Amma Aboagye (Accra, Ghana) is graduating with honors in French and also has a major in international relations. As a McGregor Summer Research Fellow she worked with Prof. Dianne Slager (Nursing) on “Assessing African Church Pastors’ Attitudes about HIV.” For her honors thesis she conducted historical research on colonial relations between France and Senegal, as well as an analysis of present relations between the two countries. She is grateful to her family and French Professors Jolene Vos-Camy, Otto Selles, and Glenn Fetzer for their encouragement. Amma will be attending graduate school for a master’s in international relations.
Ross Acheson (Ann Arbor, MI) will graduate with honors in international development studies and minors in Greek and religion. He has done honors research on the nature of the Eucharist in an early Christian church manual called the Didache, on the charismatic renewal in the Roman Catholic Church in Ghana, and on the impact of Christian eschatologies on development work. Ross is considering graduate school options in theology, Biblical studies, or ministry.
Jimelle Aquino (Bayonne, NJ) will graduate with honors in French and a major in public accounting. As part of her honors research she is currently studying the problem of assimilation of Maghreb immigrants into French society, which challenges the republican ideal of “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité.“ Jimelle will take the CPA exam this summer and work for Deloitte & Touche in New Jersey in the fall.
Jessica Arden (Shelby, MI) is graduating with honors in biochemistry and a major in French. In her sophomore year she was selected as a McGregor Scholar. With Prof. Chad Tatko (Chemistry) she has done honors research which involves synthesizing beta-hairpin peptides to mimic the active sites of enzymes which lower the pkas of their substrates through aromatic-aromatic interactions. Jessica has presented this research both at Calvin and at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in Philadelphia. She plans to enroll in the University of Toledo's School of Medicine's MD/PhD program.
Philip Beverly (Wayne, NJ) will graduate with honors in history and a minor in international development studies. He wrote his honors thesis on the historiographical treatment of Balkan underdevelopment, and he presented this research at a history department colloquium. Phil is planning to enter graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. in history.
Jessica Bohi (Glen Ellyn, IL) graduated in December 2008 with honors in social work. With Prof. Fred De Jong she did honors research that culminated in a co-authored paper entitled “Expectancy Correlates of 30-day Post-discharge Outcomes in Residential Substance Abuse Treatment.” Jessica plans to work in the field of substance abuse treatment and then go to the University of Illinois Chicago for her master’s of social work.
Justin Boldt (Hudsonville, MI) will graduate with honors in engineering with a civil / environmental concentration and a mathematics minor. He has done honors research on “Trenchless Technologies for Underground Utility Installation” and presented a paper to introduce his class to this topic. After graduation Justin plans to work and travel, and he is considering graduate school for next year.
Hannah Bormann (Ionia, MI) is graduating with honors in both English and French. For her honors thesis in English she wrote on the tensions between innocence and intelligence in the character of Eve as portrayed by Milton, Aemilia Lanyer, and Rachel Speght. In French Hannah wrote her honors thesis on the destructive maternal figures in French novelist Irene Némrovski’s novels David Golder, Le Vin de Solitude, and Suite Française. Hannah will be attending graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in English literature.
Lindsey Brandsen (Holland, MI) will graduate with honors in biochemistry and a minor in biology. She is currently doing research with Prof. Tatko (Chemistry) examining the formation of protein derived cross-links between Tyrosine and cystein in a b-hairpin peptide. This will allow them to study proximity and organization on efficient protein derived cross-links formation. Lindsey will be attending medical school at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, CA in the fall.
Eric Bratt (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in history, Asian studies, and German. For his honors work in history and Asian studies he worked under the guidance of Prof. Daniel Bays and examined the role of women at the siege of Beijing during the Boxer Uprising by consulting the diaries of Emora Martin, an American, and Paula von Rosthorn, an Australian. His honors work in German consisted of a literary analysis of Wolfgang Borchert’s literature in post WWII Germany, a study of “Junges Deutschland,” a literary movement in the 19th century, and an examination of contentious issues in contemporary German society. After graduation Eric will be doing Chinese language study and Fulbright research in Harbin, China, from July 2009 to August 2010. He also intends to eat copious amounts of East Asian cuisine and will continue to let his dreadlocks grow.
Morgan Briggs (Rome, GA) is graduating with honors in nursing and a minor in international development. Her honors research has focused on the risk factors that contribute to the incidence of post-partum depression in mothers as well as its effects on the growth and development of children. Morgan plans to work in a hospital setting for a year or two before attending graduate school to become certified as a nurse midwife and family nurse practitioner.
