November 2009 E-news

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Ribbens Academic Complex dedicated

Dordt College hosted an open house on Friday, Oct. 16, to give friends, families, and the public an opportunity to see new classroom facilities recently completed on campus. Visitors also greeted former Dordt College employees Douglas and Henrietta (Miedema) Ribbens, after whom the addition was named.

The new $5.5 million Douglas and Henrietta (Miedema) Ribbens Academic Complex provides additional academic space for Dordt's growing number of students in art/graphic art, digital media film production, and teacher education.

In addition to the Ribbens Academic Complex event, an open house was held the same day to showcase the new nursing department facilities which are now located in the old President's home on Fourth Avenue NE.

To view photos from the dedication and other Parents' Weekend events click here.

Also in this issue . . .

Slumdoc goes to Africa

Dordt athletics receives NAIA honor

Wood artisans featured

John Calvin's 500th to be celebrated

New athletic program offered

Students will film slums in Africa

Twelve digital media students at Dordt College will travel to Nairobi, Kenya, during Christmas break, along with Dordt's digital media production professor, Mark Volkers. While there they will shoot footage for a documentary film project already underway about poverty and slums.

Volkers has been in over 20 countries as an award-winning photojournalist and documentary filmmaker. The Slum Documentary Film Project is an ongoing effort; Volkers and previous student teams already shot footage of slums in Asia and Latin America.

Visitors to the Slum Documentary website can view a blog, video, and photo gallery of slums in Nicaragua and the Philippines. You can also become a Facebook fan of the project.

Dordt College recognized as Champion Of Character Institution

Dordt College was one of 231 institutions listed as a Champion of Character Institution by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for the 2008-09 school year.

The mission of Champions of Character is to restore character values and raise a generation of students who understand and demonstrate integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership in everyday decisions. The program is dedicated to the principle that character is a choice and that being a champion is not just about winning, but making good decisions consistently in daily life.

For more on this story click here.

Alumni woodworking featured

A display of handcrafted woodwork is being shown at the Dordt College Campus Center Art Gallery from Oct. 16 through Nov. 14.

The work of three Dordt alumni is featured in the exhibit: Jesse Hagey (Class of '06), Gregg Hooyer (Class of '84), and Delmar Vander Zee (Class of '66).

The public is invited to this free exhibition. The Campus Center Art Gallery is open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For more information on this story, click here.

John Calvin's 500th anniversary observed with two upcoming events

The Boston Camerata (pictured above) will perform on Friday November 6, at 7:30 p.m. Their concert, "A Symphony of Psalms," includes Genevan psalms and psalm-based music from the Reformation era. The eight singers will perform a cappella and be accompanied by eight instrumentalists on period strings, woodwinds, and keyboard. Dordt choirs will also participate in the program.

In addition, you can still register for the day-long Calvin, Worship, and the Arts Workshop which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7, with plenary speakers Dr. Karin Maag, director of the Meeter Center at Calvin College, and Dr. Duane Kelderman, vice-president for administration at Calvin Theological Seminary and co-author of Authentic Worship in a Changing Culture. There will also be several break out sessions on various worship related topics.

For more information on these events, click here.

Dordt adds women's golf

Dordt College Athletic Director, Glenn Bouma, has announced that Dordt College will add women's golf to the athletic department's offerings beginning in the fall of 2010.

Dordt College was the lone member of the 13-school Great Plains Athletic Conference school that didn't offer women's golf. Adding women's golf also makes the number of sports offerings equal in men's and women's athletics at Dordt College.

For more on this story, click here.

Alumni and friends events

Alumni events

Tuesday, November 17, at 7 p.m.; Edgerton, MN -- Alumni and friends in the Edgerton area are invited to hear Dr. Hubert Krygsman, professor of history at Dordt College, make a presentation titled "How Should Christians regard Islam?" at Southwest Christian High School. Dr. Krygsman will explain the development and beliefs of Islam and compare them with Christianity. He will examine the roots of contemporary conflicts and offers suggestions for how Christians should respond based on a biblical understanding of our calling to do justice and make disciples of all nations. RSVP by November 16 to Wes Fopma or Dennis Kroll.

Tuesday, November 24, at 7:30 p.m.-- Alumni and friends are invited to have hors d'oeuvres and beverages at halftime of the Dordt College men's basketball game when the Defenders take on the William Penn Statesman in the Statesman gymnasium in Oskaloosa. RSVP to Wes Fopma or Mark Blankespoor at 641-628-8590.

Economist on campus

Ed Lotterman, economist and writer of the Real World Economics newspaper column, will present two lectures at Dordt College on Nov. 5 and 6 on the current state of our economy. Lotterman is a former faculty member at Dordt who taught economics and farm management. Click here for more details.

Wind quartet in concert

The Dakota Wind Quintet will present a guest concert at Dordt College on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the B.J. Haan Auditorium. The Dordt College Music Department is sponsoring this free performance by an outstanding ensemble associated with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra.

Campus visit days scheduled

Fall semester group visit days at Dordt College for high school juniors and seniors are Nov. 6 and 20; and Dec. 4. To find out more about visit days or to schedule a visit, click here, or contact the admissions office at 800-343-6738, option 1.

Job openings

To check out current employment opportunities at Dordt College, click here.

Also, please contact us if you or someone you know would be a good match for one of our available positions.

Alumni notes

Please remember to include information about yourself when sending in birth announcements for the Voice. Your classmates like to hear what you've been doing. Send us an e-mail at alumni@dordt.edu.

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Connect with other alumni

This is the place to connect and network with other Dordt College alumni. The directory is available only to Dordt College alumni, who must register to gain access to contact information for other Dordt alumni. Those who register can update their own profiles and hide any information they do not want listed. The directory has a simple search function and an advanced search function, allowing you to search for other alumni, based on various criteria. For more information contact the alumni office at 712-722-6022 or via email.