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She didn’t plan to choose ��Ƶ. But it became exactly where whe was meant to be.

msk23@calvin.edu — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:17:08 +0000

She didn’t plan to choose ��Ƶ. But it became exactly where whe was meant to be. msk23@calvin.edu Tue, 07/14/2026 - 16:17

When Pauline Lu began her college search in New Jersey, ��Ƶ was near the bottom of her list.

“I grew up in a small Christian school,” she says. “I didn’t want to go to another one again.”

But throughout her senior year, Lu kept praying about where she should go to college. And slowly, unexpectedly, ��Ƶ kept coming back into the picture.

“When I finally visited, I remember thinking, I hate that I liked it here.”

Today, Lu is a junior studying computer science plus entrepreneurship and a minor in philosophy, a combination that reflects one of the things she now loves most about ��Ƶ: how you are empowered to "do it all."

“At ��Ƶ, my classes are truly multifaceted,” she explains. “I can study artificial intelligence in computer science and then talk about the ethics behind it in philosophy. That interdisciplinary approach is really unique.”

Finding Direction — Even When It’s Hard

Like many students, Lu didn’t arrive with everything figured out.

In fact, during her first year she nearly left her major.

“Computer science was incredibly challenging,” she says. “I looked around and thought everyone else already knew what they were doing.”

Instead of walking away, she found mentors and a community that encouraged her to stay. That encouragement led Lu to help restart ��Ƶ’s Girls Who Code chapter, building mentorship opportunities for women in technology and partnering with local schools to inspire the next generation.

“That’s something ��Ƶ does really well,” Lu says. “People come alongside you and help you see what you’re capable of.”

A Place That Helps You Grow Into Leadership

Lu didn’t just find academic support, she found opportunities to lead.

She joined student government as a freshman, later serving as a senator and now working in student senate leadership. She’s also been active in honors courses, service trips, and campus organizations.

One of the most meaningful experiences happened off campus during a service-learning trip to North Carolina, where students helped families rebuild after hurricane damage.

“We went there to serve,” she says. “But honestly, it felt like they were serving us. Their generosity and faith were incredible.”

Experiences like that helped Lu see what a ��Ƶ education is really about: preparing students to make a difference in the world.

Technology, Faith, and the Future

Lu is especially excited about studying artificial intelligence during a time when the technology is rapidly evolving.

But what makes ��Ƶ different, she says, is how those conversations happen here.

“At bigger tech schools, AI is about innovation and speed,” she explains. “At ��Ƶ, we’re also asking the moral and ethical questions. How should we use these tools? How can technology serve people?”

That perspective has helped shape Lu's future goals, using technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership to create solutions that benefit communities.

What She Tells Students Who Are Nervous About College

As a campus tour guide, Lu often meets students who are worried about choosing the right school or afraid they might fail.

Her advice is simple.

“You’re going to fail at some point,” she says. “Everyone does. But ��Ƶ is a safe place to fail, where you will be supported through each lesson you learn.”

She says what truly stands out about ��Ƶ is something students often discover once they visit campus.

“The community here is real,” Lu says. “It’s a smaller university, but you meet people from all over the world, from different backgrounds and experiences. And everyone is passionate about something.”

That energy, she says, changes people.

“You start to grow because the people around you are growing too.”

Discovering What You’re Meant to Become

Looking back, Lu smiles at how hesitant she once was about ��Ƶ.

Now she sees it differently.

“This is a place that challenges you to think deeply, act justly, and live wholeheartedly,” she says. “And it helps you figure out how to use your gifts to make an impact.”

For students still wondering where they belong, Lu offers this reassurance:

“It’s okay if you don’t have everything figured out yet. ��Ƶ is a place where you can discover it.”

Tuesday, July 14, 2026 - 12:00

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How research, mentorship, and faith shaped a future in tech

msk23@calvin.edu — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 17:24:01 +0000

How research, mentorship, and faith shaped a future in tech msk23@calvin.edu Mon, 07/13/2026 - 13:24

This fall, Ael Lee ‘24 will begin a master’s program in computer science at Johns Hopkins University.

Graduate education was on Lee’s radar when she originally arrived in the United States back in 2021 to study at ��Ƶ. But her path to grad school proved to be less linear than she anticipated.

A gut feeling

She describes a path shaped more by instinct than certainty: as a child she dreamed of becoming a cardiac surgeon, then shifted toward engineering, only to find it didn’t feel right. Knowing she wanted to stay in STEM but unsure where she fit, she ultimately chose computer science almost by process of elimination — following her gut through uncertainty rather than a clear, steady plan.

“I tend to listen to my gut feeling a lot,” said Lee.

So, she started down that path. But she needed to move quickly. As an international student on a limited visa, Lee knew time was crucial in figuring out a path.

