Calvin Commencement Concludes

May 21, 2005 == MEDIA RELATIONS

The 85th annual conferring of degrees at Calvin College, with President George
W. Bush as the Commencement speaker, was a little different than the 84 that
preceded it.

It came complete with metal detectors and national media attention, an expanded
sound system and lights in the Fieldhouse, temporary air conditioning and a few
more trappings that accompany a visit from the sitting president of the United
States.

But when the ceremony was complete, at its heart it really wasn't a whole lot
different than previous editions.

Because at its heart the Commencement service was a worship service that served
to bid farewell to the class of 2005, sending the 900 or so graduates into the
world to live out the fruits of their Calvin education.

That, say members of the Commencement committee, was the whole idea.

"We recognized of course," says Calvin vice president Tom McWhertor, "that
having President Bush speak at Commencement was an honor. And we knew that it
would mean significant changes to the logistics of Commencement. But our goal
was to maintain as much as possible the worshipful nature of the Commencement
ceremony. And I think that happened."

Indeed Commencement 2005 proceeded for the most part pretty comparably to prior
years.

Although the moment when President Bush entered the Calvin Fieldhouse from the
southwest corner and strode across the Commencement stage, shaking hands along
the way with those gathered on the platform, was, most agreed, a unique way to
begin the proceedings.

President Bush was greeted with a warm welcome as most of the 5,000 gathered in
the Fieldhouse, including the 900 grads and 3,600 friends and family members,
rose to their feet to give him with a standing ovation.

His approximately 15-minute address touched on many themes familiar to Calvin
and its students.

Indeed he invoked Abraham Kuyper, somewhat of a patron saint for the Calvin
community, in his remarks.

"The history of forming associations dedicated to serving others is as old as
America, itself," said the President. "From abolition societies and suffrage
movements to immigrant aid groups and prison reform ministries, America's
social entrepreneurs have often been far ahead of our government in identifying
and meeting the needs of our fellow countrymen. Because they are closer to the
people they serve, our faith-based and community organizations deliver better
results than government. And they have a human touch: When a person in need
knocks on the door of a faith-based or community organization, he or she is
welcomed as a brother or a sister.

"No one understood this better than another 19th-century visitor to America
whose name is well known to Calvin College: Abraham Kuyper. Kuyper was a
Dutchman who would be elected his nation's prime minister, and he knew all
about the importance of associations because he founded so many of them --
including two newspapers, a political party and a university. Kuyper contrasted
the humanizing influence of independent social institutions with the
'mechanical character of government.' And in a famous speech right here in
Grand Rapids, he urged Dutch immigrants to resist the temptation to retreat
behind their own walls -- he told them to go out into their adopted America and
make a true difference as true Christian citizens."

President Bush also showed a knack for humor in his opening remarks.

"I bring a great message of hope and freedom to Calvin College Class of 2005,"
he said. "There is life after Professor Vanden Bosch and English 101."

After the laughter subsided he continued: "Someday you will appreciate the
grammar and verbal skills you learned here. And if any of you wonder how far a
mastery of the English language can take you, just look what it did for me."

President Bush also seemed to indirectly acknowledge the conversations that had
taken place on the Calvin campus in the month between the announcement of his
visit and the May 21 Commencement ceremony, conversations that garnered
national media attention on such outlets as CNN and FOX News as well as print
media such as the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and the Washington
Post.

Those discussions resulted in a May 21 Grand Rapids Press ad that welcomed the
President to campus, while acknowledging that Christians can disagree on
political issues.

"We, the undersigned, respect your office, and we join the college in welcoming
you to our campus," began the ad. "Like you, we recognize the importance of
religious commitment in American political life. We seek open and honest
dialogue about the Christian faith and how it is best expressed in the
political sphere. While recognizing God as sovereign over
individuals and institutions alike, we understand that no single political
position should be identified with God's will, and we are conscious that this
applies to our own views as well as those of others. At the same time we see
conflicts between our understanding of what Christians are called to do and
many of the policies of your administration."

Some faculty and students also wore stickers that declared "God Is Not a
Democrat or A Republican."

At one point in his talk President Bush said: "As Americans we share an agenda
that calls us to action -- a great responsibility to serve and love others."
He continued: "This isn't a Democratic idea. This isn't a Republican idea.
This is an American idea."

Most students seemed to enjoy the talk.

Christina White of Grand Rapids thought Bush struck just the right tone in the
talk.

"I loved how he opened with the joke about Professor VandenBosch," she said,
"and I appreciated that the talk as not political, but really spoke to the
graduates and their future."

Alex Kalsbeek also thought the speech was very appropriate.

"Overall it was very well done," said the Grandville native.

And Dan Cotman of Saline said simply: "I thought it was an excellent speech."

Senior Ruth Dekker of Granger, Washington, not only sat in the audience for
Commencement, she also was selected to travel to the airport, meet the
President and accept from the White House honors as a recipient ofthe
President's Volunteer Award.

Dekker is one of 400 volunteers from around the country to be so honored since
March 2002.

A nursing major Dekker spent the summer of 2003 as a teacher and health
assistant in Jos, Nigeria, working through Christian Reformed World Missions.
There she taught in schools, visited rural villages to help with health clinics
and worked at a home for street boys.

Calvin's 2005 Commencement Ceremony also was marked by the presentation of
Calvin's highest alumni honor -- the Distinguished Alumni Award -- to Edwin Bos
and his wife Carol Yonkers Bos, both 1968 graduates of Calvin, and Richard
Katte, a 1958 graduate.

Calvin College has presented its Distinguished Alumni Awards -- intended to
honor those who have made significant contributions in their field of endeavor
-- annually since 1966.

Edwin and Carol Bos were being honored for their work as founders of Worldwide
Lab Improvement, Inc., a non-profit ministry devoted to assisting mission
hospital and clinic labs in developing countries with consultation, equipment,
supplies and training. Katte has served as a mathematics teacher, coach,
athletic director and assistant principal at Denver Christian High School since
1960 where his boys' basketball teams have won over 700 games and six state
championships.

For the complete text of President Bush's remarks see

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=47772

-end-
Received on Sat May 21 16:48:53 2005