Scots. The winners — David and Rae (Sloss) Green, Joanne Finnorn, Devon Anthony, Alexandria Cnudde-Huntoon, and Scott Messing — were honored as part of the college’s annual Homecoming, Sept. 23-25.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

This is the highest honor presented to alumni. It recognizes those who have brought distinction to the college through their professions, set strong examples for others, and served their communities through personal accomplishments that enhance the prestige of the college.

DAVID ’84 AND RAE (SLOSS) GREEN ’84

The heart of Alma College’s mission is preparing graduates who make the world a better place. David and Rae (Sloss) Green are living examples of that mission.

Together in 2015, the couple founded Sanford Behavioral Health, a 164-bed residential and outpatient treatment center in Grand Rapids, serving patients with substance use and eating disorders, as well as mental health issues. David Green serves as chief executive officer of the firm, while Rae Green is president and an addiction counselor.

The Greens said their education at Alma helped them develop the “big picture” thinking that drove them to dream up the Sanford project. Among their mentors at Alma were the famed pre-law professor M.J.J. Smith, under whom both of the Greens studied.

The Greens encourage current students to embrace opportunities provided to the student population and explore outside the traditional classroom setting.

“Participate and become an active member of the student community,” Rae Green said. “Take advantage of the student-teacher interaction and mentorship and allow yourself to be introduced to a diverse field of study.”

HEBERT AWARD

This award is presented to alumni for their loyalty and service to Alma College and the college’s Alumni Association. It is named in memory of George ’20 and Bess (Brown) Hebert ’18, whose love of Alma College and work on behalf of the institution was an inspiration to all alumni.

JOANNE (OLSON) FINNORN ’85

Joanne Finnorn, originally from Escanaba, Mich., said she was deciding where to pursue higher education when she had a conversation with M.J.J. Smith that convinced her to attend Alma College. That decision, she said, has had an “outsized” impact on her life.

Finnorn currently works as senior vice president, investor relations, sustainability and corporate secretary, at Superior Industries International, Inc., an aluminum wheel manufacturer in Southfield. Prior to that experience, she held a number of corporate legal positions, including 12 years spent at General Motors and 12 years at OnStar, LLC.

“Our esteemed Alumni Award winners are a point of pride for all of us at Alma College. They have reached great heights in their careers, but what truly sets them apart is their commitment to their communities, and living the mission of Alma College. We are so pleased to honor them and their achievements at Homecoming.”

— Sherie Veramay, senior director of planned giving

SMITH DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

This award is presented to a graduate who believes in Alma College and has assisted with student recruitment, provided career steps to students or served on a college council or board. It is named in honor of Art ’38 and Carra (Jones) Smith ’42.

DEVON ANTHONY ’09

As a legacy student, the sounds of bagpipes and familiarity of campus has been a part of Devon Anthony’s entire life. Now, she’s working to ensure that current students at Alma College have chances to thrive.

Anthony works as sales enablement and learning program director at Morningstar, Inc., a financial services firm in Chicago. She serves her local community as a board member for the Near West Little League, a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging and developing youth through baseball, and as a client advocate with Administer Justice, a legal aid ministry focused on providing services for those who cannot afford an attorney.

YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

The award recognizes alumni of the past five to 15 years who are following through on the values of Alma College while attaining a high level of professional accomplishment and volunteer service.

ALEXANDRIA CNUDDE-HUNTOON ’11

Alexandria Cnudde-Huntoon, originally from Bay City, said she chose to come to Alma for its “close, personal nature.” Since graduation, she has carried that feeling outward, working to help small businesses and start-ups feel more like a family.

Cnudde-Huntoon owns and operates her own human resources consulting firm, Allied HR Solutions, based in Midland. In addition to the HR firm, Cnudde-Huntoon and husband Scott own and operate Allied Group Fitness, a fitness studio dedicated to supporting “mental and physical health for all bodies.”

GRAND MARSHAL

The parade grand marshal for Alma College Homecoming is a figurehead who represents the essence of Alma College, as well as being a draw for alumni to return to campus.

SCOTT MESSING

Scott Messing’s 37 years at Alma College were marked by countless numbers of music students inspired by the lessons he taught, as well as faculty members who respected and admired his work.

In 2018, Messing retired as the Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus of Music. Prior to that, he had served at Alma College since 1982. Messing served as chair of the faculty for many years; a testament to his leadership, scholarship and time he spent working closely with students of all skill levels. He is also well-known in the local community, remembered fondly for his work with the Gratiot County Players theatre group.

STREETS OF ALMA TURN TO MAROON AND CREAM AS COLLEGE CELEBRATES HOMECOMING.

Cloudy skies and a persistent drizzle through the weekend of Sept. 23-25 brought to mind stereotypical Scottish weather, while smiling faces and big hugs welcomed alumni and friends home to the Alma College campus.

