“He leads school staff and encourages academic and spiritual growth in students.”
Ten Under Ten Award Recipient Carl Scholten ’11
Carl Scholten graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in education with a concentration in social studies from Hope College.
“Hope College made me a lifelong learner and taught me that an education is never complete. It inspired me to go back to complete my masters and will eventually drive me to complete even further education at the doctoral level.”
Scholten continued his education at Central Michigan University where he received his master of arts degree in school principalship site-based leadership.
Scholten began his teaching career as a seventh-grade teacher with the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools, teaching history and literature. He transitioned to teaching at the high school level at Traverse City Central High School where he taught United States history, crime and justice, and college test prep. After the completion of his master’s degree, Scholten accepted the position of school principal at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Middle School, part of the Grand Traverse Area Catholic School system. As principal, he serves as the educational leader and chief administrator of the middle school, responsible for implementing and managing the policies, regulations, and procedures of the district. He has implemented a faith formation program for entire district staff, along with completing research on adolescent faith formation to guide curriculum and instruction of the district.
Since 2011, Scholten has served as head coach for a variety of sports teams within the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools system. He mentors athletes with a holistic mindset, focusing on the formation of the whole person within athletics. Scholten was a member of the coaching staff that won a Division IV MHSAA track and field state championship and has coached four conference championships and three state qualifying teams.
Outside of his professional career in education, Scholten plays an active role in his community. He volunteers as a CrossFit coach at a local gym, teaching multiple classes throughout the week. Scholten has served as a team member with Christ Renews His Parish and is a parishioner, Eucharistic Minister, and youth group leader at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. He has also served as a high school group leader with Freedom Builders, a week-long summer mission trip program that focuses on improving local low-income housing while building relationships with God.
Carl Scholten and Chaz Shelton receive their Ten Under Ten Award presented by Associate presented by Jesus Montano on behalf of Professor of Education Baars Bultman.
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!
“She is responsible for the transformation of retail online and in stores around the globe.”
Ten Under Ten Award Recipient Katherine Stritzke ’08 Simons
Katherine Simons graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in management from Hope College.
“Hope College prepared me to think critically, to value the thoughts and contributions of all, and to adopt a lifestyle of continuous learning.”
The skills and experiences gained during her time at Hope prepared her for various roles within the business industry and the continuation of her education. Simons received her master of business administration from the University of Chicago in 2018. During her graduate studies, she focused on strategy, marketing, general management, managerial and organizational behavior, and entrepreneurship.
Simons believes “those with a rigorous liberal arts education are best prepared to engage and address the biggest challenges and opportunities of the day.” She utilized her undergraduate education in various roles early on in her career as a brand leader for GFS Canada, business transformation manager for Gordon Food Service Corporation, and senior manager of strategic management with Kohl’s Corporation. Following the completion of her graduate studies, Simons accepted a role as the director of marketing for Cat Footwear, a brand of Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
During her time at Gordon Food Service, Simons was honored as a member of the Gold Club and received Person of the Year for her contributions to the company. She also has played an active role in her communities, by volunteering with the Groundswell Community Farm in Zeeland and with Kohl’s Associates in Action. Simons has also given back to Hope College with the gift of her time by serving on the Hope College Veritas Forum as a planning committee member and publicity chair and as a Hope College Baker Scholar selector.
Katherine Simons receives her Ten Under Ten Award presented by Western Seminary Professor of Theology Kristen Johnson.
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!
“He is focused on creating the technology of today to feed the people of tomorrow by growing food in arid climates.”
Ten Under Ten Award Recipient Chaz Shelton ’09
“Attending Hope College shaped me to be a person who asks the ‘why’ questions? The experience developed me to be someone who digs deep both professionally and personally. Above all, my experience at Hope College grew me into a person that takes personal ownership of my faith.”