The turning point

The summer after her sophomore year, she did a research project alongside Professor Ken Arnold. She describes that summer as a turning point in her life. During that time, she taught herself to develop software and discovered she genuinely enjoyed the creative, hands-on work. Coursework that followed helped confirm her instincts, showing her she could see herself in industry – even without immediately pursuing a master’s degree.

“That’s part of the reason why after my junior year, I did an internship instead of another summer of research,” said Lee, who interned at Twistthink, a consultancy in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

At the same time, her earlier research experience continued to pull her toward academia, and together these experiences helped her see a future that combined both building and research.

Crucial connections

While she was building her capacity to launch her career, she soon discovered the connections she was making at ��Ƶ would prove to be most critical to her future success.

As an academically driven student, Lee said she spent a lot of time utilizing her professor’s office hours. “When something wasn’t working with an assignment, I’d go and chat and talk with them and they’d help me with what I was struggling through,” said Lee. “I think building that one-on-one relationship with my professors was one of the most valuable things.”

It allowed them to get to know Lee and help her not only master her area of study but also understand herself better.

“Of course you are there to learn,” said Lee of her time at ��Ƶ, “but it’s so important to build relationships with professors who are also experts in their field, who know what they are doing and who can sometimes see things in you that you never see.”

Those relationships paid dividends, resulting in invitations to be a lab assistant and research partner for Professor Arnold and much advising and personal letters of recommendation from both Arnold and Professor Norman.

“Those are two of the many professors that I’m super grateful for. They deserve a million honorable mentions,” said Lee.

Long lasting value

Those connections helped Lee secure a job immediately after graduation with the same company where she had interned. They also proved valuable when she later decided to return to school for a master’s degree, helping her gain admission to a prestigious program at Johns Hopkins University.

But perhaps the greatest value Lee experienced at ��Ƶ was one that’s not expected in higher education in general but has immeasurable and everlasting value.

“Being an international student, being away from my family it was a season of one-on-one time with God … I grew up in a Christian family, my dad is a pastor, but I didn’t have as much of a one-on-one relationship with God, it was through my parents most of the time,” said Lee. “At ��Ƶ, being alone, that set the tone for me to grow that relationship, to talk to him, whine to him, say something to him. That was the place where I grew my relationship with God. If I hadn’t gone to ��Ƶ, I don’t think I would’ve developed the one-on-one relationship with God that I now have.”

For Lee, ��Ƶ not only helped her launch her career, but also a purpose-filled life.

Tuesday, July 14, 2026 - 12:00

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Ael Lee '24 with her mentors at Twistthink, a consultancy in Grand Rapids, where she secured an internship while at ��Ƶ and a job upon graduating.

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He didn’t wait his turn. He built something instead.

msk23@calvin.edu — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:47:38 +0000

He didn’t wait his turn. He built something instead. msk23@calvin.edu Mon, 07/13/2026 - 12:47

Inside a fast-growing warehouse in Grand Rapids, pallets of hockey tape are stacked high, bound for locker rooms across the NHL, college programs, and rinks around the world. The brand on every box? Howies Hockey.

What most people don’t see is how it started: not with a business plan, not with investors, but with a college student making cold calls between classes.

The Question Every Senior Is Asking

When Howard Max Sieplinga (Max) was finishing high school, he faced the same question high school seniors might be asking right now:

Where should I go and will it actually matter?

He had options. A chance to play soccer down south. Other schools. Other paths.

But he chose ��Ƶ.

Part of it was familiarity. Part of it was family legacy. And part was for the love of the game.

“I couldn’t imagine a life without hockey,” he said. “And ��Ƶ had a hockey program.”

That mattered.

Hockey wasn’t just an activity; it was the center of his identity. And ��Ƶ gave him the chance to keep pursuing it at a high level while still getting a serious education.

That decision paid off in ways he couldn’t have fully predicted. While at ��Ƶ, Max's team went on to win a National Championship in 2004, and he was named National Player of the Year, experiences that shaped not just his confidence, but his belief in what he could accomplish when discipline, teamwork, and opportunity came together.

Max wanted a place that would challenge him, not just academically, but personally.

He wasn’t just thinking about the game and he didn’t just want a degree.

He wanted to build something.

The Moment Everything Changed

When Max arrived at ��Ƶ, his dad had a small side business, selling hockey tape online. It was moving… slowly. One box every couple of weeks.

For most students, that would’ve been background noise.

For Max, it was an opportunity.

Instead of waiting until graduation, he started working the phones, calling hockey rinks, introducing the product, hearing “no” over and over again.

That’s where the turning point happened.

A professor, Andy DeVries, gave him a mindset he still uses today:
Don’t sit back and wait for orders. Go get them.

Every rejection wasn’t failure, it was progress.

