Calvin News

For Erin Reynolds, learning has never been limited to a classroom or to a particular stage of life. A 1988 Calvin graduate, Reynolds’ career spans hospital communications, corporate consulting, higher education, organizational development, teaching, and more. 

Now, she has returned to her alma mater as the new program manager of the Calvin Academy for Lifelong Learning (CALL), taking the reins from Sonja DeJong, who has expertly led programming for more than a decade and is ready to contribute in a part-time capacity. 

“I’ve always loved to learn,” Reynolds says. “I want to offer others the opportunity to cultivate their love of learning through Calvin.” 

CALL recently became part of Calvin’s School of Graduate and Continuing Studies, a move Reynolds sees as an exciting opportunity to align with colleagues invested in adult learning beyond traditional studies. 

A leap of faith 

Reynolds grew up in Grand Haven and came to Calvin as an undergraduate, where she studied communications, served as an RA, and sang in both Campus and Capella choirs. All three of her children followed in her footsteps, commuting from Colorado to attend Calvin. Elianah graduated in 2025 and is beginning graduate studies in psychology at The University of Connecticut; Charlotte will graduate in 2027 with a biochemistry major; and Ian, a cross-country runner, is a member of the Class of 2029. Erin’s husband, Bob, is a technical architect who builds systems for Allstate Insurance. 

Reynolds began her career at Hackley Hospital, where an internship turned into a role in marketing communications. After moving to Colorado, Reynolds began taking courses at the University of Denver, initially just to keep her mind active. Then she received an unexpected offer: if she declared a PhD, the University would cover her tuition. 

She accepted the offer. 

Reynolds earned her doctorate in human communication studies, focusing on speech versus mass communications. Her dissertation explored how students develop critical thinking through spoken language, using Odyssey of the Mind teams for her qualitative study. 

Communication, education, and problem-solving have been themes throughout her career. 

An evolving career 

After graduate school, Reynolds worked at Denver Water, where she facilitated cross-functional, cross-level teams to solve organizational problems. She later joined Accenture as a career developer and human resource manager. 

An opportunity to teach communication at Fuller Theological Seminary brought her back into higher education. After several years as a faculty member at Fuller’s main campus in Pasadena, California, her first child was born, and she decided to take a break from full-time employment, continuing adjunct work with Fuller’s extension campus in Colorado Springs, while also consulting and speaking. She later worked at Valor Christian High School as a seminar instructor, developing and delivering curriculum to help students succeed. 

With lifelong learning as her mantra, Erin’s career kept evolving. 

Research abounds 

Observation and experience with gender-related abuse in faith-based organizations led Erin to research and write about what happens when women are excluded from a seat at the table. By telling her own and other women’s stories, Erin hopes to bring healing to those hurt in evangelical organizations and foster healthier leadership in the future. For Reynolds, listening to and writing people’s stories becomes another way to express her love for communication. 

Throughout her life, Erin has learned to embrace unexpected turns in her own story. Recently, while waiting for her next career to transpire, she returned to teaching swimming, as she had in her teenage years, reminding herself of a simple philosophy: do the best you can with what you have in front of you. 

That same openness to possibility eventually led her back to Calvin. 

Coming home—and looking ahead 

She’s also thinking about how CALL could engage a broad range of interests that align with Calvin’s mission and assets. “For example, what about a course exploring the science of cooking using Calvin’s new culinary lab?” Erin muses. 

At the heart of her vision is something she sees as distinctly Calvin: a community of critical thinkers who love God and want to make a difference. 

For Reynolds, leading CALL is more than a new position. It is another step in a lifelong journey of learning and an opportunity to help others discover that learning doesn’t have to end when a degree is finished. 

Reynolds’ returns home to West Michigan and Calvin University, where she brings her career full circle with a simple purpose: helping others to keep learning, too.