Voice - Spring/Summer 2019 by Dordt University

THE

OF DORDT UNIVERSITY

Six 2019 graduates explain how they got involved at Dordt.

What is civil discourse, and why does it matter?

SPRING/ SUMMER

2019

FROM THE PRESIDENT

OUR THEOLOGY IS LIKE A MAP The spring semester of 2019 is complete. We’ve closed the book on the last official semester of Dordt College. On May 10 more than 350 new kingdom citizens graduated. They’ve fanned out from Sioux Center to the ends of the earth, eager to work effectively for Christ-centered renewal. The 2018-19 academic year was also the year we celebrated the 400th anniversary of the Synod of Dort, which adopted the Three Forms of Doctrinal Unity in the continental Reformed tradition: the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort. As we at Dordt spent time this year highlighting the Reformed doctrines on which we stand, one of our senior students challenged me to be cautious that we don’t love our confessions more than Christ or put more authority in our creeds than in Scripture itself. That student quoted the famous slogan, "No creed but Christ, no book but the Bible.” Both she and I could give examples from our experience in which doctrinal distinctions have driven harmful wedges of disunity in the body of Christ. Yet, I quickly pointed that student to one of my favorite passages from C.S. Lewis: Theology is like a map … Doctrines are not God: They are only a kind of map. But that map is based on the experience of hundreds of people who really were in touch with God—experiences compared with which any thrills or pious feelings you and I are likely to get on our own are very elementary and very confused. If you want to get any further, you must use the map ... That is just why a vague religion—all about feeling God in nature, and so on—is so attractive. It is all thrills and no work; like watching the waves from the beach. But you will not

get to Newfoundland by studying the Atlantic that way, and you will not get eternal life by simply feeling the presence of God in flowers or music. Neither will you get anywhere by looking at maps without going to sea. Nor will you be very safe if you go to sea without a map. (Mere Christianity, 153-155)

THE

OF DORDT UNIVERSITY

SPRING/SUMMER 2019 VOLUME 64 | ISSUE 3 The Voice, an outreach of Dordt University, is sent to you as alumni and friends of Christian higher education. The Voice is published three times each year to share information about the programs, activities, and people at Dordt. www.dordt.edu (712) 722-6000 Send address corrections and correspondence to voice@dordt.edu or VOICE, Dordt University, 700 7th Street NE, Sioux Center, Iowa 51250-1606

Contributors

Dordt has always worked to avoid this either/or dilemma by building its educational vision and curriculum on a biblically-based worldview that is grounded in a deep understanding of Scripture and also informed by a historical understanding of the faith we profess as it has been explored and articulated in Reformed confessions.

Sarah Moss ('10), editor sarah.moss@dordt.edu

As we begin the next academic year as Dordt University, we’ll continue to affirm the Lordship of Christ over every square inch of the world he created. We’ll never diminish Scriptural authority. And we’ll continue to make our best efforts to draw from Reformed confessions in a way that helps our students develop a Christian world-and-life view that can serve as a “map” for seeing all of creation and all of history through that lens.

Kirbee Nykamp ('08), contributing writer

I’m confident about sending our students on the journeys God has in store for them, knowing that we’ve provided them with a map built on God’s truth and based on the gathered wisdom of God’s people through the ages. I’m certain that if they continue to use that map effectively, they’ll be ready for the hills, twists, turns, and detours that are sure to come in the days ahead, until Christ returns or calls them home.

Our Mission

Soli Deo Gloria!

DR. ERIK HOEKSTRA, PRESIDENT

Jamin Ver Velde ('99), designer and creative director Sally Jongsma, contributing editor James Calvin Schaap ('70), contributing writer Kate Henreckson, contributing writer Lydia Marcus ('17), contributing writer Erika Buiter ('20), student writer Justin Banks ('19), student writer Anneke Wind ('19), student writer Adri Van Groningen ('18), photographer Emi Stewart ('20), photographer Bethany Van Voorst, photographer Brandon Huisman ('10), vice president for enrollment and marketing brandon.huisman@dordt.edu

As an institution of higher education committed to a Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, alumni, and the broader community to work effectively toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life.

On the Cover On Friday, May 10, more than 350 students graduated from Dordt. Following the commencement ceremony in the B.J. Haan Auditorium, many students gathered on the Campus Green to celebrate their achievements.

With goats, chickens, pigs, and more, Ag Day had plenty of animals for students to pet and, in some cases, cuddle. Sponsored by the Ag Club, Ag Day featured demonstrations that taught Dordt students and the broader community about agriculture.

IN THIS ISSUE 6

Students get firsthand experience in market research by working with Toys for Tots.

The Prodigal Love of God Conference celebrates the 400th anniversary of the Synod of Dort.

A senior engineering major lands a Christian hip-hop record deal.

Six graduates from the class of 2019 explain the different ways they got involved, built relationships, and worked hard while studying at Dordt.

Faculty and others consider what it means to practice civility and to engage in civil discourse.

or many students, choosing Dordt requires a sense of adventure. For the nearly 50 percent of students from 500 miles away or further, Dordt is far from home, and they know few people. They must trust God in their college decision and be willing to take a risk to come here. Take the four 2019 graduates on the cover, for example. They hail from South Dakota, Colorado, and Central Iowa. They met and became friends at Dordtâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;studying, having fun, and experiencing life together. On May 10, they left campus as graduates, on to the next adventure that God has in store for them. They take with them lifelong friendships and a faith that has encouraged them to take risks both now and in the future.

FROM THE EDITOR

ADRI VAN GRONINGEN ('18)

HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU, KID

UP FOR AN ADVENTURE F

This issue includes many stories of people who stepped outside of their comfort zones to follow God's leading: the 2019 graduates who pushed themselves to make a difference during their Dordt years, one senior who went after a Christian hip-hop record deal, a group of computer scientists who ended up at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, and a blind woman who moved from Michigan to Iowa to get her education. These stories and others reflect how, through risks and a sense of adventure, Dordt graduates follow God's leading throughout all stages of life.

Four Dordt graduates work at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab.

SARAH MOSS ('10), EDITOR

Jim Schaap tells the story of two pastors and their ministries in Sioux Falls.

NEWS

SMALL TEACHING CREATES BIG FACULTY DISCUSSION Dr. Melissa Lindsey was so inspired last summer when she read Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning by James M. Lang that she, after talking with administration, decided to gather a group of faculty to read and discuss the book together. In September, Lindsey sent out an email to gauge interest.

JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

Faculty meet twice a month to talk about small steps to improve teaching.

Twenty-five faculty members signed up. “We were taken aback at the number of faculty who were excited about taking time out of their busy schedules to learn how to teach better,” says Lindsey. “We have members of nearly every division represented: professors of education, business administration, mathematicians, theologians, and biologists. Some professors are in their second semester of teaching, while others have been here for decades.” The title of the book—Small Teaching—is a reference to the concept of “small ball” in baseball. “Small ball” is a batting strategy that focuses on smaller strategies, such as bunts and singles, rather than home runs, to advance runners.

"Small Teaching’s emphasis on making small changes to improve student learning is a compelling invitation to anyone seeking to enhance their teaching," says Dr. Melissa Lindsey.

the book, and each member commits to trying a particular method. Then at the second meeting, they share how they

“Often professional development workshops suggest changes that require major overhaul. That's what I like about this; it suggests small steps that you can actually implement.”

Small Teaching takes that idea and applies it to pedagogy. “Often professional development —Dr. Valorie Zonnefeld, mathematics professor workshops suggest changes that require a major overhaul, put that method into practice. and people can get overwhelmed “One thing I’ve loved about this book because of the scope,” says Lindsey’s club is having these conversations with mathematics colleague Dr. Valorie people across different disciplines,” Zonnefeld. “So that’s what I like about Lindsey says. “Hearing how Dr. John this book; it suggests small steps that McInnis might implement a technique you can actually implement.” in his music class, or Dr. Tony Jelsma The group of faculty has met twice a in biology, it is easier to imagine what month since January. At the first meeting it might look like in my math class. of the month, they discuss a section of

Branching out and hearing from other disciplines is a different and wonderful learning experience.” The discussion of Small Teaching was funded by a teaching innovation grant, an internal Dordt grant that any faculty member can apply for. “I really appreciate that Dordt supports these kinds of things and makes it possible to get together with others and dream,” says Zonnefeld. “Dordt is really good at supporting faculty in doing their jobs well.” “It’s so delightful to work at a place where faculty care so much about their teaching that they’re willing to sit and have these conversations,” adds Lindsey. “And it reinforced to me the culture of Dordt—that everyone cares first and foremost about the development of students.” KATE HENRECKSON

NEWS

PHOTO SUBMITTED

To celebrate April 1, French children typically spend the day cutting out paper fish known as “poisson d’avril,” while adults try to play tricks on one another. To continue this French tradition, Dr. Leendert van Beek had his French 102 students color in pictures of fish.

FRENCH 102 BRINGS FACULTY AND STUDENTS TOGETHER There’s something a bit different about the group of students in Dr. Leendert van Beek’s 9 a.m. French 102 class. Sitting among the mostly 18-20-yearolds are some of Dordt’s own faculty, notecards and French textbooks spread out in front of them, studying alongside other students for a quiz they are about to take. Dr. Leah Zuidema, associate provost and dean for curriculum and instruction, is among them. She signed up for French 101 last fall to prepare for her time in France in October 2018 as a Fulbright scholar. What she learned allowed her to better understand higher education in another country and to connect with colleges in that country. As she’s continued her French studies and learned more from van Beek, her goals have widened.

future missionary work. Zuidema says that learning alongside students also helps her as dean because she’s come to better understand the needs of students and the ways in which professors can navigate those challenges. “Part of our work as professors is to help students understand that learning is about overall progress, not perfection,” Zuidema says. “We truly need to help students understand what it means that God calls us to learn, and we need to be faithful and persistent in following that calling, even when course work is difficult or schedules are busy.”

“Deepening my knowledge of French is a way to love my neighbor, in the broadest sense–to be prepared for interactions or opportunities in everyday life, work, and travel, and to better understand and appreciate cultures connected with the French language,” she says.

Taking French with professors has been a great experience for these students. Freshman Mika Kooistra, who’s had faculty members in her class in a previous semester, says, “It’s given me an opportunity to get to know faculty in a different way, which adds another aspect to feeling connected at Dordt.”

Zuidema is joined by a business professor who plans to use French in

Van Beek has taught several classes that have included both faculty and

WHY TAKE FRENCH 102? Much like the faculty, traditional students have their own reasons for taking French–outside of a graduation requirement, that is. Mika Kooistra, who is majoring in environmental science, will use this class to prepare for the DELF exam, which will certify her as bilingual in Canada. International Business major Aftyn Vermeer plans to use French in possible mission work after she graduates.

community members. “It is more like what happens in real life, where all age groups are mixed in different situations,” he says. “I hope this environment creates a great learning community and that it encourages and stimulates all class participants to always put in their best effort.” ANNEKE WIND (’19)

NEWS

FACULTY NOTES Having completed her studies in Applied Behavioral Analysis and passed the national exam, Dr. Kathleen VanTol, professor of education, is now a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst. Dr. Debbie Bomgaars is one of 35 nursing faculty from across the nation selected to participate in the 2019 American Association of Colleges of Nursing's Digital Innovation Bootcamp: From Content to Action, held in June in Austin, Texas. Dr. Tim Van Soelen, professor of education and CACE director, was invited to present at the Christian Schools International Bible Symposium in Washington D.C., in February. His talk was titled “Teaching the World.” Van Soelen also presented a talk titled “CACE Studies in Innovation” at the Global Christian School Leadership Symposium in February in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Valorie Zonnefeld, professor of mathematics, was elected to the board of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences. Zonnefeld recently presented “A Mindset for Learning STEM” at the 2018 Midwest Annual Robert Noyce Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. She also presented “Growth Mindset 2.0” at the Heartland Convention at Dordt. Dr. Charles Veenstra, professor emeritus of communication, received the Listening Hall of Fame Award from the International Listening Association. Selection to the Listening Hall of Fame is the highest award of the association.

