Family Weekend: October 23-25, 2008

Ticket orders for Family Weekend, which starts Thursday, October 23 for early-birds, can be submitted online for the banquet, Fall Music Festival or Improv show. If you are not planning to attend any of the ticketed events you do not have to register ahead of time, but please check in at the Parent Oasis tent or one of the residence hall desks upon arrival to sign in and pick up a Family Weekend schedule and map. Over the next few weeks some of these events will be sold out and some additional events may be added to the schedule. Please refer to the Family Weekend site as the best and most up-to-date source for current program information.
 

Silent art auction to benefit Campaign for Calvin College

Please mark Friday, October 24, 2008 for the Yazzie Art Auction, a silent art auction for the entire Calvin community -- alumni, parents, friends -- to benefit the Campaign for Calvin College. The auction will feature a series of paintings donated by Calvin alumnus and Navajo artist Elmer Yazzie ’76, which will be displayed in the Spoelhof Center from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. that day.  A presentation by the artist will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Gezon Auditorium, followed by refreshments and a final chance to bid on the Yazzie paintings.  The development and alumni relations offices, hosts of this event, are grateful to Mr. Yazzie for this special donation of artwork.  Proceeds will go toward the new Center Art Gallery (in the Fine Arts Center) as part of the Campaign for Calvin College.

An important note from the advising office

October 28 and 29 is Academic Advising recess.  This is a time when classes are not in session so that faculty can meet with their advisees.  Students are instructed to meet with their advisor during this time and to prepare for registration.  In fact, students must meet with their assigned advisor in order to be cleared  for KnightVision registration.  Please do all you can to encourage your son and daughter to take full advantage of these two days.  In addition to meeting with an advisor, this is a good time to get caught up on reading assignments and writing papers.  It should not be a time to leave campus for a long weekend getaway.  Read more about academic services of the registrar's office or email advise@calvin.edu with any questions you may have.

Calvin librarians on hand to assist students with research

A recent study by the library at the University of Rochester which was described in the Chronicle of Higher Education indicated that college students at Rochester continued to seek advice from their parents throughout the process of researching and writing papers.  If your student seems to be having trouble navigating college-level research, encourage him or her to contact one of the librarians at Calvin's Hekman Library.  There are a number of ways for students to reach a librarian for research assistance -- in person, by phone, by e-mail and "Live Help" via online chat.  The librarians are eager and willing to help students find the best resources for their projects.  Read more about what Hekman Library has to offer Calvin students.

Campus safety: Silent Observer hotline

An important component of campus safety includes sharing information about crime and other safety-related incidents both on and off campus. The campus safety office publishes a weekly campus safety report in the Chimes student newspaper and also on the campus safety site.  Students are encouraged to be aware of campus safety incidents, and to also report any unsafe, suspicious, or illegal behaviors. Students can report such information, and remain anonymous, by calling Calvin's Silent Observer hotline at 616-526-8880 or x6-8880 on campus.
 

Help Calvin as an admissions ambassador

If you want to know a way that you can contribute to Calvin without opening your wallet, consider being an admissions ambassador by referring prospective students, attending college fairs or leading a group visit to campus.  Your positive experiences with the Calvin College community are valuable stories to share with high school students and their families as they make a decision about higher education.  On that site you can also see how you can help and read a bit more about Rosemary on the Road as she travels to Southeast Asia.

Pre-marital workshop: October 25 & November 1, 2008

A pre-marital workshop is being offered to Calvin students planning a wedding to introduce couples to keys for vibrant marriages. This workshop, lead by Randy Wolthuis, Ph.D., will be based upon the latest findings in research and Christian principles for relationships and is scheduled for two Saturday mornings, October 25 and November 1. Workshop topics include the effect of extended family on the marriage relationship, the importance of communication, Biblical perspectives on marriage, conflict management, financial issues, and more. The cost is $35 per couple and includes a premarital inventory which couples will complete, the results of which will be reviewed with a counselor. This event has been popular in the past and space is limited.  Students wishing to register may contact Barb at 616-526-6123 or stop by the Broene Counseling Center.

Artist Series of concerts to begin

Calvin’s Artist's Series concerts offer a variety of musical styles and talents that will appeal to regular concert-goers and new audiences alike. This seventh season offers a delightful early music ensemble, the Atlantic Brass Quintet, with arrangements that speak to the heart and the mind; an innovative exploration of music for voices and instruments by Jitro, considered one of the best children's choir in the world; a return visit by a choral favorite, Chanticleer; one of America’s leading jazz ensembles, The Eisenhower Dance Ensemble; and a world-renowned piano soloist, Masaaki Suzuki. We hope you can join us for one or all concerts in this special series.

The Leadership Journey: A series of workshops for student leaders

There are more than 50 student organizations and clubs on campus, each sponsoring many activities and opportunities for the Calvin community. These organizations also provide valuable experiences for student leaders within these organizations. The Leadership Journey is a training program that the college provides for all student organization leaders. Whether a student is a new or seasoned leader, the Leadership Journey helps develop leadership gifts. The sessions, offered throughout the academic year, help leaders understand their roles and equip them for those duties. Session topics include:

• Essentials of Student Organization Leadership & Finance
• Collaboration Brainstorming Session
• How to Make Your Meetings Meaningful and Memorable
• Getting the Word Out: Effective Advertising Skills
• The Art of Delegation
• Troubleshooting
• Keeping the Vision Clear
• Developing New Leadership

The Leadership Journey is sponsored by Student Development.

Calvin-Wire: News and happenings

Those of you reading this item are already subscribing to Calvin-Parents, the weekly e-newsletter for Calvin parents. You may or may not be aware of the Calvin-Wire which is another e-newsletter published twice each month. Although similar in format to Calvin-Parents, Calvin-Wire typically features more "newsy" items and information items about Calvin College. Parents are invited to subscribe to both e-newsletters to keep up-to-date on most everything happening on campus. The latest issue of Calvin Wire can be accessed on the Alumni site, where you can also subscribe to Calvin Wire.

Check the Parent Calendar for important dates

Check out a wealth of great stories on the News & Stories web site, including...

...a large number of students signing up for a ballroom dance club. When you click on this story, there's a Vimeo video with a cha-cha tutorial for you to learn, too!

...two professors making some sense of the current financial situation.