Less attention has been focused, however, on the still-flourishing culture of Calvin’s “country of origin.” In a time when the college’s interests reach into a myriad of nations and cultures, it has become essential to take a good, critical look at the Netherlands, the country of ancestry of the majority of Calvin students and alumni.

Through the Frederik Meijer Chair in Dutch Language and Culture, Calvin College will embark on a thorough and scholarly exploration of the Netherlands, a country eminently worthy of that attention. Not only was Holland a cosmopolitan hub of art and a maritime power in the 17th century, the Netherlands of today is a model of social and economic stability.The Dutch are a continual innovative and impressive force on the world scene in the realms of art, technology, water and land engineering and social policy.

Through lectures, performances, workshops, seminars and art exhibitions, the Frederik Meijer Chair in Dutch Language and Culture will bring the culture of the Netherlands to the community and college that have grown from that culture and to the community beyond.