Larry and Shar Nyhoff

After graduating from high school in Kansas, Larry Nyhoff received a freshman scholarship from Calvin College and graduated in 1960. After he completed graduate school, he returned to Calvin and began teaching mathematics in 1963.

As student interest in computing began to grow in the early 1970s, Calvin began introducing computer-programming courses, which gradually lead to a computing “track” in the mathematics major. Professor Nyhoff taught many of these courses and helped develop a complete program in computer science and the eventual formation of a separate Computer Science Department. He continued teaching until his retirement in 2003 and has taught part time in the department since then.

In addition to teaching, he also coauthored computer- programming manuals that were printed at Calvin and used in those early computing courses. In the following years, this led to the commercial publication of more than 30 computer science textbooks, which are used in colleges and universities around the world. These accomplishments allow Professor Nyhoff and his wife Sharlene to establish a scholarship to encourage students who plan to pursue a major or minor in one of the programs in computer science.