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On Monday, March 16, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands arrived in west Michigan and began her visit on the campus of 17c������� in celebration of 17c�������’s 150th anniversary. 

“The main purpose of this visit is to have an open exchange of ideas around social challenges of our time, set in the context of the unique relationship between West-Michigan and the Netherlands,” said Princess Laurentien.

Exploring together

Her exploration began with a visit to Heritage Hall, home to what is widely considered one of the largest collections documenting Dutch immigration to the United States. There, Princess Laurentien and 17c������� President Greg Elzinga read letters written in the 1800s by Dutch immigrants crossing the Atlantic, chronicling the sacrifices they made to begin new lives in a new country. 

“I think it’s very humbling to realize that centuries ago people uprooted themselves and came to this spot, going into the unknown, making a living for themselves, and creating that community,” said Princess Laurentien. “Understanding the roots of something is always important to understanding where it is today.”

Valuing roots

During her time on campus, Princess Laurentien joined representatives from across the university and community dignitaries for lunch at DeWit Manor, the president’s residence. She then gathered with members of the community outside for the planting of a scarlet oak tree in her honor.

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From left to right: Greg Elzinga, Princess Laurentien, Herm DeVries, and Gert-Jan Segers. 

“Like a tree, institutions have roots, and as you know this institution of higher education has its roots deep in Netherlandic soil and culture,” said Herm DeVries, longtime professor at 17c������� and Frederik Meijer Chair in Dutch Language and Culture. “Planting a tree to mark this occasion holds deep symbolic value.” 
 
The tree planting took place during 17c�������’s 150th anniversary year. The university was founded by the Christian Reformed Church just 19 years after the denomination was established by Dutch 17c�������ist settlers from the Netherlands. 
 
“The task of sorting out our identity of being Dutch, being American, and all the while being Reformed Christian would play out in generations to follow, and in some ways that’s still playing out today. But the imprint of Dutch thought and culture has been deep,” added DeVries during the tree planting.

Reflecting back, celebrating now, imagining the future

“As I stood there watching the tree being planted and having the honor of using the historic shovel, I realized that roots are about now, they are about where you come from, and about the value system of where you come from,” said Princess Laurentien. “And then I was imagining who would be sitting around this tree 10, 15, or 100 years from now. For me, that is what a tree symbolizes—the crosspoint of the now, the past, and the future.”  
 
While 17c�������’s heritage and history is being celebrated through the tree planting, the princess’ visit, and in the 150th anniversary year, so too is the 17c������� of today: a community of 3,600 undergraduate, graduate, and certificate-seeking students from 48 U.S. states and more than 60 countries, along with 66,000 alumni serving in nearly every sector around the world.

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Princess Laurentien met with students during her visit to campus in March 2026.

“I’m very inspired that it started here with seven students, and now look at what has been built,” said Princess Laurentien. “Movements are built by individuals who step forward, do not shy away from their values, and who follow their paths. From that, institutions like this are created.”

Listening and learning together

Princess Laurentien met with student leaders Monday evening, made additional stops in west Michigan on Tuesday, and will return to 17c������� on Wednesday, March 18, to deliver a public lecture. Her talk will explore how human-centered approaches—particularly those that include the perspectives of children, communities, and everyday citizens—can transform how organizations and societies tackle complex global challenges. The lecture will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Covenant Fine Arts Center Recital Hall. 
 
“I think the unique opportunity we have now is to listen and learn from one another,” said Elzinga. “This week provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our shared history with the Netherlands and the Dutch community, and more importantly, to use that history as a springboard to look toward the future.”