Calvin College
Encyclopedia
Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts
college
located in Grand Rapids
, Michigan
. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church
and stands in the Reformed tradition
of Protestantism
. Calvin College is named after John Calvin
, the 16th century Protestant Reformer
.
founded the school on August 4, 1876, as part of Calvin College and Theological Seminary (with the seminary becoming Calvin Theological Seminary
) to train church ministers. It began with seven students enrolled in the first year. The original location was Spring Street in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The initial six-year curriculum
included four years of literary studies and two years of theology
. In 1892, the campus was moved to the intersection of Madison Avenue and Franklin Street (Fifth Avenue) in Grand Rapids. In September 1894, the school expanded the curriculum for those who were not pre-theological students, making the institution in effect a preparatory school. In 1900, the curriculum further broadened, making it more attractive to students interested in teaching or preparing for preprofessional courses at universities. A year later Calvin admitted the first women to the school.
In 1906, the literary department of the college became known as John Calvin Junior College and the college held its first commencement. The student newspaper Chimes was first published in 1907. Around 1910, the West Michigan cities of Muskegon and Kalamazoo fought to have Calvin relocate to their respective cities. Muskegon offered US$10,000 (approximately $250,000 in 2007 dollars) and a tract of land to attract the college. The city of Grand Rapids countered with its own $10,000 offer and the junior college chose to stay in Grand Rapids. The two-year college in time became a four-year college, and the preparatory department was discontinued. John Calvin Junior College moved in 1917 to the Franklin Street Campus which at the time was the south east edge of Grand Rapids. Two years later the college appointed its first president, the Rev. J.J. Hiemenga
. Then a year later, in 1920, the college transitioned into a four year college following the liberal arts philosophy of the Free University
in Amsterdam
as laid out by Dutch theologian and statesman Abraham Kuyper. The next year the college awarded its first bachelor's degree. In 1924, with the opening of Grand Rapids Christian High School
, the college offered its last year of preparatory education, focusing exclusively on higher education and opened its first dormitory. The next year, the college began offering a teacher training program and in 1926 appointed its first female faculty member, Johanna Timmer, as Dean of Women. The college dedicated its library, the Hekman Library on March 8, 1928. The college later dedicated its seminary building at the Franklin Street Campus on October 29, 1930. Still under the leadership of Rev. Hiemenga the college faced significant trouble during the onset of the Great Depression
as financial hardship beset the college.
Although the school grew slowly in its early years, by 1930 it had reached its pre-World War I
size of 350-450 students. By 1950 the enrollment had climbed to 1,270, this same year the college joined the M.I.A.A.
. During this period, the college experienced severe space limitations at the land-locked Franklin Campus as enrollment continued to climb. Also at this time of growth, William Spoelhoef became president of Calvin. At the Franklin campus, the college was located on one large city block. In 1956, the Synod
of the Christian Reformed Church authorized the college to purchase the Knollcrest Farm from J.C. Miller for $400,000 (approximately $2.9 million in 2007 dollars). Originally outside of town in the southeast of Grand Rapids, the Knollcrest farm increased Calvin's campus from approximately one large city block to 390 acres (1.6 km²) with a 100 acres (0.4 km²) nature preserve. Many were reticent about the project and the college's ability to finance it. Under the bold leadership of President Spoelhoef, the college made plans to move forward. The Theological Seminary, since it did not need to be in close proximity to the college, built a new academic building on the site and began holding classes there in 1960. As space constraints became more noticeable, the college built its first academic building on the Knollcrest Campus and held classes there in 1962. For the next 10 years, the college continued to operate at both the Knollcrest and Franklin campuses, fully transitioning to the Knollcrest Campus in 1973. During the latter decades of the 20th century, Calvin grew to around 4,200 students, where the enrollment has remained since. In 1991, the Seminary and the College established separate boards of trustees.
At the turn of the millennium, with enrollment over 4,000 students, Calvin began several new construction projects. Among these were a new communications and political science building, a conference center and hotel. In 2006, Calvin announced an expansion of the Fieldhouse which was completed in the spring of 2009.
The curriculum has expanded to include professional training in a variety of fields, but the college maintains a strong commitment to a liberal arts curriculum, which the college views as a means to develop students' understanding of God's world and their place in it.
The school made national headlines in 2005 when US President
George W. Bush
served as commencement speaker. According to the Washington Post, more than 800 faculty members, alumni, students and friends of the school signed a full-page ad in the Grand Rapids Press
, saying that Bush's policies "...violate many deeply held principles of Calvin College." Some protested by wearing stickers with the phrase "God is not a Republican... or a Democrat" to the commencement. The protests have given Calvin a reputation amongst evangelical Christians for having more liberal students and faculty than most other evangelical colleges.
In the summer of 2008, The Capella of Calvin College, the concert choir of Calvin under the direction of professor Joel Navarro, earned two third prizes in the Mixed and Free Category at the 37th Florilege Vocal de Tours Competition in Tours
, France.
In August 2009, the College's Board of Trustees issued a controversial memo to all employees that said that faculty were prohibited from teaching, writing about, or advocating on behalf of homosexuality
or homosexual issues like same-sex marriage
. Many faculty members were critical of the policy and of the way it was adopted without consultation by the board. The Faculty Senate rejected the memo overwhelmingly by a vote of 36-4.