And suddenly, college wasn’t just about classes anymore.

It was about momentum.

A Different Kind of Education

At ��Ƶ, learning didn’t stay in the classroom.

Yes, Max studied business. But the lessons that shaped him most came from people.

Professors like Stacy Jackson and Bob Eames brought real-world experience into every conversation. They didn’t just teach concepts, they pushed him to think bigger.

To act sooner. To stop waiting.

Even outside his major, the impact was real. A demanding freshman English class forced him to become a better communicator, something he’d later rely on in every email, pitch, and customer interaction.

“I wanted to be excellent in the details,” he says. “That mattered.”

And when things didn’t go smoothly, and they didn’t, he learned something just as important:

How to fail, adjust, and keep going.

Built on Faith, Lived Through Action

As the company grew, Max had to decide what kind of leader he wanted to be.

The answer wasn’t complicated, but it was intentional.

Faith became the foundation.

Not in a loud or performative way, but in how people were treated.

On a wall inside the company is a simple idea:
Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to Him.

That belief shows up in everyday moments:

Taking time to care for customers individually
Going above and beyond, even when it’s inconvenient
Building a culture where people matter as much as performance

Once, after a casual conversation with a hockey mom, Max sent her kids a surprise package. No strategy. No marketing plan.

Just care.

That kind of interaction built something bigger than a brand.

It built trust.

Opportunity Doesn’t Wait - And Neither Did He

Here’s what most people miss: Max didn’t wait until everything was “set” to take a risk.

He started while he was still a student.

Because he could.

No mortgage. No kids. No pressure to play it safe.

That window matters.

“At 30 or 40, people told me, ‘I wish I could do what you’re doing,’” he says. “But life gets in the way.”

At ��Ƶ, he had the freedom and the support to try.

Professors helped him think strategically. The alumni network helped him hire. Teammates helped pack boxes in the early days.

It wasn’t just a school.

It was a launchpad.

From Garage to the Big Leagues

The early days were scrappy. A garage. A basement. Late nights figuring things out.

Then came the breakthrough.

Landing the New York Islanders as their first NHL client.

That moment changed everything.

It proved the product could compete.
It proved the work mattered.
It proved the idea was real.

Today, Howies Hockey serves nearly every level of hockey worldwide, with a team of 50+ employees and a culture still rooted in the same values it started with.

Why This Story Matters to You

Max still comes back to ��Ƶ.

Not because he has to but because he believes in what it can do for students.

He hires ��Ƶ grads.
Speaks in classes.
Mentors students who are where he once was.

Because he knows this:

��Ƶ doesn’t hand you success.

It gives you the tools, the people, and the environment to go after it.

Your Next Step

If you’re a high school senior trying to decide where to go, here’s the real question:

Do you want to wait for opportunities…

Or build something while you’re here?

At ��Ƶ, you won’t just prepare for what’s next.

You’ll have the chance to start it.

Right now.

Monday, July 13, 2026 - 12:00

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Launching a career and the largest telescope into space

msk23@calvin.edu — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:44:06 +0000

Launching a career and the largest telescope into space msk23@calvin.edu Fri, 07/10/2026 - 09:44

In 2021, Adam Marquardt ’20 stood inside a clean room in Kourou, French Guiana, unloading and then performing the final hardware checks on the James Webb Space Telescope. On December 25, 2021, after working on the telescope for 18 months, he watched as the largest telescope in space launched into L2 orbit.  
 
Just 18 months earlier, Marquardt graduated with an engineering degree from ��Ƶ, which would prove to be the perfect launchpad for his career.

When Marquardt, who is now an optomechanical engineer and engineering manager at Northrop Grumman, arrived at ��Ƶ in the fall of 2016, he wouldn’t have thought he was anywhere near ‘ready for takeoff.’

“I’ve never been the quickest learner or smartest person in the room,” said Marquardt. “Learning has always been hard. I’ve had to put in a lot of work to understand something.”

Seeking and finding support

That challenge shaped his college search. If he was going to succeed, he knew he couldn’t do it alone—he needed people who would come alongside him.

He found that at ��Ƶ. A phone call and handwritten letter from an engineering professor signaled something different: a commitment to walk with him, not just teach him. 
 
Once on campus, perception became reality. One professor he said was especially influential was Professor Matt Heun, whom he had for thermodynamics and as his advisor during his internship with the ��Ƶ Energy Recovery Fund.

“He was more than willing to take time out of his day to help me understand the concepts,” said Marquardt. “He became a go-to person for both academic and professional questions and he helped mentor me and prepare me for industry. I still speak with him regularly.”

Discovering professors really care

Beyond the value his professors provided to his professional trajectory was how they deeply cared. Marquardt remembers a specific instance during his junior year when he and his classmates were working in the lab late into the night on a big project, and Professor Hartemink showed up.

