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Class project sharpens soft skills and creates sustainable path for the city of Grand Rapids

msk23@calvin.edu — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:10:26 +0000

Class project sharpens soft skills and creates sustainable path for the city of Grand Rapids msk23@calvin.edu Wed, 12/10/2025 - 08:10

In early September, a senior mechanical engineering class at ��Ƶ was asked this question: “What would it take for the city of Grand Rapids to establish and operate a green revolving fund?”

The question wasn’t theoretical. The practical implications were real. The customer was the mayor of Michigan’s second largest city.

For the next three months, the students divided into teams focused on policy, finances, and energy efficiency projects—working together to answer the question.

On Tuesday, December 9, 2025, five student representatives presented their answer in a public seminar to the mayor and other municipal sustainability leaders. While their recommendations may ultimately lead to exciting new initiatives for the city, the student presenters say their experience over the past few months has sharpened skills they’ll use throughout their life.

On September 4, 2025, Matt Heun posed a big question to his ENGR 333 class.

What was your initial reaction when you heard about the project?

Jude Veldboom ‘26: I’ve never been presented with such a large-scale project, and in my head, I was just thinking ‘we are going to flounder, and I have no idea where this is going to go.’ But there was also a lot of excitement.

Brayden Meyer ‘26: It got my mind spinning, because I can see we have an opportunity to directly impact the city that we’re in. That’s a very cool thing, because it’s very tangible.

Ava Tatko ’26: Honestly, I was a little bit scared. We had just started senior year and all of a sudden Professor Heun told us our client was going to be the mayor of Grand Rapids … I was a little bit nervous at first, but I’ve been very pleased with the support and direction that the project has taken, because I think we have ended with something that is very good.

What’s the biggest challenge you faced throughout the project?

Jude: The biggest challenge I think our whole class would agree was communication, trying to figure out as five or six different teams how to work together toward this one goal and stay on the same track throughout this semester.

Dafna Heule ‘26: Something that was challenging is not knowing the quality of work that was expected of me because I think I wanted to create something so amazing, but I had no idea how … Typically in your classes you know what exactly is expected of you. So, to kind of create your own expectations for yourself and what your deliverables are was a challenge.

Ethan Bosscher ’26: One of the most challenging parts of doing the project is that it is something you’d do in the workforce. There’s a lot of the interpersonal soft skills that are very important for actual engineering out in the world that you never have to do in a traditional class, so there’s a lot of skills we were all building throughout the process.

When we started, we had to be introduced to going and talking with other teams and giving them what our expectations are and what we need and also trying to think how can we help the other teams, ‘ooh, I bet they could really use this information, we should message them.’ So, just the perspective of we’re a whole class working together for a project and so the faster we can get information to other people the faster they can do it, so the interdependencies of real-life work came into play.

What was the experience like receiving regular feedback from city leaders?

Dafna: I liked the experience, it was a good challenge, and it was representative of what might happen in my future career. It can be hard because you get so in the details about your project or what you are working on for those two to three weeks and then you have to present it to someone who hasn’t been involved in that process with you and maybe you need to change something or step back and look at it from a more aerial perspective and that can be hard. It required some almost mental gymnastics with the project to shift the focus.

Multiple times throughout the semester the mayor and other municipal sustainability leaders attended in-class presentations to receive updates and provide feedback.

Brayden: I think the first thing that stood out to me was how much they cared about the project and our progress on it that they were willing to set a time every other week to come to campus to hear updates and provide feedback. That meant a lot to me because I could see how much our contributions meant to them.

Ethan: Giving the presentations to the mayor and all the dignitaries was a really cool experience as a student because you see these people, you hear about what they’re doing and there’s a big difference between an engineering student and the mayor, but for this project we are all coming together with the goal of making a successful project. So, it was fun to be treated like normal engineers. We are all kind of on the same level, all working together for a goal and so that was a great experience that you don’t really get anywhere else in other classes.

Ava: It was incredibly gratifying to see their interest in our project. They spent a lot of afternoons sitting with our class listening to our presentations in the classroom that we also had lecture in. But it also added a feature of quality to the overall project, because we were able to implement their direct wishes and feedback into the direction that we took.

What’s a skill you further developed during this project that will serve you well in the future?

Jude: Communication, just on a larger scale. I think growing up you naturally have to learn interpersonal skills. But understanding that communication line on a wider scale between different groups, that was instrumental for my career.

