Forging a New Trajectory
Founded in 1876 as a modest school of ministry with only seven students, Calvin University has grown into a world-class Christian liberal arts institution—thanks to the many individuals who believed in its mission and envisioned a place where students think deeply, act justly, and live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world.
Representing the many who have embraced that mission and become catalysts for change are six individuals who each helped transform Calvin University—one square inch at a time.
JACOB NOORDEWIER (1839–1938)
A NOTABLE SOLO SOLICITOR
In 1876, Calvin’s Theological School occupied two rooms on the second floor of the Christian school operated by First Grand Rapids Christian Reformed Church. By 1889, the burgeoning student body had outgrown the space.
After a parcel of land was identified, Rev. Jacob Noordewier, pastor of First Fremont Christian Reformed Church, was granted permission to fundraise for the purchase of the land and subsequent building project through the summer and fall of 1890.
When it became clear that such part-time efforts would not garner the necessary resources, Noordewier became Calvin’s first full-time fundraiser. His assignment was to visit families in each of the 99 Christian Reformed congregations stretching from New York to Nebraska—within a single year—to raise $15,000, on top of the $5,000 he had previously collected.
Although it took an additional year, Noordewier’s gallant efforts yielded the goal amount, which included a $500 donation of his own. (Noordewier’s annual salary was $900.) The new facility, which would be used for the next two decades, was completed in 1892.
BERNARD PEKELDER (1922–2012)
AN APOSTLE OF FAITH FORMATION
As the university’s first chaplain, Bernard Pekelder was pivotal in concurrently forming the role of this position and the faith of thousands of Calvin alumni who were students during his tenure.
Pekelder began his foundational work in 1962, at a time when the newly created position was “yet ill-de- fined,” notes a Spark story written for Pekelder’s retirement in 1985. “The introduction of that new office was complicated by the ecclesiastical question of the place of student worship and pastoral services in a college-church setting.”
He quickly became integral to Calvin’s faith foundation, speaking at chapel every week and conducting hundreds of worship services.
“My heart swells with gratitude to God for how the Lord used this wise Christian gentleman to shape Calvin College and to guide so many within its ranks toward Christian growth and maturity,” said Dale Cooper in 1985, who followed Pekelder as Calvin’s chaplain.
“I belong to that multitude of persons whom he influenced,” Cooper said during the interview. “Both during my student days and also some years later, when I became his colleague—his pupil, really. He was my gentle and caring teacher, my wise friend. Whatever I knew about chaplaincy, I learned from Pek.”
KAY HAGER TIEMERSMA (1924–2018)
A CHAMPION OF WOMEN’S ATHLETICS
Though never an athlete herself, Kay Hager Tiemersma delighted in the prowess of others and was a driving force for women’s athletics to become a legitimate part of Calvin’s educational landscape.
A 1945 graduate and education major, Tiemersma returned to her alma mater in 1946 as an instructor of physical education. John Charles Bult, who represented the entire physical education department at that time, remembered Tiemersma fondly in a 1996 interview, “It was a battle to get her—the school didn’t believe much in phys ed in those days—but she did a good job. She changed some minds about the importance of physical education for women.”
In 1947, Tiemersma became Calvin’s first female coach, heading up the women’s basketball team, which was undefeated in her first year at the helm. She also founded the Women’s Athletic Association at Calvin, whose sole purpose was to promote athletic opportunities for all women on campus.
“She was the main force in getting women organized to participate in activities against other schools,” wrote Dave Tuuk in Maroon and Gold will Bind our Hearts: A History of Calvin Athletics 1915–1953. “She was a wonderful person for the cause of women’s athletics.”
EDGAR BOEVÉ (1929–2019) AND ERVINA VAN DYKE BOEVÉ (1924–2006)
HEROES OF THE ARTS
When Edgar Boevé first came to teach at Calvin in 1958, he was on a mission to build an art program second to none among Christian liberal arts colleges. His mission would not be an easy one.
“It was a completely foreign idea to anyone,” said Boevé in a 1995 Spark interview. “How does one in Christian context be an artist?”
It’s a question that Boevé, known as the founder of the Calvin art department, focused on daily in his 33 years as a professor.
“Edgar challenged us to understand the significance of what images convey,” said Anna Greidanus, a former colleague of Boevé’s. “My artistry and teaching, along with many others, was meaningfully shaped by Edgar’s over many years” (Spark 1995).
Likewise, his wife, Ervina Van Dyke Boevé, faced similar obstacles in promoting theater at Calvin upon her arrival in 1954. “It was her life’s work,” said former Calvin theater professor Deb Freeberg. “Without her, there would be no theater at Calvin” (Spark 1995).
Ervina prevailed when the bookstore staff wanted to cover the text for her class to hide the word theater.
Together the pair possessed a professional background combined with the vision and will to face these challenges, using their talents to shape the future of artistry at Calvin.
RHAE-ANN RICHARDSON BOOKER (1967–2024)
A TRAILBLAZER FOR CROSS-CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
As a 1991 graduate of Calvin University, Rhae-Ann Richardson Booker felt compelled to transform her alma mater into a welcoming place for all.
Returning to Calvin in various roles culminating in her position as assistant dean of multicultural affairs, she served for two decades heading up efforts to raise awareness about racial justice and reconciliation. The scope of her work focused on recruitment and retention of students of color.
Her signature program, the Entrada Scholars Program, has helped more than 2,000 students of color, as well as others who are committed to anti-racism and cross-cultural engagement, gain access to a college education over the past 30 years.
“Dr. Rhae-Ann Booker left a legacy of advocating for underrepresented students, creating welcoming spaces for students of color, and building relationships with the greater Grand Rapids community,” said Michelle Loyd-Paige, who served as Calvin’s executive associate to the president for diversity and inclusion.
In tribute, Booker was recognized by Calvin’s executive leadership in 2023: “Rhae-Ann is a champion and pioneer of excellence in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Calvin University is where we are today because of Rhae-Ann and the legacy she has forged.”