Welcome and welcome back!
We missed you! We look forward to getting to know you! On behalf of the Faculty and Staff of CTS, I extend these words of greeting.
All of us can notice the following:
- A newly remodeled office suite now holds Dean of Students Jeffrey Sajdak, Associate Dean of Students Sarah Chun and Barbara Blackmore.
- Financial Services is where Dean of Students Rich Sytsma was and you will still see Dean Emeritus Sytsma in the building as he continues to serve us.
- Vanessa Lake decided to go full-time to school for her education degree and Denise Mokma takes up the position as Academic Office Assistant.
- Professors Mariano Avila, Arie Leder and Dave Rylaarsdam return from sabbatical as Professor Mike Goheen takes up his position as Professor of Missiology. Initially he is in the office where Professor Glassford usually can be found while Dr. Glassford is on sabbatical.
- We welcome Rev. Albert Strydhorst as our Distinguished Missionary in Residence as he transitions from 19 years of ministry in Nigeria.
- We also welcome Rev. Stan Mast who recently retired from LaGrave Ave. Christian Reformed Church as he is our new Adjunct Professor of Preaching.
- We are still offering free coffee around the building, but please do not fill up thermoses or let Calvin College students know!
- Rooms 145 and 146 have been remodeled. New communication screens have also gone up throughout the building.
- Sue Vander Laan and Karen DeYoung have switched office locations.
- The Faculty/Staff Mailroom has also been remodeled and renamed.
- We just welcomed 12 students as the inaugural cohort for the Distance M.Div. program. We are glad to see a very high number of new students in all other programs. In addition, we welcome Stephanie Brooks (spouse of student Kyle Brooks) to the Admissions Team.
- We are working on a new nametag system that we are opening up to students to use – inside and outside the building!
This coming year, we want to continue to enhance community and communication, by making consistent use of the “open-time” known as “Town Hall time” in the schedule on Thursdays from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.
Please note in your weekly schedule this opportunity that will include interviews, presentations and sometimes just food for the Thursday lunch hour. The Student Senate and CTS Administration hope you will mark your calendars for this consistent gathering time.
We will also be able to host guests such as Ken Sande, author of The Peacemaker, who will be at Calvin Seminary on Thursday, November 8.
We are just beginning to plan and we look forward to a year of learning, community and growth. Stay tuned! Glad you are here!
Blessings,
President Jul Medenblik