In September 2010, the college canceled a concert by Canadian
indie rock band, The New Pornographers
. According to an official statement released by Calvin, the concert was cancelled after several complaints were made due to the band's name referring to pornography.
Calvin offers majors or minors in 115 academic or pre-professional fields. The most popular majors are business, engineering and nursing. Calvin is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
and as an institution in the Reformed tradition of Christianity
, subscribes to a robust theology that produces a high regard for participating in and forming culture.
's prairie style
of architecture. Working with President Spoelhof, Fyfe came up with a set of design principles for the campus aimed to both symbolically represent and physically promote such ideals as the integration of faith and learning
; integration of administration, faculty, and students; and the inter-relatedness of all the disciplines. The integration of knowledge was symbolized in the arrangement of the academic buildings. Unlike many college campuses which feature an impressive structure at the center of the campus, such as a chapel or administrative hall, Calvin has no such building. The major buildings on campus are all in a great circle around the Commons Lawn. The lawn was intended and serves as the common point of interaction between faculty, students, and administration. Following the ideal of an integrated community, all of the buildings are intended serve a variety of purposes. Administration is mixed with classrooms, faculty offices and lecture halls. The departments are not sequestered apart from other departments by residing in separate buildings, but many departments share facilities to encourage the solidarity of purpose and unity contributing to a strong inter-departmental character and stronger Christian community. In addition, the Prairie style of the buildings—low-slung, set into the contours of the land, and all constructed of the same beige brick that has come to be known in Grand Rapids as "Calvin Brick"—was intended to reflect Calvin's belief that we are caretakers of God's natural creation.
, philosophy
, classical languages and religion
. The building also houses the Honors Program office, Student Academic Services as well as other programs and offices. It is connected to the campus chapel and Spoelhof Center via underground tunnels.
The Science Building houses many of the science departments at Calvin, including engineering
, physics
, astronomy
, psychology
and nursing
. The building also features an impressive observatory
for an undergraduate college. When there are favorable skies, the observatory is open to the public on weeknights. Calvin is the only institution in which new solar system object discovery is a regular assignment. The Science Building is also distinctive for having been designed in the shape of a hexagon, emulating the benzene
ring.
Built in the mid-1990s, John "Doc" DeVries Hall houses classrooms, faculty offices, research labs and a greenhouse. In addition to the Biology
and Chemistry
departments, the building houses the West Michigan Regional Lab, a consortium between the college and local hospital, Spectrum Health. Attached to DeVries Hall and the Science Building is North Hall, which houses several departments including economics
, business
, geology
, geography
, environmental studies
, computer science
, and mathematics
. The college also has an engineering
building housing department offices and project design and construction centers.
The Fine Arts Center is one of the most quickly recognized buildings on campus, given its giant heptagon shape. Designed around the central auditorium, which seats 1200, the FAC houses the Music
and English
departments. The FAC auditorium is the preeminent musical performance space on campus featuring exceptional acoustics. At the back of the stage is the 39 rank, 32 stop mechanical action organ built by Schlicker Organs in 1966. Reflecting the musical heritage of its supporting church, the Christian Reformed Church, the music department has a number of students who study pipe organ performance and play on four pipe instruments in the FAC. There have been an estimated 18,000 events since its opening. The auditorium is also equipped with acoustical curtains, a stage lift, three catwalks, and several separate electrics making the FAC able to handle a wide variety of events from recitals to rock shows. The building was closed for 2009-2010 for extensive remodeling.
The Spoelhof Center, named after president emeritus William Spoelhof
, houses the art
, education
, social work
and sociology
departments, the Office of the President, and several other administrative departments. The Gezon Auditorium is also housed in the Spoelhof Center. Dedicated in 1974, the Gezon Auditorium primarily serves as the main stage for the Calvin Theatre Company. Like the FAC, it has flexible lighting and sound systems and serves as a venue for concerts, lectures and other events. On the lower level of the Spoelhof Center, there is an art gallery which hosts a variety of exhibitions. The Spoelhof Center connects to the Science Building and Hiemenga Hall via underground tunnels.
Across the beltline, the DeVos Communication Center was built in 2002. The building's upper level houses department and faculty offices for both the political science and communications arts and sciences departments. Additionally, there is a suite of audiology and speech pathology classrooms and facilities including a working clinic. The lower level of the building features production facilities such as the Bytwerk Video Theatre, an audio studio, sound stage
, control room, and editing suites for audio and video production. The ground floor features classrooms, a public atrium, and a snack cart.
) which is currently the largest arena in a Division 3 school, an Olympic-regulation swimming pool (Venema Aquatic Center) which seats about 500, a tennis and track center (Huizenga Center) containing 4 tennis courts which are sometimes used for intramurals, 14000 square feet (1,300.6 m²) of weight training rooms and a custom made rock climbing wall. The Hoogenboom Health and Recreation Center contains the original renovated gym that is now used for basketball, volleyball, PE classes, intramurals, and other non-sporting events. The Hoogenboom also has a dance studio as well as racket ball courts and exercise laboratories.
