Come Visit Us!

A visit to Hope’s campus is a wonderful thing to experience. This is especially true if, like myself, you’re lucky to work for the Admissions Office. From this, you will observe the kind of attention to detail that goes into every student interaction. You’ll notice how excited my supervisor, Lance Pellow, gets when he’s waiting for a prospective student to show up or how my fellow tour guides work tirelessly to perfect their tours. You’ll see the thoughtfulness of professors when they chat with prospective students about classes or you’ll come across our everyday college students who offer smiles while saying, “Welcome to Hope!”. 

Hope College Summer Tour Guides 2021

Another benefit of visiting campus is that it gives you an opportunity to notice the things that might be difficult in college while also giving you the time and space needed to think of possible solutions. For me, my challenges have ranged from some slightly uncomfortable chairs as I’m about 6’3 to the struggles of being an international student from Nigeria at a predominantly White institution. For the former, I’ve learned to avoid certain study spots and for the latter, I’ve tried to advocate and work collaboratively with different groups to create spaces and foster inclusion. 

In this way, being in Holland, Michigan, for a visit day, will allow you to literally walk among college students for a day, if not be one. You get to see the things that excite us and the ways in which we might be hangry college students. And you’ll get to notice the things that we love deeply about our school while paying attention to the things we are working to change. 

You’ll even be one step ahead of me; an international student from six thousand miles away who didn’t have a chance to step on campus before hopping on a plane for my first semester. And as I often joke with my friends, Hope’s website really had me sold though you can come see us for yourself. 

Making the Decision to Choose Hope

Big Decision

When you are a senior in high school the last thing you want to worry about is where you are going to go after you graduate. You are more worried about graduation itself, what your friends are doing after school, and your grades. Why worry over next year?

Yet, there is a tug in the back of your mind. What ARE you going to do after high school? If you are going to college, where? Have you decided on your major yet? What are your interests? Do you want a large school? A small one? Do you want your professors to notice you? Are you going to base your decision off of where your friends are going?

Just reading those questions is daunting.

Personal Choice

When I was looking into colleges in high school my parents helped a ton. If it wasn’t for them I never would have made my final decision. I debated between several colleges for what seemed like forever. Until my mom sat me down and asked me what my final two were did I actually have to make a decision.

My final two contesters were Hope and Calvin (don’t hate me, I have family there). So, my mom helped me organize tours at both of the colleges. After each tour she asked, “what are your likes and dislikes?” and made me write them down.

Hope had the most “likes” and while I was touring that final time it felt like home. The students were so kind and open to helping me. I loved the small campus and being able to make close connections with my professors, which is something I didn’t find at other colleges. After that last visit the fall of my senior year of high school, I was set on Hope College being my home for the next four years.

Benefits I’ve Found

While Hope College is a small and homely campus, I have found there to be many other characteristics of the Orange and Blue Anchor that create the love Hope gives. One of them being the clubs. There are roughly 80 different clubs and student lead organizations at Hope – an impressive number. My freshman year, being that COVID was running rampage, felt isolating. I had only one friend, my roommate, and that was it. So when clubs reached out to connect with the student body I jumped into the catalog and did some reading. I am now part of five different clubs and student organizations as well as running a club myself and have never been more satisfied with myself.

Hope tries so hard to reach out to each and every student and create connections. One way this is done is through all of the resources that are provided. From the Boerigter Center for Calling and Career to the Klooster Center for Excellence in Writing, what can’t Hope help with? There are offices that will work with you on financing, creating resumes, editing papers, doing research and mental health. I have utilized most of those resources. I’ve gotten counseling and it was one of the best things I’ve done. The woman that helped me was very open and friendly, wanting to get to know me as a person rather than just a number in the student body. Hope College has allowed me to feel so welcomed and assured that I am never alone.

Whether or not you are still deciding or you’re ready to walk the beautiful grounds of this college, Hope welcomes you. During a time when the world can cause severe stress and anxiety, Hope is a place where you can find your home.

