Faculty, Staff & Student Achievements

Highlights from Academic Year 2004 - 2005

Economist Victor Claar
Receives Fulbright Award

July 19, 2006

Dr. Victor Claar, associate professor of economics at Hope College, will spend a year teaching and conducting research in Armenia through an award from the Fulbright Scholar Program.

It is the third time in three years that a member of the Hope faculty has received one of the awards. In 2004, Dr. William Cohen, professor emeritus of history, and Dr. David Klooster, professor of English, received Fulbright awards to teach in Japan and Austria respectively.

Claar will teach at the American University of Armenia in the capital city of Yerevan. The university, founded approximately 10 years ago, offers only graduate-level courses, taught in English. Claar will be teaching MBA students in the business school and economics courses in the political science program from late August through early May.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Hope Will Host Women's
Basketball National Finals

July 12, 2006

Four months ago the Hope College Flying Dutch brought home the 2006 national championship trophy in women's basketball.

Now the Flying Dutch will get an opportunity to bring home the entire national championship tournament!

The NCAA has selected Hope to host the 2008 and 2009 Division III women's basketball semi-finals and championship game at the college's new DeVos
Fieldhouse.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Tom Smith Appointed
to New Endowed Chair

June 27, 2006

Tom Smith of the Hope College faculty has been named the first recipient of the college's new Dr. Leon A. Bosch '29 Professorship in Business Management.

The chair is designated for an outstanding member of the faculty in the department of economics, management and accounting who has a strong interest in management and organizational development. It was established through the estate of Virginia French Bosch in memory of her husband, Dr. Leon A. Bosch '29.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Susan Mooy Cherup
Appointed to Sonneveldt Chair

June 27, 2006

Susan Mooy Cherup of the Hope College faculty has been appointed to the college's Arnold and Esther Sonneveldt Endowed Professorship in Education.

The chair, first held in 1998, is designated for a member of the education faculty who is an outstanding teacher and demonstrates a commitment to the Christian faith and to preparing young people for the field of education. The chair was established in the Sonneveldts' honor by their family. It was originally and previously held by Dr. Leslie Wessman, who has retired from the college's education faculty.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Symphonette Invited
to National Conference

June 27, 2006

The Hope College Symphonette is one of only four orchestras from around the country invited to perform during the 2007 National Conference of the American String Teachers Association.

The 32-member Symphonette, which is directed by Richard Piippo of the Hope music faculty, was chosen from a pool of more than 100 college orchestras that had applied for the honor. The conference will run Wednesday-Saturday, March 7-10, at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. The Symphonette will perform on Friday, March 9.

"This is quite an honor for the Symphonette and Hope College," said Piippo, who is director of orchestral activities and an associate professor of cello/chamber music at Hope. "We are proud to have been selected from among so many applicants, especially since this year's annual meeting is taking place in our home state."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Janet Pinkham Appointed Director of ASC

June 27, 2006

Janet Pinkham of the Hope College staff has been promoted to director of the college's Academic Support Center.

She succeeds Jacqueline Heisler, who has retired after working at Hope since 1982.

Pinkham has been tutoring coordinator with the center since 1992, and as an adjunct member of the college's communication faculty has also been teaching freshman-level First-Year Seminar courses. From 1989 to 1992 she was the college's alumni director.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

June 25, 2006

Sports Hall of Fame
Honors Glenn Van Wieren

Hope College men's basketball coach Glenn Van Wieren will be honored by the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame with the organization's Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame honors athletes, owners, and coaches from West Michigan who have achieved prominence in their sports on a local, state, or national level.

Originally founded by the Grand Rapids City Commission in 1972, the Sports Hall of Fame was reestablished in 1995 and is now housed on the upper deck of the Van Andel Arena.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

CrossRoads Project Receives Renewal Grant

The CrossRoads Project at Hope College has received a three-year renewal grant through Lilly Endowment Inc.'s "Program for the Theological Exploration of Vocation" (PTEV).

The $500,000 grant will support the program from the fall of 2009 through the spring of 2012. The CrossRoads Project was established through a $2 million PTEV grant that Hope received from the Endowment in 2002 that will continue to provide funding until the new grant takes effect.

The Endowment awarded initial PTEV grants to 88 colleges and universities in 29 states between 2000 and 2002. It has subsequently awarded renewal grants over the last two years to 69 institutions, including Hope, so that each can extend and further integrate into its ongoing life the most effective and worthwhile projects supported through the initial funding.

The CrossRoads Project coordinates a variety of programs designed to help students reflect on how their faith commitments are related to their career choices and what it means to be "called" to lives of service.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

J

Martha Miller TV Studio
Centerpiece for Children's Pilot

West Michigan is preparing a unique invitation for children to "Come On Over" - a first-of-its-kind television show designed to reacquaint young people with the joys of everyday play, creativity and imagination. It is all unfolding in the state-of-the-art production facilities of the new Martha Miller Center.

The new show, which began shooting last month, is the creation of Enthusiastic Productions, LLC, a recently formed venture involving Hope alumnus Joel Schoon Tanis '89 and the Grand Rapids Children's Museum. The show's initial 13 episodes are scheduled to air this fall in Western Michigan on WOTV-4.

Hope students are working alongside veteran producers and cameramen as production assistants, camera operators and program talent. The show is also drawing on college staff for creative and choreographic input, as well as technical assistance.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

June 6, 2006

Grants Support CASA Summer Program

The Old West will take on new life through the Children's After School Achievement (CASA) program at Hope College this summer with the help of grants from two local organizations.

The Youth Advisory Committee of the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area has awarded CASA $9,960 to help underwrite "CASA Strikes Gold on the Journey West," which will be featured throughout CASA's summer program, running Monday, June 19, through Thursday, July 27. The western theme will provide the framework for a variety of activities for the approximately 100 second- through fifth-grade students the program anticipates hosting.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, through a grant to Holland Hospital and Hope College, has provided $4,735 in support of CASA's "ABC Workout (Active Bodies at CASA)" program, which as part of the summer program will offer structured physical activity and presentations designed to help the children value and practice physical fitness.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 30, 2006

Admissions Office Named for Retiring VP

The Admissions House at Hope College has been named for Dr. James Bekkering, who is retiring this summer after having guided the college's admissions program for more than a quarter century.

The two-story brick structure opened in May of 1988, and is located on 10th Street at College Avenue.

Bekkering was appointed dean of admissions in 1980, and during 1988 and 1989 additionally served as interim dean of students. He was named a vice president in 1989, continuing with responsibilities in both admissions and student development before returning to admissions full-time in 1995. He is responsible for a staff of more than 20, including admissions representatives and support staff. He is retiring at the end of June.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 30, 2006

Student Named to Intern Program

Shova KC, a Hope College senior from Kathmandu, Nepal, is one of only five students worldwide selected through a highly competitive international search for the Summer Intern Program of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR).

