For Love of the Arts
While Rita Feikema has a passion for theatre, she wanted a college that would let her explore the arts and still support her Christian faith. For Rita, all the world’s a stage—or at least all of Calvin is. Rita is active in the Calvin Theatre Company and has been involved in several productions, including “Sense and Sensibility,” where she worked on the stage crew. In addition to her backstage work, she has contributed to comedy sketches for Laughterhouse Five. An undeclared major who is considering the humanities and linguistics, Rita enjoys the close-knit community of the theatre department. “I really feel like part of the company.”
Rita was recruited by several prestigious schools, and she chose Calvin because it offered more than just an outstanding education. “I also wanted Christian support and accountability. And everything about Calvin has been fantastic. At a secular school, there’s a perception that you can study and talk about anything—except God. At Calvin, you can talk about anything, beginning with the idea that God is sovereign over everything.”
Rita is glad she chose a faith-based college that fosters both her love of the arts and her spirituality. And downtown Grand Rapids, less than 10 miles from campus, offers lots of opportunities for her to explore theatre, movies, dance, and more. And, when she has a “craving” for really big events, Rita’s been know to drive to Chicago (200 miles west of Grand Rapids).
“Calvin begins with the notion that you can learn about God through theatre, math, philosophy—any major. We’re told to love God with all our hearts, minds, and souls, and Calvin takes the mind part very seriously.”
After Calvin, Rita plans to go to graduate school. “I would love to be considered a Christian intellectual, a Christian who is respected for the quality of my thought and the strength of my arguments.” Eventually, she thinks she might even go into politics but “right now I’m enjoying learning everything that I can.