Her Royal Highness Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands visited Calvin University last week in celebration of the university’s 150th anniversary. The visit marked the third time the Dutch royal family has come to Calvin University, representing an acknowledgement and renewal of the school’s long history with the Netherlands and Dutch culture.
Princess Laurentien’s multi-day visit included a ceremonial tree planting, opportunities to meet with and share meals with faculty and student leaders and a visit to the Ecosystem Preserve and Native Gardens. Princess Laurentien also made stops across West Michigan, including one stop at the Holland Museum. When commenting later about the visit, Princess Laurentien said, “It’s about the present, the past and the future,” noting that it was humbling to spend time with the West Michigan community as “everyone gave me a little fraction of their story, a little pride of the connection back to the Netherlands … it’s the story that lives in every one of us.”
Herman DeVries, professor of Dutch and Frederik Meijer Chair in Dutch Language and Culture at Calvin, spoke to these strong ties Calvin University shares with the Netherlands. In detailing Calvin’s present and long history of Dutch language programs, studies abroad, scholarship in Netherlandic art and history, DeVries said, “We can be proud of the many ways, over these many years, that Calvin University has been involved with Dutch and Netherlands related topics.”
DeVries acknowledged the fear of feeling ethnocentric, to which he responded by saying, “I am certain that the accomplishments that I’ve mentioned did not come to pass out of a sense of cultural superiority. No, folks at Calvin have simply had considerable access to the Netherlandic culture … incubated in this particular environment.”
Princess Laurentien’s visit culminated in a lecture on the evening of Wednesday, March 17, titled “One to Many: Human-centered Solutions Changing the Game.” The talk, delivered to the packed CFAC Recital Hall, delivered salient advice for leaders to stand up for others and make change where it matters.
Princess Laurentien is well known around the world for her advocacy around literacy, education and the environment. She sees her job as “connecting people who don’t have a voice and who are disregarded … to people who perhaps can make a difference.”
In her lecture, Princess Laurentien brought together her story, passion and voice to deliver three lessons from her work: “It starts with seeing one person,” “Movements begin with movers” and “Keep going when the going gets rough.”
She emphasized the importance of the human story and human connection when taking on complex social issues that stem from systems that create grief and distrust. Princess Laurentien spoke to the power of inspiring people to act from their values, and to build communities “on the simple belief that nobody should face injustice alone.”
Princess Laurentien challenged everyone to be active and acknowledge their obligations to those in need, and not to step aside and wait for “the system to handle it, or somebody else.” She said, “This is where real change almost always begins, not with systems, not with the other … but one human being being humble enough to see and connect with another human being. We cannot hide behind the system, we are the system.”
For Meg Pheifer, a senior studying history and Student Senate vice president for operations, the time with Princess Laurentien was “a once in a lifetime experience.” Pheifer, along with student leaders from Senate, Chimes and Model U.N., had the opportunity to sit down for dinner with Princess Laurentien on Monday, March 16, where she drew on her experience to speak to issues facing young leaders specifically.
“She’s clearly very good at lifting people up and making their work feel valuable,” said Pheifer, continuing on to say, “I really appreciated how she was very intentional about asking us directly about the challenges that we face today, it was unexpected … she actually took the moment to say ‘can you come tell me exactly what the challenges that you are facing are’ and then ‘let me speak to those directly.’”
Princess Laurentien visited the Calvin Ecosystem Preserve and Native Gardens to meet with faculty and staff from Plaster Creek Stewards and the preserve. Paige Bokach, education outreach coordinator for the preserve, reflected on the visit. “Together we resonated over the value of healthy ecosystems, the environmental issues facing our communities and several hopeful, forward-thinking strategies for living more harmoniously with the natural world,” said Bokach. Bokach was honored by the visit, “She just has so much passion and compassion for people and this world.”
On March 16, in commemoration of the historic visit, Princess Laurentien, along with Calvin University President Greg Elzinga and members of the Calvin community gathered to plant a Scarlet Oak tree on the lawn of DeWitt Manor.
The planting ceremony echoed the 1982 visit to Calvin by then Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, where, alongside President Anthony Diekema, a Red Sunset Maple was planted in her honor, also on the lawn of DeWitt Manor. In his remarks at the ceremony on June 26, 1982, Diekema said “Our choice of a tree is the Red Sunset Maple, one which turns a brilliant orange in the fall of the year, thus also symbolizing the House of Orange to which we are so greatly indebted for espousing throughout the ages the ideals of religious and civil liberty which we continue to hold so dear,” according to archival records, courtesy of Heritage Hall.
30 years before, on April 16, 1952, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands visited Calvin, which at that time was located at the Franklin Campus. In the ceremony to dedicate the chair of Dutch Language and Literature in her name, President William Spoelhof said, “We place the language and literature of the Netherlands on a parity with other modern languages in our emphasis on a liberal arts training because we recognize that these give access to a vast treasury of knowledge, learning and wisdom, so valuable to a truly Christian liberal arts education,” according to archival records courtesy of Heritage Hall.
For Elzinga, the week-long visit of Princess Laurentien was a valuable touch point for the deep ties between Calvin and the Netherlands. In a statement to Chimes, Elzinga said, “It reminds me of the rich heritage and faith-driven vision that shaped this university, and as a member of this community, it’s inspiring to see how those connections continue to influence and enrich the lives of our students today.” Elzinga commented that the “curiosity, excitement and sense of continuity [Calvin students] bring to these experiences is truly special.”
Speaking to Chimes, Princess Laurentien commented on the strong connection she felt with Calvin students, saying, “I think this whole trip has reignited in me that I love young people the most,” she continued, saying, “You are the hope, to put right all the things that are not right in the world.”
