10 Under 10 Alumni Award Recipient | Elisabeth Brewington ’14

Following her 2014 graduation from Hope College, Elisabeth Brewington worked as a foreign language teacher in Thailand. From there, she worked as a clinical coordinator at Woodlands Senior Living, an executive assistant at Coastal Rehab, and a financial consultant for Northern Light Health. Then, Elisabeth decided to move overseas where she took a role as an operations coordinator for the Council on International Educational Exchange in Prague. Currently, Elizabeth works in Maine as an executive administrator for PrimeCare Community Health Centers. Elisabeth’s advice for current college students: “Your progress and pathways are not linear. If you try something and don’t enjoy it, then that can be just as important as learning what you do like.” While at Hope, Elisabeth majored in psychology and engaged in many extracurricular activities such as Greek life, the Phelps Scholars Program, and Student Activities Committee (SAC). Deb DuMez, a mentor for Elisabeth while at Hope, presented her 10 Under 10 Award. 

What was a favorite memory while you were a student at Hope?
“I loved the general campus experience and having everything at my fingertips. It really felt like a microclimate filled with so many people and experiences that I valued. There was always something going on to be involved in or to learn more about. Being so close to everything I needed and being able to spend so much time around others was awesome. As much as I loved the on-campus experience, I also have great memories from my semester in Chicago, our Phelps Scholars outings, and the spring break immersion trips!”

How are you a different person today because of your Hope experience?
“I’ve found having a liberal arts education to be super valuable in my academic, professional, and personal development. My time at Hope equipped me with the ability to think critically about complex topics, practice interdisciplinary approaches, and communicate effectively to broad audiences. My college education allowed me to feel very well-prepared when entering the workforce and while pursuing graduate-level learning. The relationships and experiences I gained through Hope will always remain an important aspect of my life.”

What was your favorite food at Phelps?
“The sandwich and salad bars at lunch – I wish every place I worked had these!”

What is something you love about your job/career path?
“Choosing a career in healthcare and public health management/administration means continuously learning, tackling complex issues, and adapting as times change. I love having the skillset and positioning to effectively respond to the needs of a given community or patient population. Having worked in a variety of settings, this has taken many different forms- advocating for patient access, driving improved care outcomes, and generally promoting health and well-being for all. There is so much necessary progress to be made and never a boring day.”

What place on campus do you miss the most?
“Having spent most of my time at the science center, I loved crossing paths with classmates and friends there. Kollen Hall also holds a special place in my heart!”

What was your favorite class you took at Hope? Why?
“During my senior year, I took Introduction to Leadership with Timothy Schoonveld. I registered for this class purely out of interest and gained meaningful mentorship and friendships that I still have today. This course provided us with the opportunity to dig into our personal leadership traits as a way to better understand organizational practices and traits of other leaders around us. Taking this class in my final semester at Hope encouraged me to examine my worldviews and expound on my passions before jumping into my career.”

What has been the highlight of your professional career?
“Generally, I find great value in being able to respond to systemic issues, often during challenging times. Most public health and healthcare workers are drawn to the field as a helping profession, knowing that we can all create some type of positive impact that contributes to addressing the world’s needs. My recent experiences in leading COVID-19 pandemic response efforts and supporting primary care services for under-resourced communities have affirmed my understanding of the value of effective health-related practices and how widespread this impact can be.”

Hope College is proud to honor Elisabeth Brewington ’14 with the 2024 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also 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, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.

10 Under 10 Alumni Award Recipient | Gabrielle Barber ’19

Following her 2019 graduation from Hope College, Gabrielle Barber worked as a court watcher for the Eviction Defense Team at Michigan Law School. She said, “When people in the Detroit community were being evicted from their homes during the initial year of the COVID-19 crisis, I would watch and take notes during court sessions to look for unlawful court practices or people who needed counsel.” In May 2023, she received her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Michigan. Now, she works as an assistant defender in Direct Appeals at the State Appellate Defender Office. She said that one soft skill that continues to be important in her role is active listening. “It’s really important for me to listen and hear what my clients are saying,” she explained. “Being able to be an excellent active listener is a skill I learned at Hope and continue to develop.” Gabby embodied the liberal arts experience while she was at Hope through majoring in political science and her significant involvement in the music program. Prof. Linda Dysktra, a retired music department professor, presented Gabby’s 10 Under 10 Award.

