CAMPUS / Ch-ch-ch-changes. What's new on campus?/ 2 VIEWPOINT / Congress cabinet members address Student Body / 4 A & E / New artwork being displayed on the side of Phelps, i 5
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Volume 107, Number 1
> Hope College, Holland, Michigan
Convocation '93 by Julie Blair campus editor The quest for meaning can be fulfilled through questioning. Dr. Dennis Voskuil, IQQS's Hope Outstanding Professor Educator, told the Cl a s s of 1997 and their parents at the 132nd fall convocation held at Dimnent Memorial Chapel Sunday. Inh sspeech, " H i l l a y , Hope College and the Quest for Meaning," Voskuil challenged the Class of '97 to reexamine Sheir life motivations and expectations of their education at Hope. Be a catalyst of questions, he said. We have become a society that has lost its way, desperately grasping for some kind of significance. Glitter and glitz, while they may seem significant, are not alone satisfying. One must also question and search for answers. 44 A clever but irritating beer commercial has been running on television lately which asks: Why ask why?," Voskuil said. "Why ask why? Because the question drives us to issues of ultimate concern, ultimate meaning." Voskuil illustrated with a quote from pocl Cyprian Norwid: "To be what is happy, one should have (1) something to live on, (2) something * to live for, (3) something to die for. v The lack of one of these results in drama. The lack of two results in tragedy. It's not enough to know, as the cynic does, the price of everything and the value of nothing." ' T h e quest for meaning is ancient, universal and abiding. It may even be that which defines the distinctive nature of human existence, setting humans apart from other animals? Other mammals may ask "What?" but it appears that humans alone ask " W h y ? " The quest for meaning can be
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September 1,1993
Serving the Hope Community for 107 Years
facilitated through a college education, but one cannot solely depend upon it to give them quick answers. Voskuil argued that formal education is a tool with which to search out meaning, "...when all is said and done Hope College does not supply easy answers to the "whys" of human existence, and it does not coerce students to adopt an institutional world view," Voskuil argued. "In attempting to explain Hope's unique mission as a Christian liberal arts college, former President Gordon Van Wylen wrote that there must be a balance between corporate commitments and individual expressions," Voskuil said, quoting Van Voskuil Wylen: "If the college experience is to be worthwhile, there must be intellectual and social values that its members hold in common even as there must be room for private preferences; a balance must be struck between two powerful traditions — individualism and community.'" Duke School of Business conducted a study in which the vast majority of students listed what they wanted to get out of school as money, p o w e r and f a m e , m o t i v a t i o n s Voskuil considered disillusioned. "It is my hope that your experience at this college will somehow help you to know that you are of such divine value that you will become free to be servants in a selfish world. It is my hope that you will be able to give yourselves away." Unfortunately, Voskuil said, people often fail to realize this and wander through their lives living an illusion. "Why ask why? " Voskuil said. "Because the quest is in the questions. Because curiosity is the fuel for the academic journey. Why ask why? Because that is the very nature of human existence. It is that hunger for meaning and purpose. And that, class of 1997, is why you are here."
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Anchor photo by Rich Blair
...AND ANOTHER YEAR BEGINS. Hope kicks off the year with new students as well as new equipment and faculty. These changes promise to provide an Interesting year for everyone.
Multicultural director appointed, Yolonda Vega assumes duties by Julie Blair campus editor Yolanda Vega believes partnership and involvement are the keys to multi-cultural understanding. Appointed the director of multicultural life in July, Vega says she will focus on bringing the Hope community together with the city of Holland by inviting the community onto the campus and encouraging students to look beyond the campus borders. As director, she provides students with information and counseling aild presents multi-cultural programs. She also advises the college's Hispanic Student Organization and the Black Coalition. "I see myself as a resource person," Vega said. "My goal is to see that everyone is comfortable coming in. I am accessible to work with a lot of different groups." A 1988 graduate of Hope, Vega was hired by the Hope College Ad-
missions Office in June of 1990. Her responsibilities have included directing multi-cultural student recruitment, coordinating a program through which faculty call perspective students and visitation programs for multi-cultural high school students. She was interim multi-cultural counselor with the college's student development office from February to May of 1990. In addition, from June of 1988 to May of 1990 she was an English teacher at Holland West Middle School. Vega says her skills will carry over easily to her new position as director. As an admissions counselor, she built strong relationships with perspectives, students now at Hope, which she will continue to facilitate. Vega admits she is sometimes frustrated with the homogeneous "bubble" Hope students build for themselves, but blames indifference and misinformation on ignorance and a lack of time to become in-
k Vega volved. "Hope students get very involved with school and work, but there is also room to move outside into the community," Vega said. " W e are here to provide knowledge. W e can nurture understanding and growth."
j Career Planning and Placement improves accessibility organizations. This expertise and assistance has always been offered free of charge to Hope Students. The Office of Career Planning "Our concern is that once a stuand Placement has made some dent leaves here they have as smooth changes in order to make their ser- a transition from the college experivices more accessible to the students ence to the graduate or professional level whether they do it through this of Hope College. The media has consistently re- office or not," Dale Austin, director ported that the job market is getting of Career Planning and Placement tougher every year and that college said. students should have a well-defined Wednesdays, starting September ( plan to begin the job search process 1, the office will be open until 7 p.m., two hours later than usual. before graduating. Career Planning and Placement This allows students with tight i i' M has been here to assist in that pro- schedules longer hours to make use cess in the past and has made it even of the facilities. easier to get help by extending office Included in these facilities are a .1, hours, setting upamobile office and number of computer programs and \ lending their expertise to student catalogues to aid in research of spe-^
by Heather Mumby editor-in-chief
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Outpost set up in the middle section Planning and Placement, there are just as many who take advantage of under the clock. Career Planning and Placement the resources available. "If every student knew what they is in the process of setting up career "We're always updating and ex- workshops with campus organiza- needed to do to make that successful panding our resources in the library," tion leaders which will focus on transition and would do that, we said Kelly Kottke, assistant director what direction the members could wouldn't need to be here," Kottke of Career Planning and Placement. take to market their campus in- said. In addition to these changes. Ca"We have information on all sorts of volvement and seek careers which reer Planning and Placement will different career possibilities as well match their interests. t4 as outlook information and how tb A degree alone is not going to continue programs which have been do a job search." be sufficient to be successful and successful in the past such as reAlso on Wednesdays, Career competitive in today's marketplace," sume writing workshops, individual Planning and Placement represen- Austin said. 44You need to compli- career counseling and off-campus tatives will be on location in the ment that degree with other critical recruitment programs. The office of Career Planning upper level of Phelps dining hall experiences to insure the greatest and Placement is in the Charles R. from 5 to 6 p.m. to answer any odds of a successful job search." questions people might have, inWhile many students success- Sligh, Jr. Center, located on 11th cluding resume writing and inter- fully find jobs after graduation street next to Public Safety. viewing tips. There will be a Career without any assistance from Career
cific j o b markets and graduate schools. Trained staff members are on hajid to help explain how to use them.