February 2012
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January 2012
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What would the BCS look like in other sports? ... →
True to what seems to be a trend on this blog, I have been posting about a wide range of topics. From a local economic impact study, to the Middle East, and now college football, I won’t even try to write something that ties them together.
On my drive into work today I enjoyed, again, listening to Frank Deford share spot-on commentary about the NCAA. As a college football fan that stayed...
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What will 2012 bring in the Middle East? →
One of the biggest stories of 2011 is the wave of unrest and uprisings in the middle east. I remember watching amazing YouTube videos last January of the events unfolding in Egypt and Tunisia.
The implications of this dramatic shift of power will be far reaching both geographically and chronologically over the next years and decades. This article from Businessweek is an interesting article...
December 2011
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Sneak Peek: December "News from Hope" Column on...
Working in higher education is a unique experience for many reasons, but chief among them may be the opportunity to live in a community that includes a college or university. There is something special about living in a college town. Businesses, events, people and opportunities to learn exist in college towns that don’t exist in other places.
The value of living in a college town is personal...
October 2011
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Glad you're grown up or wishing you were back in... →
I heard this on NPR on the way home and thought I would share it. Parts of it speak to the frustration we sometimes feel from the amount of information we are bombarded with each day.
July 2011
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A good read on our energy future. →
I am sharing this because I was excited to read it today. Early in the article Bill Gates articulates what I think is an important argument about nuclear energy. People are too hard on nuclear energy because, as he says, “Coal and natural gas have much lower capital costs, and they tend to kill only a few at a time, which is highly preferred by politicians.”
In recent conversations...
Sneak Peek: August "News from Hope" Column
History has an amazing ability to both humble and inspire. This year marks the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Albertus C. Van Raalte, founder of both Holland, Michigan and The Pioneer School that predates the existence of our alma mater.
In reading up on my 19th Century history I discovered that Van Raalte was only 25 years old when, in 1836, he became a leader in the newly formed Separatist...
June Issue of News from Hope College
Time plays tricks on me this time of year. During Alumni Weekend, I have the privilege of celebrating with graduates 30 to 70 years into their lives as alumni. Then, just one week later, I attend Commencement and celebrate graduates whose lives of leadership and service are just beginning.
These two events, separated on the calendar by days, represent perspectives of the Hope...
May 2011
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April NfHC Column: The Job Market
When it comes to the economy, everyone has an opinion. A quick glance at your local paper, a scan of online headlines and even thorough analysis from your favorite weekly will reveal discrepancies. No matter where you look, opinion varies concerning the scale, span and source of our fiscal state of affairs. Regardless of the latest numbers and the spin of your news source of...
February 2011
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January 2011
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December 2010
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November 2010
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October News from Hope
In the recent News from Hope College issue I modified something I wrote on this blog and used it for the Alumni News column. You can see what appeared in print below or download the issue here.
As the sun first shines in through my Michigan window, it is shining the last rays of daylight over Australia. I wake up and have waffles made with mix from Seattle, butter from Boston, syrup from Grand...
September 2010
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My life. Thoughts on globalization.
As the sun first shines in through my Michigan window, it is shining its last of a hot day in Australia. I wake up and have breakfast: waffles made with mix from Seattle, butter from Boston, syrup from Grand Rapids, blueberries picked locally by Mexican laborers, and a “Belgian” waffle maker whose maker’s in China. The waffles sit on German plates resting on a table put together in Malaysia. ...
August 2010
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August News from Hope Column
Each summer, I read a book by David McCullough, one of my favorite authors. Working on this column has reminded me of a McCullough book I first read a few years ago.
In John Adams, the author includes excerpts from letters written by Abigail Adams to her husband. One written in 1774 includes the piece of Abigail’s wisdom that entered my mind as I thought about this column, written to accompany...
May 2010
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What the World thinks about the US: The Listening... →
I just finished watching a really cool documentary called the Listening Project. The premise is simple, a group of Americans travel the world and listen to citizens from other countries talk about their views of our country. I found myself thinking about what difference there is between being a “global citizen” and a citizen of your own country, what most of us are used to. I...
April 2010
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College President Embraces YouTube, with Great... →
Just how close was Butler? →
In the sense that the teams are colleges, this post relates to higher education. For those that watched the basketball game on Monday night and were awed by how close Butler came, you will love the video at the link above.
Thanks AJ for sending it on.
Skyrocket Love →
Listening to SkyRocket Love, a band I found using Grooveshark Radio while hammering away at a paper due tomorrow. Not sure why I always wait to the last minute to finish these things.
This band is promoting their album online in some interesting ways, check them out: www.skyrocketlove.com
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“Working on a marketing plan for class, tough to do when it’s so nice...”
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Student Newspapers Play the Fools, and Readers... →
Here is a fun article recapping some student newspaper pranks from yesterday.
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Google Starts Grant Program for Scholars of...
Even as a lawsuit over Google’s book-digitization project remains up in the air, the search giant has quietly started reaching out to universities in search of humanities scholars who are ready to roll up their sleeves and hit the virtual stacks.
The company is creating a “collaborative research program to explore the digital humanities using the Google Books corpus,”...