Kalamazoo College Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement

06/02/2026

We want to shine light on the great work happening with our community partner, Bent Not Broken, in Kalamazoo!

When Ebony and Dontray Hemphill’s son, DJ, was 10, he was involved in an altercation with another student at school and was disciplined according to school protocols.  But the parents […]

06/02/2026

It was amazing to bring young scholars with Community Advocates for Parents and Students to campus for a taste of what college life can be! The CAPS Civic Engagement Scholars organized a fun and educational day. Many thanks to the campus partners who helped put this on!

Kalamazoo College students leading a program serving youths at Interfaith Homes will bring those kids to campus for Family Science Night.

06/02/2026

We love this tradition and look forward to sharing what college and campus life can be with Woodward students every year!

06/02/2026

05/19/2026

It was an honor and a joy to have Sandra Barnhill on campus for her 10-day residency in April. Now you can read some of Sandra's reflections on the residency and her experiences as an activist, "Activist Sandra Barnhill's 35 years of refusing to give up - The Foreverfamily founder on burnout, collective justice, and why people are the answer." Read the full article at the link in our bio or at rollingout.com/2026/5/14/sandra-barnhill-refuses-to-give-up/

05/18/2026

Hot off the press! See the latest KPS Excelsior newspaper for a closer look at Club Grub and the students that bring it to life! Through this program, students from Woodward and Kalamazoo College have a special opportunity to explore the land and abundance of the Kalamazoo food system, rooted in knowledge and recipes from generations of community members, educators, and volunteers.

05/11/2026

Last week KTS had the opportunity to visit the Hoop House and pot some plants! Each student got their own pot and with help from the hoop house staff got to dig up their own plant. It was a great learning experience for everyone. We even got to sample some carrots and strawberries! Thank you so much to the Hoop House staff for making this possible!

05/01/2026

Last week, the CCE’s Civic Engagement Scholar cohort participated in a leadership workshop with Sandra Barnhill during her 10-day residency on campus. Students engaged in personal reflection and group conversation
about reactive vs centered leadership. Group questions
emphasized thinking critically about where we learned about justice and who in our lives have modeled centered leadership. Sandra guided students and CCE staff through reflections on what our core values and motivators are for social justice leadership in our daily lives and careers. We
can’t thank Sandra and LJ enough for their intentional,
thought-provoking facilitation and sharing their own
pathways to justice work.

04/27/2026

College life is busy, but taking a couple minutes to get vote‑ready with us is one of the easiest ways to shape the world you’re living in!  We can help you with registering to vote, requesting an absentee ballot, or learning how policies affect your future! Find us while tabling or message to get support for voting or getting involved with civic engagement!

04/27/2026

Have a voice in shaping the future of Downtown Kalamazoo! Join the City of Kalamazoo for a week of interactive events, workshops, and discussions from April 28-May 4. Explore ideas, share your input, and help imagine what Kalamazoo might look like by 2035!