Chaz Shelton graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in economics and management from Hope College. He received a certificate in economic growth and development from the University of Pennsylvania and continued his education by pursuing a master of business administration degree with a concentration in finance and entrepreneurship from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
Shelton has held various professional positions within the business industry. He was a consultant for the Cerner Corporation, a senior data migration specialist for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and a strategy and marketing manager for Xerox Healthcare.
In 2015, Shelton expressed his entrepreneurial spirit by founding Merchant’s Garden AgroTech, where he currently serves as the chief executive officer. Merchant’s Garden is an agricultural company focused on providing communities local produce through the sustainable practice of aquaponics. It is currently servicing southern Arizona and is the only Monterey Bay Sustainable Seafood Certified Farm in the state.
Shelton has been honored for his work as a graduate student and young business professional.
He received the National Social Impact Award from AmeriCorps and a graduate fellowship from both Management Leadership for Tomorrow and the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. During his graduate studies, he was selected as the $100,000 Business Plan winner by the Indiana University.
Outside of his professional career, Shelton has volunteered with the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and serves as a YoungLife Committee Member with the University of Arizona.
Carl Scholten and Chaz Shelton receive their Ten Under Ten Award presented by Associate Professor of English Jesus Montano.
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!
“She advocates for the de-stigmatization of mental health in the church and supports families experiencing medical trauma.”
Ten Under Ten Award Recipient Izzy Rhodes ’11
Similar to many undergraduate students, Izzy Rhodes entered Hope College as a freshman undecided on a major and no hint of what the future would hold. Rhodes graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Hope College.
“Receiving a liberal arts education helped me to learn discernment. The supportive environment at Hope, especially from the faculty and staff, was formational as many people came alongside me to encourage and speak into my life. Hope did not just offer me an education; it enabled me to discover who I am and how I want to engage meaningfully with the world.”
Shortly after completing her undergraduate studies, Rhodes continued her education in order to equip her with the skills necessary to fulfill her calling of helping and serving people through a combination of theology and social work. She spent the first two years of her graduate studies at Western Theological Seminary, where she received a master of divinity degree with an emphasis in pastoral care and counseling. During her studies at Western Theological Seminary, she served as a chaplain intern with the Holland Hospital, focusing on acute crisis trauma response and behavioral health.
Rhodes then continued her studies at the University of Denver where she received her master of social work degree with a concentration in health and wellness and an emphasis in trauma. During her time in Colorado, Rhodes held various positions providing her real exposure and experience to pair with her studies. She served as an adjunct faculty member with the Institute for Life and Care, creating psycho-educational curriculum specific to client needs in order to prepare them to engage and fulfill their role more fully, and as a pediatric intensive care unit social work Intern, assessing needs, offering resources, navigating support systems, and addressing barriers to care for patients and families. Rhodes also served as the pastor of community engagement for City Church Denver, overseeing community groups, offering emotional and logistical support to neighborhood leaders, and assisting in leading liturgy and administration for worship services.
Following the completion of her graduate studies, Rhodes returned to western Michigan to pursue her career as both a chaplain and social worker. She served as the local mission program specialist for the Reformed Church in America, focusing on training and empowering churches to engage and support their local communities. Since the summer of 2016, Rhodes has served as an on-call crisis chaplain with Holland Hospital, where she works with patients and families in the emergency department and intensive care unit supporting them as they navigate critical choices in care and advocating for them within the hospital system.
Rhodes has been honored for her professional work as a social worker and pastor. She presented at the National Conference of the American Sociological Association, received the Stanley A. Rock Award in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Western Theological Seminary, and is a member of the Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society at the University of Denver. Rhodes created an independent study called “Theology of Trauma: A Reformed Perspective” during her time at the University of Denver and is an ordained minister of word and sacrament with the Reformed Church in America.
Outside of her professional career, Rhodes has been an active member of her various communities. She participated in Community Service Days with the University of Denver, volunteered with the Animal Welfare Network in Kenya, Africa, and was a member of the Mental Health Task Force with the Holland Free Health Clinic.
