Calvin students sign on as Hope tour guides

#THINGSBETTERTHANCALVIN — President Voskuil seeks to create unity between Hope and Calvin by partnering with Calvin President Michael K. Le Roy to send students to explore their rival’s campuses. (Hope College)

Hope College Admissions shares that Calvin students are interviewing and going through a selection process to become campus tour guides. President Voskuil seeks to create a bridge between the Hope and Calvin rivalry and put an end to #thingsbetterthanCalvin. He has partnered with Calvin College President Michael K. Le Roy to create the Unification Plan.

The first initiative of the Unification Plan has been put into motion. Both colleges are sending five students to each other’s campuses to go on a personalized tour. President Voskuil led the tour himself for the Calvin students. The students went through each Hope building and received a historical lecture from Hope’s history department chair, Dr. Jeanne Petit. Each architectural lecture lasted around one hour. The tour lasted well into the night, but the mission of the Unification Plan made the length of the tour well worth it.

The Calvin students were  then introduced to Hope’s athletic programs. The students went up against Hope’s football team to get the feel of a real Dutchman game. A few heads were hit with the ball, but a friendly spirit was in the air. Faithful Dutch cheered from the sidelines along with cheer team.

Phelps Dining Hall served lunch and dinner to the potential campus tour guides. All five Calvin students received plates of Hope students’ favorite orange and blue sugar-covered cookies. Calvin students were then asked to eat two plates each of the cookies to get an appreciation of our colors. The cookies were a hit. President  Voskuil himself had almost ten.

“The selection process to become a campus tour guide is going to be very rigorous,” shares the admissions office. Each Calvin student will be interviewed by every department chair of each area of study as well as President Voskuil and Hope’s first lady.

“We want to be absolutely sure these Calvin students are in support of the Unification Plan and Hope College,” shares Voskuil.

They will then each take an exam of all the information they learned on their personalized tour. To become a campus tour guide, the students will need to score 100 percent on their exams. The final phase of selection will be concluded with a mock tour of Hope’s campus. If the Calvin students complete all these requirements, Hope will see some new Calvin faces on campus while experiencing the Hope difference.

Hope students went through a similar process at Calvin, receiving a campus tour from their president. Hope students participated in a scrimmage against the Calvin Knights and were humble winners. The students also passed their exams with flying blue and orange colors. The Hope students share their excitement to represent the Unification Plan and Hope on Calvin’s campus as its new tour guides.