Since opening in 2009 the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex has hosted a number of concerts including Lupe Fiasco
and Jars of Clay
with Thousand Foot Krutch
.
, Religion
, American literature
, British literature
, and Philosophy
.
Associated with the Hekman Library is the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies. The center is a research library specializing in John Calvin and Calvinism. With many rare items, books, manuscripts, articles and literature, the Meeter Center is acclaimed as one of the most extensive and user-friendly of all Calvin and Calvinism collections. The Meeter Center is the largest collection of Calvin materials in North America.
Hekman Library is currently the second largest private academic library in the state.
Though always part of the master plan, The Chapel was not built until the late 1980s. The chapel holds daily services in a protected time slot to ensure that all students and faculty members are able to attend the 20 minute worship services if they so choose. Chapel services follow a weekly rhythm with the respective days known as Sing a New Song, Proclamation, Community Voices, Catch Your Breath, and the very popular Friday Songfest.
Designed by GMB Architects, the chapel sits at the highest point of the academic circle and its spire rises above all of the academic buildings. Shaped as an octagon, with seating in the round, the Chapel offers exceptional acoustics for both instrumental and vocal music, in addition to the spoken word. The Chapel also features a large organ built by Dobson Pipe Organ Builders
. The three manual instrument features mechanical key action with a detached console. The facade pipes, made of 75% burnished tin, conceal some 2,500 pipes. In addition to the sanctuary, the Chapel has small prayer rooms, classrooms, meeting spaces, a kitchen, theatre storage and rehearsal spaces.
A tunnel system connecting to the Spoelhof Center creates an outdoor plaza at ground level and the multi-use Lab Theatre below. The Lab Theatre is a blackbox theatre built in 1988 as a part of the chapel building project. The Lab Theatre was built during the chapel construction project.
certified.
to discriminate on the basis of religious criteria in its hiring, personnel practices and admissions. Among other things, this means that the college requires faculty members to be church members and proscribes sexual relations outside of marriage as well as homosexual relations of any sort. This has led Calvin College's employment advertisements to be flagged as discriminatory by the American Philosophical Association
. According to a student-survey based study at 376 colleges in America published by the Princeton Review, Calvin College is ranked 16th most LGBT
-unfriendly.
Student statistics
First year student profile
(middle 50% of students)
.
Starting out with two small events in 2003 and 2005 (each with 150-200 attendees), the festival grew dramatically and tickets for the 2007 event (over 1000) sold out in advance, due in part to the heightened profile of its headline acts and in part growing word of mouth.
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
located in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church
Christian Reformed Church in North America
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed churches of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by Gijsbert Haan and Dutch immigrants who left the Reformed Church in...
and stands in the Reformed tradition
Reformed churches
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
of Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
. Calvin College is named after John Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
, the 16th century Protestant Reformer
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
.
History
The Christian Reformed Church in North AmericaChristian Reformed Church in North America
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed churches of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by Gijsbert Haan and Dutch immigrants who left the Reformed Church in...
founded the school on August 4, 1876, as part of Calvin College and Theological Seminary (with the seminary becoming Calvin Theological Seminary
Calvin Theological Seminary
Calvin Theological Seminary is a seminary affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and closely tied to Calvin College, though each institution has its own board. Rev...
) to train church ministers. It began with seven students enrolled in the first year. The original location was Spring Street in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The initial six-year curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
included four years of literary studies and two years of theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. In 1892, the campus was moved to the intersection of Madison Avenue and Franklin Street (Fifth Avenue) in Grand Rapids. In September 1894, the school expanded the curriculum for those who were not pre-theological students, making the institution in effect a preparatory school. In 1900, the curriculum further broadened, making it more attractive to students interested in teaching or preparing for preprofessional courses at universities. A year later Calvin admitted the first women to the school.
In 1906, the literary department of the college became known as John Calvin Junior College and the college held its first commencement. The student newspaper Chimes was first published in 1907. Around 1910, the West Michigan cities of Muskegon and Kalamazoo fought to have Calvin relocate to their respective cities. Muskegon offered US$10,000 (approximately $250,000 in 2007 dollars) and a tract of land to attract the college. The city of Grand Rapids countered with its own $10,000 offer and the junior college chose to stay in Grand Rapids. The two-year college in time became a four-year college, and the preparatory department was discontinued. John Calvin Junior College moved in 1917 to the Franklin Street Campus which at the time was the south east edge of Grand Rapids. Two years later the college appointed its first president, the Rev. J.J. Hiemenga
John Hiemenga
John J. Hiemenga was a Dutch-American pastor and educator and first President of Calvin College from 1919-1925.Born Jan Hiemenga to Jan Hiemenga Sr. and Romkje Zoodsma in Arum, Friesland, the Netherlands, he emigrated with his family to Borculo, Michigan in 1889...
. Then a year later, in 1920, the college transitioned into a four year college following the liberal arts philosophy of the Free University
Vrije Universiteit
The Vrije Universiteit is a university in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch name is often abbreviated as VU and in English the university uses the name "VU University". The university is located on a compact urban campus in the southern part of Amsterdam in the Buitenveldert district...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
as laid out by Dutch theologian and statesman Abraham Kuyper. The next year the college awarded its first bachelor's degree. In 1924, with the opening of Grand Rapids Christian High School
Grand Rapids Christian High School
Grand Rapids Christian High School is a parentally-controlled, private, Christian secondary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1920, "Christian High" is a member of and Christian Schools International...