Students partner with a not-for-profit organization to learn about market research. A Dordt student stands in the lobby of a department store, scanning and meticulously cataloguing the toys that have been placed in a Toys for Tots collection box. She’s not a store employee, nor is she a Toys for Tots employee—she’s a third-party market researcher. Courtney Bloemhof (’19), a senior majoring in marketing and Spanish, applied to be a market research assistant under Communication Professor Dr. Tom Prinsen after hearing about the opportunity in her market Tom Prinsen research course. Prinsen has co-led market research on behalf of Toys for Tots, a charity that distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford Christmas gifts, for 12 years. “As a not-for-profit, Toys for Tots needs to know how much the toys they distribute are worth so they can tell the IRS how efficient they are,” explains Prinsen. “Also, Toys for Tots is on a philanthropy top-400 list, and the dollar value of the toys is a big part of their ranking. It’s hard to know how many dollars’ worth they collect each year if they don’t have any data on the average value of the toys they distribute.” This is where Prinsen and Dordt students like Bloemhof come in. Since coming to Dordt three years ago, Prinsen has hired more than a dozen students to conduct research for Toys for Tots.

says Prinsen. “You can talk about data collection in a classroom, but the piece that is often missing from the course is realizing what it takes to collect the data.” Once she’d been hired, Bloemhof contacted a Toys for Tots representative in her region of California to determine the best stores and dates for data collection. Then, Bloemhof flew to California for a weekend and collected data on every donated toy in the selected stores. The data she collected was later analyzed by a statistician to determine the average price of toys donated to Toys for Tots that year. “I learned the art of persistence and patience in communication and attention to detail when it comes to conducting research and getting accurate results,” says Bloemhof. She also developed an understanding of what it takes to be a professional—a skill set that will be useful as she pursues marketing jobs that involve face-to-face interaction with clients. “I love to have students working with me,” says Prinsen. “Hiring a student allows me to develop a stronger relationship with them, and it makes it much easier to write reference letters and tell potential employers that, ‘Yes, I would hire this student—in fact, I did, and I would definitely do so again.’” LYDIA MARCUS (’17)

“Doing this research gives students a chance to see how things really work,”

“What I appreciate most about Dordt is the community—there’s nothing like it,” says Ashley Bloemhof.

JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

Education Professor Dr. Dave Mulder led a series of five professional development workshops for faculty at Unity Christian High School in Orange City. The workshops were held throughout the year and focused on assessment practices and learning.

TOYS FOR TOTS

NEWS

JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

"Bill has the respect of those he has worked with and also those he has competed against. He has shown he can adapt his coaching to the talents of his teams, and his holistic approach has been key to his coaching success," says Ross Douma.

HARMSEN HONORED AS GPAC COACH OF THE YEAR After his first year of coaching women's basketball at Dordt, Bill Harmsen was voted top coach by 12 other coaches in the GPAC league.

Harmsen, a Sioux County native and former coach at Western Christian High School in Hull, Iowa, earned the honor after his first season coaching for Dordt. For Harmsen, coaching is a way to have an impact on people, and his players testify to his positive influence. “Coach Harmsen is well-deserving of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Coach of the Year award,” says Erika Feenstra, a sophomore forward on Dordt’s women’s basketball team. “He spends countless hours not only investing in the game of basketball but also investing in each of his players.” Feenstra led the team in scoring and rebounds; she set a Dordt record for most points in a single season while earning NAIA National Player of the Week honors for her 43 points on November 28 against Northwestern. Her accolades are only some of the records set by the team this year. Harmsen guided the Defenders to a 20-19 regular season mark and a 13-9 league record.

JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

“It’s humbling,” Harmsen says, “but it’s a direct reflection of our players and how hard our women worked this year to earn respect in our conference and nationally. We have really great women here in our basketball program.”

conference, and others look at how a team performed in a given year.” Westra believes the award shows the respect Harmsen earned for how he led the program in his first year. The Defenders finished fourth in the league—the best finish for Dordt’s women’s basketball program since the league was formed in 2000-01.

Bill Harmsen previously coached basketball at Western Christian High School in Hull, Iowa, where he guided the girls to state titles in 2012, 2013, and 2014, and the boys to a 2017 state title.

The 20-win season is the first in the program’s history and is the best since the Defenders were 19-13 in 2009-10. “Those achievements were noticed by GPAC coaches who have great respect for him and the program,” Corey Westra (‘97), GPAC commissioner, says. Each year, the coaches in the GPAC collectively vote for coach of the year in their respective sports. “For each coach it is different,” Westra says. “Some look at placing in the

“The team performed well on the court this season, but seeing them grow in all facets of their lives is especially encouraging,” Dordt Athletic Director Ross Douma says. Harmsen passionately supports “The Defender Way,” a statement in which Dordt’s athletic department commits itself to equipping student-athletes for servant leadership, academic excellence, and winning seasons. “I really admire the passion, intensity, and enthusiasm he brings every day to practice and games,” Feenstra says. “Coach Harmsen’s encouragement goes beyond basketball—he encourages us to excel in the classroom and as Christian stewards.” ERIKA BUITER (‘20)

hat changed me and shocked me about Reformed doctrine was the overwhelming picture of grace,” said Tish Harrison Warren, a plenary speaker at Dordt’s Prodigal Love of God Conference in April. “Honestly, I’m still not over it.” “The grace of original sin for us is a leveling reality in a sense,” said Marilynne Robinson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, in a different plenary discussion. “It brings us all to an equal footing with respect to God’s mercy and our brokenness and infallibility.”

they were fighting to preserve has real pastoral application.” The conference gave Dr. Leah Zuidema, associate provost at Dordt

“History matters. Theology matters. Deep reflection on Reformed identity with an eye to catholicity is important.” — Dr. Justin Bailey, theology professor

That overwhelming picture of grace came up time and again at the conference, which celebrated the 400th anniversary of the Synod of Dort and sought to remind attendees about the importance and legacy of the Canons of Dort. “It wasn’t just a conference in honor of the Synod of Dort, it was really about the Canons,” says Dr. Justin Bailey, professor of theology at Dordt and conference committee member. “I think the conference really helped to clarify the larger theological vision of the Canons. This is not because the participants at the Synod of Dort said or did everything perfectly, but because the vision of God

JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

NEWS

PRODIGAL LOVE OF GOD CONFERENCE

and conference committee member, a deeper historical understanding of the Canons of Dort and the larger context of the Synod of Dort itself. “The Canons focus on a very small set of doctrines related to Calvinism, but they were important for the Synod to spend months on,” says Zuidema. “Again and again, the Canons come back to God’s grace—the idea that we are always running away from God and that he’s chasing after us and pulling us back. He reshapes our hearts. The Canons make clear that we believe only because of God's work in us, whereas the Arminians, who the Canons were a reaction against, were saying, ‘I’m taking a step or two toward God.’ As Christians, if we’re

BY THE NUMBERS With 18 plenary speakers and more than 30 paper presentations, the conference had plenty of learning opportunities to offer its more than 240 attendees. “I loved the variety of speakers we had, especially in bringing voices from outside the Dutch Reformed tradition to speak about the legacy of Dort,” says A.J. Funk, a sophomore theology major. “It was fascinating to hear how speakers like Robinson or Jemar Tisby view the Synod of Dort, especially given its poor representation by many and the fact that the Canons are rarely read outside of our tradition.”

honest with ourselves, we know we’re not doing that.” For Caitie Fagen, a junior theology major, the conference renewed her interest in church tradition, particularly after hearing Harrison Warren’s talk “The Dogma is the Drama.” “Her talk made me want to learn more about creeds and confessions as well as the Canons,” says Fagen.

STEVE HOLTROP

The Prodigal Love of God Conference served as a reminder of the value of examining the past and considering how it can impact the future, particularly for Dordt and its namesake. “History matters. Theology matters. Deep reflection on Reformed identity with an eye to catholicity is important,” says Bailey. “I hope this conference reenergized the Dordt community about the treasure that the Canons are and the beauty that they expose of God’s grace to us in Jesus Christ,” says Dr. Erik Hoekstra, president of Dordt. Dr. James K.A. Smith, Dr. Paul Lim, and Dr. Suzanne McDonald participated in a panel discussion on the Canons of Dort during the Prodigal Love of God Conference.

SARAH MOSS (’10)

The Dordt community is thankful for the employees' 131 combined years of service. DR. JOHN ZWART Dr. John Zwart taught physics at Dordt for 36 years. “Zwart has so much joy for teaching physics,” says Elayne (Apol) Heynen, a senior mechanical engineering student. “He isn’t satisfied with his students simply knowing how to use a set of equations. What he really wants us to understand is why. I believe Dordt wouldn’t be number one in student engagement without the passion and care of professors like Zwart.”

DR. MARY DENGLER English Professor Dr. Mary Dengler has taught at Dordt since 2000. During her tenure, Dengler also directed the Kuyper Scholars Program, an honors program providing highly motivated students with scholarly challenges. “Dengler believes in you no matter what and holds you to a high expectation,” says Staci Seaman, a junior social work major and a Kuyper scholar. “She is willing to invest time and energy in her students. I am so grateful for her strength and for her dedication to her students.”

DAVID VERSLUIS In addition to teaching art and design since 2001, David Versluis served as gallery director and created artworks that are part of Dordt’s permanent art collection. “Every time he makes something, it’s very well-thought out, very professionally done,” says Retasya Badudu, a junior art and design major. “I admire his work. You can see the years of skill that he’s put into his work— the craftmanship and creativity. I want to thank him for the impact he’s had at Dordt and through the gallery shows he coordinates.”

JAN VERSLUIS Jan Versluis has served as reference and user services librarian at the Hulst Library since 2002. “In recent years, Jan selected most of the materials for the library’s collection. Her heart for fairness and social justice influenced her selection choices,” says Jennifer Breems, library director. “Because of her work, Dordt’s collection includes books with multiple points of view on racial justice, the environment, faith and science, immigration, and other topics.”

FRED HAAN Fred Haan has worked at Dordt since 1978, most recently as director of the printing and mail center. “Fred did a great job on the business end and as a purchasing director,” says Carla Goslinga, assistant to the director of the print and mail center. “He was organized and very invested in helping us succeed while making customer service a priority.” SARAH MOSS (’10)

Dr. Tom Prinsen, professor of communication, gave a presentation titled “Advertising and Public Relations Experiential Learning: New Ideas on an Old Theme" at the 2019 International Academy of Business Disciplines Conference.

NEWS

RETIRING EMPLOYEES LEAVE THEIR MARK

FACULTY NOTES

In April, Dr. Sacha Walicord, professor of business administration, presented three papers in a series titled “Taking Every Thought Captive: The Absolute Necessity of a Christian Worldview” at the Eastcombe Conference in the United Kingdom. Walicord’s paper “Weltanschauung—Wie Christen die Welt sehen (sollen),” presented at the 2018 convocation conference of the Akademie fuer Reformatorische Theologie in Giessen, Germany, was published in Bekkennede Kirche Nr. 76. Mark Volkers, instructor of digital media, served as judge of the short film category at the Iowa High School Speech Association at Iowa State University. Nearly 2,400 students from across the state participated. Professor of Engineering Jason Wyenberg coauthored a paper titled “Direct Detection Experiments at the Neutrino Dipole Portal Frontier,” which was published in Physical Review D in April. Dr. Kevin Timmer, professor of engineering, co-authored an article titled “Transformation of Char Carbon during Bubbling Fluidized Bed Gasification of Biomass” in FUEL. MaryLou Wielenga, an adjunct instructor of music, was guest organist with the Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra in their spring concert “The Organ, King of Instruments.” This was also her 40th year of teaching piano and organ.

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NEWS

CHANGES WITH UNIVERSITY W Social work majors created an escape room, an adventure room in which 6-8 participants receive clues and collaborate to develop a strategy to escape the room.

“SO YOU’RE PRO-LIFE… NOW WHAT?” March is Social Work Month, and this year 12 social work majors sought to make a big difference.

ordt’s social work department raised nearly $3,000 during the month, more funds than they had ever raised during the annual event. All funds went to support the Alpha Center, a nonprofit organization group in Sioux Falls that provides a full range of services to women and men involved in an unexpected pregnancy.

