Calvin News

President Wiebe Boer is the 12th president of Calvin University. So, during the month of October, each week leading up to Inauguration we are sharing a “Top 12” list. This week, Student Body President Nain Miranda asked his peers to provide their list of the study spaces they love most on campus.

Here's the list, which is meant to be reflective, not exhaustive:

1. The Hekman Library

The Hekman Library has five floors full of study spaces, including the ground floor which includes the only Peet’s Coffee shop in the state of Michigan. In total, between space at tables, carrels, and in study rooms, the library offers 824 study spaces. It’s no surprise that students selected the Hekman Library more often than any other location on campus, by far.

2. The Hekman Library Lobby

We had enough votes to include each floor of the library as its own within the Top 12, but one space students called out the most is the lobby area located off the 3rd floor. Complete with a fireplace, hanging swings, booths, and comfortable seating, this space is perfect for a crisp fall day.

3. Historical Studies Library

Located in the Historical Studies department on the fourth floor of Hiemenga Hall, this space has floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and provides a cozy space for students and professors to get some work done. If you settle in here, you are likely to run into one of your talented history professors during your study stay.

4. Science Building Lobbies

The main level of the Science Building features a lobby with beautiful windows that extend multiple floors high and sprawling greenery. If you want a place with natural light, this is your space. If you prefer something a bit more secluded and want to avoid the sunshine a bit, move one floor down and you’ll find a more secluded space that provides comfortable seating and tables as well. If you want variety, the Science Building gives you that between these two floors.

5. CFAC Practice Rooms

If you desire it to be completely quiet and/or want to practice your musical craft in solitude, these are the perfect spaces. They will allow you to focus without interruption in a closed-door setting.

6. Dorm Lobbies

Every dorm lobby is a bit different, but they all provide spaces for individual and group study and comfortable seating to enjoy while you are preparing for an exam or a group project. Plus, you are not far from your room if you need a study break.

7. Dorm Rooms

Dorm rooms also are a popular study spot. With only one roommate, sometimes staying in your room and studying is the best option. Plus, with multiple ways to setup your room, there are many possibilities of how you can customize a study space that fits you.

8. School of Business Building

On the east side of campus, the new School of Business building offers some study spaces of varying sizes, though the recently renovated lobby that connects the School of Business and the DeVos Communication Center is one students love the most. Here, you will find a variety of seating options and floor-to-ceiling windows providing great natural light and views of every beautiful Michigan season.

9. Spoelhof University Center Lobby

Visitors to Calvin will often start their visit in the Spoelhof University Center and there’s an expansive lobby area just beyond the front desk. Featuring a large fireplace, lots of natural light, and a variety of seating options, this two-story open lobby is a popular study spot for students.

10. Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex Lobby

Considered the premier indoor athletics complex in all of Division III, the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex Lobby is also a premier study spot for students. The largest study area overlooks the 40-foot-tall rock climbing wall, but there are also smaller pockets with comfortable seating and fireplaces for students to enjoy.

11. North Hall Glass Lobby

On the second floor of North Hall you’ll find lots of classrooms and offices, but students also gravitate toward what they call the “Glass Lobby.” Like many other spaces on this list, this area provides great natural light and tall tables and chairs for students to get their work done. It’s also close in proximity to many professors’ offices in case students have questions or want to break up their studying with some conversation.

12. The Hekman Library Basement

Many students will make their way here during their time at Calvin to get help from Calvin information technology—it’s where their offices are located. But, the expansive lobby features a variety of study spaces, including small tables with TV’s which is perfect for working on group projects or practicing a PowerPoint presentation.