News
‘Into the Woods’ we go but not without guidance
By Alice Blackbriar, Photo Editor
- Ghanaian students share culture and customs
Kirkwood Community College’s Global Learning Center presented their exhibition on the African country of Ghana. They held this event on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Iowa Hall stage from 11:15 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. Ghana students gave a formal presentation on their country. They presented an assortment [Continue Reading »] - New program to fulfill in-demand jobsKirkwood Community College recently announced a new degree program in Cybersecurity and Compliance, which began this fall and the first students in the program are now beginning to make their way through it. The new program is intended to fulfill the rapidly growing need for cybersecurity professionals [Continue Reading »]
- Students organize second annual haunted event Students who love the Halloween season and all things scary should mark their calendars. The Kirkwood Community College Respiratory Therapy Club will host their second annual Haunted Hospital on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 4 – 7 p.m. The event will take place on the second floor of [Continue Reading »]
- ‘Into the Woods’ we go but not without guidance
Student performers tell their experiences as they prepare for Kirkwood Community College’s upcoming production of the musical, “Into the Woods”. The musical interweaves multiple tales inspired by the Brothers Grimm. The show, located in the Ballantyne Hall, will run through the first and second weekends of November. [Continue Reading »]
Feature
- New Director of Instrumental Music
Chris Navarrete brings extensive experience to Music Department “I love Jazz, it embodies freedom. It’s really just freedom of expression,” said Chris Navarrete, Kirkwood Community College’s new director of instrumental music who started in July. Navarrete was the former director of bands at California State University, Chico. [Continue Reading »] - Journey from Kirkwood to bakery for pets
Many people have concerns about the ingredients in the treats they give their pets. With a plethora of recalls, one business owner decided to take matters into her own hands. Stephanie Riffey, owner of The Barkery, has taken this need to the next level by creating handmade, healthy [Continue Reading »] - Activities Council plans, promotes student eventsCan you tell us about how this club got started? The group got started in the late 1960’s shortly after the college opened its doors. The group has been known by several names in the past including Student Senate, KAPS, Student Leadership Council and most recently, Activities Council. What [Continue Reading »]
- Welding degree popular among students The welding program at Kirkwood Community College is a fast growing and popular program among students. The college offers both a one-year diploma and two-year degree for welding. Other programs, such as industrial maintenance and diesel mechanics, also take advantage of the welding lab in Jones Hall. “We [Continue Reading »]
- Pride Club offers support, awareness of LGBTQ+ issuesCan you tell us about how this club got started? There was a need for a safe space and community for LGBTQ+ folks here at Kirkwood and many issues facing us LGBTQ+ folks here so we decided to group up and discuss these issues. We also have a [Continue Reading »]
New Director of Instrumental Music
By Alice Blackbriar, Photo Editor
Sports
Eagles dominate DMACC: Volleyball team wins 3 – 1, remains unbeaten in ICCAC
Photos by Alice Blackbriar, Photo Editor
- Eagles golf dominates in back-to-back tournamentsThe Kirkwood Eagles golf team has started their year off right, showing why they are the number two ranked team in the country securing dominant team and individual performances while also breaking records on the way. The #2 Eagles started strong with a second place finish in the [Continue Reading »]
- New athletic director to continue legacy of growth
Following the departure of former Athletic Director Doug Wagemester, Kirkwood Community College has named new a leader for the athletic department: Todd Rima. Rima, the head coach of the Eagles baseball team, has an extensive coaching background. He has won 726 games as a coach, according to [Continue Reading »] - Alumni’s love of golf leads to careerThe following is a Q&A with Kirkwood Community College Alumni Matt Erger, Class of 1995. Erger is owner and club PGA Professional of Airport National Public Golf Course in Cedar Rapids. Why did you choose to go to Kirkwood and what was your major? It was as [Continue Reading »]
- Alumni, nurse operates martial arts school
The following is a Q&A with Kirkwood Community College Alumni Katy Sebers (class of 2018). She and her husband, Wyatt, co-own Guardian Institute of Martial Arts in Marion. Sebers graduated Kirkwood with an Associate of Science in Nursing. What brought you to choose Kirkwood and your major? I [Continue Reading »] - Former college athletes make history
