April is Dutch Heritage month at Calvin
 Calvin College, with historical roots in a Dutch immigrant community that settled in the Midwest in the 1800s, has grown to become one of the largest and well-known Christian colleges in the world. Today, though many Calvin students still trace their roots to the Netherlands and Dutch culture and heritage, its members represent a myriad of nations and cultures. Each of those cultures are embraced and celebrated as part of Calvin's goal to become a community that focuses on racial justice, reconciliation, and cross-cultural engagement. In this spirit and as an initiative of the Meijer Chair in Dutch Language and Culture and Calvin's Dutch program, the month of April is Dutch Heritage Month at Calvin College. Events commemorating Dutch Heritage month will include special chapels, films, lectures and Koninginnedag (The Queen's Birthday), celebrated on April 30.
Featured Web Site: Sports Information
 Calvin's Sports Information Web site, maintained by sports information director Jeff Febus, provides helpful links for Calvin sports fans including:
• game schedules
• team rosters
• daily sports updates
• sports photo galleries
• featured articles and profiles
• and more!
Sports fans can easily sign up to receive the Calvin Sports Report (CSR), a listserv newsletter which provides timely updates on Calvin athletic contests!
Question of the Month: April
 "Question of the Month" is a non-scientific "pop" survey for Calvin parents. You are invited to submit your answer to each monthly question--we will tabulate and post the results the following month. Please take a moment to respond to the April 2008 question: "How often do you and your student send text messages to one another?" Please record your response here.
Here are the results of the March QOTM: "A recent survey of Calvin students showed that health concerns can have a direct affect on a student's grade, the decision to drop a course, or staying in college. Based on your experience and observations, which health-related factor do you think was most frequently reported as problematic for Calvin students?" |
The results of the student survey were actually quite similar, although "sleep difficulties" was rated 4 times more problematic by students at 21.5% (parents rated it at 5.4%) and "concern for troubled family member" was mentioned 10 times more frequently by students at 19.5% (parents rated it 1.8%). A summary of the student survey results is available on the Parent Web site.
March 19? What's that all about?
 You may have heard your Calvin student talk about events and messages related to the date of March 19. The prompt for this discussion is because March 19 marks the date when 29% of the academic year remains -- and makes March 19 the last day covered by tuition and the first day paid for by financial gifts to Calvin. For most of Calvin students, donor support pays the rest of their tuition. The Knights 4 Life (K4L) student organization has encouraged every student to consider the choice to give to Calvin; or to not give. As stated on the special "March 19" Web site: "Giving or not giving does not define your place in the Calvin community. But we ask that you consider how, if at all, you want to give back to Calvin. We want to have an authentic and transparent discussion where everyone considers how Calvin impacts the world and where supporting Calvin fits into your stewardship of what God has given you." Students have been reminded that giving can take many forms including the thoughtful use of gifts of time and the Spirit. Parents can read more about this awareness campaign on the March 19 Web site.
ALERT: Scholarship, Financial Aid Scam
 We have recently become aware that a "personalized" letter using Calvin's name was sent out to many student's home addresses from an organization called "College Financial Advisory." This mailing is not in any way related to a student's scholarship and financial aid applications or eligibility at Calvin and it is not endorsed by the college. This letter and form also raise a "red flag" because they require a fee. Calvin students are encouraged to apply for financial aid for free and to work directly with our financial aid staff. Calvin College does not sell names to any company. We advise against using any company that requires payment to perform scholarship searches. Additional information on "scholarship scams" can be found at the Federal Trade Commission web site. Information about applying for all types of aid at Calvin can be found on the Financial Aid Web site.
Students selected as Jubilee Fellows prepare for summer ministry
 Twelve juniors and seniors are preparing for summer internships designed to help them discern their call to ministry as part of Calvin’s Jubilee Fellows program. Andy Allen, Jessica Roodvoets, Ross Acheson, Jessica Driesenga, Ashley Wybenga, Andrew Morton, Michael Holwerda, Betsy Vandenberg, Matt Burns, Michael Bailey, Bennett Samuel and Anna Hillaker were selected to participate in the program after each expressed interest in church-related work. The Jubilee Fellows now find themselves in the first phase of the five-component program, attending a weekly seminar class to discuss issues related to ministry. After the spring semester class, the students will be sent out to internship sites across North America where they will gain experience in everything from sermon preparation to pastoral visitation and community outreach. Read more.
