10 Under 10 Award Recipient | Adam Maley ’13

Though it has only been 6 years since his graduation, Adam Maley ’13 is already conducting groundbreaking research that could save the lives of many. Having received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of California, Irvine, Maley is now a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Pathology Department at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He is currently working “to develop a point-of-care digital ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) instrument that can count individual protein biomarkers for early disease detection.” Maley is currently working on developing this technology to detect diseases in infants as early as possible.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Maley was first interested in research during his time at Hope College. Throughout his 4 years at Hope, Adam worked on research with faculty members. The exposure to the scientific process early on in his education career gave Maley insight into what he wanted to do for a living and he fell in love with chemistry because it made so much sense to him. His relationships with professors, advisors and mentors while at Hope played a huge role is life and the discernment of his calling as well. Maley now has the opportunity to mentor and teach undergraduate students in his own lab and would like to one day work at a primarily undergraduate institution where he can mentor students.

“Having the opportunity to conduct original research as an undergraduate was instrumental to my career. I went into graduate school knowing what scientific research is, and how to communicate my research through presentations and writing. Many of the General Education courses I took at Hope included writing, which also helped me to become a better scientific writer.”

When Maley was not in the lab at Hope, he was participating in a wide variety of co-curricular activities around campus. Maley was a leader on campus in his role as an RA. He also served on Spring Break Immersion trips during his spring breaks. At the 10 Under 10 Young Alumni Panel, Maley shared how he was grateful for Hope College and the liberal arts education it gave him. He had the opportunity to take organ lessons while at Hope. Though at first he was nervous, he soon loved when he could sneak away from the lab to get in some practice time. He reported that playing the organ challenged his mind in ways that it had never been before. He has taken those skills he has learned from his liberal arts education with him in his career.

Adam Maley ’13 receives the 10 Under 10 Award from Donna Sova, Chemistry Office Manager

Hope College is proud to give Adam Maley the 2019 10 Under 10 Award. The “10 Under 10 Awards” honor emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaged in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and use their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity, communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, they are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today!

10 Under 10 Award Recipient | Lindsey Ferguson ’10 Hanson

Lindsey Ferguson ’10 Hanson is the perfect example of what is means to live out your passions and life calling. Having graduated from Hope College with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance: Performance and Choreography, Ferguson is now living in New York City working as a dancer, choreographer, teacher and actor. She is passionate about the work she does and is deeply dedicated to spreading joy through her work.

Hanson’s professional career began her sophomore year at Hope when she was hired for her first TV role where she appeared in “Come On Over,” a children’s television show produced by the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum. This job introduced her to Koyalee Chanda who was the director for her next job on “Sesame Street.” Since then, Hanson has appeared in other TV shows including “America’s Got Talent” and most recently, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” She has also been in Broadway Productions, commercials and films.

Lindsey Ferguson ’10 Hanson

While at Hope College Hanson was devoted to her studies and made the most of the education that Hope provided her. She was a member of various dance student groups including Dance Department Professional Club, Hip Hop Club, Swing Club and Sacred Dance. She also served on the Theatre and Dance Production teams. In addition to her involvement on Hope’s campus, Hanson spent a semester off campus at the New York Arts Program, a program aimed to help student artists explore their career options. This experience gave her a taste of what it’s like to live and work in New York City as a performer. 

She has a love for teaching dance to the next generation of dancers. Since graduation, Hanson has been back to campus numerous times as a guest speaker and master class instructor in the Dance Department. She is an Adjunct Professor at Montclair State University where she is currently also working on a Masters Degree of Fine Arts. She hopes to one day be a full time teacher and choreographer.

When Hanson is not on dancing on Broadway, choreographing ballets, or getting a masters degree, she is volunteering. Hanson shared at the 10 Under 10 Young Alumni Panel that her faith was transformed at Hope College and she has taken that with her in her career and life beyond Hope. She volunteers at local charities in New York. Her faith is important to her and she is trying to spread the love of Christ wherever she goes around New York City.

“My Christian faith has been the anchor of my hope in a place that can sometimes feel so far from God’s Kingdom…As I work in and out of NYC, I strive to maintain Hope’s vision of being a leader in my community, bringing hope and positive change to those around me. I’m here to make a difference in my community—pressing on to be the hands and feet of Christ–backstage, in the audition room, on the subway, in Times Square, or on my neighborhood block.”

