Timeline

Anna Groendyk-Houtman became the first woman graduate in 1905.

This six-year program included four years of academy training (Preparatory Department) and two years of junior college. It added a third year in 1910.

While other musical groups existed before this, the Calvin orchestra performed in 1908, establishing a rich musical tradition across genres.

The first Calvin College basketball team was formed as a student club. Students used the YMCA for practice since the Madison campus did not have its own athletic facilities. The college did not have official sports teams for another decade.

The college awarded its first ad hoc bachelor of arts degrees, for students who completed the three-year junior college program and enough additional coursework in the Theological School or another school.

Calvin College moved to the Franklin St. campus in Grand Rapids, MI, on land purchased in 1909.

Lum K. Chu (aka Chin Lum) from China completed Calvin’s 2-year program in education. Lum is pictured on the left in the photo.

He serves in this role until 1925.

Curriculum expanded to four years of college courses.

The first Calvin vs Hope basketball game was played, beginning 100+ years of The Rivalry.

Calvin College awarded its first formal bachelor of arts degrees.

While there had been pedagogy courses since the early 1900s, this was the start of an accredited teacher training program.

He served in this role until 1930, and again for an interim year in 1939–1940.

He served in this role until 1933. He also served as seminary president, 1952-1956..

Berkhof was the first president, and the first leader on a continuing basis. He served in this role until 1944.

The heart and hand seal became the official insignia of the school. Its origins stem from John Calvin, who used a similar image to seal his letters in the 1540s.

He served in this role until 1939.

In the midst of the Great Depression, Calvin opened a new library and classroom building on the Franklin Street Campus.

He served in this role until 1951.

He served in this role until 1952.

Enrollment rose from 503 to 1245 in one year as veterans began higher education following WWII. As a result, frantic efforts were made during the next two decades to raise money, find faculty, and construct new buildings—first on the Franklin campus, then on the Knollcrest campus.

He served in this role until 1976.

He served in this role until 1956.

With already long-time rival as its chief sponsor, Calvin became a full member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association during the 1953-54 academic year. In its first year as an MIAA member, the Calvin men’s basketball team claimed an outright conference title and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament.

Sadie Marie Barham graduated with a BA in education.

Spark alumni magazine published its first issue, replacing the Alumni Newsletter which ran from 1925-1953.

Doris Rose Aitson graduated with a BA in education.

He served in this role until 1983.

This begins the 13-year stretch of Calvin operating between two campuses, with faculty and students shuttling back and forth.

Hekman Library, Hiemenga Hall, two dorms, the Knollcrest dining building, and a maintenance building completed on the growing campus.

Later renamed as SVS (student volunteers service), and then renamed and reconceived as the Service-Learning Center in the 1990s.

Construction of the 4,500 seat Knollcrest (later Calvin) Fieldhouse was completed in late fall of 1965. The inaugural contest in the facility took place on December 1 with the men’s basketball team facing Northern Michigan University.

He served in this role until 1995.

Calvin hosted the first of two successive years of the NCAA III Track and Field Championships on campus. The 1977 national meet was headlined by Olympic gold medalist Edwin Moses who captured a national title in the 440 yard dash.

Earthkeeping: Christian Stewardship of Natural Resources, a groundbreaking book on creation care is published by a group of Calvin faculty members. The project was sponsored by the Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship, which was founded in 1978.

Through the leadership of Athletics Director Dave Tuuk, Calvin hosted the NCAA III Men’s Basketball Final Four for a seven-year run at the Calvin Fieldhouse.

He served in this role until 2001.

The Ecosystem Preserve was established, and in 2017, expanded to cover 100 acres of the 400-acre Knollcrest campus.

The Comprehensive Plan for Integrating North American Ethnic Minority Persons and Their Interests Into Every Facet of Calvin’s Institutional Life was drafted by the Minority Concerns Task Force. The document was intended to plot out a course that would make Calvin College the multicultural community envisioned by many. The Comprehensive was adopted as a key institutional document.

The student-led Environmental Stewardship Coalition was established with the mission of raising campus consciousness regarding current environmental issues and emphasizing Christian stewardship as a personal and community responsibility.

Entrada built on Calvin’s participation in the national Upward Bound summer program, which Calvin started doing in 1966.