What was a favorite memory while you were a student at Hope?
“I have so many special memories from my time at Hope. Many of my favorite memories come from working shows through the Concert Series or late night radio shows at WTHS. I think my most favorite memory is probably my Senior Recital for my voice minor. I worked SO hard putting it together, and it was so special having all of the people I love in the room supporting me.”

How are you a different person today because of your Hope experience?
“My time at Hope really taught me to value my community and the people around me. I think I am able to really dig deep and create roots in the places I live because of it, as well as appreciate the relationship with those I no longer live close to. I also think my time at Hope taught me care and empathy for others in a way that is crucial to my job now.”

What was your favorite food at Phelps?
“Probably the sandwich bar. I loved making a caprese sandwich and putting it through the panini maker.”

What is something you love about your job/career path?
“I have the immense privilege of working with people who experienced a lot of harm and pain in the world, who are often othered and forgotten by society. Being able to work with and get to know people who are incarcerated and who are cycled through the criminal legal system is really special—I get to really see how much MORE these people are than what they’ve done. And I also see how our society fails people—through poverty, lack of access to basic needs like housing and healthcare, the lack of mental health treatment where it’s needed, etc. All of this inspires me to continue working for a better legal system and overall world where people have their needs met and where we aren’t throwing away others because of mistakes they’ve made or harm they’ve done.”

What place on campus do you miss the most?
“Probably the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. I spent hours and hours in that building studying, singing, taking classes, and, yes, napping. I miss those practice rooms and the big concert hall so much!”

What was your favorite class you took at Hope? Why?
“This is tough. Constitutional Law 2 with Dr. Ryden my senior year was really fun. It was a small, discussion-based class and I remember feeling like things were really clicking for me and I finally understood how to read legal opinions (a skill that became second nature in law school but was really hard in college). Dr. Ryden was a mentor of mine throughout school too, so it was definitely fun being challenged and pushed by someone who knew me well.”

What has been the highlight of your professional career?
“Another tough one! I lose a lot in my job, so many of my wins are small wins. Highlights include when clients tell me they appreciate my work on their case, or that they finally feel like someone is listening to them. My first argument in the Court of Appeals was actually as a law student, and a group of my friends came to watch and support me. I was arguing that kids should have the right to counsel in truancy hearings, and we won! That was really cool.”

Hope College is proud to honor Gabrielle Barber ’19 with the 2024 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also 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, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.

Celebrating 20 Years | Schaap Science Center

A professor plops down on the stairs, lowering her load so she can fish out a paper to illustrate a point to students who stopped her in the hall of the A. Paul Schaap Science Center.

Down another hall, an impromptu discussion about gene expression breaks out among two professors and a student. They refer to one of many scientific posters displayed on the walls of the center to explain the intricacies of RNA.

In the three-story atrium, other students are settled around tables and nestled in comfortable furnishings with laptops out as they diligently work to finish assignments.

A. Paul Schaap Science Center Naming
Dedication for the addition to the science center
Dedication for the addition to the science center

These scenes are cause for celebration! They are exactly what planners envisioned 20 years ago when they dedicated the 85,900-square-foot Schaap Science Center. As part of the $36-million project, the adjoining 72,800-square-foot Peale Science Center also was renovated to create a science hub to be used by all students on campus.

“Winston Churchill said, ‘We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.’ Though he was speaking of government buildings, the words are just as true for educational spaces,” said Jonathan W. Peterson, dean of natural and applied sciences.

“The Schaap Science center was designed to facilitate, augment and inspire faculty-student collaborative research by way of intentional building geography,” Peterson added. “Each faculty office was ensconced within a state-of-the art research lab. This created the very tangible connection between the student and the mentor, creating a pedagogical proximity that shaped the way students view the research endeavor, that is integrated, interconnected and communal.”