Matthew Brower (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in psychology. He has worked with Prof. Don Tellinghuisen (Psychology), two other Calvin students, and Dr. Rich Martin (MSU Medical School) on a publication about medical decision-making for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. They are researching and writing a pamphlet that will assist people of all ages in weighing the pros and cons of the different choices of treatment so that they can make an informed decision for themselves. After graduation Matthew will work or pursue a graduate degree in psychology.
Michael Buist (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in exercise science. He is conducting research for his honors thesis on the best nutritional practices for acute chemotherapy patients for the purpose of preserving lean body mass. Michael plans to attend medical school after graduation.
Devin Byker (Ireton, IA) is graduating with honors in English and majors in French and music. During his sophomore year he was selected as a McGregor Scholar. His honors thesis, completed under the supervision of Prof. Susan Felch (English), is entitled: “’A Thousand Monstrous Formes’: Responding to Desire in the Third book of Spenser’s Faerie Queene.” In this work Devin interprets Book III using a Lacanian framework of desire and lack, arguing that the characters of this book navigate turbulent desire in much the same way the Lacanian child progresses through the oedipal drama. Devin plans to enter a Ph.D. program in English literature with a specialization in early modern literature.
Jennifer Cairns (Silver Spring, MD) will graduate with honors in economics and international development studies, and minors in African studies and psychology. With Prof. Kurt Schaefer (Economics) and senior USDA economist Keith Fuglie she has completed an econometric analysis of global food prices at the Economic Research Service of the USDA, and she was invited to present this paper at the Midwest Economics Association, Bowling State University’s undergraduate research conference, and an international undergraduate conference at Georgetown University. After graduation Jenny will enter the Agricultural Economics Program at Michigan State University with a research assistantship funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Marissa Christy (Grand Rapids, MI) is graduating with honors in art history and a minor in philosophy. As a McGregor Summer Research Fellow she worked with Prof. Bruce Berglund (History) to edit articles for a book on Christianity in Central and Eastern Europe. In addition to editing scholarly books, Marissa has done honors research on English Country Homes under the guidance of Prof. Craig Hanson (Art History), and she will present her results at the Spring Art History Symposium. After graduation she plans to pursue a career in publishing and her interests in writing and the history of interior design.
Michelle DeMaagd (Holland, MI) will graduate with honors in speech pathology and audiology and a minor in psychology. As a McGregor Summer Research Fellow she worked with Prof. Peggy Goetz (CAS) on stroke survivors’ attitudes toward their church community. Michelle is continuing to work with Prof. Goetz doing honors research on faith and speech pathology. She plans to attend graduate school in speech-language pathology after graduation.
Jessica Driesenga (Kalamazoo, MI) will graduate with honors in religion and a minor in biology. She was a Jubilee Fellow last summer at Geneva Campus Church. With Prof. Matthew Lundberg (Religion) Jessica has done honors work on feminist theology in light of the Reformed tradition, with specific attention to Mary Daly and Elizabeth Johnson, along with work on the intersection of science and religion. In biology she has worked with Dr. Mary Alice Webb (Purdue University) on DNA studies of Vitis labrusca, identifying and co-authoring a new gene, VlHip1. She has also done research to identify plants that might be successful candidates for the absorption of heavy metals from toxic sites. After graduation Jessica plans to attend Calvin Theological Seminary.
Bethany Duemler (Byron Center, MI) is graduating with honors in history and a major in English. She was a McGregor Sophomore Scholar and also participated in the Scholars Semester at Oxford, where she did research in the Bodleian Library on visual and written sources for Peter Paul Rubens’ images of Marie de Medici. Her senior honors thesis deals with Dutch iconoclasm in 1566 and the role of image. After graduation, Bethany writes, “I wish to live deliberately, to front the essential facts of life, to see if I can learn what it has to teach, and not, when I come to die, to discover that I have not lived.”
Leah Einfeld (Seattle, WA) will graduate with honors in economics and minors in business and French. She has served on the Honors Student Council for four years. Her senior honors project is an econometric study of gas taxes as they relate to hybrid vehicle sales. Leah hopes to work as a research assistant in a policy related institution before entering graduate school.
Sarah Evans (Boulder, CO) is graduating with honors in engineering with a chemical concentration. Her senior design project involved pre-treating brackish water by removing iron, manganese, and aluminum before desalination. After graduation Sarah plans to travel to Africa for the summer to work at an orphanage. Then she will work at Aktiv-Dry in Boulder to help develop a powdered measles vaccine and inhaler for developing countries.
