Kalamazoo College

Established in 1833 and one of the 100 oldest higher education institutions in the United States, Kalamazoo College (K College or K) is a private liberal arts college located in the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

The college was founded by a group of Baptist ministers and opened its doors in 1836. It operated as a branch campus of the University of Michigan between 1840 and 1850, but by 1855 the institution received an educational charter, becoming an autonomous college and taking its current name.

Today, K College has study areas including humanities, physical education, fine arts, languages, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics. There are also interdisciplinary study programs available and K College offers courses such as African Studies, Film and Media Studies and Critical Ethnic Studies.

The 60-acre campus has a hilltop location in a quiet area of the city of Kalamazoo which houses the academic departments, a chapel, theatres, arts centres and several other facilities, while the college also owns a 135-acre arboretum. The campus is close to the city centre and is around 140 miles from Detroit and Chicago.

The college sports teams are known as the Hornets and compete in the NCAA Division III, fielding teams in 11 different sports.

The university tennis team is particularly prestigious, having won seven NCAA Division III national championships.

Notable former students include The Walking Dead star Steven Yeun, artist Julie Mehretu, Japanese author Kafū Nagai, and businessman Ty Warner, the founder and owner of Ty Inc.