Planted With Purpose

“You just have to have faith because you never know where God is going to take you.”

For Lauren Huizenga, that belief has shaped her entire college journey.

Huizenga was not raised on a farm, yet she found herself with a deep passion to pursue a career in agriculture. Inspired by her grandfather and witnessing his awe for God’s creation through farming, Huizenga decided her to explore the agriculture program at Dordt University.

Initially, Huizenga questioned whether she could succeed in the industry without a background in agriculture. However, that quickly changed. “From the minute I walked on campus, it felt like a place where God was calling me to be,” she says.

Now a junior at Dordt University, Huizenga serves at the president of Dordt’s Ag Club—an organization that strives to serve the college campus and surrounding communities through agricultural education and community service. In this role, Huizenga particularly enjoys learning how to lead and take initiative while creating meaningful connections on campus and in the broader community.

One activity Huizenga cherishes is the club’s partnership with the Clay County Fair Grandpa’s Barn, where Ag Club members volunteer their time to care for animals and educate young kids about the agriculture industry. “I love learning new things and teaching people,” she says, “and I discovered I can do that with agriculture.”

In the classroom, one course that stood out to Huizenga the most was Entomology with Dr. Hummel. During the class, she got the opportunity to go out in the prairie to catch insects, and this experience opened a whole new world for her. “Every single one of these little things was purposefully made by God,” she says.

“The coolest part of being in Entomology was gaining a deeper appreciation for all of God’s creation—including the big and the small that we usually shy away from,”” Huizenga adds.

During her time at Dordt, Huizenga has had the opportunity to experience two summer internships at Key Cooperative in Sully, IA. Through these real-world experiences, she was blessed with an amazing church community as well as immense support from her employers. This summer, she plans to intern in research and development for WinField United in Wisconsin. She is grateful for each opportunity.

Looking back, Huizenga sees a clear theme in her journey: trusting in the Lord. “I didn’t really think I could do it,” she says, “but I did it. I’m exactly where I’ve prayed for, but it’s way better.”

“Where would I be without God?” she adds.

Huizenga is excited to see what the future holds in store, all while continuing to trust in the Lord.