, the college offered its last year of preparatory education, focusing exclusively on higher education and opened its first dormitory. The next year, the college began offering a teacher training program and in 1926 appointed its first female faculty member, Johanna Timmer, as Dean of Women. The college dedicated its library, the Hekman Library on March 8, 1928. The college later dedicated its seminary building at the Franklin Street Campus on October 29, 1930. Still under the leadership of Rev. Hiemenga the college faced significant trouble during the onset of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
as financial hardship beset the college.
Although the school grew slowly in its early years, by 1930 it had reached its pre-World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
size of 350-450 students. By 1950 the enrollment had climbed to 1,270, this same year the college joined the M.I.A.A.
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association is an athletic conference that competes in the NCAA's Division III. The nine teams in the conference are all located in the states of Michigan and Indiana. The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association was established on March 24, 1888, making...
. During this period, the college experienced severe space limitations at the land-locked Franklin Campus as enrollment continued to climb. Also at this time of growth, William Spoelhoef became president of Calvin. At the Franklin campus, the college was located on one large city block. In 1956, the Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of the Christian Reformed Church authorized the college to purchase the Knollcrest Farm from J.C. Miller for $400,000 (approximately $2.9 million in 2007 dollars). Originally outside of town in the southeast of Grand Rapids, the Knollcrest farm increased Calvin's campus from approximately one large city block to 390 acres (1.6 km²) with a 100 acres (0.4 km²) nature preserve. Many were reticent about the project and the college's ability to finance it. Under the bold leadership of President Spoelhoef, the college made plans to move forward. The Theological Seminary, since it did not need to be in close proximity to the college, built a new academic building on the site and began holding classes there in 1960. As space constraints became more noticeable, the college built its first academic building on the Knollcrest Campus and held classes there in 1962. For the next 10 years, the college continued to operate at both the Knollcrest and Franklin campuses, fully transitioning to the Knollcrest Campus in 1973. During the latter decades of the 20th century, Calvin grew to around 4,200 students, where the enrollment has remained since. In 1991, the Seminary and the College established separate boards of trustees.
At the turn of the millennium, with enrollment over 4,000 students, Calvin began several new construction projects. Among these were a new communications and political science building, a conference center and hotel. In 2006, Calvin announced an expansion of the Fieldhouse which was completed in the spring of 2009.
The curriculum has expanded to include professional training in a variety of fields, but the college maintains a strong commitment to a liberal arts curriculum, which the college views as a means to develop students' understanding of God's world and their place in it.
The school made national headlines in 2005 when US President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
served as commencement speaker. According to the Washington Post, more than 800 faculty members, alumni, students and friends of the school signed a full-page ad in the Grand Rapids Press
Grand Rapids Press
The Grand Rapids Press is a daily newspaper published in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is the largest of the eight Booth newspapers. It is sold for $.75 daily and $2.00 on Sunday.AccuWeather provides weather content to the Grand Rapids Press....
, saying that Bush's policies "...violate many deeply held principles of Calvin College." Some protested by wearing stickers with the phrase "God is not a Republican... or a Democrat" to the commencement. The protests have given Calvin a reputation amongst evangelical Christians for having more liberal students and faculty than most other evangelical colleges.
In the summer of 2008, The Capella of Calvin College, the concert choir of Calvin under the direction of professor Joel Navarro, earned two third prizes in the Mixed and Free Category at the 37th Florilege Vocal de Tours Competition in Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
, France.
In August 2009, the College's Board of Trustees issued a controversial memo to all employees that said that faculty were prohibited from teaching, writing about, or advocating on behalf of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
or homosexual issues like same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. Many faculty members were critical of the policy and of the way it was adopted without consultation by the board. The Faculty Senate rejected the memo overwhelmingly by a vote of 36-4.
In September 2010, the college canceled a concert by Canadian
Music of Canada
The music of Canada has influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between...
indie rock band, The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
. According to an official statement released by Calvin, the concert was cancelled after several complaints were made due to the band's name referring to pornography.
Academics
Calvin College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary SchoolsCalvin offers majors or minors in 115 academic or pre-professional fields. The most popular majors are business, engineering and nursing. Calvin is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities is an organization designed to help primarily Protestant and evangelical Christian institutions of higher education cooperate and communicate with one another...
and as an institution in the Reformed tradition of Christianity
Reformed churches
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
, subscribes to a robust theology that produces a high regard for participating in and forming culture.