Homecoming 2022 was a big hit, with several hundred current students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members turning out to transform the streets of Alma into a sea of maroon, cream and plaid.

Alumni awards were given to David ’84 and Rae Green ’84 (Distinguished Alumni Award), Joanne Finnorn ’85 (Hebert Award), Devon Anthony ’09 (Smith Distinguished Service Award), Alexandria Cnudde-Huntoon ’11 (Young Alumni Award), and Scott Messing (Parade Grand Marshal).

Before a packed house at the newly renovated Bahlke Field, the Scots trounced visiting Martin Luther (MN) College, 69-0. In an effort to recognize student leaders who make campus a better place for all, the process for Homecoming Court was modernized to include a nomination and application process, giving each nominee an opportunity to tell their unique

stories. During pre-game, members of the college Homecoming Court were honored, including Detroit senior Lauryn Bishop, Alto senior Ava Frederickson, Riverview junior Marissa Luzac and Riverdale junior Abby Taylor.

Concerts by the Percussion Ensemble, Pipe Band, Choirs and alumni singers had Alma faithful feeling pride throughout the weekend. As 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the Kiltie Marching Band, a reception for former members was held, and alumni had the chance to play the college fight song with current members.

At a Saturday ceremony in Dunning Memorial Chapel, Rev. Alissa Davis ’11 was officially installed as campus chaplain, and worship services were held for alumni of various faith backgrounds on Sunday. Of course, because Homecoming is a time for gathering, various class reunions were held, in honor of the Class of 1962 (60-year), Class of 1972 (50-year), Class of 1997 (25-year) and Class of 2012 (10-year). ❖

ALUMNI BOARD

President

Mark Kraft-Strong ’08

Vice President

Amy Pratt ’04

Secretary

Kristin Swihart ’96

Michael Altman ’80

Hugh Brenneman ’67

Leslie Burgess ’85

Robyn (Paige) Carr ’04

Samantha (Perrin) Jackson ’13

Mary Kushion ’85

Shelia (Arrington) Minetola ’82

Blake Padget ’15

Rugelio Rameriez ’10

Mary (Skinner) Sexton ’68

Susan Latham Timoner ’85

Sarah White ’93

Laura (Morley) Zuidema ’96

Samantha Coykendall ’15

Brian Churchill ’80

Mechelle (Kotulionus) Wittbrodt ’94

Kymberli Wregglesworth ’97

Torree (Stembol) Breen ’97

Natalie Owens ’11

Matthew Boucher ’12

Stephen Schlaack ’12

Samantha Bohy ’13

Jaycee Riewe ’13

Crystal Snow ’16

Jared Jacob ’17

Kimber Buzzard ’20

Bridget Flanery ’20

Tell us what’s

new!

Vicki Sharp (née Vera Grunman), who attended Alma from 1948 to ’50, graduated from Michigan State University with a social work degree, and worked in the field until the first of her four children was born. She’s lived in Flint, Pontiac and Traverse City in Michigan; and Niagara Falls and Binghamton, N.Y., and then settled in the Washington D.C. area. Vicki went back into the field in Alexandria, VA., for a few more years, then retired, but stayed busy with volunteer work at the Smithsonian, community theater, teaching English as a second language and working as a D.C. tour guide. Her husband passed away many years ago. Now, she lives at Paul Spring, Va., a retirement community, and life is still interesting — just different.

Michael Mulligan ’62 served for 40 years as a career pathway mentor to 3,000 executives and young adults. He developed the “Route 5 Career Pathway Plan,” a career planning and management model, to help individuals plan their career journey from high school to retirement.

The Tartan and your friends want to know what you are doing these days. Submit your news online at alma.edu/alumni-notes.

July 5, 2022, was a reunion day for Jim Magee ’68 and Richard Douglass ’68. After not seeing each other for 56 years, they spent a whole afternoon catching up on life in Fremont. Close friendships created at Alma, even after over a half century of separation, just picked up like it was only yesterday!

John Giesy ’70 retired from the University of Saskatchewan in September 2022. He was a distinguished professor in the zoology department at Michigan State University from 1979 to 2006, then professor and Canada research chair in the department of veterinary medicine at US from 2006 until retirement. John and wife Susan (Damerell) ’70 will continue to live in Saskatoon while he will be a visiting professor at Baylor University in Texas.

Kathryn Bailey Conant ’71 works remotely as a software engineer with ExoTech, and lives on the Blue Ridge Mountains, near Harpers Ferry, W.V. She is mourning the loss of husband Jim, who died suddenly in April 2022.

Linda Hall ’74 has the privilege of serving as the director of the Wisconsin office of Children’s Mental Health. Since being appointed by Gov. Tony Evers in 2019, she has worked with many mental health leaders and people with lived experience to improve children’s well-being, including through mental health system change.