Student Life Experiences

An Outpouring of Life

Hope has an overflow of opportunities for students to get involved on campus. The Student Life office at Hope College continually provides opportunities for students to grow and have fun. Centered at the Bultman Student Center (BSC), the Student Life office at Hope College is an inviting space where individuals can gather. With art on one wall and an open study-zone on the other, the space at Student Life brings visibility and accessibility to all students in the BSC. The space has been designed specifically for you, the student, which is something further unique about Hope.

Student Activities Committee

A facet of Student Life is the Student Activities Committee, also referred to as SAC. SAC puts on an event almost every week or weekend, and of high quality. From movies in partnership with Multicultural Student Organizations (MSO’s), to a full-on Winter Fantasia dance in Grand Rapids – they have the student activities covered. My favorites have been the various smaller events put on during the week – such as CoffeeHouse or Food Trucks in the Pine Grove. If you’re hungry for food, fun or both – SAC events never leave you hanging.

Dance Marathon

Dance Marathon also falls under the umbrella of Student Life. As a three year participant, I can say that while challenging, Dance Marathon provides an opportunity to grow and learn about some of the best people you will meet on this campus. Supporting the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Dance Marathon is a 24-hour long fundraising party complete with bounce houses, music and more. While ‘dancing,’ you are encouraged to reach out to your personal network and raise funds on behalf of the team you are fundraising for – in my case, my fraternity. Historically, we have been able to raise thousands of dollars in just a few hours! You won’t want to miss Dance Marathon at Hope College.

Greek Life

Greek Life is also present at Hope College. With five fraternities and seven sororities, there is a wide range of students that are involved in Greek Life. As part of a fraternity, I have learned a lot about what community means and recognized some my own personal strengths and weaknesses.

Much More

These examples have been a limited sampling of my student experiences with Student Life at Hope College. I encourage you to continue reading about what Hope College has to offer and lean into the things that interest you. Reach out to some groups that you could see yourself in!

Looking Back on my Faith at Hope

I distinctly remember my first class at Hope College. Dean Frost, my professor for my Freshman Year Seminar said, “What you seek to find at Hope, you will find.” He elaborated that if you seek to further your faith, you will have the opportunity to do so. If you want nothing to do with a Christian education, you can find that too. Looking back on my four years at Hope, his words hold so much more truth than I knew that first week on campus. 

Hope is a place where students are given the freedom of choice. Chapel isn’t required, and yet it’s standing-room-only almost every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Students aren’t required to attend bible studies, and yet over 40 bible studies are held every week. Chaplains aren’t required to meet with students, but they meet with dozens per week and know students by name. Faculty aren’t required to bring their faith into the classroom, and yet I have had professors who approach course content from a Christian worldview and diligently pray for their students. An institution alone can never be ‘Christian’ – but the people that make up that institution can be – and Hope is a place whose people direct the trajectory of Hope College toward Jesus.

My faith has personally been impacted during my time at Hope in three distinct ways. 

During my first tour of Hope, I remember sitting in chapel and for the first time thinking, “I think I could see myself here.” Chapel every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday has always been a place where I felt a sense of belonging at Hope ever since. Surrounded by hundreds of my peers, chapel is a time where I remember all the people around me who share a common purpose of following Jesus. Even though chapel is a brief 20 minutes long, it provides a space for me to learn, reflect and invite God into my day. 

Beyond Campus Ministries, my professors have been hugely impactful to my faith journey. The authenticity and transparency of my professors in the classroom have challenged my perspectives and given me the opportunity to establish what I believe. Specifically professors within my major have intentionally looked at business from an ethical and Christian perspective. From job design in Human Resources to maintaining ethical standards in Financial Management, my professors approach content within the context that we are humans created in the image of God and are valuable to Him. 

The last, and possibly most influential, aspect of Hope’s community that has strengthened my faith is the incredible friendships I have made these past few years. When I stepped into my new dorm freshman year, I was met with two roommates who modeled what it looks like to love Jesus and let Him be a part of your day. Their faith was so real to them and every new problem they encountered was brought to God in prayer. Beyond my roommates, I am also thankful for the diversity of faith backgrounds Hope represents. These backgrounds have given me the opportunity to understand God in new and different ways. 