Finding a Job After College: Sophomore Year, "Exploring"
 Students should not wait until their last year at Calvin to begin thinking about career development and planning. The Career Development Office helps students with career counseling, testing, career resources, job fairs, practice interviews, and discussing job search strategies at all class levels. A career planning strategy for sophomores (and freshmen, juniors and seniors!) is outlined on the Career Development Web site. Encourage your Calvin student to consider the helpful and positive steps listed on this Web resource.
Living Intentionally and Well Workshop: April 5
 Is your student considering living off-campus next year and desires more out of the experience than just finding cheap rent? Students have been informed of a workshop, "Our Place Community Workshop: Living Well Begins Here," which will provide resources and encouragement for Calvin students who want to live in intentional Christian community. This workshop will take place on Saturday, April 5 from 9:30 am - 1:30 pm at the Koinonia House (1230 Lake Dr. SE). The morning will begin with breakfast, followed by a welcome, breakout sessions, and a panel discussion led by Calvin students and alumni who have lived in a variety of communities. The workshop is free; students may RSVP at this site.
Deadline to request a tutor is April 11
 Students have been reminded that tutors are available in the Office of Academic Services, offering advice on how to study effectively and assistance with mastering course material. Tutor request forms are available in that office, located at HH 446. Students have been encouraged to request help in a timely fashion. The deadline to request a tutor for the spring semester is the end of next week on Friday, April 11.
Annual health insurance verification: due by April 15
 Beginning in mid-March each returning student is asked to submit information about their current health insurance coverage through their KnightVision account. The verification process must be completed by April 15th. Students are given the opportunity to enroll in or waive out of Calvin's KnightCare student health insurance plan for the 2008-2009 school year. Students who choose to waive out of KnightCare must be prepared to answer questions about their current health insurance coverage. Some students will need to obtain this information from a parent or guardian. Students who enroll in the plan and students who do not fill out a waiver form will have charges posted to their miscellaneous accounts in May. Plan coverage begins August 15, 2008 and expires on August 15, 2009. Please direct questions to Kelly Moore or Rachel VanSchepen; 616-526-6568 or health@calvin.edu. For additional information about student health insurance please visit the Health Services Web site.
Calvin Summer Camps 2008
 Calvin provides a variety of summer youth camps and educational programs for elementary, middle and high school students. Included among these programs are: athletic camps, Knollcrest Music Camp, Chemistry Camps, Wetlands & Woodlands Camp, A.C.E. camps (Academic Camps of Excellence), and other youth programs including the popular S.T.E.P. (Striving Toward Educational Possibilities) program. Visit the Summer Programs Web site for program and registration information.
Student Life events at Calvin
 This weekly feature of Calvin-Parents attempts to showcase student life events--movies, concerts, weekend events, etc.--by highlighting links to the student Web resources below:
• "Weekend-haps" (this past weekend!)
• Student Activities (SAO) Web site
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Calvin Sports: This week's athletic events
 For information about athletic events visit the Sports Information Web site. Need Calvin sports results fast? Call the Calvin sports hotline at 616-526-6522 for current sports updates. You can also sign up for the Calvin Sports-Report, a free e-mail bulletin notifying Calvin sports fans of current sports news.
