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April
2006
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Volume
2 - Issue 2
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The spring is always an intense time on campus. It never ceases to amaze me how much pressure everyone feels – students, faculty and administrators all feel the crunch. The fast march toward the end of the academic year and graduation is a tradition that all academic institutions experience, and the excitement, anticipation and apprehension are almost palpable among members of the senior class. There are celebrations and banquets, dinners and award ceremonies. Departments recognize their outstanding graduates and Hope honors our top graduates during Honors Convocation. After graduation, these freshly anointed alumni come into our hands in the Alumni Association. They join 27,000 other Hope alumni and begin the next phase of their life with the college. I think many students don’t realize that when they choose Hope for their undergraduate education that they are choosing to be part of a community that will extend through their lifetime. Many of them have a difficult time seeing themselves as alumni. They know they are no longer students, but the next classification is hard to grasp. It is our responsibility to make the transition from student to alumnus a positive and welcoming one; to let our youngest alumni know that they have rights, privileges and a new set of responsibilities. I can share that message, but I need all of you to help me. Let’s take a moment, each of us, toreflect on our graduation experience. Can you remember the intensity of the feelings that accompanied your walk across the stage to accept your diploma? With a turn of the tassels life as you knew it changed. Some of us were more prepared than others to enter the new world of post-undergraduate life. Some of us were already married, some of us had a job or graduate school lined up, some of us were taking time to “find ourselves” and explore the world. Whatever it was, if you meet a 2006 graduate, remember your experience and give him or her a warm welcome. We all share the common bond of Hope.
Less than a month of classes to go! I have started a graduation countdown in my planner. Every day, my favorite thing to do is cross off another day – this helps me to realize that my hectic class and study schedule won’t last forever. This should be a feeling of relief, right? On the contrary, I feel no relief at all. My goal, along with the rest of the Class of 2006, is to make it to Graduation Day – May 7 to be exact. And to top it all off, amidst the final papers, group projects, presentations, and not to mention studying for final exams, I still have to find a job! Scrambling around to get all of my homework and other tasks done before Graduation Day feels like the madness will never end – and what, all of this chaos and stress just for a piece of paper that tells me I have received an education? Perhaps it would be better if I looked at the bigger picture. I continuously have to remind myself that this craziness will all end soon and that I will be shaking President Bultman’s hand as I grab my diploma and walk across the stage, saying goodbye to Hope as a student. The memories I made here will always leave a lasting impression on me. The friendships, meeting wonderful faculty and staff, walking across campus during the rigid Michigan snowstorms, dodging in and out of buildings to stay warm, and fighting over the one bathroom with my five roommates in our quaint little house on 13th street are all memories that will forever stick in my head. So in reality, maybe these last few weeks really aren't all that bad. I can’t end my Hope experience being all worked up over everything that’s going on because these last few days are only a small segment of time I have spent here on campus. In fact, when I look back on my college experience, I probably won’t even remember the craziness of my last month – rather, I’ll think back on the good times. And quite possibly, the piece of paper I will receive on May 7 will not just be a piece of paper. The diploma I am handed will stand for something much more – it will signify that I am a member of the Hope College Alumni Association, and that I will always have a place at Hope.
Katherine
Blough
Honoring the Class of 2006, this quarter’s Alumni Profile will sink into what exactly makes up the senior class. Comprised of 630 students, 406 female and 224 male, graduates have come to Hope College from across the nation and around the globe. One student traveled all the way from Chiba, Japan, whereas the majority of students came from Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio. Students will graduate with a variety of majors, the most common being psychology, management, and communication. However, math and Spanish top the list of minors, followed by communication, management, and psychology. The Class of 2006 had the chance to take part in many exciting events on campus this year. Celebrating their final year, seniors were invited to attend the Senior Banquet. In years past, the event has been a formal, sit-down dinner, but this year, the Senior Celebration Committee wanted to liven up the event. This year’s Celebration took place on the concourse of the DeVos Fieldhouse, creating a laid-back, casual atmosphere where students could mingle with their peers, listen to a live band of senior students, and indulge in the chocolate fountain. Seniors were also encouraged to donate to the Senior Class Gift. This year, donations went toward the Dr. Janet Andersen Memorial Scholarship. Dr. Janet Anderson, Hope College Professor of Mathematics, was killed in an auto accident on Thanksgiving Day, 2005. To honor her extraordinary contribution to the college, a memorial scholarship was created that will be awarded in future years to students studying math or math applications in biology at Hope College. Additionally, Lake Michigan Credit Union generously offered to match up to $1000 of all donations received. Currently, $816 from 121 students has been received, making this the largest number of students to give to the class gift.
Congratulations to the Class of 2006! On May 7, graduating seniors will set out in to the real world. Here’s a sampling of what some Hope students have planned for their future, and how they have reached this point in their lives.
Working as an intern for the past four summers has helped Katie decide that she would like to have a career in journalism and public relations. Katie's past experiences include interning at Siemens, Clark Retirement Community, the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations at Hope, and Alticor. Katie hopes that the experience from these internships will guide her into her ideal career of being a press secretary for a large corporation.
As an intern at the American Cancer Society in Holland, Keri works side-by-side with the ACS staff in patient services and helps with coordinating many projects. Through this experience, she would like to pursue a future career in non-profit organizations where she will be able to work in patient care and program development. With a degree in psychology, she is prepared to keep her options open as she begins her job search.
After
graduation, Landon plans to work
as an ICU nurse for a year before attending
graduate school where he will study biology or nurse anesthesia. While
biology is his first love, he feels that nursing incorporates science
into every day practice. Helping others provides Landon with a sense
of fulfillment and satisfaction, which is why he chose nursing as a second
major. Although he does not see himself working as a nurse five years
from now, he knows that it is practical knowledge to have.
293 and Alma 92. Senior Kurtis Blohm achieved NCAA All-America status by finishing eighth (:45.72) in the 100-yard freestyle on the final day of the NCAA Division III swimming and diving championships in Minneapolis.
Flying Dutch finished in 13th place with four All-America and two honorable mention All-America performances.
One of the most efficient means of maintaining a connection with the Hope College community (other than talking with your student, of course!) is by utilizing the resources available through the college’s web site. It is a timely means of obtaining information and can be done regardless of the distance you reside from campus. From
academics and athletics to the arts -- a multitude of resources are
available just a click away from the Visit "Hope College Today" regularly to keep up-to-date with campus and community news including:
We invite you to take some time to explore Hope's website and see what information awaits you there!
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