Category: Spring 2020

Sitcoms, Fake News and Collective Memory

Dr. Choonghee Han believes every nation has a time in its collective past that it would just as soon forget. In America, for example, it could be Vietnam. “There have been lots of discussions and publications about the Vietnam War, how it was interpreted or digested by the public through the media,” says Han. “It… Continue Reading →

Identity Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa

Dr. Virginia Beard was into identity politics long before the issue showed up on America’s front pages. For more than a decade, she’s investigated how religion, ethnicity and gender influence democratic attitudes and behaviors. In two papers finished in 2019, she lays out how religious identity affects attitudes toward democracy in some countries in sub-Saharan… Continue Reading →

Can You Feel the Forró Beat?

The rhythms of Afro-Brazilian music still echo the ancient drumbeats of Africa — carried across oceans on slave ships, adapted across the centuries, and today encompassing both a distinctive cultural identity and a communal national bond. Christopher Fashun (at right in photo) spent four months of 2019 in Brazil as a Fulbright Scholar, researching the… Continue Reading →

Linking Researchers with the Digital Liberal Arts

As digital resources continue to change the face of research and teaching, Victoria Longfield helps Hope College faculty and students explore how cutting-edge tools can help them broaden and exceed their goals. Her job title as Van Wylen Library’s digital liberal arts librarian is unusual even in this high-tech era. Hope is among just three… Continue Reading →

Supporting Research in the Fine Arts

The upcoming production was Dance 43, Hope College’s annual faculty recital. Forty-seven student dancers were rehearsing with seven faculty and guest choreographers, and Jessica Hroncheck was the fly on the wall. Hronchek spent weeks shadowing the dance company and interviewing choreographers to learn more about how people share information in a creative context — and… Continue Reading →

COVID-19 Announcements

Hope Is More Than a Place As COVID-19 spread in China in January, the college monitored developments daily and began planning for contingencies if the virus’ reach broadened. Whatever that might come to mean, the the top principle has been “Get the students across the finish line.” In other words, Hope will see the semester… Continue Reading →

From the President: Matthew A. Scogin ʼ02

Dear Friends and Family of Hope College, We are living through an extraordinary period of human history. With the entire world confronting a pandemic unprecedented for more than a century, please know that we are praying for the health and well-being of you and your families. It’s often said that crisis builds character, but it’s… Continue Reading →

Distinctive Hope: Giving Hope to Kids

Hope students volunteer countless hours throughout the community and year, a commitment to service expressed most prominently via Dance Marathon, in which more than 1,000 participate. Held annually since 2000, the student-organized event is — as per its motto above — a fund-raiser and awareness-builder supporting Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. With more than a third… Continue Reading →

Quote, Unquote: Natalie Brown

With April upon us, we are sharing with permission the following essay by Natalie Brown ’17 of Aurora, Illinois, in which her memories of Hope at the dawn of spring provide an entry into a meditation on the hope to be found in Christ — a message itself timely in this season of Easter and… Continue Reading →

Campus Scene

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AT HEART OF NEW PROGRAM Holland’s connection to author L. Frank Baum’s beloved Oz series — he penned portions of his stories while summering at Macatawa Park — inspired the name of a new program at Hope designed to connect the college with community partners to address the city’s most pressing needs. Titled… Continue Reading →

In a Class of Their Own

For more than 150 years, Hope College has been preparing a good portion of its students to become future teachers. Pastors and teachers — those were Hope’s first two career placements. Today, approximately 4,050 Hope graduates teach in public or private K-12 schools. But for the past decade or so, the career that creates all… Continue Reading →

Any is too Many

Hope doesn’t wait for national Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April to build awareness of the issue. Hope’s prevention programming instead begins with resident assistant training and New Student Orientation each August, continuing with multiple large-scale and smaller events across the fall and spring semesters. The national statistics show why. As reported by the National… Continue Reading →

Asking Big Questions at the Nuclear Level

The research being conducted by the faculty and students of the Nuclear Group at Hope might be considered ambitious. They are, after all, trying to figure out how the universe works, and supernovas are in the mix. Admittedly, there are many directions that such big questions could go. The work at Hope is focused, in… Continue Reading →

Lifetimes of Impact

In important ways, the mission and impact are the same: providing guidance while helping young people discover who they are meant to be and ultimately preparing them to walk their own paths, journeys that in turn will touch others, and others and others. At Hope, that happens with a specific focus, which, as per the… Continue Reading →

600 and Counting

Only five years after his graduation, he began crafting a remarkable legacy when he took the helm as the head coach of Hope College women’s basketball in 1996. Now after his 24th season at his alma mater, Morehouse is not only the 2020 U.S. Marines/WBCA Coach of the Year for NCAA Division III (an award… Continue Reading →

Walking the Emmaus Road

The Emmaus Scholars Program “combines practices of intentional Christian community with academic and practical explorations of the intersection of faith and justice,” said Dr. Matt Jantzen, the program’s director. Jantzen, who did his doctoral work in Christian theology, race and politics at Duke University, has been directing the program since fall 2018. Emmaus is one… Continue Reading →

More than a Gig

Cuban-born jazz musicians Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez have been nominated for Grammy Awards. Rodriguez, a pianist, is a protégé of legendary producer Quincy Jones. Scintillating percussionist Martinez has played or recorded with artists from Bruce Springsteen to Wynton Marsalis. Together they are touring the world, performing for large, enthusiastic crowds in support of their… Continue Reading →

In, Out, and Back to Africa

The master’s degree thesis written by Catherine Namwezi ’17 — with its massive assemblage of theoretical jargon, statistical data and story-telling mechanisms — is, at its deepest root, a sophisticated love letter. Though most love letters aren’t 124 pages long, this one had to be. Nor do they have hundreds of citations, or a 13-page… Continue Reading →

The Hope College Connection

Bringing together students, alumni and families for networking, mentoring and experiential learning. Did you know that networking and mentoring connections are proven to increase workplace engagement and satisfaction? You can participate in this positive activity by activating your profile on The Hope College Connection. Visit connection.hope.edu to get started and update your profile, including how… Continue Reading →