October 2009 E-news

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Parents' Weekend October 16 & 17

Many fun and interesting activities will be offered on campus during Parents' Weekend, Oct. 16 and 17. Parents and other guests are invited to the Ribbens Academic Complex dedication on Friday morning at 11 a.m., with an open house offered from 1:30-3:30 p.m. The new Nursing Education Facility will also host an open house from 2-4 p.m. Dordt’s Fall Music Festival will be Friday at 7:00 p.m., and women's volleyball action kicks off sports events on Friday evening, followed by a reception in the Recreation Center.

Saturday is packed full of activities including the President's Brunch, jazz band and organ concerts, model classes, a home football game, a theater production, and praise and worship. Online registration is now open.

For more Parents' Weekend details click here.

Also in this issue . . .

Distinguished Alumni Named

Running for Rats

Prairie is Making a Comeback

Boston Camerata Coming to Campus

Become a Dordt College fan

Distinguished Alumni named for 2009

Distinguished Alumni Awards were presented to three former Dordt College students during Alumni Weekend, September 11 and 12.

Distinguished Alumni Awards are granted annually to one person from each of the three divisions (humanities, social science, and natural science) of the college. Recipients have made significant contributions in their field, are recognized by their associates for outstanding achievement, and demonstrate a Christian commitment to their work.

Humanities -- Dr. Christian Teeuwsen, Ancaster, Ontario Teeuwsen received his B.A. in music from Dordt College in 1980, and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in 1995. He has become an internationally known organist and distinguished himself with outstanding performances and CDs. He is a professor of music at Redeemer University.

Natural Sciences -- Dr. Ronald Blankespoor, Grand Rapids, Michigan Blankespoor received his B.A. in chemistry from Dordt College in 1968 and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Iowa State University in 1971. Blankespoor is chairperson of the chemistry/biochemistry department at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, where he has been a faculty member since 1977. He’s also been a visiting professor at the universities in Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, and Paris. Blankespoor was the 2005-06 recipient of the Calvin College Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching, and the 1977 recipient of Wake Forest University’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Social Sciences -- Kevin De Vries, Ferndale, Washington De Vries received his B.A. in psychology from Dordt College in 1986. He is the president of Exxel Pacific, one of the largest private construction companies in Washington. Northwest Business Monthly has recognized the company as one of the most successful and best run companies in western Washington. Kevin has demonstrated excellence living out his Reformed world view by conducting the company business with integrity, treating employees with a family first focus, generosity in charitable giving, and commitment to doing business differently as he helped build the company from the ground up.

Dordt students run to support agricultural mission in Africa

Several Dordt College students have formed a Dea Lieu Marathon Support Group, and are running a marathon to raise funds for Dordt alumnus Dea Lieu, who is doing agricultural mission work in Africa. This year’s contribution will be used to purchase grasscutters, also known as cane rats, which are a delicacy in Western Africa that provide high-protein meat. Dea is helping farmers begin micro-livestock enterprises raising grasscutters as part of his ministry.

Dordt students are now seeking sponsors for their run in the seventh annual Siouxland Lewis and Clark Marathon, which takes place in Sioux City on Saturday, Oct. 17. Some of the participants will run the entire 26.2 miles, while others will do a half-marathon or run the course as a relay team. The group will also volunteer at Pizza Ranch in Sioux Center during a tip night being held on Oct. 26 from 5-7 p.m.

To support the team donors can make per mile contributions or attend the Pizza Ranch tip night. Donations should be made to “Partners Worldwide” and mailed to Dordt College, 651 Sixth St., DC 2496, Sioux Center, IA 51250. For more information contact Jay Holmes.

For more on this story click here.

Dordt's prairie project is growing

Wildflowers are beginning to spring up at Dordt College's prairie project south of the B.J. Haan Auditorium along the Sioux Center bike trail. The college is restoring 20 acres of tall grass prairie along the trail.

Globally, tall grass prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems on earth. Given the nearly complete loss of prairie in Iowa, restoration projects like the Dordt College Prairie enable people to get to know the unique plants God created and placed in this part of the world and learn to appreciate the beauty of prairie.