Dafna: To be a more effective leader in the future, one thing that I want to put more time into is understanding how my group members operate, what kind of structure do they work best with, and what’s going to make us the best team possible based on the different personalities or preferences that people have.

Brayden: One of the main skills I learned in this project, out of necessity, was written and graphical communication. If I understand exactly what something is or how it was done that is only good insofar as I am there to explain it. But if someone else can see a figure I’ve made, read a table that I’ve made, or a read a paragraph that I’ve written and be able to understand what that is, what it means, and how it applies, then that’s where you can really make progress. And that’s the necessary means to get work done between groups, but also to share that work with the delegates that come in every other week.

Ethan: Because we were as an executive team charged with organizing and leading our smaller teams we needed to learn how to manage a group of people to get to the goal, not just expecting people to automatically know what they are supposed to be doing and how that fits into the bigger picture … Over the process of the project, we learned that that was very key to having a team that worked well, fast, and was able to get the results that we needed in a timely manner.

What do you hope comes about from the work you’ve done?

Brayden: The overarching goal for this project was to determine what it would take to establish a green revolving fund in Grand Rapids. I think we have done an excellent job as a class estimating the feasibility—not only the feasibility of whether or not it was possible, but also how you could implement it and some different ways to scale it. We’ve tried to share it best we could. I would love to see this project go into effect because it’s not driven by abstract opinions and other things, it’s something more concrete where you can say ‘if these projects are working, they fund more projects like these.’ So, it’s a self-growing, self-sustaining thing that relies on proper implementation and technology to ultimately help the city and the environment.

On December 9, 2025, members of the executive team gave their final public presentation.

Dafna: I hope our work does go somewhere as that’s always nice when you put a lot of hours into something … I think it can be very unifying for sustainability in a divisive world because it has that kind of fiscal conservative element to it while still holding social and sustainable responsibility.

Ethan: First of all, I’m very proud of the whole class and the team about the work we’ve been able to get done. I would be very satisfied to see this go into effect in some way, because that adds a lot of then value to all the work that we’ve done. All the hours we’ve put into this will have an impact on the city. When we compile all of the amazing work that we’ve done I hope this is something we could hand to another actual engineer with years of experience, and they are able to use it and get valuable information out of it.

Ava: I think we’re all hoping that this fund is actually implemented by the city—the mayor proposed it to us initially with that being the goal, and I think he’s planning on bringing it up sometime in the spring semester officially. It would be so cool to see some of these projects implemented, even if it’s 20 years from now, and to know that the work of a random engineering class at Calvin contributed to that.

Wed, 12/10/2025 - 12:00

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(From left to right): Mechanical engineering majors Dafna Heule, Ethan Bosscher, Brayden Meyer, Jude Veldboom, and Ava Tatko.

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What Holds True: Five Decades of Graduate Education at Calvin

hp59@calvin.edu — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 19:46:29 +0000

What Holds True: Five Decades of Graduate Education at Calvin hp59@calvin.edu Mon, 12/01/2025 - 14:46

In the summer of 1976, Calvin launched its first graduate program, a master of arts in teaching, with a vision rooted in faith, servant leadership, and academic excellence. Linda Glerum Crouch ’74 MAT’77 and Jim Boonstra ’65 MAT’77 were among the first graduates of that program. Reflecting back, they say Calvin’s vision wasn’t just theoretical—it shaped their lives and careers.

Returning to Learn

Both Crouch and Boonstra entered the MAT program mid-career. Though they were drawn to Calvin’s strong academic reputation, they say the ultimate selling point was the ability to return to school without uprooting their lives.

After teaching fourth grade for two years, Crouch moved back home with her parents while completing the year-long program. Earning the degree gave her the credentials she needed to return to her childhood home of Nigeria, where she led a 37-year career as a missionary music educator.

For Boonstra, the degree was a practical step toward better pay and strengthening his pedagogy—especially for the middle school students he loved. When he enrolled, he was a decade into his career. “I didn’t want a master’s in mathematics. I was more interested in the teaching of math than math itself,” Boonstra says.

Focusing on the art of teaching during his graduate studies equipped him with strategies to support a broad range of learners. He eventually became a principal, but he likes to joke that he never left seventh grade. “I never stopped learning how to reach stu- dents in that pivotal time of life.”

Growing Pains

Graduate education at Calvin has not been immune to various growing pains. Over the years, the university cut some programs and added others. The MAT was replaced by a master of education (MEd), then revived two years ago to better serve career changers simultaneously pursuing a graduate degree and teaching certificate.

