Dordt to Host In-Person Commencement Ceremony on May 7

On Friday, May 7, Dordt University plans to hold an in-person commencement ceremony on campus.

When making plans for the commencement ceremony, Dordt officials have kept three priorities in mind:

• That the class of 2021 graduates have asked for a shared experience with each other at commencement
• That Dordt provides the best parent experience possible
• That Dordt seeks to create as traditional of a commencement ceremony as possible

Although details regarding the ceremony are still being finalized, Dordt officials have determined that graduates will be together in the B.J. Haan Auditorium. Graduates will have the chance to walk across the stage, and officials hope to have many of the usual commencement ceremony activities.

The commencement speaker will be Dr. David Mulder, associate professor of education at Dordt. With a demonstrated history of successful teaching in both K-12 and higher education, Mulder is known for being a dynamic presenter and an award-winning teacher. He holds a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Technology from Boise State University and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Dordt University. He is interested in educational technology, online learning, teaching young adolescents, STEM education, social networks for professional learning, and teaching Christianly. He blogs at “iTeach and iLearn,” and he co-hosts a podcast called “Hallway Conversations with Matt and Dave.”

Mulder hopes to speak about why it is important to never stop learning.

“Dordt graduates have had the opportunity to explore who they are, and whose they are, for several years,” says Mulder. “Yes, they have learned techniques through their coursework, but they have also been formed into, as 1 Peter 2:9 says, ‘peculiar people,’ who are equipped to make an impact for the Kingdom.”

Each graduate will receive four tickets for guests. There will be overflow seating areas around Dordt’s campus, which will also be ticketed. Dordt will also share the event via livestream.

Dr. Erik Hoekstra, president of Dordt, is thankful for the opportunity to host an in-person, on-campus commencement.

“There are so many places in Scripture where we are counseled to come together as the people of God to praise him for his great works as our loving Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,” says Hoekstra. “As our graduates pass over this milestone in their lives, it seems appropriate to sing praises together, to pray together, and to celebrate together as God’s people—if we’re able to do it safely.”

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. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.