ICPSR is the world's largest archive of digital social science data, and is a unit of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1962, ICPSR is an organization of member institutions working together to acquire and preserve social science data, to provide open and equitable access to the data, and to promote effective data use.

During her internship, KC, who is an economics major at Hope, will work in a UNIX environment and gain experience using statistical programs such as SAS and SPSS to check data. She will also prepare social science data for permanent archiving and distribution for secondary analysis; help preserve respondent anonymity; and compose descriptions of data collections. In addition, she will attend courses in the ICPSR Summer Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Science Research.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 30, 2006

Rich Ray Elected to National Hall of Fame

Dr. R. Richard Ray of the Hope College faculty has been elected to the Hall of Fame of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the highest honor in the athletic training profession.

He will be inducted during an awards banquet on Saturday, June 17, held in conjunction with NATA's national 57th Annual Meeting & Clinical Symposia in Atlanta, Ga., on Wednesday-Sunday, June 14-18.

Election to the Hall of Fame recognizes significant contributions on the state, regional and national levels, and professional excellence, volunteer service and community outreach. Hall of Fame inductees are nominated and selected by their athletic training peers, and have been active NATA members for at least 25 years.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 30, 2006

Angela Randall Receives
Accounting Scholarship

Angela Randall, a Hope College junior from Remus, has received a scholarship from the American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA).

The mission of ASWA, which was founded in 1938, is to enable women in all accounting and related fields to achieve their full personal, professional and economic potential, and to contribute to the future development of their profession. Members include partners in national, regional and local CPA firms, financial officers, controllers, academicians, financial analysts and data processing consultants, recent college graduates and women returning to the work force.

Students who have completed their sophomore year (or 60 semester hours or the equivalent before the summer term) are eligible for the awards. Candidates are chosen on the basis of leadership, character, communication skills, scholastic average and financial need. The $1,000 award will support Randall during the forthcoming 2006-07 school year.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 27, 2006

Flying Dutchmen Top DIII
in Home Basketball Attendance

Hope basketball fans embraced the college's new DeVos Fieldhouse by attending games this past season in record numbers. So much so that Hope has again topped all NCAA Division III men's basketball teams in average home attendance.

Leading the nation in home attendance is nothing new to Hope. This marks the fourth straight year that the Dutchmen have been on top. The previous three were at the Holland Civic Center where Hope played its home games for 52 years before moving to DeVos.

This is the eighth time in school history that Hope has been the men's basketball attendance leader. This past season's average of 2,928 fans per game over 18 dates topped runnerup Illinois Wesleyan by nearly 500 fans per game. IWU averaged 2,470 fans per home date while MIAA rival Calvin ranked third with an average of 2,089 (14 dates).

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 15, 2006

California Hometown Honors Ray Smith

Ray Smith, who has spent more than 35 years teaching and coaching at Hope College, is being honored by his California hometown.

Smith, who is a professor of kinesiology and director of athletics for men at Hope, is being inducted into the Riverside Sport Hall of Fame in California on Monday, May 22.

Established four years ago, the Riverside Sport Hall of Fame was created to honor athletes, coaches, athletic administrators and community leaders who have brought fame and honor to the city of Riverside. The hall of fame offers recognition in four categories: pre-1960 athletes, post-1960 athletes, coaches and service to the community.

In addition to Smith, who is being recognized as a pre-1960 athlete, those being honored this year include Gary Adams, a Riverside native who coached baseball at UCLA for decades - and who happens to have been Smith's roommate when they were students at UCLA; Nate DeFrancisco, a longtime coach and administrator at Riverside Community College; Walker Evans, an off-road racing champion from Riverside; the late Jess Hill, a Riverside athlete who went on to coach and serve as athletic director at USC; Cheryl Miller, a Riverside athlete whose basketball career included a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics; and Jerry Tarkanian, who coached at Riverside Community College for five years before going on to schools including Long Beach State, UNLV and Fresno State.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 15, 2006

Chapbook of Poems by
David James Published

A chapbook of poetry by David James of the Hope College faculty focuses, he notes, on "moving on from having the existential rug pulled out from under our lives."

James, who is an adjunct associate professor of English and director of the writing center at Hope, is the author of "A Little Instability without Birds." The chapbook is being published in June by Finishing Line Press.

Representing a fairly new fascination, the collection of poetry is the first by the 52-year-old James and follows the publication of only three individual poems.

The book follows a single speaker's personal, though ultimately positive, trek through instabilities after great loss. While such losses specifically include broken relationships, divorce, a diminished sense of self and purpose, and even death, the book also suggests readers' various losses and the instabilities that arise from them. Individual poems use varying voices and forms that gradually evolve the speaker's outlook, with only the slight and necessary regression of the title poem before the concluding poem's quiet celebration of "now."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 12, 2006

Hope Wins MIAA Commissioner's Cup
a Record 28th Time

Hope College has won the Commissioner's Cup of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) for a record 28th time.

The Commissioner's Cup standings are determined using the cumulative standings from the 18 MIAA-sponsored sports for men and women.

Hope has won the Commissioner's Cup six straight years and eight of the past nine years.

Hope also topped the league's 2005-06 all-sports standings in both men's and women's sports.

Hope teams won seven conference championships this past school year -- men's golf, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, women's basktball, baseball and softball.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 9, 2006

Association Honors
Janet Andersen Posthumously

The Michigan Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) has awarded its 2006 Distinguished Service Award posthumously to Dr. Janet Andersen of the Hope College faculty, who died of injuries sustained in an automobile accident on Thursday, Nov. 24.

The award was presented on Friday, May 5, during a banquet held at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in conjunction with the section's annual meeting, which took place at Calvin College on Friday-Saturday, May 5-6. Her husband Jim Andersen and father-in-law Marvin Andersen received the award on her behalf.

Andersen was actively involved in the MAA, and at the time of her death was chair of the program committee for the meeting at which her award was presented. She was also serving on the association's Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics, Coordinating Council on Education, and Committee on Short Courses, and was the Michigan Section's four-year college vice chair. For many years she had also been involved with Project NExT, the association's professional development program for young mathematics faculty. Her service to the association had also included serving on and chairing the Committee on the Teaching of Undergraduate Mathematics, serving on a subcommittee on assessment guidelines and organizing a professional enhancement workshop.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 7, 2006

Hope graduates encouraged
to seek meaning

With its graduation at hand, the Class of 2006 at Hope College was encouraged to live life seeking the meaning beyond the definitions.

