Calvin-Parents E-Newsletter: May 5, 2009

A message from Calvin health services

Calvin College has not been visited by any cases of H1N1 (swine flu) and the health services staff is informed and vigilant regarding this virus.  This message from Calvin health services:

The incubation period for H1N1 (swine flu) is 1-4 (at most 7) days, so very short.  The virus is passed through respiratory droplets, in this case through coughing and poor hand hygiene.  Exposure can occur 24 hours before the first symptoms appear.  Much like other respiratory infections, good hand washing and 'cough etiquette' are the key principles at play here.  

Thankfully, the U.S. iteration of this illness has been quite mild so far.  Calvin has done a thorough check of Calvin travelers over the past few weeks and nothing turned up in terms of travel to Mexico.  The health center has ordered additional doses of anti-virals just in case.  We will implement a plan similar in style to our Norovirus control plan should we begin to see cases (basically, containment).

We are following this closely and have communicated with students through student-news and on our Web pages.   See the health services Web site for more information.

Nancy VerMerris, director of health services

MIAA championships for track and field

The MIAA championship trophies for track and field are once again headed back to Calvin College. Both Calvin track and field teams wrapped up outright league crowns on Friday by finishing in first place at the MIAA Field Day.  The league title for the women’s team is its 20th straight which ranks as the longest active championship streak in MIAA women’s athletics history. The MIAA title for the Calvin men’s team is its 34th overall and its 16th straight league crown. 
 

Breakfast for parents of graduates on May 23

Come and celebrate with us! Join President Byker, student-selected "2008 Professor of the Year" Dr. Todd Vanden Berg, and other Calvin administrators for this special Commencement event on Saturday, May 23 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. in the Prince Conference Center. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased from the Calvin Box Office online or by calling 616-526-6282. Seating is limited to the first 300 parents who place their order. Tickets for this event will not be sold after May 8, 2009. (Note: During this event the graduates will be participating in the annual Senior Breakfast held in the Commons Dining Hall.)

Spring exam treat: Order deadline is tomorrow, May 6

Help your hard-working student jump-start spring exams with confidence. The Spring Exam Treat ($18) features a reusable tote box filled with study snacks and treats (popcorn, candy, granola bars, etc.). The order deadline for this treat is tomorrow, Wednesday, May 6; the treat will be delivered to students on Tuesday, May 12. Remember that you can also surprise your student with the popular "Pizza and a Movie" treat, which can be ordered anytime and often! This treat features a certificate for a large two-topping pizza, a bag of popcorn, and a Blockbuster® gift card.

Buy a Prism for your student

Prism, Calvin's yearbook, is the only publication that captures the spirit of an entire year at Calvin College. Your student will look up past classmates, remember the professors that inspired them, relive the big game moments, and read copy written by students, staff, and professors across campus about life at Calvin College when they were here.  The 2008-2009 PRISM ($10) is a square book in full-color with 180+ pages. You can read more about the Prism in, "Prism: A Colorful Reflection," an article that was in the Spring Spark magazine, the magazine for alumni and friends of Calvin.

IMPORTANT:  You can order the book through the Campus Store now and it will be available for pick-up at the Campus Store this fall 2009, or for an additional $5 you can have your book shipped to your home.  Please feel free to contact prism@calvin.edu with any questions.

Calvin College: Minds in the Making

The new Minds in the Making site, an e-collection of articles and multimedia by Calvin authors, is now continually updated. Bookmark the page or follow our RSS or Twitter feeds for regular postings of materials by Calvin writers.  Current highlights include Nicholas Wolterstorff's address on the 40th anniversary of the Institute of Christian Studies (from Perspectives) and an excerpt of Will Katerberg's fascinating new book, "Future West: Utopia and Apocalypse in Frontier Science Fiction" (a Minds exclusive).

ArtPrize and Calvin

On Thursday, April 23, a local entrepreneur announced the founding of ArtPrize, an artistic competition that will bring artists from all over the world to Grand Rapids. The contest, funded by the Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation, invites both emerging and established artists to create original works in spaces donated by Grand Rapids businesses and other organizations. The top prize in the competition is $250,000, and the winners of ArtPrize will be selected by the public via internet voting. Calvin College is supplying space for one artist to create her or his masterpiece in the college's (106) Gallery, located in downtown Grand Rapids. Recently, Calvin director of exhibitions Joel Zwart shared his thoughts about Artprize and (106).

Events for alumni, friends and families

Bookmark the alumni events calendar to keep track of important dates throughout the year, to which you are warmly invited, as a parent, alumni and/or friend of the college.  More information is found there for each of the following events:

May 7: MBA@Calvin in downtown Grand Rapids, Mich.
May 22-23: Class of 1959 50-year reunion on campus
Jun. 19: Heritage class reunion on campus

News & Stories from campus

Check out a wealth of great stories on the News & Stories site.  Three members of the Calvin community—two faculty members, Janel Curry and David Hoekema, and Eric Bratt, a graduating senior, have earned prestigious Fulbright awards, funded by the U.S. Department of State, for 2009-2010.  There's also a recap of and video from the Calvin Spring Classic 5k Run/Walk and Karen Muyskens Family Fun Run.