Update (1/29/08): Hope wins the 167th meeting of the two teams, 79-76!

Hope was recently named in the Top 25 for Peace Corps volunteering among all small colleges and universities in the country. A total of fourteen Hope alumni committed to the program during the 2007 year. Hope was the only "small college or university" from the state of Michigan that was recognized.

The complete Peace Corps Top 25 listing is available here.

For more information, check out Hope's press release.

From Hope's Office of Public Relations:

The Hope College production of "Rose and the Rime" has been judged the winner at the Great Lakes Region of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival held this weekend in Milwaukee. It was selected from nine productions presented at the festival from a five-state region. "Rose and the Rime" is now eligible for consideration at the national festival to be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in April. That decision will be made in early March after all region festivals have been held.

Senior Sarah Watkins of Bloomfield Hills won the region festival's scenic design competition for her paper project for "A Flea in Her Ear."

Senior Dane Clark of Grand Rapids was one of 16 finalists of the Irene Ryan Acting competition. The competition began with more than 300 competitors. Dane first did a scene from a contemporary play, "Bugs", then a comic scene from "Tartuffe" and finally a monologue from "Romeo and Juliet."

Edit: A gallery of photos from the production of "Rose and the Rime" is now available here.

With each major political campaign, Hope plays host to key candidates as they seek to make an impact on the college's young voters. In 2006 Michigan gubernatorial candidates Dick DeVos and Jennifer Granholm both made a stop at Hope on the campaign trail.

First to visit in the 2008 Presidential campaign is Republican candidate John McCain, who will be coming to campus Monday, January 14 for a town-hall style event beginning at 12:15 in Hope's Maas Center. This will be McCain's second time on campus, having first visited during his 2000 presidential campaign. The event is sponsored by the Hope Republicans student group.

The 2008 Detroit Tigers Caravan is on its way to Hope! The bus will be rolling in to the DeVos Fieldhouse on Monday, January 14 for an event that will last from 11 am until 1:15 pm.

Players scheduled to appear include: outfielder Magglio Ordonez, infielder Carlos Guillen, catcher Vance Wilson, pitcher Jordan Tata, pitcher Rick Porcello and pitcher Zach Miner.

For the complete press release, click here.

It's 2008 and we are looking forward to seeing many of you on campus this spring. Check out our visit options:

Visit Days

Your chance to spend a fully structured day on our campus with many other prospective students. We have four remaining Visit Days for the 07-08 academic year. They are:

Monday, January 21, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008

For more information about Visit Days and to register, click here.

Individual Weekday Visit

We know your schedule is busy! Similar to a Visit Day, this is your chance to see what Hope is all about, but on a day that you choose. For more information on scheduling an individual weekday visit, click here.

Overnight Visit

Check out campus from the prospective of our current students by staying overnight. We'll be offering overnight visits throughout the spring semester. For more information about scheduling an overnight visit, click here.

There is no better way to decide if a college is right for you than by spending time on the campus; seeing the sights, meeting the people, and experiencing the life of its students. We look forward to seeing you very soon!

With the new calendar year comes your first opportunity to file for need-based financial aid at Hope. To do so, you'll need to become familiar with two different forms:

1. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

This is the online form that determines your eligibility for federal and state financial aid. You are able to file online beginning January 1, 2008. It will require your parent's or guardian's tax data from 2007, so they might need to do a little advance work on their taxes this year! The priority filing deadline for the FAFSA is March 1, 2008.

2. Hope College Supplemental Application for Financial Aid (SAF)

This form is specific to Hope and allows our Office of Financial Aid to analyze your family's individual needs. Any student who applies for admission and indicates on their application that they plan to file for financial aid will receive this form automatically in the mail. You may also download and print the SAF here. The deadline for submitting this form is March 1, 2008.

Hope's Office of Financial Aid has an excellent website which has answers to many of the questions you might have. Be sure to check out the "Helpful Hints" that are provided. If you aren't able to find a specific answer on the web, please contact your admissions representative.

Best wishes as you begin this next important step in the college search process!

Hope had a busy year in 2007! Hope students and faculty continued to excel in their efforts. Athletic excitement included NCAA tournament basketball and an MIAA champion baseball team, among others. The traditional events were all there as well: Dance Marathon, the annual Musical Showcase, Commencement and Orientation, the Pull and the Nykerk Cup, Relay for Life, "Images: A Reflection of Cultures", and most recently, the Christmas Vespers services.

Pictures tell the whole story! Check out these galleries from current and past academic years.

Welcome to 2008!