Calvin-Parents E-Newsletter: October 20, 2009

Family Weekend

Family Weekend (Oct. 22-24, 2009) is only days away! The Calvin community is excited to welcome hundreds of parents and families for an enjoyable weekend on campus. Tickets are still available for many events, including both performances of the 64th annual Fall Music Festival (Friday and Saturday evenings), which highlights Calvin’s vocal and instrumental ensembles and selected student soloists.  There are also tickets still available for the Family Weekend Banquet, but today (Tuesday, October 20), is the last day to order those.  Please note that the Family Weekend site is the most current source of information about schedule additions, changes or updates.

We ask that each family please sign-in and pick up a Family Weekend information packet at any one of the residence hall or Knollcrest East reception desks, or at the Parent Oasis tent (Commons lawn, or the library lobby for inclement weather). Tickets ordered for Family Weekend events before October 8 will be mailed directly to your home; tickets ordered after October 8 may be picked up by you or your Calvin student at the box office.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the renovation of the Fine Arts Center, there are several venue changes to report.  For instance, the box office is temporarily located in the Spoelhof College Center on the third floor (enter the building near the flagpole, go to the top of the stairs - room 360).  The Fall Music Festival has relocated to the DeVos Center for Arts and Worship at Grand Rapids Christian High School at 2300 Plymouth Road.  See the Family Weekend site for complete information and be sure to check the location for every event.  If you have questions when you arrive on campus, call 616-526-6802.

Family Weekend sessions, Friday plans

Family Weekend will be full of activities for parents to enjoy with or without your student.  Consider attending the sectionals offered on Friday, October 23:

10:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. James Timmer, Men's Athletic Director, will lead a tour of the new Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex.
1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.  Donald De Graaf, Director of Off-Campus Programs, will present "Off-Campus Programs: Creating a Lifetime of Global Opportunities," in the DeVos Communication Center Bytwerk Theater.
2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Dr. Randall Wolthuis, Director of the Broene Counseling Center, will build on his popular Passport presentation, "For Parents Only - Part 2," in Hiemenga Hall 431.

In addition to these seminars, there are other Friday activities including a geology and geography department presentation, the commissioning of Chaplain Mary Hulst, the science division research fair, the concert with Samantha Crain & the Midnight Shivers, many athletic events, star gazing, and more.  Check Friday's complete schedule.  If you have questions when you arrive on campus, call 616-526-6802.

Family Weekend chapel, Saturday plans, food service

There is a special chapel service at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning which has been planned especially with parents and families in mind.  Please join us in praise, petition and thanksgiving to God for our students and the successes and challenges of the school year so far.  Other Saturday activities include a pancake breakfast, athletic events, tours, family activities, trolley tours, and more. 

All weekend long, Calvin dining services has special events planned for Family Weekend with special pricing starting with dinner on Friday, October 23, and running through brunch on Sunday, October 25.  On Saturday, there will be root beer floats in Knollcrest Dining Hall.  On Sunday, there will be a special brunch in Commons Dining Hall featuring homemade apple cobbler, and cookie and brownie decorating. Prices are  $4 for breakfast, $5 for lunch, and $7 for dinner or brunch (for ages 12 and up). Children ages six to 11 are half-price; five and under eat free!

A challenge for all

A new annual giving campaign challenges all—alumni, staff, faculty and friends of the college—to support Calvin students. The Every Student Challenge was designed to put a face, or, more accurately, faces, on the Calvin Annual Fund.

Seminary Fair on October 21

On Wednesday, October 21, the college will be sponsoring its third annual Seminary Fair. Representatives from 30 seminaries and divinity schools, from a wide variety of denominations and traditions, will be on campus to talk with interested students about their schools, degree programs and the path to professional ministry. These representatives are eager to talk with any students who are considering (even if tentatively) a seminary education after college. If your student has indicated an interest in seminary or a possible call to ministry, please encourage them to take advantage of this opportunity. Sponsored by the Pre-Ministry Program. Contact Matt Lundberg  in the congregational and ministry studies department (616-526-7804) with any questions.

Popcorn for your student!

The Student Treats program sends treats and goodies to students for a birthday, special event or as an "anytime" surprise to remind your student of your love and support. The next deadline is for the Popcorn Treat on October 27.  The Popcorn Treat features three bags of deluxe flavored popcorn—caramel, cheese, and butter—delivered in a reusable Calvin shopping bag. Anyone can order individual treats or "A Year of Treats" which saves time and money. Find out more on the Student Treats site.

A reminder about academic advising

Calvin College reserves two days each semester for academic advising and the fall dates are October 27 and 28. This is a time when classes are not in session so that faculty can meet with their advisees. Feel free to check out this short video clip on academic advising from a student's perspective: http://www.vimeo.com/6591426.  More information about academic advising---tips, resources, videos, and a link to their Facebook page---is found here.
 
Students are instructed to schedule an appointment with each of their faculty advisors (one or more depending on the number of majors a student is pursuing) and prepare for registration. Students must meet with their assigned advisor in order to be cleared for KnightVision registration. Please do all you can to encourage your son or daughter to take full advantage of these two days on campus. 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 get-away. Questions? Please feel free to contact coordinator of academic advising Dana Hebreard.

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:
October 23 & 24: Family Weekend and Reunions on campus
October 24: Prof. Janel Curry will speak in Whitinsville (Mass.) about caring for creation
October 27: Zeeland (Mich.) Winter Sports Luncheon
November 1: Grand Rapids (Mich.) Alumni Choir service
November 15: Kalamazoo (Mich.) Alumni Choir service