BUSH ON BOSCH — Calvin English professor James Vanden Bosch was surprised and pleased to hear President Bush mention the campus "Guru of Grammar" early in the speech. President Bush said: "I bring a great message of hope and freedom to Calvin College Class of 2005: There is life after Professor Vanden Bosch and English 101. Someday you will appreciate the grammar and verbal skills you learned here. And if any of you wonder how far a mastery of the English language can take you, just look what it did for me." The Calvin audience laughed and applauded heartily throughout this sequence.

PRESIDENTIAL ALERT — Calvin Alumni Association Board President Craig Lubben had the honor of sitting and standing directly next to President Bush on the Commencement podium. The strategic placement turned out to be even more helpful for Lubben, as President Bush gave him a gentle nudge in the ribs during the start of the opening hymn reminding Lubben to take off his graduation cap!

DEJA VU — Graduating senior Betsy Huizinga met President Bush four years ago as a high school senior at Kalamazoo Christian High School when the President gave a speech on faith-based organizations. At the time she was the president of her student council and she introduced President Bush. The President asked where she was planning on attending college the following year and she informed him that she was planning on attending Calvin College. He was greatly interested and talked with her about how he had visited Calvin for the Republican debate. Four years later, both Betsy and President Bush meet again at Calvin.

LOST CONTACT — Calvin College president Gaylen Byker has been a contact lens wearer for many years without incident. But just before he was to introduce President Bush, Byker felt his right contact slide up his eye, underneath the lid. He was unable to dislodge it in time and was forced to read his introduction with his vision blurred and his eye in significant discomfort. After losing his place on the page once Byker was able to recover and complete the intro without further incident.

ONE-WAY RIDE – U.S. Congressman and Calvin alumnus and former physics professor Vern Ehlers had quite a juxtaposition of transportation methods to and from the Commencement ceremonies. Ehlers flew to the event on Air Force One with President Bush from Washington and rode in the Presidential motorcade from airport to Calvin fieldhouse. After the event, Ehlers simply walked the short block from the fieldhouse to his home on Morningside Drive, wheeling his small luggage bag behind him.

"FORE" — A trio of enterprising Calvin alumni found a way to see Air Force One from close view and enjoy the outdoors at the same time. When Pete Noor, Ric Bouwma and Dave Quist heard President Bush would come to Calvin for Commencement they booked a 12:30 tee time at Thornapple Pointe Golf Course, which is near the Gerald Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids and known for the planes that fly directly overhead as they come in for a landing. Sure enough as the group prepared to tee off on the sixth hole Air Force One flew directly overhead, giving the trio a close look at the immaculate 747.

DINING WITH THE MEDIA — To prepare for the onslaught of media that a presidential visit entails Calvin's director of media relations Phil de Haan worked with the college's IT people, physical plant folks and others to turn the Knollcrest Dining Hall into a media center. The pre-president prep work included internet connections, wireless internet access, lots of phone lines, plenty of power, a photocopier and, of course, food! Media covering the president, and the local media, were happy to practice their craft in the dining hall turned press center.