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Calvin Wire - October 16, 2006 -- Volume 6, No. 20

The Calvin Wire newsletter is a bulletin of the Calvin Alumni Association sent to alumni and friends of Calvin College to inform them of the latest news from campus.

 
In This Issue:
NEWSFLASH! Calvin announces major expansion project

The centerpiece of the newly approved project will be a new arena, tentatively set for a seating capacity of 5,000. It will measure some 175,000 square feet and will replace the Calvin Fieldhouse, which was built in 1965, as the home court for the school’s Division III men’s and women’s basketball teams and women’s volleyball team. Calvin College is planning a major expansion of its physical education and athletic facilities, the biggest building project in school history.  The expansion, which has been a topic of discussion at Calvin for close to a decade, was approved this month by the college’s Board of Trustees. Calvin hopes to break ground on these projects in spring 2007 (assuming the necessary zoning approvals are granted) and anticipates beginning to use the facilities in fall 2008. Calvin professor Glenn VanAndel is the former chair of the HPERDS department (health, physical education, recreation, dance and sport) at Calvin and co-chaired the committee that planned the $35 million expansion project. The centerpiece of the newly approved project will be a new arena, tentatively set for a seating capacity of 5,000. It will measure some 175,000 square feet and will replace the Calvin Fieldhouse, which was built in 1965, as the home court for the school’s Division III men’s and women’s basketball teams and women’s volleyball team. That arena will be located almost directly east of the current Fieldhouse on what is currently a small, multi-use athletic field (the location was chosen to minimize intrusion into a diverse woodlot that sits north and east of the current Calvin Fieldhouse). 
Calvin hopes to break ground on these projects in spring 2007 (assuming the necessary zoning approvals are granted) and anticipates beginning to use the facilities in fall 2008.

 
• Press release

• Project information

 Calvin College is planning a major expansion of its physical education and athletic facilities, the biggest building project in school history. 



Family Weekend 2006: October 20 & 21

Family Weekend 2006 events feature the 61st annual Fall Music Festival, the Family Weekend banquet, a lecture by author Philip Yancey, class visits, Friday afternoon sectionals, a Saturday morning chapel service, Improv comedy shows, and an ice cream social. The Calvin community is excited to welcome hundreds of Calvin parents and families for an enjoyable weekend of campus events. Family Weekend 2006 events feature the 61st annual Fall Music Festival, the Family Weekend banquet, a lecture by author Philip Yancey, class visits, Friday afternoon sectionals, a Saturday morning chapel service, Improv comedy shows, and an ice cream social. Mostly though, Family Weekend provides Calvin parents with a great excuse to visit the campus and spend some time with their Calvin student!  The schedule of events is posted on the Web site. 



Claudia Beversluis to be inaugurated as Provost on October 25

The Calvin community is warmly invited to the Inauguration of Dr. Claudia Beversluis ’74 as Calvin’s seventh Provost on Wednesday, October 25 at 3:30 pm in the Calvin Chapel. The Calvin community is warmly invited to the Inauguration of Dr. Claudia Beversluis ’74 as Calvin’s seventh Provost on Wednesday, October 25 at 3:30 pm in the Calvin Chapel. The ceremony will feature an unusual twist: the featured speaker will not be Beversluis.  Rather, Beversluis, Calvin’s first female provost, has chosen an admired colleague to deliver words of wisdom that day. She has selected Roberta Hestenes, the president emeritus of Eastern College in Pennsylvania and the former board chair of World Vision International, to speak on “The Unfinished Challenge: Women, Global Poverty and the Kingdom of God.” Following the inaugural service all are invited to a reception in the Chapel Undercroft. Read more.


Class of ’76 and ’81 Reunions: there’s still time to register

The classes of 1976 and 1981 will celebrate their 30th and 25th reunions, respectively, this coming weekend during Family WeekendThe classes of 1976 and 1981 will celebrate their 30th and 25th reunions, respectively, this coming weekend during Family Weekend:
• Class of 1976: Friday, October 20
• Class of 1981: Saturday, October 21
It’s not too late to register. To review the schedule (and also to see who else is coming) visit the Alumni Web site or contact Cindy Wolffis, reunion coordinator, at 616-526-6142 or reunions@calvin.edu.  


The Scientist names Calvin among top places to work

Calvin has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Academia by The Scientist, a magazine for the life sciences now in its 21st year. Calvin was fifth among U.S. academic institutions, while Michigan State University, located just an hour east of Calvin, was seventh and Wayne State University, about two hours east of Calvin in Detroit, was 14th.  This is the fourth annual survey by The Scientist and is based on responses from more than 1,600 academics around the world.  Based on those survey results the magazine named 15 top places to work in the U.S. and 15 best international workplaces for scientists.  Read more. 


