Most people would be incredibly delighted to hear that they had access to an entire endless buffet of food for every meal. That dream is a reality for Hope students with meal plans; we have access to Phelps Hall every day of the week for every meal of the day. True to our nature, unfortunately,…
It’s that time of year when all undeclared freshmen and sophomores begin to collectively freak out, utterly directionless regarding what field of study they’re going to concentrate in. I get it – practically everyone you’ve run across for the past four years of your life has been asking you what you’re going to major in,…
During the tail-end of a New York winter, few things can bring people together as intensely as coffee. Well, perhaps having a baby. Molly Smith Metzler’s “Cry It Out” brings a lot to the wrought-iron patio table— new mothers with adjacent backyards bond over the struggles of adjusting to the new social norms of staying…
On Feb. 15, the five students who won the 47th annual Concerto-Aria Competition had a chance to showcase their talent and musical prowess while being accompanied by the Hope College Orchestra, directed by Dr. Christopher Fashun. Winners include clarinetist Kailtlyn Rustemeyer, cellist Miquel Fuentes, pianist Deborah Blackmon, and sopranos Emma Clark and Gabrielle Barber. The…
Spring 2016 marked the first on-campus performance by Hope women of a collection of monologues by Eve Ensler entitled “The Vagina Monologues.” This year’s collection provides voice to a variety of women’s stories and experiences with their bodies and sexuality. This show has provided a safe place for 24 Hope women to gather together and…
My family is different. When we go to a restaurant, the waitress always asks us if we are paying together – those of us sitting at the table include my dad, who is black, my mom, who could pass for white, my brother and I who are somewhere in the middle, and across from me…
When judges announce the outcome of a gerrymandering trial later this month, their ruling could potentially redraw dozens of legislative and congressional districts across Michigan. Sparked by a lawsuit brought by Michigan’s League of Women Voters, the trial lasted from Feb. 5-7 and called on the testimony of both experts claiming that the districts illegally…
It’s often said you need to get above and away from issues to truly understand them. There’s a certain objectivity that comes with distance, a fact noted by a favorite author of mine, Thomas Merton. Merton was a Trappist monk, cloistered away in the hills of Kentucky during the activism and social change of the…
Last Friday students from across Europe skipped class to demand that their politicians take action to stop climate change. The movement originated in Sweden, where young activist Greta Thunberg began leaving school once a week for sit-ins at the Swedish Parliament to demand that the government address environmental issues. Inspired by her protests, young people…
It’s not surprising that at a Christian-based liberal arts college in the cozy town of Holland, modesty and humility often get in the way of students really selling themselves to potential employers. However, the Boerigter Center for Calling and Career is making efforts to help students be confident in the face of one of adulting’s…