[video]
What would the BCS look like in other sports? Read Frank Deford's latest to find out. -
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 up way too late last night to watch yet another bowl game with no real implications, and as an employee at a NCAA school, I am still open-minded enough to see that Frank is right on the money when it comes to the ridiculous weaknesses of the BCS.
Here, comparing the BCS to the Holy Roman Empire, he again paints a picture of what happens when great traditions of yesterday are ruined by the pursuit of massive profits today.
Maybe some day I’ll make a post about how to fix it…wait…I think I have time to do that now.
Playoffs.
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 about the impact this will have on the US. I thought that it was both a realistic and cautiously optimistic look into the future of our role in diplomacy there. It will be especially interesting to see how the United States works with democratically elected Islamic governments.
Stay tuned…2012 and the following years will have no shortage of interesting developments on a global scale.
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 opinion for some and researched fact for others. Blake Gumprecht, author and associate professor of geography at the University of New Hampshire, has found that college towns have higher median family incomes and lower unemployment while at the same time being comparatively cosmopolitan, drawing residents from other states at a rate twice as high as other places.
At Hope College, we are especially proud to call the greater Holland area home. Faculty, staff and students love to live here and alumni around the world fondly remember days and nights spent at the beach, downtown, or at a favorite coffee shop. In this issue you can read about the recent study that quantified the relationship between Hope and the local economy.
In talking with community leaders about the study, many were impressed by the annual $213 million impact, but not at all surprised. They have seen students, faculty and staff serve in the community, but now know that together they volunteer more than 127,000 hours each year. They have seen students frequent their stores and shops, but now know that the average student spends more than $1,300 a year at local businesses.
In the end, the study simply quantified what many Holland area residents experience first hand. In today’s economy it is helpful to measure the financial impact of a college town, but those that have lived in one know that the total impact is, in fact, priceless.
Glad you're grown up or wishing you were back in school? -
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.
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 with friends and co-workers, I have been comparing coal and natural gas to auto accidents and nuclear to airplanes. People are often more afraid when getting on an airplane, which is far less likely to kill them, then they are when they mindlessly use automobiles everyday. Perception and perspective are powerful things. Hopefully they will not stop us from developing a more sustainable energy future.
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 Church and he was just over 35 when, in February of 1847, he founded what is now Hope’s hometown. As I am now past the age of his first church leadership and approaching the age when he founded Holland, this is humbling history indeed!
While reading more about this era, I also discovered that one of the disagreements the Separatists had with the status quo of the time was the idea of the gathered church. The concept of individuals gathering on their own freewill and in groups of their choosing was at odds with the territorial basis of parish assignments commonplace in Europe at the time.
Today, it is inspiring that we can gather in freedom to worship how we choose. It is also inspiring that the visionary leadership of a few 19th Century Separatists has led to a legacy that includes Hope College, where alumni from 50 states here in the US and 78 countries from around the world are free to gather together each fall at events like Homecoming.
This fall, as we look back at hundreds of years of history, we hope you choose to freely join others on campus as we also look forward to the next 200 years, envisioning a greater Hope for generations yet to come.
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 experience that are years apart. It is a unique opportunity to see these different, yet similar, snapshots of the Hope experience take place in such proximity. This year was especially enjoyable. Perhaps blue skies and warm weather made Alumni Weekend and Commencement particularly sublime. A more likely explanation, however, is that the quality of the people honored contributed to the joyfulness of both occasions.
Connie Hinga ’49 Boersma, Jon Soderstrom ’76 and Bill Heydorn ’55 formed a fantastic trio of alumni perspectives at the annual Alumni Banquet. Upon receiving awards from the Alumni Association, they each shared a portion of their Hope story. President Bultman always wraps up the evening with remarks of his own. He often says, “I wish our students and all alumni could be at an event like this.” We agree and have posted a video of the award recipients’ speeches at www.youtube.com/hopecollege.
Then, on Sunday, May 8, Hope held Commencement exercises for the 146th time. This year approximately 745 graduates crossed the stage, the most in Hope’s history. Dr. Jesus Montaño and Rev. Dr. Blaine Newhouse ’86 shared their wisdom with the class at Commencement and Baccalaureate respectively. Photos of the day, as well as galleries from throughout the academic year, are available at www.hope.edu/pr/gallery.
While the perspectives shared at these college traditions are years apart, the educational foundations are the same. From the alumni celebrating their 50th reunion to new alumni at Commencement, Hope graduates are educated to think about life’s most important issues with clarity, wisdom, and a deep understanding of the Christian faith.
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 choice, one thing is for certain: finding a job has never been an easy task.
In the midst of an economic recovery, this is certainly still the case. While organizations like the National Association of Colleges and Employers are predicting a better job market this year, with surveyed employers saying they will hire 13.5 percent more bachelor’s degree recipients this year than last, many recent college graduates are facing competition from experienced candidates who lost their jobs during the recession.
Whether it’s tackling big questions concerning vocation or landing the first job after graduation, we know that the role Hope plays in the lives of both our students and alumni is as important now as it has ever been. In fact, identifying job opportunities for graduates was one of the most important services acknowledged in the 2010 Alumni Attitude Survey. The survey also revealed that many of the services available to students and alumni are not adequately promoted.
With this in mind, here are some tips for taking advantage of the career resources available through the Hope College Alumni Association:
This column was first published in News from Hope College this April. Download the entire publication in pdf format.
[video]