Phyllis Van Vugt Bratt Family

Ernest Van Vugt (1922-1992) was a distinguished Professor of Latin and classical mythology at Calvin College from 1955 – 1977 and also served as Registrar of the college from 1972 until his retirement in 1987. A native of Hull, North Dakota, and a veteran of the Navy Air Corps during World War II, Professor Van Vugt graduated from Calvin in 1954 and earned a master’s degree in Latin from the University of Michigan. He was a much beloved teacher and colleague, memorable for his calm and gracious temperament, his fine wit, his commitment to excellence, and his deep love for language and the liberal arts. He pioneered the teaching of classical mythology at Calvin, now a centerpiece of classical studies; but even more admirably he led a generation of young people to grasp the power of Vergil’s poetry and the value of ancient wisdom in the formation of a Christian mind.

Professor Van Vugt’s wife Phyllis, his four children, family and friends have established this scholarship as a memorial to his love for the classics, Calvin College and its Lord, and as an encouragement to future students in the disciplines he held so dear.