Jill Eelkema of Oak Harbor, Washington (left), is one of seven English majors on the 2000 list of Honor's graduates. There also are 11 Biology majors on the 45-student list. For one of her honors projects Jill wrote a work of fiction based on her experience as a volunteer with abused women and children. Her honors thesis is a study of "New Generation Poets" in modern Chinese literature.
The Calvin College Honors Program was first introduced in 1969 and greatly expanded since 1993. It is directed by professor of classics Ken Bratt. The Honors Program is a four-year program of special courses and opportunities intended to help students of outstanding academic ability and motivation develop their gifts so that they will be equipped for leadership in service to God, their communities, and the world at large. 
The curriculum of Calvin's Honors Program annually includes special sections of 10-15 core courses which are generally taken in the students' first two years at Calvin. In these honors courses students are encouraged to develop greater than average initiative and independent study skills, while working in greater than usual depth and closer collaboration with their professors. At the junior and senior levels, honors work is generally done by contract in each student's major discipline. 
Incoming students are invited to participate in the Honors Program if they have an ACT composite score of 28 or higher or an SAT combined score of 1240 or higher. Transfer and continuing students who have a college GPA of at least 3.3 are also eligible for the program. To remain in the Honors Program, students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.3 and take at least one honors course per year. 
To graduate with honors from Calvin College a student must complete: Six honors courses overall (18 hours minimum), including at least two honors courses outside the major, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3. The student also must complete all departmental requirements for graduation with honors in the major. 
The following students will graduate in 2000 "with honors" (see below for small bios on each student) . . . Merna Anderson (English), Daniel Ausema (English), Chris A. Blauwkamp (Philosophy), Peter Bouwma (Biology), Gayle Byker (Biology), Patricia J. de Haan (Biology), Michael De Jonge (Greek), Andrea J. DeKoter (History), Kerrie Dik (Psychology), Laura K. Ediger (Biology), Jill Eelkema (English), Matt Flemming (Communications & Theology), Abraham Fowler (Computer Science), Christyn R. Gaston (Nursing), Sarah E. Gritter (Mathematics), Megan Halteman (Philosophy), Matthew Higham (Religion & Theology), Matthew Husa (Biology), Shauna L. Johannesen (English), Alan Kalf (Biology), Kelli Klaasen (History), jane c knol (English), Lauren Louters (English), Hannah J. Meilaender (Classics), Jonathan Mulder (Engineering), Jana Munk (Psychology), Julia Oegema (Business), Phillip Palmbos (Biology), Virginia Parish (Political Science), Christopher Peltier (Biochemistry), Matthew J. Plantinga (Biology), Beverly Ryskamp (English), Eric Schippers (Engineering), Kerry Schutt (Classics), Peter Simons (History), Brian Steenwyk (Mechanical Engineering), Justin Sybesma (Biology), Mark J. Sytsma (Biology), Sara Toering (Interdisciplinary), Douglas J. Vander Veen (Engineering), Leslie Van Hemert (Art), Rachel Van Noord (Biology), Katie Van Til (Nursing), Karen A. Waanders (Psychology), Victoria Zapata (Art History).
BIOS OF CALVIN COLLEGE HONORS GRADUATES
Merna Anderson (Allendale, MI) graduated in January with honors in English and has also done honors work in communications and the history of science. Her honors thesis was a work of fiction, presented to the English Department last year. Merna plans to work for a while before pursuing another degree. 
Daniel J. Ausema (Grant, MI) will graduate with honors in English as well as a Spanish major and journalism minor. His honors thesis explores the relation of language to reality in fantasy literature. He is also working on an independent honors project in Latin American literature, focusing on some of the most difficult authors of the last 50 years. Dan has completed an internship with a Hispanic newspaper and plans to seek a job in journalism. 
Chris A. Blauwkamp (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in Philosophy. His honors work has included courses in economics, political science, logic, ancient philosophy, and Kierkegaard. His honors thesis is a study of freedom of the will in Duns Scotus. Chris plans to enter graduate school in the fall. 
Peter Bouwma (Grand Haven, MI) will graduate with honors in Biology. Peter has done research in Costa Rica on wasp swarms and has studied crayfish as an NSF-REU fellow at the University of Michigan Biological Station. He has presented his results at Calvin and the University of Michigan and prepared two papers for publication. Peter will pursue a Ph.D. in Biology at Florida State University. 