Spanish for “entrance” or “gateway,” Entrada immerses high school junior and senior students from diverse backgrounds in a college experience whose core is academic excellence. They take a college class, live in the residence halls, eat in the dining halls, study in the library, attend workshops, shoot hoops in the gym, perform service projects, and enjoy outings.

The college and seminary became two distinct institutions with separate boards, but continue to collaborate closely.

Led by the superb play of All-American center Steve Honderd, Calvin captured its first national team title. Calvin finished 31-1 overall capped off by a 62-49 win over Rochester in the title game. In 2000, the men’s basketball team would claim a second title, defeating Wisconsin-Eau Claire 79-74 in the title tilt led by National Player of the Year Aaron Winkle

Rangeela began as the annual cultural show from the international student body at Calvin College.

He served in this role until 2012.

The Calvin Environmental Assessment Program (CEAP) takes academically based service-learning to another level. Research projects and class labs that facilitate interdisciplinary collaborative projects have helped the campus community better understand its ecological impact.

Led by head coach Nancy Meyer, the women’s cross country team captured the first national women’s team title as the Knights produced a first place team score at the national meet in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Calvin repeated as national champion one year later at the national meet in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 

CRCNA mandated all affiliate institutions, including Calvin College, to organize an anti-racism task force, offer anti-racism trainings, and review key institutional identity documents. CART (Calvin Anti-Racism Team) was formed. This team was originally composed of seven members representing faculty and staff across several departments. The team provided 90-minute anti-racism trainings and began the process of reviewing key identity documents, especially the Comprehensive Plan.

UnLearn Week was founded by the Multicultural Student Development Office. This week is a series of programs organized by students which challenges the generalizations, stereotypes, and assumptions underlying racism. The series features speakers, panel discussions, films, and food festivals meant to bridge a cultural gap within the Calvin community.

Led by coaches Brian Diemer and Al Hoekstra, Calvin captured its first national title in men’s cross country, finishing with a first place team score at the national meet in Spokane, Washington. Calvin would go on to win national titles in 2003, 2004, and 2006.

He served in this role until 2011.

The Bunker Interpretive Center was completed. The 5,000-square foot educational space in the Ecosystem Preserve was the first gold LEED-certified building in the city of Grand Rapids.

Calvin’s second comprehensive plan for Calvin as a multicultural community, From Every Nation: (FEN) was approved by the Faculty Assembly in October 2003 and in February 2004 by the Board of Trustees.

The Faculty Environmental Stewardship Coalition produced the Statement on Sustainability. The statement provides guidelines for the college for integrating sustainable principles into 13 categories including transportation, energy, water and campus site planning.

Plaster Creek Stewards (PCS) is a collaboration of Calvin faculty, staff, and students working with local schools, churches, and community partners to restore health and beauty to the most contaminated waterway in West Michigan.

After an 18-month period of construction, the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex was completed. The complex includes 4,800 seat Van Noord Arena, 50-meter Venema Aquatic Center, the revamped Hoogenboom Gymnasium (formerly Calvin Fieldhouse) and multi-purposed Huizenga Tennis and Track Center.

Led by head coach Amber Warners, Calvin captured its first NCAA III title, defeating Emory University in St. Louis, Missouri. Calvin would later win national titles in 2013 and 2016. All three national title teams included at least one sister from the Kamp family out of Palos Hills, Illinois. 

He served in this role until 2022.

Michelle Loyd-Paige was appointed as the college’s first Executive Associate to the President for Diversity and Inclusion

Calvin University and Seminary launch the Calvin Prison Initiative at Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan. 

Calvin College ranked #1 on 2017 U.S. News & Report’s “Best Colleges for Veterans” list (among institutions in the Regional Colleges Midwest category).

Vision 2030 framework was approved by the Board of Trustees and Synod. The Vision Framework proposed becoming a university with an expanded global influence by 2020 and included “diversity and inclusion” as an institutional value.

He served in this role until 2024.

A historic year ensued as Calvin kicked off the first seasons of men’s volleyball, women’s acrobatics and tumbling, and football. Calvin built a new outdoor track and field complex on its east campus and a state-of-the-art soccer stadium on its central campus.