Land preparation for the Dordt College prairie began several years ago when the college removed trees from the wetland area, began to use only herbicides without carryover on the cropland, and removed the original pasture. The northwest seven acres of the prairie was seeded in the spring of 2008, and the rest was seeded in the spring of 2009.

Learn more about the project, and a recent prairie walk, here.

John Calvin’s 500th anniversary observed with two upcoming events

Two events celebrating the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin will be held at Dordt College in Sioux Center on November 6 and 7.

A day-long Calvin, Worship, and the Arts Workshop will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7, with plenary speakers Dr. Karin Maag, director of the Meeter Center at Calvin College, and Dr. Duane Kelderman, vice-president for administration at Calvin Theological Seminary and co-author of Authentic Worship in a Changing Culture. There will also be several break out sessions on various worship related topics.

In addition, the Boston Camerata (pictured above) will perform on Friday November 6, at 7:30 p.m. Their concert, "A Symphony of Psalms," includes Genevan psalms and psalm-based music from the Reformation era. The eight singers will perform a cappella and be accompanied by eight instrumentalists on period strings, woodwinds, and keyboard. Dordt choirs will also participate in the program.

For more information on these events, click here.

Dordt College is getting 'social'

Become a part of the conversation and keep up with the latest Dordt news by becoming a Dordt College fan on Facebook, following Dordt College Athletics on Twitter, or getting LinkedIn with other Dordt College Alumni for referrals, networking, and job postings. Of course, the website is always good too. We'll see you online!

Alumni and friends events

Alumni events

October 23, 2009 at 5:30 - Dordt College is hosting a tailgate party for alumni and friends of Dordt College at the Calvin Christian High School football stadium prior to the Calvin Christian vs. Calvary San Diego football game. Food, fun, and giveaways for the whole family. RSVP to Wes Fopma or Sandy Roth.

Rooster Booster Pheasant Hunt

The 2009 Rooster Booster Pheasant Hunt is scheduled for November 5-7 near Corsica, South Dakota. Proceeds from the event benefit the Dordt College Rooster Booster Scholarship Fund. For more details about this one-of-a-kind hunting weekend, contact Dave Vander Werf, Director of Planned Giving at Dordt College.

Fall Music Festival

Dordt College's Fall Music Festival will be presented on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:00 p.m. in the B.J. Haan Auditorium. This concert offers a sampling of the vocal and instrumental groups at Dordt College. There is no cost to attend, but a freewill offering will be received to benefit music scholarships at Dordt.

Alumni art on display

The Dordt College Campus Center Art Gallery is featuring an alumni art exhibit by Sara Mulder and Matt Kunnari through Oct. 14, with recent work in painting and mixed media. The Campus Center Art Gallery is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Jazz Band concert offered

The Dordt College Jazz Band will offer a mini concert at the Campus Center on Saturday, Oct. 17 at noon. This informal performance is free and open to the public.

Fall theatre production

Dordt College's fall theatre production is The Caucasian Chalk Circle, a parable evocative of the tale of King Solomon and a child claimed by two mothers. Six performances will be presented at the college's New World Theatre, beginning at 7 p.m. on the evenings of Oct. 15, 17, 21, 22, 23, and 24. For ticket and other information, click here or call the Dordt College box office at 712-722-6430.

Campus visit days scheduled

Fall semester group visit days at Dordt College for high school juniors and seniors are October 9, 16, and 23; Nov. 6 and 20; and Dec. 4. To find out more about visit days or to schedule a visit, click here, or contact the admissions office at 800-343-6738, option 1.

Job openings

To check out current employment opportunities at Dordt College, click here.

Also, please contact us if you or someone you know would be a good match for one of our available positions. We appreciate your tips and recommendations of great candidates who could serve with us at Dordt.

Alumni notes

Please remember to include information about yourself when sending in birth announcements for the Voice. Your classmates like to hear what you've been doing. Send us an e-mail at alumni@dordt.edu.

The most recent Voice

Connect with other alumni

This is the place to connect and network with other Dordt College alumni. The directory is available only to Dordt College alumni, who must register to gain access to contact information for other Dordt alumni. Those who register can update their own profiles and hide any information they do not want listed. The directory has a simple search function and an advanced search function, allowing you to search for other alumni, based on various criteria. For more information contact the alumni office at 712-722-6022 or email: alumni@dordt.edu.