|
Jan. 5, 2024
Greetings Students!
We are looking forward to the beginning of winter semester! Classes begin the week of Jan. 8.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College is a great place for you. We are so glad you found us. Whether you are continuing with us toward a degree completion or a transfer, joining us for the first time or returning after many semesters away from college, we welcome you! As you begin this winter semester, my advice to you includes the following:
- Attend and participate in your classes
- Complete and submit required assignments on time
- Stay in close communication with your instructors
- Seek assistance if you need it; staff members are available in the tutoring center, libraries and in Student Development Services
This new year will provide the opportunity to follow through on what you have started. We're here to support you as you work toward your goals! Thank you for choosing Kalamazoo Valley. Stay safe and take good care of yourselves and one another.
Sincerely,
L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.
President
Need Assistance? Student Services can Help!
Students who need assistance should contact one of the many student services departments listed here to schedule:
- Virtual appointments
- In-person appointments
Call or email for an appointment so that we can best serve you.
Please note: Student Financial Services, the Admissions, Registration and Records office and Student Development Services will all be open until 7 p.m. on the first and second days of the semester, Jan. 8 and 9, to assist you!
Scholarships Available for Students to be Mascot
Want to be Kal, the Kalamazoo Valley mascot? Apply now for the Kalamazoo Valley Mascot Scholarship. Up to two students will be awarded a scholarship in the amount of $1,200 per semester when agreeing to represent Kalamazoo Valley Community College at on-and-off campus events. Students will share the responsibility during the fall and winter semesters with the possibility for additional scholarship funds for the summer semester. Appearances include: community festivals, local K-12 school events, campus athletic games and student engagement activities on any of the college's campuses.
Requirements
- Be actively enrolled in at least six credit hours
- Submit an application at www.kvcc.edu/finaid and tryout in front of a small committee
- Attend mascot training
- Do not disclose their identity until indicated by college administration
Free Parking on all Kalamazoo Valley Campuses
Texas Township Campus: Ample parking is available free of charge at the Texas Township Campus. No parking pass needed. Do not park in reserved parking areas or you will be ticketed.
Arcadia Commons Campus: Kalamazoo Valley provides parking for students who are currently enrolled in at least one course at the Arcadia Commons Campus. Parking is validated in either the front office of Anna Whitten Hall or at the receptionist desk at the Center for New Media. Parking is in Ramp 4 only, located one block north of the campus at the corner of Eleanor and Rose streets.
Bronson Healthy Living Campus: Kalamazoo Valley provides parking for students who are currently enrolled in at least one course at the Bronson Healthy Living Campus. Parking is free in the student parking lots located east of the Portage Creek on East Walnut Street and off John Street at the Food Innovation Center. Overflow parking is available at the Epic Center Parking Ramp.
Important Upcoming Dates
- Winter semester begins Jan. 8
- Last day to drop/add first 14, 12 and seven-week classes is Jan. 14
- The college is closed Jan. 15 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Second 12-week classes begin Jan. 23
You may drop or withdraw from classes using the self-service registration feature in MyValley. Watch our how to video to learn how this is accomplished. You may also drop classes in person in the Admissions, Registration and Records office (Room 9140, TTC) or at the Student Service Center in Anna Whitten Hall on the Arcadia Commons Campus. Discontinuing class attendance and/or notifying the instructor is not an official drop. You must complete the paperwork or use the self-service feature. If you fail to officially drop a course, registration is continued until the end of class and the grade earned is recorded on your transcript. Discontinuing course attendance is a very important decision. We invite you to discuss this decision with your instructor, Student Development Services, Student Financial Services, the Learning Center and other resources available to you.
Need Help with Your Schedule?
No appointment is necessary to see an advisor or counselor through Jan. 12. Simply stop by Room 9300 on the Texas Township Campus or Room 120 at Anna Whitten Hall to see someone. You can also call 269.488.4040 to get in a virtual line for a video or phone drop-in with an advisor or counselor.
Extended Bookstore Hours for the First Week of Winter Classes
The Texas Township Campus Bookstore will be open an hour later during the first week of winter classes, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Jan. 8 - Jan. 12. You may use your financial aid for both in-store and online purchases. Web orders can be shipped anywhere in the U.S. for just $5, or picked up at the Bookstore or at the Anna Whitten Hall Library in downtown Kalamazoo. Shop online at bookstore.kvcc.edu.