Lindsey Ferguson ’10 Hanson receives the 10 Under 10 Award from Linda Graham, Professor of Dance

Hope College is proud to give Lindsey Ferguson ’10 Hanson the 2019 10 Under 10 Award. The “10 Under 10 Awards” honor emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaged in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and use their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity, communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, they are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today!

10 Under 10 Award Recipient | Christine Washington ’09 Michel

Criminal Law is not for the faint of heart, but Christine Washington ’09 Michel is fighting the good fight. Michel is a criminal defense attorney at her practice, Christine A. Michel P.A. Law Offices. She has described her work as coming alongside people during the hardest times in their lives. Since graduating from Hope College with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a Criminal Justice Emphasis, Michel has been around the world helping those who need it most.

A year after her graduation, she travelled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti where she worked as a Site Manager for TouchGlobal Crisis Response. She was part of a team working to rebuild after the 7.0 Mw earthquake in January of 2010. She served there for a year. In 2013, Michel went to Cambodia and worked as a Pre-Trial Chamber Clerk at the United Nations Assistance to the Khemer Rouge Trials. She then returned to Haiti where she worked temporarily as Acting Director of Family of Faith Ministries. It was in July of 2017 that Michel opened her law practice in Jacksonville, Florida. She works in criminal law as well as other areas including Immigrant Law and Family Law.

Michel used her time at Hope to develop her leadership skills that she has used in her career. During the 10 Under 10 Young Alumni Panel, Michel recalled a conversation she had with Vanessa Greene, the Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion. Vanessa Green encouraged Michel to be more involved at Hope, to step beyond her comfort zone and try more things on campus. Michel was soon involved in many areas on Hope’s campus, even becoming the President of the Black Student Union almost immediately upon joining. She competed on intramural teams, participated in Dance Marathon, and volunteered with CASA.

Michel thanks Vanessa Greene for encouraging her to become more involved on Hope’s campus because it made Hope feel more like home. She reflected on how she came into her own at Hope College through the leadership roles she served in and impactful relationships with professors. Michel is also thankful for the experiences at Hope that helped her grow in her relationship with God and for the close friendships she made and still maintains. These experiences and relationships at Hope gave her the courage and confidence to passionately pursue her dreams.

“Hope gave me ownership of my faith. No longer was church and Christianity something my parents made me participate in, but it was my own and I blossomed by going to the Gathering and Chapel and eventually found a closely knit group of believers to help me grow beyond what I could have imagined.”

Michel now lives in Jacksonville Florida with her husband, Johnson. Together they have a young son, Chase. Hope College is grateful for Michel and her continued support of her Alma Mater. She is a force for good in the world and Hope is proud to recognize her accomplishments so early in her career.

Christine Washington ’09 Michel receives the 10 Under 10 Award from Vanessa Greene, Associate Dean of Students and Director, Center for Diversity and Inclusion

Its an honor to give Christine Michel ’09 the 2019 10 Under 10 Award. The “10 Under 10 Awards” honor emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaged in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and use their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity, communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, they are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today!

10 Under 10 Award Recipient | Alison Garza ’10 Wicker

Alison Garza ’10 Wicker

Nearly 6,000 miles from Hope College, Alison Garza ’10 Wicker is demonstrating what it can mean to be a global citizen in today’s society, living and working in Amman, Jordan as an Information Analyst for the ACAPS Yemen Analysis hub. She is serving refugees in war-torn countries, making sure they have the best care while they are living in the camp. Since her graduation, Wicker has worked all over the world serving others in various humanitarian work. 

Wicker started her career working in the inner city of Chicago with AmeriCorps and Chicago Health Corp as a Health Coordinator. She developed after school programs for youth in the city as well as programs for single moms. In 2016, Wicker moved to Iraq to work with Samaritan’s Purse. This organization aims “to help meet the long-term physical and spiritual needs of those displaced by ISIS.” While there, she held various titles and worked on many projects to help those in the area. During her time there, she “develop a multi sector needs assessment for retaken villages in Al Hamdaniya district in collaboration with project managers and technical advisers”

More recently, she has worked with World Vision International in Jordan. There are over 5 million refugees who have been displaced because of the Syrian Crisis and many of them are children. Wicker works closing with those who have been displaced to assist them in their times of trouble. Currently, she is doing research and data collection as an international consultant.

