COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
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The Dordt Difference Communities flourish when people have opportunities to identify their gifts, develop them, and put them to use in God’s kingdom. That’s the starting point for the community development major at Dordt College. Community development is usually associated with helping people in need, and many Christians want to help those who are hungry or suffering. But even though alleviating hunger and providing housing are urgent needs, they are best addressed by considering the big picture. Otherwise helping has the potential to be more hurtful than helpful. “Development programs must be carefully thought out so that they don’t create dependency, remove markets, eliminate jobs, damage the social structure of a community, or undermine the natural resources on which they depend,” says Dr. Robert De Haan, professor of environmental studies. “Community development is for people who like complex challenges,” says Dr. Jeff Ploegstra. “Communities are deep, multifaceted, dynamic systems with unique physical, economic, political, and social environments.” Dordt’s program will help you understand these complex issues and give you the specific knowledge and skills you’ll need to begin working as soon as you graduate.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Community development efforts can be domestic or international, rural or urban. Small towns and large metropolitan cities in both the United States and around the globe have needs that can best be solved by a holistic understanding of how communities work. Idealist.org and Developmentaid.org list hundreds of careers in community development. Following are a few examples: community development director • church developer/evangelist • educator for adult learning programs • rural/urban agriculture coordinator • economic development director • community health administrator • community planner • public works coordinator • park manager
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Majors complete an internship with an organization involved in the type of community development they are most interested in. Options include organizations such as:
• World Renew • Christian Reformed World Missions • Food for the Hungry • Chicago Department of Planning and Development • Habitat for Humanity • Food Resources Bank • Lutheran Social Services
THE PROGRAM
• Mennonite Central Committee • Land Stewardship Project
Dordt’s major takes an interdisciplinary perspective that focuses • World Relief on systems. Few colleges offer this kind of multidisciplinary community development major. As a student in our program, you will take a set of foundational courses that introduce you to the principles and practices of community development. You’ll then develop expertise in a specific area by selecting from among several areas of specialization. You will learn from guest speakers, interact directly and electronically with community development professionals, discuss videos and articles on topics and issues in the field, and work with organizations. The areas of specialization are: belief systems and culture • business and economics • communication and digital media production • community education • facilities and infrastructure • food systems • natural resources and the environment • public and environmental health • politics and social policy As a major in community development, you will choose two areas of specialization in addition to the foundational courses. A minor requires you to choose one area of specialization. Most minors can choose an area of specialization that relates closely to their major. For example, a business major could select the business and economics area of specialization, while a construction management major may choose the facilities and infrastructure areas of specialization.
THE FACULTY Robert De Haan, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, community development experience in Nigeria, West Africa, and the United States, with a focus on food production and faith Robert.DeHaan@dordt.edu Jeff Ploegstra, Ph.D., University of Iowa, experience and interest in the intersection between community development, education, and environmental issues Jeff.Ploegstra@dordt.edu Brian Hoekstra, Ed.D., Northcentral University, teaches Community Development and the Kingdom of God, looking at the connections between world view, economics, and community well-being. Brian.Hoekstra@dordt.edu Neal De Roo, Ph.D., Boston College. Philosophy, teaches “Place, Grace, and Humans in Community” Neal.DeRoo@dordt.edu Abby Foreman, M.S.W., University of Michigan, experience in the social science side of community development, previously worked as a regional faith outreach organizer for Bread for the World Abby.Foreman@dordt.edu August 2015