Hoping for 30 years: Why we cheer for the Lions

When the Detroit Lions beat Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams 24–23 in the NFC Wild Card game on Jan. 24, Hope College’s Anne Bakker ’85 and Tom Davelaar ’72 were in their seats — Section 225, in the corner of the end zone — and they could hardly believe they’d won. “We were …

A Message from the Shoah by a Daughter of Auschwitz

By Greg Olgers ’87 The Hope Academy of Senior Professionals gave a gift to the entire community in October, extending an open invitation to the group’s monthly meeting, which was featuring a presentation by Holocaust survivor Tova Friedman. The result was a full house in the 800-seat Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center …

Celebrating Together

Organized by the Asian Student Union in collaboration with the Kruizenga Art Museum, the campus commemoration of the historic Mid-Autumn Festival linked programs and people in celebrating the diverse traditions represented by the members of the Hope community of Asian heritage. As a metaphor for connection, the moon was an apt symbol during the Mid-Autumn …

Three Generations of Full Professors at Hope College

On February 3, 2023, when Provost Gerald Griffin announced promotions approved by the Board of Trustees, one of the faculty members promoted to the rank of professor, Dr. Chad Carlson ’03 (kinesiology, since 2014), was the third generation in his family to achieve this distinction. His family’s legacy on the Hope College faculty spans 95 …

Project Engages Faculty and Staff in Helping Hope Be Its Best Self

“Reframing the Hope College Saga” seeks to invigorate discussion of Hope’s identity while demonstrating that topics like religion, race and human sexuality can be explored constructively. The project is addressing how Hope can best live its institutional vocation in light of two key phrases in the college’s mission statement — “to educate students for lives …

Stewardship for the Greater Good

The Center for Leadership (CFL) at Hope College has completed multiple consulting projects with Koops Automation Systems, a company based in Holland, Michigan, that designs, builds, and integrates automation systems for the manufacturing sector. But this academic year, rather than contract with CFL Consulting to do additional work with the company, Koops approached CFL Director …

Hope Faculty Study Abroad, Too

Since the summer of 2018, 42 Hope faculty members have ventured away from the college to do what they encourage many of their students to do — study abroad. Each professor took part in a unique, faculty-only Hope College program that instills the same benefits as students who study abroad receive: empathy, education, personal development, …

Researching and Revealing the Art of Nomads

In Hope College’s Kruizenga Art Museum, a current exhibit asks an unapologetic and perhaps overwhelming question: What exactly is art? Is art aesthetically-pleasing work meant to only be seen and not touched? Must it hang on a wall or stand on a pedestal? Or, can art be practical, painstakingly-created pieces made for everyday use? And who …

To China with Hope

This past spring, for the first time in Hope’s history, not one but two May Term classes traveled to China. In “China’s Modern Growth,” students examined the nation’s economic policies and business development while touring four major cities as well as Hong Kong. In “China: Land, Wildlife and Culture,” students explored the ecosystems of China’s …

Five Expert Areas From Hope College in September

“Five Expert Areas” is a new monthly feature that invites the media to tap into Hope’s broad range of faculty and staff expertise. As active scholars and seasoned professionals, Hope employees are experts in their fields, offering research and experiences that are relevant to lives and communities across the globe. And they like to share! …