Joe Calvaruso shared stories from his experience working with the Bush/Cheney 2004 presidential campaign, among other topics, at the 2006 Elkin R. Isaac Alumni Lecture at Albion College.  "I applaud students for getting involved in politics and doing the things you're doing," he said, discussing how building his "trust factor" with political leaders led to his politically-related career.  "The sky's the limit, if you want to work hard and go for it."

Liberal Arts and the Game of Life
Joe Calvaruso, '78, Presents Isaac Symposium Alumni Lecture
April 26, 2006
Story by Jake Weber; photos by Moe Arvoy

Volunteerism, teamwork, continuing education and the proper way to drape a U.S. flag were among the many topics addressed by alumnus Joseph Calvaruso, '78, who delivered the Elkin R. Isaac alumni lecture during Albion College's 2006 Elkin R. Isaac Student Research Symposium.

Albion native Calvaruso, vice president and director of risk management for Grand Rapids-based Mercantile Bank, shared his thoughts on "The Nine Innings of Life," and how his Albion College experience contributed to his success.

Active in Republican Party politics on the local, state, and national levels, Calvaruso served as an "advance lead" for Vice President Dick Cheney during the last several months of the 2004 Presidential campaign. During that time, as well as during his banking career, Calvaruso noted that his liberal arts education provided useful tools for success. 

Gerstacker Institute director Mike Frandsen hands a student a "class dollar" for attending the lecture.  The dollar is worth three points on a final exam in Frandsen's class.

"I do not regret a single one of my science [or art] classes, because when you're faced with a challenge in life, that kind of background is very helpful," he said.

Calvaruso and his wife, Donna, also recently endowed the Elkin R. Isaac Student Research Symposium Keynote Lecture, which serves as the capstone celebration for the College's two-day celebration of academic achievement and student research. "The student presentations at the Ford Visiting Committee meeting last week ... were some of the brightest presentations that I've seen," he noted.  "I knew then that [endowing the keynote] was the right thing to do."

Calvaruso further noted his pleasure that childhood friend and fellow alumnus Bill Stoffer, '74, has endowed the College' Opening Convocation lecture.  "The William K. Stoffer lecture is at the front end of the school season, and the Joseph S. Calvaruso keynote address is in the spring, like two bookends," Calvaruso said.  "There's a lot of good learning between those two bookends."

 Calvaruso also currently serves as a Visiting Committee member for the College’s Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service.