“I learned the basics of research while at Hope College, working as a research assistant. The papers I wrote then, involved heavy research and deep analytical thinking – all which are necessary for successful completion of project evaluations in the humanitarian world.”

Wicker reflected on her time at Hope College. She said that she was initially attracted to Hope because of the mission statement. “to educate students for lives of leadership and service in a global society through academic and co-curricular programs of recognized excellence in the liberal arts and in the context of the historic Christian faith.” She liked that emphasis on global leadership through the lens of the Christian faith. She has the skills to work with others from all different backgrounds because of her liberal arts education.

 “Hope College developed my character further through rigorous liberal arts education that encouraged me to think outside of the box. I enjoyed classes in philosophy, religion, history, statistics, among many communication courses.”

Alison Wicker receives the 10 Under 10 Award from Dr. Deirdre Johnston, Interim Associate Dean for Global Education and Professor of Communication

Hope College is proud to give Alison Wicker the 10 Under 10 Award. The “10 Under 10 Awards” honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaged in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and use their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity, communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within ten years of graduation, they are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today!

Bringing the East Coast to Hope

Jim and Barbara Neevel shared their love for Hope, the reasons why they give and their generational connections to the college in a recent visit. Here’s their story:

After twenty years in ministry, the congregation of New Hackensack Reformed Church in Wappingers Falls, New York, wanted to find a way to honor Jim Neevel’s service. They established an endowed scholarship for students from the state of New York in order to continue to expand the reach of Hope College on the east coast.

Barbara came to Hope not knowing what she wanted to study. Through careful consideration, she was guided to the education department and became a teacher. She remembers that every part of her education at Hope was part of her character building.

Jim ’56 and Barbara Jeffrey ’56 Neevel

Hope College made me who I am. Hope College gave me a purpose.

– Barbara Jeffrey ’56 Neevel

Barbara and Jim met on the first day of classes at a reception for students. She remembers that everyone knew Jim, because of his parents’ and his grandparents’ experiences on campus.

Jim grew up in Westminster County where his father was a pastor. He was a sociology and psychology major at Hope. He says, “When I came to Hope, my eyes and ears were opened to a lot of things. It was through the college experience that I was able to solidify what I wanted to do. The professors were wonderful, there was a warmth there, you knew everyone on campus – students and professors.”

I knew I wanted to be a pastor . . . Hope gave me a deeper purpose and fulfilled what I thought I wanted to do.

– Jim Neevel ’56

James and Barbara Neevel Scholarship Fund
A scholarship established by New Hackensack Reformed Church in Wappingers Falls, New York, in appreciation of James and Barbara Neevel’s 20 years of ministry. Because the Neevels want Hope College to be well-known on the eastern side of the U.S., as it was when they were college students, the scholarship provides assistance to worthy students from the east coast, with financial need.

Jim says they contribute to their scholarship fund in order to “provide an opportunity for every student that would like to attend Hope College to support them in that way. It makes a difference!”

If you’d like to learn more about endowed scholarships, visit hope.edu/give.

The Neevel Family:
Andrew Neevel ’16
Jeffrey Brown ’07
Kathryn Neevel ’82 Brown
Kenneth Neevel ’84
Susan Thompson ’87
Jeffrey Neevel ’87
Marcia Veldman ’56 Thompson
Norman Thompson ’53
Barbara Jeffrey ’56 Neevel
James Neevel ’56
Pearl Paalman ’24 Veldman
Harold Veldman ’21
Adrian Zwemer ’26
Mary Crouch ’27 Zwemer
Cornelia Nettinga ’27 Neevel
Alvin Neevel ’26
Siebe Nettinga 1900
Henry Veldman 1892
James Zwemer 1870

Global Travel Program Recap: Discovering the Balkans with Professor Luidens

On June 3-15, 2019 a group of lifelong learners joined the Hope College Global Travel Program and professor emeritus Donald Luidens on a journey to Eastern Europe. Dr. Luidens reflects on their adventure…

The 2019 Hope College summer expedition to Eastern Europe, entitled “Discovering the Balkans: From the Black Sea to Budapest,” provided a wonderful opportunity for eight friends and alumni of Hope College to sail up the Danube from its mouth in the Black Sea to its midpoint in Hungary. It was a treasured excursion, punctuate by feathered wildlife, gorgeous vistas, crumbling castles, picturesque villages, and modern urban sprawls. It provided a tantalizing narrative of centuries of turbulent history and a grim reminder of the legacy of Soviet domination of these countries during the twentieth century. In all, an unforgettable experience.