Calvin has also experimented with various models of instructional delivery to make learning more accessible for adults with competing priorities. Today, many programs are offered online, while others remain available on campus.

Yet one thing remains the same.

Experience-Guided Leadership

Dean of Graduate Studies Kyle Small says the 50th anniversary is a celebration of a long-standing commitment to adult and professional learners who “are already leading and want to lead better.”

Currently, Calvin has over 300 graduate students living around the globe. Whether on campus or online, all programs emphasize building leaders through community- and faith-centered learning.

Crouch says that was true even in the 70s. She was delighted when her professors encouraged her to engage with undergraduate education majors on campus, giving her opportunities to share her teaching experiences with them. She took that mentorship experience with her into retirement. Now living in Charlotte, North Carolina, she regularly meets with the next generation of young missionaries headed into the field.

Expertise in the Classroom

Small, too, values how graduate students bring extensive knowledge and experience to the table and often refers to the graduate classroom as a “transformative equalizer.”

“Graduate education allows us to bring people from different spheres into the same house. Everybody becomes a learner. Your salary, your title, your prestige, your background—they don’t go away, but they’re leveled by the process of becoming a learner. Even the faculty person is a learner in the community.”

Passing down the wisdom gained from experience also plays out in another import- ant way: 40% of graduate courses are led by full-time Calvin faculty, but the other 60% are taught by experts in the field.

Leonard Van Drunen, director of the master of business administration program, is enthusiastic about that balance. Since the MBA is geared toward full-time professionals who want to strengthen their leadership and effect change in their organizations, offering graduate students direct access to experienced business leaders active in their fields holds great value. “Eight of the courses in the program focus on leadership and innovation, which is the main animating theme of the MBA,” Van Drunen says.

Integrating Faith and Learning

Although Crouch doesn’t remember every graduate course she took, she easily recalls the classes that sparked creativity and spiritual reflection, giving her a sense of purpose in her chosen profession. Her final project focused on the emotional impact of missionary life on children; she says the research served as a bridge between personal experience and academic inquiry.

Both Crouch and Boonstra say they benefited from the quality of teaching. “The professors loved what they were doing, and they wanted to lead us and equip us to be godly ambassadors in whatever work we were doing,” Crouch says.

“The aim of Calvin’s graduate programs has never been just to hand out degrees,” Small adds. “Graduate education at Calvin is about becoming more fully who God made you to be. We’re forming leaders who are attentive to the Spirit—who lead not just with strategy, but with soul.”

Worth Celebrating

Crouch recalls how participating in the MAT program in its infancy was a little like “walking on holy ground. I felt like we were forging new territory, enabling others to come along behind us and complete their stories with the same quality of support and training.”

By way of illustration, on an ordinary weekday afternoon, Kyle Small opens an email from exercise science graduate student Natashia Green, who writes, “I have been officially offered the position as the new fitness center supervisor and events coordinator for Flathead Valley Community College as of yesterday evening! I’m about to do some magical things, I can feel it.”

If there’s something special to celebrate in five decades of graduate programs at Calvin, it’s these points of intersection: professional growth, leadership development, and Christian faith. A master’s degree becomes more than a credential hung on an office wall but also an invitation to serve wholeheartedly wherever time, experience, and the Lord lead.

��Ƶ has nine graduate programs, including:

Teaching (MAT)—12 months to your classroom; earn your master's and certification in one year.
Education (MEd)—20 months to your master's; fully online or hybrid, designed to fit your life.
Accounting (MAcc)
Business Administration (MBA)
Exercise Science (MES)
Geographic Information Science (GIS)
Media and Strategic Communication (MMSC)
Social Work (MSW)
Speech-Language Pathology

Mon, 12/08/2025 - 12:00

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A Front Porch to the World

hp59@calvin.edu — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 19:20:42 +0000

A Front Porch to the World hp59@calvin.edu Mon, 12/01/2025 - 14:20

Imagine running into Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anthony Doerr on Calvin’s Crossing, or worshipping in the chapel led by Proskuneo Ministries alongside hundreds of believers from over 30 countries worldwide, or engaging with Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings live in the Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium or from your living room in New Mexico or New Zealand.

None of these are hypothetical; all of these interactions—and hundreds more—have happened at one of Calvin’s long-running initiatives: the Festival of Faith & Writing, the Symposium on Worship, and the January Series. In fact, these events have served as a welcoming space—a “front porch,” if you will—for intellectual curiosity and warm connection. Each event invites the world in, offering hospitality not just to outstanding speakers and thousands of attendees from around the globe, but to rich ideas, engaging stories, and bold practices.

