News

Innovating, Serving, and Equipping Students for Success
Professor of Chemistry Kumar Sinniah is the 2021 recipient of the Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching, the highest teaching honor at Calvin University. May 24,2021

Calvin Prison Initiative grads reflect on education behind bars
Eleven graduates from the Class of 2020 and 2021 share about their experience in the Calvin Prison Initiative program, and how they plan to use their Calvin education to help communities flourish behind bars. May 21,2021

Calvin University grad among 12 Hertz Fellows nationwide
Nathanael Kazmierczak, a 2020 Calvin University graduate, is one of the 12 recipients of the prestigious Hertz Fellowship. May 18,2021

Calvin University selects Noah Toly as provost
Noah Toly will begin his tenure as provost of Calvin University on July 1, 2021. Toly currently serves as executive director of the Center for Urban Engagement and chair of urban studies at Wheaton College. April 19,2021

Research experience guides students to Goldwater Scholarships
Two Calvin University students were recently named Goldwater Scholars, widely considered the most prestigious award for undergraduate students in the sciences. They credit their research at Calvin for opening many doors. April 16,2021

Calvin selects dean for School of Business
Jim Ludema returns to his alma mater, Calvin University, as an experienced educator, researcher, and administrator. He also comes with an extensive network in the business world and consulting experience for Fortune 500 Companies. April 15,2021

Student research leads to Toyota patent
Calvin University students and professors worked together over the past several years on a project for Toyota. Their research discoveries have now yielded a patent. March 8,2021

Breaking ground, sharing vision for School of Business
On Tuesday, March 2, administrators, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and city commissioners, joined together to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Calvin University School of Business building. March 5,2021

A Common and Rare Purpose
Calvin University recently partnered with Spectrum Health and MSU College of Human Medicine to create the Rare Disease Network. Calvin senior Elle Hazlett was instrumental in launching this community of rare disease researchers, doctors, patients and their families. February 20,2021

Calvin University launches master's program in media and strategic communication
Calvin's new master of arts degree in media and strategic communication is a one-year program designed to blend theory, practice, and ethics. January 25,2021

When A Community Shapes You
When Michael went to jail in 1992 for second-degree murder, he felt his humanity had ended. Nearly three decades later, he testifies to how his Calvin community helped him see himself no longer as an agent of destruction, but rather as an agent of renewal. January 22,2021

No borders at Calvin University
Calvin University created an online cohort so that international students who could not make it to campus this fall would have an option to begin their time at Calvin. This fall, 65 students completed their first semester online, and all 65 intend to continue online or in-person this spring. December 23,2020

Building a bridge for Spanish immersion students
Calvin University is helping high school students who are fluent in Spanish build on their Spanish immersion experience and deepen their understanding of the language. Better yet, students are able to earn a minor in Spanish and a semester's worth of college credit before they graduate high school. December 14,2020

Psychology professor pioneers study to help adoptees improve social skills
Emily Helder, professor of psychology at Calvin University, is working with a team of staff and students to help adolescents who are experiencing peer social difficulties. This study represents the first application of UCLA's PEERS intervention on adopted individuals. December 7,2020

Calvin University opens a new door for students with disabilities
A $1.2 million Transition and Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) grant from the U.S. Department of Education puts Calvin on a path to be the first university in Michigan to offer a Comprehensive Transition and Post-Secondary program. November 13,2020

Calvin University featured in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges 2021 Edition
The Princeton Review highlights Calvin University as one of the nation's most environmentally responsible institutions. October 29,2020

Calvin University moves up in U.S. News categories
In U.S. News & World Report's 2021 Best Colleges Guidebook, Calvin gained some ground in some U.S. News categories and maintained the school's overall ranking of #3 in the Midwest Regional Universities category. September 14,2020

How Calvin University made a safe return to campus for fall 2020
On Tuesday, September 1, Calvin University classes were back in session, and in-person for the first time since mid-March. The return was months in the making. September 2,2020

Creating a dune on Calvin's campus
Realizing bringing her class regularly to the lakeshore to do research would be riskier this year, Calvin professor Deanna van Dijk decided to bring the research site to the students. 450 cubic yards of sand is coming to campus. July 30,2020

Calvin receives $11 million gift for faculty development
Calvin University is receiving an $11 million gift that will deepen the institution's commitment to teach from a Reformed Christian perspective and expand its ability to shape Reformed Christian thought leadership around the world. June 29,2020

A teacher to teachers, known for scholarship and service
Education professor Robert Keeley is the recipient of the 2020 Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching, Calvin's highest teaching honor. June 12,2020

Calvin University School of Business Announces New Bachelor of Science in Financial Planning
With a new degree offering from the business department, Calvin becomes one of the few faith-based institutions in the United States to offer an accredited financial planning program. June 9,2020

Calvin alum responds to the pandemic with innovative diagnostics
What 2011 grad Cheri Ackerman is doing in the lab as a postdoctoral fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard is about as relevant as it gets in the current environment. May 18,2020