Gayle L. Byker (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in Biology and has completed honors work in political science, philosophy, English, animal biology, and molecular biology. Her honors thesis in Biological Investigations focused on the genetics of breast cancer. Gayle will be applying to medical schools this summer. 
Patricia J. deHaan (Holland, MI) will graduate with honors in Biology. She has done honors work in classics on the ancient Greek cult of Asclepius, god of medicine. In genetics her honors research was on an autosomal dominantly inherited colorectal cancer, "Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Coli." Patricia plans to enter Wayne State Medical School in the fall. 
Michael De Jonge (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in Greek and has also done honors work in philosophy, psychology, and religion. His honors research included investigations into the Greek text of the New Testament and a study of the gospel of Luke in the context of Hellenistic literature. He plans to enter seminary in the fall. 
Andrea J. DeKoter (Spirit Lake, IA) will graduate with honors in History and has also done honors work in classical mythology, communications, and political science. Her honors research was a study of the political activities of Michigan women during the Progressive Era (1890-1920), focusing especially on the development from grassroots activity to organized party politics. Next year Andrea will studying U.S. women's history at SUNY-Binghamton. 
Kerrie L. Dik (Holland, MI) will graduate with honors in Psychology and has served on the Honors Student Council. At the Michigan Undergraduate Research Conference she presented honors research on "Religious Orientation, Subjective Well-Being and Purpose in Life." Two other honors projects served the Steelcase Corporation and a small non-profit agency, Sojourners Circle. Kerrie plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. 
Laura K. Ediger (Aurora, NE) will graduate with honors in Biology and has also done honors work in philosophy, political science, and psychology. Her biological research centered on the germination response of native wetland species to smoke treatments, as she looked for possible phylogenetic correlations and evolutionary adaptations. Laura plans to pursue graduate work in Plant Ecology/Conservation Biology.
Jill Eelkema (Oak Harbor, WA) will graduate with honors in English and has also earned a minor in Social Work. She has done honors work in philosophy, history, and social work in addition to her major. For her honors projects Jill has written a work of fiction based on her experience as a volunteer with abused women and children, as well as a chapbook of poetry in an independent study. Her honors thesis is a study of "New Generation Poets" in modern Chinese literature. After graduation Jill plans to spend a term at the Oregon Extension before entering graduate school in creative writing or working in construction.
Matthew Flemming (Bellingham, WA) will graduate with honors in both Communications Arts & Sciences and Religion & Theology. Matt has completed honors research on various topics including the development of the theology of Hans Kung, the doctrine of creation in Karl Barth, and protest in The Brothers Karamazov. Matt plans to enter graduate school in religious studies. 
Abraham Fowler (Billings, MT) will graduate with honors in Computer Science and has also done honors work in Chinese, communications, English, mathematics, and philosophy. Abraham is currently working on his honors project in computer science. After graduation he plans to enroll in a university in China to study for a degree in Chinese. 
Christyn R. Gaston (Davisburg, MI) will graduate with honors in Nursing. For her honors project Christyn prepared and presented a portion of the Antenatal/Birthing Class for Spectrum Community Education. Her topic was "Relaxation and Massage During Labor." Christyn is applying to area hospitals as a registered nurse specializing in labor and delivery, antepartum or postpartum care. 
Sarah E. Gritter (Wauwatosa, WI) will graduate in December with honors in Mathematics and has also completed honors work in chemistry, classics, communications, and English, not to mention her honors in cross-country. Sarah is currently researching the mathematics of chaos theory. After graduation she plans to take a year off before pursuing a graduate degree in mathematics. 
Megan Halteman (Wheaton, IL) will graduate with honors in Philosophy and has also finished a major in Greek. Megan has presented an honors paper suggesting a hermeneutically sensitive reading (like that of Hans-Georg Gadamer) of several texts in the Platonic corpus. After graduation Megan will be a research assistant for a peace-keeping/social justice organization in Belfast, Northern Ireland. 
Matthew Higham (Santa Rosa, CA) will graduate with honors in Religion & Theology and also a major in philosophy. His honors work includes construction of a website detailing the development of philosophy of mind from Descartes to the present, as well as extensive research into Colin McGinn's theory of consciousness. Matt plans to pursue graduate studies in theology at the San Francisco Theological Seminary and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. 