About 20 years ago this fall students and staff moved into the building, which houses biology, chemistry, geological and environmental sciences, nursing, psychology and two new interdisciplinary programs that have been added since the move: neuroscience, and biochemistry and molecular biology. An official 20th anniversary celebration is planned during Milestone Weekend May 15–16, 2025.

Dr. James Gentile, dean of Natural and Applied Sciences at the time, proposed construction of a new science building because programs were outgrowing their current space in the Peale Science Center. Gentile championed a design to complement Hope College’s emphasis on collaborative student-faculty research as a teaching model and to facilitate connections between departments. When looking at the statistics, it’s apparent that his goals have been achieved.

During the past 20 years, science center faculty and staff have doubled with about a third remaining from the original group that first moved into the building during the 2003–2004 academic year. Faculty also have taught more than 9,000 courses to a total of 185,425 students during this time period.

Since the building opened, student-faculty collaborative research has yielded 1,693 scientific poster presentations on campus with 4,095 student authors (not counting off-campus presentations at regional and national scientific meetings.) Journal publications chronicling Hope’s cutting-edge research findings span wide-ranging topics such as: human glioma cells; cardiac rehabilitation; the psychology of religion and spirituality; urbanization’s effects on songbirds; cyclic voltammetric, chronocoulometric, and spectroelectrochemical studies of
electropolymerized films; the origin of dark sand in eolian deposits along the southeastern shore of Lake Michigan; and much, much more.

A. Paul Schaap Science Center

No wonder Hope College is ranked #31 nationally for undergraduate research/creative projects by U.S. News and World Report, ahead of Northwestern University, Dartmouth College, Purdue University and Cornell University.

These accolades would not be possible without the generous support of donors and the extraordinary lead gift by A. Paul Schaap and his wife, Carol, for whom the building is named.

“I had a wonderful experience at Hope conducting research in organic chemistry under the direction of Professor Douglas Neckers. That research led to publications in refereed journals and presentations at scientific meetings,” said Paul Schaap. “My investment in the science center was prompted by the desire to help provide Hope students with the opportunity for fundamental scientific research.”

Schaap, a 1967 graduate of Hope who majored in chemistry, was involved in collaborative student-faculty research from his sophomore through senior years. He went on to receive his doctorate in organic chemistry from Harvard University and joined the Wayne State University faculty in 1970. While there, he founded his own company Lumigen Inc. He is now retired from the faculty and his company.

Schaap credits Hope with an exceptional education that set him up for his success in academia and in business. He said he wanted to give back to Hope to help provide similar opportunities for students for years to come. Hope College’s premier research event, the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (CURCA), was also named to honor the Schaaps for their unwavering support of student-faculty collaborative research on campus.

The rich research tradition championed through the Schaap Science Center has launched many students into research careers and graduate school. Faculty research also has grown exponentially since moving into Schaap Science Center due to modernized labs and the building’s intentional design to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and a community of scholars.

Chris Barney, the T. Elliot Weier Emeritus Professor of Biology, had a front-row seat to this progress during the 37 years that he taught at Hope. “The programs housed in the building have generated over $38 million dollars in external grants and contracts and over 750 publications in the peer-reviewed scientific and educational literature (many co-authored by students),” Barney said.

He and his students’ research flourished due to all the innovations in the labs and other areas of the building.

“My research program on heat stress and thirst was impacted in a significant way by the Schaap Science Center,” explained Barney, who worked with architects on the teaching and research laboratory designs along with Mike Seymour, retired professor of chemistry.

“The new and improved environmental chambers, the modern animal care facilities, the analytical chemistry lab, additional computing facilities and my comfortable new office all helped me and my students obtain new and better data,” Barney added. “This is also true for many other faculty members. The many wonderful donors to the building deserve much credit for advancing scientific and education research at Hope.”

Flavis the Squirrel Goes Back to School!

