Calvin-Parents E-Newsletter: June 16, 2009

PASSPORT

PASSPORT is a two-day summer program designed for new students, as well as adult family members to learn about Calvin through activities and creative workshops that highlight the range of opportunities here. You can visit the Orientation site to find out more about the (tentative) schedule for each day of the PASSPORT experience, details about family orientation, or what Wilderness PASSPORT is all about.

Fine Arts Center closed

The Fine Arts Center (FAC) is ready to get its first major face-lift since its construction in 1966. For students, it’s the place to attend concerts, plays and lectures. For many in the broader community, the events held at the Fine Arts Center — the January Series, the Artist Series and the Festival of Faith & Writing — are their primary engagement with Calvin College. The FAC will be remodeled to create additional practice, rehearsal, teaching and performance space and will receive upgrades to seating, lighting and acoustics as well as new wall and floor finishes. With these improvements, the Covenant Fine Arts Center will continue to welcome Calvin and the broader community for years to come.

Student retention: What you can do to help

Now that the Fall-2009 registration process has concluded for most returning students, we have reviewed our student retention numbers and can report that they are tracking closely to enrollment trends recorded in recent years.   While this is certainly good news, it is important that each member of the Calvin community continue to look for ways to encourage and serve our returning students throughout the summer as they finalize their plans about returning in the fall.

So - We need and ask for your assistance!    Please continue to help us keep an eye and ear out for those who are struggling with the decision to return.    As you encounter students who are unsure about their plans for the fall, we ask that you do your best to help connect them to the Calvin people and resources they need to help sort it out. Below are a couple of key areas to remember and recommend as you interact with these students.  

Financial aid  - Students who express concerns about college financing and affordability should be encouraged to contact a financial aid counselor (finaid@calvin.edu or 616.526.6134) at any time.   Financial aid staff will be available throughout the summer to meet and/or talk with students about these important challenges.

Academic planning - Students who are struggling academically and/or are having difficulty deciding on which course of study to pursue should be encouraged to contact the academic services team (acadservices@calvin.edu or 526.6155) for assistance.   Both academic counselors and advisors are available to consult with students on how to effectively navigate the curriculum and find success in their studies.

Please know that we appreciate and recognize the genuine support you offer to our students all year long.  The members of the student retention committee regularly reflect on how fortunate we (and our students) are to work and study in such a supportive community.

Thanks again for you good work! 
The Student Retention Committee

Parent Resource Guide 2009-2010

A printed copy of the 2009-2010 Parent Resource Guide has been mailed to the homes of all incoming first-year students.  All parents can now find this new edition online [.pdf].   Parents of returning students who would like to receive a printed copy of this guide can request one by e-mailing parents@calvin.edu. Please include your mailing address in the e-mail request.

Calvin Knights Shootout

Calvin will play host to a boys high school basketball team camp, the Calvin Knights Schootout, later this month. The three-day team camp, which will include a team tournament, will take place June 25 through 27 and will involve 12 high school varsity boys basketball teams, seven from the state of Michigan and five from outside the state.  The public is invited to attend; complete camp and tournament schedule can be found here.

What are Calvin students doing this summer?

Follow two Calvin students as they trek through Calvin's Ecosystem Preserve, clearing trails, measuring trees and looking for the beautiful indigo bunting.  Jodi Unema and Josh Garone are the summer's preserve stewards conducting an annual breeding bird survey and identifying and measuring the trees of the central five acres of the preserve woodlot.

Join Calvin on Facebook

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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:

June 19: Heritage class reunion on campus
July 10: John Calvin's birthday celebration on campus