Hope is a place where students’ faith becomes their own. And, if you seek it out, you will find a community of believers that love Jesus wholeheartedly and serve Him in every corner of Hope’s campus. 

Mentorship at Hope

One of the biggest things I have learned the past couple of years is the value of mentorships. Hope College has thankfully provided me with some really awesome opportunities to seek the wisdom of others. Coming into college and moving away from home, it does not take long to notice the lack of older influence in your life. Yes, it is easy to call home every so often, but I found that being able to have a face to face conversation with someone who cares about your well being and has expertise in the subject (i.e. one’s major) is irreplaceable. 

It Takes Time

A word of encouragement I want to start with is that building a relationship that turns into mentorship takes time and patience. A lot of the mentors I have now did not become my mentors until the second semester of my sophomore year and/or into my junior year. A lot of mentorships and relationships with professors develop once you get deeper into your major and more involved in organizations on campus. However, there is a lot to be said for seeking things out and not waiting for them to come to you. 

For any student that really wants a mentor at Hope College, all you have to do is ask. My freshman year, I really wanted guidance while I was working my way through the book of Romans. I had a meeting with Nancy (a Chaplin from Campus Ministries) and expressed the desire for a mentor. From there, Nancy connected me with one of her close friends that lived in Holland, who I would meet with at a nearby coffee shop. The two of us would meet every week or two and I could ask her questions about faith or about passages in scripture I was working through. 

Spiritual Mentorship

At Hope, one can gain either personal or professional mentorships. As a part of my Ministry Minor, receiving a spiritual mentor was required. I became close with the Chair of the Department who connected me to his wife Laurel as a mentor. Laurel and I began meeting two years ago and we still meet up to this day. She has played a wonderful role in my life helping me navigate situations at school, home, and in relationships. 

My spiritual mentor Laurel and I on a hike!

Academic Mentorship

Also that year, I received Dr. Stacey Jackson (known to many as Stace) as my advisor for my Business major. Stacey has played a major role in my career development and academic pursuits in college. I have gotten the opportunity to know Stacey well through a program in the department called Baker Scholars. Baker Scholars is a leadership development program that has given me the opportunity to take trips with the department, network with Hope College Alumni and participate in workshops (topics including public speaking, design thinking and conflict management). I also have had Stace for two classes, so he knows how I handle situations in an academic setting. As an advisor/mentor, he has helped me discern my career post graduation as well as the steps I need to take to get there. He also can tell when I sometimes need a word of encouragement or some grace on getting an assignment in. 

Because of Hope’s size, professors and other faculty love to play a role in students’ lives. I have gotten to know professors that I have not even had for class. They have been so happy to help whether I was seeking their professional opinion regarding their area of study or if I was just interested in hearing about their life and career path. I am so thankful for the willingness of others to speak into my life and help me discern situations in the present as well as my goals for the future.

Community Forged through Unathleticism: A Take on Intramurals

My friends and family will be the first to tell you that I am not a sporty person. From watching sports to participating in them, I am usually the first to say no. However, one of the few things I have always appreciated about sports is the community that you can find within, and as a freshman at Hope, I knew that I wanted to find an enriching community.

So, in January of 2020, I swallowed my pride when asked if I wanted to participate in an intramural volleyball team, and for the first time, I willingly said yes to playing. I wasn’t sure of anything except for 2 things: that I was excited to play with peers that would hopefully turn into friends, and that I was nervous to play with my poor set of athletic skills. 

2 Legit 2 Hit

My team, 2 Legit 2 Hit, was an assorted group of people with little to no background in volleyball, which was fortunate for me because we immediately had something in common. Some of my teammates were people my friend and I actively recruited in our dorm, and others were mutual friends of those we recruited. Ultimately, 2 Legit 2 Hit was a group of people who found ways to hang out outside of the classroom, and we took advantage of the opportunity. 

A group of Hope students wearing athletic clothing striking poses before their last volleyball game at the Dow gym.
2 Legit 2 Hit at our Last Game

Our practices were exhausting and hilarious, and we quickly realized that our goal was not to play well, but to get the ball over the net. We laughed to the point of tears and played to the point of exhaustion. We talked strategy we didn’t fully understand and hyped each other up until our throats were sore. 