Alumni, families and fellow lovers of the Pine Grove squirrels alike were given the opportunity to name them this past summer. Hope College’s Name a Squirrel initiative aimed to name all of the furry friends on campus and brought in lots of unique names like “Sir Hopesalot” and “Acornimus Prime.” Those who chose to give to the second and third tiers of the initiative were given the opportunity to gain their own Pine Grove squirrel at home. In an email asking to hear what the squirrels were up to in their new homes, the Philanthropy and Engagement team received an assortment of responses showcasing the squirrels’ nutty activities from all over.

We love the response we received from Tylina Salisbury ’94 Zimmerman, regarding her favorite squirrel Flavis. “You asked what our squirrels did this summer…well my squirrel, Flavis, was a lazy boy. However, he recently went back to school! The CSGK Advancement Office is housed in Hackett Catholic Prep. So here are a few scenes from his first few days back. He was a good boy and went to the chapel. He checked out his favorite book from the library. He was so excited to have his favorite lunch, curly fries! He tells me he is hoping to make it to a football game or cross-country meet this fall. I’ll let you know.”

Do you have a fun story to share? Email us anytime [email protected].

Nora ’26 | Growing Into Self

Every student at Hope College has a unique story. Many of these stories involve the Hope Fund, which provides coveted scholarships to more than 95% of our students. Read the following heartfelt story of Nora to learn firsthand what a difference scholarships can make in students’ lives.

Nora ’26 was afraid to come to Hope, her first-choice school.

“I wanted to come to Hope,” she shared. “I felt like a name and not a number here, but I was so scared to add tens of thousands of dollars in student debt to my name. I didn’t want to spend my life paying that off.”

Nora’s hard work in high school was rewarded when she earned a merit based scholarship through the Hope Fund. The generosity of donors erased her fear of taking on overwhelming debt.

“I have a fresh start without the weight of student debt around my shoulders!” exclaimed the double major in sociology and communications. If that wasn’t challenging enough, the hardworking junior has added a minor in leadership to her plate.

When she graduates, she hopes to work in politics as a campaign strategist. “There’s so much miscommunication out there,” she explained. “I’ve been studying how to mitigate it. My sociology major allows me to learn how society has a direct impact on how people are wired. My communications major teaches me how to cut through the miscommunication to focus on a clear message.”

With her career aspirations, there’s no doubt that Nora is living into Hope’s mission of preparing students for lives of leadership and service. “My scholarship has led to my academic, social and mental growth,” she said. “I have been able to grow into myself.”

Nora believes there’s something about the Hope community that sets it apart from the rest. “It’s so different from what I’m used to. They’re kind and welcoming and their generosity has made me a different person,” she shared. “Because of the freedom they gave me, I can return the favor in a few years.”

Your gifts to the Hope Fund set our students free. Free from worry, free from debt and free to explore the endless transformative possibilities Hope has to offer. Set a student free by making a gift today.

The Hope College Global Travel Program is Going to Scotland!

Since 1961, alumni and friends of the college have had the opportunity to explore the world as lifelong learners and gain a deeper understanding of different cultures. The program has featured tours to Costa Rica, Vietnam, London, Tanzania and Alaska, with upcoming tours to Paris and Scotland. Over 900 constituents have already expressed interest in traveling with the college.

Registration for Highlights and Highlands is now open and available on a first-come, first-served basis. This educational tour, led by Eric Van Tassell ’06, Assistant Professor of Dance and Theatre-Lighting and Sound Design, and Courtney E. Brewster ’04, Executive Director of Engagement, will take place August 8-18, 2025. This journey will highlight historical and engaging cultural experiences, including museums and festivals, and provide immersive encounters with natural landscapes, views and stunning architecture. From a visit to the historic Edinburgh Castle, a tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse and a ticket to the Fringe Festival, the first stop in Edinburgh is sure to delight. As we travel through the Scottish Highlands, the Black Watch Museum, the House of Bruar in Pitlochry and the Isle of Skye will provide the foundation for learning as this scenic and acclaimed experience will surely be a highlight in your life.

More information, including a full itinerary and costs, is available at hope.edu/globaltravel.

