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Academics Notable
May 6, 2023

What stands out about the Dordt University class of 2023?

What did the class of 2023 contribute to Dordt culture? And what’s next for them?

Spring semester classes have come to an end, and students are starting to work on finals. Commencement—where more than 430 graduates will walk across the B.J. Haan Auditorium stage and accept their diplomas—is only days away. It’s a good time to ask, what did the class of 2023 contribute to Dordt culture? And what’s next for some in the class of 2023?

Ross Faber

Major: Criminal Justice

Hometown: Sunnyside, Washington

What’s next: Ross plans to attend the University of Idaho College of Law in Moscow, Idaho.

“As a criminal justice major, I have been pushed to expand my critical thinking skills. In every class, we were tasked with applying what we have learned to real-life situations and providing reasons for our decisions. The criminal justice program has allowed me to improve on my problem-solving and critical thinking which will be vital at law school."

The Covid-19 pandemic may seem like a distant memory at this point, but for those graduating with a bachelor’s degree as part of the class of 2023, it was a core part of their college experience, as the pandemic interrupted their introductory year of college.

“While this was frustrating and anxiety-producing, I believe it has contributed to the resiliency that I see in this particular class,” says Amy Westra, director of career development. “As a class, and as individuals, they have faced challenges head-on. They forged a way through the isolation of quarantine and have contributed a depth of relationships and the same sense of community and engagement that has always characterized Dordt University.”

Derek Buteyn, associate dean of students and director of residence life, remembers those early days when Covid-19 interrupted the school year. “In a time when we were told to keep our distance and minimize our socialization, they carried over a vibrant culture and set the tone for new students coming in – guiding the student body by participating in and investing in campus life,” he says.

Keturah van der Wier

Major: Elementary Education

Hometown: Beamsville, Ontario

What’s next: Keturah plans to work as a first-grade teacher at Santiago Christian School in the Dominican Republic.

“One thing I have really appreciated about Dordt's education program is that the professors are so passionate and enthusiastic about teaching. It is such an encouragement to see that teachers love their jobs. Another thing I am grateful for is the opportunity to do a full year of student teaching. I have been able to student teach in the same classroom from August to May, allowing me to make great relationships with my students.”

Academically, many in the class of 2023 have thrived. There are numerous examples of this, including Dallas Johnson, a senior theology and social work major from Milford, Iowa, who received a Trustee Scholarship which will pay for 75% of his tuition to Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Senior Lindsay Kuiper, an English education major from Orange City, Iowa, earned a Recognition of Original Composition award at a national theatre competition. Annabelle Vanderkooi, a senior art major from Abbotsford, British Columbia, had her art “Mosaic Masterpiece” installed in the Campus Center. Many others have been accepted into graduate school and found employment prior to graduation.

Sam Walhof

Major: Engineering: Civil Emphasis

Hometown: Orange City, Iowa

What’s next: Sam has accepted an engineering position at Burns & McDonnell in Kansas City, Missouri.

“Studying engineering at Dordt has helped me shape the way I think about the world. I have a balanced perspective where I know the importance of my work in mundane everyday life, while understanding the importance of the grand story of salvation. I look forward to my role at Burns & McDonnell because of their strong commitments to sustainability and service, which helps make my work meaningful.”

Dr. John MacInnis, professor of music, remembers how campus singers and instrumentalists used God’s gift of music to foster community and meaningful human connection.

“Also, I’ll always remember how the Concert Choir, which includes many seniors, was able to minister directly to a community in need when Dordt student [Emma Nibbelink] passed away tragically, while Concert Choir was on tour and visiting her home church,” he says.

Sam Jackson

Major: Nursing

Hometown: Hawarden, Iowa

What’s next: As a registered nurse, Sam will work on the medical-surgical floor at Hawarden Regional Healthcare for six months before transitioning to an ER floor.

“Looking back at my nursing career at Dordt, I am so thankful for learning about patient-centered care to deliver holistic care to God’s children in our world. The professors have given me all the skills and knowledge to be successful in my career and to never fail my patients.”

From an athletics standpoint, Director of Athletic Communications Mike Byker says that the class of 2023 included many solid individuals who set a high standard for themselves and teammates around them. “They are a group that was highly involved in campus life and had interests and aspirations beyond their athletic careers,” he says.

Class of 2023 student-athletes saw many successes, including a 2022 team national championship in men’s cross country, multiple team GPAC titles in cross country men and women, four straight seven-plus win seasons in football, first men’s volleyball team to be ranked and have a winning record, softball team’s high win total since 2002, and more.

“I hope they are able to exhibit the joy that I have watched them have in being part of a team and show that same passion and joy in their faith, families and jobs,” says Byker. “I have no doubt they will lead well as the leave campus.”

Madeline de Jong

Major: Accounting

Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa

What’s next: Maddie has one more semester at Dordt before she begins working for Deloitte in Des Moines as a tax accountant.

“I feel very blessed and grateful that I have a job lined up months from my graduation, especially at a Big 4 firm! I have appreciated my professors the most with my business degree at Dordt. The business professors at Dordt genuinely care about their students, showing interest both inside and outside the classroom.”