Izzy Rhodes receives her 10 Under 10 Award from Assistant Professor of Sociology Pam Koch.
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!
“She brings a voice of hope and knowledge to people living with diabetes.”
Ten Under Ten Award Recipient Quinn Nystrom ’08
At a young age, Quinn Nystrom spent a year meeting thousands of people with diabetes, advocating and speaking upon their behalf across the nation as the National Youth Advocate for the American Diabetes Association. During this time, Nystrom realized that if she developed her communication skills and knowledge in policy making, she would be a more impactful speaker and advocate. This passion eventually led her to attend her dream institution, Hope College, where she graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in communication.
Upon the completion of her undergraduate studies, Nystrom began a role with AmerisourceBergen as a program and account manager. In 2014, she continued her career in a new role as the Public Relations and Social Media Specialist and the Interim Marketing Manager for the Tri-County Health Care System in Wadena, Minnesota.
Living out her passion to become a full-time speaker and diabetes advocate, Nystrom founded Qspeak, which allows her to speak, advocate, write, consult, and raise funds for diabetes on a full-time basis.
“Ten years after graduating from Hope College, I’m living out my dream [of] being a full-time professional speaker and published author. I get to speak to other people with diabetes, their caregivers, as well as health care professionals about the trials and tribulations that I’ve gone through with this disease….My message is hope-filled, that regardless of life’s challenges, when we have hope, faith, and love, we can overcome any obstacle thrown our way. I’m grateful to Hope College for equipping me with a strong skill set in order to be able to impact so many lives through my God-given vocation.”
Nystrom has been honored for her advocacy and leadership locally and nationally. In 2014, she received the Dreamcatcher Award from the Minnesota Lions Diabetes Foundation and in 2015, she was recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans by the Minnesota Jaycees. Nystrom was nationally recognized by the American Diabetes Association by receiving the Advocacy Act Award in 2016. More recently, she was selected to serve as an Initiator Fellow with Initiative Foundation to help foster young entrepreneurs in Central Minnesota. Nystrom furthers her advocacy work serving as the national diabetes ambassador for the Center for Change, providing her a national platform and opportunity to speak on the high prevalence of Type 1 diabetes and eating disorders. She also serves on the Advocacy Committee and Community Leadership Board with the American Diabetes Association.
Alongside her professional career, Nystrom maintains an active role in her community as an elected council member for the city of Baxter, Minnesota. She serves as the Parks and Trails Commission, Community Behavioral Health Hospital, and Brainerd Lakes Area Sex Trafficking Task Force liaisons.
Quinn Nystrom receives her 10 Under 10 Award from Assistant Professor of Communication Rob Pocock.
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!
On October 19-21 we had over 40 events throughout the combined Homecoming and Family Weekend with over a thousand alumni, families and friends celebrating their common connection through Hope College.
If you were one of the many on campus, we want to know more about your experience. Your input helps us make each year better than the last. Please take this short survey. We will pick three survey responses as winners of a $100 Hope College Bookstore gift certificate.
Hope College – The 83rd annual Nykerk Cup competition held at the DeVos Fieldhouse.
Nykerk is something that is hard to explain- and I’ve had a lot of practice trying. It’s typically brought up in a conversation by someone asking me about why all of my friends are dressed up in navy sweaters and white turtlenecks. I usually laugh and launch into an explanation of the 84-year-old Hope College tradition that impacted me so much; I wanted to come back and coach.
Being a song girl was something I wore with pride. I loved walking to our practice room and seeing girls that became my close friends over the four week season and the morale boys who did everything in their power to make us feel appreciated. There is nothing like working for weeks on something and then finally hitting the chord perfectly or putting up the correct prop at the exact time. We knew we were doing something right when we made our coaches tear up.
These feelings were nothing in comparison to putting on the ‘nun-fit’ as we call it and standing with my Even Year Sisters for the last time. Getting up on the bleachers was an incredibly bittersweet moment- I mean, this is what we worked for, but this was also our last time as song girls. At the end of the song, it is a tradition for all the song girls to put our hands up and stay that way until everyone stops clapping.
