Helping Shape the Next Generation
Rebecca Lin’s path to Dordt began long before she set foot on campus. Growing up in China, where educational options are often limited to highly competitive public schools or developing Christian alternatives, her family made the intentional decision to pursue a Christ-centered education through homeschooling. When a family friend introduced Dordt and its emphasis on Reformed Christian education, Lin saw attending there as a natural next step.
Even before arriving on campus, she had already begun discovering her calling. While still in high school, she helped teach younger students in her home—introducing them to English through reading, writing, and conversation.
“That experience really affirmed my passion for education,” she says.
She knew Dordt had a strong education program, but what she found when she arrived on campus still surprised her.
“The relationship between professors and students is very personal and supportive,” she says. “They don’t just care about your academics and your test scores—they care about our social lives, our emotional well-being, and us as whole people.”
As an elementary education major, Lin has gained hands-on experience in a variety of classrooms—from working with middle school students learning English to teaching kindergarten in Rock Valley.
“Those experiences really developed my patience and understanding,” she says. “You’re not just learning theory—you’re working with real students and learning how to care for them well.”
Her time at Dordt has also grown her faith through the community that surrounds her.
“I’ve been blessed with really good friends who are also committed to growing in their faith,” she says. “We go to chapel, Praise and Worship, and church together. We also read the Bible together. Growing alongside them has really encouraged me.”
That support has been especially meaningful as she has spent four years away from home.
“Even when people don’t know what’s going on in my life, their friendliness and the way they care for me reminds me of God’s faithfulness,” she adds.
Lin has also been shaped by the integration of faith and learning she experiences in the classroom.
“I can learn about God in almost every class,” she says. “Even in subjects like math or statistics, I see His order and His creation.”
As she looks ahead, Lin plans to take that perspective into her future in the United States and, ultimately, to China.
“As educators, we’re helping shape the next generation,” she says. “I want to be part of God’s work in that, wherever He leads.”
