The “Calvin on the Road” tour made a stop in Grand Rapids last week, with representatives from Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary hosting the tour in the CFAC on March 18. The tour has made its way across the U.S. and Canada this school year, hosting events to celebrate Calvin’s 150th anniversary.

According to the Calvin website, the events celebrate Calvin’s legacy and future, with inspiring campus updates and connections with Calvin representatives, alumni and friends. 150th Anniversary Program Director Heidi DeBlecourt describes the events as heartfelt, reflective, interactive and funny.

The event was hosted by Executive Director of Alumni & Family Engagement Jeff Haverdink, featuring Calvin University President Greg Elzinga and Calvin Theological Seminary President Jul Medenblik, who spoke about Calvin’s recent accomplishments.

Videos exhibiting the campus and culture of modern-day Calvin University were shown, including an aerial tour of the campus, a compilation of footage from various traditions at Calvin and a parody news segment inspired by Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update.

Haverdink led the audience in a series of real-time surveys regarding their relationships to Calvin, with the results displayed on screen in front. When the audience was asked what their graduation year was, the results showed a large range of years going back to the 1960s, making the aerial tour video of the current campus all the more important. As to what they were most thankful to Calvin for, audience members listed things such as an improved relationship with Jesus, an education and a spouse.

The event concluded with a video of the Calvin Alumni Choir singing the Alma Mater, uniting the audience in appreciation for their shared education.

Notably joining the celebration at Calvin was Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, who visited Calvin last week. Elzinga announced the attendance of her delegation, as well as representatives from the Michigan state government and the Christian Reformed Church.

Putting the event together

DeBlecourt began planning the 150th Anniversary events in Nov 2023, along with a task group comprised of staff members from the Alumni, Development and Admissions departments. Their work includes the “Calvin on the Road” series, the Celebration Weeks, special events at Homecoming & Family Weekend, the Late Night “Eras” Concert, which took place on Feb. 20 and a 150th Anniversary Worship Service on Palm Sunday, among others.

“Calvin on the Road” stems from the idea of gathering Calvin alumni in their own backyard, says DeBlecourt. The guiding phrase used by DeBlecourt and her team in planning the events has been “Reflect back. Celebrate now. Propel forward.”

“As with any anniversary event, focusing on past, present and future is a natural thing to do. Throughout Calvin’s sesquicentennial [150th anniversary], the hope is that all connected to Calvin — staff, faculty, students, alumni, parents, etc — would see themselves in the 150 of history,” says DeBlecourt.

DeBlecourt hopes that through these events, the bonds between Calvin and its alumni across the U.S and Canada will be strengthened, and that the events will “bring them a taste of what’s going on at Calvin today, while connecting them back to their time as a Knight.” These “roadshow events” have visited 23 cities to date, with seven more to come.

There have also been three seminary-focused events in Florida, as well as modified versions in international locations that Presidents Elzinga and Medenblik were already planning to travel to, says DeBlecourt. “Calvin on the Road” has made its way to big cities and small towns alike, with alumni data used to determine where there would be the most demand for these events. Stops included Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Pella, IA and Whitinsville, MA. The final event will take place in Surrey, British Columbia, on April 23.

The 150th Anniversary Worship Service will take place on March 29 at 4:45 p.m. in the CFAC, focusing on celebrating God’s faithfulness towards Calvin over the past 150 years. Students are invited and encouraged to attend.