Page 44 - EW June 2023

Cover Story

al options offered within
the collective, enhancing
affordability for students
attending our campuses,
and connecting students
to fulfilling career oppor-
tunities through statewide
corporate partnerships”,
the member colleges/uni-
versities are fiercely proud
of their ancient heritage and
independent (of govern-
ment) status, high faculty-
pupil ratios and faith-based
traditions which translate
into academic education
with strong moral and ethi-
cal content. Andrews U's Arthur (left): high licensure pass rates Alma's Abernathy (right): MUN record
F OR INSTANCE, DR. WIEBE cal infrastructure and a dedicated where over 90 percent students pass

K. BOER, an alum of Calvin
instructional design team with certi-
the licensure exams on first attempt
and Yale universities who
particular, U.S. News & World Report
graduation. An Andrews education
served for 12 years as CEO fied expertise in online education. In and are employed immediately after
of All On, a renewable energy invest- consistently lists our engineering pro- does much more than produce better
ment fund of Shell, and President of gram among the 50 best countrywide informed graduates, it delivers trans-
Calvin University (CU, estb.1876), and employers tell us time and again formed graduates who are equipped to
which has 3,200 students with over that our grads not only have the tech- change the world,” says Dr. Christon
400 from 55 countries (including 20 nical skills they expect from larger Arthur, Provost of Andrews Univer-
from India), is unambiguous that Cal- programs, but also the critical think- sity (estb.1874) which has 3,400 stu-
vin is a “world class Christian Univer- ing and communication skills they ex- dents (including 800 international
sity where students from around the pect from top liberal arts universities,” students (30 from India)) mentored
world come together to engage God’s says Wiebe. by 210 faculty on its Michigan campus.
world with curiosity and conviction” A notable feature of MCA colleges Likewise while Alma College
and to be mentored by a distinguished is that while most offer multiple arts, (estb.1886) offers 50 majors and
faculty encouraged “to push students science, commerce and engineering programs across the health sciences,
to ask hard questions and never settle programmes, some have acquired business, education, humanities and
for the status quo”. national and even international repu- the arts, “each with multiple opportu-
Yet this doesn’t mean that CU is a tation for specialised off-the-beaten- nities for experiential learning”, it has
seminary. (MCA spokespersons take track career programmes as majors. also acquired a nationwide reputation
pains to stress that member colleges Thus for instance, Andrews Uni- for the quality of its Model United Na-
welcome students of all faiths and reli- versity has 36 majors and numerous tions program which is a “political sci-
gious persuasions). According to Boer minors and also offers highly respect- ence winter-semester course open to
the “1-on-1 support” provided by this ed professional degree progammes every student regardless of major”.
boutique university to students has in architecture, dietetics, medical lab Over the past 29 years, the Alma
ensured that “95 percent of graduates science, nursing, physical therapy and College MUN team has won 55 “out-
are professionally employed or are in speech language audiology with 80-90 standing delegation” awards at the
graduate school within nine months of percent of graduates routinely acquir- Midwest Regional Competition and
graduation”. ing ‘licensure pass rates’, i.e, pass the 49 at the National Model UN Confer-
Furthermore CU prides itself on professional board’s examination. ence in New York City — the most of
its academic programmes and digital “Our students are accepted directly any college or university in the 95-year
infrastructure. “Calvin offers multiple from their bachelors degree programs history of the conference.
programs at the undergraduate and into Ph D programmes of Ivy League “Students in the Alma College Mod-
graduate levels in the online mode, universities because they are well el United Nations program are part of
and our work in online education is prepared. Moreover, Andrews has na- a tight-knit group of peers, learning
supported by top-of-the-line techni- tionally ranked professional programs how to work as a group, devising so-

44 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2023