Spark

HERITAGE 

(graduated more than 50 years ago) 

01 In September, Ruth VanderMey Cole ’58 celebrated her 85th birthday with an open house where her 540 hats were on display. The oldest hat on display was worn in 1960 as part of Ruth’s wedding going away outfit. The newest hats were four that were bought two weeks before her birthday and include the one she is wearing in the photo. Pictured with Ruth are her six granddaughters wearing her vintage outfits and hats (a style highlight of the event!)—from left to right are Rose Bosscher Thayer ’11, Lora Huizingh Bosscher ’16, Laura Meekhof Bosscher, Ruth, Grace Cole ’22, Emily Cole ’17, and Lauren Cole ’20. Ruth enjoys staying connected with Calvin through CALL classes and the January Series, both in person and on Zoom. She also sang with the Alumni Choir and in the Messiah for many years. 

1970s 

In September, the latest version of Professor Emeritus James Vanden Bosch’s ’70 work on the grammar and semantics of the Second Amendment was published in a collection of essays on language and the law (DeGruyter/ Mouton, 2021). Any alumni interested in this project can get in touch with him at vand@calvin.edu. 

1980s

Christians in the Visual Arts (CIVA) named Timothy Grubbs Lowly ’81 as one of 2021’s three President Award winners in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of art and faith. Tim is the recipient of the Knippers Award in Painting. He creates art centered around his daughter Temma, who has cerebral palsy with spastic quadriplegia. 

Sherri Bruursema Kraai ’83 received the Grand Rapids Public School’s Jean Hamilton Cope Teacher of the Year Award. She teaches sixth and seventh grade science at Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy. The annual award recognizes passionate teachers who use effective instructional methods to inspire student learning. 

02 For her work as executive director of His Hands Free Clinic, Dawn De Jong Brouwers ’89 was one of 14 nonprofit professionals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who received the Spirit of Minnie Rubek award—an honor that recognizes quiet but impactful service to the community 

1980s 

03 The ladies of Delta 10 1989–1991 gathered for their 30-year reunion at the end of this past December. Photo from left to right are Terry Korstanje Loerts ’92, Mary Wolters Fridsma ’91, Cheryl Hoogeboom Hoogewind ’93, and Mary Emshoff VanderMeer ’91. Missing are Isabel Tong ’90, Caroline VanDriel ’91, and Lyn DeYoung ’91. 

Joel Vander Weele ’92 was recently promoted to managing director of Accenture. Joel leads Accenture’s work in process mining, a rapidly emerging discipline that blends data analytics and process improvement to help organizations streamline and automate business processes. He still has the flowchart stencil he purchased at the campus bookstore for Professor Slager’s accounting systems class. 

04 On Jan. 1, 2022, Marvin Heyboer, III ’95 was promoted to the rank of full professor with tenure by the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University. Marvin has been a faculty member in the department of emergency medicine for 12 years. He is division chief of hyperbaric medicine and wound care and fellowship director of undersea and hyperbaric medicine. Marvin serves on national boards and committees, presents at national meetings, and has published multiple studies in hyperbaric medicine and wound care. He looks forward to continuing to contribute to academic medicine through patient care, expanding clinical medical knowledge, and training future physicians. 

05 Kevin Schaaf ’97 has opened a new law firm in Grand Rapids, Mich. The new firm, Schaaf Law, PLC, will serve clients with business and real estate needs in west Michigan. He brings 20 years of experience in the large firm and in-house settings to the new venture. 

2000s 

In November, the album One Day
as a Thousand Years was released by Irritable Hedgehog Music. Composed, edited, and mixed by Scott Blasco ’00 and performed by R. Andrew Lee, this new composition for piano and electronics follows the shape of the liturgical year, focusing on the central Christological events of the Nativity and the Resurrection. 

Currently living in Paris, France, Natasha Witte ’01 is an elementary special education consultant at the American School in Paris. Natasha’s previous elementary experiences have been in Istanbul, Turkey; Guatemala; Chicago, Ill.; and Grand Rapids, Mich. 

In September, Tricia Huizenga Rathermel ’06 was named president and CEO of Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corp. (EDC) after
having served as director of economic development and interim CEO. 

After eight years at Cornerstone University as the director of events and hospitality, Valerie Smies Probst ’07 is now the vice president of client services at Alpha Grand Rapids. Valerie will be able to assist in the incredible mission of Alpha—to assist pregnant women and families in need and to help those in the community choose life by offering support and goods. 

2010s 

Anand Divakaran ’13 recently completed his PhD in medicinal chemistry at the University of Minnesota. Bethany Cousineau Divakaran ’11 completed her doctor of nursing practice, master of public health (DNP/MPH) in 2018, also at the University of Minnesota. Anand is now conducting postdoctoral research in the department of chemistry at the University of California Berkeley, and Beth was hired as a nurse manager with the Transitions Clinic Network, a San Francisco-based nonprofit improving health outcomes for people coming home from incarceration. 

In October, Natalie Patterson Daniels ’14 was appointed to the planning commission for the city of Fredericksburg, Va. She earned her master’s degree in urban and regional planning with a focus on nonprofit management and economic development from Virginia Tech in 2017. Natalie currently works for the consulting firm Weave Social Finance, where she facilitates New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) investments in innovative green technology, historic property renovation, and community services facilities to revitalize communities primarily in the Southeast and Mountain West. 

Seven years after first traveling to Ecuador for his engineering senior design project, Mark De Haan ’15 has moved to Ecuador to work full time in the mission field designing and constructing water distribution systems in rural communities as a volunteer engineer through the missions organization Commission to Every Nation. Mark works day-to- day with Ecuador-based organization CODEINSE as well as Life Giving Water International, an organization whose founders Calvin students and professors have worked with for 30 years, most recently through the Clean Water Institute of Calvin. More information about Mark’s work can be found at cten.org/markdehaan. 

Fortune magazine listed Andrew Harris ’15 as one of the “30 under 30” in manufacturing and industry. Andrew and his brother Tim Harris ’08 founded ColorHub in 2017. The digital printing company works with large corporations like Pepsi, Samsung, and P&G. 

2020s 

Timothy Cheng ’21 is currently a graduate student in engineering at Tufts University. He is working on a Martian sonic anemometry project, which involves developing a sonic anemometer (an instrument that measures wind speed using sound) for use in low pressure, low temperature environments such as the surface of Mars or the upper atmosphere of the Earth. 

In September, Claire Murashima ’20 landed a public radio internship at Stateside, a daily news show from Michigan Radio. Three months later, the internship turned it into a full assistant producer role. Claire also serves as a freelance researcher for the NPR show How I Built This with Guy Raz, creating detailed write-ups of the guests’ histories to brief the host.