In addition to their concrete efforts, the students were also excited about the attention that their activities on campus brought to Social Work Month. “It was great to see how much money we raised and to be able to see what we learned in class put into practice,” says Kiana Haveman, a junior social work major. She and her fellow students hoped that, by hearing the personal

Each year, the junior social work majors are asked to design a project that not only increases social awareness, but also raises funds to help those affected by the chosen issue. This year, they focused on being pro-life, hoping to move people beyond the point of simply — Elyse Tavery, junior social work major proclaiming to be pro-life.

“With any belief that we have, there needs to be actions behind our words.”

“With any belief that we have, there needs to be actions behind our words. What are people actually doing?” says Elyse Tavary, a junior social work major. Social work students organized a coin drive, an escape room, and a panel discussion—all to bring attention to and build support for unplanned pregnancies. “Pro-life to me is being pro-woman and being pro-baby,” says Shanae Klaassen, a client services supervisor from the Alpha Center, who was part of the panel session. “It was encouraging for me to see a full room of people at the panel session, and to hear people asking questions about what they can do to be pro-life.”

stories of people who are pro-life advocates, perceptions might change. “There are many ways to be pro-life,” says Social Work Professor Dr. Abby Foreman. “It’s time that we push the notion that our responsibility as Christians is to support families in our community.” This year’s social work students hope that their actions helped people see that adoption, financial support, and emotional support are also important ways to be pro-life. JUSTIN BANKS (’19)

ith the transition to Dordt University comes many updates on campus, in print, and online. The Voice has undergone a light refresh, with a new cover design, different aesthetic elements, and a new paper finish. These updates have been under consideration for a few years but have now been implemented in conjunction with the Dordt University transition. A new web presence, voice.dordt.edu, has also been created to provide readers with easy online access to articles and online exclusives like videos and additional interviews.

ONLINE

To get an inside look at the Dordt University updates that are happening on campus, visit: voice.dordt.edu.

This summer, many updates will happen on campus. Dordt’s maintenance team will install new gateway signage at the main entrances of campus, add new light pole banners around campus, make updates to the Dordt Clock Tower, and more. The old logo has been removed from the football turf, and the floor in the De Witt Gymnasium has been refinished. The changes will be finalized by mid-August, just in time for students to arrive on campus for the start of the fall semester.

Online, Dordt’s website has undergone a few aesthetic changes to reflect the Dordt University updates. Dordt’s official Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts have also been changed. “I think we stayed true to who we are as an institution while still refreshing our name, our demeanor, and brand position,” says Jamin Ver Velde, Dordt’s creative director. SARAH MOSS (’10)

NEWS

EMI STEWART ('20)

GRONINGA LANDS A CHRISTIAN HIP-HOP RECORD DEAL

How did Becca Groninga, a senior mechanical engineering major, land a record deal with Enoch Flow Records, a Christian hip-hop label? Groninga’s interest in spoken word—a form of word-based performance art— and rap started when she was in high school in Green Isle, Minnesota, where she was inspired to write her own lyrics. During her freshman and sophomore years at Dordt, Groninga kept writing. Then, in her junior year, Groninga participated in Talent Extravaganza, an event at which Dordt students show their talents to the rest of campus. She performed “Alone,” a song she’d written about loneliness and how the church needs to come alongside people who are hurting. “People really enjoyed that song,” she says. "Once I realized God had given me an opportunity and a ministry in music, I decided to do more.” Groninga has performed at worship arts gatherings and NC/DC, Dordt’s annual music competition with Northwestern College. Jonathan De Groot, who directs chapel worship, asked Groninga to perform spoken word at chapel.

“Spoken word is not a common medium for many on Dordt’s campus, and it breaks students’ expectations,” says De Groot. “I think the novelty of this lyrical presentation, along with Becca’s excellent execution, demands a different kind of attention than our community is used to giving. Our frame of reference for spoken word as an art form is being created with a high standard by Becca.” Then, a worship arts leader encouraged her to use the worship arts recording studio. “I pretty much got my first song recorded for free, thanks to Dordt,” says Groninga.

LISTEN TO IT To hear “Alone” by Rezin, check out Groninga’s Spotify page: https://spoti. fi/2VA4gLw

engineer as she pursues her passion for rap and spoken word. Still, a record deal is an impressive feat. De Groot is grateful that Groninga used her lyrical gifts while at Dordt. He is a self-admitted novice when it comes to spoken word, but he says that Groninga’s performances affected him deeply.

By senior year, Groninga was posting her music regularly on Instagram under the stage name “Rezin.” Attempting to participate in a lyrics competition, Groninga unwittingly contacted a record producer, who messaged her and asked her to create a song. That connection led to a record deal.

“Something about her honesty, simplicity, and the beauty in how she puts words together is moving,” says De Groot. “I find her lyrics to reflect an almost Psalm-like depth of tension and wrestling through the ‘real stuff of life’ that seems so rare in our insta-culture.”

Enoch Flow Records is just starting out, and Groninga will work as a mechanical

SARAH MOSS (’10)

NEWS

JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

Dordt adheres to best practices in online course design, using industry standards focused on quality course design, clear learning outcomes, effective assessments, active learner interaction, and responsive learner support.

DORDT EXPANDS MASTER’S PROGRAM OPTIONS I

n the past few months, Dordt has expanded and revised its master’s degree programs. “I’m excited about the opportunity for Dordt to serve a wider variety of working professionals that are looking for a Christcentered program to further their effectiveness in their field,” says Joe Bakker, director of online Joe Bakker programs at Dordt. The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, which was approved by the Higher Learning Commission in March, is currently accepting applications for the fall 2019 semester. Offering emphases in police administration and non-profit administration, the 36-credit, online degree can be completed in as little as two years. It provides students with experience in program evaluation, public finance, and organizational theory that will be useful in a variety of fields, including social work, criminal justice, city management, and non-profit work.

“Our goal for each course in our program is to prepare students for the workplace through projects and assignments that develop the skills they need to directly benefit their employers,” says Donald Roth, director of the program. Dordt’s flagship master’s program, the master’s degree in education, has grown during the past 10 years, with more than 180 students currently enrolled. With an eye toward the future, the program directors decided early in the spring semester to make the master of education program a fully online degree. Previously, 97 percent of the program was online, with a single summer intensive class held on campus. “We see a growing number of teachers from the United States and other countries for whom a trip to campus is cost-prohibitive,” says Dr. Steve Holtrop, director of graduate studies at Dordt. S. Holtrop Now that the program has shifted to being fully online, students interested in a Reformed

perspective in a graduate program have one less barrier of entry. Dordt’s master of education degree offers more than 40 courses within the two tracks of curriculum and instruction or administration, along with eight specializations in areas such as school leadership, teacher leadership, and sport leadership. “It is important to offer online learning options for individuals that have other responsibilities preventing them from enrolling in a face-to-face program, such as a full-time job or living far away from a college,” says Bakker. Bakker says that, in the near future, Dordt expects to add programs in the areas of social work and applied statistics. “Dordt’s master’s degree programs are a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow in your field while continuing to work full-time,” he says. SARAH MOSS (’10)

ADRI VAN GRONINGEN ('18)

n the spring of 2001, the English department at Dordt began having conversations about whether the college needed an honors program.

NEWS

A NEW ERA FOR THE KUYPER SCHOLARS PROGRAM “[Former English Professor] John Van Rys said to me one day, ‘What do you think about an honors program?’” recalls Dr. Mary Dengler, who has been the Kuyper Scholars Program co-director since it began. “We need one,” she told him. “I felt our students needed something like this—we have many students who are highly-motivated, curious, and gifted. So, I said I would be happy to join,” Dengler says. For two years, a group of faculty members met every two weeks to hammer out the intricacies of how an honors program would work. Dengler began visiting other programs around the country.

In the Kuyper Scholars Program, students work on scholarship that they can submit for publication, take to conferences, and utilize for public discussions.

One of the early decisions they made was to name the program after Abraham Kuyper, who Dengler calls “the ideal Christian scholar.” He was Reformed and a polymath; he started Christian education in the Netherlands, founded a Christian political party, and became prime minister. He was a journalist, newspaper editor, and the intellectual forebear of Dordt.

the program since 2007. “How do they develop their own voice and get some practice in doing so? The seminar is a combination of learning to develop an argument based in scholarship, to think about Christian worldview as you do it, and then to get out in the public sphere and communicate.” Fictorie says that he has enjoyed being able to take the students to the National Conference for Undergraduate Research.

“The strength of KSP is its academic rigor, but also that it doesn’t separate Christian scholarship and faith formation.”

The Kuyper Scholars Program (KSP) came to include courses in Christian worldview, which combined composition, speech, and a history of Reformed Christianity. Students write persuasive, research-based essays on topics of interest to them and present them in a weekly seminar. The — Dr. Abby Foreman, professor of social work topics range from book reviews, reviews of medical discoveries, studies of sociological phenomena, and more. Students publicly “Students from all over the country defend their work, taking on faculty and present their work, from different points student questions. of view and perspectives,” says Fictorie. “With KSP, we’re thinking about potential future leaders who will influence culture,” says Dr. Carl Fictorie, who served with Dengler as co-director of

“They get wonderful experience in front of an audience that is diverse and yet friendly. Our students often realize the work they are doing is as good as or better than things other students

are doing at other undergraduate institutions.” With Dengler’s retirement, KSP will undergo some changes. Starting in the fall, two new faculty members will take on the roles of co-directors: Dr. Abby Foreman, professor of social work, and Donald Roth, associate professor of criminal justice and business administration. As they do so, they will also introduce some changes, including emphases in biblical foundations and Christian philosophy. “The strength of KSP is its academic rigor, but also that it doesn’t separate Christian scholarship and faith formation,” says Foreman. “When you are academically gifted, there are responsibilities that come with that as kingdom citizens. We want students to share their knowledge and wisdom with the broader community.” “The program has been fabulous and delightful in every way; the students are exceptional,” says Dengler. “We want to keep its high standards. These students leave us and go to seminary, grad school, engineering, theology, sciences—they do these incredible things. KSP students have learned that they can do difficult work and not be afraid of it.” KATE HENRECKSON

NEWS

ONLINE CLASS CHALLENGES STUDENTS BEYOND THE BOOK In a world where content is increasingly digital, an adjunct professor helps her students learn how to write for life. JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

As an adjunct professor, Rose Postma has taught Core 120: English Composition to a few hundred Dordt students. Since moving to Pennsylvania, Postma hasn’t let distance stop her from introducing students to the power of the written word. Working with Joe Bakker, director of online education, Postma has developed a unique Core 120, which she taught last fall and this spring. The course is intended primarily for dual-enrollment high school students, but Postma wants participants to be deeply engaged in college-level work.

Tyson Dahlgrin, a senior engineering major, chose the online option because of its flexibility. Dahlgrin valued the emphasis on real-world writing and being an effective writer. “If you want to learn to write in a modern environment, this is the class for you,” Dahlgrin says. “I had never thought about reading just to learn how to write. After Professor Postma introduced it, I started to pay closer attention to how people write.”

“This online class allows us to have more direct control over the content than the typical dual-credit program,” Postma says. This appealed to Anna Rediger, a homeschooled high school senior from Marion, Iowa, who chose the class over local community college options. “I wanted to take a really rigorous class,” she explains. “I’m planning to go into chemistry. If I go to graduate school, I will probably go into research, so I need a strong foundation for writing.” Pulling examples from a variety of online publications and platforms, Postma teaches her students both to consume and create writing that is adaptable and timely. In an assignment titled “Writing in the Wild,” Postma posted two Christian authors’ differing reviews of Beyonce’s Lemonade album. Postma challenged students to examine not just whose point of view they agreed with, but how effective those writers were at articulating their ideas. “I want to push them to think about writing and also how to use it to engage in the world,” Postma says.

they found memorable to a discussion board—a sign, a menu board, a Facebook post, a poster,” Postma says. “I thoroughly enjoyed their posts. It would be awkward and time-consuming to do this face-to-face, but it works great online to keep people connected.”

"My focus is on helping students become better writers, as opposed to becoming better paper writers," says Rose Postma.

Recognizing that this online course needed different strategies to engage students and build relationships, Postma sought to use what couldn’t fit well in print form. “They had to post examples of writing

DUAL CREDIT COURSES HAVE ONLINE OPTIONS This summer, high school students will take a variety of online dual credit courses, including Introduction to the Arts; Health, Sport, and the Body; Introductory Statistics; and Communication Foundations. In the fall Dordt will also add dual credit courses in Communication Foundations, Calculus I, and Introductory Statistics.