Core curriculum
Because Calvin is a liberal arts college, it has established a core curriculum with three parts: Gateway, Competencies and Studies, and Capstone. The average students takes 45 hours of core courses in the course of a four-year degree at Calvin.Core: Gateway
When students matriculate into Calvin, they begin their studies with a seven-week course known as Prelude. Prelude introduces students to issues of learning, identity, vocation, discernment, and awareness through discussions and presentations. Students also take Developing a Christian Mind (DCM), a first-year interim course which introduces the development of a Christian worldview and a faith-based engagement with culture.Core: Competencies and Studies
Calvin students are required to take a number of essential classes known as Core Competencies and Core Studies. Core Competencies, such as written rhetoric, world language, and information technology, develop skills essential to success in the academic and professional worlds. Core studies courses are designed to introduce students to a variety of disciplines, providing them with a greater understanding of the world and integration of ideas essential to a well-rounded liberal arts education. Typically a number of Core Competencies and Core Studies courses will overlap with major and minor requirements.Core: Capstone
The Capstone course, generally taken during the junior or senior year, draws together themes and concepts from the core curriculum and major area of study. This course emphasizes taking stock of what students have learned in their time at Calvin and how they can use that knowledge to engage the world and their chosen field.Other opportunities
In addition to engaging the world after graduation, Calvin also encourages academic exploration outside of the classroom while still studying at Calvin.- Internships - The college has numerous internship opportunities to gain valuable work experience. The Career Development Office helps to place students in internships and to find vocational callings after graduating.
- Honors Program - Calvin has an extensive honors system to challenge students beyond the already academically rigorous courses of the college. The Honors Program offers a variety of courses, lectures and other challenging activities in and out of the classroom. Starting in the fall of 2008, Honors students will be able to live on a special floor in one of the residence halls. This floor is intended to foster an academically focused living-learning community.
- Off Campus Programs - Calvin offers ten study off campus programs at locations including EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Calvin also partners with numerous other colleges to offer dozens of other off-campus learning opportunities. Calvin also offers dozens of off-campus interims as well. - Interim - Every January, students spend three weeks taking a single course for credit. These courses are designed to allow students to take courses outside of the major and explore many new opportunities. Courses have included island hopping in the Galápagos, classes on knitting, the music of U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, learning to sail in the Florida Keys and learning about traditional Chinese medicine along with many others.
Campus
Located on what was once described as one of the beautiful residential properties in Michigan, many felt the Knollcrest Farm was the perfect place for a college campus. Calvin acquired the 166 acre (0.67177876 km²) property in the mid-50s and began a process of turning a biologically diverse farm into a center for Christian higher education. The master plan for the site was developed by William Beye Fyfe, a strong supporter of Frank Lloyd WrightFrank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
's prairie style
Prairie School
Prairie School was a late 19th and early 20th century architectural style, most common to the Midwestern United States.The works of the Prairie School architects are usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in horizontal bands,...
of architecture. Working with President Spoelhof, Fyfe came up with a set of design principles for the campus aimed to both symbolically represent and physically promote such ideals as the integration of faith and learning
Integration of faith and learning
The integration of faith and learning is a focus of many religious institutions of higher education. The broad concept encompasses the idea that the worldview and faith of the student should be deeply connected to the learning experience...
; integration of administration, faculty, and students; and the inter-relatedness of all the disciplines. The integration of knowledge was symbolized in the arrangement of the academic buildings. Unlike many college campuses which feature an impressive structure at the center of the campus, such as a chapel or administrative hall, Calvin has no such building. The major buildings on campus are all in a great circle around the Commons Lawn. The lawn was intended and serves as the common point of interaction between faculty, students, and administration. Following the ideal of an integrated community, all of the buildings are intended serve a variety of purposes. Administration is mixed with classrooms, faculty offices and lecture halls. The departments are not sequestered apart from other departments by residing in separate buildings, but many departments share facilities to encourage the solidarity of purpose and unity contributing to a strong inter-departmental character and stronger Christian community. In addition, the Prairie style of the buildings—low-slung, set into the contours of the land, and all constructed of the same beige brick that has come to be known in Grand Rapids as "Calvin Brick"—was intended to reflect Calvin's belief that we are caretakers of God's natural creation.
Academic buildings
Calvin has nine academic buildings on campus. The first to be constructed was Hiemenga Hall, named after John Hiemenga and built in 1961. Hiemenga Hall houses numerous academic departments including modern languages, historyHistory
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, classical languages and religion
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. The building also houses the Honors Program office, Student Academic Services as well as other programs and offices. It is connected to the campus chapel and Spoelhof Center via underground tunnels.
The Science Building houses many of the science departments at Calvin, including engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
. The building also features an impressive observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
for an undergraduate college. When there are favorable skies, the observatory is open to the public on weeknights. Calvin is the only institution in which new solar system object discovery is a regular assignment. The Science Building is also distinctive for having been designed in the shape of a hexagon, emulating the benzene
Benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6....
ring.
Built in the mid-1990s, John "Doc" DeVries Hall houses classrooms, faculty offices, research labs and a greenhouse. In addition to the Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
and Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
departments, the building houses the West Michigan Regional Lab, a consortium between the college and local hospital, Spectrum Health. Attached to DeVries Hall and the Science Building is North Hall, which houses several departments including economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, environmental studies
Environmental studies
Environmental studies is the academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. It is a broad interdisciplinary field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them...
, computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, and mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. The college also has an engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
building housing department offices and project design and construction centers.
