General

Overall enrollment and student diversity continue to trend upward with the arrival of Albion College’s Class of 2020. As of the first day of classes August 22, the matriculation of more than 400 first-year students and 35 transfers—coupled with a higher returning sophomore retention rate—has driven the student body above 1,400 for the first time since 2011.

“What I loved most about President Vulgamore was his unmitigated joy at being surrounded by and involved with students.” Those were the words of one Albion alumna this week following the August 12 passing of Dr. Melvin L. Vulgamore, the College’s 13th president whose 14-year administration ran from 1983 to 1997.

For the second straight year, the Albion community has received a National Endowment for the Arts grant for The Big Read. The grant will fund a month-long community celebration of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, and although The Big Read itself won’t take place until October, English professor Jess Roberts and Madeline Drury, ’15, recently kicked off preparations intended to build on the successful 2015 event.

Albion College is one of 20 universities and colleges nationally to be named a finalist in the 2016 Ford College Community Challenge, which focuses on finding student-led projects that address the theme of “Building Sustainable Communities.” Albion’s project is titled “The Twelve-Mile Challenge,” connecting the communities of Albion and Marshall, and is in line to be one of up to 10 proposals that could be awarded a $25,000 grant by the Ford Motor Company Fund.

The first year is over and the six members of Albion College’s inaugural Build Albion Fellows group is a lot smarter – about many different things. “What surprised me was the workload,” said Khaliah Roberts, ’19, who is majoring in women’s and gender studies.”Nothing is given to you,  said Cortazia Wilson, ’19, also looking toward a major in sociology. “Everything is offered to you but nothing is given to you. Sometimes you have to go through the bad to get to the good.”

“This hotel is an important step, but only the first step in the new Albion,” declared Albion City Manager Sheryl Mitchell, warmly greeting the crowd of at least 200 people at the May 12 ceremonial groundbreaking for a Courtyard Marriott hotel on Superior Street. Set to open in the fall of 2017, the hotel is a centerpiece of downtown revitalization efforts that will benefit both the community and the College.

For the second straight year, Albion will host the Big Read, a nationwide project that aims to bring communities together through shared reading experiences. The effort was made possible by an $11,500 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which was announced May 11. Through private donations and in-kind efforts, the total financial support comes to $40,000, according to Jess Roberts, associate professor of English at Albion College and director of Albion’s Big Read.

Sarah Goldman (left), who joins the Albion admission team May 16, will be based in the city’s northwest suburbs and lead the College’s regional recruiting operation in the country’s third-largest metro area. She has done similar work for two other liberal arts colleges over the last six years “She has experience and success doing what we need to do,” says Vice President for Enrollment Steve Klein. “She is a formidable competitor.”

A glorious spring day provided the perfect backdrop as Albion celebrated Commencement for the 260 members of its Class of 2016. “For four years, we led organizations; we made the connection with the community stronger; we challenged our ways of thinking,” said senior speaker Candace Cullens, ’16, (left). “We learned many hard lessons through late-night studying, countless meetings and early morning practices. And now it’s time to apply those lessons learned, Class of 2016. It’s not going to be easy, but it will be great.”

Extraordinary accomplishments by extraordinary individuals—and a reminder that supporters are important, too—were a big part of Albion College’s 27th Elkin R. Isaac Student Research Symposium, held April 20-21. Former NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Jealous (left) and humanitarian and social entrepreneur Mallory Brown, ’08, brought compelling personal stories to the Joseph S. Calvaruso Keynote and Isaac Alumni Lecture, respectively. In between those talks, more than 130 Albion students presented their research, scholarship and creative activity.