There are two additional tours being planned for 2025:

Experience Paris: Art, History and Culture with Dr. Heidi Kraus, Associate Provost, and Dr. Lauren Janes, Associate Professor of History, March 14-22 2025 – registration is open at hope.edu/globaltravel.

An upcoming U.S. domestic trip that will be shared very soon, so be on the lookout!

If you are interested in receiving future emails about The Global Travel Program, please complete the interest survey to let us know your travel interests.

In addition to providing an enriching travel experience, the Global Travel Program supports the college’s commitment to providing students with study abroad opportunities. Proceeds from the program will be used to fund scholarships for Hope College students participating in study abroad programs.

For more information on the Hope College Global Travel Program, including the upcoming tours to Paris and Scotland, visit hope.edu/globaltravel or contact Amanda Root with Alumni Engagement at [email protected] or 616.395.6887.

Introductions

Alumni and Friends of Hope College,

Greetings! I am Dr. Alexander Jones, Hope’s new Vice President of Philanthropy and Engagement. I began this role on July 1 when I moved into Wyckoff Hall, my temporary home as I adjust to life in Holland and the Hope community. This has been a season of transition for me and my family. We served Wheaton College for ten years before moving to Roberts Wesleyan University in New York. The opportunity to champion Hope College in West Michigan came at an ideal time for us, and we could not be more excited to partner with President Scogin, our Board of Trustees, and you as alumni and friends of Hope.

Transitions, as I am sure you know, bring all kinds of newness. For us, we have to find a new school for our children, new grocery stores, new chiropractors, and new doctors, just to name a few things. Reflecting on the pace of change we are experiencing right now, I cannot help but think about Jesus’ parable:

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. (Luke 5)

Jesus’ Kingdom vision was new, and did not quite fit with the old way of living. Isaiah similarly references how God’s vision of newness transforms us:

Behold, I am going to do something new, Now it will spring up; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43)

If you are like me, I find this vision of newness compelling and exhausting! On one hand, I want to experience God’s revolutionary vision of restoring all things to Him. I want to experience the newness He brings to our lives. I want to swim in the River, not melt in the desert. And, transition is hard. I sometimes like the old wineskins! I may get used to the old roadways and desert paths.

Jesus, however, reminds us that His good gifts take a fresh wineskin. Isaiah reminds us that we need to be ready and aware for God’s new transformation.

At Hope College, it is a new year. Our students have filled our dorms and cottages; classrooms are vibrant. Our teams have started competing again. Alumni and Friends, I want to ask for your prayers for us as we embark on a new year, embrace God’s vision for a new Creation, and prepare ourselves to be “fresh wineskins,” ready to become aware of “something new.”

That is my prayer for you as well. As you find yourself in a season of transition–with family, with aging, with health, with moving to a new home, with babies born and friends passing away–remember that God is going to do something new.

Global Travel | Paris 2025

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The Olympics may be over, but you can still Experience Paris with the Hope College Global Travel Program! This trip offers a unique opportunity to explore the beauty and history of this magical city that served as an epic backdrop for athletic contests over the past few weeks.

There are still a few spots left for our trip – and our itinerary includes many of the iconic locations that were at the heart of the 2024 Olympic Games, allowing travelers to experience Paris in a special light:
Palace of Versailles: We’ll visit this magnificent palace, where the equestrian events took place, and walk through these historic grounds that were the stage for some of the world’s finest athletes.

Tuileries Gardens: As we stroll through these elegant gardens, we’ll be standing in the same spot where the Olympic Cauldron once burned brightly, marking the spirit of the Games.

Seine River: We’ll cruise along the Seine, where the Opening Ceremony was held and where open water swimming events showcased some incredible endurance.

Hôtel des Invalides: This historic site, known for its stunning architecture and as the burial site of Napoleon I, served as the backdrop for the marathon finish line and is only a short walk from our hotel.