Beginning within years of each other, these events share a common approach while highlighting their individual missions.

The January Series began in 1988 as a speaker series during the January interim. Since then, it has evolved to feature talks by a range of world-class thought leaders and expanded into year-round programming, now reaching over 70,000 viewers globally. As Michael Wildschut, director of the January Series, observes, “This is a gift from Calvin to our community, allowing us to share a liberal arts education for all.”

1988 also marked the beginning of the Symposium on Worship, originally called the Calvin Symposium on Worship and the Arts, started with the help of the music department. This early gathering helped emphasize the full range of artistic expression in public worship—music, visual arts, preaching, dance, and more.

Since the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW) began organizing the Symposium in 1997, it has continued to grow into an international, ecumenical gathering.

By 1990, the Calvin English department had envisioned a conference that would invite contemporary writers into conversation about the intersection of faith with their works. Through the efforts of many hands in the department and then at the Calvin Center for Faith & Writing (CCFW), the Festival of Faith & Writing has grown into one of the most important literary gatherings in the country, hosting everyone from Nobel Prize winners to first time novelists—and importantly, readers of all kinds.

This “front porch,” then, is more than metaphor—it’s mission. The work undertaken by each team is a wonderful way to envision and explain the Christian liberal arts mission of the university, where faith and learning walk hand in hand. The university’s Vision 2030 declares the capacious goal towards which all three are striving: “We welcome all who are compelled by God’s work of renewal to join us in the formative pursuits of lifelong learning, teaching, scholarship, worship, and service.”

Though all of these events have evolved over the years to meet the needs of attendees, each has continued to draw a diverse crowd, many of whom first learn of Calvin through their participation. Kristen Verhulst, CICW associate director and program manager, notes that the Symposium on Worship “gathers a range of people in various roles in worship and church leadership from many denominations and traditions.

“These folks come from various settings— rural, urban, and suburban churches; large and small congregations; schools, including professors and students; hospitals and prisons—and include many curious learners and worshipers.”

At heart, these model what’s best about a Calvin liberal arts education: that it takes place inside the classroom and far beyond. Lauren Cooper, who worked on the Festival as a student volunteer and now serves as associate director of the CCFW, reflects, “My work on the Festival stayed with me long after my participation, and it’s a joy to continue to provide this opportunity to learners for a lifetime.”

And this year promises to be no exception.

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship is taking an interlude from its beloved Symposium to introduce an innovative year focused on the Psalms, including Psalms 150: A Conference Experience, inviting us to rediscover the ancient songs that have shaped generations of faith. The January Series returns with a lineup of innovative speakers and expanded year-round programming, including exciting partnerships with cultural institutions like the Kent District Library. And the Festival of Faith & Writing continues to be a beacon for readers—those who, echoing English professor Henry Zylstra, believe that stories give us “more to be faithful with.” This belief is nurtured through the Festival itself, but also through its podcast, speaker series, and K–12 initiatives.

These gatherings have become more than events. They are encounters—with truth, beauty, and one another. And they are but one way Calvin continues to encourage learning that is rich and communal, lifelong and faithful.

Make plans to come and sit awhile with us.

The January Series | January 19–23, 26–30, and online year-round
Psalms 150: A Conference Experience | February 5–6, 2026
Festival of Faith & Writing | April 16–18, 2026

Mon, 12/08/2025 - 12:00

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Dr. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, Rabbi Elan Babchuck, and Dr. Craig Mattson, Arthur DeKruyter Chair in Faith and Communication, at Festival of Faith & Writing 2024

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Expanding Access to Speech Therapy Through Innovation and Partnership

lbl3@calvin.edu — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 15:41:30 +0000

Expanding Access to Speech Therapy Through Innovation and Partnership lbl3@calvin.edu Thu, 11/13/2025 - 10:41

Across the country, many schools struggle to provide consistent speech-language therapy for students who need it most. Through innovative partnerships, ��Ƶ’s Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology program is helping to change that.

As the program expanded—adding a distance education cohort alongside the on-campus one—Calvin’s need for clinical placement sites grew. Recognizing the nationwide shortage of speech therapists, Calvin began forming partnerships with schools to provide virtual speech therapy services to students who might otherwise go without support.

Rehoboth Christian School in New Mexico was the first to join. Located in a rural desert community serving many Native American students, Rehoboth’s assigned speech-language therapist was stretched thin, leaving many students without needed services.