Our Sophomore year was no different, but as our hand went up, the tears came down. I looked to my left and noticed that a girl who has become one of my best friends purely because we met sitting next to each other at practice freshman year, was overcome by the same emotions. We loved Nykerk, and we will always keep it in a special place in our hearts.
Hope College – The 83rd annual Nykerk Cup competition held at the DeVos Fieldhouse.
Song isn’t the only event; there is also play and oration. I have so much appreciation for each of these segments of the competition as well. Nykerk is much more than a song; it is an event that teaches the women of Hope College to stand tall and be proud of the work we are putting into our school. When all three of our events combine in a way that every participant left their heart and soul on the stage, we know we have accomplished our goal of working together to do something magnificent.
Hope College – The 83rd annual Nykerk Cup competition held at the DeVos Fieldhouse.
We end each practice with a song I’ll leave you with that I believe captures why we do what we do every year in this tradition:
“We love you Nykerk, oh yes we do. We love you Nykerk, and we’ll be true. When you’re not with us, we’re blue (so blue!). Oh, Nykerk, we love you!”
You can help support student activities like Nykerk and keep the tradition strong. Make your gift today and show your love for Nykerk.
Join us for the 84th Annual Nykerk Cup Competition on Saturday, October 20 at 7 pm at DeVos Fieldhouse.
To witness a Pull Day is remarkable. The event itself is an absolute spectacle, a marvel, the proportions of which our lovely little college rarely sees. It seems that all of Hope College comes out to watch. They come to support friends, to cheer on their year, to support the new team, to marvel, to gasp, to hold their breath with us, and some, I imagine, come for the same reason people watch a train wreck- they just can’t look away. What they’re looking at is one of the nation’s oldest, longest lasting college traditions: the Pull. At Hope College, for over 120 years, twenty freshmen have lined up against twenty sophomores to test their mettle. Between them, as tradition dictates, must be the mighty Black River and a single length of shipping-grade rope. The rules are simple. Three hours. No half-time, no time-outs, no trick plays. With the junior and senior classes coaching the freshmen and sophomores, respectively, the young pullers are surely and rightly guided on their course. Beside them, twenty “moralers” become the puller’s senses, voice of reason, and life-line, as their hearing, sight, and spirit begin to fade. These are the players in “the tug-of-war the Gods gather ‘round to watch”.
Hope College – The 2015 Pull event held on both sides of The Black River. The 2018 Sophomores won the event which lasted the full 3 hours.
We don’t do it because it’s fun (although it certainly becomes quite fun). We don’t do it because it’s easy (it’s not). We don’t do it to party, or to waste time, to “blow off steam,” or because we’re “full of meanness” or any such nonsense. We do it for three distinct reasons: For each other, for tradition, and for ourselves. The Pull is the crucible in which iron-clad community is formed. Brotherhood and sisterhood convenes upon us here. There is no greater bond imaginable than with another with whom you have suffered. Together, we commiserate during weeks of grueling practice, training, and competition. We study together, we eat dinner together. We cry together at our defeats, celebrate together in victory, and rally together again when one of us falls. We do it for community, for harmony. Still, three and four years later, our best friends came from the Pull. This tradition served for us as a vehicle for the most intensive and important human bonding we have known in our lives.
Hope College – Moraler LauraGrace Orner ’20 at the Pull on The Black River.
Even beyond the community that’s formed, we do it for tradition’s sake. In a culture that is largely focused on innovation, the Pull reminds us that we “stand on shoulders of giants.” Pull represents what motivated, bright, and passionate young folks can do when given a task as difficult as maintaining a tradition over 120 years. To achieve this end, the Pull has had to evolve every few years over the last century, avoiding crisis and extinction time and time again. Notably, it has been college students sustaining this ritual over the years, carrying the flame through the storms of the changing times, continuing to provide freshmen and sophomores with an outlet for self-growth and community. It has been future lawyers, doctors, teachers, and people of influence – it is they who have been faced with the choice through the decades: continue or quit? We have modernized, sure. Although the collective “we” have changed some traditions, written rules, made Pull safer and more inclusive, we continue to carry a torch for generations to come and we will not cease. We carry a flame that seems to have grown fainter over the last decade, yet, it is with the passion of hundreds of years of students before us that we resound, “Pull is here to stay.” Pull is about tradition.