We gathered in early June in Bucharest, the capital of a slowly modernizing Romania, hundreds of years old, but barely a babe in the contemporary era. The capital is dominated by the Soviet-era architecture – gargantuan in scale, and inevitably box-like in form – which was favored by Communist architects and the former dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu. No building more fully embodies this Orwellian period than the ornate and stolid parliament building, begun during the dictator’s reign and completed after his death. Constructed at the cost of razing hundreds of historic homes and other edifices, this structure became a symbol for us of the price that Romania has paid for the post WWII Soviet-dominated years.

Romanians have begun the laborious process of reclaiming their history, including their Orthodox Christian roots. Churches long in disrepair are being revived and have become wondrous tourist destinations as well as places of worship.

Following a brief sojourn in Bucharest, we headed south to the Danube and a sleepy fishing town called Fetesti. There we boarded our floating home for the next ten days, the sleek river cruiser, Avalon Passion. No one ever explained the name of this worthy vessel, but it certainly proved to be a pleasant and comfortable place to bunk on our trip. Not to mention the food, which was rich in its variety, calories, and appeal. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were definitely passion-inducing.

Initially, we turned east and headed to “Point Zero,” the opening of the Danube into the Black Sea. Disagreements about the source of the Danube in the mountains of Bavaria meant that its length has historically been counted from its undisputed endpoint at the Sea. Here a UNESCO World Heritage protected delta is the home to hundreds of thousands of migrating birds. While we were too early to enjoy their presence in such numbers, we were treated to many varieties of storks, cranes, and sea gulls. And foliage that came down to the river’s edge in profuse rolls of green and gray. Moses could have hidden a lifetime in the bulrushes!

While at the mouth of the Danube, we visited a small fishing village, St. Gheorghe, notable because of its Ukranian Orthodox history. Its first inhabitants were refugees from a sixteenth century pogrom in their home country. Secluded and safe in this hinterland, they developed a thriving business catching beluga fish and selling the roe, the world’s recognized premier caviar. However, years of overfishing and growing competition from elsewhere, has left this community struggling to survive on the edge of the Danube.

Turning back west, we were treated to endless miles of unbroken farmland and low-hanging shrubs. It was gloriously relaxing. Happily, the weather cooperated throughout the trip, so that we spent countless hours on deck watching the landscape swirl by. Evenings were particularly evocative, as the sunsets quieted our chatter and drew our sense of awe.

Towns and villages popped up from time to time, but the overwhelming sense of greenery soothed us every day. On a regular basis we stopped to visit local historical and cultural sites. A nineteenth century folly, a seaside casino envisioned by one potentate to draw the masses, has been a derelict for decades. Local businesses are working to revive it to its Gothic glory. Discussions of a new Monaco on the shores of the Black Sea swirl in the local conversation. The remoteness of Romania, distant from Rome even in ancient days, provided a home in exile for the unrivalled storyteller, Ovid. His residence is commemorated in Constanta with a town center statue and museum.

The centuries-long rule of the Ottomans is everywhere evident in these once-Moslem controlled provinces. Mosques punctuate the skyline and stand, cheek-by-jowl, with Crusader-era churches and castles.

Indeed, forts, castles and strongholds recall the millennia of wars fought over this strategic region along the main waterway in Eastern Europe. Occupiers from the Greeks through the Soviets have left their trail. We had occasion to walk the battlements of several ancient citadels, positioned as they were on the banks of the Danube to regulate and protect the inhabitants and their farmlands.