“He comes in with a cooler of food and snacks, and he sticks around and helps answer people’s questions,” said Marquardt. “That’s a small thing, but those little things really stack up and give ��Ƶ a personality that would be hard to find somewhere else.”

Marquardt’s colleagues agree.

“Many of my peers in industry were surprised that during my undergrad experience I could talk to my professors,” said Marquardt. “I think that made a really significant impact on me. If I didn’t have a deep understanding of something or grasp something, they were more than willing to sit down and help me understand the concept.” 

Seeing ROI of professors investing time

Marquardt says that deep understanding of fundamental concepts is still paying dividends.

“Professor Tubergen and Professor Haan always talked about memorizing the three variable equations and simple equations,” said Marquardt. “Now in meetings, I am prepared to do small  back-of-the-envelope type stress calculations. I can understand if we can actually build this, will a structure of this length work in this application. Having that has been valuable.”

At Northrop Grumman, Marquardt helps design optical mounts and structures that can interface with different lenses—from a pair of glasses to a telescope that gets launched into space. He credits ��Ƶ’s hands-on learning environment as essential to his success.

“That hands-on approach that ��Ƶ has taken with senior design projects and consistent lab work was huge, because a lot of what I do today is hands-on.”

Connected to opportunities

And the experiences he had outside the classroom and abroad built his résumé and opened doors to future opportunities.

Marquardt’s business minor and involvement with Knight Investment Management—a real-life experience in investment through real-time analysis, asset allocation, and stock selection—led to his department manager asking him to join a special project focused on cost analysis and forecasting for a future project.

“Being involved in that project allowed me to make a lot of connections and learn a lot about our product on the business side,” said Marquardt. “Having the financial side and the engineering side allows me to navigate into some nontraditional avenues of engineering.”

The international designation Marquardt received through studying abroad in Germany also led to an unexpected opportunity to work on a project with a German company.

Rooted in Christian values

For all the opportunities that have been opened, it’s also the foundations that were laid that continue to pay dividends for Marquardt and impact the people he works with.

“In every engineering class, professors tied in some aspect of Scripture, sustainability, honoring the Lord, acting justly, making good decisions, or acting with engineering ethics,” said Marquardt. “Acting with honesty and integrity are core principles throughout ��Ƶ’s engineering program.” 

Now, Marquardt is living out the values modeled to him as he manages a team of engineers at Northrop Grumman.

“The relationships I had with professors were game-changing,” said Marquardt. “I have recommended ��Ƶ to many people. A huge differentiator with ��Ƶ was all that it has to offer; I highly recommend taking advantage of the clubs, free tutoring, dorm leadership, outdoor recreation, and many of the other opportunities that can help you grow both professionally, personally, and in your relationship with the Lord.”

Friday, July 10, 2026 - 12:00

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The ��Ƶ experience that helped launch U.S. Navy officer’s career

msk23@calvin.edu — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:20:11 +0000

The ��Ƶ experience that helped launch U.S. Navy officer’s career msk23@calvin.edu Tue, 06/30/2026 - 16:20

On Friday, June 26, 2026, U.S. Navy officer Laura Rivera ’24 stood in the front of a classroom of middle school and high school students on the campus of ��Ƶ. Her message to those attending H.E.A.L.T.H. Camp was rooted in an oft-quoted verse, Jeremiah 29:11, which says “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

“If you backtrack and see the entire context of that verse,” said Rivera, “it’s this idea that even if you aren’t in the ideal place, God is going to give you a command: bloom where you are planted.”

Blooming where she's planted

For Rivera, that’s currently as a labor and delivery nurse at Jacksonville Naval Hospital, where she feels called to help women during their most vulnerable moment. And she’s not only providing compassion and care for those giving birth, but she is also keenly aware of her team’s needs.

“I love being an advocate for my patients, but I also love creating community with my corpsmen. It’s why I created the Cuterus Award – to be able to see someone and allow them to feel seen, feel cared for, because there are a lot of nursing/healthcare moments that people don’t recognize out loud,” said Rivera. “When you allow someone to feel seen, it trickles down from top to bottom. When you empower people to feel seen, I think it makes a big difference in the world.”

Rivera’s impact in the Navy is being noticed. She was recently promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade, named junior officer of the quarter for her hospital’s Directorate of Nursing Services, and became the lowest ranking officer to be nominated for her hospital’s Junior Officer of the Year Award.

Rivera is clearly blooming where she’s planted now, but that’s a far cry from where she was just a handful of years prior.

Nearly weeded out of her nursing career

At the time, she was in her mid 30s, working part-time one weekend a month as a reserve in the Navy as a medic. Her aspirations were to be a nurse, but her application for a scholarship had just been denied a third time.