Jessica Fox (Fremont, MI) will graduate with honors in speech pathology and audiology and a minor in linguistics. Under the supervision of Prof. Beth Macauley (CAS) Jessica conducted an analysis of a client in Calvin’s stroke clinic. Her final report included an initial evaluation, a comparison to other aphasias, a summary of the semester-long treatment, and a final reflection.
Jessica plans to attend graduate school in linguistics this fall.
Patience Gallagher (Coshocton, OH) will graduate with honors in biology and a minor in psychology. In her sophomore year she was selected as a McGregor Scholar. She has completed research at the Nelson Behavioral Neuroscience Lab at Ohio State University and at the Oregon Health and Science University on “Mitochondrial DNA Deletions and Aging in Rhesus Monkeys.” Her honors thesis is entitled “How are multiple levels of inquiry, including mitochondrial DNA analysis, integrated to formulate a better understanding of the evolution and origins of homo sapiens?” After graduation Patience plans on working as a clinical research assistant in Boston, MA before returning to graduate school.
Ivan Gan (Singapore) will graduate with honors in rhetoric and communication and a minor in psychology. With Prof. Patric Spence (CAS) he has co-authored an article on the 1931 Chinese floods, with publication anticipated this year. He is working with Prof. Spence on another paper about disaster preparation, response, and information dissemination methods among Chinese communities during and after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Under the supervision of Prof. Stephanie Sandberg (CAS) Ivan is also working on a theatrical study of racism in the U.S. After graduation Ivan wants to slow down and truly learn how to “love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Aaron Grieser (Philadelphia, PA) is graduating with honors in psychology and a major in Spanish. He has worked with Prof. Tellinghuisen (Psychology) and Dr. Rich Martin (MSU Medical School) on a research project involving medical decision-making. After graduation Aaron plans to devote a year to voluntary service before applying to graduate school.
Quinn Harr (Pewamo, MI) will graduate in December with honors in both classical languages and philosophy. As a McGregor Summer Research Fellow he worked with Prof. David Noe (Classics) on the first English translation of the entire Tractatus Psalmorum by Hilary of Poitiers.” Quinn’s honors presentations include “Moral Responsibility in Vergil’s Aeneid II,” “The Religious Context for Augustine’s Philosophy of Language,” and “Moral Actions in an Imperfect World.” Quinn also participated in the Scholars Semester in Oxford and has recently been awarded a summer scholarship for language study in Perugia, Italy. After graduation he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in classical philosophy with special emphasis on ancient understanding of language.
Sarah Hooker (Hudsonville, MI) will graduate with honors in English and a minor in history. Her honors thesis was on Victorian detective fiction, particularly on the use of terror and horror in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles. Sarah plans to teach English in middle school or high school.
Val Horstman (Grand Rapids, MI) is graduating with honors in engineering with a civil/ environmental concentration, and a minor in environmental studies. In her sophomore year, she was selected as a McGregor Scholar as well as a U.S. EPA Greater Research Opportunities
Fellow. She has done honors research on electronic waste management and regional public transit systems. For the past two years, she has also had the opportunity to do undergraduate research with Prof. David Wunder (Engineering) on the impact of antibiotics and slow-rate biofiltration biofilm used in water treatment. After graduation Val plans to marry Mike Bosscher ('09) and attend graduate school for a M.S. in environmental engineering.
Edirin Ibru (Lagos, Nigeria and London, UK) will graduate with honors in philosophy and a minor in studio art. His honors thesis, completed under the supervision of Prof. Ruth Groenhout (Philosophy), is entitled “The Human Paradox: Exploring Freedom, the Individual, and Social Longing in Humanity.” After graduation Edirin hopes to complete a year of work in Chicago and then enter law school.
Annika Krygsman (Whitinsville, MA) is graduating with honors in psychology and recreation, with a concentration in youth leadership and a minor in youth ministry. Her honors thesis, directed by Prof. Don Tellinghuisen (Psychology) and Prof. Don DeGraaf (Recreation) analyzed correlations between religion, self-control and general well-being. After graduation Annika plans to take a year off to work and engage in a six-month mission project with children and adolescents in a developing country before attending graduate school for a master’s in family counseling.
Chiu Ying (Cynthia) Kuk (Hong Kong) is graduating with honors in biology and a minor in biochemistry. Her research has included investigating a citrobacter-bacteroids symbiosis within termite guts with Prof. John Wertz (Biology), and a literature search on RNAi and its potential in HIV treatment for Prof. David Koetje (Biology). She has presented some of her results at Calvin and at the West Michigan Regional Undergraduate Science Research Conference. Cynthia has accepted a job at the Van Andel Institute and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in immunology or microbiology.
