Three Students Receive Fulbright Scholarships
Three 2008 graduates of Alma College — Hadley Boehm, Rebecca Peacock and Alyssa Gooch — were awarded prestigious Fulbright Scholarships to pursue graduate coursework and conduct research in foreign countries. Boehm will study biology in Canada while Peacock and Gooch will teach and work in Malaysia. They become Alma’s 11th, 12th and 13th Fulbright scholars in the last six years.
SIFE Wins Regional Title
The Alma College Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team claimed its eighth consecutive regional championship at the national SIFE competition in March 2008. The competition awards the SIFE teams that are most effective in teaching the principals of market economics through outreach projects in their communities. Alma also received recognition as a national finalist in the Business Ethics Competition for its project with the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Students Selected to Attend Clinton Global Conference
Two Alma College students were selected to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University Conference at Tulane University in March. Former President Bill Clinton challenged the more than 500 students in attendance to make a difference in four areas: energy and climate change, global health, human rights and peace, and poverty alleviation.
Former President of Mexico to Speak at Alma
Vincente Fox
Marta Sahagun de Fox
Vicente Fox, president of Mexico from 2000 through 2006, will be the keynote speaker for the 2008 Robert D. Swanson Responsible Leadership Speaker Series at Alma College. Joining him will be his wife, Marta Sahagun de Fox, president of Vamos Mexico Foundation, who will speak with students about her leadership experiences. Their presentations at Alma College will take place Sept. 24, 2008.
Alma Joins Yale, Stanford, Duke With Four Truman Finalists
Alma College, Yale University, Stanford University and Duke University were the only schools in the nation with four national finalists for the Truman Scholarship. Alma’s finalists were Kimberly Joki, James Allen IV, William Allen and Drew Emge. The Truman Scholarship, the most prestigious national scholarship for college juniors, seeks to support students committed to pursuing a career devoted to public service.
Alma Named to National Service Honor Roll
In February 2008, the Corporation for National and Community Service named Alma College to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll With Distinction for exemplary service efforts to disadvantaged youth. Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.
Pine River Collaboration
For the second straight year, Alma College’s partnership with the Pine River Superfund Citizen Task Force was selected as a finalist for the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Award of Campus-Community Collaboration. Organized by Michigan Campus Compact, the Carter Partnership Award recognizes colleges and community groups that work together in exceptional ways to improve peoples’ lives and help college students learn the value of community service. A $10,000 prize will be awarded to one of the four finalists in June 2008 during the annaul Governor’s Service Awards Dinner.
SIFE Team Selected for Credit Challenge
The Alma College Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team was selected as one of 120 SIFE teams in the United States to participate in the AIG Credit Counseling Challenge, receiving a three-year grant designed to educate college freshmen and seniors on credit management techniques.
Survey Says: Alma Students Exceed Norms
Findings from the 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) show that Alma College students report levels of educational experiences and faculty interaction that exceed the national norms by significant amounts. Read more.
Alma College Listed in the Top 40
Alma College is among the top 40 baccalaureate institutions in the country for the percentage of students who choose to study abroad, according to a report published by the Institute of International Education.
Alumnus Honored as One of Nation’s Top Scientists
Chad Jenkins, a 1996 Alma College alumnus who his now an assistant professor of computer science at Brown University, was recently honored at the White House as one of the nation’s top young scientists. Jenkins received the Presidential Early Career Awrd for Scientists and Engineers for his resaerch on the development of methods for autonomous robot control and perception.
Board Chair Honored with Leadership Award
David Provost, chairman of the Alma College Board of Trustees, received the Outstanding Leadership Award from Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, a distinguished private K-12 Jewish school system with campuses in Southfield and Oak Park. Provost, chairman and CEO of The Private Bank in Bloomfield Hills, was described as “a longtime anchor for the Detroit Jewish community,” according to the president of the school.
Teacher Preparation Program Rated ‘Exemplary’
Alma College’s teacher preparation program was rated “exemplary” following a comprehensive review by the Michigan Department of Education. “This favorable review indicates to us that we are graduating quality educators who are ready to teach and have a real foundation not only in education but in theire content areas,” says Mark Seals, education department chair. Read more.
National Web Initiative
Alma College is among more than 550 institutions that are participating in a new Web-based project that gives prospective students and their parents accurate comparative data to help them when making a decisions on which college to attend. The University and College Accountability Network, or U-CAN, debuted Sept. 26, 2007. The site was created by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, of which Alma is a member. http://www.ucan-network.org
Record Enrollment
Alma College enrolled its largest new student class in its history in fall 2007 and its largest overall enrollment since 2001. New students total 452, eclipsing the previous high of 442 new students. The total enrollment of 1,355 students represents a nine percent increase over the previous year’s student headcount.
Madeleine Albright Visits Campus
More than 1,800 people filled Cappaert Gymnasium for a speech by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Sept. 12, 2007 as part of the Robert D. Swanson Responsible Leadership Speaker Series. The Speaker Series was launched in September 2006 when political statesmen Robert Dole and George McGovern, both former presidential candidates, spoke at Alma about their careers and the importance of civility.
Best in the Midwest
Alma College has received the Princeton Review’s “Best in the Midwest” designation for 2007-08. Alma is one of 161 schools in the 12-state region to meet the designation criteria. Princeton Review designates schools as “best” by academic excellence in the region and by surveying the institution’s students anonymously.
A Prestigious Invitation
The Alma College Percussion Ensemble performed at the prestigious Centrum Jazz Festival, an international festival in Port Townsend, Wash., in July 2007. Alma is the first (and only) college group invited to perform on the festival’s main stage. “It’s a huge honor,” says faculty director Dave Zerbe. “You can’t apply to perform there; they seek you out.”
Student Engagement
Alma College students reported a level of interaction with faculty that ranks among the top 5 percent in the nation, according to the results of the 2006 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).
Brehm Wins Gagliardi Trophy
Josh Brehm, a 2007 graduate, was the recipient of the 2006 Gagliardi Trophy, given annually to the outstanding football player in NCAA Division III. The award recognizes excellence in academics, athletics and community service. In 2006, Brehm led NCAA Division III in three categories — total office, total passing yards and passing yards per game — and holds 15 school records. Brehm graduated with a double major in business and psychology.
Content updated: May 08, 2008 at 3:09 PM -0400
