What makes an education in the social sciences at Hope College distinctive? How is Hope different?

Why are the social sciences important in your education? Why should you consider an academic major in one of the social science disciplines? The social sciences may be right for you if….

You’re interested in how families function most effectively, and how government, the church, and other elements of society can help strengthen families. You’re interested in why some businesses succeed and others fail. You’re interested in how government and other agents of public policy work – or don’t work – to create a free and just society. You’re interested in how power and privilege help some people succeed and hold others back. You’re interested in how the rise of digital media threatens children’s health – both here and around the world. You’re interested in how people learn – or why they don’t. You’re interested in why so few people seem to be able to change habits related to exercise, diet, and substance use. You’re interested in how people make political choices in their communities, on the national scene, and throughout the world. You’re interested in how different people draw different conclusions when they hear the same message. You’re interested in helping others by working with individuals or groups.

What makes an education in the social sciences at Hope College distinctive from other colleges? How is Hope different?

• National recognition and reputation. Three programs in the social sciences at Hope College are nationally accredited – Athletic Training, Education, and Social Work. The Education Department was recently ranked as one of the top two programs in Michigan.
  
  
  
• Outstanding facilities. Within the last three years, a $36 million renovation and expansion was completed of the Psychology Department’s home – the A. Paul Schaap Science Center.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The $22 million DeVos Fieldhouse provides the Kinesiology Department with one of the nation’s finest teaching and learning facilities for exercise science, physical education and athletic training.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The $12 million Martha Miller Center for Global Communication houses the Department of Communication and its state of the art teaching and media production facilities.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Sociology, Social Work, Economics, Management, Accounting, and Education are housed in Van Zoeren Hall – connected directly to Hope's Van Wylen Library – recently ranked the top undergraduate library in the country.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Political Science is located in historic Lubbers Hall which was recently renovated from top to bottom.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Outstanding faculty. Social science faculty at Hope College are among the most accomplished in their respective fields. Here are a few examples of the people who will guide your learning:
  
  
  • Dr. Debra Swanson, professor of sociology, has been elected vice president of the North Central Sociological Association. She recently received the NCSA's "John F. Schnabel Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award."
    
  • Dr. Nancy Sonneveldt Miller, dean emeritus for the social sciences has received the seventh annual "Distinguished Woman in Higher Education Leadership Award" from the Michigan American Council on Education (ACE) Network for Women in Higher Education.
    
  • Dr. James Herrick, the Guy Vander Jagt Professor of Communication, has published a book, "Scientific Mythologies: How Science and Science Fiction Forge New Religious Beliefs" that examines the role of science and science fiction in inspiring alternative spiritualities in post-Christian Western culture.
    
  • Dr. Robin Klay of the economics faculty has received a Michigan Campus Compact (MCC) Faculty/Staff Community Service-Learning Award. The award recognizes outstanding community service and service-learning by faculty and is the highest award MCC bestows on faculty and staff in the state of Michigan. She and fellow economics professor Victor Claar are co-authors of "Economics in Christian Perspective: Theory, Policy and Life Choices."
    
  • Professor David Ryden of the Political Science Department serves as the pre-law advisor to Hope College students. 85% of those graduating seniors who work with Dr. Ryden are accepted into law schools. He is the author of four books, including “Sanctioning Religion? Politics, Law, and Faith-Based Public Services” along with fellow Hope political science professor Jeff Polet.
    
  • Education professors Jeanine Dell ‘Olio and Tony Donk have published “Models of Teaching: Connecting Student Learning with Standards.” This book provides students with a theoretical and practical understanding of how to use models of teaching to both meet and exceed the growing expectations for research-based instructional practices and student achievement.
    
  • Dr. Scott VanderStoep of the psychology faculty is the president of Psi Chi, the national honor society in Psychology. He specializes in courses in developmental psychology in addition to teaching about psychology and religion, and advanced data analysis. In addition to numerous articles in scholarly journals, his publications include the book "Learning to Learn: The Skill and Will of College Success." He is also editor of "Science and the Soul: Christian Perspectives on Psychological Research."
    
  • Richard Ray, Dean of Social Sciences and Professor of Kinesiology, has been elected to the Hall of Fame of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the highest honor in the athletic training profession. He is the author of several books, including "Management Strategies in Athletic Training."
    
    
• Learning by doing. Hope College has a national reputation for student-faculty collaborative research. The social sciences have been a significant contributor to this reputation. Furthermore, the tradition of putting theory into practice through internships, service learning, and practica is well established in the social sciences at Hope College. Consider the following facts:
  
  
  
  • During the past two years 83 research projects conducted by students in the social sciences were showcased at Hope’s annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Performance.
    
  • Hope College psychology students have earned regional recognition for excellence in research for nine years in a row from the Midwestern chapter of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology.
    
  • The Carl Frost Social Science Research Center awards grants to faculty who are interested in collaborating with students to conduct social science research. Recipients of Faculty-Student Research grants present the findings of their collaboration at Faculty-Student Research Colloquia held throughout the academic year.
    
  • Each social science department offers at least one type of experiential learning option. Six of the seven require at least one internship, practicum, or service learning experience in the discipline as a graduation requirement.
    
  • Students preparing for vocations as teachers participate in at least four field placements in K-12 schools before student teaching.
    
  • Many students in the social sciences spend a semester working in their chosen field as part of programs the college offers in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Global perspective. The Division of Social Sciences takes Hope College’s mission to educate students for lives of leadership in a global society seriously. Consider the following ways in which the social sciences have extended the campus to the four corners of the Earth:
  

  The Department of Kinesiology has a relationship with Technos College of Tokyo that has resulted in student and faculty exchanges in the athletic training program. Dr. Richard Ray has consulted in Taiwan, where athletic training student Ashley Hoogeveen has been enrolled in an athletic training study abroad program. Education students participate in a May Term program at Liverpool Hope University in England. The Department of Economics, Management, and Accounting offers a May Term courses in London and Mexico. Professor Annie Dandavati of the Political Science Department has conducted research in and developed programs for students in Chile, Peru, Mexico and Uganda. Political science professor Joel Toppen has conducted field research in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. His colleague, Virginia Beard, has traveled with students in Uganda and Kenya. Social work professor Deborah Sturtevant and her sociology colleague, Dr. Roger Nemeth, have led students on a trip to Romania to study the role of non-governmental organizations in that nation. Professor Sturtevant has also traveled with one of her students to China to consult on the problem of orphans. Professor of Communication Ji Hoon Park and student Samantha Webbert produced a documentary film on American and African mutual misunderstanding of each other’s cultures as part of a larger Hope College project to help bring safe water to the village of Nkuv, Cameroon. Dr. Lorna Hernandez Jarvis led a group of Hope students on study abroad experience at the Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro in Mexico.