Without doubt, the most awesome of these castles was embedded in and around a natural outcropping high in the mountains near Belogradchik, Bulgaria. Some of our participants followed the guide up the long climb to the mountain aerie, while others agreed to stay behind and take pictures. A truly memorable site and sight, indeed!


While the western length of the Danube is enveloped by many Alpine foothills, the eastern segment is mostly lowland and agricultural. As a result, there are few extravagant vistas on this lower end. The most remarkable is known as the “Iron Gates,” a section of the Danube where mountain ranges from both the Romanian and Serbian sides come together in rolling profusion. On the side of one hillock is a carving of a past warlord, stately and bushy-bearded and imposing. He serves as the gatekeeper of the Iron Gates, a lone, gnarled sentry overseeing the river traffic. Not far from this ancient carving is a modern gatekeeper to the Danube, a two-tiered dam that was constructed under the joint administrations of Yugoslavian President Josip Tito and Romanian President Ceausescu. The dam has created a large lake that provides hydroelectric power for wide swaths of the two countries. It was an engineering wonder to ride the massive locks as they shunted multiple vessels up and down the river.

Punctuating our river cruise were a series of lectures on regional history (the resident tour guides were all superb amateur historians and helped us understand the long- and short-term narratives of their beloved countries) as well as periodic folk performances. On one such occasion, Bulgarian dancers and instrumentalists joined us on deck for a rousing spectacle.

Everywhere signs of the Soviet era were apparent. Sometimes in the form of state buildings (like the Romanian Parliament), but more often in small towns and struggling villages where the archetypal box-like apartments and factories were dropped into the midst of traditional communities, scarring them four decades after “independence.” The most dissonant ones appeared in beautiful mountain hamlets where gargantuan factories were imposed on rural or resort-like backgrounds.

In keeping with Marxist ideology, the true proletariat was assumed to be an enlightened industrial laborer. With this model in mind, the Soviets and their Eastern European allies worked mightily throughout much of the twentieth century to turn rural farming communities into true workers’ paradises. In the process, six- and eight-acre peasant farms were collectivized and became government-run agribusinesses. Their former landowners were marshalled to the cities and towns in order to work in the state-run factories. These factories were supplied, at largely discounted rates, with raw materials from the Soviet Union, and the markets for their products (from shoes to washing machines and cars) were Soviet Bloc consumers. This tight-knit, circular market kept the Eastern European economies alive (if not humming) during the post-World War II years. When the Soviet Union collapsed, so did this tight-knit system. Artificially cheap raw material no longer flowed into the countries, so most factories ground to a halt. When they were able to produce their former goods, these countries found themselves competing against much better, more mechanically produced, more widely-marketed goods from the rest of Europe and the global marketplace. Inevitably, they were – and remain – at a significant disadvantage in that rough and tumble commercial environment.

To complicate matters, when the new regimes took office, they tried to rectify the “land reform” policies of the Communists and offered to return stolen farms to the descendants of their former owners. However, for many, this was an impossible opportunity; they had spent two or three generations in the cities and villages and had no interest in returning to their ancestral lands. So now those same mammoth farms, which were once harvested by collective effort, were sold to the highest bidders and are now owned by agribusiness corporations or wealthy landowners. Inevitably, these painful realities sparked many discussions with our guides. Nevertheless, they all saw a better day dawning.

The future for Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia may be on display in Hungary, with its exploding cities and Western European focus. Our last stop was in the bustling metropolis of Budapest. The sister cities of Buda (on the hills to the west of the Danube) and Pest (on the flatlands to the east), were joined together in 1873 at the height of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Budapest retains its Imperial mantle, self-consciously the European-Asian linchpin in geopolitical and cultural transactions. Hotels, skyscrapers, and cathedrals have been refurbished and modernized, thrusting up throughout the city in regal fashion.

Two stops on our tour of Budapest stand out as most memorable. A visit to the Opera House was much anticipated, and we were disappointed that the main theater was undergoing extensive repairs. However, to compensate, the opera company had arranged for a tenor and a soprano to provide us with an impromptu concert! While we sat on the main staircase to the auditorium, they entertained us with lucious arias and lilting duets. The accoustics in this elegant staircase could not have been surpassed in a more formal setting. It was divine!