“This class has shown themselves to be resilient,” says Buteyn, “and I think that’s something they’ll carry with them as they go out to work in the world. My hope for them is that as they encounter life’s challenges, they’ll approach them with that same resilience, and a confidence that God’s using them to make all things new.”

Westra says that, in a world full of brokenness, the class of 2023 and the dreams, plans, hopes, goals, and skills that live inside of them give her great hope for our future. “My deep hope for the class of 2023 is that they will allow the truth of God’s Word to root deeply inside of them. As those roots grow deep and wide beneath the surface, I pray the fruit that is produced truly feeds a hungry world—a world that hungers for the very truth they carry.”

Kelsey Heidema

Major: Nursing

Hometown: Manhattan, Montana

What's next: Kelsey will work at the Medical Center of Aurora in Denver, Colorado.

“I appreciate how much the nursing professors care about each one of the students. They are great mentors and really try to do everything they can to see us succeed.”

Class of 2023 Stories

Interested in reading more stories from the class of 2023? We've got you covered.

Transferring to Dordt Brings Journalism Opportunities

Glory Reitz

What’s Glory’s favorite thing about Dordt? “I know it’s cliché to say, but my favorite part of Dordt is the community,” she laughs. “I love having running jokes with professors, and the happy shock of running into a friend in the hallway when I’ve been having a bad day. I love being at a university where we have hymn sings and impromptu debates about the Bible, where I’ve found friends I never would have met otherwise.”

Glory Reitz

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Cheney smiles at the camera

From Groundsman to History Educator

Cheney Vander Berg

“I have friendships that will last a lifetime. I have traveled to Europe and sung in places with beauty hard to imagine. I have also cleaned sludge from drains on campus and laid over a mile of grass sod down the campus greenway. I have power-washed brick and had scholarship dinners with very generous donors.”

Cheney Vander Berg

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A Consistently Safe Space

Sofia Bouma

“I don’t feel scared walking from the library to my apartment at night, and the amount of times I’ve left my laptop on a table somewhere and have come back to find it exactly where it was is astronomical (not that I recommend that, of course),” she adds.

Sofia Bouma

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Jessup looks at the camera

Welcomed with Open Arms

Jessup Leakey

“It almost feels like everyone at Dordt such as the students, professors, and even those in the community welcome us with open arms. Being an introvert, it might not seem easy to make new friends in a new place 400 miles from home, but at Dordt, it was. I can think of so many people here that will be my lifelong friends, and I have only known them for four years at most.”

Jessup Leakey

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Isaac smiles at the camera

It's All in the Extras

Isaac Rohne

Isaac has shown initiative in his four years at Dordt, particularly by being heavily involved in co-curriculars. He’s been a track and field thrower, leader of the swing dance club, team lead of Production Arts, Gaming Guild vice president of tabletop gaming, and a singer on a worship team. “I’ve also been involved in Jazz Choir, Concert Choir, and the Cannons of Dordt men’s choir,” he adds. “These have all been incredibly valuable experiences in their own ways.”

Isaac Rohne

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Growing in Faith and in Agriculture

Emma Zwart

“You are challenged to think more about your faith in a deeper level and what it means to be a part of God’s Kingdom,” says Emma. “As an agriculture student, Dordt challenges you to see the bigger picture and how we are taking care of creation according to the Creation Mandate found in Genesis 1:28.”

Emma Zwart

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Getting Outside His Comfort Zone

Isaiah deRegt

“These opportunities at and around Dordt have stretched me and encouraged my development as a continual learner in the ever-changing world of personal finance and macroeconomics,” says Isaiah.

Isaiah deRegt

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Joe Anderson smiling at the camera

Bringing Home Dordt's First Cross Country National Title

Joe Anderson

“I couldn’t be more grateful for my teammates and for Coach Wolf,” says Joe. “This year’s team was so special not because of the races we won but because of how we loved each other. We are all best friends, and it showed in the way we ran races together. Coach Wolf was the ship captain that gently guided us to where we ended up. I’m so glad I chose to come to Dordt.”

Joe Anderson

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Tommy Shin smiling at the camera

Delivering God's Message through Theatre and Music

Tommy Shin

“I like singing because music can deliver feelings and thoughts that are sometimes hard to share in other ways,” he says. “From music, I get comfort and courage not only by listening but by singing aloud. When I sing, it helps me to lay down my burdens – especially when I sing worship songs, which is when I feel most profoundly that God is beside me to guide and support me.”

Tommy Shin

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Bianca is smiling at the camera

Helping Others and Making an Impact

Bianca Van Ginkel

Bianca Van Ginkel grew up on a pig farm in Leslieville, Alberta, with three brothers and three sisters. After visiting Dordt’s campus, she knew that she wanted to attend. She considered many majors including engineering and business, but after envisioning what she wanted her life to look like, she decided that nursing was the major for her.

Bianca Van Ginkel

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Juggling Engineering with Res Life

Regan Syverson

Regan Syverson chose to major in engineering at Dordt because he always enjoyed math and science in school and was a whiz at problem-solving. These skills have served him well in Dordt’s engineering program over the last four years.

Regan Syverson

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A picture of campus behind yellow prairie flowers