Rediger found the class’s capstone assignment, a six-week-long process of developing a research paper, helped her not only prepare for college level writing, but also affirm that Dordt was the right fit for her. “I hadn’t had much experience with research, and I hadn’t had a teacher follow up and make sure what I was doing was correct,” Rediger says. “Part of the reason I decided on the class was because Dordt was one of my top choices, and I wanted to get a taste for what the class level was like.” Postma hopes this online Core 120, like its fellow on-campus Core classes, truly prepares students who value a rigorous academic environment. “My goal is that students leave this class and can complete any writing assignment with satisfaction,” Postma says. “I feel confident that I’ve created something that is different, but that is equipping students for what they need to do.” KIRBEE NYKAMP (’08)

SOCIAL MEDIA AROUND THE TABLE S

ocial media and smart phones are ubiquitous in our society. The average person in the United States uses a cell phone about two hours a day. Since social media is primarily accessed on smart phones, it is reasonable to think about the effects of cell phones and social media together to understand how they have changed the landscape of communication and society. We know that social media is influencing the way people feel. Research indicates that its use is moderately related to lower moods, higher anxiety, increased sleep disturbances, lowered self-esteem, increased envy and frustration, and increased loneliness.1 Social media also creates in us certain habits of interaction. It allows us to connect with people all around the world—and gravitate toward people we are familiar with or who hold views similar to our own. This is different from how we interact in physical space where we come into contact with a variety of people—even if all we have in common is residing in the same community. Online, we are not required to interact with people with whom we disagree, creating what are referred to as echo chambers. As we share our thoughts and opinions online, they are heard by our friends or followers who have already decided to friend or follow us because of some shared view or experience. The result is that our own views and opinions are repeated again and again, leading us to believe that they are more common and reasonable than they may actually be. These interactions can also lead us to become more extreme in our views because we are encouraged by hearing others agree with us, an experience related to group polarization. Cognitive processing is also affected by

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON:

smart phones. Our brains have a limited capacity for what they can actively process. Whether on our smart phones or elsewhere, we rarely multi-task; rather, we quickly switch back and forth between tasks. In addition, while using smart phones, we easily become distracted, making us less able to accomplish the single task we began with and decreasing our ability to focus for an extended period of time .2 It is easy to become anxious about what we may be missing (often referred to as FOMO—fear of missing out). Because new information is always appearing, and we don’t want to miss any of it, people can develop an addiction to social media. And although research cannot keep up with the rate of change in social media options and usage today, the features of addiction are being readily identified in people related to their social media use.3 Something that is even more concerning for our face-to-face interactions is that the mere presence of a cell phone seems to have a negative impact. When a cell phone was present, as compared to a notebook, participants in one research study indicated that their conversations did not lead to feelings of closeness or trust in their conversation partner.4 It is clear to most of us that social media and smart phones are affecting social interaction. People we meet are likelier to experience depression or depression-related symptoms because of social media. People have become less practiced in civil disagreements because they are unaccustomed to interacting with people with whom they disagree. They are also unaccustomed to having conversations face-to-face, having become accustomed to hiding behind the anonymity of the Internet. People are more easily distracted and less able to cope with or ignore distractions; they struggle to focus on the face-to-face

conversation for fear of missing out on the social media interactions. And even when the phone is down—unless it is out of sight and preferably out of room—it will not be out of mind.

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I N A L L T H I N G S E X P L O R E S T H E C O N C R E T E I M P L I C AT I O N S O F C H R I S T ’ S P R E S E N C E I N A L L F A C E T S O F L I F E

My advice is to leave your cell phone with your coat and focus on being present with the people around you. You are better off not missing what is in front of you than missing what may or may not be happening somewhere on the Internet. Be supportive of and patient with friends and family as you practice having discussions face-to-face. And consider practicing civil disagreements. If we cannot find common ground with family and friends, we are not likely to find it with strangers. Take a break from social media, and if you think you might have an addiction, take time this summer to re-evaluate what truly matters in your life. At the same time, do not be too discouraged about the effect of social media and smart phones. Humans are adaptable and curious; we will find new ways to fill our time as our fascination with smart phones and social media evolves. In the meantime, remember to be with the people you are with. And perhaps consider turning off the television, too, and have a conversation with the people you are with.

DR. LURALYN HELMING FOOTNOTES 1. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180104-is-socialmedia-bad-for-you-the-evidence-and-the-unknowns 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkdcnkGBQSw 3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/06/30/arun-down-of-social-medias-effects-on-our-mentalhealth/#c2de1932e5af 4. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2012/09/24/how-the-merepresence-of-a-mobile-phone-harms-face-to-faceconversations

In All Things is a journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation. We want to expand our imagination for what the Christian life—and life of the mind—can accomplish. In pursuit of this end, we will engage in conversation with diverse voices across a wide range of traditions, places, and times.

F E AT U R E S

CAMPUS KUDOS Dordt’s new Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is now accepting applications for the fall 2019 semester. For more information, visit dordt.edu/ mpa. In May, Admissions Counselor Cody Kaemingk presented on two panel sessions at the EnrollmentRX Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Jose Benitez, a senior civil engineering major from Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, was named by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) as one of the “2019 New Faces of Civil Engineering” in the college category. Benitez is ranked with students from Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, and Mississippi State University. Associate Provost Dr. Leah Zuidema co-authored a paper titled “Supporting Teaching Faculty as Scholars: A Developmental Model.” It was published in Christian Higher Education in January. Provost Dr. Eric Forseth and Professor of Statistics Dr. Nathan Tintle presented “Enhancing Student Achievement through Research and Scholarship” at the Higher Learning Commission Annual Conference in April in Chicago, Illinois. Director of Online Education Joe Bakker and Associate Provost Dr. Leah Zuidema presented “Innovation, Lean Startup, and theScientific Method” at the Higher Learning Commission conference in April in Chicago, Illinois.

DOING MORE AT DORDT

Studies show students who are the most engaged in academic life and in their campus community are the ones who benefit the most from college. “What students do at college matters ... The key is engagement, inside the classroom and out,” writes Dr. Denise Pope in the Wall Street Journal article “The Right Way to Choose a College.” Students who take full advantage of opportunities and resources while in

college are more likely to succeed, says Pope, a senior lecturer at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. “Numerous studies attest to the benefits of engaged learning, including better course grades and higher levels of subject-matter competence, curiosity,

F E AT U R E S

and initiative,” she writes.

thriving employees and be more likely to find success post-college:

One study that looks at engaged learning is the Purdue-Gallup Index, which • Taking a course with a professor who makes learning exciting measured more than 30,000 graduates to understand the most important outcomes of higher education. The study, a partnership between Purdue University, Gallup, and the Lumina Foundation, — Derek Buteyn, director of residential life found a strong connection • Working with professors who care between certain methods of about students personally engagement and future well-being and job satisfaction. There were six • Finding a mentor who encourages key college experiences that indicated students to pursue personal goals whether students were likely to become

“Instead of ‘extracurricular,’ we use the word ‘co-curricular,’ because what happens outside of the classroom supports what happens in the classroom and vice versa.”

• Working on a project across several semesters • Participating in an internship that applies classroom learning • Being active in extracurricular activities “There’s factual evidence of how these six experiences will help students have a better career and a happier life,” says Amy Westra, associate director of career development at Dordt. Westra talks with freshmen about the importance of the Purdue-Gallup Index and why they should seek to gain these experiences during their four years at Dordt. “I think Dordt excels at these six experiences,” she says. “We have so many opportunities to be involved. There are spiritual growth opportunities on campus with Bible studies and discipleship groups; there’s athletics,

Derek Buteyn, director of residential life, agrees. “At Dordt, learning isn’t something that’s relegated to the classroom,” he says. “Instead of ‘extracurricular,’ we use the word ‘co-curricular,’ because what happens outside of the classroom supports what happens in the classroom and vice versa.” The fact that Dordt is a residential campus in a rural setting helps to increase that sense of engagement, says Westra—students are more likely to stay on-campus on the weekends and get involved. But having opportunities available is different from taking advantage of opportunities. The key to success in college seems to be doing something, not just waiting for opportunities to come to you.

“Get invested and involved with every aspect of college life, from academics to co-curriculars. Don’t sell yourself short. This is the time to explore.” — Amy Westra, associate director of career development

“Don’t let yourself stay in your dorm room. If you’re from the area, don’t stick with your high school friends. Get to know different people and break out of those circles,” Westra advises students. “Get invested and involved with every aspect of college life, from academics to co-curriculars. Don’t sell yourself short. This is the time to explore.” The class of 2019 includes many examples of seniors who did just that—students who took advantage of the opportunities available to build relationships, get involved, and work hard. We think you’ll enjoy hearing some of their stories.

GEORGIA LUCAS World Dairy Expo, World Food Prize, National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Convention, State FFA Convention, Central Plains Dairy Expo—Georgia Lucas has participated in so many agriculture events and competitions that she sometimes loses track of the opportunities she’s had. But Lucas knows her varied experiences in agriculture have shaped her in ways that will help her succeed.

Over spring break, for example, Lucas and 10 other agriculture majors went to the National Professional Agriculture Student (PAS) Competition in Denver. Lucas attended a workshop, crafted her résumé and materials, and underwent an interview on the topic of livestock production, competing against students from colleges and universities like Missouri State University and South Central College in Minnesota. Lucas placed second in the competition. This is the third time she’s gone to PAS Nationals—that’s also in addition to participating in the PAS State Competition every year she’s been at Dordt.

“We always do really well, and it’s fun to compete against colleges in different areas and put your skills to the test in a hands-on, practical way,” says Lucas. Competitions and events aren’t the only way Lucas has honed her skills. Every summer while in college, Lucas has had an internship. She spent the summer after her freshman year working in a crop production internship in her hometown of Monroeville, New Jersey. Then, after her sophomre year, she headed to North Carolina to work for

GEORG IA LU C

F E AT U R E S

art, band, clubs. There’s something for everyone.”

Smithfield hog production. She spent last summer on a ranch, working cattle through remote mountain rangeland in Idaho. “We spent 12-16 hours each day on horseback guiding the cattle to where they needed to graze,” she says. “I lived in a tent, had to pack enough food for four days, and had no cell phone service. It was the most beautiful land I’ve ever seen. I loved my experience in Idaho.” Through each of her internship and competition experiences, Lucas drew from the animal science, nutrition, and production classes she had taken at Dordt. Applying what she learned in the classroom was a confidence booster and helped her figure out what she wanted to do after college. “I had three job offers, but I decided to take a job as a herd manager and business assistant in central Texas,” says Lucas. “It’s going to be fun but challenging, since I’ll be in a management role right out of college. But I think Dordt has really equipped me for this position. I’ve grown in my faith while I’ve been at Dordt, and I know I’m doing this for a higher calling. God is guiding me, he’s opening this door and he’s going to help me.”

RAY BADUDU “It’s no coincidence that I’m here—that I’m an Indonesian kid living in Sioux Center,” says Ray Badudu, a worship arts and communication major. Badudu can recognize God’s guiding hand throughout his four years at Dordt, particularly through the relationships he’s made with his professors. One person who stands out to Badudu is Jonathan De Groot, Dordt’s worship arts director and Badudu’s mentor. Badudu first encountered De Groot during his sophomore year when he tried out for the worship team. Badudu says he had made some poor life choices at that point, so the other worship leaders were skeptical about inviting him to be a worship leader. “Jon saw something in me that the other worship arts directors didn’t,” says Badudu. “Jon stuck to his gut and said that he believed God would use me for something great.”

RAY BA DU DU

“Every step of the way, Jon has challenged me and helped me to grow,” says Badudu. “He wants me to think critically and deeply about the decisions I make.”

connection to De Groot and to First Reformed. He is thankful for these and other relationships he’s been able to build during his time at Dordt, and how they have shaped his views of what it means to live in community.

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Now, Badudu leads worship every Thursday night; he leads Wednesday chapel worship every once-in-a-while, and he has participated in New City, the traveling worship arts group.

“We have the privilege and honor to join God in the work of building community. Forming relationships with your professors, joining a club, and meeting people beyond the scope of personalities—that requires stepping outside of our comfort zones, which is part of partaking in that community work.”