Concert Calendar: April
April is a great month for music-lovers at Calvin College! We're pleased to announce these upcoming concerts and events:
• Student Recital: Melissa Simon, soprano - Saturday, April 5 at 2:00 pm (Calvin Chapel; tickets not required)
• Student Recital: Airin Efferin, piano - Tuesday, April 8 at 7:30 pm (Fine Arts Center Auditorium; tickets not required)
• Chamber Winds Concert, Tiffany Engle, conductor - Friday, April 11 at 8:00 pm (Calvin Chapel; tickets not required)
• Student Recital: Sarah Looman, clarinet, and Lee Heyer, clarinet - Saturday, April 12 at 4:00 pm (Calvin Chapel; tickets not required)
• Alumni Orchestra Concert, Robert Nordling, conductor - Sunday, April 20 at 3:00 pm (Berean Church, 365 Seminole Rd., Muskegon, MI; tickets not required)
 • Gospel Choir Concert, Charsie Sawyer, conductor - Sunday, April 20 at 4:00 pm (Fine Arts Center auditorium; tickets not required)
• Campus Choir Concert, Sean Ivory, conductor - Sunday, April 20 at 7:30 pm (Fine Arts Center auditorium; tickets not required)
• Calvin Band Concert, Tiffany Engle, conductor - Friday, April 25 at 8:00 pm (Fine Arts Center auditorium; tickets not required)
• Student Recital: Phillip McMillan, violin - Saturday, April 26 at 2:00 pm (Calvin Chapel; tickets not required)
• Oratorio Society - "Psalms and Praise of Eastertide" Joel Navarro, Music Director - Saturday, April 26 at 8:00 pm (Fine Arts Center auditorium; tickets are required. Calvin Box Office, 616-526-6282)
• Alumni Orchestra Concert, Robert Nordling, conductor - Sunday, April 27 at 3:00 pm (Fine Arts Center auditorium; tickets not required)
• Capella Concert, Joel Navarro, conductor - Sunday, April 27 at 7:30 pm (Fine Arts Center auditorium; tickets not required)
• Naomi Kudo, piano: 2008 Gilmore Young Artist - Tuesday, April 29 at 7:30 pm (Fine Arts Center auditorium; tickets are required. Calvin Box Office, 616-526-6282)
• Handbell Ensemble, Knollcrest Band, and Jazz Band, Stephanie Wiltse, Tiffany Engle and James Sawyer, conductors - Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 pm (Fine Arts Center auditorium; tickets not required)
Noontime Series: A Profile in Courage - April 3
 All are welcome to this and other Noontime Series programs sponsored by CALL (Calvin Academy for Lifelong Learning); tickets are not required. Wayne Kuipers, a conservative Republican state senator from Holland, Michigan, explains why he, in good conscience, voted to increase state taxes even though he knew that voting against the increase would have been safer for him. This Noontime series event will be held in Calvin's Chapel Undercroft from noon to 1:00 pm.
Passport to Adventure: Prague to Paris, and a Cruise - April 3
 The Passport to Adventure Travel Series features professional, full-color films with live commentary by the filmmakers. The Thursday, April 3 program features filmmaker Clint Denn who will present "Prague to Paris, and a Cruise." All Passport to Adventure programs are presented in the Calvin Fine Arts Auditorium at 7:30 pm. Tickets are required; contact the Calvin Box Office at 616-526-6282. Passport to Adventure is a public, non-profit activity under the sponsorship of the Calvin Academy for Lifelong Learning (CALL).
First Saturdays at the Bunker Interpretive Center: April 5
 Join us on the first Saturday of each month for an up-close look at a different aspect of our West Michigan environment. The First Saturdays series will continue in the Discovery Place at the BIC on Saturday, April 5 from 11:00 - 12:00 with "Frogs and Toads of Michigan." Join Lori Martin, wildlife educator at Blandford Nature Center, to learn more about Michigan's frogs and toads. After a short presentation, we will meet the resident frogs of the Bunker Interpretive Center and then head outside to explore some of the Preserve's vernal ponds, looking and listing for frogs and toads. Dress appropriately for the weather. The First Saturdays events are free and open to the public. For more information call 616-526-7601.
CTC: The Women of Lockerbie - April 10-12, 17-19
 The Calvin Theatre Company will present The Women of Lockerbie, by Deborah Brevoort and directed by Stephanie Sandberg, on April 10-12 and April 17-19 in the Gezon Auditorium at Calvin College. A mother from New Jersey roams the hills of Lockerbie Scotland looking for her son's remains which were lost in the crash of Pan Am flight 103. She meets the women of Lockerbie, who are fighting the US government to obtain the clothing of the victims found in the plane's wreckage. The women, determined to convert an act of hatred into an act of love, want to wash the clothes of the dead and return them to the victim's families. Although the characters and situations in the play are purely fictional, The Women of Lockerbie is loosely inspired by a true story. Written in the structure of a Greek tragedy, it is poetic drama about the triumph of love over hate. Tickets are available from the Calvin Box Office; 616-526-6282.