The second stop was equally moving. It was to the studio-home of stain-glass artist Roth Miksh, a Jewish artisan who reached international fame at the beginning of the twentieth century, but whose art fell out of repute with the arrival of the Nazis. Miksh was a contemporary of Tiffany (with whom he was often in competition for international recognition). His home/ studio has been transformed into a magical museum. His heirs have retrieved many of his works from owners around the world, and these are on extensive display throughout. While some of the works are classical in their form, reflecting medieval church windows, others are striking in their modernity. When we stepped into this unprepossessing home, none of us could anticipate the affecting art that was housed therein.

Another indelible highlight of the Danube excursion was the incomparable cuisine. From the start, we found the food to be outstanding – whether on the Avalon Passion or in local eateries. We sampled widely and found few offerings to be wanting. While it may not be the sole reason to take a trip such as this one was, it certainly is a strong recommender.

Our final evening in Budapest provided us with a cherished opportunity. Near our hotel was a grand ferris wheel which lofted us ten stories into the sky, well over the tops of neighboring apartments and hotels. It provided a grand panorama as we made our way to its apex. The city of Budapest lay out beneath us in royal splendor as its nightlights began to glow. In the distance, the Danube curled through the twin cities, reminding us of the matchless journey that lay behind us and that beckons future adventurers.

To participate in your own global travel adventure with Hope College, visit hope.edu/globaltravel.

2019 One Big Weekend Top Ten Events You Don’t Want To Miss!

Alumni, families and friends,

We’re looking forward to welcoming you back to campus for One Big Weekend: Homecoming and Family Weekend October 11 through 13, 2019. There’s a full list of the events happening on campus at hope.edu/onebigweekend. Here’s our Top Ten events you won’t want to miss! Register today and make plans to join us!

1. Shop, Sip, Save and Dine Downtown Holland
Celebrate this special weekend the Hope way – on 8th Street! The party starts at Courtyard Marriott from 5-9 pm where you can pick up all the info you need to make the most of your time downtown. Dozens of shops and restaurants will be featuring special deals and freebies for the Hope community!

2. Get Fit and Have Fun
Race through the streets of Holland while grabbing a donut hole at every mile! The Donut Run 5K benefits Dance Marathon (which ultimately benefits the Miracle Kids of Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital). Once you are all warmed up, head to the Bultman Student Center to round out a fitness-filled morning with some yoga.

3. Stroll the Market and Follow the Yellow Brick Road!
Grab a hot cup of coffee at a local shop and head to the Holland Farmers Market for fresh local produce. Then take the short walk to Centennial Park and Herrick District Library where the Holland Oz Project celebrates the Wizard of Oz and its characters with a free outdoor exhibit.

4. Stop by for Swag
Stop by the One BIG Weekend Resource Center to snag some weekend info. During Happy Hour from 1 – 3 pm, we’ll have yummy snacks and even a few freebies. And since the Resource Center is conveniently located in the Bookstore, you’ll be able to update your Hope wardrobe too!

5. Fill up at Phelps
Alumni and families will join students in Phelps Dining Hall for the Campus Cookout. Everyone will love this tailgate themed menu!

6. Presidential Open House

Stop by the Bultman Student Center Great Room from 1 – 3 pm on Saturday for the Presidential Open House. Grab a snack, mingle with other alumni and families with a chance to meet President Matt Scogin. This event is hosted by the Alumni Board and Parents’ Council.

7. Holland Fall Fest

Watch as nationally recognized professional pumpkin carvers show off their skills, take a hay ride, and enjoy fun activities for the entire family! Join the fun at this downtown Holland sponsored event. Check their website for more details.

8. It wouldn’t be Homecoming without an opportunity to cheer on your favorite sports teams. 

Hockey vs. Indiana on Friday at 7:30 pm at Griff’s IceHouse.

Football vs. Albion on Saturday at 3 pm at the Ray and Sue Smith Stadium.

Volleyball vs. Trine on Saturday at 1 pm at the DeVos Fieldhouse.

9. Worship Opportunities

Visit one of the 170 churches in Holland for worship on Sunday morning. Those closest to campus are Pillar, Engedi, Third Reformed and St. Francis.

