Today we’d like to introduce you to Phil Tanis For The Van Raalte Institute.
Hi Phil Tanis, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Founded in 1993, the A. C. Van Raalte Institute (VRI) is an internationally recognized leader in historical research. The VRI research fellows focus on Dutch American history of the 19th-21st centuries; the history of Holland, Michigan, and its subcultures; and the history of Hope College.
The VRI is a part of Hope College but is fully endowed for its work. Its senior research fellows are all retired, mostly from academics, but continue to vigorously research and write. The VRI’s publishing house, Van Raalte Press, releases a half dozen books each year, the result of both the researchers’ work and contributions from others, including Dutch research fellows.
The longest serving researcher is Robert P. Swierenga, the foremost scholar of 19th-century Dutch American studies, who joined the VRI in 1996.
Phil Tanis, the current director, is the youngest researcher at 61-years-old. He is a former mayor of Holland, overseeing the installation of the city’s snowmelt system in late ’80s.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Thanks to generous donations from Hope College alumni, the VRI has steadily grown since its founding and is currently “at capacity” with 10 senior research fellows (both active and emeriti) as well as a half dozen visiting fellows and several honorary Dutch research fellows.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The research of the Van Raalte Institute is shared through presentations but also—and mainly—via the Van Raalte Press, which publishes around a half dozen books per year.
Recent books have included “Faith and Family in a Time of War: Letters of WWII Field Surgeon Dr. Richard C. Boelkins,” “Present, But Not Counted: Dutch-Immigrant and Second Generation Midwives Working in Dutch Colonies in the United States, 1840–1940,” “A Clear Vision: The Motivation for Gordon D. and Evon Laman to Serve as Missionaries to Japan, 1959–2002,” and “A Call for Dutch Emigration: An Appeal Based on Faith, Family, and Famine.”
These books range from a personal account of World War II to an often-overlooked part of history: the importance of women in medicine in immigrant communities. All of the Van Raalte Press books maintain a high academic and quality standard while also being engaging and interesting on the personal level.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My advice for anyone just starting out: don’t be discouraged by any initial setbacks; keep striving for your goals. I (Phil Tanis) was a history major at Hope College before the Van Raalte Institute existed. I did a few local history projects before moving into other fields. Now, nearly 40 years later, I’m back, doing what I’m passionate about, bringing history to life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hope.edu/vri
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582991517199
