Calvin-Parents E-Newsletter: March 9, 2010

Parent Council report

The Calvin Parent Council had its second meeting of the year on Friday, February 26, and discussed a variety of matters with college faculty and staff.  Highlights included conversations about what academic freedom means for professors at Calvin; the college's progress toward sustainability goals; and how Calvin communicates with current parents about the Calvin Annual Fund.

All council members -- and all Calvin parents -- are urged to "Recommend Calvin" at this crucial stage of the enrollment process.  An excellent 2010 enrollment brings positive results for all current Calvin students and their families!  Record your Calvin conversation at www.calvin.edu/go/recommend.

The council thanked departing council members, co-chairs Al and Bev Kraker of Ann Arbor, Mich.; Dave and Norma Taylor of Novi, Mich.; Dick and Deb Bennett of Hudsonville, Mich.; and Oscatte Hendler of Grand Rapids.  The new co-chairs of the council are Ray and Rose Koopman of Rochester, Mich.  The Koopmans have a daughter, Amanda, who graduated from Calvin in 2009; a daughter, Rachel, who is a junior at Calvin; and a son, Ryan, who is a high school junior.

The council meets again during Family Weekend in October 2010.

Worship Apprentices spring break trip; Faith

Campus ministries is joining in a college-wide initiative to share the message of “faith and learning at Calvin” to two coasts of the USA, and to the Canadian province of British Columbia. Chaplain Mary Hulst, admissions counselor George Davis, and Worship Apprentices Drew Elliot, Mike Lee, Nicole Lenko, and Eric Van Giessen will fly to the Pacific Northwest on March 19 for a week of speaking and leading worship in area churches and schools.  Other Worship Apprentices will be at the U of M Chapel on March 26 and all are invited to join in their worship in preparation for Holy Week.

Speaking of campus ministries, remember you are able to watch daily chapel services live at 10:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, and visit their archive for past chapel videos.  L.O.F.T. (Living Our Faith Together) services services are live at 8:00 p.m. on Sundays, and you can visit their site for video and audio archives of past services.

Also, the Faith site contains worship resources for Lent, including recommended books, devotionals and prayers.

What's on the Web?

Here are just a few resources available on Calvin's Web site that help "shape minds for intentional participation in the renewal of all things."

The January Series:
The foundation for excellence both in Calvin's classrooms and for the January Series is the philosophy that an outstanding liberal arts education teaches students how to think, not what to think. Remember, a wide variety of excellent speakers presenting an interesting array of topics is also available to you via the January Series site.

Calvin publications:
There are several Calvin publications available online that provide additional information about campus events, student projects, faculty research and alumni outcomes.

Ecosystem Preserve and Bunker Interpretive Center:
The Ecosystem Preserve, 90 acres of temperate deciduous forest and wetlands on the east side of campus, houses the Bunker Interpretive Center which helps visitors understand their role in the world as stewards of creation.  There are many education programs available for schools groups and friends and families in the community, including First Saturdays at the Ecosystem Preserve.

NCAA III Championships

Calvin will be sending three individuals to the NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships this Friday and Saturday at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Representing the Calvin men’s team will be senior Jed Christiansen. Representing the Calvin women’s team will be juniors Rachel Boerner and Sarah Reasoner.

The Calvin women’s swimming and diving team will be sending eight individuals to the upcoming NCAA III Championships March 17-20 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Representing the Calvin women’s swimming and diving team will be seniors Emily Roberts, Maggie Vail, Joy Leach, Casey Herman, juniors Monica Bressler and Caitlin Alexander, and freshman Kristen Kinzer and Elizabeth Counsell. The Calvin men’s team will send freshman Mark Rushlow.

Spark online

The most recent issue of the Spark magazine for alumni and friends of the college is available now.  In it, you'll read more about the Interim class that went to Cambodia, medical resources and Christian compassion, and an alumnus with diplomatic ties to North Korea.  There's also a new installment of Anonymous Bosch, written by Prof. James Vanden Bosch, the 2010 recipient of the Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching.

Nursing pin

Our senior year is well under way, and as many of you may have heard, we are keeping very busy!  While we still have much work ahead of us, it is exciting to think that, come May 20, we will be celebrating all of our efforts and our journey toward receiving a Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) at the Pinning Ceremony.  The Pinning Ceremony is a longstanding tradition in which all of the graduating nursing students, along with their family and friends, join together to celebrate their success in nursing school.  In this ceremony, each student is traditionally and proudly “pinned” with Calvin’s own nursing pin, as a special signature of completing a baccalaureate degree in nursing and being eligible to take the state RN licensure examination.  

Thinking ahead to graduation, perhaps you would like to consider purchasing a nursing pin for your son, daughter or grandchild.  Information about cost and ordering this pin can be found at www.terryberry.net  (use security ID: 36095; password: Nurse).  While your child would not receive the pin until the Pinning Ceremony, this could be a special gift and keepsake for them, as many nurses continue to wear this pin throughout their career.

Again, receiving a nursing pin is not required, yet it is a special and proud moment for the nursing student at the Pinning Ceremony.  Although your presence and support is the most important, please consider sharing in this special day with the gift of a Calvin nursing pin.  You can find out additional information about the Pinning Ceremony on the nursing department site.

We are looking forward to seeing you and celebrating with you in May!

Sincerely, 
Nursing Pinning Committee, Nursing Class of 2010

Student health insurance

Wire payments to Calvin

For those families sending payments to Calvin via wire transfer please take note that Calvin is now banking with Chase Manhattan.  Calvin will continue to keep its account open with Huntington through the spring semester but by next fall all payments should be directed to Calvin's account at Chase Manhattan. To get the current information for wiring payments to Calvin please contact the financial aid office at finserv@calvin.edu or 616-526-6127.

The Summer Academy

The Summer Academy is a real life "Calvin try-on" for ninth through 12th graders looking for an early or pre-college experience that will test and improve their academic readiness for post-high school studies.  Real college credit, real campus life---all in Calvin's distinctively Christian learning and living environment.  See all the pre-college programs that are offered, such as ACE International, Entrada Scholars Program, and Pathways to Possibilities to name a few.

-Julie Veeneman, program manager

Check the Parent Calendar for important dates

Bookmark the Parent Calendar page to keep track of important dates throughout the year, including:

Mar. 3:  Last day to drop first-half semester courses; Last day to change first-half semester courses from credit to audit; Last day to request a tutor from SAS
Mar. 10:  Last day to obtain refund for full semester course withdrawls/drops
Mar. 16:  Tuition, room & board payment due
Mar. 19:  Spring break begins 5 p.m.; residence halls close at 10 a.m. on March 20; First half semester courses end
Mar. 29:  Spring break ends 8 a.m.; residence halls open at 12 noon on March 28; Second-half semester courses begin