Calvin Engineering Advisory Council

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The purpose of the Calvin Engineering Advisory Council (CEAC) is to aid the engineering department as it trains students to become engineers with a distinctly reformed Christian perspective on their profession.

This aid can take many forms: reviewing and critiquing of the curriculum, providing a bridge between both the students and faculty to the industrial community, enhancing the department’s image, identifying future directions for the department that assist in keeping it current, and promoting students’ exposure to the industry.

Membership

CEAC consists of 15–20 engineers from the industry and other academic institutions. The members should represent a cross-section of the profession including middle to upper management along with recent graduates. It must include members representing the engineering concentrations offered at Calvin: chemical; civil and environmental; electrical and computer; and mechanical. Members should be people who can directly aid CEAC in accomplishing its purpose.

Officers

Council officers include the chair (or co-chairs), the secretary, and the membership coordinator. The chair is the presiding officer of the council. The chair shall call and moderate meetings and set the meeting agenda. The secretary shall take and distribute minutes to the CEAC membership and to the engineering department. The membership coordinator shall track the council membership roster and lead the effort to recruit new members.

Operation

The CEAC meets twice a year. Individual action outside of the meetings may be necessary for the board to meet its goals. Meeting agenda and other pertinent information will be distributed to each member at least one week before the meeting.

Impact

The CEAC’s impact on the department should be evident in the following ways (but is not limited to these):

Advising and encouraging the department of engineering to continuously strengthen its Reformed Christian perspective on the discipline of engineering.
Fostering ties between the department and worldwide industry, including ties to professional societies and government agencies.
Identifying potential speakers for seminars.
Broadening student knowledge of career opportunities by identifying mentors to meet with students, increasing employment opportunities for students, and assisting faculty who desire professional experience over the summer break.
Generating ideas for senior design projects, including possible industrial mentors and support.
Developing scholarships for engineering students.
Participating in the assessment process for the departments’s ABET accreditation.
Promoting Calvin engineering to prospective students.
Advocating to Calvin administration on behalf of the department.

Contacting a CEAC board member

Anyone wishing to reach a member of the CEAC Industrial Review Board should send an email to Professor Gayle Ermer, engineering department chair. We will forward your question(s) to the board member of your choice (if you indicate one) and/or to who we believe could best answer your question(s). The current board members are listed below with the engineering concentration that best describes their area of expertise.

Other pages that are helpful to prospective students about the Calvin engineering program are:

Frequently Asked Questions
Advice for High School Students

CEAC board members

Dennis Cole, Civil & Environmental	Ottawa County Public Works
Darryl De Bruin, Mechancial	GE Aviation, Grand Rapids, MI
Mike Dokter, Chemical	Pfizer, Kalamazoo, MI
Bob Dornbos, Mechanical	Best Metals, Grand Rapids, MI
Steve Elliott, Civil & Environmental	Materials Testing Consultants, Grand Rapids, MI
Brian Honeck, Electrical	Johnson Controls Incorporated, Holland, MI
Jordan Hoogendam, Mechanical	Zon Engineering Inc, Couborg, ON
Beth Knol, Civil & Environmental— President	Advantage Engineering, P.C., Traverse City, MI
Ted Feenstra, Mechanical	V3 Companies, Chicago, IL
Wesley Richards, Mechanical — Vice President	Lacks Trim Systems, Kentwood, MI
Brian Smits, Civil & Environmental	NTH Consultants, Ltd, Grand Rapids, MI
Justin Voogt, Electrical & Computer	GE Aviation, Grand Rapids, MI
Jason VanderKodde, Civil & Environmental	FTC & H, Grand Rapids, MI
Jim Vanderveen, Mechanical	GMB Architects-Engineers, Holland, MI (retired)
Steve Waalkes, Civil & Environmental	Michigan Concrete Paving Assoc., Grand Rapids, MI
Eric Walstra, Electrical	Gentex Corporation, Zeeland, MI
Joel Zylstra, Civil & Environmental	Granger Corporation, Lansing, MI
Tim VanAst, Mechanical
Dalia Christopher, Mechanical	Eaton, Grand Rapids, MI
Laura Wheeler, Electrical	Koops, Holland, MI
Tim Lieuwen, Mechanical	Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

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