The Fine Arts Center is one of the most quickly recognized buildings on campus, given its giant heptagon shape. Designed around the central auditorium, which seats 1200, the FAC houses the Music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
departments. The FAC auditorium is the preeminent musical performance space on campus featuring exceptional acoustics. At the back of the stage is the 39 rank, 32 stop mechanical action organ built by Schlicker Organs in 1966. Reflecting the musical heritage of its supporting church, the Christian Reformed Church, the music department has a number of students who study pipe organ performance and play on four pipe instruments in the FAC. There have been an estimated 18,000 events since its opening. The auditorium is also equipped with acoustical curtains, a stage lift, three catwalks, and several separate electrics making the FAC able to handle a wide variety of events from recitals to rock shows. The building was closed for 2009-2010 for extensive remodeling.
William Spoelhof
William Spoelhof was the President of Calvin College, and President Emeritus of the Grand Rapids, Michigan school.-Biography:...
, houses the art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
and sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
departments, the Office of the President, and several other administrative departments. The Gezon Auditorium is also housed in the Spoelhof Center. Dedicated in 1974, the Gezon Auditorium primarily serves as the main stage for the Calvin Theatre Company. Like the FAC, it has flexible lighting and sound systems and serves as a venue for concerts, lectures and other events. On the lower level of the Spoelhof Center, there is an art gallery which hosts a variety of exhibitions. The Spoelhof Center connects to the Science Building and Hiemenga Hall via underground tunnels.
Across the beltline, the DeVos Communication Center was built in 2002. The building's upper level houses department and faculty offices for both the political science and communications arts and sciences departments. Additionally, there is a suite of audiology and speech pathology classrooms and facilities including a working clinic. The lower level of the building features production facilities such as the Bytwerk Video Theatre, an audio studio, sound stage
Sound stage
In common usage, a sound stage is a soundproof, hangar-like structure, building, or room, used for the production of theatrical filmmaking and television production, usually located on a secure movie studio property.-Overview:...
, control room, and editing suites for audio and video production. The ground floor features classrooms, a public atrium, and a snack cart.
Athletic facilities
The Calvin Fieldhouse is home to the combined health, physical education, recreation, dance and sport department. In spring 2007, the college began a $50 million construction project to renovate and expand the Calvin Fieldhouse. The fieldhouse reopened in spring 2009 as the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex, the 362000 square feet (33,630.9 m²) facility includes a new 5,000 seat arena (Van Noord ArenaVan Noord Arena
Van Noord Arena is a 5,000-seat indoor arena located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, part of the Spoelhof Fieldhouse complex on the campus of Calvin College...
) which is currently the largest arena in a Division 3 school, an Olympic-regulation swimming pool (Venema Aquatic Center) which seats about 500, a tennis and track center (Huizenga Center) containing 4 tennis courts which are sometimes used for intramurals, 14000 square feet (1,300.6 m²) of weight training rooms and a custom made rock climbing wall. The Hoogenboom Health and Recreation Center contains the original renovated gym that is now used for basketball, volleyball, PE classes, intramurals, and other non-sporting events. The Hoogenboom also has a dance studio as well as racket ball courts and exercise laboratories.
Since opening in 2009 the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex has hosted a number of concerts including Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco , better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco , is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, Lupe is the CEO of 1st and 15th Entertainment. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food...
and Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay is a Christian rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. They met at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois.Jars of Clay consists of Dan Haseltine on vocals, Charlie Lowell on piano and keyboards, Stephen Mason on lead guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars...
with Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in 1995. They have released five major studio albums: Set It Off , Phenomenon , The Art of Breaking , The Flame In All of Us , and Welcome to the Masquerade . They also have one live album, Live at the Masquerade...
.
Hekman Library
Beginning in 1917 with 3,500 volumes, the "library room" eventually became the modern Hekman Library now boasting over 1.8 million volumes. The collection's emphasis is on collecting works in the traditional liberal arts disciplines. The library's strongest collections are in TheologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, Religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, American literature
American literature
American literature is the written or literary work produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. For more specific discussions of poetry and theater, see Poetry of the United States and Theater in the United States. During its early history, America was a series of British...
, British literature
British literature
British Literature refers to literature associated with the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Channel Islands. By far the largest part of British literature is written in the English language, but there are bodies of written works in Latin, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Cornish, Manx, Jèrriais,...
, and Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
.
Associated with the Hekman Library is the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies. The center is a research library specializing in John Calvin and Calvinism. With many rare items, books, manuscripts, articles and literature, the Meeter Center is acclaimed as one of the most extensive and user-friendly of all Calvin and Calvinism collections. The Meeter Center is the largest collection of Calvin materials in North America.
Hekman Library is currently the second largest private academic library in the state.
Chapel
Designed by GMB Architects, the chapel sits at the highest point of the academic circle and its spire rises above all of the academic buildings. Shaped as an octagon, with seating in the round, the Chapel offers exceptional acoustics for both instrumental and vocal music, in addition to the spoken word. The Chapel also features a large organ built by Dobson Pipe Organ Builders
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders is a manufacturer of pipe organs based in Lake City, Iowa.The company was founded in 1974 by Lynn A. Dobson, who serves as President and Artistic Director. The company has produced over 80 instruments of a wide variety of sizes and restored a number of historic organs. ...
