William Spoelhof
Encyclopedia
William Spoelhof was the President of Calvin College
, and President Emeritus
of the Grand Rapids, Michigan
school.
and graduated from Calvin College
in 1931. He received a master's degree
from the University of Michigan
in 1937. After completing his doctoral studies, he returned to Calvin to teach history and political science in 1946.
In 1956, after becoming president of the college, Spoelhof was responsible for the initiation of the school's move to its current Knollcrest campus. The move was not completed until 1973. Toward the end of the 1960s Spoelhof also had to deal with the impact of nation-wide student
protest
movements on the Calvin campus.
In 1935 Spoelhof married Angeline Nydam, and they had three children. The asteroid
129099 Spoelhof
is named in his honour.
Spoelhof died on December 3, 2008 just five days shy of his 99th birthday.
President of Calvin College
The President of Calvin College is the chief executive officer of the school. The office is not as old as Calvin College, which had no need for such a position when it was founded in 1876. When the Theological School of the Christian Reformed Church opened in 1876, it had one instructor...
, and President Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
of the Grand Rapids, Michigan
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...
school.
Biography
Spoelhof was a native of Paterson, New JerseyPaterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
and graduated from Calvin College
Calvin College
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...
in 1931. He received a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1937. After completing his doctoral studies, he returned to Calvin to teach history and political science in 1946.
In 1956, after becoming president of the college, Spoelhof was responsible for the initiation of the school's move to its current Knollcrest campus. The move was not completed until 1973. Toward the end of the 1960s Spoelhof also had to deal with the impact of nation-wide student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
protest
Protest
A protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
movements on the Calvin campus.
In 1935 Spoelhof married Angeline Nydam, and they had three children. The asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
129099 Spoelhof
129099 Spoelhof
129099 Spoelhof is a main belt asteroid with an orbital period of 1974.6847608 days . The asteroid was discovered on December 3, 2004.-References:...
is named in his honour.
Spoelhof died on December 3, 2008 just five days shy of his 99th birthday.