Greg Elzinga has been instated as the 13th president of Calvin University, a tenure that began officially after serving as interim president since the resignation of previous president Wiebe Boer. Elzinga's temporary leadership, marked by a period many recognized as important for the Grand Rapids institution, was ratified by a unanimous Board of Trustees vote, FOX 17 reported.
Lauding Elzinga's "exemplary leadership, vision, and commitment," the board's accolade underlines a period where Elzinga helped guide the university through what has been characterized as significant transition, an apt descriptor considering the abrupt departure of his predecessor and a lawsuit that followed. Having steered the school in the interim capacity, Elzinga's ascension was solidified after a summer characterized by what the university described as listening and discernment accompanied by prayer, as noted WOOD TV. A record class of approximately 1,200 new students bolstered this period of change, signaling to many both the community's resilience and Elzinga's capability to navigate the institution through choppy waters.
The selection process for the president was participatory, with stakeholders from students to faculty and leadership contributing thoughts on the desired qualities of their new president. As WOOD TV described, the essentials were clear: Christian commitment, ambassadorial dynamism, fundraising acumen, and a steadfast dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging or DEIB.
