Strong Foundations in Faith and Engineering

Abe Hibma has always enjoyed working with his hands. From helping his dad with projects to getting behind the saw at his high school’s woodshop, building things and problem-solving have always been what make him tick. A coding class in high school only solidified his interest in problem-solving, leading him to his pursuit of a degree in engineering.

Through Dordt's engineering program, Hibma’s love for innovation and design has continued to grow alongside his skills and knowledge— especially with a community of professors who teach with care and peers who share his vision and drive. Hibma especially appreciates how personable Dordt’s faculty members are. “Dordt professors know their students by name, unlike at big institutions, where you're just a number,” says Hibma.

As a Sioux Center native, Abe Hibma has known about Dordt University for almost as long as he can remember. Between sports, music events, youth group, and school activities, Abe was often on campus during his growing-up years. However, it wasn’t until a campus visit that he finally got a sense of what Dordt was really like.

Although initially hesitant to choosing a university close to home, Hibma’s campus visit showed him that Dordt offered many of the things he was looking for—a strong engineering program and a campus life centered around faith. He began to see that maybe he wouldn’t have to go as far for college as he’d thought.

During his campus visit, Hibma was especially struck by chapel at Dordt—an optional, weekly service of engaging worship and thoughtful preaching that is a cornerstone of faith formation for many on campus. “It was full, even though attendance was not required, and students were engaged,” Hibma says.

Now a sophomore engineering major, Hibma notices the same commitment to faith throughout campus life, pushing him to invest more personally in his own faith. “Being surrounded by people who take faith seriously and are willing to ask hard questions has pushed me to move beyond inherited answers and take real ownership of my convictions,” he says.

In addition to growing his faith, Hibma has also grown in his field knowledge at Dordt by participating in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Through ASCE, Hibma has built relationships both on and off campus, coming together to discuss ideas, encourage one another, and challenge each other in the field of engineering.

“I genuinely enjoy the weekly meetings,” says Hibma. “They have been valuable for building connections beyond campus and for learning about different areas of engineering and how people actually enter the profession.”

Hibma is also part of Concrete Canoe, an extension of ASCE where students design and build a canoe that they eventually take to the water in competition. Hibma enjoys the ingenuity required to create designs that won’t sink when they hit the water. This year, Hibma spent hours developing canoe mixes. “I made over 20 iterations of mixes before settling on some that I liked,” explains Hibma.

While ASCE provides professional insight, Concrete Canoe serves as Hibma’s creative outlet, challenging him in both design and real-world, hands-on application. “You can’t hide behind spreadsheets. The material either works or it doesn’t. When a batch fails, it forces you to figure out what went wrong and fix it.”

Hibma has embraced Dordt as a place of formation—deepening his faith, finding lifelong community, and turning his passion for building into a lifestyle of study and practice that both excites and challenges him—all for the glory of God.