Calvin-Parents - Monday, May 12, 2008 - Volume 5, No. 19
 
Calvin-Parents is an e-mail newsletter that is published to keep Calvin parents informed of campus news, programs, events and other helpful information. Families and Friends
In This Issue:
Campus Events: You Are Invited!
Conferences, Workshops, Lectures
In This Issue:




If you have individual questions or concerns during the summer please do not hesitate to contact Jim Van Wingerden, parent relations director, at 616-526-6094 or parents@calvin.edu. Because student life and campus activities slow down considerably during the summer months, this Calvin-Parents e-newsletter will be published less frequently (once every two weeks) during the remainder of May, June and July 2008. Weekly issues of Calvin-Parents will resume again on Monday, August 4. Special summer bulletins will be published as needed. If you have individual questions or concerns during the summer please do not hesitate to contact Jim Van Wingerden, parent relations director, at 616-526-6094 or parents@calvin.edu. Thank you for participating in this important communication link between the college and Calvin families! Have a blessed summer! (NOTE: A few weeks ago we reported that Jim Van Wingerden had heart bypass surgery in early April. Jim returned to work last week and is making excellent progress with his rehab and recovery. He is thankful for so many expressions of Christian care and concern from Calvin parents and the Calvin community.)




Check out our brand new Web site, News & Stories, which features a lot of great content about Calvin College including links to:
•  Media and press releases
•  News in brief
•  Calvin in the News
•  Calvin on YouTube
•  Web resources for the media
•  and more!




"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 May 2008 question:"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 May 2008 question: Does your student have a Facebook page, MySpace page, or blog? Do you have a Facebook page, MySpace page, or blog? Please record your response here.



The Calvin men's and women's track and field teams kept the tradition going on May 2 at Alma's Bahlke Stadium as both teams secured MIAA titles with first place finishes at the MIAA Field Day. The Calvin men's and women's track and field teams kept the tradition going on May 2 at Alma's Bahlke Stadium as both teams secured MIAA titles with first place finishes at the MIAA Field Day. The Calvin men used a come-from-behind effort to win, finishing with 254 points with Hope second with 208. Hope entered the day with a nine-point lead over Calvin. The first place performance allowed the Knights to capture their 15th consecutive MIAA title including their league-leading 33rd title overall. Meanwhile, the Calvin women’s track and field team secured its 19th consecutive MIAA title including its 23rd overall with a first place total of 328.5 points with Hope second with 226 points. Calvin's current streak of 19 MIAA championships is the longest championship streak in MIAA women's athletics history. Calvin’s point total was the fifth-highest MIAA Field Day total in MIAA women's track and field history. Read more.




The Knights earned a share of the league title with Adrian (22-6 MIAA, 30-10) winning game one 9-2 and took the title outright with a 2-0 win in game two. Calvin also receives the MIAA's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament which will begin on Wednesday. Freshmen pitchers Peter Steiner and Keith Spoelstra delivered in two pressure packed games at Woodworth Field to give Calvin its first MIAA Championship since 2002. The Knights earned a share of the league title with Adrian (22-6 MIAA, 30-10) winning game one 9-2 and took the title outright with a 2-0 win in game two. Calvin also receives the MIAA's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament which will begin on Wednesday. "We would have taken [the league title] anyway we could have, but this is certainly a lot sweeter, said first year coach John Sparks, drenched by his team after the final out. “I could be knee deep in water and still be feeling good right now." The league title is Calvin's eighth and comes on the heels of a fourth place finish a year ago and a 13-22 overall record. Calvin also added to its single-season record in wins and finishes the regular season with a 32-8 record. Adrian lost its final regular season and league game to last place Alma (8-20 MIAA, 12-28) to open the door for the Knights to take the league title outright. Read more.