Charles Gross ’75, who works as an attorney in Tecumseh, chaired the steering committee for the Hidden Lake Gardens Treetop Canopy Walk, a $1.25-million project being built at Michigan State University that is slated for final completion in 2023.

Helen Phillips ’78 recently celebrated her 25th anniversary with Macatawa Bank, where she is in commercial lending. She lives in Grand Rapids and serves as an elder at Central Reformed Church. Helen also boasts 10 great-nieces and -nephews.

The sister of Hilary (Barrera) Godin ’79 lives in Williamsburg, VA., and recently discovered that Sue (Rappley) Strang ’69 lives in her neighborhood. During Memorial Day

2022, they had a wonderful reunion and dinner at home with Sue, her husband Mark, and Hilary’s brother Paul, who lives nearby. As a Spanish major, Sue had Hilary’s father, Benjamin Barrera, as a professor and was his assistant for three years.

Linda (Swanson) Mora ’83 retired after 36 years from Fenton Area Public Schools, where she most recently worked as principal and early childhood director of the World of Wonder Early Learning Center, after 36 years. She was recently awarded the Fenton Area Public Schools Education Foundation’s 2022 Edward H. and Nancy E. Petruska Lifetime Achievement in Education Award.

Rick Krueger ’83 has resumed writing about music on the websites “Progarchy” and “Spirit of Cecilia.” He has sung on new albums from the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus and played organ on the latest album by the British progressive rock band The Bardic Depths.

Jonathan Thorndike ’83 and wife Claudia (Black) ’83 completed a 140-mile pilgrimage from Winchester to Canterbury Cathedral in England. You can read about it in “The Long Walk to Canterbury: A Personal Journey,” which is available on Amazon. Jonathan was on a sabbatical as a visiting scholar at the C. S. Lewis Study Centre in Oxford.

Laurie Hamdani ’86, with partner Keith Kohley, moved to Rockford, Ill., in 2021. The couple are pursuing their dream of building a life together in a mid-century modern home. They

relocated Hamdani’s father to the area and are getting settled in to semi-retired life. Hamdani also became a first-time grandmother last year!

Krista Ried ’94 is thrilled to announce that she has been elected as the central region director for the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC).

Megan Freeland ’02 and her husband, Morgan Kelly, welcomed their son, Leland Thomas Kelly on Oct. 8, 2022. While Leland has quickly settled into life as a native New Yorker, the family will be relocating to Chicago this spring as Megan has accepted a faculty position at Northwestern in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, where she will serve as director of clinical education and professor of pediatrics.

Krista Pennington ’08 married Nick Manes on October 22 in Detroit, where they live. They were thrilled to have Alma alumni in attendance, along with other friends and family. It was a truly beautiful day.

Stephen Schlaack ’12 recently accepted the position of supply chain specialist for global operations excellence and quality at KLA Corporation. This new role has allowed Emily Havelka ’12 and him to move back to Michigan.

Brent Luplow ’16 and Mary Harwood ’13 were married on July 29, 2022, in South Haven, in front of family and friends. They currently reside in South Lyon. Brent is a

teacher and coach at Brighton High School and Mary is a certified child life specialist at Breakthrough Coaching Center.

Aleksander Scully ’17 recently got a job working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a vocational rehabilitation counselor, with a focus on helping underserved folks with disabilities get into the STEM and trade fields.

Bergen Jome ’18 has been living in Copenhagen, Denmark for two years. She is finishing a master’s degree in city planning and currently works in the areas of communications and copywriting. Her interest in city planning stemmed from her time at Alma, where she studied history and sociology.

Skylar McArthur ’18 married Aaron Barnes ’19 on Oct. 23, 2021, with the one and only Scotty in attendance. The wedding was officiated by Stephan Jones ’78.

Atulya Dora-Laskey ’21 helped lead the organization effort that saw the formation of the first union at Chipotle, a national restaurant chain. Dora-Laskey’s efforts received national recognition and he was interviewed in the Washington Post and Slate, among other media outlets.

Emily Long ’21 is working as a neonatal intensive care unit nurse at Texas Children’s Hospital, in Houston.

The Tartan is published for alumni, students, parents, families and friends of Alma College. Please recycle this magazine and pass it on to a prospective student.

ALMA NEEDS YOU

to provide essential support to Alma College and its students.

There are so many ways for you to make your annual gift that help set the course for student success:

SCOT SCHOLARSHIP FUND: Directly support financial aid for Alma students.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FUND: Support experiential learning and your favorite academic program.

SCOT ATHLETICS FUND: Support Alma College athletics and your favorite team.

ALMA FUND: Flexible, immediate-use resources for Alma to address the greatest campus needs.