Dordt Receives Lead Gift Honoring Alumnus

A $4 million gift from First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard will honor Dordt University alumnus Dave Rozenboom and his family. Rozenboom is a 1985 graduate of Dordt and currently serves as president of First PREMIER Bank in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Dordt Athletic Director Ross Douma said this lead gift will be used to provide extensive renovations to the school’s Recreation Center and De Witt Gymnasium. When completed, the combined facilities will be named the Rozenboom Family Athletic Center.

The gift was initiated by First PREMIER Bank CEO Dana Dykhouse and PREMIER Bankcard CEO Miles Beacom. Each called Rozenboom a pillar of his community and a strong advocate for Dordt, its athletic programs, and its many students.

“Miles and I are so grateful for all Dave has done for PREMIER and the communities we serve,” Dykhouse said. “Dave and his family are extremely generous with their time and talents, always looking to make a positive impact. It seems very appropriate we provide this gift to Dordt, as a tribute to one of its many outstanding alumni.”

Rozenboom joined First PREMIER Bank in 2011 and has enjoyed a 36-year banking career in South Dakota. He has been active in leadership roles with numerous community organizations including Forward Sioux Falls, as well as First Christian Reformed Church, Sioux Falls Christian Schools, and Dordt University. Dave and his wife Tammy, also a 1985 graduate of Dordt, have been married for 37 years and have four children, as well as five grandchildren.

“I am so humbled by this generous gift from PREMIER,” Rozenboom said. “Dordt was instrumental in shaping my world and life view, so it’s truly an honor to have our family recognized by both my employer and my alma mater. Dordt has had a transformative impact on our immediate and extended family, and it is our hope and prayer that this gift will further enhance the impact that Dordt is able to have on its students for generations to come.”

Dordt President Dr. Erik Hoekstra said gifts like this enable Dordt to continue to fulfill its mission, providing students not just an excellent education and facilities, but opportunities to challenge them to glorify God in all areas of life.

“We appreciate the generosity behind this gift and how this will support our mission,” Hoekstra said. “We love to hear when our alumni are making an impact in their local communities, and Dave has certainly made an impact in the South Dakota banking industry and in many other areas of civic, church, and community life.”

The total project is slated for completion in 2025. The project’s initial stage will begin this year, with renovations to the Recreation Center that include new track and basketball court surfaces, curtains and dividers, and scoreboards. The De Witt Gymnasium renovations will include a new HVAC system, extended baseline space, new seating, additional locker room and office spaces, and lobby improvements.

The gift from First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard was given in conjunction with the “Planting for the Future” capital campaign, which Dordt will launch publicly in spring 2022.

To learn more about the campaign or to further support the project, please contact John Baas, vice president of university advancement at john.baas@dordt.edu.

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Dordt, located in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, Forbes.com, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review. To learn more, visit dordt.edu.