A Flight of Words

Drew Reichard
Story Beat
Professor Hettinga
October 28, 2010


A Flight of Words in the Covenant Fine Arts Center

In honor of the newly finished Covenant Fine Arts Center, the English department hosted a poetry and prose reading on October 21.
This event was the first of many to be presented in the newly finished recital hall. The recital’s organizer, Elizabeth Vander Lei, reported proudly that, “the cool thing about this event was that it was the first event in the new recital hall. Of all the words and musical notes that will soak into that glorious woodwork, these authors spoke the first.”
The authors were chosen from many different walks in the Calvin experience, including Andrew Steiner, a senior in the English program; Laura Bardalph, an alumni; and George Harper, a professor reading on behalf of an honored alumni who couldn’t make it; and also Lew Clat, a respected English professor who shared some of his own personal poetry.
Following these readers, came the highly honored professor, Walter Wangarin, who spoke about the art of creative writing and this wonderful gift that God gave us to craft such words. He spoke of our ability, and therefore responsibly, to not only write for someone other than yourself, but also to tell the truth even in fiction.
The recital hall itself was pristine and smelled of new wood and paint. English major, Nard Choi wrote of the renovated building in a poem: “O stately Fine Arts Center, thou dost stand, Grandly set apart from all other buildings. They fail to exceed thy solemn dignity; they cannot match thy genial air.”
The excitement and gratitude to all the many people that put so much effort into finishing the building extended throughout the duration of the recital and was expressed by all there. After the Flight of Words recital there were refreshments.
The excitement among the English staff to move from their remote home of the Surge Building across the beltline is immense. Professor Chad Engbers says that, “it will be very nice to not have to walk so far to get to my office.”
Professor Vander Lei promises more English readings in our new recital hall to come, starting with the Calvin Writers Read on Tuesday, November 2nd, in the Center Art Gallery, CFAC.
The English Department is buzzing with excitement to begin regularly using the newly renovated Covenant Fine Arts Center.