Dance Guild performances: April 11 & 12
 Dance Guild will present its spring performance on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12 at 8:00 pm in the Fine Arts Center Auditorium. This annual event is well-attended so be sure to get your tickets now! Tickets are $3 each and are available through the Calvin Box Office; 616-526-6282.
5K Spring Classic Run/Walk & Fun Run: April 26
 Calvin parents, families and friends are invited to participate in the 5K Spring Classic on Saturday, April 26. In past years several out-of-state families participated and made a fun family weekend of this annual event! There is a 5K Run/Walk scheduled to begin at 8:30 am. A Family Fun Run for kids ages 12 and under (and anyone else who wants to join in the fun) is scheduled for 9:15 am, immediately following the Run/Walk. All kids 12 & under that register for the Fun Run will receive a race t-shirt, race number and runner packet. All ages are welcome to participate, so bring your mom, dad, grandma and grandpa! And, when your fun run is over, there will be prizes and cash give-a-ways (held this year in the Prince Conference Center) for all registered race participants. For more information visit the 5K Spring Classic Web site.
Calvin Alumni Choir in Chicagoland: April 26 & 27
The Calvin Alumni Choir, under the direction of Pearl Shangkuan, will provide two fine concerts for alumni, family and friends in the greater Chicago area:
 • The music of Stephen Paulus, "You Shall Have a Song" - Saturday, April 26 at 8 pm at Bethel Christian Reformed Church, 3500 Glenwood-Lansing Rd., Lansing, Illinois. Free admission; an offering will be taken for the Chicagoland/NW Indiana Chapter Scholarship Fund. Reception following.
• "Go Where I Send Thee," the music of Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory '92 - Sunday, April 27 at 5 pm at First United Methodist Church, 516 Church St., Evanston, Illinois. Tickets for the Sunday concert are $18. Call the Youth Choral Theater of Chicago at 847-535-9873.
For more information, visit the Alumni Choir Web site or call 1-877-526-2276.
Glenn Bulthuis & the Tonedeafs: May 2-3
 Glenn Bulthuis, a 1977 Calvin grad and "Calvin Rock-n-Roll Icon" for the past thirty years, will perform with his band, the Tonedeafs, at the historic Ladies Literary Club (61 Sheldon SE) in downtown Grand Rapids on May 2 and 3. Show times are at 8:00 pm on both nights. These shows are billed as "CD Release Parties" for the upcoming "Greatest Hits" CD that will be coming out this spring. Tickets are available through the Calvin Box Office, 616-526-6282. To learn more about this event and Glenn and his band, visit the Glenn Bulthuis Home Page.
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Jellema Lectures 2008: April 2 & 3
 Members of the Calvin community are cordially invited to the 2008 Jellema Lectures. William Harry Jellema (1893-1982) was the founder of Calvin's Philosophy Department. Together with his colleagues, he produced a generation of students for which Calvin's Philosophy Department has justly won national--indeed, international--recognition. The Jellema Lecturer this year is Allen Verhey of Duke Divinity School. The first lecture, Every Ethos Implies a Mythos: Dominant Myths about Nature and its Alteration, will be held at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, April 2; the second lecture, An Alternative Mythos: Revisiting the Christian Story, will be held the following day, Thursday, April 3, at 3:30 pm. Both lectures will be given in the Calvin Theological Seminary Auditorium.
Inner Compass: Nuclear Power: Promise or Peril? - April 6
 France generates over 80% of its energy using nuclear power plants, while the U.S. generates about 20% that way. Why the difference? And whose air is cleaner? January Series guest Sigval Berg of UniStar Nuclear Energy, a joint venture of American and French power companies, answers host Karen Saupe about the advantages & concerns with using nuclear power.
Inner Compass is a Calvin-produced television show that explores how people make decisions regarding ethical, religious, and social justice issues. Inner Compass typically airs in western Michigan on PBS station WGVU-TV on Sunday afternoons at 1:00 pm: Grand Rapids (channel 35/cable channel 6) and Kalamazoo (channel 52). Two full seasons of episodes are also downloadable in video or audio from the Inner Compass Web site. Each Wednesday the latest program is added (or, each Monday on iTunes, podcasts section).