The Pull, above all else, is about self-growth. To be brief, as a lifelong athlete, the physical and mental barriers that the Pull will ask you to break are unparalleled by those of any sport, club, or activity that I know. To “pull” is to reach deep into the recesses of your physical, and mental resources and, finding nothing left, giving more. To “pull” is to go beyond your physical limitations – to “morale” is to drain all available emotional resources and still find more to give. For the morale, the Pull demands complete selflessness. To morale you must ignore all physical pain, push away any emotional distractions, and quiet all senses. All that matters is the caller ahead of you and the puller at your side. Each practice, coaches stand in front of their morale, critiquing every minute movement. The Pull demands perfection, without it you will hurt your puller and your team.
The Pull 2017 – Even Year and Odd Year Pullers prepare for The Pull.
Every year Pull Alumni (on both sides) return to share how the Pull has taught them about their own limitations. They tell stories of challenge, of a great suffering, a deep loss. They tell us how they were able to overcome; they think back on the Pull, they recall their great strength and boundless perseverance, and they hear their coaches yelling, still, the oft quoted reminder that “pain ends.” Of course, pulling a rope will not teach you how to survive bankruptcy or mental illness, but it will, without a doubt, teach you about fortitude, sacrifice, and the spirit of continuation. There is no greater ally in life than this: self-knowledge and an unrelenting will. These have been revealed to us through the Pull.
Writing about the Pull has always been difficult for those of us involved in it. It seems a daunting task to discuss, describe, or explain such an activity so inherently experiential, so physical, so rooted in sensation– to tell people how a “tug-o-war” has moved parts of your spirit, changed parts of your personality, altered how you think. Those lucky and honorable few who have participated in the Pull may well agree; explaining yourself to non-Pullers becomes a challenge rivaling parts of the experience itself. Difficult as its explanation may be, the absurdity of the Pull is not lost on us. We know how it sounds. Crazy, right? It does sound a little crazy, even we can admit. But that’s why we coaches use the tried-and-true persuasion technique when recruiting unsuspecting freshmen at Hope as they stare at us nervously – we’re dressed in camouflage or khakis, maroon and gold or black and red, professing a love for the rope, for the dirt, for tradition, for each other:
“Come on out. Just one day. You’ll see.”
And to all those in our community who wonder, who ask, who can’t really make sense of it all, we extend to you the same plea. You’ll see.
William Lake
’19 Pull Team
’21 Pull Coach
LauraGrace Orner
’20 Pull Team
’22 Pull Coach
Whether you were a puller or a moraler – your bond, heart, spirit and dedication are the same. You can help support the Pull and other student activities like this, by making a gift today!
“This is my anchor of hope for this people in the future.”
Much has changed since A.C. Van Raalte used those words to describe Hope College over 150 years ago. Hope no longer houses all its students and classrooms within the walls of Van Vleck Hall, but the goal of preparing students to be a positive impact on the world of tomorrow most certainly remains.
In the fall of 1862, Hope College enrolled its first freshman class of 10 men. In October 2018, we will celebrate our first recipients (men and women) of the 10 under 10 Awards. The awards are designed to honor emerging leaders who are engaged in the local and global community and who exemplify the attributes of a Hope graduate. Full criteria can be found here. Nominations flowed in and a team of Alumni Board members, faculty and staff were presented with the task of selecting the final 10 recipients. The Alumni Board of Directors enthusiastically confirmed the selections and are pleased to sponsor this award.
