Calvin's Commencement will be May 21

Nearly 900 students are expected to participate in Calvin College's 91st Commencement ceremony, held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2011, in Van Noord Arena.

The college awarded its first bachelor's degrees in 1921 to a senior class of just eight men. Jennifer Holberg, professor of English at Calvin College, will deliver the Commencement address. Holberg has taught at Calvin since 1998, and she is the director of the college's honors program.

In addition, Mary Vermeer Andringa '72 and Robert Rooy '70 will receive 2011 Distinguished Alumni Awards from the Calvin Alumni Association. Both Vermeer Andringa and Rooy graduated from Pella Christian high school in Pella, Iowa.

Vermeer Andringa of Pella, Iowa, currently serves as CEO of Vermeer Manufacturing Company. In 2009, she became the first woman to be elected vice-chair of the board of directors of the National Association of Manufacturers. And, in 2010, she was one of 18 national business executives and labor leaders named to President Obama's export advisory council.

Rooy of Frederick, Maryland, is an accomplished filmmaker and the owner of Rooy Media LLC. He began his career in Hollywood, serving as an assistant director on numerous motion pictures (e.g. "Tombstone," "Thirteen Days" and "Minority Report") and television miniseries productions and programs (e.g. "Lonesome Dove," "The West Wing" and "Gods and Generals"). He has also spent time as a documentary filmmaker and his PBS series "To Our Credit" on microfinancing has won national acclaim. Rooy is currently partnering with an autistic young man from Iowa on a film about living with autism.

Along with the ceremony at Van Noord Arena, a number of events will take place during Commencement weekend, including the annual department of nursing pinning ceremony, the Commencement worship service, the Commencement celebration cookout, a bachelor of arts exhibition and reception, and a reception for international students and their parents, to name a few.

For a complete schedule of Commencement Weekend activities, visit http://www.calvin.edu/commencement/

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Received on Wed May 18 12:56:46 2011