Ruth Hollander-Annen (Lynden, WA) will graduate with honors in Political Science and has also done honors work in English, psychology, and religion. She is currently working on an honors project in which she studies the differences between male and female candidates in U.S. elections. After graduation Ruth plans to take a year "off" to write full time. 
Matthew Husa (Hudsonville, MI) will graduate with honors in Biology and has also done honors work in classics, English, and philosophy. Matt's honors research involves the study of integrin, laminin, cytokeratin and vimentin expression in primary lacrimal acinar cells and their immortalized cell counterparts, as well as the effects of vitamin A on these cell types and their protein expression. Matt plans to attend medical school in the fall. 
Shauna L. Johannesen (Edmonton, Alberta) will graduate in December with honors in English after finishing an honors thesis in the area of gender studies. She would like to study in Germany, travel, or teach English in Southeast Asia for a year, and then pursue graduate work, possibly in gender studies. 
Alan Kalf (Ladner, British Columbia) will graduate with honors in Biology and has also done honors work in communications and religion. Alan has done independent research on water relations in chlorophytum as well as summer research investigating the germination ratios of various native wildflowers. He would like to work or travel for a year before entering graduate school. 
Kelli Klaasen (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in both History and English. She wrote an honors thesis on Civil Defense in the 1950's for her history major and is currently finishing her English honors thesis on history and fiction. Kelli plans to do a year of service work before attending graduate school. 
jane c knol (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in both English and Art History. Last summer she received a McGregor Fellowship for research with Prof. Dale Brown and she wrote an honors thesis about the emphasis on transcendence in four 20th-century novels. Jane plans to take a year away from academics before entering graduate school in the fall of 2001. 
Lauren Louters (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in English and has also done honors work in biology, not to mention the honors she has earned in basketball. Next year Lauren plans to work in a hospital, travel, and coach while applying to Physician Assistant Graduate School. 
Hannah J. Meilaender (Valparaiso, IN) will graduate with honors in Classics as well as a major in English. Her senior research paper in Latin Epic Poetry was an analysis of Shakespeare's use and transformation of Virgil's Aeneid in his play The Tempest. Hannah has also done honors work in history and religion. For next year she is seeking employment in the field of publishing. 
Jonathan E. Mulder (Sioux Falls, SD) will graduate with honors in Mechanical Engineering and has also done honors work in business and mathematics. He has served an internship in the HVAC industry for two years, has studied the relationship between the curvature of an inclined ramp and exit velocity, and is currently researching rapid prototyping and a better manufacturing process for trumpet bells. He hopes to find work in the Grand Rapids area. 
Jana L. Munk (Downers Grove, IL) graduated in December with honors in Psychology. Her honors projects included developing in-take and out-take measures for Sojourners Circle and analyzing promises perceived in commercials. Her honors thesis focused on what it means to integrate Christian faith into a counseling profession. Jana plans to attend graduate school in psychology. 
Julia M. Oegema (Talbotville, Ontario) will graduate in December with honors in Business and has also finished a major in French. She has done honors work in history, philosophy, and religion as well as her major, and will write an honors thesis next fall. After graduation Julia plans to work for a while before entering graduate school in international relations. 
Phillip Palmbos (Hudsonville, MI) will graduate with honors in Biology and has also done honors work in philosophy. For two years he has been involved in biomedical research in orthopedics, the results of which have been published in two papers as well as presentations for the Biology Department, the Michigan Academy of Science, and the Autumn Immunology Conference. Phillip plans to enter medical school next year. 
Virginia R. Parish (Spring, TX) will graduate with honors in Political Science and has also done honors work in communications and religion. Her current honors research focuses on Congress and American foreign policy. She hopes to work in the field of development in the U.S. and abroad, and eventually plans to enter graduate school in international relations. 
Christopher Peltier (Troy, MI) will graduate with honors in Biochemistry and has also done honors work in chemistry, economics, mathematics, and physics. Chris is currently working on a project to process seed oils to the benefit of third-world nations, which can use the product as a cash crop. Chris plans to enter graduate school for a Ph.D. in toxicology. 
Matthew J. Plantinga (Hamilton, Ontario) graduated in December with honors in Biology and also did honors work in chemistry and philosophy. His honors projects included work in animal biology, microbiology, and summer research which he presented in a scientific paper on genes that regulate yeast cell cycle control. Next year Matthew will enter the Ph.D. program in Molecular Biosciences at the University of Chicago. 
