Calvin College

Calvin College

Motto	"My heart I offer to you, Lord, promptly and sincerely."
Type	Private liberal arts college
Established	1876
Religious affiliation	Christian Reformed Church
Endowment	$123.6 million (2014)
President	Dr. Michael K. Le Roy
Academic staff	358
Students	3,918
Location	Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
Campus	Suburban (390 acres)
Colors	Maroon and Gold
Athletics	NCAA Division III – MIAA
Nickname	Knights
Affiliations	Calvin Theological Seminary CCCU CIC IAPCHE
Website	www.calvin.edu

Coordinates: 42°55′49″N 85°35′17″W / 42.93028°N 85.58806°W / 42.93028; -85.58806

Calvin College is a liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of Protestantism. Calvin College is named after John Calvin, the 16th-century Protestant Reformer.

The Christian Reformed Church in North America founded the school on August 4, 1876, as part of Calvin College and Theological Seminary (with the seminary becoming Calvin Theological Seminary) to train church ministers. The college and seminary began with seven students, in a rented upper room on Spring Street, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The initial six-year curriculum included four years of literary studies and two years of theology. In 1892, the campus moved to the intersection of Madison Avenue and Franklin Street (Fifth Avenue) in Grand Rapids. In September 1894, the school expanded the curriculum for those who were not pre-theological students, effectually making the institution a preparatory school. In 1900, the curriculum further broadened, making it more attractive to students interested in teaching or preparing for professional courses at universities. In 1901, Calvin admitted the first women to the school.