Connect with Resources at Learning Center and Library Open House
Kalamazoo Valley's Learning Center and Libraries are hosting an open house for winter semester students on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Join them anytime from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Texas Township Campus in Room 2220 or in Rooms 3210 and 8420. Participants can also join virtually via Zoom links located in MyValley.
All open house visitors will be eligible for drawings and giveaways. Snacks will be provided for those who visit in person. Come learn about all the useful resources the Learning Center and the Libraries have to offer.
For more information, email learningcenter@kvcc.edu or call 269.488.4397.
Food Service on Campus
Looking for a quick snack or something for lunch while on the the Texas Township Campus? The Cougar Cafe offers a wide variety of grab-and-go items, including sandwiches, salads and soup. Subway is also located inside the Cougar Cafe. The Cougar Cafe on the Texas Township Campus is open Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Need some caffeine? The Coffee Den, located in the Student Commons on the Texas Township Campus, serves a variety of Starbucks beverages Monday - Thursday from 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Student-Run Restaurants Opening Soon
Students enrolled in Kalamazoo Valley's Culinary Arts and Sustainable Food Systems programs put their training to work in the Havirmill Cafe and 418 restaurant. The cafe offers grab-and-go options as well as a hot bar with freshly made entrees. The 418 provides table service and a weekly specialty menu. Both are located in the Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut St., in downtown Kalamazoo.
Havirmill Cafe hours are Monday- Friday from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., with a Jan. 16 opening date.
418 restaurant (open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. by reservation only)
Open: Jan. 26 - Feb. 15 and March 21 to April 11
Please follow the Havirmill Cafe Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KVculinaryeats and the 418 Restaurant at www.facebook.com/KVculinarydining for up-to-date information.
Workout for Free on Campus
The Wellness and Fitness Center on the Texas Township Campus is open to all currently enrolled students and offers:
- 40+ pieces of cardio equipment
- Complete lineup of selectorized strength equipment
- Easy to follow full-body circuit
- Spacious yoga room
- Complimentary towels
- Lockers upon request
- Locker room access with showers
- Pool access
- Free weight room
Wellness and Fitness Center hours are Monday - Thursday from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Friday from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.
The pool is open:
Mon: 4 - 7 p.m.
Tue: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4 - 7 p.m.
Wed: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4 - 7 p.m.
Thurs until March 1: 4 - 7 p.m.
Thurs after March 1: 4 - 6 p.m.
Valley Launches 2024 MLK Day Events Online Calendar
Are you looking for events to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year? Or perhaps a volunteer opportunity to serve others in Dr. King's honor? Check out Kalamazoo Valley Community College's online communitywide calendar! Visit MLK Day. Please share the URL - https://www.kvcc.edu/mlkday/ - with your contacts. If you or an organization you know has a MLK event open to the public, please submit it at marketing@kvcc.edu. Click here for submission guidelines. Also, save the date for the college's MLK Day celebration on Feb. 1. more
Save the Date for Financial Literacy Presentations in February
Get the new year off to a strong start by increasing your knowledge about financial literacy. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosts local businessman and Valley alum Tevyn Grayson for two free presentations, on Thursday, Feb. 8, from noon to 1:15 p.m., at the Texas Township Campus, Rm 4240, and on Thursday, Feb. 29, from 2 to 3:15 p.m., at Anna Whitten Hall in downtown Kalamazoo, Rm 129. Both sessions include lunch. To register, contact Trice Batson at tbatson@kvcc.edu. The Kalamazoo native received his associate degree in accounting in 2015 at Kalamazoo Valley, and now owns several businesses, with his most successful being Grayson Accounting Service, which he started in 2020. He is especially passionate about helping Black youth succeed.
Ready for Some Basketball? Home Games in January
Cheer on the men's and women's basketball teams at their home games in the main gym at Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Texas Township Campus in January. Admission is free. Find the full season schedule at athletics.kvcc.edu.
- Men's dates: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. Jan. 13 | 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17
- Women's dates: 11 a.m. Jan. 6 | 1 p.m. Jan. 13 | 5:30 p.m. Jan. 17
Need Food? Valley Food Share Can Help
Valley Food Share is an initiative designed to meet the immediate food needs of Kalamazoo Valley students. Through the program, currently enrolled students can pick up a box, or a "share," which includes food grown locally and sourced through our own Food Innovation Center as well as nonperishable items from Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes, to take home.
Valley Food Share distribution is currently a drive-thru service on Thursdays between 2 - 4 p.m., alternating between the Food Innovation Center and the Texas Township Campus. You will receive an email each Thursday afternoon with a link to sign up for a box of food for the next week. If you come by car, we ask that you remain in your vehicle and the share will be placed in your trunk by college employees. If you have any questions, please email foodshare@kvcc.edu.