Here are some important dates to note in conjunction with the end of the spring semester, exams, and Commencement:
Final exams end on Thursday, May 15.•  Monday, May 12: Exams continue (exams began on Saturday, May 10)
•  Thursday, May 15: Exams end at 10:00 pm
•  Friday, May 16: Residence halls and Knollcrest East apartments close at 10:00 am. Residents must move out of on-campus housing 24 hours after their last exam. Students with Thursday exams, or those with special permission, may remain in the halls or KE apartments over Thursday evening, May 15. Students with questions or concerns should see their RD.
•  Thursday-Saturday, May 15-17: Commencement activities
•  Thursday-Saturday, May 15-17: Parents' Commencement Schedule
•  Thursday-Saturday, May 15-17: Graduates' Commencement Schedule
•  Friday, May 16: Residence hall lodging available for parents and families of graduates after 3:00 pm
•  Saturday, May 17: Commencement Ceremony at 2:00 pm at Van Andel Arena; tickets required




Students have been notified that the Campus Store will continue the spring Textbook Buyback this week on Monday-Thursday, May 12-15. Buyback hours are from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm; these hours are extended to 6:30 pm on May 13 and 15. Students have been notified that the Campus Store will continue the spring Textbook Buyback this week on Monday-Thursday, May 12-15. Buyback hours are from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm; these hours are extended to 6:30 pm on May 13 and 15. The buyback window is located in the hallway between Johnnies and the Campus Store. The Calvin Campus Store will also continue its Spring Festival Sale this week (in-store sale; does not apply to items ordered online) featuring a variety of selected items including clothing, supplies, books, stuffed animals & more, on sale at reduced prices.




Graduating seniors have been encouraged to report their job, internship or graduate school plans within 6 months of graduation to Calvin's Office of Career Development. Career Development keeps track of job, grad school, and internship placements for the college, so we appreciate your participation! Graduating seniors have been encouraged to report their job, internship or graduate school plans within 6 months of graduation to Calvin's Office of Career Development. Career Development keeps track of job, grad school, and internship placements for the college, so we appreciate your participation! All grads who provide this information will get a $15 gift certificate for the Campus Store. These can be reported by students at the Career Development Web site. Students who report an internship will be entered into a monthly drawing for $25 to the Campus Store. (Parents: here is an interesting article from ABC News that discusses how parents of college graduates can help their student with the job search process.)




The Broene Counseling Center is open throughout most of the summer; summer hours are 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Counseling services are available to any Calvin student who is both currently enrolled and planning to be enrolled again next fall. Students can make an appointment by calling 616-526-6123 or stopping by the office on the third floor of the Spoelhof Center. The Broene Counseling Center is open throughout most of the summer; summer hours are 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Counseling services are available to any Calvin student who is both currently enrolled and planning to be enrolled again next fall. Students can make an appointment by calling 616-526-6123 or stopping by the office on the third floor of the Spoelhof Center.




During the summer months Health Services limits medical services to students who are enrolled in the KnightCare student insurance plan. Beginning May 21, appointments may be made by those students on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-4 PM. Call 616-526-6187 (option 1). During the summer months Health Services limits medical services to students who are enrolled in the KnightCare student insurance plan. Beginning May 21, appointments may be made by those students on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-4 PM. Call 616-526-6187 (option 1). Generally, reduced summer hours will not permit appointments for preventative or maintenance exams such as health physicals, annual exams, gynecologic exams, and others. Should the need arise, call us for area referrals. We apologize for any inconvenience our reduced summer hours may cause and hope that advance planning will help to ease any problems. Don't hesitate to call us if you need additional assistance to meet a particular health problem over the summer.




Calvin students and parents now have access to Student Health 101, a monthly newsletter designed for both students and parents who are concerned with health issues affecting college students today. Topics addressed might include unhealthy diet and nutrition, depression, anxiety, fatigue, cold, flu and contagious diseases. By offering this publication we hope to better promote wellness within the Calvin community.Calvin students and parents now have access to Student Health 101, a monthly newsletter designed for both students and parents who are concerned with health issues affecting college students today. Topics addressed might include unhealthy diet and nutrition, depression, anxiety, fatigue, cold, flu and contagious diseases. By offering this publication we hope to better promote wellness within the Calvin community. Each month there will be two newsletters, one for students and one for parents:
•  Student Health 101
•  The Parent Perspective
The Parent Perspective provides




Weekend-hapsThis 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
•  Campus Calendar
Dorm lobby photo
NOTE: If you read the "Weekend-haps" Web site on a Monday, please note that this is a listing of events that took place during the weekend prior. This site is typically updated with upcoming weekend events every Thursday.