In part because of his connection to De Groot, Badudu has landed a full-time job as a worship director at First Reformed Church in Sioux Center. Badudu began attending First Reformed during his sophomore year; by junior year, he was volunteering once a month to be part of the praise team. When Travis Else, lead pastor at First Reformed, approached him about the possibility of working as an intern at the church, Badudu — Ray Badudu turned to De Groot—who also attends First Reformed—for That internship turned into a advice. part-time residency and now into a full-time job EZ T “Jon encouraged me to say yes—that offer. Badudu says even though I’d be busy, it was an that opportunity opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” he happened says. because of his

JOSE BENITEZ Jose Benitez prefers to be challenged. Majoring in civil engineering, Benitez chose to play junior varsity basketball his freshman year before moving on to soccer, which he has played since. Hailing from Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, Benitez works as a Spanish tutor and translates Spanish in the community. He’s also active in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Society; in fact, ASCE recently named Benitez to their “2019 New Faces of Civil Engineering List.”

JOS EB EN I

“It's no coincidence that I'm here—that I'm an Indonesian kid living in Sioux Center.”

ADRI VAN GRONINGEN ('18)

Benitez likes to be challenged academically too, and not just in his engineering classes. When asked what classes he found most interesting in college, he immediately responded with Core 120—English Composition—with Howard Schaap. “I love Schaap,” says Benitez. “He focuses on stretching students out of their usual way of thinking. He asks provocative questions that makes us think a little further than what we’re used to.” Benitez says he found a love for writing while taking English Composition.

“God is working through my heart, and he’s also working through my professors and friends," says Ray Badudu. "God is always working, so we need to open our eyes beyond ourselves.”

“I never learned to write as easily as I did in Spanish, so taking Schaap’s course was a great experience. I’m a slow writer, but I love to do it. Schaap was the one who introduced me to it.”

“You can tell that guy loves what he’s doing, and he knows what he’s talking about,” says Benitez. “He’s always willing to talk S with his students EN after class. I’ve been able to get to know his family, too. He’s great.”

JENNA ST EP H

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JENNA STEPHENS

Another professor who made learning exciting for Benitez was Dr. Walker Cosgrove, a history professor.

Benitez appreciates the engineering faculty, too— in particular, he admires Dr. Justin Vander Werff, a civil engineering professor with whom he’s worked closely for four years. “It’s easy to walk into his office and talk. You don’t feel like you’re interrupting him, and he’s always interested in hearing what you have to say,” he says.

Jenna Stephens is a self-proclaimed perfectionist, especially in track. For two hours a day, Stephens runs with her teammates, doing workouts and pushing herself until she almost falls over. “It’s been enjoyable, and it’s pushed us to work hard at whatever we’re doing on and off the track,” says Stephens. “I take a similar approach to painting—I keep tweaking, adding more layers of paint until I’m happy with what I see. I strive for results that I can be proud of.” Before Stephens decided to double-major in fine arts and graphic design, she had little

“I don’t know exactly what I want to do, but I’m starting to grasp that it’s not what I want to do, it’s where God wants me to go. I’m trying to lean into that no matter how hard it might seem.”

“We’re a bit geographically and culturally isolated in Sioux Center, so it’s important for Dordt students to get out there, compare ourselves to others, and try to make an impact on the community,” says Benitez. He’s grateful for insightful faculty have helped him grow and feel challenged while he’s been at Dordt.

she tried oil painting for the first time.

DANIE LS EA M

Benitez believes that the interaction he has had with professors has made it easier for him to connect with supervisors at his internship at a transportation engineering and planning firm in downtown Denver. While fellow interns — Jenna Stephens from other colleges and universities were sometimes experience in art; the only art class hesitant to ask questions of their she took before attending Dordt was supervisors, Benitez was quick to an eighth-grade art class. Her parents communicate with his supervisor. He encouraged her to explore majoring interned at the firm during the summer in art because they knew it of his sophomore and junior year, initially interested her, so she took a analyzing data and eventually doing drawing course and a graphic his own design work. Recently, the design course during her firm offered him a full-time job, and he freshman year. Eventually she accepted. took a painting course where

“Oil paint is challenging but also forgiving because it doesn’t dry very fast, so it is a good medium to learn with since I could always go back and tweak things,” she says.

She learned design and technique basics in that painting course and gradually gained confidence and expertise in art. Eventually she took Painting 3 as an individual study course. “I could decide what I wanted to paint as long as I had some work to show at the end of the semester,” says Stephens. “I spent hours painting in our apartment, standing by my easel, just trying to get enough work for my senior show.” She painted nature-inspired oil paintings, from snow-capped mountains to a quiet farmstead. Puffy clouds, snowy streams, ominous storms—Stephens painted her way to her own artistic aesthetic. “Painting 3 was one of the most valuable courses for me because I was forced to figure out what my style is,” she says. “There was no one telling me how to paint. I experimented and figured out what I was happy with.” Stephens’s paintings were displayed in her own senior art show in midFebruary. “That was probably one of the highlights of my time at Dordt,” she says. “All the classes I took in drawing, printmaking, and art history—all of it fed into my art. So, to finally see all the paintings on the walls, it felt like the culmination of four years of study. To be able to show my loved ones what I’ve been working on was super exciting, and it gave me a boost to keep pursuing art after Dordt.” Stephens and her husband Conner (’18), an engineer, will move to the St. Louis, Missouri, area this summer. Although Stephens isn’t sure what career path she’ll pursue, she knows she’ll channel her inner

DANIEL SEAMAN Organized and detail-oriented, Daniel Seaman was the right person for the job of coordinating Week of Welcome (WOW), Dordt’s freshmen orientation weekend, last summer.

Seaman says that part of the job was preparing WOW staff—more than 70 students—to get in the right mindset. “I talked with my staff about how they were going to make a difference in the lives of the incoming students, to help the students make their first connections on campus. It can impact the Dordt community.” Seaman will put to use what he learned as WOW coordinator when he begins work as a music teacher at Calvin Christian School in Escondido, California, in the fall. “I’ll be doing mostly instrumental and choral music, teaching grades 5-12,” he says. “I’m starting to think about the classroom and how I’ll set it up. It’s fun to look forward to.” Looking back, Seaman is thankful for the ways he has felt supported. “I think the atmosphere that Dordt creates brings people that care, and that’s what’s made the biggest impact on me,” he says. “It’s finding a great group of people who are interested in learning and also helping those around us to grow. It’s been fun.”

Looking back, Van Eps really appreciates the experiences she’s had in theatre.

As a WOW leader, Daniel Seaman enjoyed interacting with incoming students and seeing them get connected at Dordt.

BETHANY VAN EPS As co-president of the Business Club, a section leader in concert choir, a theatre scholarship holder, a speech team member, PS E and the web publisher N for the Diamond, Bethany Van Eps is obviously involved on campus. But that’s not all she does—she also leads campus visit tours for the admissions office, serves as the campus Best Semester Alumni Ambassador to talk with other students about studying abroad, and is a middle school youth leader at Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center.

BETHA NY VA

“I thought, ‘What do I want incoming students to know by the time they’re done with WOW, and how am I going to get there?’” explains Seaman. “I worked backward from there, thinking through what the WOW staff needed to get the freshmen there.”

Saying yes to so many activities means she’s learned when it’s time to say no, too. “Time management is a big lesson I’ve learned through saying ‘yes’ to so much,” she says. “Keeping school, sleep, a social life, and co-curriculars all running at 100 percent isn’t always possible, so I’ve spent many late nights locked in study rooms.”

“With WOW, everything is long-term and future-oriented,” says Seaman. “So I had to set goals and objectives for what I wanted to accomplish by certain dates.” As an education major, Seaman found WOW planning to be the perfect opportunity to put curriculum design into practice.

and discovered that I love being wellconnected,” she says. “I enjoy walking to class in the morning and seeing how many people I know and can say ‘hi’ to on the sidewalk.”

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JONATHAN FICTORIE ('19)

perfectionist to work hard.

“I’ve always liked being busy,” says Van Eps, a business major from East Grand Forks, Minnesota. “I got involved because these are all things I’m interested in and, thanks to Dordt’s size, it was very possible for me to be involved in it all.” Being involved has helped Van Eps to build relationships with a variety of people and to explore her interests. “I have learned more about myself

“The first show I was in at Dordt was Godspell,” she recalls. “I was a freshman. Putting on a pretty show is easy enough but taking the time and energy to truly craft a show, paying attention to details like character development, motivation, and realization is a lot of work. I’ve loved doing theatre this way for four years because it helps to cultivate empathy and shows a respect and reverence for the gift that God gave us in theatre and in artistic expression.” Van Eps encourages other students to go to campus events, talk to people at club fairs, show up at random club meetings, join a choir for a semester—just get involved in curricular and co-curricular activities. “We have the unique opportunity at Dordt to try it all, and as my time here draws to a close I’m realizing how much of a gift that really is,” she says. “Sometimes grabbing coffee with an upperclassman who you met at the latest Art Club event or chatting with a friend from swing dance after Praise and Worship is worth an hour less of sleep for the night.” SARAH MOSS (’10)

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ON CIVIL DISCOURSE

JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

During the 2016 presidential election season, Donald Trump stood on the B.J. Haan Auditorium stage, addressing supporters and famously saying, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters.”

JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

But Dr. Jeff Taylor, political science professor at Dordt, feels like he failed by not getting Hillary Clinton to come to campus.

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eb Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Dr. Ben Carson also held public events in Dordt’s Campus Center.

“She’s not a candidate I liked, and I would not have voted for her,” says Taylor. “But I worked very hard to get her to come to Dordt. I failed. Or, I should say that it’s a tough sell to get a major Democrat to come to Sioux County, which is so Republican. But it wasn’t for lack of trying.” Taylor thinks that mainstream presidential candidates—from both parties, of a range of ideologies—should be welcomed at Dordt. It’s not that he admires or agrees with every candidate; he simply thinks that students and the local community benefit from hearing candidates in person. “I felt the same way about Trump and Bernie Sanders,” he says. “You have to let people have the freedom to like or not like, embrace or reject. You may object to certain candidates, and that’s fine—but don’t stand in the way of other people being able to go and listen.” With the 2020 presidential election season looming, Dordt might once again be a stop for presidential candidates—both Republicans and Democrats.

“Sometimes, we do unto others as has been done to us,” says Dr. Jeff Taylor. "But that isn’t grace—that’s not how God treats us, and that’s not how we’re supposed to treat others.”

he thinks having first-hand access on campus to presidential candidates contributes to this process. But what happens when presidential candidates climb back into their busses and motorcades and leave campus? When it comes to something as polarizing as politics or faith, how

way that treats your audience with respect but also treats your intellectual or political opponents with respect,” says Taylor. In a free society, you can speak out and state your point of view, he says, but so can others.

“You have to let people have the freedom to like or not like, embrace or reject. You may object to certain candidates, and that’s fine—but don’t stand in the way of other people being able to go and listen.”

“It’s good to take advantage of our unusual standing as an early voting state to allow students, alumni, and the broader — Dr. Jeﬀ Taylor, political science professor community who wish to participate meaningfully and up-close in the political process,” do students, faculty, and the broader says Dr. Erik Hoekstra, president of community practice civility with Dordt. “Sifting through and weighing one another? It’s easy to assume that how a candidate’s views and policies most students on a campus like Dordt best measure up to our understandings University agree, but that isn’t always the of what it means to act as citizens is an case. How do Dordt faculty demonstrate important part of living lives of Christian what it means to be civil and to have civil obedience.” conversations with others, in politics and beyond? Reiterating what he wrote in an open letter during the 2016 political season, WHAT IS CIVILITY? Hoekstra says he hopes Dordt students “I would say civility is the ability to will graduate with a commitment to be communicate with one another in a politically active and biblically obedient;

“When we’re talking about something as important as government—and power is at the center of government—there’s a lot at stake when it comes to elections and new laws that become mandates for certain groups of people. Much is riding on decisions made in the political realm.”