College, PTK to Collaborate with American Red Cross for Blood Drive
Kalamazoo Valley Community College and its chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society for two-year colleges, will be collaborating with the American Red Cross to host blood drives on Jan. 18 and 29. Appointments will be available from 10 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. at the following campus locations:
- Texas Township Campus Student Commons on Jan. 18
- Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building on Jan. 29
All community members are welcome to schedule a time to donate blood. Interested donors are asked to register by going to redcrossblood.org and entering the sponsor code "KVCC" in the appointment search box. Appointments are required. The American Red Cross is partnering with the NFL to offer blood donors in the month of January an opportunity to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIll. All participants will be automatically entered for a chance to win. Click here to learn more.
CNM to Host February Black Artists Exhibit
In collaboration with community partners, Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Center for New Media will host an exhibition of works by local Black artists in February 2024. The exhibition is part of the college's celebration of Black History Month. Artwork will be exhibited in the Center for New Media and its Arcus Gallery throughout the month of February. The exhibit's opening will coincide with the city of Kalamazoo's Feb. 2 Art Hop. more
Visiting Writers Series Welcomes Bonnie Jo Campbell on Feb. 2
Kalamazoo Valley's "About Writing" Visiting Writers series is coordinated by English instructor Julie Stotz-Ghosh, Ph.D., and offers students and community members the opportunity to talk with professional writers and listen to their work. All events are free, open to the public and include a craft talk and a reading by the author.
BONNIE JO CAMPBELL
with film producer/director Haroula Rose
Feb. 2 | Texas Township Campus
2 p.m.: Reading in the Student Commons Lounge
5 p.m.: Conversation with Bonnie Jo Campbell and Haroula Rose (director of the film, "Once Upon a River"), Dale B. Lake Auditorium
6 p.m.: Film Screening of "Once Upon a River," Dale B. Lake Auditorium
8 p.m.: Book signing after the film
In partnership with the Kalamazoo Film Society and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Kalamazoo Valley will host a conversation with Campbell and Rose about the film adaptation of Campbell's book "Once Upon a River," a story of survival about a Native American girl's search for her estranged mother. Campbell will also discuss her new novel, "The Waters," which will be released in January 2024. On an island in the Great Massasauga Swamp - an area known as "The Waters" to the residents of nearby Whiteheart, Michigan - herbalist Hermine "Herself" Zook has healed the local women of their ailments for generations. Note that the Campbell/Rose talk and the film screening in Dale B. Lake Auditorium are free, but require tickets, which may be obtained here.
Thousands Flock to Kalamazoo Valley Museum for Winter Break
Congratulations to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum for attracting 3,367 visitors and participants during winter break! That's as of Jan. 2. Museum Director Bill McElhone anticipates the final tally to exceed 5,000 visitors by this Sunday, Jan. 7. Be sure to stop by the museum between now and then to enjoy a variety of free activities centered around various forms of storytelling. Visit kalamazoomuseum.org for the list of program dates and times.
Museum's Next Adult Discovery Series and Retro Cafe is Jan. 9
Join the Kalamazoo Valley Museum for its new monthly adult series. This month's two-hour program will explore the museum's Cooking a Comet demonstration, where guests will experience the "birth" of a comet. The event includes the planetarium show "The Sky Above Us" and concludes with light refreshments. Pre-registration is required at kalamazoomuseum.org or 269.373.7990.
'Splat' and 'Off the Shelves' Exhibits Closing in January
Two awesome exhibits at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum wrap up in January. The whimsical display of over 1,000 flyswatters, "Splat! The Buzz About Flyswatters," ends Jan. 7. Then the museum's highly popular furniture exhibit, "Off the Shelves: Exploring the Kalamazoo Valley Museum's Furniture Collection," ends Jan. 21. The collection spans over 200 years of history, from mass-produced to one-of-a-kind pieces, like a replica of King Tut's throne once on display at the former downtown Kalamazoo Gilmore's department store. Admission is free to the museum and exhibits. Learn more about the exhibits at kalamazoomuseum.org.
Planetarium Offers Children and Adult Shows in January, for $3
January planetarium shows include great offerings for all ages. For small kids, there are "Polaris" and Sesame Street's "One World, One Sky." "The Sky Above Us" is best for grades 4 and up. For adults and grades 7 and up, check out "Hot & Energetic Universe." For tickets and more details, check out the museum website here.
|