. The three manual instrument features mechanical key action with a detached console. The facade pipes, made of 75% burnished tin, conceal some 2,500 pipes. In addition to the sanctuary, the Chapel has small prayer rooms, classrooms, meeting spaces, a kitchen, theatre storage and rehearsal spaces.
A tunnel system connecting to the Spoelhof Center creates an outdoor plaza at ground level and the multi-use Lab Theatre below. The Lab Theatre is a blackbox theatre built in 1988 as a part of the chapel building project. The Lab Theatre was built during the chapel construction project.
Bunker Interpretive Center
The Bunker Interpretive Center is a home base for formal programs and an educational resource for the approximately 5,000 casual visitors that the Calvin College Nature Preserve receives annually. The Bunker Interpretive Center is Gold LEEDLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
certified.
Discrimination policy
Calvin College exerts its right under the Free Exercise Clause of the First AmendmentFree Exercise Clause of the First Amendment
The Free Exercise Clause is the accompanying clause with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause together read:...
to discriminate on the basis of religious criteria in its hiring, personnel practices and admissions. Among other things, this means that the college requires faculty members to be church members and proscribes sexual relations outside of marriage as well as homosexual relations of any sort. This has led Calvin College's employment advertisements to be flagged as discriminatory by the American Philosophical Association
American Philosophical Association
The American Philosophical Association is the main professional organization for philosophers in the United States. Founded in 1900, its mission is to promote the exchange of ideas among philosophers, to encourage creative and scholarly activity in philosophy, to facilitate the professional work...
. According to a student-survey based study at 376 colleges in America published by the Princeton Review, Calvin College is ranked 16th most LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
-unfriendly.
Residence life
Calvin has seven residence halls on campus which house the majority of the freshmen and sophomore classes. One of the most notable events put on by residence life is "Chaos Day" during which the residents of each of the residence halls have their own theme, decorate their dorm, and dress in costumes to then compete in a number of relay races and similar games. Floor Serenades, or when one floor goes around campus singing songs to other floors, as well as Floor Dates, when two or more floors plan an activity together in order to meet new people, are common occurrences on campus.Student organizations
Calvin has a variety of student organizations on campus which provide students with opportunities for involvement as well as leadership development. Some organizations such as the Visual Arts Guild and the Film Arts Committee have been around for several decades, while other clubs have only recently been formed.- Student Senate
- Abstraction: enhances interest in, comfort, and involvement with computers
- Airband: develop, organize, and plan for the Airband show
- American Institute of Architecture StudentsAmerican Institute of Architecture StudentsThe American Institute of Architecture Students is an international organization for college-level students of architecture. It is the primary membership and advocacy organization for architecture students in the United States. It is modeled roughly on the professional association called the...
- Amnesty International Club
- Anime Club: a forum for the art form of ‘anime’ as an indicator of Japanese culture and explore the social and philosophical issues of anime storylines
- Asia Club: inform the Calvin community about Asian culture
- Bible Bonanza: A student led Bible study
- Biology Club: seeks to increase awareness of and appreciation for the general revelation of God's creation
- Calvin College Conservatives
- Calvin College Democrats
- CVN4, Calvin Video Network, Television Channel
- Dance Guild: largest student organization on campus, student members perform in a choreographed dance show in the fall and spring
- Environmental Stewardship Coalition (ESC)
- Calvin Equestrian Club: allows equestrian enthusiasts to gather in fellowship and heighten their understanding and practice of horsemanship.
- Film Arts Committee: shows independent and foreign films to students
- Calvin IMPROV: Calvin's improvisational comedy team
- International Health and Development Club (IHDC)
- K4L Knights For Life: student alumni organization enduring love for alma mater
- Middle East Club
- Model United NationsModel United NationsModel United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
(MUN) - Social Justice Coalition (SJC)
- Students for Compassionate Living (SCL) (animal welfareAnimal welfareAnimal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
advocacy) - SWAT: Spontaneous Wits Attesting Truth (ministry focused improvisational comedy team)
- Theology Forum
Statistics
| Year | Tuition | Room/Meal Plan | Other Fees | Average Need-based Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–2010 | 23,810 | 8,275 | 225 | |
| 2008–2009 | 22,940 | 7,970 | 225 | |
| 2007–2008 | 21,460 | 7,460 | 16,000 | |
Student statistics
- Students: 4,200 undergraduates
- Student/Faculty ratio: 12:1
- Average Class Size: 22
- Female: 54% Male: 46%
- 52% from MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
- 39% from other states
- 9% from other countries
- From Private Schools: 58%
- From Public Schools: 41%
- From homeschooling: 1%
- 88% retention rate from first to second year (compared to 71% nationally)
- 75% five year graduation rate (compared to 52% nationally)
- 313 faculty (over 83% with terminal degrees)
First year student profile
(middle 50% of students)
- GPA (4.0 scale): 3.3-3.9
- ACTACT (examination)The ACT is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. It was first administered in November 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, now the SAT Reasoning Test...
Composite: 23-29 - SATSATThe SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
Critical Reading and Math: 1100-1330
Notable faculty
- Lionel BasneyLionel BasneyLionel Basney was a poet and professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Prior to his time at Calvin, Basney taught at Houghton College, where his father also taught before him. Basney was interested in Samuel Johnson, William Shakespeare, and Ned Ludd and the origins of the...
