At Calvin college, January is a time dedicated for students to explore the different aspects of our culture. In 1988, June Hamersma took on the responsibility of what Calvin now calls “The January Series.” In that first year Calvin saw an average of 368 attendees. Now it attracts an average of over 1400 per day, with prospects of seeing those numbers climb even more in the upcoming series.

Each year June Hamersma brings Calvin students, faculty, and the community a wide array of speakers who will help broaden the minds of all those who listen.

“The January Series is always intellectually and culturally cutting edge,” she said.She has helped Calvin win the Silver Bowl Award for a college lecture series three times in six years, including the last year the award was given.

In keeping with those standards, January 2002 looks to be full of stimulating and intellectual speakers who will capture the attention of anyone visiting the Fine Arts Center Auditorium. Calvin students have responded especially well in the past few years, resulting in reserved student seating being doubled. Hamersma seeks to reach out to Calvin students as her top priority.

When looking for speakers for the January Series she says, “It needs to be someone who can bridge the gap between the podium and the audience.” Rev. T.N. Wright, a canon theologian at Westminster Abbey will be making a special visit on January 11. Marilynne Robinson, professor of the Creative Writing Department at the University of Iowa, and author of The Death of Adam, will speak on Friday, January 18. Cantus, a professional male vocal ensemble founded at St. Olaf College, will be making a returning appearance after pleasing Calvin crowds at the January Series of 2001. They will be giving a workshop for middle and high school male singers while visiting Grand Rapids. Calvin College is also privileged to have a second musical speaker: Andrew Manze, baroque violinist, along with Richard Edgarr, harpsichord, will be performing for the series on January 22.

The line-up does not stop there. Calvin is also honored to present on the January 16 Rod Englert, one of the top forensic consultants in the world. He will be lecturing on the topic of “Crime solving through forensic science.” In mid-January Henry Louis Gates Jr, Chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Harvard University will be gracing Calvin’s campus with a lecture on “W.E.B. DuBois and the Encyclopedia Africana.”

Hamersma also recently confirmed the appearance of Charles Colson, who now leads a prison ministry after serving time for his involvement in the Nixon scandal. He will be speaking on how his prison time drew him to God and “interchanged” his life forever.

This past year, a new system was used to broadcast the lectures live at Raybrook Manor. This helped Calvin College deal with the overflow and allowed more room for the students to attend the lectures. The Series plans to continue utilizing this new technology in future years.

Hamersma said that, “A great liberal arts school, like Calvin, teaches you how to think, not what to think.” The January Series 2002 looks to do just that, encouraging Calvin students to expound upon their knowledge and reach out to learn more about the world around them.

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