Bob Speelman (Week 2)
Bob Speelman
Calvin University's campus is designated as an arboretum. While having an arboretum on a college campus isn't necessarily uncommon, having an entire campus designated as one is rare. Take a virtual walk with certified arborist Bob Speelman across our 400-acre campus and learn from his three decades worth of experience on the maples and oaks, and the many memories that shape the grounds.
Bob Speelman has spent over 30 years looking up at the trees on campus. He has planted hundreds and pruned thousands of trees and has worked to increase the diversity of Calvin's tree canopy. It's challenging to find a plant on campus that he doesn't know the name of. He also has designed and installed many landscapes around Calvin and enjoys annual and perennial plants as well. Bob had worked to have Calvin designated an Arbor Day Tree Campus in 2010 and every year since. Bob is an ISA Certified Arborist and qualified tree risk assessor.
About Us
Our Mission
The January Series cultivates deep thought and conversations about important issues of the day in order to inspire cultural renewal and make us better global citizens in God's world.
Background
For over 30 years, the January Series of Calvin University has been one of the leading lecture/cultural arts series in the country. The series has been a three-time recipient of the Silver Bowl Award as the “Best Campus Lecture Series in the U.S.A.” by the International Platform Society. The diversity of presenters and topics has changed as the world of ideas has changed.
The foundation for excellence both in the classroom at Calvin University and at the January Series is the philosophy that an outstanding liberal arts education teaches students how to think, not what to think. We want our students to look at current ideas critically in light of history and creatively with an eye to the future. We support freedom of speech and expression; we encourage faculty, students and the community to listen to viewpoints that differ from their own. Bringing excellent speakers on a wide variety of topics to campus is one very valuable factor of education at Calvin.
Calvin University is a Christian academic community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Calvin has an enrollment of 3,800 curious and inquisitive students. The dynamic liberal arts university has been named a “Best College” by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, The Fisk Guide, The Princeton Review and Washington Monthly. A Calvin education, marked by scholarly engagement with enduring questions and emerging concerns, prepares students to answer God’s call to live and serve in God’s world as agents of renewal.