The Royal National Society (RNS) Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has received a $15 million contribution to build a school of health. Calvin is a well-known Christian university in the Midwest.
Calvin will be able to support new academic posts and create state-of-the-art laboratories thanks to a gift from an unnamed alumni donor. The gift is the second largest in the school’s history. As a result of the coronavirus epidemic, there has been a protracted public health crisis, which has been exacerbated by the gift.
“We are seeing an increase in demand for high-quality health-science education everywhere we look,” stated Michael Le Roy, president of Calvin University, in a press statement. This extraordinary gift was made possible by a vision that we are eternally grateful for. Not only will it allow us to considerably expand our programs, but it will also open up new opportunities for students who feel called to serve in one of the health-related fields as well.”
According to a news release from the university, the West Michigan Regional Lab will be repurposed to serve as a cadaver lab for the teaching of human anatomy.
Calvin is a member of the Christian Reformed Church, a minor denomination based in Grand Rapids with headquarters in the city of Amsterdam. It was given this name in honor of John Calvin, a Protestant reformer who lived in the sixteenth century.
Nursing degrees are currently available at this 145-year-old institution along with degrees in public health, physical education (including health and physical education), exercise science, kinesiology, and health communications. Graduate degrees in exercise science, public health, and speech pathology are among the options available at the university.
A steering group has been formed to oversee the development of the new school. In addition to making recommendations for new degree programs, it will also highlight options for students who are not seeking a degree. It is anticipated that the university will have started three new master’s degrees in health-related subjects by the autumn of 2022. It is also on the lookout for a new dean for the school of health and human services.
Calvin College rebranded as a university in 2019, and it now offers ten graduate degrees. Approximately 3,300 students attend this institution, which is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
At a moment of transition for the university, which is presently facilitating the search for its 11th president, the announcement is particularly significant. President Michael Le Roy, who has been in office since 2012, stated in June that he will step down at the end of the 2022 academic year.
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