“It was heartbreaking every time,” said Rivera. “I felt defeated.”

So, Rivera started working on an online accelerated nursing program. What she thought would bring her closer to becoming a nurse instead left her feeling isolated, discouraged, and uncertain whether she belonged in the profession at all.

“It was like I was being purposefully weeded out. It really shook my self-esteem.”

Seeing and seeding potential

So, in 2022, she knew she needed a change. So, she applied to an in-person nursing program. That decision changed everything.

“The first time I applied to ��Ƶ I was waiting to hear back from them and I heard back from Dr. Ayoola. She called me and the first thing out of her mouth was, ‘how can I best support you?’ recalls Rivera. “It was done. That’s when I knew ��Ƶ was it for me. I never had someone from an institution ask me that question, ‘how can I best support you – I think that’s one of those things that sets ��Ƶ apart – it’s their inexplicable desire to make sure every student feels seen and supported.”

In that moment, Rivera found something she had been missing: a guide who saw her potential and was willing to help her get there.

That phone call turned out to be a turning point in Rivera’s life, but her feeling seen and supported would not be isolated to that moment, it was the undertone of her entire ��Ƶ experience.

Hannah Rostek (left) and Laura Rivera (right), both 2024 graduates from the nursing program, talk in the Spoelhof University Center Atrium.

Watering the seeds, seeing growth

“That’s what makes ��Ƶ so special, the professors really, really care,” said Rivera.

Rivera recalls having a panic attack when she was doing her first health assessment and in that moment her professor, Professor Schuitema, stopped the assessment and “it was an entire therapy session for 20 minutes,” recalls Rivera. “At no other school is the professor going to say, ‘hold on, what’s going on, let’s check in.’ That’s something as a nurse that I’ve been able to carry in, that compassionate, therapeutic communication.”

She also recalls Professor Kunnen cooking a meal for anyone who was struggling to grasp concepts before a test and then going over the material with them.

“The amount of effort they’ve invested to make sure you feel prepared is amazing, but also the amount of compassion when you don’t get things right,” said Rivera.

Not only did she feel well supported by her professors, Rivera credits ��Ƶ’s emphasis on experiential learning with helping her transition confidently into labor and delivery nursing.

“When they say state-of-the-art, it is state of the art,” said Rivera of ��Ƶ’s simulation lab. “The baby was literally being birthed mechanically through this simulation, it’s literally as realistic as it is now that I know what it looks like. If you are someone who needs hands-on learning … ��Ƶ does that.”

Ready to bloom wherever she's planted next

On Friday, June 26, 2026, Laura Rivera led a devotional time during HEALTH Camp.

While Rivera is clearly blooming where she is planted, she has a dream job in mind too.

“I want to work at ��Ƶ. When someone asks me what’s your dream job? My dream job, if God’s calling, is for me to be part of the nursing department at ��Ƶ or something in global missions, but I want to be associated with ��Ƶ. ��Ƶ thrives because it meets students at their point of need.”

Preparing fertile soil for the next generation

While Rivera waits to see whether God leads her back to ��Ƶ someday as a professor, she is already helping shape the next generation of nurses through a named scholarship she established to support future students.

“Who I am as a nurse and a future professor is a reflection of the people who I had before me,” said Rivera. “When I think about what fulfills me, it’s being that bridge between the needs of the world and where God has given me that calling.”

For Rivera, ��Ƶ did more than prepare her for a career in nursing. It equipped her to serve others with compassion, lead with purpose, and become the kind of mentor she hopes to be for future generations.

Tuesday, June 30, 2026 - 12:00

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From survival to purpose: How Elizabeth Bol found a way forward

msk23@calvin.edu — Tue, 26 May 2026 18:10:04 +0000

From survival to purpose: How Elizabeth Bol found a way forward msk23@calvin.edu Tue, 05/26/2026 - 14:10

A year ago, Elizabeth Bol was surviving.

She was navigating a difficult divorce while recovering from addiction and alcoholism. Though she had a job, it just covered the bills. “I was just working to survive,” recalls Bol. “I felt stuck.”

One day, sitting outside Safe Haven Ministries – where she was receiving support for domestic abuse – Bol reached a breaking point.

“I was crying out to God, asking Him to literally show me the way,” said Bol.

Seeing an open door

Within moments, she received an email from an advocate at Safe Haven encouraging her to apply for the Wayfinder Program, an eight-credit college experience offered by ��Ƶ that’s designed for adult learners who are facing social or economic barriers to higher education who want to enter or re-enter higher education in a supportive environment with barriers removed.

So, she applied. And to her surprise, she was accepted. And then, she was terrified. After all, it had been 20 years since she’d be in school.

“I felt I was a little too old to go back,” said Bol.

