News Releases


For more information about any of the news stories on this page, please contact:


Director of College Communications
Alma College
(989) 463-7290 or (989) 463-7327
www.alma.edu


National Champs! Pipe Band Wins Grade 4 U.S. Open Title
The Alma College Pipe Band, competing at the Alma Highland Festival May 25-26, won the Grade Four U.S. Open Pipe Band Championship.

Alma College Announces Dean's List for Winter 2013
dean's list

Students Inducted into Distinguished Honorary
Newest members of nation's oldest academic society, Phi Beta Kappa, announced

Active Minds Advisor Receives National Honor
Jennifer Showers looks after the mental well being of Alma College students. She is a therapist who loves her job.

Competition Rewards Student Business Plans
Mackenzie Smith of Saginaw and Joshua Spratt of Ada have a “jump start” on bringing their business ideas to reality.

Students Receive President's Cup for Academic Work
President's Cup first awarded in 1968

Summer Camps Bring Thousands to Campus
More than 4,000 pre-college students are expected to visit the Alma College campus this summer for camps related to music, science, service, leadership, competitive cheer and athletics.

Board of Trustees Welcomes Five New Members
The Alma College Board of Trustees, meeting May 4, approved the appointment of five new members.

Summer Leadership Academy Explores Community Building
Current high school juniors who are interested in creating positive change in their communities are invited to enroll in the High School Leadership Academy at Alma College.

Agreement Provides Pathways Program for Chinese Students
Alma College has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Beida Jade Bird International Education to create an English language Pathways Program for Chinese students interested in a U.S. college education.

Bu Invited to Participate in National Seminar
Alma College Professor Liping Bu is among 27 faculty from across the nation selected by the Council of Independent Colleges and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to participate in a national seminar on 19th century American history.

Ready, set...graduate!
President of John Dau Foundation is guest speaker

Bouwhuis Becomes Alma's 24th Fulbright Scholar
Alma College senior Andrea Bouwhuis of Grand Rapids has been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to teach and study in Spain.

Commencement Highlights: Degrees, Celebration, Hugs
More than 285 graduation candidates participated in Alma College's 2013 commencement ceremony in the Hogan Center, Art Smith Arena.

Seniors Earn Academic, Leadership Awards
Several Alma College seniors have received honors for academic and campus leadership achievement.

Andison, Barlow Awards Recognize Faculty Excellence
Eric Calhoun and Kay Grimnes are the 2013 recipients of the Andison Awards for Excellence in Teaching, while Liping Bu and Dave Zerbe have received this year’s Barlow Awards for Faculty Excellence.

Spring Term Destinations Include China, Spain, Hawaii
Spain, Germany, China and Peru are among the international destinations for Alma College students during the 2013 Spring Term.

Exhibit Documents 50 Years of Environmental Awareness
Alma College, in collaboration with the Pine River Superfund Citizen’s Task Force, presents “Echoes of Silent Spring: 50 Years of Environmental Awareness,” an exhibit on loan from the Michigan State University Museum.

Watch Live Web Stream of Alma Commencement
John Dau, a genocide survivor who now leads efforts to provide medical assistance to people in Sudan, will deliver the 2013 Alma College commencement address.

Chelsea Duff Awarded the Barlow Trophy
Chelsea Duff of Marlette has been awarded the 2013 Barlow Trophy, Alma College’s most prestigious award for a graduating senior.

Kapp Prize Awarded to Top Student Presentations
Oral presentations on the literary treatment of women, economic development in Africa, the effects of barefoot training and the impact of losing a mother were student research projects selected for recognition at Alma College’s annual Honors Day.

Masterworks Concert Features Orff's 'Carmina Burana'
The Alma Symphony Orchestra and Alma College Choirs join together to perform Carl Orff’s musical masterpiece “Carmina Burana.”

Stage Comedy Targets Manners, Morals, Love
Fashion, style, morals and the pursuit of love are at the forefront of one of Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated plays.

National Model UN Winning Streak Reaches 17 Years
For the 17th consecutive year, Alma College students captured the highest awards at the National Model United Nations Conference in New York City.

Duff Becomes Alma's 23rd Fulbright Scholar
Alma College senior Chelsea Duff has been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to teach English to elementary students in South Korea.

