Moses Award Winners

1993:

Awarded to Randy Buursma of Student Academic Services, who threw his own surprise birthday party, except in this case it was the guests who were surprised, not the birthday boy. Buursma anonymously invited innocent colleagues to a birthday party, supposedly a surprise party for him, who deserved it. An elegant videotape awaited the celebrants who, expecting to catch Buursma off guard, were instead the victims of this unusual surprise party.

1994:

Awarded to the entire CAS Department at Calvin College, which produced, directed and starred in a remarkable video accusing the chair of the department (Randall Bytwerk) of various misdeeds in an attempt to hold to the reigns of power.

1995:

To the distress of the committee, no entries were received. A prank that might ordinarily have been considered for the award was disqualified, as one of the committee members was involved. This prank involved the production of a fake issue of the annual spoof issue of the Chimes, the Calvin College student newspaper. This appeared several days before the real spoof issue, causing some consternation on the part of the Chimes staff.

1996:

Again, to the distress of the committee no suitable pranks were entered.

1997:

Several amusing and suitable pranks were entered in 1997. In the view of the committee, none was of sufficient elegance to merit the full Moses Award, but two were awarded "Honorable Mentions." With the honorable mention award goes a small gargoyle.

1998-2000:

No winners.

2001:

No winners. One interesting prank was perpetrated, but alas fell "afowl" of the rules by causing considerable damage, and was thus disqualified.

2002-2004:

No winners.

2005:

A group amusingly relocated campus signs on April 24. For example, the Science Building was renamed the Seminary. I am told that this was by design, since theology was the "queen of the sciences" in earlier ages, and I happily applaud an attempt to restore theology to its rightful place in the academy. Four gargoyles and the proceeds of the Moses Award Endowment ($1.80) were awarded to the perpetrators.

2006-2008:

No winners.

2009:

An honorable mention was awarded for a prank that involved hiding the trays in the dining hall. Although this lacked the creative genius of the finest pranks, it did display a Reformed world and life view, and required some planning. It may even have had an impact, calling attention to wasteful practices.