Calvin's life-changing education provides lifelong dividends. A Calvin education yields a return on investment that far outweighs tuition, as noted by independent endorsements and as demonstrated by the lives of alumni.
Calvin provides university-caliber research opportunities at an undergraduate institution. Students connect with outstanding faculty, participate in research projects and access state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Through a recent grant awarded to the biology department, students will have access to a state-of-the-art DNA sequencer, which will offer increased technological resources for performing research. For more information visit the Calvin Distinctives Web site.

Campus Events: You Are Invited!


Calvin KnightsFor 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.




The various centers and institutes at Calvin College will host the second annual Celebration of Faculty Scholarship to recognize faculty who have achieved some significant scholarly accomplishment (e.g., the publication of a book, the publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal, the awarding of a major grant, or something else that may reflect an important scholarly accomplishment within your particular discipline) during the past year (June 2007- May 2008). The various centers and institutes at Calvin College will host the second annual Celebration of Faculty Scholarship to recognize faculty who have achieved some significant scholarly accomplishment (e.g., the publication of a book, the publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal, the awarding of a major grant, or something else that may reflect an important scholarly accomplishment within your particular discipline) during the past year (June 2007- May 2008). This year's event will take place on Friday, May 16, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Meeter Center Lecture Hall and the Library Lobby. Refreshments will be available throughout, including a buffet lunch between noon and 1 in the Meeter Center Lecture Hall. Parents wishing to attend the free lunch buffet may call ahead to reserve tickets by contacting Dawn Crook at 616-526-6871 or by e-mail at drc5@calvin.edu.




Commencement 2008 is slated for Saturday, May 17 at 2:00 pm as nearly 900 graduates prepare to receive diplomas at the Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids. Philip Yancey, author and speaker, will provide the Commencement address. Commencement weekend highlights include:

•  Dept. of Nursing Pinning Ceremony - Thursday, 8:00 pm (FAC; tickets not required)
•  Commencement Worship Service - Friday, 5:00 pm (Chapel; tickets not required)
Commencement 2005 image•  Commencement Cookout for Graduates & Families - Friday, 5:30 pm (Commons Lawn. Tickets not required; graduates and family members only.)
•  Teacher Commissioning Ceremony - Friday, 7:30 pm (FAC; tickets not required)
•  Breakfast for Parents of Graduates - Saturday, 9:00 am (Prince CC. Tickets, purchased in advance, are required.)
•  Senior Brunch - Saturday, 9:00 am (Commons. Tickets not required; graduates only.)
•  Commencement Ceremony - Saturday, 2:00 pm (Van Andel Arena, 130 West Fulton, Grand Rapids, MI; tickets are required)

Weekend events also feature the 50th reunion of the Class of 1958 and the opportunity to honor distinguished Calvin alumni, Dave and Jan Dykgraaf '66 and Fritz Rottman '59. For additional information about Commencement events visit the Commencement Web site.

Additional Information:
•  Commencement Gift Items
•  Commencement Flowers
Conferences, Workshops, Lectures




Inner CompassWitnesses place their hand on the Bible before they testify: how would principles from that Bible play out if it were actually opened up and applied? Would prosecutors be arguing for forgiveness? Stephen Bloom, attorney with Irwin & McKnight law firm in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and author of The Believer’s Guide to Legal Issues, wonders with host Karen Saupe how empty courtrooms might become.

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).