Josh Kuyers (Pella, IA) will graduate with honors in history, a major in Spanish and a minor in international relations. As a McGregor Summer Research Fellow he worked with Prof. Daniel Miller (History) to translate original work by Mexican Ruben Ruiz Guerra, Honbres Nuevos: Metodismo y Modernizacion en Mexico (1873-1930). His honors thesis was a lengthy study of immigration to Spain and its effects on religion. After graduation Joshua plans to attend law school.
Stacy Ladenburger (Midland, MI) will graduate with honors in communication arts and sciences (rhetoric and communication), a major in Spanish and a gender studies minor. At the Eastern States Communication Association conference Stacy will present a paper on some of her research entitled, “Enculturation Through Young Adult Evangelical Romance: the Rhetoric of the Christy Miller Series.” With Prof. Garth Pauley (CAS) and another student, she will also present “Domesticating the Atomic Bomb: Strategies of Civil Defense in ‘The House in the Middle.’” Stacy plans to pursue work in the nonprofit sector, in international development or domestic/international justice work, before and after going to graduate school.
Joy Lee (Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia and Gerrard’s Cross, UK) is graduating with honors in international relations and a minor in international development studies. Her honors thesis, supervised by Prof. Joel Westra (Political Science), explores the ethical and legal issues related to the war on terrorism in Afghanistan. After graduation Joy will intern with Partners for Justice, a legal development program that partners North American and Nicaraguan lawyers. In time, she will pursue graduate studies in conflict resolution or organizational communications management.
Juliana Litts (Alexandria, VA) will graduate with honors in speech pathology and audiology and a major in Spanish. As a McGregor Summer Research Fellow with Prof. Judy Vander Woude (CAS) she worked on “Language and Literacy Growth in At-Risk Elementary School Students.” Juliana has also done research comparing the speech of a Chilean Spanish speaking mother and her son, analyzing patterns of word-final <s> retention, aspiration, and deletion. After graduation she will be entering a bilingual speech pathology program to seek a Ph.D. in the field.
Matthew Logan (Fort Wayne, IN) is graduating with honors in economics and a major in interdisciplinary sustainable development. Matt was a McGregor Sophomore Scholar and also served as a McGregor Summer Research Fellow with Prof. Joel Westra (Political Science) studying “U.S. Perspectives on International Order.” He has done honors research on the danger of the commodification and sale of Great Lakes waters, as well as a social, economic, and environmental assessment of the Three Gorges Dam in China. Matt is currently working on an independent study of the potential for a comprehensive U.S. energy policy. He is interviewing for work in the area of environmental policy research.
Emily MacLeod (Cedar Rapids, IA) will graduate with honors in speech pathology and audiology. She is currently doing honors research on the narrative development of elementary school children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. After graduation Emily will work at Pine Rest Christian Home and then enter a graduate program in medical speech pathology.
Kathleen Merz (Kalamazoo, MI) will graduate with honors in English, a major in Latin, and a minor in linguistics. In her sophomore year she was selected as a McGregor Scholar. She is writing her honors thesis on translation issues in the Old English poem The Dream of the Rood. She has also completed research on Sophocles’ and Euripides’ versions of Electra and on John Bale’s portrayals of Elizabeth I. After graduation Kathleen hopes to find a job in editing, and possibly teach English abroad; she may go to graduate school in the future.
Christie Pavey (Westfield, IN) will graduate with honors in Greek and Latin. She has completed honors research in Cicero’s moral theory, producing papers on such topics as self-knowledge and the virtues. At the Grand Rapids Intercollegiate Honors Conference she has presented papers on Greek drama and “Self-Knowledge in Cicero and Calvin.” Christie plans to continue her study of classical antiquity, especially the literature of the late Republican era, by pursuing a Ph.D. in Classics.
Benjamin Post (Oak Park, IL) is graduating with honors in English and a major in Spanish. Ben was a McGregor Summer Research Fellow with Prof. Daniel Miller (History) working on the translation of a book about Latin American Protestantism. He is currently working on his honors thesis in English on Ray Bradbury’s stories of colonization. Ben plans to attend graduate school in Spanish literature after graduation.
Stephanie Postma (Sheldon, IA) will graduate with honors in nursing. In her sophomore year she was selected as a McGregor Scholar, and more recently she has written an honors research paper based on her internship at Clark Retirement Community. She also created a teaching module for their employees on the care of the elderly diabetic client. After graduation Stephanie plans to work in the Grand Rapids area as an RN and will begin graduate school in two years.