Talking Points: A new Multicultural Affairs newsletter

A monthly newsletter, “Talking Points” was launched to keep the Calvin community and stakeholders abreast of the activities of the Office for Multicultural Affairs and to provide “talking points” about the campus’ progress toward becoming a campus that is anti-racist, multicultural, accountable, and reconciling. Calvin is pleased to introduce Talking Points, a new publication of the Office for Multicultural Affairs. A monthly newsletter, Talking Points was launched to keep the Calvin community and stakeholders abreast of the activities of the Office for Multicultural Affairs and to provide “talking points” about the campus’ progress toward becoming a campus that is anti-racist, multicultural, accountable, and reconciling.  Each issue will highlight components of FEN (From Every Nation), an important governance document of the college which articulates Calvin’s vision, goals and strategies for “transforming Calvin into a college that is always vigilant in recognizing racism, always conscientious in promoting reconciliation, and always active in the work of restoring a healthy multicultural community.”  Read more.    



Visit Calvin’s Photo Gallery: featuring more than 9000 campus images

The Calvin Web features a photo gallery site that hosts thousands of current images of Calvin people, places and eventsThe Calvin Web features a photo gallery site that hosts thousands of current images of Calvin people, places and events, including:
 • Alumni events (Golf tournament, Calvin Around Town)
 • Campus Life galleries (Mud Bowl, Chaos Day, and so on)
 • Sports galleries
 • The Roving WebCam (everyday campus settings and scenes)

Visit today--visit often. New images are added every week.


Career Link: fall 2006 newsletter online

Career Development publishes a newsletter, Career Link, each semester that features current information about employment trends and career development services and activities. Calvin’s Career Development staff is eager to assist Calvin students and alumni in all aspects of vocational planning, from the freshman year at Calvin until retirement.  Career Development publishes a newsletter, Career Link, each semester that features current information about employment trends and career development services and activities. The fall issue highlights internship opportunities, including information about the new Comenius Scholars, which provides Calvin students from an array of disciplines with internships in local nonprofit organizations. Read more.



Upcoming Alumni Events: Mark Your Calendar

The Game 2006, Rochester NY • Alumni Orchestra concerts: Nov. 11 & 12
 • Christmas at the Campus Store: Dec. 2
 • Alumni Choir concerts: Jan. 5 & 7
 • The Game: Jan. 13
 • Homecoming: Feb. 9-10
 • Spring Reunions (’77, ’72, ’67, ’62): Apr. 20, 21
 • Spring Classic 5K: Apr. 28
 • Golf Tournament: Sept. 8

For additional information and to review other Alumni events, resources and services visit the Alumni Association Web site. 


Calvin Symposium on Worship - January 25-27, 2007

The Calvin Symposium on Worship seeks the deepening and integration of all aspects of worship. As worshipers, we concentrate on our specific interests and gifts in seminars and workshops, and experience their integration into the full mission of worship as we gather for the Symposium’s worship services. The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and the Center for Excellence in Preaching warmly invite you to attend the Calvin Symposium on Worship, January 25-27, 2007. The Calvin Symposium on Worship seeks the deepening and integration of all aspects of worship. As worshipers, we concentrate on our specific interests and gifts in seminars and workshops, and experience their integration into the full mission of worship as we gather for the Symposium’s worship services. In interdisciplinary and ecumenical conversations, we ask searching questions, exchange dilemmas, encourage each other. We leave with a renewed commitment to the full ministry of the church.  Read more.


Calvin Distinctive #4: Promising Futures

Two pioneering programs that enrich the educational futures of minority youth — the Entrada Scholars Program and Pathways to Possibilities — were recently awarded $450,000 in grant funds.A Calvin education is the foundation for a successful life calling.  Through the development of essential character, knowledge and skills, Calvin helps students understand God's world, discover their unique gifts and excel in vocations of meaning and purpose.  Two pioneering programs that enrich the educational futures of minority youth — the Entrada Scholars Program and Pathways to Possibilities — were recently awarded $450,000 in grant funds. These programs encourage the exploration of career and college opportunities for elementary, middle school and high school minority students.  For more information visit the Calvin Distinctives Web site. 

 

The Calvin Wire newsletter is a bulletin of the Calvin Alumni Association sent to alumni and friends of Calvin College to inform them of the latest news from campus.