10. Celebrate 10 Young Alumni

The recipients of the 10 Under 10 Awards all graduated within the past 10 years and will be honored for being emerging leaders and making significant contributions in their local and global communities. Everyone’s invited to a Q&A panel in Winants Auditorium at 3 pm to learn some secrets to their success. CityVū is the place to be on Friday night. Stop by for an appetizer and to congratulate these alumni.

DONUT RUN 5K FTK

Hello Hope College!

My name is Erin Markley and I am a senior studying chemistry. My co-chair Kacie O’Connor is a junior nursing student. This year we have an amazing opportunity to be a part of Dream Team: a group of students who plan Dance Marathon, benefitting Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital! Personally, I am more of a visual person, so I’m going to attach photos here to give you a glimpse into Dance Marathon.

Here is the 2019-2020 Dream Team taking a tour around Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

Kacie and I would love to tell you why we have chosen to invest in this amazing cause and why we dance FTK (for the kids)!

Why Erin Dances

Growing up I spent a lot of time at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, which is a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital like Helen DeVos, with my two siblings who have disabilities. Going into my freshman year, I signed up to be a dancer and had no idea what I had gotten myself into. The marathon consists of students standing on their feet for 24 hours, dancing, and playing with the miracle kiddos! Flash forward three years later and I am a part of the team planning the event that I fell in love with as a freshman.

Why Kacie Dances

As a future nurse, my heart goes out to families with hospitalized children. I heard about Dance Marathon as a freshman and signed up to be a dancer for the full 24 hours. I quickly realized how special and powerful this event was for so many. I never knew how life-changing 24 hours could be as I learned more about Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and listened to the Miracle Families’ stories. I felt exhausted but inspired and wanted to become more involved. I’m so excited to be on Dream Team this year and give back to an event that impacts so many lives.

If we have piqued your interest, here are a few more details. Dance Marathon is a nationwide partnership of college students with Children’s Miracle Network hospitals, such as Helen DeVos in Grand Rapids. Hundreds of universities around the country have teams of students spend a year planning events and fundraising, all leading up to an epic 24-hour “marathon” where participants stand on their feet for 24 hours. All the proceeds from the event will go directly to support children facing pediatric illness – in our case, by supporting the efforts of Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

Are you thinking, “How can I get involved with such an amazing cause?” Well do we have the event for you! Hope Dance Marathon is partnering with the Alumni Engagement office for the annual Donut Run 5K on October 12. We are calling all students, alumni, faculty, staff, community members, and even out-of-towners to participate in this year’s annual Donut Run 5K FTK! Run, jog, or walk – everyone is welcome! We also have a FREE Donut Hole Fun Run 0.5K for all kiddos who want to be a part of the fun. The whole family can come and support the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital together!

The race will take place on Saturday, October 12 at the Ray and Sue Smith Stadium at 9 a.m., with the Donut Hole fun run at 8:30 a.m. All participants in the 5K will receive a long-sleeve t-shirt, as well as donuts throughout the race and post-race snacks too! The price is $25 for Hope students and $35 for community members, with all proceeds benefiting Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

Please come be a part of such a fun morning that supports SUCH a great cause!

Register today at hope.edu/donut5k

The Beginning of a New School Year

Dear Fellow Hope Alumni,

It’s a new year here at Hope College! Classes have begun, and we are off and running into Hope’s 158th academic year.

Hope College President Matthew A. Scogin

Do you remember your first day of classes at Hope? I certainly have fond memories of my first days as a student. In fact, (as cheesy as it sounds) I still see myself, first and foremost, as a kid from Michigan who had the extraordinary privilege of going to Hope College.

As is true for many of you, coming to this school changed my life. For one thing, the education — the academic preparation — I received here changed my life. I continue to believe that Hope is THE best-kept secret among U.S. liberal arts colleges. Period. Not Christian liberal arts colleges. ALL liberal arts colleges. We are working hard to make sure that’s a secret no longer. But even more important than what I learned here was who I met here. I met my wife here, I met lifelong friends here, and I met faculty here who cared for me and invested hours in my success, both in the classroom and out. Most importantly, I met God. During my years here, God for me became a Someone, not a something. All of that together meant, while a student at Hope, I learned I was on this planet for a reason. I learned that, as part of God’s calling for me, even my secular work can have a very sacred purpose.