This hype carried into our matches against teams who definitely were more dedicated than us. But nothing mattered except trying our best and laughing it off when our best wasn’t enough. Other teams could always hear us as we screamed on the court, making jokes and bringing an unnecessary amount of energy to the Dow. If we won, it was a thrilling surprise. If we lost, it was nothing more than an opportunity to smile and bond over our effort.

Unbreakable Bond

And this bond carried outside of the Dow.  I was able to hang out with people I would have never crossed paths with. Even if we weren’t best friends, I was able to find new familiar faces on campus. Today, some of my teammates are my closest friends, and my time playing intramural volleyball Freshman year led to some of my favorite memories at Hope.

99% of the time when I’m asked to watch or participate in sports, you will find me saying no. However, I am grateful for the 1%, and for the community I found through saying yes. 

Working as a College Student

As an incoming Freshman, I knew I needed to find ways to financially contribute to my tuition and living costs, but I was concerned about how to balance college-level academics, social commitments, and a job simultaneously. As I began to look into part-time employment in Holland and attended an on-campus career fair, I was excited to discover the flexibility of working on campus. 

Working On Campus

My first job at Hope was working for the ticketed event staff. I worked home football games, basketball games, soccer games, dance performances, and theater events – taking tickets at the door, handing out programs, and greeting students, parents, and community members as they attended Hope College events. My favorite aspect of the job was the relationships it provided me my freshman year. It gave me an opportunity to meet new people outside of my classes or social spheres, and I made friendships that I would not have made otherwise. I also loved having an opportunity to connect with community members. One of the beautiful things about college is being surrounded by people your same age, but it’s so refreshing to be reminded that there is a community outside of Hope’s campus that wants to engage with students. 

“One of the beautiful things about college is being surrounded by people your same age, but it’s so refreshing to be reminded that there is a community outside of Hope’s campus that wants to engage with students.“

My second job on campus was working with a professor who asked me to work with him on an oral history project. The project dissected the role of diversity in West Michigan historically, and the role of the Church on such discussions by interviewing 20 influential pastors and community leaders within Ottawa County. As I transcribed and consolidated interviews, my worldview was challenged. Not only did my professor give me the opportunity to gain job experience, he gave me an opportunity to grow as an individual. 

My third on-campus job is prompting me to write this blog! Working alongside Hope’s marketing department and admissions office, my job as a content creator requires that I take pictures on campus and in Holland and write about my experiences during my last four years at Hope. This job has inspired me to be intentional in how I reflect on my experiences and be present in each moment. 

Gaining Professional Experience

Having an on-campus job at Hope is not an irregularity. Many of my friends have also benefited from their jobs working at the bookstore, library, lifeguarding at the Dow, or working on research projects with various professors in their fields of study. Jobs on campus vary based on time commitment and task responsibilities. For example, working in the athletic training department provides students with on-the-job experience, while working front desk jobs often allows students to work on homework as they greet visitors. 

“By the time senior year rolled around, I was more suited for a job where I could gain experience in a position that applied directly to my major and career interests.”

When asked about her experience working on campus, my friend and roommate Samantha Martino responded, “Hope College on-campus jobs have been able to adapt to my needs each year as my schedule and life changes. Freshman year, when I had more free time, I was able to easily find a job where I could put in long hours in a non-specialized position. During my shift, I could get some of my own work done, too. By the time senior year rolled around, I was more suited for a job where I could gain experience in a position that applied directly to my major and career interests. The versatile options of on-campus jobs have always been able to adapt to the progression of my education.”

Although my three jobs have differed in many ways, they have all provided a flexible schedule, an opportunity to make money, and unique perspectives that have shaped my college experience.

Engaging with Hope and Beyond

One of the main pillars of my Hope experience has been my involvement in clubs and organizations. While a lot of individuals think of college as a mostly academic endeavor, there is much to be said about the experiences that take place outside of the classroom. For me, an international student from Nigeria, building a sense of community was an important aspect of what I set out to do in the U.S., and the various extracurricular activities that I was a part of helped to make Hope feel more like home.

