Vernon J. Ehlers Collection, 1955-2010 | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

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Collection Overview

Title: Vernon J. Ehlers Collection, 1955-2010

ID: COLL/525

Primary Creator: Vernon James Ehlers (1934-2017)

Extent: 93.0 Boxes

Arrangement: Folder level description

Abstract

Professor of physics at Calvin College; and a politician (Kent County Board Commissioner, State Representative, State Senator, and Federal Congressman). The collection details Ehlers’ political career including committee service and bills sponsored/co-sponsored, plus his earlier academic career. The collection includes biographical data, resolutions, reports, news releases, memorandums, correspondence, notes, speeches, bills, proclamations, acts, concept papers, house statements, articles, remarks, political campaign material, testimonies, debates, awards, papers, interviews, handouts, studies, appointment books/cards/lists/schedules/sheets, news clippings, videos, cassettes, DVDs, posters, photographs, and artifacts.

Biographical Note

Vernon James Ehlers is the youngest of the four children of Rev. John William Christian and Alice Cornelia (née Doorn) Ehlers, born on 6 Feb 1934 in Pipestone, MN. He suffered from severe asthma as a child and as a consequence was unable to attend school. He was home- and self-schooled and received a diploma from Edgerton (MN) Christian School and did his high school work via correspondence. He attended Calvin College, 1952-1955; and the University of California, Berkeley, from which he received an AB in 1956 and a PhD in 1960; his doctoral dissertation was “The Nuclear Spins and Moments of Several Radioactive Gallium Isotopes.”

He taught and conducted scientific research at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, 1956-1966, and joined the Physics Department of Calvin College in 1966, ultimately serving as department chair. He was a member of the Faculty Organization Study Committee (FOSCO), 1968-1977, that developed a new faculty governance system for the college, whose enrollment had grown from 500 in 1945 to 3,200 when Ehlers joined the faculty. He left the college faculty in 1983 to serve in the Michigan Legislature.

Ehlers was elected to the Kent County Board of Commissioners, 1975-1983; the Michigan House of Representatives, 1983-1985; and the Michigan Senate, 1985-1993. In 1993 he won a special election in Michigan’s 5^th District (later 3^rd), after the death of former fellow faculty member Congress Member Paul B. Henry (Coll. 357) and won a full term in 1994, and subsequent elections, serving until 2011.

Ehlers married Johanna Meulink on 14 Jun 1958; they have four children: Heidi, Brian, Marla, and Todd. The Ehlers were founding members of Faith Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, Walnut Creek, CA, in 1961.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Personal, 1955-2010],
[Series 2: Student Years, 1955-1960],
[Series 3: Post Graduate Correspondence, 1960-1967],
[Series 4: Research, 1962-1968],
[Series 5: Class Lectures, 1967-1979],
[Series 6: Student Evaluations, 1979-1982, n.d.],
[Series 7: Calvin College Faculty, 1963-1983],
[Series 8: Kent County Board of Commissioners, 1878-1982],
[Series 9: Michigan House of Representatives and Senate, 1982-1993],
[Series 10: United States Congress, 1993-2012],
[Series 11: United States Congress, 1993-2012],
[Series 12: Election campaigns],
[Series 13: Legislation],
[Series 14: Reference material],
[Series 15: Invitations],
[Series 16: Awards and Honors],
[Series 17: Subject files],
[Series 18: Photographs],
[Series 19: Media Relations],
[Series 20: Ehlers' Campaigns],
[Series 21: Constituent Gifts],
[Series 22: Aeronautics and Aerospace],
[Series 23: Plaques and Awards],
[Series 24: Certificates],
[Series 25: Photographs],
[Series 26: Republican Party],
[Series 27: Buttons, Decals, Patches, Memorabilia],
[Series 28: Legislation],
[Series 29: Miscellaneous],
[All]

Series 16: Awards and Honors

Box 69

Folder 1: Honorary Board Memberships

Folder 2: Various Certificates of Appreciation, etc.

Folder 3: Michigan Awards and Certificates

Folder 4: National Awards and Certificates

Folder 5: Grand Rapids Awards and Certificates

Folder 6: Honorary Degree -Michigan State --- 1998

Folder 7: Republican Party Award and Certificates

Folder 8: Jordan College -Doctor of Humane Letters --- 1999

Folder 9: Association for Women in Science Certificate --- 1999

Folder 10: American Chemical Society Public Service Award --- 2000

Folder 11: Certificate of Adoption from Westside Christian School Class --- 1-Aug

Folder 12: AAS-AMS-APS Public Service Award --- 2000

Folder 13: Award for Distinguished Public Service -IEEE USA --- 2001

Folder 14: American Association for Advancement of Science Award --- 2002

Folder 15: Recipient of the Ralph Coats Medal -ASME (see page 63) --- 2003

Folder 16: Award of "Roberts Coe Roe Medal" by ASME --- 2003

Folder 17: American Association for Advancement of Science Philip H. Abelson Prize --- 2003

Folder 18: Recipient -AAAS Philip Hauge Abelson Prize --- Feb-03

Folder 19: American Society of Mechanical Engineers Ralph Coats Roe Medal Award --- 2003

Folder 20: State of Michigan Special Tribute --- 2004

Folder 21: Ripon Forum Article by VJE -"Virtues of Math and Science" --- 2005

Folder 22: Resolution from City of Wyoming, MI --- Nov-05

Folder 23: National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Leadership Award --- June 7, 2005

Folder 24: Material RE: Milliken Distinguished Service Award to VJE --- 2006

Folder 25: Ripon Society Rough Rider Achievement Award --- 2006

Folder 26: American Society of Mechanical Engineers Normaugine Award --- May 8, 2007

Folder 27: Special Tribute (50th Wedding Anniversary) State of Michigan

Folder 28: Special Tribute -Skills Act, State of Michigan --- 2008

Folder 29: Center for Science Education Champion Award --- September 17, 2008

Folder 30: Distinguished Service Award -APTA --- 2010

Folder 31: Congressional Stationary

Folder 32: Retirement Celebrations --- Mar 22, 2010 and Oct 11, 2010

Folder 33

Item 1: President George Bush's State of the Union Address --- January 31, 2006
Item 2: Inauguration Credentials --- January 30, 2005

Folder 34: Certificates of Election -Representative in Congress --- 1994-1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006

Folder 35: Grand Valley State University -Honorary Dcctorate --- 2002

Folder 36: Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree -University of Michigan --- 2011