Making a courageous decision

But, having recently been baptized, she was keenly aware of the importance of her obedience to walking where God was leading. “It seemed pretty obvious for what he was showing me,” said Bol.

So, she took a step. And right away, she discovered she would not walk this road alone.

Guided along the path

“The ��Ƶ staff removed every single barrier there was for me,” said Bol. From tuition to childcare, laptops to books, to even helping her learn how to use technology that once intimidated her. “They addressed every concern right out of the gate.”

With barriers removed, Bol began her journey, and she entered into a community that would begin to become like family.

“We all started to find our voice, share our stories, and we really learned from a different perspective, and it was just really life-giving for me,” said Bol. “I felt like I came out of my shell.”

Building confidence, following a calling

Bol had felt a call toward ministry before she started the Wayfinder Program but had felt stuck. “I didn’t feel I was good enough to do those things,” said Bol. “A lot of it was, ‘who? Me?’”

But just a couple of months into the program, with her confidence building, she received two invitations to apply for an administrative position that was part-time at a local church.

With it just being part-time and with no prior administrative experience, Bol didn’t see how this would be a viable option. But she took a step of obedience and applied.

“Wayfinder played a huge role with that,” said Bol. “I was struggling with technology and self-doubt before, and it really made me feel like I was capable.”

Discovering a way forward

As she went through the interview process, she again saw God’s fingerprints. Not only did she get offered the job the same day of her interview, but the church also increased it to a full-time position far exceeding the salary and compensation package she had at her current job.

“The Wayfinder program really showed me the way to move forward in life and in my faith,” said Bol. “It gave me a way to move forward.”

On Wednesday, May 21, Bol graduated as part of the second cohort of the Wayfinder Program. The tuition-free program serves as a crucial bridge, equipping adult learners with academic and confidence-building skills as they transition into further educational or career pathways.

Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - 12:00

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A Safe Place to Stretch: How Meg Pheifer Found Her Calling at ��Ƶ

msk23@calvin.edu — Wed, 13 May 2026 18:10:48 +0000

A Safe Place to Stretch: How Meg Pheifer Found Her Calling at ��Ƶ msk23@calvin.edu Wed, 05/13/2026 - 14:10

Meg Pheifer ’26 is stepping into the world with clarity, courage, and a calling that stretches far beyond herself. After graduation, she’s heading to Bangkok, Thailand, to work with International Justice Mission, an opportunity that reflects not just what she’s learned, but who she’s become.

But Pheifer didn’t arrive at ��Ƶ with that path fully mapped out. In fact, like many students, she came with questions.

Why She Chose ��Ƶ

For much of high school, Meg thought she would pursue a career in medicine. But something shifted during an AP history class.

“I just loved it,” she says. “It was so interesting, I thought, what if I studied this?”

That curiosity led her to consider a different path, one that others sometimes questioned for its practicality. But Pheifer saw something more. She wanted a place that would help her explore big questions about humanity, purpose, and the world.

��Ƶ stood out.

With its strong liberal arts tradition and Christ-centered approach, she believed it would challenge her to think deeply and help her discover how a passion for history could translate into a meaningful life.

Experiences That Shaped Her

At ��Ƶ, Pheifer's understanding of history quickly expanded.

“It’s so much less about memorizing people and events,” she explains. “It’s about patterns of human existence, the human story.”

That shift became a turning point.

She arrived as a history major with a political science minor already in mind, drawn to how systems and policies shape people’s lives. But one of the most unexpected moments came later, when she discovered something she hadn’t even known existed: an urban studies minor.

Thanks to flexible advising and ��Ƶ’s interdisciplinary approach, she was able to add the minor just before her junior year and complete it in only two years.

That addition proved pivotal.

Through her coursework, Pheifer began connecting history to modern systems, injustice, and public policy in deeper, more tangible ways. She learned not just to study the past, but to apply it, asking better questions about the present and imagining better futures.

Her academic journey didn’t just sharpen her thinking; it reshaped how she saw people.

“It’s given me a deeper sense of human dignity and compassion,” she says. “I’ve learned to listen well, to understand others’ stories, and to share them.”

How She Grew Personally

Faith played a central role in Pheifer's experience but not in the way some might expect.

“At ��Ƶ, faith is rich, but not forced,” she explains. “Professors create space for real dialogue. You’re encouraged to think deeply, to wrestle, to grow.”

That openness helped Pheifer expand her understanding of Christianity. Through chapel, campus ministries, and especially her involvement in the gospel choir, she encountered expressions of faith that stretched her perspective.

“My horizons have been radically expanded,” she says. “I’ve learned what it means to be part of a global Church.”

One of the most meaningful aspects of her time at ��Ƶ was discovering that faith and learning aren’t separate, they inform each other. And that integration helped her begin asking a deeper question:

What is God calling me to?