My first year was marked by my significant involvement in Hope’s Phelps Scholars Program, which is a first-year program that helps students develop the tools needed to navigate our multicultural world. With a unique combination of residential life, academic excellence, and social exploration, the program brings together around 100 students from all parts of the world and the United States, to study and live alongside each other while learning about ideas of diversity and equity.

As an individual who moved over five thousand miles to pursue my education, having a program like this serve as the foundation of my college experience was an amazing opportunity. The Phelps Scholars program provides a way for students to learn about the entire world while living at a smaller Liberal Arts campus. With friends from Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Kenya, South Africa, Honduras and Mexico, I got to practice the kinds of conversational skills that I will need in my career. Through shared meals, all-nighter study sessions and group trips, I had the chance to learn about the different parts of the United States and what they have to offer in terms of lived experiences. Maybe most importantly, though, the program allowed me to navigate the new ideas of race that I was coming into contact with in the United States – an opportunity I am forever grateful for.

In my sophomore year of college, I found myself looking for a place that would allow me to dive deeper into some of the ideas that I was picking up from my majors in Philosophy and Political Science. When I couldn’t locate a space for such conversations, I decided to approach the Philosophy department for support and started a Philosophy club that is still in operation three years later. Through this experience, I was able to invite others into my passion while practicing leadership, fundraising and organizational skills. Hope’s campus was the fertile ground that allowed for the creation of this philosophical space and speaks to the value of a Hope College education. In the way that we are encouraged to look for ways to productively engage with the world around us, Hope’s holistic education is also preparing me to walk through otherwise uncharted waters.

During the final two years of my college experience, my engagement with clubs and activities has looked a bit different. Together with my girlfriend and classmate, Hannah Santiago, we started an organization in December 2020 that was aimed at tackling some of the community-based problems we had become interested in during college. Called the Community Healing Organization, we helped organize welcome events for international students during the height of COVID-19. We also mobilized 750 books for 26 prisons in the Midwest to support their inmate education programs and have worked with historically disadvantaged high school students to secure over $600,000 in college scholarships. Leaning again into what we see as our mandate for community development, we coordinated a welcome card writing campaign for over 300 incoming Afghan refugees. These deeds, based on our belief that the better world we all desire needs to be actively created, have been a source of great satisfaction for Hannah and me. And while we recognize that we have stepped out of the immediate Hope and Holland bubble, our work is built on the lessons of engagement that we learned from Hope’s clubs and organizations. In this way, we are living into exactly what Hope wants us to live into; a life of service that has a more global focus, and it wouldn’t have been possible without our prior commitment to clubs and organizations at Hope.

“Living Away From Home”; the words of someone who lives 20 minutes away.

Growing Up

I am from Zeeland, MI. A town only 20 minutes away from Hope College. I go home every other weekend to do my laundry for free and can call my parents whenever I need help with anything. In conversations with friends I have been informed that, “I do not have the right to talk about missing home.” While I don’t argue with their points, I do miss home.

I grew up with a close-knit family group; I spent a lot of time with my two sisters. Most weekends, I was with one of my grandparents. All of my cousins are around the same age, so we were good friends. Going to the same school and church programs, it was hard to find time when I wasn’t with my family. I was always guaranteed to have someone to talk to. My parents were a major part of my childhood – coming to every sporting event and recital and pushing my sisters and me to try every opportunity.

In high school, the only thing I looked forward to was getting to drive. It meant I could leave the house whenever I wanted and go anywhere. I could be away from my family and “have my own life.” But, I could always rely on going home at night to a welcoming, warm home. There were no worries, none that involved life at least. School was another story.

Moving to College Life

When I was choosing which college I wanted to go to, my only requirements were that it had to be small and I had to feel welcomed on campus. Hope satisfied both of those requirements and others. Sure, I wasn’t too pleased with how close to my home it was, but that was going to have to work.

Move-in day came up quickly and I was confident that moving out was going to be perfect. I would finally get my own peace and make my own decisions. My parents wouldn’t boss me around all the time.

