I have heard the saying “when you know you know” a lot in my life. I do not think there is any statement that can be as true as that when it came to choosing Hope.
Community
When someone asks about the community aspect of Hope there are no hesitations when saying that it is one of the greatest things to be part of. Everyone that makes up our community comes from different walks of life and when we all come together, this place comes to life! Whether you are heading to Holland State Park to watch the sunset, walking downtown to grab a coffee at Ferris, or just going for a walk around the Pine Grove on campus, there are many ways to be part of the community that Hope offers.
Involvement
There are plenty of ways for you to get actively involved on campus. Here you can find things like Greek Life, Student Congress, Student Activities Committee, TEDx, and more. You also have opportunities to get involved culturally on campus by going to events hosted by the Asian Student Union, Latino Student Organization, Black Student Union, Pan-African Student Association, and more.
Are you interested in tradition? Hope College has long-standing traditions that students have the ability to get involved with each year. One example is The Pull, a 3-hour tug-of-war with a 1,000-pound rope, something you have never seen before. Held annually against the even year and odd year classes, this tradition dates back to 1989 and is the longest-standing college tradition in the nation. You can read more about The Pull here.
Academics
Hope College provides a Liberal Arts curriculum with accredited programs and hands-on learning from your very first year here. There are over 90 majors, minors, and pre-professional programs offered here. There are opportunities to study abroad for a semester or even take a May term away from home! If you do not come into your first year knowing what you want to do for sure, that is okay! You will be paired with one of our fantastic academic advisors who will assist you in finding what you are meant to do and guide you through every step of the process when it comes to applying to your program of choice!
Athletics
Here at Hope, we have impressive sports teams to cheer for along with rivalries that run deep. Anytime that team from GR comes to town, students always have a great game to look forward to. Whether it’s volleyball, basketball, or hockey, our students unite for a rivalry game. There is a wide variety of athletic opportunities that you can explore at Hope, check out their website for more information!
Not interested in making the athletic commitment but still interested in playing a sport? Every semester we offer two seasons of intramural sports! You can get a team of your friends together to play soccer, volleyball, flag football, basketball, and more! Each season ends with a playoff and it is always a fun thing to be part of. This is one of the many ways to get involved and meet new people here at Hope.
Hope = Home.
There is not one clear-cut definition of home. In fact, when you look it up it just defines the place you live, but Hope makes it more than that. With a close-knit living community and a downtown with all the comfort factors, you truly cannot go wrong. When I came to Holland for my visit at Hope I had others lined up to attend, but as soon as I left I canceled them and fully committed to coming here. To this day, I will tell anyone that asks me that it was the best decision I could have ever made for myself and I truly do love it here. I hope this place can become as much of a home for you as it has for me.