Philip Phelps Jr.
First President, 1866-1878
Hope is an ill-funded newborn in the wilderness. Appointed principal of
the Holland Academy in 1859, the hands-on president helps the students
build the first gymnasium/chapel in 1862. An Easterner, he has connections
that prove invaluable to founder A.C. Van Raalte as he seeks support for
the new school. Hope survives the 1871 fire that destroys much of Holland. |
Charles Scott
Second President, 1878-1893
Times are still lean, and whether or not Hope will continue to operate
is an open question (the college even has trouble raising $50 to install
lightning rods on Van Vleck Hall). Church support from "the West" is disrupted
by the denomination's secession troubles. Even so, construction of the
President's Home and the start of Graves Hall suggest the shape of things
to come. |
G.J. Kollen
Hope 1868
Third President, 1893-1911
Hope's first lay president, he possesses business experience that his predecessors
lacked, and at a time when it was desperately needed. Raised on an Overisel
farm, he becomes a debonair fund-raiser who achieves a coup in convincing
philanthropist Andrew Carnegie -- to whom he bears a resemblance -- to
finance Carnegie Gymnasium (he normally built only libraries). |
Ame Vennema
Hope 1879
Fourth President, 1911-1918
He inherits a policy that bans the ever-more-popular athletic teams from
traveling during school terms, and with faculty support suspends the men's
basketball team for violating the rule in 1913. The students react by striking,
a shocking move for the day. (The travel restrictions are eventually eased
during his tenure.) Enrollment drops as Hope men enlist following the nation's
entry into World War I. |
Edward D. Dimnent
Hope 1896
Fifth President, 1918-1931
In the closing months of the war, Hope hosts a unit of the Student Army
Training Corps, helping to fill and support the war-depleted campus. For
the first time, Hope charges tuition (starting at $35 per year in 1920).
He leads the effort to construct the Memorial Chapel, and rumor has it
that he paid the remaining debt himself when the Great Depression hit. |
Wynand Wichers
Hope 1909
Sixth President, 1931-1945
The college's fortunes suffer during the Great Depression, and do not improve
when World War II enlistment keeps male enrollment low. With overall enrollment
down to about 400 students, there is even talk of closing Hope's doors.
Dr. Wichers helps bring in the Army Specialized Training Program, which
in turn helps keep the college running. |
Irwin J. Lubbers
Hope 1917
Seventh President, 1945-1963
As former GIs flood the nation's campuses, enrollment more than triples
to some 1300 in the first years of the presidency. Massive construction
follows; Hope's first president with a Ph.D., he also hires several young
scholars. The college's reputation grows, and in 1957 The Chicago
Tribune names Hope one of the nation's top 10 co-ed colleges. |
Calvin A. VanderWerf
Hope 1937
Eighth President, 1963-1970
A turbulent and activist time nationally extends locally, as students
protest campus policies like mandatory chapel and become involved in
broader issues, such as demonstrating on behalf of Civil Rights. His
emphasis on the sciences and advocacy of Hope's research-based model
is viewed as playing a vital role in developing the strong reputation
Hope's program enjoys today. |
Gordon J. Van Wylen
Ninth President, 1972-1987
The college enters the 1970s with a certain ambivalence concerning its
character. He helps make Hope's focus deliberate by crafting a mission
statement that emphasizes academic excellence in a Christian context. The
era sees a building boom that ranges from the completion of Peale through
the construction of the Van Wylen Library. Hope's reputation grows. |
John H. Jacobson
10th President, 1987-1999
The student body continues to grow, leading to discussion of just how large
Hope should become. Students, faculty and programs alike receive national
acclaim. The campus extends with an eye toward Hope's relationship with
the surrounding community. Hope struggles with questions of diversity and
how best to prepare students for and to serve in a multi-cultural world. |
James E. Bultman
Hope 1963
11th President, 1999-
Extensive campus enhancement meets an increased need for facilities
as enrollment tops 3,200. Major projects include construction of the A. Paul
Schaap Science Center and renovation of the Peale Science Center, and construction
of the Martha Miller Center for Global Communication and the Richard and Helen
DeVos Fieldhouse. Development of the Center for Faithful Leadership and the CrossRoads
Project reflects increased emphasis on helping students integrate their faith
commitments and academic training in preparation for their lives after Hope.
The college updates its mission statement and creates additional missional literature
to both provide an overview of the distinctive qualities of Hope and serve as
a guide for the future. |
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