Katherine Pruss (Saline, MI) will graduate with honors in nursing. She has completed research, written a paper, and presented on the medical complication of obstetric fistulae in rural Africa. Katie plans to spend a year working and taking additional classes before going on to the University of Michigan for a master’s degree as a nurse practitioner and midwife.
Brian Schaap (Holland, MI) will graduate with honors in biology and a religion minor. Last summer he participated in research with Prof. David Warners (Biology) studying plant
establishment strategies in various forest mitigation sites on Calvin’s campus, a project that culminated in an honors thesis. Brian hopes to continue the pursuit of shalom after graduation, possibly doing development work abroad with graduate school following sometime in the future.
Tat Ui (David) Tan (Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia) will graduate with honors in engineering with a chemical concentration. During his sophomore year he was selected as a McGregor Scholar. As a research assistant for Prof. David Wunder (Engineering), David studied the effects of antibiotics on absorption in sand filtration systems. They expect to publish their results this spring. David’s senior project involved the pre-treatment of brackish water for reverse osmosis desalination. He will present his results at the International Design competition hosted by New Mexico State University in April. After graduation David plans to attend graduate school in environmental engineering, studying water quality assessment and modeling.
Alison Troast (Hawthorne, NJ) is graduating with honors in art history and a major in French. In her sophomore year she was selected as a McGregor Scholar. She has completed internships with the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s Education Department and Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, where she researched the French sculptor Henri Laurens. She also did honors projects on the stained glass windows in Chartres Cathedral and the unique relationship between Alfred Stieglitz and Georgia O’Keefe as reflected in their art. Alison plans to teach English in Japan with the JET program for a year before going on to graduate school in art history.
Nathaniel Valk (Fredericton, New Brunswick) is graduating with honors in history and a major in political science. He is currently working on his honors history thesis on the topic of Kosovo's independence. This research deals with the interaction among the UN, NATO, Serbs, and Kosovar Albanians in the region. After graduation Nathaniel plans to spend a year in France for studying French before entering a graduate program in international relations.
David VandeBunte (Grandville, MI) is graduating with honors in engineering with an electrical/computer concentration, and a minor in computer science and optics. He was a McGregor Sophomore Scholar, completed an internship at Gentex Corporation, and did research in Germany last summer. His senior design project was a robotic arm for storage and retrieval. David is currently an intern at Dornerworks, which is an embedded systems engineering company, and he has accepted a job there following graduation.
Katie Van Drunen (Grand Rapids, MI) is graduating with honors in philosophy and a minor in gender studies; she has also finished the pre-med program. She was a McGregor Sophomore Scholar and studied at Oxford during the summer of 2007. Last summer she worked on analyzing the relationship between microRNA expression and kidney tumor development as a research intern at Van Andel Research Institute. Her honors thesis, under the direction of Professors Ruth Groenhout and Christina Van Dyke (Philosophy), evaluates the feminist philosophical response to menstrual suppression. After graduation Katie plans to attend medical school.
Jillian Van Zytveld (West Olive, MI) will graduate with honors in communication arts and sciences (media studies) and minors in gender studies and Chinese studies. She has completed extensive research on the subject of gender socializations in film, literature, television and print journalism. After graduation Jillian plans to work in the public relations field and research graduate schools.
Corey Velgersdyk (Bloomington, MN) will graduate in December with honors in international relations and a major in Chinese. He is currently working on his honors thesis, which deals with U.S. – Chinese relations and the roles of identity and perception in that relationship. Corey will be studying abroad in China next year and then hopes to find an internship in the field of international relations before entering graduate school.
Jeena Velzen (Jenison, MI) is graduating with honors in engineering with a mechanical concentration. Last fall Jeena helped lead an engineering class project that proposed a “Calvin Energy Efficiency Fund” for the Calvin community, as well as presenting the proposal to President Byker and the cabinet. As her senior design project she is working on a human-powered mechanism that will convert waste paper to compressed fuel briquettes in a developing world context. After graduation Jeena plans to do an internship and then work for the Gentex Corporation.
Marissa Walker (Cedar Spring, MI) is graduating with honors in exercise science. She is currently working on a case study for the practicum portion of her course on Advanced Practices in Exercise Science. The case study and related research on the effects of exercise on joint replacement will be presented with a poster at the HPERDS “Celebrate Your Major” day on May 4. After graduation Marissa plans to pursue a career in coaching or youth ministry.
Carolyn Whaite (Davison, MI) will graduate with honors in nursing and an interdisciplinary group science major. She is currently working on her final honors project on pediatric end-of-life nursing care and will be presenting her results at a Nursing Department seminar. After graduation Carolyn plans to work as an RN in the Chicago area and will begin graduate school in a year.