Eiffel Tower: No trip to Paris would be complete without visiting this iconic landmark. It was not only a symbol of the city but also the venue for beach volleyball events.
Grand Palais: We’ll marvel at this grand building, built for the Universal Exposition of 1900, which hosted the fencing events.
Trocadéro: This area, with its stunning views of the Eiffel Tower, was the stage for the opening ceremony’s flag walk and cycling events. It’s a place that resonates with Olympic history and the spirit of Paris.
Montmartre: We’ll explore the charming streets of Montmartre, where the cycling route passed in front of the beautiful Sacré-Cœur

This trip promises not only to be a journey through Paris’s rich cultural heritage but also a chance to witness the legacy of the Olympics in some of the city’s most breathtaking locations. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a lover of art, a foodie, or simply looking to immerse yourself in the magic of Paris, this trip is designed for you.

We hope you will join us for this incredible experience – and be sure to tune in for the Paraolympics to be treated to more Parisian exposure. If you have any questions or need further information, email [email protected] anytime.

Register today at hope.edu/globaltravel.

Introducing the 10 Under 10 Award Recipients for 2024

On October 26, 2024, we’ll welcome ten new young alumni into the league of 10 Under 10 Award recipients. We’ll spend a few hours honoring them, highlighting their accomplishments, and celebrating with friends, family and members of the Hope community. And you’re invited! There will be lots of food, lots of hugs and lots of smiles. It always goes by in a flash, and I can barely process all the feel-good moments that are packed into one event. That’s how it ends. But how does it begin?

We collect nominations. And I’ll be honest, that’s probably one of the easiest parts of my job. Nominations come from faculty members who have been following the career trajectories of their former students. They come from fellow young alumni who are eager to lift up their classmates and friends. We get nominations from family members who are so proud of their sons and daughters and cousins and siblings for what they have accomplished so far in their professional journeys. Other nominations come to us from supervisors who didn’t attend Hope, but they know their employees are deserving of kudos for the work they have done and the impact they have made. We’ve even had students who have been mentored or inspired by our young alumni submit their names for consideration. We hear from staff members who stumbled upon an article or story that highlights the good work an alumnus is doing. Simply put, nominations come from everywhere, and each one of them is filled with inspiration.

As you can imagine, the process gets much harder as we work with committees of staff, faculty, students and Alumni Board members to narrow down the 100+ nominations to a cohort of 10 young alumni. This top 10 ultimately represent thousands of Hope graduates who are serving as agents of Hope by living faithfully into their callings. While the committee members are tasked with reading hundreds of pages of profiles, and then spending a solid chunk of time considering the final recipients, I am often thanked by these folks for including them in the process. Why? While it’s sometimes grueling to make such decisions, it’s also incredibly rewarding to spend time learning about the hard-working, wise, talented and innovative people who have launched from Hope so beautifully.

So, now that you know how we got here, I’m absolutely delighted to introduce you to the 2024 recipients of the Hope College 10 Under 10 Awards:

Gabrielle Barber ’19 | Assistant Appellate Defender, State Appellate Defender Office

Elisabeth Brewington ’14 | Executive Administrator, Prime Care Health

Kaleigh Doan ’16 | Instructional Designer, AuditBoard

Kyle Funk ’18 | Senior Program Specialist for Infrastructure and Transportation Solutions, National League of Cities

Julian Lugo ’20 | Director of Youth Programs and Advancement, Latin Americans United for Progress

Raquel Mendizabal Martell ’15 | Market Research Project Manager, Applied Marketing Science

Marvin Solberg ’15 | Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing

Grace Theisen ’14 | Musician, Nonprofit Co-Founder

Holly N. Thompson ’15 | Assistant Attorney, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney

Meghanne Tighe ’15 | Research Chemist, Naval Research Laboratory

Thank You! Day of Giving 2024

The grand totals are in and it’s time to celebrate! We couldn’t be more thankful for the alumni, family and friends of Hope College. Your generosity on Day of Giving shattered every record since we began the event a decade ago. Over the course of 36 hours (February 22-23), you made 2, 979 gifts and gave $829,109.

What a vote of confidence for our students. Thank you for showing them how much you care. Their futures never looked brighter, especially with kind-hearted, inspiring people like you standing behind them.

From all of us at Hope College: Thank you!