That’s why Taylor thinks it’s a priority both as Christians and as fellow residents to treat people with respect, being as honest and as loving as possible when communicating with others about what we believe. We often think civility is devoid of emotion, but that’s not the case, says Donald Roth, a criminal justice professor. “If truth is powerful, it stirs the emotions. If it’s really worthwhile, then we get passionate, and when we get passionate, we can get angry. That’s why it’s important to have grace, love,

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JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

and patience so that you can maintain relationships despite your differences.” Getting emotional about a subject isn’t an excuse for name-calling and stereotyping. But it also does not simply mean being nice. “Being civil is how we see people and how we engage with them in the broader patterns of public life,” says Dr. Richard Mouw, renowned theologian and author of Uncommon Decency. “It has to do with driving on freeways and how we deal with people at Walmart— how we vote, how we think about refugees. We are very likely to encounter people that are different from us in religion, sexual orientation, political ideology, ethnicity, and nationality. From a Christian point of view, civility gets at the very base of what God wants us to be.” Aaron Baart, dean of chapel, says that Christians engaging in civil discourse should be careful to not always strive to be right over being a light for the Lord. “When Jesus was in disagreement with his own disciples, he washed their feet. He washed Judas’s feet,” says Baart. “Why do we as Christians think that being right is the ultimate prize? Jesus gave up his life for the very people who attacked him because he wanted to give them what they didn’t even know how to ask for. Is being right more important than being good?”

Dr. Richard Mouw serves on the Board of Trustees at Dordt and is author of many books.

WHAT ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF CIVIL DISCOURSE? Every Monday evening in April, Baart and Jessica Hulst, a campus counselor, met with engaged Dordt students for a pre-marital workshop. One activity Baart and Hulst used is called “Rules of Engagement,” where each couple writes down what it means for them to fight fair. “You’re allowed to write down things that the other person isn’t allowed to bring up,” says Baart. “So, for example, someone might say, ‘I grew up in a home where my dad yelled. And as soon as you do that it’s going to shut me down, so please don’t yell.’ And their partner will say, ‘Okay, because I love you, I’ll agree to that.” Baart thinks everyone on campus would benefit from the techniques and practices covered in the workshop,

BOOKS BY MOUW For more on civil discourse, check out Dr. Richard Mouw’s books Uncommon Decency and Restless Faith.

particularly those related to arguing. “What I say to couples who are arguing is, ‘What if Jesus was in the room—would you be proud of this conversation? Because he is here right now,‘” says Baart. Civil discourse may not always allow time or room for conscious rules of engagement, but such rules should still shape how we approach any conversation.

“In Uncommon Decency, Mouw talks about how we shouldn’t take our best argument against their worst,” says Baart. “For a Christian, this means cultivating a kind of spirituality and practice that helps us to genuinely engage other human beings as sacred beings, as people created in God’s image,” adds Mouw. What might those characteristics look like, practically speaking? One important practice is listening, says Taylor. “We need to cultivate the ability and then have the willingness to listen,” he says. “Not just talk and dominate the discussion, but to be quiet and really listen to the other person.” Dordt’s communication department offers students a chance to develop their listening ability through a semester-long listening course.

have been able to wrestle with differing viewpoints is an event called Doubt Night. Keeping a pulse on what’s going on on campus, Baart has planned Doubt Nights around current events like the presidential election season, hot-topic issues like homosexuality, or spiritual questions like charismatic worship. Inviting a panel of faculty and students to participate, Baart moderated the discussions. Students in the audience

Another foundational characteristic for civility is intellectual humility. “It doesn’t mean you don’t have strong views—that

“We are living in such a polarized cultural context where people have a hard time sitting and talking to each other, learning from each other, and showing compassion and empathy.” — Dr. Richard Mouw, president emeritus of Fuller Seminary and theologian

To Baart, civil discourse is the ability to have a conversation in an honoring and respectful way, doing unto others what you would have them do unto you. “You honor them and love them as yourself, because we’re equal,” he says.

wrote down their anonymous questions, and Baart read the questions for the panelists to answer. “Our goal was to never filter out any questions, so students could ask whatever they wanted,” says Baart. “Through our answering, we tried to model civility in a way that most

Doubt Night has been well-received by students, and Baart plans to hold more of them during the 2020 presidential election season.

WHAT’S CIVIL ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA? Sometimes when she accesses her social media feeds or reads online articles, Dr. Luralyn Helming feels a little anxious. What angry debates, blanket statements, or overstated diatribes will she encounter today? “I think a lot of what happens on social media is dehumanizing,” says Helming, a psychology professor, “because you’re interacting with something on a screen, and you’re not thinking about the actual person you’re responding to. Much of civility is wrapped up in realizing that we’re all humans, and we need to appreciate that about whoever we’re interacting with, no matter how much we dislike or disagree with what they’re saying.” But, with social media, it’s easy to get

JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

you don’t have principles that you’re committed to,” says Taylor. “It doesn’t mean you’re mushy. It means that you realize you’re not perfect. You’re not allknowing. You’re not God. As convinced as you are that you are right, you have to allow for the possibility that you might be wrong about something. And the only way to ever correct those errors or identify the blind spots is to listen to people who disagree with you.”

students might not have seen before, especially in a social media-dominated world.”

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Grounded in the understanding that effective communicators are also effective listeners, the course teaches students how to listen effectively through techniques in understanding, paraphrasing, memory retention, and nonverbal communication skills.

That’s why physical proximity when having a debate or argument is key, says Baart. “Start by affirming their intent and the things you agree with. Engage in selftalk and ask questions like, ‘How would I want someone to treat me in the middle of this?’ Look them in the eyes, see their humanity, see how your words affect them, and then change and refine your words." Another key characteristic of civil discourse is to take the time to have a difficult conversation. “We are living in such a polarized cultural context where people have a hard time sitting and talking to each other, learning from each other, and showing compassion and empathy,” says Mouw. One place on campus where students

Dr. Luralyn Helming says that a basic element of practicing civility is listening well. During conversations, we should listen to hear what others say rather than simply thinking through what our responses will be.

questions every few minutes during the chat,” he says.

“We like ‘likes’—they set off our reward system in our brains,” says Helming. “Our motivation becomes writing content so people will like your post, not respecting other people or engaging in civil discourse.”

Mulder says he has found these chats to be full of people looking to engage, to learn, to be challenged, to share, and to grow.

But because social media is so involved in reinforcements and punishments, it affects our ability to engage in civil discourse. “Social media doesn’t encourage much thoughtfulness when you read something that’s inflammatory or that you disagree with,” says Taylor. “Instead of thinking first and then talking or writing, all it takes is a click of a button to deliver a quick burn you have in response to someone insulting you.” Or, if our social media feeds echo voices similar to our own, we can become complacent or closed-off. “When you like what you like and block out what you don’t, you reinforce the very things you know and believe,” says Baart. “That doesn’t help you to grow—you should confront something you already believe and hear something different in order to grow.” Creating our own echo chambers on social media can feel good, but Taylor says it can be a fool’s paradise. “It’s for your own sake that you should listen to opposing points of view. If what you believe is really true and accurate, it should be able to withstand scrutiny, right?”

“I know some say these chats are echo chambers where likeminded individuals share things to be patted on the back by others who share the same viewpoints,” says Mulder. “This does happen, but in my experience, if people come willing to learn, to ask questions, and to wonder, these can be civil conversations, even when people don’t always agree. Assuming good intent goes a long way toward making it a positive interaction.” Technology, says Mulder, brings people together while simultaneously pushing people apart. “Technology has a way of building in a psychological distance between people. Because of this, they will sometimes say things online they’d never say if they were talking to a person face-to-face.” Mulder points to research literature in educational technology about online discourse. Social presence theory says that we all project a sense of ourselves when communicating through technology-mediated channels. Video chat affords a richer presence because you can see and hear a person. Text-only communication can be trickier because

Dr. Dave Mulder, an education professor, spends plenty of time online. He teaches online — Dr. Dave Mulder, education professor for Dordt’s master of education program, and he spends hours using social media to so many of the non-verbal cues—key connect with groups of fellow educators elements for making meaning of a via Twitter. message—are stripped away. Emojis and “Occasionally, I take part in Twitterchats where groups of educators meet virtually by tweeting responses. The discussions are moderated by someone tweeting out

BETHANY VAN VOORST

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swept up in earning “likes” instead of remembering someone’s humanity.

emoticons can boost social presence in a text-only message, helping the reader to not misconstrue what’s trying to be communicated.

“We should go out of our way to be respectful of others, even if they are not necessarily respectful of us,” says Dr. Dave Mulder.

“If we’re going to engage with others online, we should check our motivations first. What are we intending to accomplish? Are we there to listen and learn, or are we going to bellow our message louder and longer? To me, civility is about communicating clearly and with humility. Kindness matters,” says Mulder. When it comes to Christian civility and social media, Mulder still has questions. “What kind of witness are Christians portraying when we blast away at others online? Maybe we as Christians should be held to a higher standard?”

WHY DOES CIVILITY MATTER? Taylor strives to model civil discourse in his courses. He recognizes the power differential between him and his students—he knows that, if he wanted to, he could monopolize the class period. Instead, he engages his students in conversation, seeking to be as objective and as fair as he can be while recognizing his own bias. “When I make a controversial statement,

Taylor has questions about civility and civil discourse particularly when it comes to his area of expertise. “While talking about politics, how can we be civil toward others when we have strong views on a topic?” asks Taylor. “If we’re ignorant or apathetic, it’s easy to be civil because we don’t care. But if we care deeply and passionately, it’s a hard thing to do.” Still, Taylor sees immense value in civility and always comes back to the golden rule of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

2016 POLITICS To read President Erik Hoekstra’s “Open Letter about the 2016 Political Season,” visit www.dordt. edu/news/28746

says, “A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Jesus’s love looked like washing Judas’s feet— being good rather than being right. “Rightness isn’t a fruit of the spirit,” says Baart. “Our obsession with rightness is birthed out of an era of doctrine and an age of reason, not the Gospel. Jesus tells us to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and your neighbor as yourself’ and that ‘by their fruits you will know them.’ It’s

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I own it, but I also let them know that they don’t have to agree with me,” says Taylor. “Sometimes students say things I don’t agree with, and I don’t ever cut them down as a person. I have my own point of view, but I try to have an environment that recognizes different points of view.”

the irresistibleness of the Word that is supposed to be compelling to the world, not our rightness.” Baart is concerned with how Christians approach civility—and what the lack thereof might mean for the Christian witness. “How do we make Christianity winsome, beautiful, and ‘good news’ again? When people watch us, Jesus should be so strong in us and the fruit of the spirit should be so evident that we look different from the world,” he says. “We keep trying to win all the world’s prizes by playing the games on the same lines. But maybe if we’re fighting for something different, we need to play the game differently.” SARAH MOSS (’10)

JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

“Treating people with respect and being as honest and loving as possible is what we are called to do,” he says. “I also think it’s good politics. If you want to change people’s minds, you have to understand where other people are coming from. Hear the other person, honestly engage and understand their arguments, and find common ground. When I’m talking with someone I don’t agree with, I want to move them in my direction. Destroying them isn’t usually the best way to do that.” It has never been easy for the church to nurture a convicted civility, writes Mouw in Uncommon Decency. “When the biblical writer first urged the followers of Christ to ‘pursue peace with everyone,’ the society was at least as multicultural and pluralistic as our is today,” he says. “The early Christians were surrounded by a variety of religious and moral systems. Their pagan neighbors worshiped many gods … and the representatives of the dominant culture were not inclined to live-andlet-live when it came to dealing with the early Christian community.” “Our forebears in the faith paid dearly for their commitment to the gospel,” adds Mouw. “If they could work at treating people with gentleness and reverence in such an environment, what is our excuse for attempting less?” Baart points to John 13:34, where Jesus

“I see many faculty members teaching students to debate in healthy ways,” says Aaron Baart. “We want students to realize that it’s okay to have a discussion and to disagree.”