Beverly Ryskamp (Kalamazoo, MI) will graduate with honors in English and has also completed a major in French. Beverly is combining her two major interests in an honors thesis on the French thinker and writer Helene Cixous. After working for a year she plans to enter a joint graduate program in law and social work. 
Eric Schippers (Jenison, MI) will graduate with honors in Mechanical Engineering. Eric has worked with Brian Steenwyk to test a new pressure sensing device on an internal combustion engine for the thermodynamics laboratory, and also designed an experiment on an automobile scissors jack to determine the coefficient of friction of its screw. Eric plans to work in industry, preferably in manufacturing or heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) design. 
Kerry Schutt (Evergreen Park, IL) will graduate with honors in Classics as well as a major in English. Her honors research includes work on Euripides' Medea and the language of piety in Sophocles' Antigone. She plans to spend a year away from academics before entering a graduate program in classics. 
Peter Simons (Fremont, MI) will graduate with honors in History as well as a major in Spanish. Peter's honors research has focused on the myth and reality of Eva Duarte de Peron in Argentina's history. He is currently researching the extent to which the YWCA in Grand Rapids was truly the progressive agency it claimed to be, especially with regard to race and gender roles. After graduation Peter plans to enter graduate school. 
Brian Steenwyk (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in Mechanical Engineering and has also done honors work in economics, mathematics, and physics. He has worked with Eric Schippers on projects for the thermodynamics laboratory and experiments on an automobile scissors jack. Brian plans to work for a year in engineering before going on to graduate school. 
Justin Sybesma (Fond Du Lac, WI) will graduate with honors in Biology and has also done honors work in physics and religion. He is currently writing an honors thesis on the effect of methyl jasmonate on the expression of a soybean cysteine protease gene. Justin plans to enter medical school and aims to become a medical missionary. 
Mark J. Sytsma (Holland, MI) will graduate with honors in Biology as well as a minor in biochemistry. He has conducted two years of research into cellular regulation of macrophages by hyaluronic acid and has presented his findings at a scientific conference and a seminar for the Biology Department. Mark plans on getting married this summer and attending medical school in the fall. 
Sara Jane Toering (Jenison, MI) will graduate with honors in interdisciplinary studies, combining work in communications, philosophy, and religion. She has done some of her honors work at Oxford University, and last summer she received a McGregor Fellowship for research with Prof. Quentin Schultze on the topic of vocation. She has also served on the Honors Student Council. Sara plans a year in social work before entering law school. 
Douglas J. Vanderveen (Holland, MI) will graduate with honors in Electrical Engineering and has also done honors work in communications, computer science, English, and mathematics. As part of his honors work Doug developed an infant incubator thermostat circuit for third-world mission hospitals. Next year he will be working as a teaching assistant for the University of Minneapolis while pursuing an M.S. degree in electrical engineering. 
Leslie N. Van Hemert (Pella, IA) will graduate in December with honors in Art and has also completed a major in business & communications. She has completed an internship in marketing and plans another one in graphic design this summer and fall. Leslie plans to seek employment in some area of marketing, advertising or graphic design. 
Rachel Van Noord (Lafayette, CA) will graduate with honors in Biology and has also done honors work in English, philosophy, and political science. Her honors projects included one study of the interaction between mycorrhizal fungi and different forbs and grasses, and another on the effectiveness of porometry to indicate rooting in cuttings of different greenhouse plants, research presented at the Michigan Academy. Rachel would like to do field work through a non-profit organization for a year and then go to graduate school. 
Katie L. Van Til (Alto, MI) will graduate with honors in Nursing. She has done honors research on the etiology and pathophysics of stomach cancer and wrote a paper on congenital abdominal anomalies. Katie is planning to work in neonatal intensive care at Spectrum's Downtown campus and later possibly pursue her master's degree. Eventually she would like to use her nursing skills in an orphanage in Romania or Ghana. 
Karen A. Waanders (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in Psychology and has also done honors work in English and political science. She has completed honors research on suicide as it relates to depression, and also on the consequences for families of Vietnam Veterans' Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Karen plans to pursue a master's degree in social work. 
Victoria L. Zapata (Grand Rapids, MI) will graduate with honors in Art History and has also done honors work in classics, English, history, and religion. She received a McGregor Fellowship last summer for research with Prof. Lambert Zuidervaart on the topic of artistic truth. Victoria hopes to enter graduate school after working for a year.