Oliver Tye graduated from Kalamazoo College with degrees in chemistry and mathematics with Summa Cum Laude honors and was a three-year letterwinner for the swimming & diving team. His collegiate swimming career ended this past season, and Tye will now look to further his education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He will be looking to complete the Ph.D. program in chemistry while investigating light-driven phenomena with applications in nanotechnology.
"The curriculum at K allowed me to dive deeply into math and chemistry while exploring classes outside of these subjects," said Tye. "Featuring both variety and depth, this academic experience has given me the skills I need to succeed in the future."
Tye competed in multiple events for the Hornet men's swimming team, including short freestyle, butterfly, and then freestyle and medley relay races. His times in the 50 Free (21.60), 100 Free (47.28), and 100 Fly (51.43) at the MIAA Championships this past season were career-bests. He also swam a 23.71 50 Fly at the meet, which was just off his personal best of 23.58 that he swam at the 2020 MIAA Championships. Tye also competed in the 200 and 400 Free Relays, then the 200 and 400 Medley Relays at the championships.
"Being a student-athlete at K means you are constantly challenging yourself while building relationships with great people. This makes for a fun and fulfilling experience that is hard to match," said Tye about his athletic experience at Kalamazoo.
Tye worked alongside Dr. Jeff Bartz from the chemistry department for his senior integrated project. After conducting research in the laser lab for two years with Dr. Bartz, he continued his research into his SIP, titled Alignment and Orientation in the Photodissociation of Alkyl Nitrites. This physical chemistry research investigates how atmospherically relevant molecules break apart when they are hit by light.
Helping prepare Tye for his next steps, this is what he had to say about the curriculum at K, "The curriculum at K allowed me to dive deeply into math and chemistry while exploring classes outside of these subjects. Featuring both variety and depth, this academic experience has given me the skills I need to succeed in the future."
Being a swimmer on the swimming and diving team made Tye feel that he was constantly challenging himself while building relationships with great people. He thought that made his experience more fun and fulfilling and that it would be difficult to match anywhere else. A native of Gilbertsville, Pa., and a Boyertown H.S. graduate, Tye had many people to thank from his time at K.
"I would like to thank Dr. Bartz for the opportunity to work in his lab and for being a great mentor throughout my time at K," said Tye. "Dr. Arias-Rotondo is another awesome professor in the chemistry department who has been unbelievably supportive during the last several years. Coach Logan LaBerge also deserves acknowledgment for helping push me to my best times this season and putting in a tremendous amount of work to drive the swim team into a new successful direction."