“We’re so thankful for this partnership and the opportunities our students now have to access speech that we didn’t have before,” shared Emily Jeninga, Rehoboth’s student support coordinator.

Graduate clinicians work with students who might not meet strict eligibility criteria but still struggle with communication in ways that impact their learning and relationships. These challenges often extend beyond speech sounds to language, literacy, and social communication.

Graduate students appreciate the opportunity to serve in this way, too. Cynthia Gardenshire, a graduate student clinician from Colorado, said:

“It provides access to services they would not have otherwise. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and outreach to a community in need.”

Today, Calvin partners with schools nationwide, helping hundreds of students make meaningful progress. These partnerships also introduce more families to Calvin.

“I was in a virtual call with a prospective student recently,” shared Emily Vedra, director of operations for Calvin’s speech pathology program. “It turned out that the student attended a school where Calvin’s graduate clinicians serve, which helped foster awareness of Calvin as a great place to go to college.”

With funding challenges continuing in many districts, Calvin’s program offers a sustainable and mutually beneficial solution—connecting schools with dedicated clinicians-in-training while giving students essential experience.

Know a school that could benefit from additional speech therapy resources? Calvin is always looking to expand its network of clinical partners. Contact Emily Vedra with questions, emily.vedra@calvin.edu.

Thu, 11/13/2025 - 12:00

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Calvin’s Online GIS Master’s Program Among Nation’s Best

msk23@calvin.edu — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 19:07:15 +0000

Calvin’s Online GIS Master’s Program Among Nation’s Best msk23@calvin.edu Tue, 10/21/2025 - 15:07

��Ƶ’s online master’s program in Geographic Information Science (GIS) is punching well above its weight. The most recent rankings released by UniversityHQ, a leading independent education organization, ranks Calvin’s program 14th in the nation.

The GIS program is ranked alongside top R1 schools like Johns Hopkins, UW-Madison, NC State, and USC. It’s the top ranked program in Michigan and the top-ranked program for its size, with all schools in the Top 15 at least twice Calvin’s enrollment, some more than 20 times its size.

“Salary, retention, graduation rates, all of those things matter in getting a ranking,” said Jason VanHorn, professor of GIS and director of the GIS master's program. “So, to see us ranked inside the Top 15 lets me know a couple of things. First, our grads are succeeding, and secondly it indicates we have a strong set of offerings given we are ranked alongside the top GIS masters programs around the country.”

Built for success

The program is seven courses long, with each course capturing as many of the GIS&T Body of Knowledge concepts and sections as possible. The program is also intentionally project-based, with at least one hands-on project in every single course.

“Calvin provides a very well rounded and robust set of skills, but more importantly builds a very strong understanding of those skills. You learn not just one way to do something, but multiple methods and why one method may be better than another in various circumstances,” said Liam Ferraby ‘20, who is working full-time in Ohio while going through the online program part-time. “When it comes to navigating complex problems where knowledge is lacking, I feel comfortable that I will be able to figure out possible solutions and determine the best course of action.”

Added value

Ferraby also appreciates both that Calvin is a Christian institution and has a small student-to-faculty ratio, a combination not seen among any other school in the Top 15.

“Students have access to Christ-centered faculty who are also world-class experts in GIS and academic geographers that deliver the technical skills within a broad conceptual framework,” said VanHorn. “The professors bring real-world experience and a virtue-driven approach to every class to ensure students develop the skills and virtues needed for career success and to utilize GIS to make a meaningful impact in this world.”

Students who want to earn a master’s degree in GIS can either complete their undergraduate degree and enter into the MGIS program or apply for early acceptance which allows a student in their senior year to take one of the graduate MGIS courses (This is called the 4+1 early acceptance option.)

Tue, 10/21/2025 - 12:00

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World-Class Leadership Event Coming to Grand Rapids

msk23@calvin.edu — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 12:24:18 +0000

World-Class Leadership Event Coming to Grand Rapids msk23@calvin.edu Tue, 07/08/2025 - 08:24

This August, leaders across West Michigan will have a unique opportunity to learn, grow, and connect without leaving Grand Rapids.

On August 7–8, 2025, ��Ƶ and Calvin Theological Seminary will serve as an official simulcast host site for the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) — the world’s premier leadership event. Broadcast live from the GLS main campus in the Chicagoland area, this two-day experience brings together over 350,000 participants globally through in-person and satellite locations in more than 100 countries.

