This is good news for Calvin, which in the past several years has significantly stepped up its efforts to recruit minorities. These efforts reflect Calvin’s commitment to "truly reflect the mosaic of God’s Kingdom." Darlene Zwart, International Student Admissions and Immigration Advisor, notes that coming to Calvin "allows international students the opportunities of America while giving American students opportunity to experience other countries through our international students." Calvin’s efforts are also a practical response to the fact that the minority population is growing and more and more prospective college students are coming from varied backgrounds.

"We stick our noses in a lot of places," said John Matias, explaining Calvin’s recruiting methods. In 1997, Matias was hired as Calvin’s first assistant director of admissions for multicultural students. Previously, recruiting minorities had been an additional task placed on the shoulders of one already busy admissions counselor. Now Matias oversees five admissions counselors specifically dedicated to recruiting minorities.

One place Matias encourages counselors to recruit is the public schools. "We need to stop looking just at traditional feeder schools," he said. "For example, we need to go not just to Grand Rapids Christian High, but to Union High School (in Grand Rapids)."

Another place admissions is looking is in churches both within and also outside the Christian Reformed denomination. Local Church Initiatives (LCIs) partner Calvin with 17 inner city congregations in West Michigan and around the country to put children and their parents on the path to higher education. The Pathways to Possibilities and S.T.E.P. programs offer trips and overnight stays at Calvin that simulate the college experience, as well as educating young people about the admissions process and financial aid. Entrada enables minority students to earn college credit and prepare for the college experiences while attending summer classes at Calvin. This is valuable help for students who are often the first in their families to attend college.

Admissions also relies on building relationships to recruit international students. "When families are considering sending their children halfway around the world for schooling, the recommendation of families, friends and previous student experiences is valued immensely," said Zwart.

Zwart and Matias both point to a rise in available financial aid as another important factor in Calvin’s multicultural growth. In 1993, Calvin began offering Mosaic scholarships to about 20 first-year students every year. Calvin has also greatly increased the number of Multicultural scholarships it awards: 95 of them this school year, as compared with 42 in 1996.

Calvin continues to look out for its multicultural students once they’ve enrolled, and an excellent retention rate demonstrates that the effort is worthwhile. Clubs such as the International Student Club and Banderas (a Hispanic club) provide students with community and support. Linda Bosch, international student advisor; Michael Travis, director for multicultural student development; and Jacqueline Rhodes, academic instructor, all serve as mentors.

"Diverse students are finally seeing Calvin as their school, not someone else’s school," said Matias. He points to the involvement of several AHANA students in student senate, and a Spanish radio show on W-CAL (Calvin’s radio station) as proof. "We are seeing growth in numbers, but also in involvement. It has been absolutely exciting."

By Abe Huyser-Honig ‘04

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