This is what Hope does. We provide a transformational experience, which includes education, of course, as well as faith formation and calling discovery.

Our first-year students spent the first 18 years of their lives getting ready for this moment… and the transformational experience that will follow. As I wrote to our students last week, one of my favorite quotes is by Mark Twain: “The two most important days of your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” We believe God put our students on earth for a reason, and part of our purpose at Hope College is to help them discover their purpose.

For me, things have come full circle. The last 18 years of my own life have led me back to this moment! Since graduating from Hope in 2002, I have been on the East Coast, working in government and business. And now, my wife Sarah and I find ourselves “first-years” again at Hope College.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have shared many of the same emotions as our students. We feel nervous, excited, hopeful and eager to get started. Mostly, we feel extraordinarily blessed to be “home,” serving the place that launched a transformation for us more than 20 years ago.

The entire campus community has warmly welcomed us back. We arrived on June 28, greeted by welcome boxes from Student Congress as well as a treehouse and swing in the backyard of the president’s home, which the campus built as a surprise for our three children. The best part of this job has been interacting with Hope’s amazing students — take a look at a fun video that our Public Affairs and Marketing team put together on move-in day.

I ask that you keep Hope College in your prayers as we begin the new academic year. I look forward to connecting with you soon! In the meantime, if you know students or families who may be interested in learning more about Hope College, please share their names at hope.edu/refer.

Spera in Deo,
Matt


Matthew A. Scogin
President
Hope College

P.S. Some of you have been asking about the Presidential Inauguration, which will take place Friday, September 13, at 2:30 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel. I hope that you will be able to join us for this historic moment in our college’s history, if not in person, then in spirit. For those who are unable to attend, the ceremony will be streamed online at hope.edu/live.

Announcing the 2019 10 Under 10 Award Recipients

Every time a nomination for a 10 Under 10 Award is made, the completed form is sent to my email inbox. Reading through the educational, professional, and humanitarian pursuits of Hope’s youngest alumni is most certainly one of the greatest highlights of my job (and I get to eat Phelps on the daily at a discounted rate, so that’s saying something!) It is impossible not to find joy in reading about all the ways Hope alum within ten years of graduation have already started living into their callings.

Caitlin Lindman ’19, Jason Gomory ’19, Kate Ralston ’09, Scott Travis ’06 and Chanda Slenk ’00 at the 2018 Ten Under Ten Soirée.

All nominees are considered by a selection committee made up of Alumni Board members, faculty, staff and current students. While the selection process is incredibly difficult for all involved, it is also so much fun to really dive deep into the accomplishments and attributes of each alum. The selection committee is able to read about the impact Hope has had on the development of who they have become and what they are doing in the world. I’m confident everyone leaves those meetings full of pride, amazement and inspiration.

And while each recipient always makes me fangirl a little bit, one of the greatest things about this award to me is the fact that it is not just celebrating these 10 individuals. It represents all of the impacts Hope has had on its graduates, and the impact that they in turn can have on the world. While we can only highlight a small percentage of our young alumni, the hope is that they will not overshadow our other recent graduates, but serve as an example of the amazing people who count Hope as their alma mater. We couldn’t be more proud of the many alumni who happen to not be on this list, but are living beautiful lives that reflect their unique abilities, attributes and passions.

The criteria for the 10 Under 10 Awards was crafted by the Alumni Board to seek out graduates who are exuding the best of Hope. Each of the recipients are:

  • Emerging leaders making significant contributions by living out their calling.
  • Engaged in the local or global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement.
  • Serving as an outstanding young role model for current and future students and alumni by showcasing the attributes of a graduate anchored in Hope.

Alumni, students, families and friends are invited to the 10 Under 10 Soirée during One Big Weekend on Friday, October 11 from 7-9 pm at City Flats Hotel as part of Hope on 8th Street. You’ll celebrate with these young alumni in a casual meet-and-greet setting with a short award presentation, appetizers and a cash bar. Registration is not required and you may come and go as you please. You won’t want to miss it!

Do you know someone who belongs on this list for 2020? We are accepting nominations! Simply fill out this short form and our nominee will be added to the list and considered for next year’s award.

We are pleased to announce the following Hope College 10 Under 10 Award Recipients for 2019: