Calvin-Parents E-Newsletter: May 11, 2010

Clean and Pack Day, May 12; dates for exams/move-out

In an effort to encourage students to clean their room and start organizing their items for moving out of the residence halls, the residence life staff is setting aside Wednesday, May 12, from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m., as a "Clean and Pack Day."  Front desks will be stocked with cleaning supplies, packing boxes, and packing tape.  RAs will be available to help unstack beds, open the Trunk Room and answer questions about the checkout process.  Students can get a jump on their cleaning and packing, making the exam week a bit calmer and less stressful.  Planning ahead particularly helps students with Wednesday exams, as the residence halls close on Thursday morning at 10 a.m.  For all sorts of helpful information on the check-out process, including information on housing for students who need more time, and other frequently asked questions, visit our check-out information pages.

A few dates to know regarding residence halls at the end of the school year: 
May 11: Classes end at 10:00 p.m.
May 14: Exams begin at 9:00 a.m.
May 19: Exams end at 10:00 p.m.
May 14-20: Students must check-out of the halls the day of their last exam or the next morning. (For questions or special circumstances, contact your Resident Director)
May 20: Residence halls close at 10:00 a.m., for people with Wednesday exams or special permission only. Due to staffing and security issues, this is the LATEST that the halls will remain open. Transitional Housing for special circumstances should be arranged by contacting the student's Resident Director or the housing office
May 20-24: Transitional Housing available for summer residents or special circumstances
May 24: Knollcrest East Apartments open for summer residents

Belated Mother's Day greetings to moms!

On a sunny afternoon in May, Calvin students lounging on the Commons Lawn took a little time to talk about their mothers.

Professor of the Year

First the students walked out. Then the donuts showed up. That's how biology professor Pete Tigchelaar learned he was the students' choice for Professor of the Year.  You can see a video of this whole event and read a bit more about the award and past recipients. 

Prof. Tigchelaar has a way of inspiring students to follow God's direction for their lives.  "Go where you believe God is calling you to go, and you will have a rich life,” said Tigchelaar, in an interview about a class on Clinical Neuroanatomy. For students heading into bright—and very busy—futures, this advice helps to bring things into perspective.

Sports happenings

The Calvin women’s tennis team will head to Chicago to compete in a six-team NCAA III regional hosted by the University of Chicago later this week. The Knights (17-3) will face Baldwin-Wallace (18-7) in a first round NCAA III Tournament match on Thursday. Calvin will be making its first trip to the NCAA III Tournament.  See a women’s tennis highlights video and read more stories and interviews from their season.

The Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams took first at the 119th MIAA Field Day over the weekend.  Calvin's women have won 21st consecutive MIAA titles, the longest active streak in MIAA women’s athletics history. The men won their 16th consecutive league title including their league-leading 35th overall.  Both titles were the first under first-year Calvin head men’s and women’s track and field coach Bret Otte.  Read more.

In Calvin's second year of indoor track competition, Rachel Boerner is breaking away from her competitors.

Event for Colorado family, friends and alumni

Join the Colorado Chapter of the Calvin Alumni Association on May 15 for "A Case Study in Democracy," a talk by Dr. Mark Fackler, Calvin professor of communication ethics and African studies.  We’ll also have fun with a “Calvin Jeopardy” game, and director of alumni, parent and community relations Mike Van Denend will bring us the latest Calvin news. 

Join the Rocky Mountain Calvin College alumni & friends Facebook page to stay connected!

Commencement gifts

To make your Commencement celebration as simple and enjoyable as possible, the Campus Store and a number of partnering businesses offer special memorabilia and gifts (photos, flowers, Prism yearbooks, rings, nursing pins...) for Calvin graduates and their parents. Visit the Commencement gifts page for more information about all that is offered. 

We'll see you for Commencement on Saturday, May 22, 2010!

The World Communion of Reformed Churches

One thousand people from 100 countries will gather on the campus of Calvin College from June 18-28  to launch the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) at a Uniting General Council.  The WCRC is a new international organization of churches representing 80 million Reformed Christians who have been members of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and/or the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC).  The Christian Reformed Church is a member of both the WARC and the REC.

As part of this historic gathering, the pre-council seminar "Reformed Mission in an Age of World Christianity" will strengthen the intersection between Reformed Christian faith expressions and global movements for world Christianity. There are currently people from over 40 countries registered for this seminar which will take place from June 15 to June 17.

Several events, including a worship celebration on Sunday, June 20 at 4 p.m. in the Van Noord Arena (of the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex) are open to the public.  In addition there are opportunities to volunteer, host or sponsor a delegate.  Learn more at www.reformedchurches.org.