Hope College News
2026 Oct
Knickerbocker Theatre Presents Classic Silent Film Series Starting on Nov. 2
The Hope College Knickerbocker Theatre will continue its Classic Silent Film Series with five classic films beginning Nov. 2 in the Knickerbocker Theatre at Hope College.
Hope College Hosts Brent Orrell as Guest Lecturer on the Age of AI
The advancement of artificial intelligence, expansion of data centers and speculation over an AI-driven jobs crisis have left many uneasy about what comes next. Questions such as "How will AI affect my career prospects?" and "Will AI help or harm human flourishing?" have become common in schools and the workforce alike.
Hope College to Host Economics & Business Dinner Featuring Economist Douglas Holtz-Eakin Nov. 9
Hope College’s Department of Economics & Business will welcome the West Michigan business community to a free dinner featuring economist Douglas Holtz-Eakin on Monday, Nov. 9, at the Haworth Hotel in downtown Holland. The event begins at 5:30 p.m., and advance registration is required.
Hope College Orchestra Presents Ode to Joy Hymn-Sing Concert Nov. 6
The Hope College Orchestra will present its annual hymn-sing concert, “Ode to Joy,” at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, in the Concert Hall at the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. The concert will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 and feature a musical journey through the biblical story, from Genesis to Revelation.
Hope Hosts Indigenous Peoples’ & Environmental Justice Lecture on Nov. 10
Hope College will host a lecture titled “A Case for Why Indigenous Peoples are Leaders in Biodiversity Conservation Globally” on Tues., Nov. 10 at 3:30 p.m. in the concert hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. The public is invited and admission is free.
Renowned Chemist and Researcher to Address Plastics Sustainability & Solutions
The Hope College Office of the Dean for Natural and Applied Sciences invites the campus and Holland community to the annual Gentile Interdisciplinary Lectureship, featuring renowned researcher Dr. Thomas H. Epps, III. The free lecture will take place on Wed., Oct. 21, from 5 to 6 p.m. in Winants Auditorium, located in Graves Hall on the Hope College campus. The campus and community are invited to attend.
Hope Hosts 2026 Affirming LGBTQ+ Students Lecture on Oct. 19
The Rev. Alexander Swain ‘16 – an Episcopal priest serving as vicar of St. Andrews and curate for Intergenerational Ministries at St. Philip’s in the Hills in Tucson, Ariz. — will be the guest lecturer for Hope College’s annual Affirming LGBTQ+ Students Lecture event. He’ll present “In Christ, a New Creation: The Significance of Inclusive Orthodoxy in the Church Today” on Monday, Oct. 19, at 3:30 p.m., in the concert hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts located at 221 Columbia Ave. The public is invited and admission is free. Doors will open at 3:15 p.m. and a Q&A panel discussion will follow the lecture.
Environmentalist & Author Bill McKibben to Speak at Hope College
Bill McKibben – an environmentalist, author and educator – will be the keynote speaker for Hope College’s annual Campus Sustainability Month program, on Thurs., Oct. 22 . He’ll address Hope College students at 4 p.m. in the A. Paul Schaap Science Center and the community is invited to attend at no charge, for McKibben’s public address at 7 p.m. at Graves Hall on campus. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Co-sponsoring this event are the Hope Sustainability Committee and the Holland Area Chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby.
Grammy Award-Winning Akropolis Reed Quintet Performs at Hope College
The Hope College welcomes Grammy Award-winning Akropolis Reed Quintet at the Jack H. Miller Center, as the college’s Great Performance Series continues in 2026.
H2 Dance Company Presents Annual Fall Concert Series at Hope College
H2 Dance Company — Hope College’s pre-professional dance company — presents its annual fall concert series on October 30–31 and November 6–7, all starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland.
St. Benedict Institute to Host Oct. 15 Talk on “The Christ-Haunted South”
The Saint Benedict Institute will host speakers Fr. Damian Ference and James Matthew Wilson to discuss “The Christ-Haunted South: Grotesques, Poetry and the Sacramentality of Being.” The free, community event will take place Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 7 p.m. in Winants Auditorium in Graves Hall at Hope College.
De Pree Art Center Exhibition Celebrates Artist Candace Hicks
The De Pree Art Center at Hope College will open a new exhibition titled, “Notes on Cloud Formations” featuring interdisciplinary artist Candace Hicks. Exhibition dates are Oct. 9-Nov. 5, 2026.
2026 Sep
Hope College Department of Theatre to Produce “Dead Man’s Cell Phone”
The Hope College Department of Theatre will present Sarah Ruhl’s “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” on Oct. 16-17 and 22-24 at 7:30 p.m., along with a 2 p.m. matinee on Oct. 18. All performances will be held in the DeWitt Mainstage Theatre, located in the DeWitt Student & Cultural Center on Hope’s campus.
Hope College Choirs Offer Free Outdoor Concert on Sept. 25
The Hope College choirs will perform outdoors on Friday, Sept. 25 at 5 p.m. in the Pine Grove on the college's central campus. The free concert is open to the public and will feature the Chapel Choir, SPERA, VERITAS and College Chorus — as well as vocal soloists and instrumentalists from the college's Department of Music.
Hope College’s Epic Tug-of-War Set for Saturday, Sept. 26
One of the longest college traditions in the country – The Pull – takes place for its 129th year in Holland, Michigan, at Hope College, on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Topping Out Ceremony Celebrates Progress of New Economics & Business Facility
Construction milestone marks placement of final structural steel beam for Hope College's largest academic building project.
Van Raalte Press Releases “The Endurance of Hope”
The Van Raalte Institute announced a new collection of essays titled “The Endurance of Hope,” which is a follow-up to a 2005 edition that examined Hope College’s historical journey in the “middle way.” Both books explore how Hope College has balanced its Christian identity and academic rigor, while navigating changing cultural and higher education landscapes over the last several decades.
Disability Inclusion Lecture Scheduled at Hope on Sept. 29
Ben Wright, director of disability access in prison education at The Community, will present a free lecture titled “Believing in Even the Possibility.” Wright will speak on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 3:30 p.m. in the concert hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts at 221 Columbia Ave. The lecture is also open to the community. Doors will open at 3:15 p.m., and a Q&A panel discussion will follow the lecture.
Hope College Orchestra Recognized Among Nation’s Best with The American Prize Win
The Hope College Orchestra and its director of orchestras — Samuel Pang — learned this week they are the national winner of the The American Prize–Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in orchestral programming in the college/university division, 2026.
Knickerbocker Theatre Presents Fall Films Series from Sept. 8 – Oct. 17
The Hope College Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland will continue its film series this fall, featuring four films screening from Sept. 8 through Oct. 17. The first film will run from Tuesday through Saturday, while the following three films will run Monday through Saturday. All screenings begin at 7 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theatre.
Hope Hosts 2026 Hispanic Heritage Month Lecture on Sept. 15
Dr. Delia Fernández-Jones will present a lecture, “Don’t leave it to Chance: Inclusive Placemaking for Belonging and Access,” during Hope College’s 2026 Hispanic Heritage Month Lecture on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 3:30 p.m. in the concert hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. The public is invited and admission is free. Doors will open at 3:15 p.m. and there will also be an audience Q&A session and panel discussion following the presentation.