Held locally at ��Ƶ’s Prince Conference Center, the Summit provides participants with direct access to leadership insights from 15 globally recognized speakers in business, ministry, sports, media, and nonprofit leadership. This year’s theme, “Lead Where You Are,” encourages individuals to embrace their influence and lead with clarity and purpose in whatever context they serve.

Among the 2025 featured speakers are:

Nick Saban, legendary football coach and leadership mentor
Craig Groeschel, founding pastor of Life.Church and best-selling author
Thasunda Brown Duckett, President & CEO of TIAA and one of TIME100’s Most Influential People
Christine Caine, founder of the A21 Campaign and Propel Women
Jon Acuff, author of ten best-selling books including Soundtracks

The Summit is designed for leaders at every level — from seasoned executives and entrepreneurs to educators, students, pastors, and nonprofit professionals. Whether leading a team, a classroom, a congregation, or a community initiative, GLS equips attendees with practical tools and deep inspiration to lead more effectively and ethically.

As a special addition to the local experience, Calvin Seminary will host a networking breakfast on Friday, August 8, from 8:30–9:45 a.m. at the Calvin Seminary Student Center. Attendees will enjoy complimentary espresso drinks and pastries from local bakeries, with gluten-free and vegan options available. Conference rooms will also be open for group discussions and strategy sessions, and a shuttle service will be provided to and from the Prince Conference Center.

The Summit is more than a conference — it's a global movement. In addition to U.S. host sites, GLS will be translated into over 40 languages and shared with leaders in more than 100 countries, as well as 250+ correctional facilities and community organizations, extending its impact to at-risk populations around the world.

Those interested in attending the Calvin simulcast site can find more information and purchase tickets at https://brushfire.com/582107?promo=25TEAMGLS. Early Bird pricing is available through July 16.

Tue, 07/08/2025 - 12:00

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Hopeful Realism

kb78@calvin.edu — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 13:09:12 +0000

Hopeful Realism kb78@calvin.edu Tue, 06/10/2025 - 09:09

A Natural Law Framework for Evangelicals Today

During a time when political conversations are marked by deep polarization and difficult decision-making, what resources do evangelicals have to think critically and theologically about public life?

For political theorists Bryan T. McGraw, Jesse Covington, and Micah Watson, a crucial resource is to be found in natural law, a rich tradition of Christian political thought often neglected by evangelicals. Grounded in the hope and realism of the gospel, their evangelical natural law theory is deep in moral conviction yet oriented toward practical political decision-making. Relevant to all dimensions of political life, they show how an evangelical natural law framework can speak into debates about the economy, family life and marriage, violence and war, and religious freedom.

Hopeful Realism is a generous guide for evangelicals concerned with bringing their theological commitments to bear on their political judgments. A volume that brings together robust theory with practical cases, Covington, McGraw, and Watson show how evangelicals can participate as evangelicals in a pluralistic, often polarized, democracy.

Tue, 01/07/2025 - 12:00

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Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung named Professor of the Year

msk23@calvin.edu — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:39:49 +0000

Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung named Professor of the Year msk23@calvin.edu Wed, 04/30/2025 - 11:39

Less than a week after Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung received the top teaching honor bestowed by the university, the Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching, Calvin students followed suit surprising the longtime philosophy professor on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, with the Professor of the Year Award—an award granted by the Student Alumni Association on behalf of the senior class to honor a current Calvin faculty member who has made an impact on the lives of his or her students. It’s believed this marks the first time that a professor has received both honors in the same year.

We talked to a handful of students who voted for DeYoung about why she’s deserving of this honor.

Student Reaction

“I walked into Calvin not thinking I’d like philosophy at all and then I took her intro class and I thought ‘wow, I really enjoyed that’ so maybe I’ll take another class with her, so I did, and now I’ve taken four classes with Professor DeYoung and each one has been better than the last.”

~Catherine Kortman ’25, philosophy and music double major

“She cares about your academics and she teaches you things, but all of the classes I’ve taken with her she’s also helping you integrate the things you learn into your life in ways that can enrich and lead to your flourishing. She genuinely just really cares about students, always open for office hours and non-office hours for just long conversations about class, about life, super supportive and just loving person. Awesome professor.”

~Gabe Wood ’25, philosophy and psychology major

“Her mentorship and her teaching are expanding out of the classroom, and in every conversation, every interaction you have with her, she just displays this flourishing life and she loves to cherish her students and we all cherish her.”