These 10 recipients have backgrounds and interests as varied as the programs offered at Hope. They are taking their liberal arts education to new heights and impacting the world in big ways.
We are pleased to announce the following Hope College 10 Under 10 Award Recipients for 2018:
Sarah Watkins ’08 Fabian
Assistant Professor of Theatre
She creates new worlds on the stage and instructs others on how to do the same.
Xander Krieg ’12
Founder and CTO of AI software company
He developed an algorithm that allows a greater understanding of facial expressions and emotions.
Jonas Lawson ’13
Political Advertising Account Executive
He oversees high profile campaigns advertising at the local, state and federal levels.
Maggie Mohr ’09
Postdoctoral Fellow in Neurobiology
She has made significant contributions in neuroscience through her research.
She brings a voice of hope and knowledge to people living with Diabetes.
Izzy Rhodes ’11
Hospital Crisis Chaplain She promotes enhanced attention to mental health in the church and supports families experiencing medical trauma.
He travels North America as a photographer, writer, consultant, adventurer and advocate.
Chaz Shelton ’09
Founder & CEO of Hydroponic Food Company
He helps to make fresh food accessible and affordable using science and technology.
Carl Scholten ’11
School Principal
He leads school staff and encourages academic and spiritual growth in students.
Katherine Stritzke ’08 Simons
Strategy and Marketing Professional
She creates strategies for large-scale business transformations.
Alumni, students, families and friends are invited to celebrate at the 10 Under 10 Soiree during One Big Weekend on Friday, October 19 from 7 – 9 pm at City Flats Hotel as part of Hope on 8th Street. You’ll celebrate with these recipients in a casual meet-and-greet setting with appetizers and a cash bar. No registration is 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 2019? We are accepting nominations! Simply fill out this short form and your nominee will be added to the list and considered for next year’s awards.
From the managing director to a teaching artist to a scriptwriter to Oscar Madison, Hope College alumni (and current students too!) have been making their mark on this year’s highly entertaining and successful season of Hope Summer Repertory Theatre. This is not a new phenomenon; Hope theatre majors and professionals have long had great representation behind and on the HSRT stage. But this year, HSRT’s 47th, 23 Hope students and alums make up almost 20 percent of the company.
From left to right: Front Row: Brynne Fritjofson, Anne Bakker, Rachel Dion, Emmie Sandstedt, Cara Maas; Second Row: Saem Cho, Gracen Barth, Mikayla Contreras , Teresa Cameon, Kierney Johnson, Megan Clark, Mollie Murk; Third Row: Ben Douma, Ken Chamberlain, Kenny Cole, Nils Fritjofson, Griffin Baer, Reagan Chesnut, Riley Wilson, Eric Van Tassell. Not pictured: Chip Duford, Paul Anderson, Claire Bouwkamp
While HSRT’s new Artistic Director Lenny Banovez hires a majority of HSRT cast at national auditions in Memphis and St. Louis during the spring, Managing Director Anne Bakker ’85 is also cognizant of the quality of talent she has right here at home. She attributes that to Hope’s strong department of theatre and its commitment to educate and prepare young talent for professional theatre. “Our theatre department has always been integral to the success of HSRT,” says Bakker. “The team effort between the two programs (academic and professional) is a special one.”
Longtime HSRT cast member Chip Duford ’90 and relative HSRT newcomer Mollie Murk ’16 share Bakker’s sentiments. Though two-and-a-half decades separate their Hope educational experiences, a common thread of Hope educational appreciation runs between them. Both started at HSRT as acting interns and both now are members of its professional ranks — Duford, in his 25th season with HSRT, is an Actor’s Equity performer and Murk, in her third, is the head of education.
Chip Duford as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple.
Duford started out as a pre-med major at Hope, but “that lasted three seconds I think,” he laughs. He received great encouragement from professor emeritus Dr. John Tammi and visiting visiting HSRT Shakespeare and voice coach, Peggy Loft, formerly of the Juilliard School, to consider a career in theatre after he performed in several Hope productions as an undergrad. By his junior year, it was official; he was a theatre major and interning for HSRT. “I feel like I was able to discover myself at Hope,” says Duford.
