Calvin Remembers Charles Strikwerda
For two-plus decades, Charles (Chuck) Strikwerda served in Calvin’s Department of Politics and Economics.
“Chuck was a congenial and cooperative colleague, someone who willingly helped to teach a wide variety of courses within the department,” said Corwin Smidt, one of Strikwerda's former colleagues.
On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Strikwerda, an emeritus professor, died following a long period of mental and physical decline.
Graduating from Calvin in 1968 with a degree in political science, Strikwerda would go on to earn his master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a PhD from the University of Kentucky. In the middle of his educational pursuits, he spent a two-year stint serving in Vietnam as a chaplain’s assistant with the U.S. Army. He would join the Calvin faculty in 1979.
Adding value across the board
Smidt noted that while Strikwerda was trained as an Americanist, during his time at Calvin he was frequently asked to teach a variety of different comparative politics courses within the department.
“His flexibility in teaching different courses was largely the result of his being widely read and having a variety of interests,” said Smidt. “Despite the need to master a new course within a different subfield of study, Chuck willingly accepted the challenge in order to help balance the departmental offerings.”
Committed to the success of his students
It was a selfless approach that ultimately would multiply impact.
“He was not driven to publish nor to establish his scholarly credentials within some narrow field of research,” said Smidt. “Rather, he focused on teaching the classes to which he was assigned. And, given his breadth of interests, he was able to place his discussion of class material within a broader historical and cultural context.”
“Chuck will be remembered as a stimulating teacher who went out of his way to help students achieve their best and apply successfully to law schools,” said Ken Bratt, who was a longtime colleague of Strikwerda’s at Calvin.
Always good company
Bratt, who met Strikwerda in first grade, was drafted with him into the U.S. Army, and later married his cousin Laurel, was always appreciative of being in his presence.
“He was always good company: lively conversation, well informed political and ecclesiastical commentary, a world traveler whose perspectives were accordingly multicultural,” said Bratt.
Being one of the most widely read persons on Calvin’s campus, Strikwerda’s courses were substantive and historically grounded, and so too were his lunchtime conversations with colleagues.
“I think Chuck was an adventurous teacher, quick to bring into the discussion perspectives from his wide reading,” said Bratt. “Chuck was also a friend to all of his colleagues. I had lunch with him and 5-6 other colleagues almost every week at Russ’ to solve the problems of the world. He sometimes played devil’s advocate, which forced us all to examine our assumptions.”
Leaving a legacy
Strikwerda’s service to the university went well beyond the classroom too. He led many off-campus interim courses, served on a wide variety of committees, and assumed the roles of pre-law advisor, chair of the political science department, and as Calvin’s first director of academic advising. He also co-authored the book, Christian Political Action, as well as a wide variety of other publications.
“This list of achievements, however, only begins to illustrate Chuck’s many abilities and contributions,” wrote one of his former colleagues in Strikwerda’s retirement tribute. “Perhaps what his colleagues will miss most as a result of his departure is their daily dose of Chuck’s congeniality, good cheer, and wisdom. We shall never see his like again.”
But his memory and legacy live on at Calvin in many ways, including through a scholarship established in his name by his uncle, John Van Dellen, fittingly awarded each year to “an all-around good student who contributes significantly to the classroom and campus environment … as demonstrated by regular, thoughtful, and cheerful contributions in class discussions and by participation in campus and/or community activities.”
A memorial service is planned on Saturday January 11, at 2 p.m. at Clark Retirement Home chapel (1551 Martin Luther King SE).