~Marc Snyder ’25, philosophy and marketing double major

“Professor DeYoung is, I think, the embodiment of a Christ-like professor here at Calvin. She teaches the whole person. So, she is very invested in our academics and definitely academic rigor, but she also cares for us as people outside of the classroom … investing in who we are and who we want to be. And she’s very talented at seeing gifts in her students and taking those gifts and cultivating them into whatever discipline that they seek.”

~Aidan Hillman ‘25, religion, philosophy, and Spanish

“DeYoung has been my adviser ever since I joined the philosophy program. Her class [a reworked intro to philosophy course for the honors program] grew my love for philosophy in such a way that it actually convinced me to take a philosophy major add-on, and that class really started forming me as a person. When I took 251 with her, I was going through a bit of a rough patch in my academics and my personal life and she was so understanding, she was so helpful, but she made sure that I understood things and got the course work done. So not only is she a great professor, but she’s a great human being who is willing to work with you wherever you’re at and really come alongside you and support you in ways that are meaningful to us as students.”

~Ewan Parker ’25, international relations and philosophy double major

Wed, 04/30/2025 - 12:00

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Trio of Calvin students earn nation’s most prestigious STEM research award

msk23@calvin.edu — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 11:25:49 +0000

Trio of Calvin students earn nation’s most prestigious STEM research award msk23@calvin.edu Wed, 04/02/2025 - 07:25

Aerin Baker (Saugatuck, Mich.), Maggie Grabill (Ada, Mich.), and Ava Tatko (Grand Rapids, Mich.) have been named 2025 Goldwater Scholars. The scholarship, awarded by the Barry M. Goldwater Foundation, is widely considered to be the most prestigious award for undergraduate students in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering in the United States.

More than 1,300 students from 445 schools applied for the award, but only 441 students received it. This marks the second straight year that three ��Ƶ students earned the distinction.

“To have multiple students most years earning this distinction is a testament to the strength of our students and the strength of our research programs here at Calvin,” said Chris Hartemink, professor of engineering and Calvin’s campus representative for the scholarship.

Personalized research experiences

Common to all three students’ experience is they were invited into research during their first year at Calvin. One thing they discovered was they would have incredible access to their professors and be seen as partners in the research.

“The professors are so intentional about connecting with you as an individual, as a person, and that grows during the research,” said Baker, a junior studying chemistry. “You are working alongside your professor, not under them.”

“Whenever I had advice to give or a research-related question to ask I could walk into my research advisor’s office anytime and sit down and have a conversation,” said Tatko, a junior studying engineering with an energy, environmental and sustainability concentration. “At a larger university, where you have more of an impersonal relationship, that is not an option.”

Impressive outcomes

While the students have felt like partners in the research, their names being listed as co-authors alongside their professors in major journal articles validate that feeling.

“We’ve published four papers and we are working on a fifth now,” said Baker, who also presented her research at the American Chemical Society’s National Meeting in Denver, Colorado this past summer. “My advisor [Professor Doug Vander Griend] and I are also working on a collaboration with a university in France.”

Grabill, a chemical engineering and chemistry double major is only a sophomore, yet she already has two publications to her name.

As for Tatko, she’s already seeing the tangible benefits of her research on a global scale. She’s been working on getting a manuscript published about centralized chlorination for rural communities in the Andean mountains in Ecuador. While she says the water disinfection systems in the U.S. are well proven, they aren’t necessarily available to other countries because of material needs and regulation restrictions.

“So, the engineering department at Calvin is partnering with an engineering and missions organization in Ecuador and we are working with them to do design for specific communities. So, I have been organizing and doing design for 18 different communities over six years of data and organizing that into a formalized paper to get it published to share the design so others can do it for other countries.”

Practical applications

In Spring 2024, Tatko got to travel with her research advisor and two other student researchers to install the design they had created as a prototype in their lab during her first year of summer research.

“It was so very interesting to have my research directly applicable. It was novel research, and we then had the opportunity to install it and do ‘real engineering’ and work with the community and make sure they knew how to do maintenance and installation themselves so they could operate it once we had returned to the U.S.,” said Tatko.

Support leads to success

While Baker, Grabill and Tatko realize the research experiences they received at Calvin helped them earn the prestigious Goldwater award, they also credit their professors and advisors who invested countless hours to help their students stand out amongst their peers.

“All the applicants worked closely with Professor Hartemink during the month of January to do essay writing and drafts and reviews and to make sure this application was as polished as it could be,” said Tatko.