LYNN (VAN HEYST, '91) GUTZWILLER

ALUMNI

THE VISION OF MARY MEDEMA WILMETH I

t was 1965, a time in her life, she says, for a major decision. For a girl born and reared in Grand Rapids, even thinking about coming to Dordt College—and where was that again? in Iowa?—was more than passing strange. But there were reasons that maybe, rather than Calvin College (she grew up in Calvin’s backyard), she’d hike out to a new place in the middle of cornfields running forever between earth and sky. What Mary Medema Wilmeth wanted— and what her parents wanted for her—was a college experience that would prompt her to get out and live somewhere other than the home they’d so lovingly given her. She thought—as did they—that she needed to gain some independence. If Wilmeth stayed in Michigan and attended Calvin, she’d likely live at home. So, in 1965 she decided to enroll at Dordt, barely a four-year school and just a decade old. She was a tall, thin young woman, given to a cascade of warm smiles. What made her unique in the class of 1969 was that, while she could make out shapes and distinguish between real trouble and a clear path out front, she was, and always would be, legally blind. Her old college friends remember her as the girl who negotiated wintery campus sidewalks better than they did (she says once she took hold of a friend’s arm, she could normally get herself along without problems).

And they remember her for her competence as a student, her abilities despite what people might well have called a “handicap” back then. They remember her as not only sweet, but smart, a great student. If in fact that’s true—she’d blush to hear it—Wilmeth commends her mom and dad, who, she says, “spent HOURS [emphasis hers] helping us with homework.” Us suggests others, and there was. The Medemas of west Grand Rapids had two children, Mary and Ken, both of whom were born legally blind. Her mother’s faith bore a share of an old Calvinism that leaned a few inches too heavily into sin. For a time at least, Medema says, having two children, both blind, prompted in her mother the kind of speculation that linked adversity to transgression, and made that sin altogether too palpable in the stares of people she met, even some she knew. An aunt, a Christian Scientist, raised the possibility of taking the two children to “a healing,” a suggestion Wilmeth’s mother didn’t simply or easily discard. Trying to square God’s will can, at times, seem an impossible task. But one day, or so her mother told her, the darkness in her mother’s mind and soul was lifted. Mom Medema was doing laundry, ironing in fact, moving the hot iron back and forth, back and forth, when something of a vision cleared her soul and imparted strength that she says could only have come from a divine source.

Wilmeth taught at the Utah School of the Deaf in Ogden, Utah. In recent years, Utah School of the Deaf's students have ranked number one in the United States for high school graduation.

her parents to treat their blind kids just like any others, she and her big brother headed out into the neighborhood, Ken taking to the sidewalks on his bike, which absolutely terrorized the people next door. Lake Michigan sand dunes in the summer; sledding, tobogganing, snowball fights all winter—they had a blessed childhood.

Good friends who did not share her faith brought her into situations where her values were tested as they’d never been before.

“A light went on in her soul and she realized that God had a loving plan for her children and that he would give her the strength and guidance she needed.” That’s the way her mother explained it to her daughter. What’s more, Wilmeth says, “My father realized that God was wanting to draw him a little closer through this new challenge.” When professional rehab experts advised

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KENNETH BURDETT SCHOOL OF THE DEAF

They remember how, even in relatively dim-lit dorm halls, she could greet them by name, her voice recognition skills a perfect triumph.

Learning Braille was an essential in the self-contained public school classroom for blind kids in the city. But once Wilmeth was reading just as well with her fingers as other kids were with their eyes, Mom and Dad dropped her off at local Christian schools. That commitment extended to higher education, and Dordt seemed just the right size, she says, big enough to hide if need be, small enough to be family. Wilmeth, class of 1969, was dean’s listbright all four years, even though the means to her accomplishments looked—

and felt—different. Iowa’s Library for the Blind found her many of the textbooks she needed, and Iowa Rehabilitation funds enabled her to hire readers for the material she couldn’t find in Braille. In other ways, she grew also: friends, lots of them; and she picked up a guitar for the first time, learned how to play once she bought nylon strings (metal strings were tough on fingertips needed for Braille). Wielding that guitar, she joined forces with some others every now-andthen for a Defender hootenanny. The times were a’changin’. For just about as long as she can remember, Wilmeth wanted to teach as she had been taught—in a self-contained classroom for visually-impaired kids because “I wanted to give them as good an education as I had.” Her student-teaching put her in exactly that kind of situation, in Des Moines, where she quickly understood that she needed more skills in navigating a world considerably bigger than she had imagined. For instance, she needed to learn to cook. For a year after graduation, Wilmeth attended the Iowa Commission for the Blind in a residential adult training center, where, surrounded for the first time with

ALUMNI

ALUMNI NOTES Jordyn (Visscher, ’17) McNamara recently started InviteYouToStay, where she offers hand-painted wall art, stationery, and custom art. To see her work, visit www. inviteyoutostay.com. Marissa (Rieckhoff, ’13) Cicchese recently began working at the Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dan De Graff (’11) accepted the position of pastor at Baldwin Christian Reformed Church in Baldwin, Wisconsin. Michele Van Beek (’09) has worked with Lorie Line Music for 10 years. She designs all of Lorie Line’s graphics for music books, CDs, promotional items, and more. Also serving as Line’s personal assistant, merchandise assistant, and costume manager. Van Beek first connected with Line when Line gave a concert on Dordt’s campus in June 2009. “I’m incredibly grateful for the journey the Lord has taken me on,” says Van Beek. “It’s unlike anything I’d imagined for myself.” Pete Hamstra (’81) was hired by Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California, as Vice President for Enrollment. Donald Koops (‘77) received the Kansas Ag Bankers Division’s 2019 Pioneer Award. Koops has worked at Farmers National Bank in Osborne, Kansas, for 30 years. Don Sinnema (’69), professor emeritus of theology at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois, is one of three general editors for a major international project to publish all the Synod of Dort (1618-19) documents in their original languages in a series of ten volumes. “I have enjoyed exploring archives throughout Europe, seeking out Dordt manuscripts that have never been published,” says Sinnema. “I work with about 55 contributing editors who transcribe and edit the documents.”

a fun group of other vision-impaired young adults, she felt a joy and freedom she’d never before been part of, but a freedom that included the possibility of making poor choices about directions in her life, including the freedom to fail. Learning those important life skills enabled her to get what she calls “a dream job” with the Des Moines school system. In a self-contained classroom for children with disabilities, she was the resource teacher who met with blind students from those classes to work one-on-one, the kind of professional position she’d always wanted. But good friends who did not share her faith brought her into situations where her values were tested as they’d never been before. Despite her mother’s objections, she married a man, another blind person, who abandoned her after just a few years.

He was and is confident, bright, kind, opinionated, and tender.” The two of them fit like pieces of a puzzle. Bill never even proposed, she’ll tell you. They just talked together so long and lovingly that the direction of all that conversation pointed inexorably toward a marriage that happened in 1984, which makes their next anniversary their 35th. Their lives together include some years in Kansas City, where Wilmeth taught in the Kansas School for the Blind, and then Ogden, Utah, when allergies prompted them to look for a drier climate. In Ogden, where they live today, she continued at the Utah School for the Blind, where she taught basic skills— reading lunch menus, writing down phone numbers, counting money, telling time, reading comprehension, preparing

That broken marriage, as well as the difficulties other good friends had suffered, wore her down and eventually drove her to her knees, literally. “When I saw how some people were treating others,” she says, “I — Mary Medema Wilmeth ('69) realized that I didn’t want to live with such a worldview. simple snacks or meals, making beds, That’s when I got down on my knees and on and on, just the kind of position and asked God to direct my life.” she’d always wanted and always loved. Those were trying days. When a She retired in 2008. Christian radio station asked her in “As I look back over my life,” she says, “I for an interview—a blind Christian am astounded by the mercies, blessings, teacher going through divorce—she guidance, and patience of my Lord and accepted and became a regular on the Savior, Jesus Christ.” Her parents gave early morning program. She was so her a loving and nurturing Christian impressive that when the host looked home, her church put a spiritual to retire, he asked her to be one of foundation beneath her feet, and Dordt his replacements. She consented and was, “for this blind student,” she says, a made a habit of interviewing people welcoming place. from significant ministries around Des Moines. “I was so blessed interviewing Legally blind since birth, she’s been these people who all had so much to blessed with this vision: “Yet I am always share!” she says. The show was spiritual with you,” she says, quoting her “life therapy. verse,” Psalm 73:23. “You hold me by my right hand; you guide me with your Then a man named Bill Wilmeth walked counsel, and afterward you will take me into her life one day in Dahl’s grocery into Glory.” and became, soon thereafter, a kind of “friendly stalker,” she says. From the The words of the psalmist, the word of get-go, he seemed to her to be perfectly the Lord, the vision of Mary Medema wonderful, “the love of my life,” she Wilmeth, forever his child. says now, all these years later. She was

“As I look back over my life, I am astounded by the mercies, blessings, guidance, and patience of my Lord and Savior.”

attracted “first of all,” she says, “to his relationship with the Lord—a strong one.

JAMES CALVIN SCHAAP (’70)

ALUMNI JAMIN VER VELDE (’99)

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL) states that its purpose is to make critical contributions to critical challenges. Ken Verbrugge says he works to identify the critical challenges and to find computer scientists that can work on the critical contributions.

A STEP OF FAITH TO JOHNS HOPKINS APPLIED PHYSICS LAB I

n January of 2013, President Erik Hoekstra visited Grace Christian Reformed Church in Burke, Virginia. A small group of Dordt graduates who lived in the Washington, D.C., area had gathered to hear Hoekstra share his vision for what Dordt might become. At the end of the talk, Ken Verbrugge (’69), a program manager at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (APL), raised his hand. “I’ve had many people come from Dordt to talk with me,” he said. “I’ve asked for résumés, but I haven’t received any yet.” Hoekstra said he would remedy that. On his flight home, Hoekstra contacted Kari Sandouka, a computer science

professor at Dordt, about the internship opportunities at Johns Hopkins APL in Laurel, Maryland—how Verbrugge was interested in computer scientists with a passion for coding.

online research and quickly realized the internship wasn’t for the hospital that most associate with Johns Hopkins.

Calvin Leader did some online research and quickly realized the internship wasn't for the hospital that most associate with Johns Hopkins.

Some time later, Sandouka brought up the internship in her client server programming class, and Calvin Leader (’14), who was a junior at the time, took notice. The name “Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab” stuck in his mind, so Leader did some

“The website talked about air missile defense and government-related opportunities, which I thought was interesting,” says Leader. He learned

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JOHNS HOPKINS APL

that APL, the nation’s largest universityaffiliated research center, works with the Department of Defense, NASA, National Security Agency, and others to provide solutions to national security and other scientific challenges. Sandouka put him in contact with Verbrugge, who set him up for a phone interview with a section supervisor. By May, Leader flew out to Maryland to begin his summer internship at APL. The following year, he landed a full-time job there.

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Since Verbrugge first reached out to Hoekstra, three Dordt graduates have found their way to APL. Madison Moss (’15) runs Splunk, a data analytics platform for machine data; he is one of 62 people in the world who are part of the Splunk Trust, making him an expert in the platform. Jay Timmer (’18) is a software engineer who works on projects related to cybersecurity, machine learning, and computer vision. Leader, who is also a software engineer, focuses on producing visualizations to help data analysts make sense of data related to social media, cybersecurity, and machine learning. All three had internships that led to fulltime positions at APL, which employs more than 500 computer science and engineering interns from institutions like MIT, Johns Hopkins, Virginia Tech, and Georgia Tech. When he spoke with those who supervised Leader, Moss, and Timmer, Verbrugge heard nothing but praise.

Founded in 1942 to aid the United States during World War II, Johns Hopkins APL employs more than 6,000 people and is located on 453 acres with more than 20 major buildings.

“APL is a large organization, which gives diverse work opportunities,” says Leader. “Even as an intern, I could tell that there were plenty of opportunities to shift within the organization—from working on cybersecurity to missiles to space exploration.”

“In software development, being a lifelong learner is extremely important, and Dordt prepared me for that.”

“I remember talking with Jay’s supervisor, and he told me that, — Jay Timmer ('18) of his five interns, Jay was his top. I asked him why, and he “We’re part of an organization that’s said, ‘If I asked Jay to do something, he doing vitally important work,” says always did it. He stayed late if he needed Moss. “We do projects with NASA and to. I could count on him to complete Department of Defense that are literally the project on time and do the research changing history and are critical to necessary to help along the way. If he national security. It’s great to be part of didn’t know the answer, he could find it,’” that.” recalls Verbrugge. Verbrugge says Timmer, Leader, and Moss have a strong work ethic, something he attributes to the fact that all three hail from the Midwest. Leader and Moss say it’s easy to work hard at a place like APL because of the variety and importance of the work they do.

