Concert Choir to embark on Spring tour

The Dordt College Concert Choir will present its concert tour March 11-22 in seven states and Canada, with performances scheduled in South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, and British Columbia.

The 51-voice choir will perform works by Bach, Parker, and Gjeilo, as well as folk songs from the British Isles, American spirituals, and other traditional selections from around the world.

The home concert will be held in the B.J. Haan Auditorium on Friday, March 26th.

The dates, places, and times for all Concert Choir performances are listed here.

Construction continues on new campus apartment complex

A new $12 million residence hall remains on target for occupancy the start of the 2010 fall semester. The new student housing will accommodate 192 upperclassmen in 32 units.

Each apartment is designed for six residents, with three bedrooms and a shared kitchen and living area. The four-story building has laundry facilities on each floor, as well as a study area on each level equipped with study desks, wireless internet, and computer workstations.

Three thousand square feet of community space on the first floor and flowing up into a second story loft will offer an additional gathering spot for Dordt students. The two-story open space concept plan offers a floor to ceiling fireplace and movable glass partitions, with surfaces finished in wood, brick, and polished concrete.

This lounging area will be equipped with a coffee and snack bar, as well as a portable stage, sound equipment, and many lighting options for gatherings such as Comedy Club, open microphone nights, small bands, and other performances.

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Canadian option now available for Dordt engineering students

A new cooperative agreement between Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario, and Dordt College in Sioux Center will allow Canadian students who intend to enroll in Dordt's accredited engineering degree program to take their first year of study at Redeemer.

The agreement will allow Redeemer students to enroll one year at that institution, and then transfer to Dordt College to finish an engineering degree in the ensuing three years. The "1-and-3" program opens a new path for Canadian students who want to study engineering at a Christian institution.

Dr. Derek Schuurman, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Redeemer noted, "Many prospective engineering students have not considered Redeemer in the past. With the new Dordt agreement, they can now begin here and continue their studies at a sister institution which shares Redeemer's vision that 'all things,' including engineering, can be shaped by a Christian perspective."

PHOTO:  Dr. Justin Cooper, President of Redeemer University College (left) and Dr. Carl E. Zylstra, President of Dordt College (right) 

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Pass rate exceptional for student nurses

Recent pass rates for students enrolled in the collaborative Dordt and St. Luke's College nursing programs show an exceptionally high performance rate for students taking the NCLEX (National Council Licensure EXamination), a test students must pass to become licensed as a Registered Nurse.

In four of the past five years, 100 percent of the Dordt/St. Luke's partnership nursing students taking the NCLEX-RN test passed it on their first try. Only one student during that time period didn't complete the test successfully on the first attempt.

The average NCLEX pass rate in Iowa for 2009 is 85 percent, while the national average is 88 percent. Check here for more statistics about what graduates and employers of RNs say about the Dordt program.

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