Mollie Murk
Murk, on the other hand, always knew she wanted to be involved in Hope theatre. As both a theatre and dance major, she involved herself in as many aspects of theatre productions as she could — primarily acting and choreography but also costume design, teaching, dramaturgy, directing, and playwriting. “I just would love to shout out Michelle (Bombe, director of theatre) and Daina (Robins, chairperson of theatre). They create an environment where they really believe in their students and they find us to be capable of things that we never knew that we would be. The professors always encouraged us to take risks and challenge ourselves. No opportunity is ever handed to you as a Hope student— you have to work hard to seek opportunities out, which is exactly how I’ve learned the theatre industry at large works too.”
Erik Durham on the set of Dragon Pack Snack Attack.
And then there’s Erik Durham ’13. Not technically a member of the company, Durham is one of the main reasons why the children’s play, Dragon Pack Snack Attack, made its professional debut this summer as part of the HSRT lineup. While a theatre major at Hope, Durham needed a project for his capstone Theatre 490 class. So he chose to write a musical play based upon the children’s book of the same name, Dragon Pack Snack Attack published in the mid-1990s by none other than two more Hope alums, Jeff Grooters ’92 and Joel Schoon-Tanis ’89 who also, by the way, created the art of this summer’s promotional poster. Durham took the 15-page book with little dialogue but cute content and made it into a 50-minute play with nine songs. “I probably read that book front to back 50 times trying to process what I was going to do with it,” Durham explains. “It was a very daunting task, but Daina had persuaded me to go deeper and pushed me to do something new. It was a very humbling process.”
Dragon Pack premiered at Hope as a student production in 2013, and then it sat. “For five years, I had it in my back pocket,” Durham says, “though I had tried a couple times to pull it out for HSRT to consider.”
With Bakker and Associate Managing Director Reagan Chesnut ’09 at HSRT, Dragon Snack was revived for the professional stage this summer. Musical director Alex Thompson took the songs Durham had “written” and created sheet music with vocal arrangements for them. “I said, ‘Hey, I just want it to be very transparent. I’m not a composer,’” confides Durham. “All of my original music came from my singer/songwriter background so it was all very chordal with some improvisation. He was like, ‘I got this.’ Now he’s transformed the music into something ten times better than what I ever envisioned.”
“The theater itself becomes our home, so sharing that home with others is an exhilarating experience for each company member.”
HSRT has a few weeks to go, abut energy remains as strong and high as it did on opening night back on June 13. Hope affiliation aside, making beloved or new characters and stories come to life for two hours is the joy and challenge for anyone in cast and crew. For the audience, both forgetting and thinking about the world around them is imperative to well-performed and well-meaning theatre. HSRT ever has this in mind.
“I love coming back is it’s a unique theater experience here in HSRT,” says Duford, whose home base is Grand Blanc, Michigan and who performs annually in “A Christmas Carol” for Meadowbrook Theater in Rochester. “We perform in a thrust stage space with the audience surrounding us. Plus, we’re in repertory so we have the challenge of performing a different role every night. (This summer, Duford is Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple, Uncle Henry/the royal gatekeeper in The Wiz.) Over the years, it’s been those unique challenges for an actor plus the fun of being here at Hope Summer Repertory Theatre that brings me back.”
“I just love how the HSRT company each summer really becomes a strong community,” adds Murk, who works as the artist-educator for Kentucky Theater Festival when she is away from HSRT. “There’s something special about everyone working 13 hour days to give the audience a unique, exciting, and welcoming experience when they walk in our doors. The theater itself becomes our home, so sharing that home with others is an exhilarating experience for each company member. I notice each year that the theatre professionals who work for HSRT really want to impact the community and truly be a part of western Michigan’s growing artistic scene.”
