The spring 2017 Arts and Humanities Symposium at Hope College on Friday, Feb. 17, will explore “The Idea of a Christ-Centered College” with a series of presentations on Friday, Feb. 17, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Winants Auditorium of Graves Hall.

The public is invited. Admission is free.

The purpose of the Arts and Humanities symposium is to bring to important and timely topics an interdisciplinary conversation that displays the academic disciplines at their best.  Each academic discipline equips its practitioners with particular skills and training that, when juxtaposed to other disciplines, can provide the best solutions to the problems society faces.  Those attending are welcome to come and go throughout the three hours of the symposium.

The events will begin at 1 p.m. with a welcome from Dr. Marc Baer, interim dean for the arts and humanities and professor emeritus of history at Hope.

At 1:15 p.m., Dr. Timothy Larsen, who is the McManis Professor of Christian Thought at Wheaton College and director of Wheaton’s Faith and Learning Program, will deliver the symposium’s keynote address, “John Henry Newman’s ‘The Idea of a University’ and Christian Colleges in the Twenty-First Century.” The student convener will be Natalie Brown.

At 2 p.m., Dr. Ernest Cole, associate professor of English and department chair at Hope, will present “The Idea of a Christian Community: A Christ-Centered Education from a Post-Colonial Perspective.” The student convener will be Gene Ryan.

At 2:30 p.m., Angela Yetzke, assistant professor of dance at Hope, will present “The Identity of Dance in a Christ-Centered College.” The presentation will feature student dancer Mica Carson, and the student convener will be Isabel Bustamante.

At 3 p.m. Hope College President Dr. John C. Knapp, who also holds appointments as a professor of religion and professor of management at Hope, will present “Reflections on the Faith-Based Liberal Arts Experience.”  The student convener will be Ivan Akansiima.

The symposium will conclude with a question-and-answer session at 3:30 p.m., with a reception following at 4 p.m.

Graves Hall is located at 263 College Ave., between 10th and 12th streets.