Experiential Learning

Pheifer didn’t just learn in the classroom, she lived her education.

Through three May-term and semester abroad experiences, she studied in France, the United Kingdom, and Kenya. Each trip added a new layer to her understanding of the world.

“I’ve left pieces of my heart in different places,” she says. “It’s taught me that home can be many places.”

These experiences pushed her toward cultural humility, helping her recognize her own assumptions while embracing the beauty and complexity of other cultures.

Back on campus, Pheifer immersed herself in student life. She served as an orientation leader for three years, participated in gospel choir, and leaned into leadership opportunities across campus.

“It can be overwhelming,” she admits. “But it’s worth it. ��Ƶ isn’t just about academics, it’s about becoming a whole person.”

That’s where another turning point emerged: realizing college isn’t meant to be transactional.

“It’s not just about getting a degree and a job,” she says. “It’s about formation, who you’re becoming.”

Where She Is Now

Today, Pheifer stands ready to take on a global role working in Thailand with a nonprofit focused on justice.

It’s a bold step. One that requires courage, adaptability, and a willingness to step into the unknown.

But she feels prepared.

“��Ƶ gave me the confidence to try new things,” she says. “I’ve been stretched here. I know I can go out into the world and not just endure but thrive.”

What Made ��Ƶ Unique

When Pheifer reflects on her experience, one phrase comes to mind:

A safe place to stretch.

��Ƶ offered her both support and challenge, a community that cared deeply while pushing her to grow.

“You can do ��Ƶ safely,” she says. “Or you can do it adventurously. And the adventurous way is always better.”

Her advice to prospective students?

“Get involved. Build relationships. Try new things. If all you do is go to class and go home, you’re missing it.”

Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - 12:00

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From Classroom to Career: How Experiential Learning Shaped Sofie Schumerth’s Engineering Path

msk23@calvin.edu — Tue, 12 May 2026 18:01:26 +0000

From Classroom to Career: How Experiential Learning Shaped Sofie Schumerth’s Engineering Path msk23@calvin.edu Tue, 05/12/2026 - 14:01

When Sofie Schumerth ’26 graduates this May, she’ll walk away with an engineering degree and a clear next step. Just weeks later, she’ll move to Denver, Colorado, to launch her career with Muller Engineering Company.

“If you told me four years ago this is where I’d be, I would have thought it sounded like a dream,” said Schumerth. “I wouldn’t have known how it was going to happen.”

The path Schumerth started on in the fall of 2022 would make this destination possible. From Appleton, Wisconsin, she had applied to four Midwest schools. A rigorous engineering education and the opportunity to run cross country were of utmost importance in her selection. A strong scholarship package and a standout campus visit helped make the decision clear. She chose ��Ƶ.

Discovering engineering as a way to serve

From her first engineering class, Schumerth sensed she was in the right place. While she had always loved math, hands-on problem solving, and designing solutions, ��Ƶ’s Engineering 101 course reframed her understanding of what engineering could be.

“Engineering 101 was the first time that I started thinking of engineering as a service profession, and that made it more exciting to me,” said Schumerth. “I could really see myself diving into the mathematical component and also being able to help people.”

For Schumerth that is where the seeds got initially planted. Over the next few years, she’s seen how those seeds have blossomed.

Learning by doing, guided by faculty

As Schumerth progressed through the engineering program, she was exposed to all major concentrations. She said that breadth helped her build a strong knowledge base while she discerned where her interests and skills aligned best.

Sofie Schumerth (second from right) and four fellow civil engineering majors developed construction‑ready design solutions for a local church’s parking lot for their senior design project.

A turning point for her came in her hydraulics courses taught by Professor Wildschut.

“She is really passionate about stormwater,” said Schumerth. “Seeing her passion come through made me realize that this is the kind of work that I want to go into—building a career path towards stormwater management and floodplain remediation. Those courses kind of put me on that path.”

While her professors instilled passion, they also helped solidify concepts through hands-on learning experiences. Early courses reinforced concepts through labs, while upper-level classes became increasingly project-based with students being asked to solve complex, real-world problems using what they had learned.

Connected to opportunities beyond the classroom

While Schumerth’s professors integrated experiential learning opportunities into the regular coursework cadence, they also connected her to many opportunities beyond the classroom.

Schumerth studied engineering abroad in Germany after her first year, conducted research during her sophomore year (with a paper currently under review by a major journal), and completed an internship in her field this past summer (which has led to continued part-time work during her final year at ��Ƶ).

She also served as an intern with the ��Ƶ Energy Recovery Fund, where she helped install a solar array on campus and contributed to efficiency upgrades to university facilities.

Perhaps most impactful was the professional connection that shaped her post-graduation plans.

“Professor Wildschut connected me with a ��Ƶ alum, who then connected me with their company,” said Schumerth. “That’s how I ended up with the position I’m starting this summer.”

Graduating with more than a degree

As Schumerth prepares to head out west to begin her career, she leaves ��Ƶ with far more than technical knowledge in her field.

She leaves with friendships formed through cross country and her major, a love for the outdoors cultivated through outdoor recreation opportunities, and enduring relationships with professors who became mentors, advocates, and friends.

Schumerth’s story reflects a broader truth about engineering education at ��Ƶ: when rigorous academics are paired with experiential learning, faculty mentorship, and real‑world opportunities, students graduate both ready to serve and lead.

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - 12:00

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When doors opened wider than Alyssa Pokharel ever imagined

msk23@calvin.edu — Tue, 12 May 2026 17:33:40 +0000

When doors opened wider than Alyssa Pokharel ever imagined msk23@calvin.edu Tue, 05/12/2026 - 13:33

When Alyssa Pokharel was five years old, she told her parents she was going to ��Ƶ.

“My mom went to ��Ƶ, and I grew up hearing stories of how transformational it was for her,” said Pokharel, who is from Nepal. “She found the Lord there and was mentored deeply by so many good people.”

Wrestling with her decision

Years later, when it came time to apply to college, some family friends wondered if she was aiming too low. They encouraged her to apply to Harvard or other Ivy League schools—places they believed would open more doors.

“I remember wondering ‘should I?’” said Pokharel. “‘Is choosing ��Ƶ settling for something that’s reachable?’”

As she weighed her options, Pokharel returned to a formative experience from her sophomore year of high school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she participated virtually in ��Ƶ’s Young Women’s Business Institute, which offered her a glimpse of what college learning at ��Ƶ could look like. There, she encountered an academic environment where intellectual rigor and Christian faith were not in competition, but deeply connected.

Discovering clarity

“The more I thought about ��Ƶ and other schools, the more I kept coming back to the beauty of being able to be formed with such a robust faith foundation and that is what fuels your academic pursuit—the idea that your faith is what propels you into wanting to learn these things and being curious,” said Pokharel.

With that clarity, Pokharel made the decision to go to ��Ƶ. But one significant obstacle remained: immigration.

Overcoming an obstacle

At the height of the pandemic-related backlogs, Pokharel was initially told that the earliest available visa interview date was four years away—effectively closing the doors to her plans.

“I remember praying, ‘if it is your will, God, will you open the door?” recalls Pokharel.

Then, unexpectedly, the embassy contacted her and scheduled an interview in time for her to begin college.

“It was so God. Truly a miracle,” said Pokharel, who is double majoring in philosophy and psychology with a neuroscience concentration.

Opening the door to many opportunities

It wasn’t long before she understood the significance of that moment. With the door to ��Ƶ open, countless opportunities lay ahead.

From her first year, Pokharel immersed herself in campus life. She served on student senate, joined the ministry leadership cohort, danced in Rangeela, and worked for admissions as a tour guide. Over the next couple of years, she became a Barnabas in her residence hall, a lab teaching assistant, an orientation assistant, and a leader in Psych Club.

She conducted research projects with two professors, presented at conferences, and got connected to scholars working at the intersection of spirituality and healthcare. She also started a weekly prayer gathering, and, this year, serves as ��Ƶ’s student body president.

“When people ask me if ��Ƶ is what I thought it would be, I always tell them, it’s better,” said Pokharel.

Making connections

Not only because of the amount of opportunities, she explains, but because of the people who helped guide her toward them.

“I really flourish in small, tight-knit communities where I know people and they know me, and I think ��Ƶ has been so great for that,” said Pokharel. “At ��Ƶ, I’ve had the ability to receive mentorship and develop close relationships with professors who have poured into me and who have reached out about things they didn’t have to.”

She credits her academic adviser in particular for helping connect her with internships and research presentation opportunities.

“I’m not sure I’d get that at a larger or more prestigious school,” said Pokharel.
“Everything at ��Ƶ seems collaborative. We’re seeking the collective good.”

Equipped for what’s next

After graduation, Pokharel will complete an internship at Indiana University Medical School as she applies to graduate programs in psychology. Her long-term goal is to integrate what she’s learned in philosophy about cultivating flourishing in communities with her training in mental health.

“I’ve always wanted to work in the field of mental health,” said Pokharel. “I grew up in a community where it was stigmatized, and I saw people around me struggling. I love people, and I’m fascinated by how they think and act, but also by how one person’s struggle can affect an entire community.”

Through her experience at ��Ƶ, Pokharel says, she has been equipped to pursue this passion of working to help create healthier communities.

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - 12:00

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On Saturday, May 9, Alyssa Pokharel provided remarks to the Class of 2026 during their Commencement ceremony.

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