This makes me very uneasy:

Quoted: InterOil doesn’t have Enron’s political juice, but it does have some notable ties to the Bush Administration through one of its key investors and directors, Gaylen Byker. Byker is the president of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan; the school is affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church. He’s donated roughly $30,000 to GOP candidates and causes in recent years. Karl Rove’s grandmother and her two sisters attended Calvin around the end of World War I. In 2005, Rove arranged for President Bush to deliver the College’s commencement speech. Even though Calvin is quite a conservative institution, hundreds of students and faculty signed a protest ad that was placed in the local press. Erik Prince, the owner of Blackwater and a major GOP financial supporter, holds a top position at a family foundation that is a major donor to Calvin College. (Which explains Calvin College’s Prince Conference Center, which is named after Erik’s mother.) Another big Calvin College donor is Amway heir Dick DeVos, also a huge contributor to the Republican Party. (Which explains Calvin College’s DeVos Communications Center.)

With the exception of literally a handful of people I met at Calvin, most important being Slager, I'm not sure I'd make the same college choice knowing what I know now. If I could go back in time and have a conversation with the 17 year-old Kruse, I might tell her to go to U of M instead. I try to talk around the exact name of my alma mater these days when it comes up. Though there is a large liberal population of professors and students at Calvin, the world will always see it as very conservative, I'm afraid. Oh well, at least I signed the protest ad.

Well in some ways the invitation and controversy might have alleviated that impression. Most of the world hadn't heard of the school before he came, and just about every story mentioned that he wasn't entirely welcome. I thought Calvin and its liberals came out of the whole thing okay. The one person who suffered most with the whole thing was Gaylen, who lost A LOT of idiot donors and stammered through his introduction of his crush.

yeah, and I think that there are some really good Calvin representatives out there who have the potential to effect Calvin in the future and are even starting to effect it now. I'd add to the list: Emily Venn, Ben Alsdurf, Jason Fileta, Christy Bockheim and I think the list goes on. I worry too about Calvin losing it's cerebral, thoughtful tradition as the Princes and DeVos attempt to build and endow their way to a conservative Calvin, but I think the professors hold strong.

also it is worth noting: "Big Game? An Enron Survivor Hunts for Riches" http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/business/yourmoney/21oil.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

John, I'd put you at the top of the recent grads list, even if you're not allowed to educate Knights about your current role.

Just wow. I don't regret going to Calvin (Chimes, lots of great classes, the Kruse), but I hate it when the top brass decides to paint a picture of the college with their own personal persuasions just because they can.

Agreed. Ah, what I wouldn't do for another chance at the Chimes office with my brow be-studed partner in crizime!

I miss that ring. Darn infection. Of course, now with a baby... ouch.