Kirkwood Community College inducted its third class at the Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner on Feb. 9. This year the winners were Vicki Ellison, volleyball, Kylee (Knop) Vargason, softball, and the 1998 Kirkwood Men’s Basketball Team. The idea for the Hall of Fame was in the works [Continue Reading »] - Eagles cheerleading prepares for upcoming competition Competition season is in full swing for Kirkwood Community College’s Cheerleading team and they are training for their next competition at the 12th annual WOW Factor Sports Cheer and Dance championship in Minneapolis, Minn. The competition is at the end of February and takes place over three days. [Continue Reading »]
- Eagles place 7th at NationalsWhile November has come to a close, it means that the volleyball postseason is over and with that the Kirkwood Community College Eagles volleyball team placed 5th at nationals. Going into the year the Eagles brought in a new coach and with that the regular season was very [Continue Reading »]
Art & Life
- Active Minds promotes mental health awarenessHow did the club get started? Active Minds is a national student-run organization started by Alison Malmon after losing her brother to suicide. The Kirkwood Active Minds club was started in the spring of 2012 by the Kirkwood counseling staff in an effort to open up the conversation about [Continue Reading »]
- Civic Academy Club debuts with Voting 101 course
Kirkwood Community College hosted a Voting 101 course on Oct. 1 to educate students, many of whom are eligible to vote for the first time this year, on the concepts and importance of voting. The event was hosted by Assistant Professor of English Shawnacy Kiker-Perez and the Civic [Continue Reading »] - Kirkwood Music: Student choir spotlight
The Kirkwood Community College choir, led by Fred Kiser, associate professor of music, is working with students to prepare for the upcoming fall concert on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 3 p.m. in Ballantyne Auditorium. Kiser said the choir is working on a variety of opera pieces for the [Continue Reading »] - Student Leadership kickoff
Participation can lead to Eagle Leadership Certificate On Sept. 4, the Student Leadership Kickoff Series event began and students gathered in Iowa Hall to learn more about the activities planned for this year. Student Leadership includes three clubs: Student Ambassadors, Student Leadership Council and Dance Marathon. [Continue Reading »] - Rachel Eckroth and the Kirkwood jazz bandsGrammy nominated pianist and singer-songwriter Rachel Eckroth took the stage in an appearance with Kirkwood’s jazz bands on April 13, 2024, in Ballantyne Auditorium. The event highlighted pieces written by Eckroth including, “A Beautiful Friendship,” ‘Poem,” “Beyond the Sky,” and “Suburbia,” which Eckroth performed with the Kirkwood [Continue Reading »]
Civics Academy Debuts with Voting 101 course
By Gibson Lowenberg, Managing Editor
Capture Kirkwood
Opinion
- Smooth transfer from Kirkwood to University of Iowaonal part of students’ lives where many changes and new things occur. Several students stick to a four-year university or complete their two-year degree at a community college. Kirkwood and the University of Iowa have many different options for transfer students. As former Kirkwood students, we’ve experienced lots [Continue Reading »]
- Rec Center needs new machinesThe Michael J. Gould Recreation Center is a state-of-the-art rec center, especially for a community college. It is constantly busy with Kirkwood Community College students, faculty and other members of the Kirkwood community. The weight room seems to be new within the past couple years, the basketball [Continue Reading »]
- Take care of your mind and bodyKirkwood students’ lives are busier than ever. Most of us have a lot on our plates—classes, jobs, extra-curricular activities, and even personal or family issues. Studying for exams and writing papers are additional tasks that add to our long list of tasks to do in a day. [Continue Reading »]
- Moderation of generative AI is crucial for collegeThe use of Generative AI is a controversial topic in schools. Many schools have moved quickly to ban the use of ChatGPT but Kirkwood Community College has taken a different path. In August, Kirkwood professors met to talk about the use of AI in their classes. No concrete [Continue Reading »]
- Does social media hate self-esteem? After watching a TikTok video, I opened the camera app on my phone and stared into my eyes looking back at my reflection. I said to myself, “Maybe there is something wrong with my nose.” Social media is ruining perceptions of beauty and forcing people to not [Continue Reading »]
- Students should take advantage of food pantryHere at Kirkwood Community College, we have a food pantry that is free to use for all students. The food pantry is located on the third floor in Iowa Hall, and students can get groceries once a week. The food pantry has a wide variety of groceries. You [Continue Reading »]
Kirkwood Student Productions
Images courtesy of Alice Blackbriar | Kirkwood Communiqué, Yixiang Lee Wei | Kirkwood Communiqué and KCCK