Raising more than $103 million, the total significantly exceeds the fundraising goal of $90 million, making Planting for the Future the most successful campaign in Dordt University’s 68-year history.
Dordt University has completed the “Planting for the Future” campaign, raising more than $103 million. The total significantly exceeds the fundraising goal of $90 million, making Planting for the Future the most successful campaign in Dordt’s 68-year history.
Over 6,000 individuals gave to the Planting for the Future campaign.
“We are deeply grateful and humbled by the response from God’s people to support the important work of equipping future generations for service in Christ’s Kingdom,” says Dr. Erik Hoekstra, president of Dordt. “Every day, our graduates carry out both the Cultural Mandate and the Great Commission as Jesus followers, and we are able to send them out only with the generous support of many donors. We praise God for the response and want to say thank you to each and every person who participated in this campaign.”
Vice President for Advancement John Baas says that the success of the Planting for the Future campaign is a testament to Dordt’s biblical and missional fidelity.
“Dordt is as committed as ever to our Christian foundation and to our institution’s mission,” says Baas. “Donors understand this, and they want to give because they are as invested in ‘equipping students, alumni, and the broader community to work effectively toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life’ as we are.”
The campaign, which included many projects and initiatives, sought to plant for a greater harvest, making an unprecedented investment that would impact generations to come.
There were three main categories within the Planting for the Future campaign:
Increasing Access sought to ensure that “cost will not have to come between students and the life-changing educational experience Dordt provides.” This included student scholarships, to which donors gave more than $24.2 million.
“Those funds will go directly to making a Dordt education affordable and accessible for students,” says Janna Hulstein, campaign and advancement events director.
“As a first-generation college student, being able to receive scholarships has allowed me to pave the path not only for my own family but for generations to come who see themselves in me.
It means I can make my family’s and my own dreams come true.”
— Jessica Hernandez Vargas, '24
Jessica Hernandez Vargas, a senior education major from Sioux Center, Iowa, is grateful for the scholarships she receives at Dordt.
“As a first-generation college student, being able to receive scholarships has allowed me to pave the path not only for my own family but for generations to come who see themselves in me. It means I can make my family’s and my own dreams come true,” she says. “I am able to positively impact those in the surrounding communities as I meet real needs with my work as an educator.”
Living and Learning in Christian Community focused on bolstering Dordt’s intentional Christian residential learning community, which is so integral to Dordt’s identity. This campaign component will allow Dordt to renovate and replace aging facilities to meet capacity and community needs of the next generation of Dordt students.
Thanks in part to the Planting for the Future campaign, Dordt officials were able to break ground this fall on a new dining commons and B.J. Haan Auditorium expansion – one of several projects in the works that will help develop and improve campus spaces.
Bryce Enger, a senior mathematics and physics secondary education major from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has met many people while eating at the Commons and looks forward to what a new dining facility will provide future Dordt students. “The dining commons will provide a spot for students to continue to build community,” he says.
“Breaking bread with others makes it easy to have conversation,” adds Robert Taylor, vice president for student success and dean of students. “It makes it easy to get to know people and meet new friends. I’m excited to see how this new space will positively impact our Dordt community.”
Leading in Innovative Programs sought to expand Dordt’s most innovative programs. Focusing specifically on professional and vocational studies as well as on continued faculty development, this campaign component helped Dordt grow in unique programs like nursing, agriculture, and technical degrees.
As part of the Planting for the Future campaign, Dordt’s nursing program has been able to expand student access to simulation labs. The two labs have mannequins that can talk, breathe, and blink; students are able to give them shots, IV medication, and more, all while being observed by instructors.
“Dordt’s nursing curriculum is unique in that students practice in the lab from their sophomore year until senior year,” explains Dr. Debbie Bomgaars, director of the nursing program. “Students read the material, learn about it in class, practice in the lab, and apply it in the hospital and in simulation. Repetition and practice are key to readying our students for nursing.”
Students love the lab, and they are eager to engage in their simulation days. “The lab gets used at least four days each week,” adds Bomgaars. “We can’t thank donors enough for serving our students. Our goal is student learning, and having appropriate facilities is a gift from God. Thank you for caring about our future nurses.”
"The campaign has had a significant impact, even greater than we dared hope or imagine, for Dordt University and its students," says Baas. "And as Dordt moves forward, the success of the campaign has generated more exciting opportunities for future donor partnerships, even as we thank God and celebrate the remarkable success of the Planting for the Future campaign."
Baas is also grateful for the work that Dordt’s development team has completed to this point. “We have a very experienced staff of fundraisers. Most of them have worked at Dordt for a long time, and they’re here because they wholeheartedly believe in the mission and vision of Dordt,” he says. “We are also thankful for the work of the executive campaign committee that is comprised of alumni and donors who exceeded our expectations in how they gave as well as in their encouragement and their connections.”
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Over 6,000 individuals gave to projects and initiatives like the American State Bank Sports Complex, research and scholarship, Dordt's endowment, the Agriculture Stewardship Center, the theatre arts program, and more.
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 the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
The Dordt University Chamber Orchestra will perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, January 12 at the B.J. Haan Auditorium.
Here’s where Dordt University was mentioned in the media and by news sources.
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