--- title: "New faculty bring experience to Dordt’s growing business, engineering programs" date: 2026-08-25T10:03:00-05:00 author: Sarah Moss canonical_url: "https://www.dordt.edu/news/new-faculty-bring-experience-to-dordts-growing-business-engineering-programs" section: News --- [ View Dordt News](https://www.dordt.edu/news) [Academics](https://www.dordt.edu/news?category=academics) Aug 25, 2026 # New faculty bring experience to Dordt’s growing business, engineering programs "We're thankful to be able to hire the people that we need and to be richly blessed with the expertise they bring and the passion they bring for the mission and Kingdom service." ![](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/Hedegaard-Brock_2026.jpg?mode=crop&pos=center-center&w=66&h=57&f=webp&c=e3a3e0aa&v=efd6f754ab90858862ad5165dcc315056a2e9469d33e7f72954f5266f04ff56c) ![]()Dordt University has welcomed three new faculty members in [business](https://www.dordt.edu/academics/programs/business-administration-ba) and [engineering](https://www.dordt.edu/academics/programs/engineering-ba), adding expertise that will strengthen two academic programs that have seen enrollment growth in recent years. Joining Dordt are Dr. Todd Darnold, professor of business and finance; Sarah Stiemsma, instructor of business administration; and Dr. Brock Hedegaard, associate professor of engineering. > Over the past decade, Dordt's engineering program has grown by nearly one-third, while enrollment in business administration has increased by 27% since 2020. Over the past decade, Dordt's engineering program has grown by nearly one-third, while enrollment in business administration has increased by 27% since 2020. As these programs expand, new faculty members bring a combination of academic and professional experience that will benefit students both in the classroom and as they prepare for their careers. Darnold joins Dordt after more than 18 years at Creighton University, where he served as a faculty member and administrator and held the Harper Endowed Chair for Business Leadership. He has also worked as a wealth adviser and previously held positions with Northwestern Mutual, Maytag Appliances, and Pella Windows. Dr. [Leah Zuidema](https://www.dordt.edu/people/leah-zuidema), vice president for academic affairs at Dordt University, says Darnold brings significant experience in higher education while also having a strong desire to work with undergraduate students. "He has a passion for Dordt and for what is different about Dordt compared to his experiences elsewhere—how that Christ-centered worldview is really woven into the curriculum," says Zuidema. "He's also very passionate about working with undergraduates and bringing some of his personal expertise in wealth and investment management into helping students prepare." Stiemsma brings more than 20 years of experience in human resources, management, marketing, and instruction across healthcare, government, and education. She holds a bachelor's degree from Calvin University and a Master of Public Administration from Dordt. Zuidema says Stiemsma will play an important role in helping students develop the foundational skills they will need throughout the business program. "It really takes a special person to work with students at the introductory level and skills level in business courses," says Zuidema. "To have somebody who can give them a really solid foundation is great." Hedegaard joins Dordt after eight years teaching civil engineering at the University of Minnesota Duluth and four years teaching at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His addition provides greater flexibility within Dordt's engineering program, particularly in civil engineering and construction management, while bringing another experienced faculty member into the classroom. "He brings a lot of experience working with students on design projects," says Zuidema. "Engineering is a field where design and discernment and judgment continue to be paramount." For Zuidema, that emphasis on discernment is particularly important as technology continues to change the work engineers do. While tools such as computers and artificial intelligence can assist with calculations, engineers must still consider what they are seeking to accomplish, what makes a design good, and how they should engineer accordingly. She says Hedegaard's commitment to approaching those questions from a Christ-centered perspective makes him a strong addition to Dordt's engineering faculty. The three new faculty members represent the kind of expertise Dordt seeks as enrollment increases, adds Zuidema. "We work hard to be good stewards of students' tuition and not hire more than we need," says Zuidema. "But we're also thankful to be able to hire the people that we need and to be richly blessed with the expertise they bring and the passion they bring for the mission and Kingdom service." --- **About Dordt University** As an institution of higher education committed to the 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. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt offers undergraduate and graduate programs that help students live their faith in every area of life. Through rigorous learning, meaningful relationships, and whole-person formation, students gain the practical wisdom to serve God and neighbor through their work and in their communities. Dordt has been named among the nation's leading Christian universities by U.S. News & World Report, Niche, and other national publications. --- [Previous Article ![A gathering of attendees and instrumental performers in an airy space](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/pgphoto.webp?mode=crop&pos=center-center&w=56&h=33&f=webp&c=9926d2cd&v=33a70a545ad7488171d3ddfec97ffb7057f11a377397911f4f6609fe2b487c87) Events Aug 25, 2026 ## The Porter’s Gate to lead worship event as part of At Work in the Garden: The Faith and Work Conference The Porter’s Gate, a sacred ecumenical arts collective, will lead a worship event on Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m. in the BJ Haan Auditorium as part of At Work in the Garden: The Faith and Work Conference. Read More ](https://www.dordt.edu/news/the-porters-gate-to-lead-worship-event-as-part-of-at-work-in-the-garden-the-faith-and-work-conference) [Next Article ![](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/IMG_6806.jpeg?mode=crop&pos=center-center&w=56&h=33&f=webp&c=0a2c800e&v=739b91847c75afa4be0768bc0e68c04596c255675182f908c281952e348e8fb6) Notable Aug 25, 2026 ## Tom and Sandy Plooy named 2026 Ambassador Award recipients This year, Dordt University has named Tom and Sandy Plooy the recipients of the Ambassador Award, recognizing their generous commitment to Christian education. Read More ](https://www.dordt.edu/news/tom-and-sandy-plooy-named-2026-ambassador-award-recipients) [ ![]() ## View All Dordt News View News ](https://www.dordt.edu/news) Aug 26 General #### [Chapel & Convocation ](https://www.dordt.edu/events/chapel-convocation-2026-08-26) Aug 26 Athletics Men's Soccer #### [8/26 4:45 PM Dordt University Men's Soccer vs Graceland ](https://www.dordt.edu/events/8-26-445-pm-dordt-university-mens-soccer-vs-graceland) Aug 26 Athletics Women's Soccer #### [8/26 7:00 PM Dordt University Women's Soccer vs Graceland ](https://www.dordt.edu/events/8-26-700-pm-dordt-university-womens-soccer-vs-graceland) ![A picture of campus behind yellow prairie flowers](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/2021-22/Buildings-and-Campus/2021-09-23_001574-1.jpg?mode=crop&pos=center-center&w=50&h=50&f=webp&c=3d670641&v=d2bdb7cbdc83e5be46d3a10afe8a1214a0e770536697eb0ddbe29e017d2e9577) <![CDATA[YII-BLOCK-BODY-END]]>