Politics and the Virtues of Public Discourse

Enter Vox Populi – five forums featuring interdisciplinary panels organized by the Office of Student Development – and the Hope-authored document called the Virtues of Public Discourse. Meaning “voice of the people,” Vox Populi tackles weighty topics revolving around this dramatic election and seasons them heavily with five virtues – humility, hospitality, patience, courage, and honesty – needed to make discussion and dialogue both respectful and constructive.

Laugh Just for the Health of It

Some research has indeed proven that “laughter is the best medicine..” And Dr. Jayson Dribble, an associate professor of communication at Hope, told a LaughFest audience why and how when he was given a mic to not so much be funny – though it turns out he’s a pretty puny guy – as to teach about why being funny matters.

CFL and SHI: Partners in Ideas, Innovation and Leadership

A unique and collaborative partnership between Spectrum Health Innovations (SHI) in Grand Rapids and Hope College’s Center for Faithful Leadership (CFL) is providing opportunities for both parties to glean the benefits that any good partnership seeks to achieve: combining ideas and labor toward reaching desired outcomes. For professionals at SHI, the objective is to create …

Breaks Away: Dede Johnston

Happiness is a choice, positive psychologists say, but the ways we choose to be happy and how we express that joy can vary from the grandiose to the sublime across cultures, Dr. Johnston is discovering. Taking a portion of her yearlong sabbatical to study happy emotions found in thousands of pictorial images of people in ## countries, Johnston is quick to relay that what may seem simple to define is actually complex.