The renaissance in philosophy of religion has engendered sustained philosophical reflection on a number of key aspects of theology, but there has been a notable paucity of philosophical engagement with a central aspect of religious practice: worship and liturgy. This conference brings together leading scholars in philosophy and theology to investigate key themes in worship with the tools of philosophy, with the ultimate goal of informing practice. There is also the reciprocal goal of letting liturgical practice become a fund for philosophical reflection on classic questions and themes. The conference will thus stage a reciprocal encounter between philosophy and liturgy, with the goal of generating a liturgical philosophy, and a philosophically-informed liturgy. The office of Seminars in Christian Scholarship invites you to attend the Philosophy and Liturgy: Ritual, Practice, and Embodied Wisdom conference. This conference will be hosted by James K. A. Smith, John Witvliet and Nicholas Wolterstorff and will be May 20-22 at the Prince Conference Center.




Please join Anne Heider, award-winning conductor, composer, arranger and teacher on the campus of Calvin College for Polyphony Camp: Singing Together for the Fun of It. Cost is $100 and covers the seven evening sessions, June 23, 24, 25, 26, 30 and July 1 and 2. Please contact Seminars in Christian Scholarship at 616.526.8558 or email seminars@calvin.edu for further information. Please join Anne Heider, award-winning conductor, composer, arranger and teacher on the campus of Calvin College for Polyphony Camp: Singing Together for the Fun of It. Cost is $100 and covers the seven evening sessions, June 23, 24, 25, 26, 30 and July 1 and 2. Please contact Seminars in Christian Scholarship at 616.526.8558 or email seminars@calvin.edu for further information.



The office of Seminars in Christian Scholarship invites you to the following free public lectures.

•  Can a Scientist Believe in a Destiny Beyond Death? - Sir John Polkinghorne, Cambridge University - 7:30 pm Thursday, June 26 (Calvin Theological Seminary Chapel)
•  Science and Religion: Why Does the Debate Continue? - Dr. Alvin Plantinga, University of Notre Dame - 7:30 pm Wednesday, July 2 (Calvin Theological Seminary Chapel)
•  The Divine Handiwork: Evolution and the Wonder of Life - Owen Gingerich, Harvard University - 7:30 pm Wednesday, July 9 (Gezon Auditorium)
•  God and Morality - Richard Swinburne, Oxford University - 7:30 pm Wednesday, July 16 (Gezon Auditorium)

These distinguished scholars are on campus for the Science, Philosophy, Belief Summer Seminar, a four-week faculty development seminar for Chinese professors and postgraduate students. Please call 616-526-8558 or email seminars@calvin.edu with any questions.


The summer months at Calvin are busy with many activities and events, including a sizable offering of conferences, workshops and seminars. Here is a sampling of many of these upcoming summer events:
The summer months at Calvin are busy with many activities and events, including a sizable offering of conferences, workshops and seminars. Here is a sampling of many of these upcoming summer events:•  - June 23-July 3. Co-sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc.
•  - June 23-July 18. Co-sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc.
•  - July 7-18. Funded by the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary
•  - July 14-August 1. Funded by The Louisville Institute and Seminars in Christian Scholarship at Calvin College
•  - July 21-25. Funded by the Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning at Calvin College and the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
•  - July 21-25. Funded by the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary

Please visit our Web site for description and application information. Call Marilyn or Mary at 526-8558 or e-mail seminars@calvin.edu with any questions.



Other Helpful Links:

Parent & Family Resources
Parent Calendar
Worship & Discipleship
Campus News
Daily Sports Update		 Roving WebCam Click for the weather forecast at Calvin
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Calvin-Parents, published by the Calvin Office of Parent Relations, is an e-mail newsletter published for parents, grandparents and family members of Calvin students. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change delivery to a different e-mail address send an e-mail message to parents@calvin.edu, call 616-526-6094, or follow the directions posted on the Calvin-Parents Web site. Click here to access archived issues of Calvin-Parents.

. E-mail Jim Van Wingerden, Calvin Parent Relations Director | 616-526-6094