Scholarships and Awards 2009-10
The John and Gwendolyn Jansma Scholarship
As faithful contributors to Calvin, John and Gwendolyn Jansma established this scholarship in order to provide financial assistance for students in need. The Jansmas desire to help academically talented young people reach their potential using God-given gifts. Having a particular interest in psychology and Christian faith, John and Gwendolyn provide this scholarship for students who plan to pursue a professional career in psychology, social work or a closely related field.
Criteria for scholarship:
- Given to students entering sophomore, junior or senior year.
- Preference given to a student pursuing a psychology major or minor who demonstrates Christian character.
- Second preference given to students who demonstrate a strong interest in a professional career in Christian ministry.
The Cornelius A. and Lettie G. Plantinga Scholarship
This scholarship was established to honor Cornelius and Lettie Plantinga. Dr. Plantinga taught psychology at Calvin from 1950 to 1973. Mrs. Plantinga taught various grades in the Grand Rapids Christian and public schools as well as serving the Education Department at Calvin as supervisor of student teachers. The Plantingas believed in the power and beauty of Christian higher education and, particularly, of Christian higher education at Calvin College.
Candidates for this scholarship must meet the following criteria:
- Be a current Calvin student planning to enroll full-time the following year.
- Preferably be entering the Senior year. Juniors are considered if there are no seniors who qualify.
- Be pursuing a major in Psychology.
- Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better.
- Demonstrate first rate academic ability and a strong interest in pursuing psychology from a Christian perspective.
- Financial need as defined for government programs is not required, but there should be a strong evidence that the scholarship is needed to help meet educational expenses.
The John Daling Memorial Scholarship
Dr. John Daling was a founder of the Psychology department at Calvin College. He taught psychology from 1945 to 1974 and was a beloved professor, mentor and friend to thousands of students. In his memory and honor, the Daling family has established this scholarship.
Candidates for this scholarship must meet the following criteria:
- Have junior or senior status.
- Display demonstrated Christian commitments, excellent character, leadership and maturity.
The VanderPloeg-Edgerly Scholarship
Candidates for the scholarship must meet the following criteria:
- Be entering the Junior or Senior year.
- Be a current Calvin student and planning to enroll full-time the following year.
- Be a Psychology or Sociology major or be accepted into the Bachelor of Social Work Program.
- Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.
- In accepting the award, the recipient will agree to write a major paper on the topic of "Recovery from Child Sexual Abuse."
The Lester and Viola De Boer Psychology Scholarship.
Dr. De Boer, a school psychologist, attended Calvin from 1937 to 1940. He had a strong interest in special education and helping people with learning disabilities. His wife, Viola, formed this scholarship in his memory to recognize his achievements and to encourage and honor Calvin students studying in the field of Psychology.
Candidates for the scholarship must meet the following criteria:
- Be a psychology major entering your junior or senior year
- Have an excellent academic record
- Have some financial need
- Have physical disabilities or an interest in working with children with special needs.
The Alfred J. Reynolds and Bette Reynolds Goote Scholarship
This scholarship was established by Bette Reynolds Goote in memory of her husband, Alfred J. Reynolds, esteemed and much loved member of Calvin's psychology department from 1965 to 1990. In addition to teaching virtually all psychology majors for a quarter of a century, Dr. Reynolds served as the first Director of Calvin's Psychological Institute, now the Broene Counseling Center. He developed and effectively taught the department's first courses in statistics, research design, and psychological measurement. Strongly committted to Christian higher education, Dr. Reynolds consistently demonstrated deep concern for Calvin students and in return received many letters of thanks and appreciation. He inspired and challenged them to achieve their potential and, at the same time, demonstrated patience, compassion, and an insightful understanding of their individual differences.
Candidates for the scholarship must meet the following criteria:
- Be entering your junior or senior year.
- Have demonstrated excellence in statistics and research design.
- Plan to pursue graduate study in psychology.
Templeton Student Award in Psychology
The John Templeton Foundation has given a Science and Religion Course Award to Calvin College to support the teaching of Psychology 399-Psychology and Religion, the upper level integration course in psychology. From this endowment a cash award may be given to psychology majors who write excellent course papers in fulfillment of the requirements of this course each time the course is taught.
