Earlier this semester, I had a professor ask me why I was still here. A little background—I have a rare disability that leads to a bunch of rare comorbidities. It was the first day of class, and I was doing what I usually do: letting my professors know that I am not a conventional student,…
In my life as a musician, I have three primary streams of income: composition, education and performance; most of what I do on a daily basis can be filed into one of those three cabinets. Usually, these things keep me very busy—sometimes to the tune of having performances every day. However, in mid-March, everything changed….
It is ironic that some of the loudest anti-immigrant voices originate from people who say they are Christians. If we listen to the words of Christ in Matthew 25:34-35, it’s clear the final judgment depends on how we treat others who need our help: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come,…
As the only non-elected branch of our federal government, the Supreme Court usually gets a cursory glance during elections. The American political arena is dominated by the cult of personality. It makes perfect sense that politicians barely mention those stoic judges in black robes. Politicians are too busy screaming about tax cuts, gun control, abortion…
Hope College, it is good to be back. It is good to be back in my hammock in the Pine Grove, praying that the squirrel on this tree does not crawl from its humble abode and down into my temporary resting place. It is good to be back in Holland, Michigan, the only place in…
We are now a few weeks into our Fall semester, and one thing has become abundantly clear to all of us: this is hard! I miss gathering together in person. I miss chapel; I miss sporting events; I miss the Phelps ice cream machine! We have signed up for a difficult semester. The question is:…
Oftentimes, veterans who are now students on the Hope College campus are an afterthought among their peers. Whether it be their first or fourth year on campus, they still have a need for recognition, relational support and simple acknowledgement. Many veterans prefer not to be singled out for their service, but acknowledging their service prior…
On Tuesday, March 3, known by many as Super Tuesday, voters from 14 different states took to the ballot boxes and cast their votes in the 2020 presidential primary. Since Tuesday, two more candidates from the Democratic party have ended their campaigns, leaving three candidates remaining (as of March 6): Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden and…
It’s no secret that winter in Michigan is dreary. The sun only comes out when it wants to, and when it does, its heat is dampened by the cold wind. Sunny days are miracles that cannot come often enough. So far this winter, we have been lucky to have a decent amount of them, but…
For decades, the Catholic community on Hope’s campus has fallen into the margins of our campus. Jacob Mazur-Batistoni from Lapeer, Michigan, saw this problem and decided to do something about it. Mazur-Batistoni is a senior at Hope College who’s planning to enter the Dominican Priesthood after graduating. When Mazur-Batistoni arrived on campus as a freshman,…