The college's 141st Commencement exercises were held at Holland Municipal Stadium on Sunday. The participants included 622 graduating seniors from throughout the United States as well as Chile, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Nepal, Romania, Saudi Arabia and the Virgin Islands.

The commencement address, "Seeking the Spheres," was delivered by Rhoda Janzen, assistant professor of English at Hope, who in keeping with her interest in poetry found guidance for living in the concept of metaphor.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Text of Baccalaureate Sermon
Text of Commencement Address
Photo Gallery 1 / Photo Gallery 2 / Photo Gallery 3

May 7, 2006

Dianne Portfleet Presented H.O.P.E. Award

Dr. Dianne Portfleet, adjunct associate professor of English at Hope College, has been presented the 42nd annual "Hope Outstanding Professor Educator" (H.O.P.E.) Award by the graduating Class of 2006. She was named the recipient during the college's Commencement ceremony, held at Holland Municipal Stadium on Sunday, May 7, at 3 p.m.

The award, first given in 1965, is presented by the graduating class to the professor who they feel epitomizes the best qualities of the Hope College educator.

Portfleet began teaching at Hope in 1988. Her teaching and research specialties are expository writing, Western world literature and children's literature. Her courses in the college's cultural heritage and Senior Seminar programs are especially popular with students.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 4, 2006

Hope Named Outstanding Employer

Hope College has been named one of the "101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For" in West Michigan for 2006.

The competition is a program of the Michigan Business and Professional Association (MBPA) and the National Association for Business Resources (NABR). Hope and the region's other 2006 winners were recognized during an awards luncheon at The Pinnacle Center in Hudsonville on Wednesday, May 3.

Businesses are evaluated in eight categories: diversity and multiculturalism; work-life balance; communication; compensation and benefits; employee education and development; recruitment and selection; recognition and retention; employee engagement and commitment; and community initiatives. Considerations within each category include a unique thought process with top support from senior management and policy makers, and the quality of programs, services and solutions for employees.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 3, 2006

Charles Green Receives
Vanderbush-Weller Award

Dr. Charles Green of the Hope College faculty has been named recipient of the college's seventh annual "Vanderbush-Weller Development Fund" award for strong, positive impact on students.

The award recognizes and supports the efforts of Hope faculty and staff who make extraordinary contributions to the lives of students. Green will be recognized during a luncheon held on Friday, May 5, in conjunction with the spring meeting of the college's Board of Trustees.

Green, a member of the Hope faculty since 1983, is a professor of psychology and director of the college's Phelps Scholars Program and First-Year Seminar program.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 3, 2006

Student Receives Prestigious Travel Award

Marlie Johnson, a Hope College junior from Petoskey, has received a highly competitive Travel Award to attend the annual joint meeting of the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology and the Sixth International Congress of Neuroendocrinology.

Only 15 of the top 125 candidates nationwide were selected for the award. Those competing included not only undergraduates but also graduate students and post-docs. The meeting will be held in Pittsburgh, Pa., in mid June.

Applicants are judged on the basis of the general interest of the abstract for their presentation at the meeting; their curriculum vita; a personal essay; a letter of recommendation; and a statement concerning their research interests.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

May 1, 2006

Anne Larsen Edits Book
on Mother-Daughter Team

Dr. Anne Larsen of the Hope College French faculty is editor and translator of a book that features work by Madeleine and Catherine des Roches, mother-daughter 16th century French authors.

"From Mother and Daughter: Poems, Dialogues, and Letters of Les Dames des Roches" has been published in English in the "Other Voice in Early Modern Europe" series of the University of Chicago Press.

Madeleine and Catherine des Roches were among the best-known and most prolific French women writers of the 16th century, publishing their works between 1578 and 1586. According to Larsen, they excelled in a variety of genres, including poetry, Latin and Italian translations, correspondence, prose dialogues, pastoral drama and tragicomedy.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 27, 2006

Seniors Receive Academic
and Service Awards

Awards for scholastic achievement and service have been presented to graduating Hope College seniors.

The awards honor students for achievement in specific areas of study and service. The students were recognized during the college's annual Honors Convocation on Thursday, April 27.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 27, 2006

Students Receive Awards
for Academic Achievements

Awards for academic achievement during the current school year were presented to Hope College students during the college's annual Honors Convocation on Thursday, April 27.

The awards presented for achievement in specific areas of study.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 27, 2006

Seniors Receive Sigma Xi Awards

A total of 78 Hope College seniors or recent graduates were honored with Senior Sigma Xi Awards during the college's annual Honors Convocation, held on Thursday, April 27, in Dimnent Memorial Chapel.

Sigma Xi is the Scientific Research Society. The Sigma Xi club at Hope is one of 500 clubs and chapters in North America dedicated to the encouragement, support and recognition of scientists.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 27, 2006

Students Inducted into Mortar Board

Thirty-five Hope College juniors have been inducted into Mortar Board, a national honor society that recognizes students for scholarship, leadership and service.

The students were recognized during the college's annual Honors Convocation on Thursday, April 27.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 27, 2006

Hope College Scholar-Athletes Honored

Awards as the outstanding senior athletes among Hope College graduates in the class of 2006 were presented to two students during the college's Honors Convocation on Thursday (April 27).

Kurtis Blohm of Wilmington, Ohio (Wilmington HS) was presented the Otto van der Velde All-Campus Award while Bria Ebels of Holland (Holland HS) received the John Schouten award.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 25, 2006

Steven Bouma-Prediger
Co-Authors Chapters

Dr. Steven Bouma-Prediger of the Hope College religion faculty has co-authored two chapters of a new book that examines environmental stewardship from a faith perspective.

The book, "Living the Good Life on God's Good Earth," invites readers to express their calling as caretakers of God's good earth in their daily living, from the clothes that they wear, to the food that they eat, to the work that they do, to how they spend their leisure time. Each of the 10 chapters includes discussion questions for small groups and resources for further reading.

Bouma-Prediger co-authored the first chapter, "Christian Theology and Creation Care," with Bret Stephenson of Baylor University and the final chapter, "Seeking Shalom," with John R. Wood of King's University College.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 24, 2006

Hope Again Leads with Six NSF-REU Grants

For a third consecutive year Hope College holds six grants for summer student research from the National Science Foundation's "Research Experiences for Undergraduates" (NSF-REU) program, continuing to hold more than any other liberal arts college in the country.

Among all institutions nationwide, including major research universities, fewer than 20 hold more of the grants.

Hope holds the grants in biology, chemistry, computer science, the geological and environmental sciences, mathematics, and physics and engineering. It is the 15th consecutive year that at least four Hope departments have had NSF-REU support.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 18, 2006

Psych Research Earns
National and Regional Awards

Hope College senior Elizabeth Mickalich of Shelby Township has been chosen to receive one of only four undergraduate research awards being presented nationwide by Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology, in August.

The national honor will follow major regional recognition from Psi Chi for four other student researchers in psychology in early May.

Mickalich will receive a Psi Chi "Undergraduate National Convention Research Award" during the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, being held in New Orleans, La., on Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 10-13. She is being recognized for her project "Who Nurtures Children's Concepts of Mother, Father, and God?," conducted with Dr. Jane Dickie, professor of psychology and director of women's studies.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 20, 2006

Six Hope Professors Retire

The 2005-06 school year is seeing the retirement of six members of the Hope College faculty.

Retiring at the end of the spring semester are Maxine DeBruyn, who is the Dorothy Wiley DeLong Professor of Dance; Dr. Tamara Bloom George, associate professor of nursing; Jacqueline Heisler, director of the Academic Support Center and adjunct assistant professor of psychology; Dr. Carol Mahsun, associate professor of art and chairperson of the department; and Jack Ridl, professor of English. In addition, Dr. G. Larry Penrose, professor of history, retired at the end of the fall semester. The six professors have served the college for a combined total of more than 166 years.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 20, 2006

Student Receives Fulbright Research Award

Brandon Alleman, a Hope College senior from Morrice, has received an award through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State to conduct research in Hungary.

Fulbright grants are made to U.S. citizens and nationals of other countries for a variety of activities, primarily university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools. Grant recipients include recent college graduates and graduate students, college and university instructors, and professionals in other fields.

The U.S. Student Program is designed for recent college graduates, master's and doctoral candidates, young professionals and artists. The program awards more than 1,200 grants to U.S. students annually, supporting an academic year of study, research or teaching assistantship experience. The program operates in more than 140 countries worldwide.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 20, 2006

Lynn Japinga Contributes Chapter to Book

Dr. Lynn Japinga, associate professor of religion at Hope College, wrote a chapter in the book "Feminist and Womanist Essays in Reformed Dogmatics."

In the book, 13 feminist and womanist scholars committed to the Reformed tradition reflect on the meaning of its key theological concepts, including Scripture and tradition, the image of God, creation, providence, election and grace. "Feminist and Womanist Essays in Reformed Dogmatics" was published earlier this spring by Westminster John Knox Press of Louisville and London as part of the Columbia Series in Reformed Theology.

In her essay, "Fear in the Reformed Tradition," Japinga asks why the Reformed tradition expresses so much confidence in the grace and power of God, yet so often operates out of fear. She provides historical examples from several Reformed denominations of the fear of the Other (women, people of other races, and people who disagree), the fear of being wrong, and the fear of being irrelevant. She explores the way that fear has shaped the doctrines of God, election, sin and grace, and offers some insights from feminist and Reformed theology which may provide antidotes to fear.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 5, 2006

Seniors Named to Phi Beta Kappa

Sixty-three of Hope College's graduating seniors and recent graduates have been elected to the Zeta of Michigan chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest scholastic honorary society.

For more than 200 years, election to Phi Beta Kappa has been a recognition of intellectual capacity well-employed, especially in acquiring an education in the liberal arts and sciences. The objectives of learning encouraged by Phi Beta Kappa include intellectual honesty and tolerance, range of intellectual interests and understanding, not merely knowledge.

Hope faculty who are members of Phi Beta Kappa have elected students in recognition of their high grade point average in liberal arts courses, their exceptional scholarly ability, and their independent and creative scholarly activities.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 3, 2006

Poetry Volume Features
Mathematical Connection

The experiences of everyday life and mathematics are related in "Broken Symmetry," a new collection of poetry by Jack Ridl of the Hope College English faculty.

The book is one of two volumes inaugurating the "Made in Michigan Writers Series" published by Wayne State University Press. It was released at the end of March.

The poems explore a variety of topics - the universal human experience of loss, fresh perspective on the easily overlooked, the goodness and joy to be found in a challenging world. Some were written as long as 10 years ago; most within the past five years. The collection includes the poems originally featured in Ridl's limited-edition 2001 volume "Against Elegies," which was chosen by U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins as the winner of the 2001 "Letterpress Chapbook Competition" sponsored by the Center for Book Arts of New York City.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

April 3, 2006

Students Earn Singing Honors

Hope College students have earned honors in multiple singing competitions held in recent weeks.

Sophomore Meghan Moore of South Bend, Ind., won first place in the College Division of the annual Bach Competition sponsored by the Kalamazoo Bach Society on Saturday, March 4.

A total of three Hope students were named winners during the regional competition of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), held on Saturday, March 11, at Grand Valley State University. Sophomore Dane Clark of Grand Rapids won first place in Musical Theatre; Sophomore Isaac Droscha of Mason won second place among First-Year College Men; and freshman Katie Ross of St. Louis Park, Minn., won honorable mention among First-Year College Women. Contestants had already been the state winners in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Ontario, Canada.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

March 27, 2006

Student Receives Goldwater
Honorable Mention

Marlie Johnson, a Hope College sophomore from Petoskey, has received Honorable Mention recognition from the Barry Goldwater Scholarship Foundation.

The foundation awarded 323 scholarships for the 2006-07 academic year to undergraduate sophomores and juniors from throughout the United States. Another 128 students, like Johnson, received Honorable Mention recognition.

The scholarship recipients and Honorable Mention designees were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,081 mathematics, science and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of their colleges and universities.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

March 13, 2006

"Anchor" Wins Honor at
Newspaper Convention

The "Anchor" won recognition during the 15th Annual Best of the Midwest College Newspaper Convention, held on Friday-Sunday, Feb. 17-19, in Minneapolis, Minn.

Erin L'Hotta, the weekly paper's editor-in-chief, received third place in the Column Writing competition for editorial "Why am I numb?," published in the Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2005, edition. The column considered the way that the reaction in the U.S. was more intense to the attacks of 9/11 in 2001 than to the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina.

More than 210 students from 33 colleges and universities attended the convention, which was organized by the Associated Collegiate Press.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

March 13, 2006

Student and Grad Receive
NCAA Scholarships

A current Hope College student and a recent graduate have both received awards from the NCAA to conduct graduate work in athletic training.

Senior Kelsey Guisbert of Farmington (far left) and 2005 graduate Emily Schlitz of Potterville have both been awarded NCAA Women's Enhancement Program Postgraduate Scholarships for Careers in Athletics.

Only 16 of the awards were made nationwide, including 13 through the program in general and three designated specifically for graduates of Division III schools, a category that includes Hope. Scholarship recipients must have been accepted into a sports administration or related program that will help the applicant obtain a career in intercollegiate athletics, such as athletics administrator, coach or athletic trainer. The awards will provide $6,000 in support during the 2006-07 school year.

Guisbert and Schlitz, athletic training majors at Hope, each intend to work at the collegiate level when finished with their graduate work.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

March 13, 2006

Jenny Everts Powers
Appointed to Pentecostal Board

Dr. Jenny Everts Powers, associate professor of religion at Hope College, is one of 11 biblical scholars selected to serve on the Board of Advisors of the newly formed Foundation for Pentecostal Scholarship (TFFPS).

According to Robert Graves, president and co-founder, the officers of the foundation sought leading Pentecostal scholars in the field of biblical studies to serve as advisors. The scholars represent a number of Pentecostal denominations and come from Africa, Europe and North America.

The foundation was founded to advance biblical scholarship within the global Pentecostal family. The purpose of TFFPS is to remove financial barriers that impede Pentecostal scholarship by funding doctoral- and post-doctoral-level research projects focusing on Pentecostal theology; enabling Pentecostal scholars to participate in worthwhile conferences, symposiums and conclaves; and contributing to sabbatical funding for working scholars. It will also encourage the publishing of Pentecostal scholarship by recognizing the best works of Pentecostal biblical scholarship through annual Declaration of Excellence Awards; seeking out essays, theses, dissertations, conference papers and out-of-print works worthy of wider circulation and assisting their authors in procuring it; and subsidizing the publication, promotion or dissemination of academic works that advance the Pentecostal faith.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

March 6, 2006

Several Hope Projects
Receive Consortium Support

Several Hope College projects have received grants from the Michigan Space Grant Consortium.

A total of 10 projects from Hope received funding from the consortium through its 2006-07 grant period. The awards to Hope projects are in three categories: seven are fellowships for students conducting collaborative research with members of the college's faculty, two are "seed grants" for faculty research and one is through an initiative for pre-college education. They total $32,500, including $2,500 for each of the student fellowships, and $5,000 each for the other three projects.

The consortium awarded grants in the three categories to a total of 34 projects statewide, chosen from among 92 applications.

Hope will provide additional support for each of the projects, including stipends for the students as they conduct research during the summer, and matching funds for the faculty and pre-college education projects.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

March 3, 2006

Production Featuring Prof
Nominated for Emmy

William Pannapacker of the English faculty is part of an Emmy-nominated production.

He was featured as an expert on Walt Whitman in the program State of the Arts: American Originals produced by NJN Public Television. NJN covers the Philadelphia and New York Metropolitan markets, including about 13 million viewers.

The program originally aired on May 6, 2005 and was rebroadcast on February 17 and 22, and also includes segments on photographer Edward Weston, composer Harry Patch and organist Alexander McCurdy. It received a 2006 New York Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Arts Program.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

February 28, 2006

Jorge Capestany Receives
Regional USPTA Honor

Jorge Capestany, manager of the DeWitt Tennis Center at Hope College, has been named winner of the "Facility Manager of the Year" award presented by the Midwest Division of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA).

He will receive the award during the division's annual conference, running Saturday-Monday, March 4-6, in Columbus, Ohio. As the Midwest division's winner, he is also automatically nominated for the national "Facility Manager of the Year" award, which will be announced during the USPTA national convention in Las Vegas, Nev., in September.

The award recognizes a general manager of a country club, commercial tennis facility, public tennis center, resort or similar facility. It is based on encouraging professional development of facility staff; promotion of tennis in the facility environment; support for USPTA education and professional development opportunities; hiring and supporting USPTA-certified tennis professionals; and organizational affiliations and special achievements in the tennis facility industry.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

February 20, 2006

Hope Featured in Book for
"Putting Students First"

Hope College is one of only 10 church-related colleges and universities nationwide highlighted in a new book on effective undergraduate education.

The book, "Putting Students First: How Colleges Develop Students Purposefully," argues "that an effective and ideal undergraduate college education is one that centers on holistic student development, including the search for meaning and purpose in life." Published by Anker Publishing Company Inc. of Bolton, Mass., the book was co-authored by Dr. Larry A. Braskamp, Dr. Lois Calian Trautvetter and Dr. Kelly Ward.

"We are honored to be included in this book because it amplifies what we attempt to accomplish every day with our students," said Dr. James Boelkins, provost of Hope College.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

February 13, 2006

Poetry Explores Circus Life

The latest volume of poetry by Jack Ridl of the Hope College English faculty explores life with the circus, harkening back to his experiences as a child.

The chapbook, "Outside the Center Ring," published by Pudding House Publishing of Columbus, Ohio, features a series of 19 poems. They are based on the times that Ridl spent behind the scenes, or "back-lot," with an older cousin.

"About a year or so ago I started thinking, 'That's a whole world - let's see if there's anything there,'" he said of his childhood experiences. "While none of it is non-fiction, it certainly comes out of spending summers with this cousin who was a circus man."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Psychologist’s Book Wins National Award

The book "The Career Mystique: Cracks in the American Dream," co-authored by Dr. Patricia Roehling of the Hope College psychology faculty, has received a national award for being "the best of the best."

The book has received the 2005 "Award for Excellence in Professional and Scholarly Publishing" given by the Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division (PSP) of the Association of American Publishers (AAP). "The Career Mystique" was honored as the year's best book in the category of Sociology and Social Work.

AAP presented awards in 30 categories for outstanding books, journals and digital projects covering a wide range of academic disciplines. The awards were announced on Tuesday, Feb. 7, during the PSP Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. The winners were chosen by a nine-member expert panel consisting of librarians, academics and working publishers.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

William Polik Named ACS Committee Chair

Dr. William F. Polik of the Hope College chemistry faculty has been appointed chairperson of the national Committee on Professional Training (CPT) of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Polik, who is the Edward and Elizabeth Hofma Professor of Chemistry at Hope, has been a member of the committee since 2000, and served as vice-chair during the past year. His service as chair begins with the first ACS meeting in March of this year and will continue through 2008.

Founded in 1876, the ACS has more than 158,000 members in industry and education. The society's activities include promoting public understanding of chemistry through outreach programs, fostering communication between chemists and related organizations, and assisting in the professional and career development of chemists.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Research Seeks
Commonalities in Disagreement

A Hope College professor is co-author of research that suggests a way of reducing hostility between opponents who seem to be separated by an unbridgeable divide.

"Members of adversarial groups often view their opponents with suspicion, distrust and outright animosity," said Dr. Mary Inman, professor of psychology. "Some Republicans say some Democrats weaken traditional moral values. Some Democrats criticize some Republicans for squelching human rights."

However, Inman said, "Viewing the debate from their adversaries' values may increase perceptions of agreement and perhaps improve intergroup relations."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Poems by Priscilla Atkins Published

Poetry by Priscilla Atkins of the Hope College faculty has been included in two recent or forthcoming literary magazines.

Her poem "Wood," a poem about love and faith which reflects on her older sister, who has done woodworking for years, has been published in the Winter 2005 issue of "Shenandoah: The Washington and Lee University Review." Edited by R.T. Smith, "Shenandoah" has published award-winning fiction, poetry, essays and interviews since 1950.

A total of 13 of her poems are being published in the Winter 2006 issue of "The Midwest Quarterly." Presented under the group title "Drinking the Dark," the poems are inspired, in part, by Michigan beech trees. "The Midwest Quarterly," which premiered in 1959, is published by Pittsburg State University of Pittsburg, Kan., and edited by James B.M. Schick.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Tom Renner Named "Paul Harris Fellow"

Tom Renner of the Hope College public relations office attended the Thursday, Jan. 19, meeting of the Holland Rotary Club thinking that he'd been invited as a guest in celebration of his birthday.

That was only partially true. He was actually there to receive a present: recognition as a Paul Harris Fellow.

Renner was selected for and presented the award by Rotary member Jerry Redeker, a long-time friend, "for service and humanitarian efforts in the Holland community and for Hope College." The citation, accompanied by a pin and medallion, further notes that the award is given "in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Prof’s Mystery Novel Set in West Michigan

Previous mystery novels by Dr. Albert Bell of the Hope College history faculty have been set as far away as modern-day Italy and the ancient Middle East.

His latest, "Death Goes Dutch," takes place closer to home, in West Michigan.

The plot centers on the return of the now-grown son given up for adoption by the unwed daughter of a wealthy Grand Rapids furniture family. With the help of a social services worker, who is the novel's narrator, he learns of his mother's identity and that she died under suspicious circumstances five years before. Given the situation, his appearance isn't greeted with unrestrained joy by all of his relatives.

"I thought that would be an interesting situation," said Bell, a professor of history. "What if you introduced an adoptee into a family that wasn't happy to see him?"

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Hope Presents Awards to Faculty

Steven Hoogerwerf -- Kathy Winnett-Murray -- Isolde Anderson

The "Janet L. Andersen Excellence in Teaching Awards" were presented to Dr. Steven Hoogerwerf, associate professor of religion, and Dr. Kathy Winnett-Murray, professor of biology. Previously known as the "Provost's Award for Excellence in Teaching," the recognition has been renamed in memory of Dr. Janet Andersen, a professor of mathematics who died of injuries sustained in an automobile accident on Nov. 24.

Named a "Towsley Research Scholar" was Dr. Isolde Anderson, assistant professor of communication.

The "Ruth and John Reed Faculty Achievement Awards" were presented to Linda Dykstra, associate professor of music, and Dr. Margaret Kennedy-Dygas, professor of music and chairperson of the department.

The "Provost's Award for Service to the Academic Program" was presented to Cheryl Schairer, administrative assistant to the dean for the social sciences and director of teacher certification. continue

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Annual Recognition
Luncheon Honors Faculty

Hope College honored faculty members for service, academic achievement and professional involvement during the college's annual recognition luncheon on Monday, Jan. 9.

The luncheon traditionally marks the beginning of the college's second semester. Participating were James N. Boelkins, provost; Jon J. Huisken, dean for academic services and registrar; Moses Lee, dean for the natural sciences; Nancy S. Miller, dean for the social sciences; and William D. Reynolds, dean for the arts and humanities.

Honored for 40 years of service were Glenn Van Wieren (kinesiology) and James Zoetewey (political science). Recognized for 35 years of service were William Mungall (chemistry), William Reynolds (English, and dean for the arts and humanities) and Jack Ridl (English).

Honored for 30 years of service was Susan Cherup (education), while James Heisler (economics and business administration) was recognized for 25 years of service. Recognized for 20 years of service were James Allis (philosophy), Dean Kreps (kinesiology), K. Gregory Murray (biology) and Kathy Winnett-Murray (biology).

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Text Focuses on Kierkegaard and Mysticism

Dr. Jack Mulder Jr., visiting assistant professor of philosophy at Hope College, is author of a new book that examines the religious philosophy of Soren Kierkegaard.

Mulder's book, "Mystical and Buddhist Elements in Kierkegaard's Religious Thought," has been published by Edwin Mellen Press of Lewiston, N.Y.

According to Mulder, the qualities of mysticism include the annihilation of the self and union with God. The standard reading of Kierkegaard, he said, has conversely emphasized the philosopher's insistence on the distinction between Creator and creation. Mulder, however, sees in Kierkegaard's writings a view of humanity's relationship to the divine that is in keeping with the mystical perspective.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Carla Bender Elected VP
of State Association

Carla Bender, associate director of financial aid at Hope College, has been elected vice president of the Michigan Student Financial Aid Association (MSFAA).

Founded in 1967, the MSFAA brings together postsecondary schools and other public and private organizations involved with providing financial aid for students. The association has more than 500 members.

As vice president Bender will be a member of the organization's Executive Board, which consists of seven members and five sector representatives. Her one-year term begins at the end of the month.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

DeVos Fieldhouse Spaces
to Honor Four Hope Couples

Hope College is recognizing four couples who have played significant roles in the life of the college by naming portions of the new Richard and Helen DeVos Fieldhouse in their honor.

Russ and Doris DeVette, Bob and Marcia DeYoung, Ray and Sue Smith, and Glenn and Jackie Van Wieren are all being honored for their decades-long service to Hope. Bronze plaques commemorating the recognition will be unveiled as part of the pre-game activities for the Hope men's basketball game being played beginning at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, as part of the Russ DeVette Holiday Tournament.

"These are four very special couples who have had an extraordinary impact on the Hope and Holland communities with their career-long commitments," said Dr. James E. Bultman, president of HopeCollege. "We honor them as couples because each in their own special way has been a team that has had a profound impact on generations of Hope students."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Hope Researchers
Participate in NASA Project

Researchers from HopeCollege are participating in a NASA project aimed at understanding the nature of pulsars.

Dr. Peter Gonthier, who is a professor of physics, and his Hope student researchers are part of a NASA-based team that has been seeking to better understand how pulsars, which are highly compact collapsed stars, produce high-energy gamma rays. The team's project, "High Energy Emission from Pulsar Magnetospheres," recently received a three-year, $341,147 grant from the NASA Astrophysics Theory Program.

The team is headed by Dr. Alice Harding, who is on the staff of the Exploration of the Universe Division of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. In addition to Gonthier, who has been conducting research with Harding since 1992, co-investigators on the team also include researchers from the Pentagon, RiceUniversity and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Grant Supports Community Health Effort

Dr. Deborah Sturtevant, professor of sociology and social work and chairperson of the department at Hope College, has been awarded a partnership grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to research and facilitate activities designed to improve community health. The $49,900 grant, secured through the support of the Holland Hospital Foundation, will help fund the final year of a three-year effort to identify the most pressing needs within the community and design programs to address those needs.

"The exciting part about the project is that it's intended to try to improve the overall health of the community by engaging the community," Sturtevant explained. "If the projects that are developed in the third year run well, we'll work with the community to find ways to sustain them."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Ed Hansen Elected President
of Statewide Academy

Dr. Edward Hansen, professor of geology and environmental science at Hope College, has been elected president of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters.

He began his term in October, and will serve until mid September in 2006.

"Ed's election speaks of his recognized scientific accomplishments and scholarly leadership in the state of Michigan," said Dr. Jonathan Peterson, who is an associate professor of geology environmental science and chairperson of the department at Hope.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

James Herrick on Journal’s Founding Board

Dr. James Herrick of the Hope College communication faculty has been invited to join the founding editorial board for the "American Communication Journal."

The new journal will publish research conducted using a variety of methodologies, and will only be available in electronic form. It is expected to debut in July 2006 and be published quarterly.

Herrick is the Guy Vander Jagt Professor of Communication at Hope, where he has taught since 1984. His research and teaching specialties are rhetoric and argumentation.

The board of the "American Communication Journal" is the third editorial board for which he is a founding member. The other two are "Review of Communication," which is the electronic journal of the National Communication Association, and the Baylor University Press Rhetoric and Religion series. He also serves on the editorial boards of "Argumentation and Advocacy" and "The Journal of the Association for Communication Administration."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Grant Supports
Education Diversity Program

The CrossRoads Project at Hope College and the West Ottawa Public Schools have teamed up to increase the cultural sensitivity and awareness of middle school teachers with support from the National Diversity Education Program.

The Hope-West Ottawa program, "Becoming a Culturally-Responsive Teacher," expands an effort that began at Hope for the college's education students during the spring 2005 semester. It features a series of films and panel presentations that explore diversity from a variety of perspectives, often by highlighting the experiences of families from the area.

The National Diversity Education Program selected 12 educators from five states - Michigan, Arkansas, Illinois, Texas and California - to create diversity education programs for middle school teachers. The total includes the three educators who have created the Hope-West Ottawa program: Dr. Jeanine Dell'Olio, a professor of education who specializes in urban education at Hope; Kim Douglas, an adjunct assistant professor of English who teaches "Encounters with Cultures" at Hope; and David Douglas, who is the lead trainer for diversity in the West Ottawa Public Schools.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Professor Tom Smith Honored by Students

Dr. Tom Smith of the Hope College management faculty has received the 10th annual "Favorite Faculty/Staff Member" award presented by the student body.

Smith received the award on Saturday, Oct. 15, during halftime of the college's Homecoming football game at Holland Municipal Stadium.

Recipients of the "Favorite Faculty/Staff Member" award are chosen through a vote open to the entire student body and conducted at the same time as elections for the Homecoming court and king and queen.  The students are not provided with a list of candidates for the award, but rather are asked to write in the name of the person that they feel should be honored.  The award was first presented in 1996.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Gallery to Feature
McCombs Paintings of Campus

An exhibition of watercolors by Hope College faculty member Bruce McCombs showcasing the college itself will open in the gallery of the De Pree Art Center on Friday, Oct. 14.

The exhibition will feature a series of new works by McCombs that depict the buildings of the Hope campus. There will be an opening reception, scheduled in conjunction with Homecoming Weekend at the college, on Friday, Oct. 14, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The public is invited to both the exhibition and the reception. Admission is free.

The exhibition, "Bruce McCombs: New Watercolors of the Hope College Campus," will mark the second time that a series of paintings of the campus by McCombs has been featured in the gallery. The show "BMOC: Bruce McCombs on Campus," highlighting previous work, ran in the fall of 2002, also opening with the college's Homecoming

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Documentary on Klan
Wins Statewide Award

A documentary by two Hope College professors about the history of the Ku Klux Klan in Michigan has received a State History Award from the Historical Society of Michigan.

"The Klan in Michigan, Part I: Reconstruction," a research project by Dr. Fred Johnson of the history faculty and Dr. David Schock of the communication faculty, was honored during a reception and dinner on Friday, Sept. 23, in conjunction with the society's 131st Annual Meeting and State History Conference, held in East Lansing. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the appreciation and understanding of Michigan history.

It is the second time in three years that a documentary produced at Hope by Schock has been recognized by the Historical Society of Michigan. In 2003, the program "Tulip Time in Holland" received an Award of Merit. Commissioned by the Joint Archives of Holland, the Tulip Time program was written, produced and narrated by Schock, with Geoffrey Reynolds, director of the archives, serving as executive producer.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Student Receives Nursing Scholarship

Sarah Herington, a Hope College sophomore from Grand Rapids, is one of only three students statewide receiving a 2005 scholarship from the Michigan Nurses Foundation (MNF).

She and the other two recipients will be honored during the Michigan Nurses Association Convention on Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Ypsilanti Marriott at Eagle Crest Conference Resort.

The foundation's Scholarship Committee reviewed each applicant's grade point average and academic record, financial need and community service. The applicants also submitted essays describing how the $500 in scholarship funds would enable them to achieve their practice goals in nursing. The annual scholarships are open to nursing students who plan to begin their studies in nursing or advance their education in nursing.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Jack Ridl to Be Honored
by Westminster College

Jack Ridl, professor of English at Hope College, is receiving a 2005 "Alumni Citation Award" from Westminster College of New Wilmington, Pa.

Ridl, who has taught at Hope since 1971, graduated from Westminster College with a bachelor's degree in 1967 and completed his Master of Education degree there in 1970. His connection to Westminster, however, goes back to childhood: his father, the late Charles "Buzz" Ridl, coached at the college in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Westminster College Alumni Citation Awards recognize Westminster alumni who have distinguished themselves through significant accomplishments in their professions, their community or service to Westminster. Ridl will be recognized during a ceremony at Westminster on Friday, Sept. 23, in conjunction with the college's Homecoming and Reunion Weekend.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Book Examines History
of Veneklasen Brick Homes

A research project coordinated by the Joint Archives of Holland at Hope College has yielded a new book that explores the history of Zeeland-based Veneklasen brick company and the Holland-area homes made of the company's product.

Michael J. Douma, a 2004 Hope graduate from Grandville who is now doing graduate work in Florida, is the author of "Veneklasen Brick: a Family, a Company, and a Unique 19th Century Architectural Movement in Michigan," published this month by the Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. of Grand Rapids/Cambridge.

Copies of the book will be sold during a reception being held in Douma's honor at the Zeeland Historical Society's Dekker Huis Museum on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m., and will be available subsequently at the Joint Archives of Holland. The book's publication has been funded through a grant to the society made in memory of Betty Shoemaker by her brother Gradus Shoemaker and his wife. Betty Shoemaker was active as a volunteer with the society for many years prior to her death in 2004.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Lynne Hendrix Named Educator of the Year

Lynne Hendrix of the Hope College accounting faculty has been named the 2005 Accounting Educator of the Year by the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA).

She will receive the award on Wednesday, Sept. 28, during the 2005 MACPA Awards dinner, which will be held in Rochester.

The award recognizes educators who excel in teaching accounting and promoting the CPA profession. Recipients must be full-time Michigan educators who emphasize the importance of accounting education to the profession and exemplify the role professors play in supporting the CPA profession.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Book Provides “The Way into Narnia”

With film-goers just months from finding Narnia at the multiplex, a Hope College professor's book provides insights for those seeking to understand C.S. Lewis's beloved Chronicles of Narnia series.

Dr. Peter Schakel of the Hope English faculty is the author of "The Way Into Narnia: A Reader's Guide," published recently by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. of Grand Rapids/Cambridge. It has been written to provide a basic guidebook for new readers of the Chronicles of Narnia as well as fresh insights for those who have traveled there often.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Grant Supports Acquisition
of Research Equipment

Hope College will receive $245,516 from the Department of
Health and Human Services to purchase new scientific equipment that will help further health care research, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, announced today.

"Hope College is ranked as one of the top undergraduate scientific research institutions in the country," Hoekstra said. "Enabling the Science Center to access additional research and teaching tools is an investment in the future of health care."

The funding was originally included in the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2005. It passed as part of the federal omnibus appropriations package last fall.

Hope College will use the grant to purchase new equipment for each department in the Science Center, including biology, chemistry, the geological and environmental sciences, nursing and psychology. Examples include an inverted microscope and digital camera for use in research involving cell growth, a high-tech manikin for use in nursing courses, an integrated psychophysiology system for coursework and research and UV/VIS Circular Dichroism Spectophotometer that will support cancer research.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Historian Fred Johnson Authors New Novel

Dr. Fred L. Johnson III, assistant professor of history at Hope College, has written his third novel, "Other Men's Wives," published earlier this year by One World/Ballantine Books of New York City.

The story centers on the response of protagonist Denmark Wheeler to the infidelity of his wife, Sierra. As the book begins, Wheeler has a good life that stands in contrast to his difficult childhood. Raised in the Cleveland ghetto, his father shot by a drug addict, he worked the streets to help his sister through college. In the present day, though, he has a respectable job and a wife that he loves passionately. However, the arrival of a DVD that shows Sierra being intimate with another man, whose face is deliberately blurred, shatters his world. Wheeler is filled with grief and rage and determines to find the identity of the man so that he can exact revenge. It is obvious to him that it is someone close to him, perhaps even one of his two best friends.

"Other Men's Wives" is Johnson's third novel. "Essence" called his first, "Bittersweet," which was published early in 2002, "a book to curl up with on a winter evening... an appealing tale of sibling rivalry and revelry from a man's perspective." His second, "A Man Finds His Way," published early in 2003, was praised by "Publisher's Weekly" as "a thoughtful take on some tough contemporary issues in job politics and race relations."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Heather Sellers Has Poetry in Anthology

Dr. Heather Sellers of the Hope College faculty has work included in a forthcoming anthology, "Sweeping Beauty: Contemporary Women Poets Do Housework."

The book is being released in September, and is published by the University of Iowa Press. It has been edited by Pamela Gemin, who is an assistant professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

The book's more than 80 contributors also include a number of poets who have read at Hope through the college's Visiting Writers Series, including Kim Blaeser, Marianne Boruch, Lucille Clifton, Joy Harjo, Allison Joseph, Jesse Lee Kercheval and Sharon Olds.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

August 30, 2005

Hope Students to Spend Day Volunteering

Approximately 500 Hope College students will participate in service projects throughout the area through the college's "Time to Serve" program on Saturday, Sept. 3.

The students, most of them members of the newly arrived freshman Class of 2009, will participate in the college's sixth annual "Time to Serve" volunteer program. The new students started signing up for the mass volunteer effort on Saturday, Aug. 27, only a day after arriving on campus for "New Student Orientation" at Hope.

The students' volunteerism reflects a national trend. In its 2004 survey of its 950 member colleges and universities, Campus Compact found that more than 30 percent of students participate in community service, averaging four hours of service a week. Campus Compact estimates the value of their service at $2,246.40 per individual during the school year.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Convocation Address Offers
"Global Challenge"

Reality television provided a framework for the advice shared with the members of the incoming Class of 2009 during Hope College's Opening Convocation on Sunday, Aug. 28.

Featured speaker Dr. Deirdre Johnston of the college's communication faculty titled her address "Global Hope" and invited the students to take the "Global Challenge," to prepare themselves to live in and help meet the needs of a complex and interconnected world.

"But be forewarned.  The 'Global Challenge' is a difficult path," said Johnston, who is an associate professor of communication and chairperson of the department.  Adopting the titles of three reality shows, she continued, "There are three 'Global Challenge' tasks we must engage: Fear Factor, Extreme Makeover and Trading Places."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

NSF Grant Funds "Supercomputer"

Hope College will soon host the most powerful supercomputer in West Michigan, thanks to a new grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Hope is one of four colleges that will share the equipment. The new computer, which is actually a cluster of 100 computers, will be housed and maintained at Hope, and will be used in research at Hope as well as at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn.; Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.; and Macalaster College in St. Paul, Minn.

The grant totals $379,609, and the new cluster will be operational in early 2006.

By sharing the grant as a consortium, the four schools have gained access to a powerful research tool, according to Dr. William Polik, who is the Edward and Elizabeth Hofma Professor of Chemistry at Hope and is also the principal investigator, or administrator, of the grant.

"This will be the most powerful computer in western Michigan," Polik said. "It will be several hundred times more powerful than an ordinary desktop computer."

READ THE PRESS RELEASE