Dordt University to Receive more than $192,000 in Grant Funding

Dordt University is one of nine institutions who will receive approximately $192,500 in grant funding from the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) and Scholarship & Christianity in Oxford (SCIO). This funding is part of “Supporting Structures: Innovative Collaborations to Enhance STEM Research at CCCU Member Institutions,” which is designed to enhance and support STEM research among faculty and students at CCCU campuses. Other institutions receiving this grant include Calvin University, Azusa Pacific University, and Wheaton College.

“This grant enables early career faculty to have additional time to do some of the work that is most important for us at Dordt: exploring the relationship between science, religion, and society—and not just in the abstract, but directly in connection with these faculty members’ own teaching and scholarship,” Dr. Leah Zuidema, vice president for academic affairs, comments. “We want Dordt students to grow in their understanding that Jesus is Lord in all areas of life, and that scientific understanding and Christian faith should be integrally connected. Professor of Engineering Dr. Manuela Ayee and Professor of Physics and Engineering Dr. Jason Wyenberg are already well poised to think about these issues with students, and their participation in the SCIO grant will further enable them to draw on ideas from other Christians and to share what they learn with science faculty and students at Dordt.”

The funding will also strengthen Dordt’s relationship with large research institutions, support undergraduate research and club activities, and provide opportunities for administrators and other campus-connected communities to get involved.

Dordt already has plenty to offer in terms of STEM. There are several undergrad STEM majors at Dordt for undergrads to pursue, including biology, chemistry, engineering, computer science, and mathematics. Dordt’s pre-professional programs include several STEM-focused tracks, such as pre-physical therapy, pre-physician assistant, and pre-veterinary medicine. For students interested in teaching STEM to students age K-12, the Noyce Scholarship Program supplies job opportunities and practical training. This new grant will serve to bolster all that Dordt faculty and students have already put into motion.

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.