Yet, once the last box was opened and the contents organized around the small dorm room, a strange sinking feeling crept in. I put it off until I finally hugged my teary-eyed parents goodbye. I lived so close; why was I sad?

I cried the first night in my dorm, calling my mom the following morning in tears, saying how I didn’t like being away from home and wanted to go back. Part of me didn’t believe that I had what it took to be on my own. An 18-year-old expected to “adult.” My mom just chuckled lightly and proceeded to tell me how proud she was, reminding me that I had what it took and I was strong enough.

Moving Forward

Starting a new journey in life where you are expected to be the “grown-up” after years of having guidance is terrifying no matter how close you live. There’s a chance that you are going somewhere where you might feel alone. After all, this isn’t a summer camp where you are going to be home in a couple weeks. College can keep you from your family for a month or two. The people who raised you are no longer right beside you all the time.

“You will never be alone here; there is always someone who will gladly sit and spend time guiding you.“

Yet, here at Hope College you aren’t alone. There are people who will guide you through every decision you need to make. I have spent hours with advisors and professors just working through the little things. You will never be alone here; there is always someone who will gladly sit and spend time guiding you.

The Exquisite Beauty of Holland, Michigan

What is life like as a Hope College Student in Holland, Michigan?

As an international student, it was a struggle to adjust being far away from my home country of the 7,614 islands of the Philippines; it was a struggle for me to figure how to adjust within a different country, let alone a small city. I grew up in the capital of the Philippines called “Manila,” in which the region has a population of approximately more than 20 million. Moving to a small town of Holland, Michigan, in Spring 2021, I knew there were so many adjustments I would have to make. Yet, I embraced and enjoyed the exquisite beauty of Holland, Michigan, in my own little world.

Living in Holland was challenging at first due to some grocery stores and other restaurants being more than a mile away. Though the distance is easily driven by a car, that was not an option for me. Given this, I became resourceful and tried to explore as much as I could around the area and it was a decision I never regretted.

Exploring Downtown Holland

Less than a mile away from campus, there is the downtown area where there are so many shopping centers and restaurants nearby. My personal favorite is Reader’s World; I go here with some of my friends to browse the latest books, magazines and other local publications. From scrumptious desserts to exotic cuisines, there are numerous restaurants within the area. Personally, I have eaten so many times at Peachwave (a frozen yogurt place) and Mizu Sushi (A Japanese restaurant), and have made the most amazing memories within these places.

Three Hope students enjoy a meal at Mizu Sushi.
My best friends Laura Zak ’24 and Nhi Hoang ’24 for a casual dinner night out at Japanese restaurant Mizu Sushi.

Beyond Downtown

Nearby, you can go to as many parks as imaginable, where you can simply unwind and relax outside of campus. I love Kollen Park, located about a half-mile from the Holland Civic Center. Here you can enjoy the beautiful lake with the most stunning sunsets I have ever seen. I also love different Asian cuisines, and when I am craving some, I recommend going to Boba House and the Asian market. I must admit that I have wasted so much money at these places as they have everything from the best boba flavors to every Asian ingredient imaginable. There are also nearby local Latino cuisines within the area and grocery stores, such as “Mi Favorita” and “Jhomary’s Paradise” and they offer a variety of flavors that will satisfy your taste buds. I would highly recommend these small businesses!

The Great Outdoors

If you are also looking to explore more of the outdoors, I highly recommend going to the Holland State Park which is approximately 12 minutes away from campus. I have been here so much during my past two years at hope and have made the most amazing memories here. I even biked here once from Hope College with a friend during the summer of my freshman year. From hanging out with friends to indulging in some very cold ice cream, this park has been a landmark for most Michiganders.

Student standing in front of Lake Michigan.
Lake Michigan at Holland State Park in the blissful July summer weather.

A Variety of Experiences

There are so many more places I could describe to you within the Holland area. Though I have only settled within this part of the state for almost two and half years now, I can definitely say that Holland has so much to offer to Hope College students and the overall community.

Fall colored tree at Crane's Apple Orchard.
Beautiful fall tree at Crane’s Apple Picking Farm.