Discovering a path forward in a COVID-shaped world
Fifteen faculty experts from Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary will lead 23 courses this summer that help participants discover what it means to be a Christian witness in a world shaped by COVID-19. May 6,2020

Discovering beauty at the intersection of disciplines
Beginning in January 2021, Calvin senior Jason Entingh will be heading to Eastern Europe for six months as an English Teaching Assistant through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. His journey started with a love of language. April 29,2020

Calvin receives national recognition for community engagement
Calvin University is one of 359 campuses across the country to receive the Carnegie Foundation's Classification for Community Engagement in 2020. February 11,2020

Calvin creates associate provost position
In January, Kevin den Dulk became Calvin's first associate provost, a position that focuses on extending Calvin's mission to reach new populations. February 11,2020

Joe Kuilema named Professor of the Year
Calvin social work professor Joe Kuilema voted 2019 Professor of the Year by students. May 14,2019

Calvin students among best in the nation for CPA exam pass rate
In 2017, 75% of Calvin students taking the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam for the first time passed, a rate 25% higher than the national average. November 16,2018

Calvin receives $1 million NSF grant to increase student retention in STEM
Calvin College faculty are working on finding solutions that will give every student an equal opportunity at success in STEM fields. November 8,2018

Reimagining the Honors program to better serve diversity of scholars
Over the next two years, Calvin's Honors program will be updated and restructured around a two-track model to improve program completion, community, and interdisciplinary learning. October 24,2018

Masters of Education program takes step toward Hong Kong
Leaders from Calvin College and Lumina College signed an agreement signaling an important step forward in Lumina College offering Calvin’s Masters of Education program in Hong Kong. The program is pending approval from the Higher Learning Commission in the United States and the Education Bureau in Hong Kong. September 11,2018

U.S. News & World Report ranks Calvin #1 in the Midwest
For the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranks Calvin College #1 overall among Midwest regional colleges. September 10,2018

New program equips students for leadership in the church
The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW) announces the establishment of the Ministry Leadership Cohort—a two-year program available to incoming Calvin College students. September 5,2018

Calvin launches Kuyper Institute for Global Faculty Development
Named in honor of 19th-century Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper, the institute will enable Christian leaders and faculty to deepen their understanding of the Reformed tradition broadly, and Kuyperian thinking particularly. July 19,2018

Calvin collaborating to promote diversity in health care professions
Calvin College is collaborating with the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute and six area higher ed institutions to create “Pathways to Careers in Healthcare” for area students of color. June 28,2018

Calvin College graduates the Class of 2018
On Saturday, May 19, 2018, nearly 900 students will participate in Calvin College’s 98th Commencement ceremony, held at 2 p.m. in the Van Noord arena. May 18,2018

Eric Washington awarded Professor of the Year
Professor of history Eric Washington is Calvin College's 2018 Professor of the Year, an award given annually by the senior class. May 14,2018

Calvin College to become Calvin University by 2020
Calvin College's move to Calvin University will happen by 2020, the 100th-anniversary year of Calvin becoming a four-year college. May 8,2018

Animating words, shaping students
On Friday, May 4, 2018, English professor Lew Klatt received Calvin College's highest faculty honor, the Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching. May 7,2018

Calvin classroom pilots cutting-edge Google technology
In collaboration with Google, the Michigan Colleges Alliance is piloting the Google Course Share Collaboration, a new approach that aims to expand course options at smaller private colleges. February 8,2018

Calvin remembers John VandenBerg
John VandenBerg served at Calvin College for 35 years as an economics professor, dean of faculty and vice president of academic affairs. November 28,2017

Class of 2021 shows academic strength
Calvin’s class of 2021 brings with them the highest average GPA on record for an incoming class of students at 3.75. July 31,2017

Walking Boldly: Virginia Davidson
Virginia Davidson ’17’s Calvin experience—from John’s Hopkins to the Emergency Department at Spectrum—prepared her for a career of love and service as a nurse. July 25,2017

Walking Boldly: Ana Barahona Reyes
She pushed herself outside her comfort zone, and now Ana Barahona Reyes ’17 has a degree in public accounting. July 20,2017

Walking Boldly: Reitsma Mpindi
“If nothing else,” says Reitsma Mpindi ’17, “learn to love and trust the process.” July 18,2017

Walking Boldly: Sarah Witt
Through engaging classes, dedicated professors, an off-campus interim and the liberal arts, Calvin prepared Sarah Witt ’17 to study veterinary medicine on the other side of the world. July 11,2017

Calvin College Joins NAC&U Consortium
Calvin College recently joined The New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U), a consortium of institutions that values liberal arts education, professional studies and civic engagement. July 10,2017

Walking Boldly: Nolan Coallier
Because of a mission trip to Honduras, Nolan Coallier ’17 knew he wanted to pursue medical missions. Calvin, and a full-tuition scholarship to the Medical College of Wisconsin, are helping him achieve that goal. July 6,2017

Walking Boldly: Megan Pluymert
Calvin taught Megan Pluymert ’17 to view the world holistically, with a mind toward renewal. She’s now using her environmental studies major to study urban and regional planning. July 4,2017