MiCC Honors Students for Commitment to Service
Whether rebuilding communities impacted by a natural disaster, tutoring youth after school or mentoring college students, Alaina Dague and Teresa Larson never hesitate to donate their time and skills to helping others.

'King Cotton,' 'Blue Shades' Highlight Band Concert
A Sunday afternoon band concert will feature a popular march by John Philip Sousa as well as newer works by composers John Mackey and Frank Ticheli.

Percussion Ensemble Performs 'Tsunami'
Works featuring traditional Japanese taiko drums and Caribbean-influenced steel drums plus new compositions by a pair of mid-Michigan composers will highlight the annual spring performance of the Alma College Percussion Ensemble.

Accomplished Mathematician Gives Honors Day Address
An author and award-winning teacher who brings mathematics to life through his exuberance and wit will share his insights on critical thinking and creativity during the keynote address for Alma College’s 17th annual Honors Day.

Student Participates in Worldwide Law Competition
An Alma College student has built an international network thanks to her participation in a worldwide law moot court competition.

Senior Art Show Highlights Best of Student Work
Eight graduating students display their best innovative work in the annual Alma College Senior Art Show.

Jazz Ensemble Performs Tunes by Davis, Hancock
Selections by composers “Smokey” Robinson, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and John Coltrane will highlight the Alma College Jazz Ensemble’s annual spring concert.

Economic Historian Discusses Politics, Religion
Jared Rubin, an economic historian interested in the Middle East and Western Europe, studies the relationship between political and religious institutions and their role in economic development.

Student Grant Writers Gain Hands-on Experience
Alma College’s grant writing course gives students hands-on experience while making a difference in the world.

Spring Dance Concert Features Varied Choreography
Slavic character dancing, a neo-classical work that recalls memories of the tragedy of Sarajevo, and a performance by guest artist Nic Gareiss are among the highlights of the Alma College Dance Company’s spring concert.

Alma College Makes National Service Honor Roll
For the sixth straight year, the Corporation for National and Community Service has honored Alma College for its commitment to volunteerism and service.

Award-winning Playwright Performs One-woman Show
Dael Orlandersmith, a nationally known actress, playwright and poet from Harlem, visits Alma to perform a hard-hitting one-woman play that explores the nature of male abuse.

Photo Highlights: Ensembles Present 'Resonance'
More than 250 guest high school performers from west Michigan joined 100 Alma College students on the DeVos Performance Hall stage in Grand Rapids during "Resonance: A Celebration of the Performing Arts" on March 4.

Barlow Trophy Recognizes Student Achievement
Alma College seniors Kelsey Allen of Bay City, Rachel Burckhardt of Waterford and Chelsea Duff of Marlette are the 2013 nominees for the Barlow Trophy, Alma’s most prestigious award for a graduating senior.

Model UN Team Captures Midwest Conference Award
For the 20th consecutive year, Alma College received an “outstanding delegation” award at the Midwest Model United Nations Conference Feb. 20-23 in St. Louis, Mo.

Bernice Johnson Reagon Keynotes Women's Month
Alma College observes Women’s Month in March with events focused on the theme “Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination.”

Opera House Renovations Feature Student Apartments
The Alma Opera House is undergoing major renovations that will restore its historic features while providing new retail opportunities on the ground floor and student apartments on the second and third floors.

Performance Groups to 'Resonate' in Grand Rapids
Alma College brings to west Michigan a concert that will showcase the talents of students and highlight the variety of performance opportunities at the college.

Alternative Breaks Include Outreach to Urban Youth
Five Alternative Break service experiences will engage Alma College students during their winter break, ranging from building homes to interacting with border immigrants to assisting with disaster cleanup efforts.

Gallery Features Small College Student Artwork
The artwork of students from liberal arts colleges around Michigan are on display in the Michigan Small Colleges’ Art Exhibition hosted this year by the Flora Kirsch Beck Gallery at Alma College.

 

The Hogan Center is the first LEED-certified building (Silver level) for green construction at Alma College and in Gratiot County. Awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

 

Student Profile

Claire Swift

Claire Swift
Graduation: 2014
Major: Chemistry

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but what’s the look on a patient’s face worth? For Claire Swift, it’s priceless.

The Grand Rapids junior, who is pursuing a career in medicine, recently completed hospital rotations at Mid Michigan Health Center—Gratiot. She says observing a patient with Parkinson’s disease was something she’ll never forget.