A publication for alumni and friends. Vol. 7, Issue 3, Fall, 2012 Born in Bungoma, Kenya, into a which deals with issues pertaining to graduate o well-to-do family, Joan Cornelison grew women’s rights, gender equity, and youth up in an environment where education, in Kenya. She represented Kenya in many achievement and kindness to others international conferences and was one of were not happenstance, but central to the highlighted keynote speakers at the her family’s life. “My father, a Ugandan United Nations Conferences for Women government official who settled in Kenya in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1985 and in Beijing, after fleeing the repressive regime of Idi- China, in 1995.” Cornelison said that living Amin in the 1970s, oversaw the family farm with her parents was a life lesson in caring operations in the Trans Nzoia District and because they tended to take in people who Bungoma,” she said. “My mother—daughter were down on their luck in order to help of the first African to rise to the level of them pursue educational opportunities major in the Salvation Army in Kenya— and other training that would make them Faith,Faith, hopehope was a presidential appointee to head of the self-sufficient. “Our dining table always had Women’s Bureau in Kenya and chairperson room for someone who needed a meal. I && lovelove of the three million member Maendeleo cannot count the number of children my Ya Wanawake Organization (MYWO) Cornelison, giving the invocation at Faith continued on page 4 Hope Legacy dinner Hungry for connection Golf—a record year I feel as if I’ve been hungry for a long of relating are like saltines for my hungry The 20th time. Absolutely starving, really—I mean soul. When you’re so hungry you could Kuyper College the kind of hungry you feel when you’re eat your own arm and someone hands you International Golf ready to tuck into a holiday one saltine, it’s a joke! You Tournament, an feast complete with pie and might be thankful for a little annual event held appetizers. The thing is, something to chew on, but to raise Ambassador this hunger I’ve got is not you need a whole lot more Scholarship funds for food—although I love than one salty little morsel to for international food; don’t get me wrong. satisfy your hunger. students from around What I’m really hungry Does anyone else the world, was held for is time to connect feel like our techy forms of on August 27 at Watermark Country Club. with friends and family. connection aren’t cutting Presently, students from Ireland, I crave a long, satisfying it? Does anyone else long to Sweden, Egypt, Nigeria, El Salvador, meal filled with delicious have a good deep belly laugh Thailand, Kenya, South Korea, New food, infectious laughter, Leanne Penny is a class instead of a tweet-inspired Zealand, the Dominican Republic, Zambia and that comfortable of 2007 graduate chuckle? Does anyone else and the Philippines are attending Kuyper as feeling you have when you know you are want to eat pot roast together instead of Ambassador Scholarship recipients. completely safe with someone. When you takeout alone over your iPhone? Over the past 19 years, the International don’t fear judgment because you know Is it just me, or does anyone else feel as Golf Tournament has raised over $727,000. you’re loved and known. if we’re missing out on the connection God This year’s Tournament set three records: Most of my communication these days has in mind for us? Face-to-face connection number of sponsors, amount raised— comes from texts, tweets and e-messages Connection $72,311, and number of golfers playing. in at least a million forms. These forms continued on page 7 Kuyper College equips students with a biblical, Reformed worldview to serve effectively Christ’s church and His world. LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT New enrollment vp Dale D. Kuiper has been appointed “Why” questions…parents remember those days to the post of of incessant questions of “Why this” and “Why that” vice president from children who either bemused or burdened us for enrollment during those child-rearing days. Likely, children or management at not, all of us can confess to filling the ears of others Kuyper College. with our own Why questions. As we grow older, Why Under his questions become more challenging and perplexing as leadership, Kuiper they usually deal with one’s sense of justice, fairness will direct the and personal circumstances. And, they can be terribly student recruitment hard to find answers to. Whether from a child’s marketing, “Why is the sky blue?” to a teen’s asking, “Why admissions, retention and financial aid was I ever born?” to an adult wondering why God programs of the College. “We’re delighted allows such evil in the world, we find our ability to to have someone of the caliber of Dale provide a definitive answer very unsatisfying. to lead Kuyper’s enrollment efforts,” Why questions truly challenge us! said President Kroeze. “We launched an Several articles in this issue of The Kuyper News reflect this same kind extensive search to ensure the individual of questioning: “Why am I here at Kuyper?” “Why don’t people just talk to we selected would bring not only me rather than text all the time?” “Why don’t I have peace and assurance experience, knowledge and skill to the in my heart?” All of the stories will reflect a process of looking at the job, but a heart for and philosophy past, making sense of the present, and feeling engaged toward the future. of education that matched ours. Dale The true common element running through all of them is one of seeing, is that person.” acknowledging and accepting that God has had a plan for the person’s life Commenting on the College, Kuiper and that plan has shown itself to be good and beautiful. said, “I have been here a little over one Every day our students’ lives bear witness to us of the wonder of God’s month, but I have already grown to love leading hand. I have been reminded and impressed, time and time again, this place for the way that it touches the how each of these students carries a fresh revelation and affirmation of lives of our students and prepares them God’s grace as seen through their personal experiences. The Why questions for lives of service in God’s kingdom. It they have come to terms with help me frame my own Why questions is truly a privilege to be here.” Kuiper and give me wisdom (answers) that I can pass on to others in their also spoke about the enrollment program. search for understanding. “Leading our enrollment efforts is an The case may be that we don’t and won’t have the answer for every important challenge,” he said. “We have Why in the course of our lives. The delay or lack of an answer, however, is a great enrollment staff, and the support not one that should leave us unsatisfied. I am reminded of the long list of and partnership of our faculty, staff and the faithful ones in Hebrews 11, of how they were commended for their students are wonderful.” faith but never received what they were expecting (v. 39). Why? Because, Prior to coming to Kuyper, and for the verse 40 tells us, “God had planned something better for us.” It is good for past 30 years, Kuiper served in various me to remember that my past, my trying to make sense of the present, and positions at Calvin College—most my eagerness toward the future all hinge on something much, much better recently as chief admissions officer/ that God is bringing about. I’m grateful to see how our students’ stories director of enrollment policy and remind me of that! planning, where he oversaw enrollment research and enrollment operations. Kuiper and his wife, Esther, an Dr. Nicholas V. Kroeze administrator with the Grand Rapids President Public School system, are avid campers. They originally met at Camp Roger where together with their son and daughter— now adults—spent years serving as volunteers. The Kuipers make their home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 2 IN MY WORDS leadership skills and how to build relationships, be an God’s calling encourager, have a positive attitude, and be humble. Spending Christine Moran this time with my father is one of my most special memories. Associate Professor of Physical Education My parents supported me by cheering and encouraging me at and Athletic Director every game I played from age 6 through college. Through those fifteen years of participating in athletics, God allowed The most frequently asked question I me to have experiences that shaped and molded me into receive is, “Why did you choose the career who I am today. of an athletic director?” Why? Athletic Being a member of an athletic team, knowing you have directors work long hours, are typically practiced, prepared, and must compete to the best of your male, and have a long list of administrative, ability, I looked forward to the challenge of pushing myself operational and leadership tasks that need and trying to do better in every game I played. This was, and to be completed daily. Most people would think twice before is, my dual passion–athletics and my enjoyment of building taking on the responsibility of managing an athletic program. relationships. This is why I choose the path of being an athletic I, on the other hand, am passionate about athletics and director.