, Professor of English, poet, author, critic - Johannes BroeneJohannes BroeneJohannes Broene was an academic and twice served as president of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. He was born in Muskegon, Michigan, U.S., and his father was a minister of the Christian Reformed Church. Broene attended the University of Michigan and Valparaiso University, from which...
, 1908-1925 teaching primarily in Philosophy and Education but also classes in History, Civics, Government, Chemistry, and Psychology - Vern EhlersVern EhlersVernon James "Vern" Ehlers is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1993 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, 1966–1982, Professor of Physics - William Harry JellemaWilliam Harry JellemaWilliam Harry Jellema was the founder of Calvin College's Philosophy Department.He taught at Calvin College from 1920 to 1936, transferred to Indiana University and then returned to Calvin from 1948 to 1963. Three of his students were elected President of the American Philosophical Association,...
, 1920–1936, 1948-1963 founder of Calvin's Philosophy Department - John E. HareJohn E. HareJohn Edmund Hare is a British classicist, philosopher, ethicist, and currently Noah Porter Professor of Philosophical Theology at Yale Divinity School....
, 1989–2003, Professor of Philosophy - Paul B. HenryPaul B. HenryPaul Brentwood Henry was a professor of political science and politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.-Early life and career:...
, 1970–1978, Professor of Political Science - George MarsdenGeorge MarsdenGeorge M. Marsden is an historian who has written extensively on the interaction between Christianity and American culture, particularly on Christianity in American higher education and on American Evangelicalism...
, 1965–1986, 2010–present, Professor of History - Richard MouwRichard MouwRichard J. Mouw is currently President at Fuller Theological Seminary. He also holds the post of Professor of Christian Philosophy.- Education and career :...
, 1968–1985, Professor of Philosophy - Alvin PlantingaAlvin PlantingaAlvin Carl Plantinga is an American analytic philosopher and the emeritus John A. O'Brien Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. He is known for his work in philosophy of religion, epistemology, metaphysics, and Christian apologetics...
, 1963–1981, Professor of Philosophy - H. Evan RunnerH. Evan RunnerHoward Evan Runner, often referred to as H. Evan Runner, was professor of philosophy at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA from 1951 until his retirement in 1981....
, 1951–1981, Professor of Philosophy - Gary Schmidt, 1986–present, Professor of English, awarded two Newbery HonorNewbery MedalThe John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
awards for his young-adult fiction - James K.A. Smith, 2002–present, Professor of Philosophy
- William SpoelhofWilliam SpoelhofWilliam Spoelhof was the President of Calvin College, and President Emeritus of the Grand Rapids, Michigan school.-Biography:...
, 1946–1951, Professor of History and Political Science - Ralph StobRalph StobRalph Stob was an educator, academic, and former president of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Stob was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Roseland Christian School. He felt called to Christian ministry. He enrolled in the preparatory curriculum of Calvin College in 1909 from which...
, 1915–1964, Professor of Classics - Howard J. Van TillHoward J. Van TillHoward J. Van Till is an emeritus professor of physics at Calvin College. According to Ronald L. Numbers he is a devout Christian who sees little or no evidence of God in nature and whose view is a good example of "theistic evolution". Also according to Numbers, Van Till prefers "creationomic...
, Emeritus Professor of Physics - Nicholas WolterstorffNicholas WolterstorffNicholas Wolterstorff is an American philosopher and currently the Noah Porter Emeritus Professor of Philosophical Theology at Yale University...
, 1959–1989, Professor of Philosophy
Athletics
Calvin College fields eight men's and nine women's intercollegiate teams and several club sports, known as the Calvin KnightsCalvin Knights
The Calvin Knights are the Calvin College athletics teams. Calvin College fields eight men's and nine women's varsity intercollegiate teams that participate in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III level.-Teams:There are...
.
Media
- Chimes, weekly student newspaper
- Dialogue, journal of commentary
- Knightfile, seasonal sports magazine
- Inner Compass, a television interview show produced by the college and syndicated to over 60 PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
stations across the United States - Prism, yearbook
- Spark, magazine for alumni and friends
- Bananer, magazine for Professor James Bratt
- Uncompressed, Cultural Discussion publication
- Student filmmakers have made many short films and videos, like the popular Lipdub at Calvin College and the super-low-budget adaptation of Homer's IliadIliadThe Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
, Meynin, both in 2010.
Alumni groups
- River City Improv, Calvin's alumni improv team
- Knights for Life (K4L), alumni group for current students
- Alumni Choir
- Alumni Orchestra
- Alumni Theater Company
Festival of Faith and Music
The Festival of Faith and Music is a biennial event exploring the intersection of Christian faith and popular music. It is in some ways a child of the Festival of Faith and Writing that has been taking place at the same institution since the early 90s, and the two events alternate years, but it is organized independently of that event by the Student Activities Office.Starting out with two small events in 2003 and 2005 (each with 150-200 attendees), the festival grew dramatically and tickets for the 2007 event (over 1000) sold out in advance, due in part to the heightened profile of its headline acts and in part growing word of mouth.