“I had been told as a sophomore you’ll put your best foot forward, but know that you can’t be as competitive as the juniors because you only have one year of experience,” said Grabill. “So, I thought I’d be applying next year. But I’m super grateful that despite the odds, Professor Hartemink and other professors at Calvin had enough confidence in me to take the time to write letters of recommendation.”

“I think Calvin provided me a lot of support to win the Goldwater,” said Tatko. “My application wouldn’t have been as strong without Chris Hartemink’s and Julie Wildschut’s, my research advisor, guidance and support throughout the process.”

Made the right decision

While the three still have time to decide their next step after Calvin, one thing they all agree on: they made the right choice in coming to Calvin.

“100%! I thought my idea of research was pretty solid coming in, but as I’ve gone through Calvin, it’s a lot deeper than I originally thought. You get to connect with so many people, collaborate not just in your own lab, but across departments and with people from other schools who have knowledge of what you are working on,” said Baker. “Calvin is a great place in the research community and a lot of great opportunities come out of that.”

“I don’t think I’d be where I am if I wasn’t at Calvin. I think it’s been a really great experience,” said Grabill.

“The longer I’m at Calvin the more grateful I am that I chose to come here,” said Tatko. “It’s really worked out for me in every sense I wanted.”

Interested in learning more about Calvin and the opportunities available to you? Get started.

Wed, 04/02/2025 - 12:00

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Chemistry professor Doug Vander Griend researches alongside Aerin Baker '26. At Calvin, students have opportunities to work 1-on-1 with professors on important research projects. Baker's research experience has already led to co-authoring multiple papers for journals and presenting at a national conference.

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Vibrant Community

hp59@calvin.edu — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:13:15 +0000

Vibrant Community hp59@calvin.edu Tue, 03/11/2025 - 13:13

A few months ago, many of us gathered in person or online to witness the inauguration of Calvin President Greg Elzinga.

I had the privilege to work alongside Greg in the advancement division for seven years, and I can tell you firsthand how blessed the Calvin community is to have a leader like Greg serving our institution in this important way.

During the ceremony and in the weeks leading up to the event, it struck me again how vast and wide the Calvin community is. The week before the ceremony on our Knollcrest Campus, I was honored to attend a joint Commencement and inauguration ceremony with Calvin students at our Handlon Campus. Then on January 24, I sat in the Covenant Fine Arts Center with Greg’s family, longtime colleagues, students, and friends of Calvin to celebrate and support an esteemed coworker starting his new role. The array of people painted a beautiful picture of the many ways Calvin intersects with so many different communities.

I trust many share the notion that being in community is generally a good thing. I believe God created us, in part, to need one another. As alumni, our time at Calvin helped shape our picture of what it means to be in community. Participating in traditions like Chaos Night (or Day), jumping in the Sem Pond, Rivalry games, and musical and stage performances crafted core memories and lifelong bonds. If you’re like me, student life at Calvin made a profound impact.

Yet our community experiences are more than fond memories; they are still dynamic and alive today. In this edition of Spark, you’ll learn how professors and students from our kinesiology department interact with kids from the Grand Rapids community at summer Health Camp and with Grand Rapids fire fighters during injury prevention clinics. Calvin’s 53-year partnership with the local community of Umm Al-Jimal has culminated in the archaeological site’s new designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our Calvin community will soon gather to celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2025 as they officially become Calvin alumni and to reminisce with the Class of 1975 who, 50 years ago, celebrated their own Commencement.

We also look forward to formally launching Calvin’s 150th anniversary celebration this summer. Throughout the 2025–26 academic year, we invite you to join with our global community in celebrating God’s incredible blessings over a century and a half.

Wherever you are and whatever community God has called you to serve, I pray that you may join with those around you this Easter to celebrate the glory of our resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ, and the assurance that brings.

Wed, 04/16/2025 - 12:00

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Class project sharpens soft skills and creates sustainable path for the city of Grand Rapids

What was your initial reaction when you heard about the project?

What’s the biggest challenge you faced throughout the project?

What was the experience like receiving regular feedback from city leaders?

What’s a skill you further developed during this project that will serve you well in the future?

What do you hope comes about from the work you’ve done?

What Holds True: Five Decades of Graduate Education at Calvin

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Growing Pains

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Expertise in the Classroom

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Worth Celebrating

������Ƶ has nine graduate programs, including:

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Student Reaction

Trio of Calvin students earn nation’s most prestigious STEM research award

Personalized research experiences

Impressive outcomes

Practical applications

Support leads to success

Made the right decision

Vibrant Community

��Ƶ has nine graduate programs, including: