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Calvin University, formerly Calvin College, is a
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
Christian university in
Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is th ...
. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed (
Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John C ...
) tradition. Known as Calvin College for most of its history, the school is named after
John Calvin John Calvin (; frm, Jehan Cauvin; french: link=no, Jean Calvin ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system ...
, the 16th-century Protestant Reformer.


History

The Christian Reformed Church in North America founded the school on August 4, 1876, as part of ''Calvin College and Theological Seminary'' (with the seminary becoming
Calvin Theological Seminary Calvin Theological Seminary is a private Christian Reformed Church seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is closely tied to Calvin University, though each institution has its own board. History The seminary was founded in 1876 with the purp ...
) to train church ministers. The college and seminary began with seven students, in a rented upper room on Spring Street, in
Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is th ...
. The initial six-year
curriculum In education, a curriculum (; plural, : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to ...
included four years of literary studies and two years of
theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...
. In 1892, the campus moved to the intersection of Madison Avenue and Franklin Street (Fifth Avenue) in Grand Rapids. In September 1894, the school expanded the curriculum for those who were not pre-theological students, effectually making the institution a preparatory school. In 1900, the curriculum further broadened, making it more attractive to students interested in teaching or preparing for professional courses at universities. In 1901, Calvin admitted the first women to the school. In 1906, the literary department of the college became known as ''John Calvin Junior College'' and the college held its first commencement. The student newspaper ''Chimes'' was first published in 1907. Around 1910, the West Michigan cities of Muskegon and
Kalamazoo Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropo ...
fought to have Calvin relocate to their respective cities. Muskegon offered US$10,000 (approximately $260,000 in 2015 dollars) and a tract of land to attract the college. The city of Grand Rapids countered with its own $10,000 offer and the junior college chose to stay in Grand Rapids. In time, the two-year college became a four-year college, and the preparatory department was discontinued. In 1917, John Calvin Junior College moved to the Franklin Street Campus, which was the southeast edge of Grand Rapids at the time. Two years later the college appointed its first president, the Rev. J.J. Hiemenga. Then a year later, in 1920, the college officially transitioned into a four-year college following the liberal arts philosophy of the
Free University A free university is an organization offering uncredited, public classes without restrictions to who can teach or learn. They differ in structure. In 1980 in the United States, about half were associated with a traditional university, about a ...
in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
as laid out by Dutch theologian and statesman Abraham Kuyper. The next year the college awarded its first bachelor's degree. In 1924, with the opening of Grand Rapids Christian High School, the college offered its last year of preparatory education, turned its focus exclusively to higher education, and opened its first dormitory. In 1925, the college began a teacher training program and, in 1926, appointed its first female faculty member, Johanna Timmer, as Dean of Women. The college dedicated its library, the Hekman Library on March 8, 1928. The college later dedicated its seminary building at the Franklin Street Campus on October 29, 1930. Still under the leadership of Rev. Hiemenga the college faced significant trouble during the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
as financial hardship beset the college. Although the school grew slowly in these early years, by 1930 it had reached its pre-
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
size of 350-450 students. Like many colleges in the United States, the end of the war led to the fastest enrollment increase in Calvin's history. By 1950 the enrollment had climbed to 1,270 and Calvin joined the M.I.A.A. The enrollment increase led to space limitations at the Franklin Campus. William Spoelhoef became president of Calvin in 1951. In 1956, the
Synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin word mean ...
of the Christian Reformed Church authorized the college to purchase the Knollcrest Farm from J.C. Miller for $400,000 (approximately $3.6 million in 2018). Located beyond the Grand Rapids city limits at the time, the Knollcrest farm increased Calvin's campus from approximately one large city block to with a nature preserve. Many were reticent about the project and the college's ability to finance it, but Spoelhof pursued the initiative. The Theological Seminary was first to move to the new campus since it did not need to be close to the rest of college, building a new academic building and holding classes there starting in 1960. As space constraints became more noticeable on the Franklin campus, the college built its first academic building on the Knollcrest Campus and first held classes there in 1962. For the next 10 years, the college continued to operate at both the Knollcrest and Franklin campuses, until fully transitioning to the Knollcrest Campus in 1973. During the latter decades of the 20th century, Calvin grew to around 4,200 students. In 1991, the seminary and the college established separate boards of trustees. At the turn of the millennium, Calvin began several new construction projects. Among these were a new communications and political science building, a conference center and hotel. In 2006, Calvin announced an expansion of the Fieldhouse which was completed in the spring of 2009. Shortly after, in 2010, Calvin completed an extensive renovation and expansion of the Fine Arts Center, thereafter rededicated as the Covenant Fine Arts Center. The school made national headlines in 2005 when US President George W. Bush served as commencement speaker. Reactions among students and faculty were mixed. According to ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
'', more than 800 faculty members, alumni, students and friends of the school signed a full-page ad in the '' Grand Rapids Press'', saying that Bush's policies "...violate many deeply held principles of Calvin College." In the summer of 2008, ''The Capella of Calvin College'', the concert choir of Calvin under the direction of professor Joel Navarro, earned two third prizes in the Mixed and Free Category at the 37th Florilege Vocal de Tours Competition in
Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metro ...
, France. In August 2009, the college's Board of Trustees issued a controversial memo to all employees that said that faculty were prohibited from teaching, writing about, or advocating on behalf of
homosexuality Homosexuality is Romance (love), romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romant ...
or homosexual issues such as
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...
. Many faculty members were critical of the policy and of the way it was adopted without consultation by the board. The Faculty Senate, by a vote of 36–4, asked the Board to withdraw the memo. The official policy of the college continues to be that the "proper place" for sexual relations is a "marriage relationship between a man and a woman". In June 2012, the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church of North America voted to appoint Michael K. Le Roy as the president of Calvin College, succeeding President Gaylen J. Byker. Within months of assuming office, President Le Roy disclosed that Calvin faced a financial crisis, with $117 million in debt at the time. As part of the debt reduction plan, Calvin successfully raised $25 million in eight months to reduce its long-term debt to $90 million and continues to implement cost-cutting measures. In September 2015, four lightly enrolled majors were reduced to minors and one minor eliminated, marking the final step in academic division prioritization. Calvin College rebranded itself Calvin University on July 10, 2019, a date that matches the 510th birthday of John Calvin, the college's namesake. As an institution that already had numerous departments and centers, it was hoped that a name change to Calvin University would make the college more attractive to potential students as, internationally, colleges are considered a lower academic category than a university. In 2021, the university ended several "underperforming" majors and minors, citing financial strain. The programs cut included the
astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...
minor, Chinese major and minor,
classical studies Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
major and minor, Greek minor,
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
minor, Dutch major and minor,
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
major, and global development studies major and minor. This included firing tenured faculty members. President Le Roy announced he would step down as president June 10, 2021. On March 8, 2022, the Calvin University board of trustees announced the decision to appoint Dr. Wiebe Boer as the 11th president of Calvin College, succeeding Michael Le Roy.


Academics

Calvin University is accredited by the
Higher Learning Commission The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Io ...
. Calvin offers majors or minors in over 100 academic or pre-professional fields and ten graduate programs. The most popular majors are engineering, business, and nursing. Calvin is a member of the
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) is a global organization of evangelical Christian colleges and universities. The headquarters is in Washington, D.C. History In 1976, presidents of colleges in the Christian College Co ...
and as an institution in the Calvinist tradition, subscribes to a robust theology that produces a high regard for participating in and forming culture.


Admissions

For the Class of 2025 (enrolled fall 2021), Calvin University received 3,267 applications and accepted 2,992 (91.6%). Of those accepted, 736 enrolled, a yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who choose to attend the university) of 24.6%. Calvin University's freshman retention rate is 86%, with 77.1% going on to graduate within six years. Of the 61% of the incoming freshman class who submitted SAT scores; the middle 50 percent Composite scores were 1130-1330. Of the 24% of enrolled freshmen in 2021 who submitted ACT scores; the middle 50 percent Composite score was between 24 and 30. Calvin University is a college-sponsor of the National Merit Scholarship Program and sponsored 5 Merit Scholarship awards in 2020. In the 2020–2021 academic year, 7 freshman students were
National Merit Scholars The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and university scholarships administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a privately funded, not-for-profit organizat ...
. In 2021, Calvin University had approximately 3,307 students, 54% female and 46% male. The average class size was 23 and there was a 13:1 student/faculty ratio. Michigan students comprised 55% of the student body and 12% of the students were from other countries. 224 full-time faculty taught at the college and 90.6% had the terminal degree in their field.


Core curriculum

Calvin university has a core curriculum with four parts: Foundations, Competencies & Skills, Knowledge & Understanding, and Cross-Disciplinary Integrations. The average student takes 45 hours of core courses in the course of a four-year degree at Calvin, though engineering majors and students in other professional programs have flexible ways to meet core requirements because some majors now require a higher number of credits to confer a degree. The ''Capstone'' course, generally taken during the senior year, draws together themes and concepts from the core curriculum. Some Capstone course are intended for students of specific majors, while others may be unrelated to a student's chosen major(s) and minor(s), such as PHIL 205: Ethics, which can qualify as the capstone course for students of any major, including non-philosophy majors.


Off-campus programs

Calvin offers a large number of off-campus programs and ranks 2nd out of baccalaureate institutions for the number of students who study abroad each year.


Semester programs

Calvin runs 11 of its own off-campus semester programs. These programs are led by Calvin faculty to ensure that students receive the same caliber of education that they would receive on campus. These programs are currently offered in the United Kingdom, China, France, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, Hungary, Peru, Spain, and Washington, D.C. Additionally, Calvin works with numerous other colleges to offer dozens of other off-campus programs around the world.


Off-campus interim

Calvin also offers a variety of off-campus programs during the one-month interim term that takes place each May. In 2017, Calvin offered 33 different off-campus programs around the world (this number fluctuates slightly each year).


Campus

Calvin acquired the property in the mid-1950s and began a process of turning a biologically diverse farm into a center for Christian higher education. The master plan for the site was developed in 1957 by William Beye Fyfe, an adherent of the Prairie School of architecture. Working with President Spoelhof, Fyfe came up with a set of design principles for the campus aimed to both symbolically represent and physically promote such ideals as the
integration of faith and learning The integration of faith and learning is a focus of many religious institutions of higher education. The broad concept encompasses the idea that the Christian worldview, faith, and practices of the student should be deeply connected within the lear ...
; integration of administration, faculty, and students; and the inter-relatedness of all the disciplines.


Academic buildings

Calvin has nine academic buildings on campus. The first to be constructed was Hiemenga Hall, named after John Hiemenga and built in 1961. Hiemenga Hall houses numerous academic departments including modern languages,
history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
,
philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...
, classical languages, gender studies, and
religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...
. The building also houses some programs and offices. It is connected to the campus chapel and the Spoelhof Center via tunnels. The Spoelhof Center, named after president emeritus William Spoelhof, houses the art,
education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
,
social work Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...
and
sociology Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of empirical investigation an ...
departments, the Office of the President, and several other administrative departments. The Gezon Auditorium is also housed in the Spoelhof Center. Dedicated in 1974, the Gezon Auditorium primarily serves as the main stage for the Calvin Theatre Company. Like the CFAC, it has flexible lighting and sound systems and serves as a venue for concerts, lectures and other events. The Spoelhof Center connects to the Science Building and Hiemenga Hall via tunnels. The Science Building houses many of the science departments at Calvin, including
engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...
,
physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which ...
,
astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...
,
psychology Psychology is the science, scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immens ...
and
nursing Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
. The building also includes half of the Calvin-Rehoboth Robotic Observatory. When there are favorable skies, the observatory is open to the public on most weeknights. The Science Building is also distinctive for having been designed in the shape of a hexagon, emulating the
benzene Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar ring with one hydrogen atom attached to each. Because it contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms ...
ring. In 2009, it was the backdrop for scenes of the film '' The Genesis Code''. Constructed in 1998, DeVries Hall houses classrooms, faculty offices, research labs and a greenhouse. In addition to the
biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary ...
and
chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, proper ...
departments, the building houses the West Michigan Regional Lab, a consortium between the college and local hospital, Spectrum Health. Attached to DeVries Hall and the Science Building is North Hall, which houses several departments including
economics Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics anal ...
,
business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or buying and selling products (such as goods and services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for profit." Having a business name does not separ ...
,
geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other Astronomical object, astronomical objects, the features or rock (geology), rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology ...
,
geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, an ...
,
environmental studies Environmental studies is a multidisciplinary academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. Environmental studies connects principles from the physical sciences, commerce/economics, the humanities, and socia ...
,
computer science Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...
, and
mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
. To the west of North Hall is the Engineering Building which consists of the Prince Engineering Design Center and the Vermeer Engineering Projects Center. The Engineering Building was constructed in 1999 and houses faculty and student research facilities, metal and wood shops, a wind tunnel, a three-dimensional printer, and an anechoic chamber. The Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex, located on the north end of campus, houses a number of classrooms and houses the
Kinesiology Kinesiology () is the scientific study of human body movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, anatomical, biomechanical, pathological, neuropsychological principles and mechanisms of movement. Applications of kinesiology to human heal ...
department. The fieldhouse underwent a major renovation and expansion in 2009. The Covenant Fine Arts Center is one of the most recognizable buildings on campus, given its giant heptagon shape. Designed around the central auditorium, which seats 1,011, the CFAC houses the music and English departments. The CFAC auditorium is the preeminent musical performance space on campus featuring exceptional acoustics. At the back of the stage is the 39 rank, 32 stop mechanical action organ built by Schlicker Organ Company in 1966. Since its opening, the CFAC has hosted over 18,000 events. The auditorium is designed for versatility and is equipped with acoustical curtains, shifting acoustic deflection panels, a stage lift, and three catwalks. The building was closed for 2009-2010 for extensive remodeling. In 2002, the DeVos Communication Center was constructed across the East Beltline Road. It is connected to west campus by the Calvin Crossing bridge. The building's upper-level houses department and faculty offices for both the political science and communications arts and sciences departments. Additionally, there is a suite of audiology and speech pathology classrooms and facilities including a working clinic. The lower level of the building features media production and consumption facilities such as the Bytwerk Video Theatre, an audio studio, sound stage, control room, and editing suites for audio and video production. The ground floor features classrooms, a public atrium, and a snack shop. In March 2021, the university began construction on a new building to house the Calvin University School of Business. The building resides on the east side of the campus, next to the DeVos Communication Center. The Business Department Chair envisions classrooms designed specifically for case studies, a new computer lab, breakout rooms, a hospitality area, seminars with local businesspeople, lots of study space, and a large “Calvin University School of Business” sign.


Hekman Library

Beginning in 1917 with 3,500 volumes, Calvin's "library room" eventually became the modern Hekman Library now boasting over one million volumes. The collection's emphasis is on works in the traditional liberal arts disciplines. The library's strongest collections are in
Theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...
,
Religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...
,
American literature American literature is literature written or produced in the United States of America and in the colonies that preceded it. The American literary tradition thus is part of the broader tradition of English-language literature, but also inc ...
,
British literature British literature is literature from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. This article covers British literature in the English language. Anglo-Saxon (Old English) literature is inc ...
, and
Philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...
. In terms of books, serial backfiles, and other paper materials held, Hekman Library is currently the largest private academic library in the state. The H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies is located in the Hekman Library. The center specializes in John Calvin and Calvinism. With many rare items, books, manuscripts, articles and literature, the Meeter Center is the largest collection of Calvin materials in North America.


Athletic facilities

The Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex is home to the combined health, physical education, recreation, dance and sport department. In Spring 2007, the college began a $50 million construction project to renovate and expand the Calvin Fieldhouse. The fieldhouse reopened in Spring 2009 as the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex. The facility includes a new 5,000-seat arena ( Van Noord Arena) which is currently the largest arena in a Division III school, an Olympic-regulation swimming pool (Venema Aquatic Center) which seats about 550, a tennis and track center (Huizenga Tennis and Track Center) containing 4 tennis courts and a 200-meter track, of weight training rooms and a custom made rock climbing wall. The Hoogenboom Health and Recreation Center contains the original renovated gym that is now used for basketball, volleyball, PE classes, intramurals, and many concerts. The Hoogenboom Center has two dance studios as well as racquetball courts and exercise science laboratories.


Chapel

Though always part of the master plan, the chapel was not built until the late 1980s. The chapel holds daily services in a protected time slot to ensure that all students and faculty members are able to attend the 20 minute worship services if they so choose. Chapel services follow a weekly rhythm and each day of the week has a different theme (Believe, Behold, Belong, Be Still, and Be Loud). Designed by GMB Architects, the chapel sits at the highest point of the academic circle and its spire rises above all of the academic buildings. Shaped as an octagon, with seating in the round, the chapel offers exceptional acoustics for both instrumental and vocal music, in addition to the spoken word. The chapel also features a large organ built by
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders Dobson Pipe Organ Builders is a manufacturer of pipe organs based in Lake City, Iowa. The company was founded in 1974 by Iowa native Lynn A. Dobson, who served as President and Artistic Director until his retirement in February, 2020, when long-ti ...
. The three manual instrument features mechanical key action with a detached console. The facade pipes, made of 75% burnished tin, conceal some 2,500 pipes. In addition to the sanctuary, the chapel has small prayer rooms, meeting spaces, a kitchen, theatre storage and rehearsal spaces. A tunnel system connecting to the Spoelhof Center creates an outdoor plaza at ground level and the multi-use Lab Theatre below. The Lab Theatre is a blackbox theatre built in 1988 as a part of the chapel building project.


Bunker Interpretive Center

The Bunker Interpretive Center is located in Calvin's nature preserve and serves as the home base for formal programs and an educational resource for the approximately 5,000 casual visitors that the Calvin University Ecosystem Preserve & Native Gardens receives annually. The Bunker Interpretive Center is Gold LEED certified.


Bruce Dice Mineralogical Museum

The Bruce Dice Mineralogical Museum is located on the first floor of North Hall. It opened in 2012 after a collection of over 300 minerals and fossils was donated by 1948 alumnus Bruce B. Dice. The Museum serves as a home for the collection and an outreach resource for local school and hobby groups, as well as hosting casual visitors during open hours. The Museum is known for its collection of Cretaceous fossils from Lebanon.


Centers and institutes

 Centers include the Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship (CCCS), the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing (CCFW), the Calvin Center for Innovation in Business (CCIB), the Center for Social Research (CSR), the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies, and the Van Lunen Center: Executive Management in Christian Schools. Institutes include the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW), The Clean Water Institute (CWI), the Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning, the Nagel Institute for the Study of World Christianity, and the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics.


Student life


Residence life

Calvin has seven residence halls on campus which house the majority of the
freshman A freshman, fresher, first year, or frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions. Ara ...
and
sophomore In the United States, a sophomore ( or ) is a person in the second year at an educational institution; usually at a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions. In ...
classes, as the college has a policy that forces most first and second year students to live on campus. First and second year students may live off-campus if they lodge with their parents, it has been more than two years since their high school graduation date, or if they qualify for a rare exception. One of the most notable events put on by residence life is "Chaos Night", during which the residents of each of the halls have their own theme, decorate their dorm, and dress in costumes to compete in a number of relay races and similar games. The dorm building Schultze-Eldersveld has traditionally dominated the Chaos Night competition and has the most victories of any hall. Floor Serenades, when one floor goes around campus singing songs to other floors, and Floor Dates, when two or more floors plan an activity together in order to meet new people, are common occurrences on campus.


Student Activities Office and The Calvin Concert Series

The Student Activities Office at Calvin plans and hosts many films, concerts, and lectures aimed to foster cultural engagement and discernment in a Christian context. The Student Activities Office shows a wide variety of popular and lesser-known films throughout the year. Admission to these films, hosted in the Covenant Fine Arts Center, is $1. Calvin is also notable for its extensive concert series. Before each concert, Calvin hosts a question and answer session with students and the artist. These sessions are meant to give artists a way to converse with students about their music and art. Calvin has hosted a variety of acts including: Fun., Switchfoot, Death Cab for Cutie, Sufjan Stevens, MuteMath, Gungor, MGMT, the Soil & the Sun, Twin Forks, Ingrid Michaelson, Home Free, Regina Spektor, Over the Rhine, Anberlin, Jon Foreman, Peter Rollins and David Bazan, Kishi Bashi, All Sons & Daughters, NEEDTOBREATHE, Shad, Miracles of Modern Science, Diego Garcia, San Fermin, The Brilliance, Delorean, Pop Scholars, Okkervil River, The Head and The Heart, The National, Julianna Barwick, Lone Bellow, The Milk Carton Kids, Lily & Madeleine, Lecrae. The January Series also offers a wide selection of authors, singers, and musicians. Because of its extensive and varied concert series, the Student Activities Office has faced controversy over the years. In September 2010, the college canceled a concert by Canadian indie rock band, The New Pornographers. According to an official statement released by Calvin, the concert was cancelled after several complaints were made due to the band's name referring to pornography. Fun.'s advocacy of changed marriage laws when Calvin hosted them in 2012 was also met with significant controversy.


Safety

Campus security and parking policy enforcement services are provided Calvin University's Campus Safety Department. Some Calvin University campus safety officers have been armed with firearms since 2008, a decision that the Campus Safety Department director William Corner describes as a response to concerns that the college was not adequately prepared to respond to a similar event following the 2007 Virginia Tech campus shooting. Initially, only Campus Safety supervisors who were former law enforcement and fully licensed to carry firearms on a school campus were permitted to carry firearms on Calvin's campus. At that time, all campus safety supervisors were issued collapsible batons, chemical spray, and handcuffs as standard policy, even if they were not armed with a firearm. At the time and until 2017, non-supervisory Campus Safety officers were student employees who performed their duties unarmed. In 2017, the Campus Safety Department made the decision to discontinue hiring students for non-supervisory campus safety officer roles, electing instead to hire former law enforcement officers who were licensed to carry firearms on campus. The department continued to employ students employees as dispatchers, building security officers, and customer service staff. The Campus Safety Department director, William Corner, stated that student officers were not fully qualified for the risk level of some of the incidents they were responding too. “We were putting the students in positions that, honestly, I was not comfortable with for their safety and their level of experience.” In September 2014, full-time, non-student Calvin College campus safety personnel began wearing body cameras while on duty. Officers are required to turn on the cameras in specific circumstances. In 2016, Calvin College was described as being a model for the arming of campus security staff at other smaller college institutions in the United States. A Calvin College campus safety supervisor was criminally charged with "reckless use of a firearm" after a November 2016 on-duty incident. The armed supervisor, Lee Swafford allegedly did not fire his duty firearm in the incident that resulted in his arrest, but after a routine review of body camera footage by the Campus Safety Department director William Corner, the decision was made to place Swafford on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation. Swafford was fired by Calvin College on December 6, 2016, after an internal investigation that led to all evidence being forwarded to the Grand Rapids Police Department and then charged by Kent County prosecutors in February 2017. Swafford turned himself in to police after a warrant was issued for his arrest and was then released on bail. In an open letter to college students, faculty, staff and visitors, college president Michael Le Roy described the officer's actions as "deeply disappointing to me." He also stated that the incident had involved a campus visitor, not a student or staff member. Calvin University implemented a "one button" campus lockdown system in 2017. The new Lenel system can lock down every exterior door on the college campus with the push of a single button. The college has also offered active shooter response training to some staff and students.


Athletics

Calvin University fields ten men's and ten women's intercollegiate teams and several club sports, known as the
Calvin Knights The Calvin Knights are the Calvin University athletics teams. Calvin University fields are ten men's and eleven women's varsity intercollegiate teams that participate in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association at the National Collegiate ...
.


Publications

Students at Calvin publish a weekly student newspaper, ''Chimes'', and a biannual journal of arts and letters commentary, ''Dialogue''. A yearbook, ''Prism'', is also published for each school year. Student filmmakers have also made many short films and videos, like the popula
Lipdub at Calvin College
and the super-low-budget adaptation of Homer's ''
Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Ody ...
'', ''Meynin'', both in 2010. The school distributes ''Knightfile'', a seasonal magazine on sports at the college, ''Uncompressed'', a cultural discussion publication, and ''Spark'', a magazine for alumni and friends.


Notable alumni

*
M.I Abaga Jude Lemfani Abaga (born 4 October 1981), better known as M.I Abaga, is a Nigerian rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence in 2006 when his song "Crowd Mentality" became popular in Jos, Nigeria. His debut studio album ''Talk About I ...
, Nigerian Musician *
Dave Agema David Agema (born February 11, 1949) is a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. Presently the chairman of the Top Gun Republican political action committee, he is a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives and of the Republic ...
, 1971, Republican National Committeeman * William Brashler, author of ''The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings'' * Meindert DeJong, a Dutch-born American writer of children's books who won the Hans Christian Andersen Award. * Betsy DeVos, former chair of the Republican party in Michigan and former Secretary of Education * Keith DeRose, Allison Foundation Professor of Philosophy at Yale University *
Richard DeVos Richard Marvin DeVos Sr. (March 4, 1926 – September 6, 2018) was an American billionaire businessman, co-founder of Amway with Jay Van Andel (company restructured as Alticor in 2000), and owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team. In 2012, ...
, founder of Amway and Orlando Magic CEO * Peter DeVries, 1931, editor and novelist * William K. Frankena 1930, moral philosopher, Chairman UofM philosophy department, Distinguished Alumnus *
Wayne Huizenga Harry Wayne Huizenga Sr. (; December 29, 1937 – March 22, 2018) was an American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He founded AutoNation and Waste Management Inc., and was the owner or co-owner of Blockbuster Video, the Miami ...
, businessman (attended) * Bill Huizenga, U.S. Congressman * Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Boston College *
Marc Evan Jackson Marc Evan Jackson (born August 21, 1970) is an American comedian and actor. Some of his roles include Sparks Nevada in the ''Thrilling Adventure Hour'', Kevin Cozner in '' Brooklyn Nine-Nine'' (he also hosts a podcast based on the sitcom, titled ...
, 1992, actor and comedian * Paul Ronald Lambers,
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...
Recipient –
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
* Todd Martinez, 1989, theoretical chemist and professor * Chris Molnar, writer, editor and publisher of Archway Editions * Kunle Olukotun, father of the multi-core processor, Stanford computer science professor *
Jeannine Oppewall Jeannine Claudia Oppewall (born November 28, 1946) is an American film art director. She has worked on more than 30 movies in such roles as production designer, set decorator and set designer, and has four Academy Award nominations for Best Ar ...
, 1968, Academy Award-nominated production designer * Alvin Plantinga, prominent (theistic) contemporary philosopher of religion * Patricia Rozema, 1981, filmmaker * Paul Schrader, 1968, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and filmmaker * Wessel H. Smitter, novelist * Carl Strikwerda, President of
Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown College (informally E-town) is a private college in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. History Founding and early years Founded in 1899, Elizabethtown College is one of many higher learning institutions founded in the 19th century by c ...
*
Jay Van Andel Jay Van Andel (June 3, 1924 – December 7, 2004) was an American billionaire businessman, best known as co-founder of the Amway Corporation, along with Richard DeVos. He also served as chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce from 1979 to 1980 ...
Businessman, co-founder of Amway * John Van Engen 1969, Professor of History and Haskins Medal winner * Jon Vander Ark, president of
Republic Services Republic Services is an American waste disposal company whose services include non-hazardous solid waste collection, waste transfer, waste disposal, recycling, and energy services. It is the second largest provider of waste disposal in the Unite ...
* John Witte Jr. 1982, Robert W. Woodruff Professor at
Emory University School of Law Emory University School of Law is the law school of Emory University and is part of the University's main campus in Druid Hills, Atlanta, Georgia. It was founded in 1916 and was the first law school in Georgia to be granted membership in the Am ...


Notable faculty

*
Lionel Basney Lionel Basney (December 2, 1946 – August 21, 1999) was a poet and professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Prior to his time at Calvin, Basney taught at Houghton College, where his father also taught before him. Basney ...
, Professor of English, poet, author, critic * Johannes Broene, 1908-1925 teaching primarily in Philosophy and Education but also classes in History, Civics, Government, Chemistry, and Psychology *
Brian Diemer Brian Lee Diemer (born October 10, 1961, in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is a former American track and field athlete, who mainly competed in the 3000 metre steeplechase during his career. He was high school state champion in the mile while running ...
, 1986–Present, Head Cross Country Coach * Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Professor of History, author of Jesus and John Wayne *
Vern Ehlers Vernon James Ehlers (February 6, 1934 – August 15, 2017) was an American physicist and politician who represented Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 until his retirement in 2011. A Republican, he also served eight years ...
, 1966–1982, Professor of Physics, served as U.S. Representative from Grand Rapids *
John E. Hare John Edmund Hare (born 26 July 1949) is a British classicist, philosopher, ethicist, and currently Noah Porter Professor of Philosophical Theology at Yale University. Biography He received a Bachelor of Arts honours in Literae Humaniores in 197 ...
, 1989–2003, Professor of Philosophy * Paul B. Henry, 1970–1978, Professor of Political Science * William Harry Jellema, 1920–1936, 1948-1963 founder of Calvin's Philosophy Department * George Marsden, 1965–1986, 2010–present, Professor of History * Richard Mouw, 1968–1985, Professor of Philosophy * Alvin Plantinga, 1963–1981, Professor of Philosophy * H. Evan Runner, 1951–1981, Professor of Philosophy * Gary Schmidt, 1986–present, Professor of English, awarded two Newbery Honor awards for his young-adult fiction * James K.A. Smith, 2002–present, Professor of Philosophy * William Spoelhof, 1946–1951, Professor of History and Political Science *
Ralph Stob Ralph Stob (1894 – 1965) was an educator, academic, and former president of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Stob was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Roseland Christian School. He felt called to Christian ministry. He enrolle ...
, 1915–1964, Professor of Classics * Howard J. Van Till, Emeritus Professor of Physics *
Nicholas Wolterstorff Nicholas Paul Wolterstorff (born January 21, 1932) is an American philosopher and theologian. He is currently Noah Porter Professor Emeritus Philosophical Theology at Yale University. A prolific writer with wide-ranging philosophical and theologi ...
, 1959–1989, Professor of Philosophy


See also

* List of presidents of Calvin University *
Cornelius Van Til Cornelius Van Til (May 3, 1895 – April 17, 1987) was a Dutch-American reformed philosopher and theologian, who is credited as being the originator of modern presuppositional apologetics. A graduate of Calvin College, Van Til later received ...


References


External links

* {{authority control Educational institutions established in 1876 Universities and colleges affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church Education in Grand Rapids, Michigan Universities and colleges in Kent County, Michigan Tourist attractions in Grand Rapids, Michigan Evangelicalism in Michigan 1876 establishments in Michigan Council for Christian Colleges and Universities Private universities and colleges in Michigan Christian Reformed Church in North America