Having worked at APL for 19 years as a program manager, Verbrugge has seen firsthand the importance of the work that APL employees do through cybersecurity, data analysis, machine learning, and more. “I’ve had a government agent that I support look me in the eye and say, ‘Your

team has saved thousands of American lives on the battlefield,’” says Verbrugge. “It’s a thrill to have that kind of impact on society.” Verbrugge began his career as a teacher; originally from Edgerton, Minnesota, Verbrugge picked Dordt because it was close to home and was a teaching school. Then, the Vietnam War broke out. When the government stopped all deferments, Verbrugge heard from the state of Minnesota that he would likely be sent to Vietnam. “I saw a Navy recruiter in Sioux Falls, and he told me that I could enlist in the officer program, which was only three years,” recalls Verbrugge. “I got into intelligence work during that three years, and I liked that better than teaching middle school kids.” Eventually he went back to school, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering, a master’s degree in electrical engineering, and a master’s degree in public affairs. He continued serving in the navy and traveling the world, spending years in Spain, Portugal, and Japan. After retiring from the National Security Agency in Maryland, he began looking for another job opportunity. That eventually led him to Johns Hopkins APL, where he says his supervisor hired him “because he could

Verbrugge enjoys leading and mentoring people in his role as program manager. He also appreciates being able to reconnect with Dordt through people like Leader, Timmer, Moss, Sandouka, and Hoekstra. “Dordt didn’t have a computer science program when I was a student, and now it does,” says Verbrugge. “When I spoke with Hoekstra in 2013, I was curious: How good was this computer science program? I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the students who have interned and now work at the lab, and by the work that Kari Sandouka and others do with the program.” Timmer is thankful for the opportunities he had to learn and grow while studying at Dordt. “The field of computer science moves extremely fast, and it can be hard to keep up with emerging technologies,” he says. “Dordt prepared me to know how to learn and adapt to these new technologies in an efficient manner. In software development, being a lifelong learner is extremely important, and Dordt prepared me for that.” Moss encourages Dordt students in engineering and computer science to consider an internship at APL. “If you have a chance to apply for an internship, take it,” he says. “You’ll work alongside some of the smartest people in the nation. An internship is a great way to get your foot in the door and to learn.” Leader is grateful he took a chance and moved from his hometown of Crofton, Nebraska, to Maryland. “I can’t thank Ken Verbrugge enough for giving this opportunity to me. He and his wife Judy have been hugely helpful, from helping me find a place to live to introducing me to people around the area. Now I’m in a great position just by getting out of my comfort zone and taking a step of faith. I ended up going somewhere I wouldn’t have dreamed of when I started at Dordt.”

BUILDING DEFENDER NATION THROUGH THE ALUMNI COUNCIL Each fall and spring, you’ll see an energetic group of alumni visiting Dordt to learn about new things on campus, to provide encouragement, and to give valuable feedback. They sit in on classes, interview students for the Alumni Association Scholarship, review pages of alumni award nominations, and advocate for bringing back homemade pies served on Sunday in the Commons (I hear this was a tradition on campus long ago!). They listen in on updates from academic departments on campus, celebrate the exciting things happening, and reminisce about those “good ‘ol days.” These members of Dordt’s Alumni Council come from communities across North America and represent geographic locations where Dordt alumni and parents live. Drawing on their diverse backgrounds and graduation years, their purpose is to advise the Alumni Office and hold us accountable to Dordt’s mission while

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see that I could make a difference.”

also serving as a link between Dordt and our alumni. These alumni are an important part of our team and are often called our champions for the work they do in their communities. They share their experience with prospective students and encourage them to attend Dordt. Alumni Council members help us organize events in their communities. They assist graduates new to their communities in finding housing or recommend Dordt students for internships in their businesses. Dordt University Alumni Council, thank you. I’m grateful for your service to Dordt’s alumni and parents and for the way you promote Dordt. You’re building the Defender Nation community in your churches, schools, and workplaces. As one council member put it, “We’ve got to also be number one in alumni engagement!” I couldn’t agree more.

ALICIA BOWAR (’05), ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AND PARENT RELATIONS

DORDT Defender Days

OCTOBER 19 & 20, 2019

SARAH MOSS (’10)

nce upon a time, the place was a school for hairstylists, strangely enough. Dozens—well, hundreds—of students, most of them young women, came in to learn to cut and trim and set, then graduated and went back out to make the world a prettier place.

JAMES CALVIN SCHA AP ('70)

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A DOWNTOWN MINISTRY IN SIOUX FALLS When Stewart School of Hairstyling moved away from its downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota, location, they left behind a fine, brick building, 30,000 square feet, in a central location in the heart of the city. Right about then, Pastor Fred Wilgenburg (’91) was busy running the Center of Hope, an urban ministry designed “to walk alongside people, to bring spiritual and physical health, and ultimately to change the community, one life at a time.” It was Wilgenburg’s vision—well, he’d say, a vision given to him—to bring a handful of similar local ministries together in a central location downtown. Today, the school for hairstylists is a fullfledged ministry center. And tonight, Wilgenburg has a class in an upper room. Who’s here? A couple of Liberians named Prince and James; Ambika, from Bhutan; Mathuos and Abidela, Ethiopians; Ganga, from Nepal; and Naamah, who grew up down the road in South Dakota. Tonight’s fare is “Christian stewardship.” It might surprise you to know that the students are Christians. They’re working on a unit from Timothy Leadership Training, a 14-month, intensive course of study. Tonight, they’re reviewing “Eight Steps to Effective Giving,” then creating action plans for their own ministries among Sioux Falls’ immigrant and refugee communities. The class is spirited and a joy, punctuated with giggles. But Wilgenburg has to watch the clock—and so do they. Several of them work several jobs, have families and responsibilities. All of them have been in this country for several years. It’s a dynamic, blessed ministry in the kind of place Wilgenburg wanted it to be—a big place, easy to find, in the heart of the city.

Fred Wilgenburg (left) currently serves as chaplain at Smithfield, formerly known as John Morrell. Wilgenburg took over the position after Carl Bruxvoort (right) retired.

But if you dig for roots, you’ll go back to Orange City, Iowa, late 1950s, a small farm back then on the western edge of the village. Henry and Bertha Bruxvoort had just sent son Harold (’58) to that brand-new college in Sioux Center. He commuted; after all, there were cows to milk. It didn’t take long before Harold took a kid along home to Sunday dinner, a freshman named Ernie Benally (’58), who happened to be Navajo, from New Mexico, a long way from home. It wasn’t just once either—Harold took Benally home regularly. After one Sunday dinner, Mrs. Bruxvoort told Benally that if he’d like to, he could live with them in Orange City and ride to college every morning with son Harold. Benally became family, a family that included Carl, the Bruxvoort’s youngest son. Carl was just a boy, but he says having Benally around taught him something that affected him for life: In the world he knew, even as a kid, the idea that “all men are created equal” may well work politically, but he started to understand that not all of us are blessed with an equal chance at whatever

dreams we create for ourselves. Carl says hearing Benally talk about his home on the reservation taught him about life and about us and about justice, taught him lessons he never, ever forgot. Little Carl grew up and went to Dordt himself some years later to nurture that vision. He majored in philosophy and graduated in 1973, then attended the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto for a year—Sunday walks in High Park among hundreds of Canadian ethnics were pure joy, he says. He went on to Calvin Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and eventually, as a pastor, interned in Japan, then served churches in Kansas and Michigan, small-town and city. He and his wife worked with a GEMS program in Muskegon that became, eventually, half African-American. Eventually he signed on at a Sioux Falls church as a pastor of discipleship, helping people to grow. In Sioux Falls, Pastor Carl Bruxvoort’s inspiration for what would eventually become New Roots Ministry began with a renewed sense of the power of prayer, a commitment nurtured in ecumenical prayer with pastors from a variety

So, when he found himself looking for something new, some new ministry idea that would incorporate both his old-line social gospel leanings and his newfound commitment to a level of piety he’d earlier thought he’d left behind, he came up with something called New Roots Ministry. Sioux Falls had recently become a haven for immigrant refugees from a hundred nations, most of the people uncomfortably situated in a city in the lily-white Upper Midwest. Sioux Falls was bursting at the seams. Jobs were readily available, many at John Morrell, a sprawling packing plant constantly looking for help. At one time, the local newspaper listed 142 languages being spoken everyday in the city: 22 European, 70 African, 34 Asian, and many more, tongues from Lingala to Lakota.

Wilgenburg came to Dordt College from Escondido, California, after one of his older sisters had come earlier (as did a younger brother later). At Dordt, he met Amy Bartels (’91) during his and her very first semester, and they were married after their junior year. Fred sold Land O’Lakes feed for four years in the Inwood, Iowa, area after graduation, and did a healthy load of youth work at their church. He loved it. Weekly prison visits were a joy to him too, but then, he says, he’d always had a strong interest in missions. All of that went into a decision to enroll in seminary, even though he claims

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of local churches and included local immigrant refugee pastors from around the world.

who’d begun New Roots Ministry, found Pastor Fred Wilgenburg, of Center of Hope—both of them right there in Sioux Falls—to be exactly the kind of servant who could lead New Roots after Bruxvoort retired. Both of them had been committed to inner city, multi-cultural ministries. Bruxvoort was ready to retire; Wilgenburg was looking for a change— not a big one, but a change. And both of them, somewhere in their past, have a Dordt College diploma. Today, it’s Wilgenburg who pulls on a hard hat and heads into John Morrell to visit, to be a ministry of presence among the workers, many of whom are still strangers in a strange land.

“The important question then for us as Christians is whether we see God’s hand in this global migration of peoples and how we see this migration as creating new opportunities for ministry.”

When retirement age crept up, Bruxvoort began looking around for a successor and found Wilgenburg, whose Center of Hope did work that sometimes dovetailed with New Roots. The two of them talked regularly, shaping the new downtown ministry center in the old hairstylist school.

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That’s why tonight in an upper room in an old hairstylists’ college, eight adult Christians, seven of them non-native speakers, people “The important question then — Carl Bruxvoort ('69), retired director of New Roots Ministry of color, are for us as Christians is whether talking about we see God’s hand in this effective ways he was always more interested in global migration of peoples and how to teach their individual fellowships outreach and inter-cultural ministries we see this migration as creating new the importance of being stewards of than pastoring a church. Three long opportunities for ministry.” Dozens of whatever God gives them, to develop years later—working at Citibank, going to times Bruxvoort said things like that in within their people thankful and Sioux Falls Seminary full-time, and being dozens of places, reminding himself generous giving. a husband and a father—he graduated and his listeners of what he’d learned with an M.Div. that he says has served as a boy by way of his parents’ gracious That’s just one of the missions that go him well, giving him the experience and hospitality. on in the Sioux Falls Ministry Center understanding and the authority he’s some nights. If you’re in the area, drop All of that led him into strange places for used in the years he’s been involved in by. They’re perfectly placed in a great, a pastor, one of them right there into the ministries in the city. old building, right downtown. belly of John Morrell, where he pulled It shouldn’t be difficult to understand on a hairnet beneath a hard hat and how it was that Pastor Carl Bruxvoort, JAMES CALVIN SCHAAP (’70) made himself available for workers of all colors and creeds. New Roots Ministry was dedicated to developing believers, helping them in every way possible, from managing budgets to stages of grief—most of it to the community’s most recent citizens. Not that long ago, he preached at the funeral of a four-year old son of one of his own co-workers at John Morrell.

Seven ministries are located at the Sioux Falls Ministry Center, including Center of Hope and New Roots Ministry. The ministries seek to meet people's physical and spiritual needs.

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700 7th Street NE Sioux Center, IA 51250

NURSES PROVIDE COMPASSIONATE, SKILLFUL CARE EVERY DAY. The Dordt University Nursing Program equips students with the technical skills needed to serve patients at their most vulnerable, and with a transformational understanding that those they serve are fellow image bearers of Christ. In the fall of 2019, Dordt University will open its new Nursing Department Facility. There, students will learn how to provide exceptional care with their hands and hearts so that they may ultimately be equipped to serve as Christian nurses. Your gift will touch a life. Make a gift today.

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