Lecture: She Fears You - April 7
 This nationally recognized presentation, She Fears You, identifies for men what they have to gain from ending campus rape--that they are no longer perceived as potential rapists but as individuals capable of entering caring and emotion-based relationships. Dr. Keith Edwards, nationally recognized speaker and consultant, will speak on Monday, April 7 at 7:45 pm in the Calvin Chapel. Dr. Edwards has spent the past six years presenting nationally on engaging college men in sexual assault prevention at more than 35 colleges and universities. This event is part of Calvin's Sexuality Series and kicks off a month of events related to Sexual Assault Awareness Month at Calvin.
Lecture: Law and Order in the Urban Ghetto - April 10
 Calvin College will be bringing a well-known sociologist
to Grand Rapids in mid-April for its annual Bouma Lecture. Dr. Sudhir Venkatesh, Professor of Sociology at Columbia University, will speak on April 10 at 3:30 pm in the Meeter Center Lecture Hall on "Law and Order in the Urban Ghetto." Venkatesh, who appeared earlier this month on TV on The Colbert Report, is author of three books on urban life: American Project, Off the Books and Gang Leader for a Day. His research also was also featured in a chapter of Freakonomics. Calvin sociology professor Mark Mulder says Venkatesh is a good fit for the annual Bouma Lecture, named for Donald Bouma who taught at Calvin from 1946 to 1960 and did groundbreaking work in civil rights and community organization. "Dr. Bouma was always very passionate about issues of social justice," said Mulder, "as is our current department. Venkatesh conducts exhaustive ethnographic research that offers compelling insights on urban poverty in the U.S. Most significantly, his findings interrogate numerous assumptions and misconceptions about poverty. There are complex social organizations, networks and processes that exist in what Venkatesh calls the urban ghetto." Read more.
Lecture: Anger Management: What Christians Have Learned about Cursing - April 17
 The Dean of the Chapel Lecture Series continues on Thursday, April 17 with Professor John L. Thompson of Fuller Theological Seminary who will speak on Anger Management, on Earth as It Is in Heaven: What Christians Have Learned about Cursing Over the Years. Join Professor Thompson as he reflects on what we can learn from our forebears such as Origen through reformers such as John Calvin, and how we can find practical help from history when we read texts that seem to approve outbursts that are among the worst--and most understandable--of human impulses. This lecture will take place at 3:30 pm in the Meeter Center Library.
Lecture: Columnist Cal Thomas - April 21
 Conservative American syndicated columnist and author Cal Thomas will speak at Calvin College in the Gezon Auditorium at 7:30 pm on Monday, April 21. Thomas began writing his column in 1984 and today his column appears in over 550 newspapers around the United States. He is a panelist on Fox News Watch and also gives a daily radio commentary heard on over 300 stations. Thomas has written and spoken frequently about political and societal issues; his comments are frequently controversial as well as thought provoking. He is the author of numerous books, including Blinded by Might, The Things that Matter Most, The Death of Ethics in America, and The Wit and Wisdom of Cal Thomas. His most recent book, written with Bob Beckel is entitled Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That Is Destroying America. An open reception will follow the lecture.
Conference: Symposium on Religion & Politics - April 24-26
The Henry Institute's fourth biennial Symposium on Religion and Politics will be held at the Prince Conference Center at Calvin College April 24-26. The event brings together individuals who share an interest in the interplay of religion and politics, and attendance is open to anyone interested in this field of discussion. The Symposium is designed to provide an opportunity for scholars in the field to present papers related to their current research, to foster personal and professional networks, to facilitate joint research endeavors, and to learn about ongoing research opportunities in this area.
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Calvin consistently receives national recognition for academic excellence. Calvin's well-respected faculty, inquiring student body and innovative core curriculum come together in an environment that links intellectual freedom with a heart for service. Calvin's research is recognized and rewarded by national and private funding sources. An innovative new center at Calvin is bringing fresh resources to beleaguered Christian school administrators. The Van Lunen Center for Executive Management in Christian Schools has been established at Calvin thanks to a $2 million gift from the Richard D. Van Lunen Foundation. The Center's purpose is to provide world-class executive management education for senior leaders of schools based on the historic Christian faith, while practicing a big-tent philosophy, reaching out to schools from a wide-range of faith traditions. For more information visit the Calvin Distinctives Web site. 
