Guiding Students toward Faithful Living

Faith and learning have always been intertwined for Dan Landstra (’92). Whether teaching a Bible class, coaching on the court, or mentoring students one-on-one, he has spent his career helping young people see that every part of life belongs to Christ.

Each year, the Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to a Dordt graduate who has distinguished themselves in an extraordinary fashion, giving evidence of living out of a Reformational worldview and demonstrating exemplary service to the community and the world. Those who nominated Landstra say his leadership and integrity embody that mission. “He leads by example and provides constant support for both students and staff,” one nominator wrote. “Whether teaching, mentoring, or meeting with students before and after school, Dan models faithfulness as he helps guide young people through the challenges of high school with a distinctly Christian worldview.”

When Landstra learned he had been selected for the 2025 award, he was surprised. “There are thousands of Dordt graduates doing Kingdom work all over the world, and it is humbling to be recognized as one of those graduates seeking to do God’s will and engaging in the process of redemption and restoration in His world.”

Landstra currently serves as the Director for Spiritual Life at Unity Christian High School in Hudsonville, Michigan—a role he has held since 2018. “This position has opened doors and provided new opportunities to expand our mission and vision at Unity,” says Landstra. “It has been a tremendous blessing to work with students, staff, and families in this capacity.”

He began his teaching career at Sioux Center Christian School, teaching Bible and coaching several sports. After three years, he and his wife felt God leading them to Michigan, where Landstra began serving at his former high school. He taught high school Bible classes, coached track and basketball, and helped students connect faith and learning. “It is rewarding to walk alongside students as they ask important questions and navigate the complex world of early adulthood,” he says.

One of his ongoing challenges is guiding students to grow as Christ-followers while navigating a culture that, “in so many ways, pulls them away from living out their faith,” he explains. Through teaching worldview and faith-focused classes, working with students to plan times of worship and Bible study for the student body, and meeting individually with each senior, Landstra seeks to equip students with “knowledge and skills to infuse faith into all areas of life.”

While Landstra’s path to Christian education wasn’t always clear, his desire for Christ-centered community was. After two years at a large public university, he visited friends at Dordt and quickly realized what he had been missing. “The community at Dordt was unlike anything I had experienced before,” he recalls. “Although I couldn’t articulate it at the time, it was the intentional focus on biblical worldview framed by a Christian community and infused into all parts of the college that drew me to northwest Iowa and Dordt.”

More than two decades later, he continues to see his Dordt education make an impact on his personal and professional life. “Dordt continues to shape my life today through our children’s experiences there,” he says. “It has been a blessing to see our kids growing and learning through the same Christ-centered lens we valued so much in our time at Dordt.”

Since 2019, Landstra has been involved in the implementation of the Infusion Project at Unity, which “aims to provide educators with knowledge and skills to infuse faith into their content areas and to guide students to discern how to be salt and light in the culture they are called to redeem.”

“One aspect of the Infusion Project is bringing Unity’s vision of claiming all things for Christ to other communities,” continues Landstra. “It has been a wonderful blessing to meet new people and lead important conversations on culturally relevant topics that impact young people and adults. To frame those conversations from a Biblical perspective and teach others to see all things through a lens of faith has oriented my perspective and is what truly motivates me in all that I do.”

“Whether in the classroom, on the field, or in chapel,” he adds, “I want students to see that every part of life belongs to Christ.”

Landstra was recognized during Dordt’s annual Defender Nation Dinner at Defender Days, a weekend that brings together alumni, parents, and friends of the university. The semi-formal dinner celebrates the recipients of Dordt’s Distinguished Alumni, Horizon, and Ambassador Awards, recognizing individuals whose lives reflect Dordt’s mission of Christ-centered renewal in all areas of life.

Reflecting on his time as a student, Landstra says, “Is Dordt different than when I graduated from here in 1992? Completely, and not at all. The flesh and bones of the place are different, but the heart of Dordt University beats exactly the same.”

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.