Welcoming parents and their students to Dordt University

Melodie Bajema remembers how bittersweet it was to drop her son off at Dordt University for college.

“It seems to have been such a short time ago our children joined our families and now, here we are bringing them to campus only to leave them there as independent ‘adults’ seeking what the Lord has planned for them,” she says. “As a parent of a Dordt student, I found I needed to put a lot of trust in my son to do his part and let me know what he needed. We learned along the way.”

Now, as an Admissions and Parent Relations Specialist, Bajema draws on her personal experiences to help other parents navigate the emotional journey of sending their children off to college at Dordt.

“I enjoy working with parents to help make the college experience a positive one from the very beginning, by providing information with helpful advice in a timely manner,” she says. “Preparing and informing parents way before they arrive on campus helps alleviate some of the stress and uncertainties parents have.”

Week of Welcome (WOW), Dordt’s incoming student orientation weekend, takes months of preparation and planning – not only for the new students who now call Dordt home, but for their parents as well.

“As our admissions team prepares for incoming students to arrive, the parent relations team is also communicating with parents throughout the enrollment process,” says Alicia Bowar, director of alumni and parent relations. “We send out monthly checklists of items Dordt is communicating with students so that parents can walk alongside and guide their student as they prepare to move to campus.”

The parent relations team communicates details such as schedules, parking, packing lists, and more beginning in the spring. “Prior to WOW, we send detailed information so parents are aware of what the schedule will be like,” says Bajema.

Bajema and the parent relations team personally welcome each parent when they arrive on campus and provide them with hard copies of resources that will be useful for the upcoming academic year. During WOW, parents have several opportunities to engage and meet with faculty and staff, including at the Parent Social and the Department Expo.

“Our Parent Information Panel meeting is designed so that each department leader shares a bit about their work and then takes questions from parents,” explains Bowar. “Our hope is that, through our communication and time spent on campus, parents and family members will know Dordt faculty and staff and will trust that we’ll serve their student and family well in the next few years.”

One of the most powerful experiences during WOW is the Welcoming Ceremony in the B.J. Haan Auditorium. Director of Emerging Markets Eric Tudor describes the Welcoming Ceremony as “we get to fast-forward through 20 years of life in 60 minutes.”

“The event begins with just the parents as well as Dordt faculty and staff; we share our joys and expectations for these soon-to-arrive community members much in the way of expectant parents,” he says.

A few minutes later, students are welcomed into the B.J. Haan Auditorium as their parents and Dordt community sing and pray blessings over them.

“As the event unfolds, the focus shifts toward the students, concluding with them turning to their parents as the two groups sing ‘The Blessing’ toward each other,” says Tudor. “It’s a beautiful depiction of God’s providence from one generation to the next. In that moment nearly 500 young people are literally and figuratively stepping out, in faith, to begin the kingdom work that their parents have been preparing them for.”

Choosing a college is a “whole-family decision,” says Tudor, and families that choose Dordt are doing so not just because of the university’s academic rigor but because they want their sons and daughters to live and grow in Christian community.

“It will be a transformational experience for the students themselves, but also for their loved ones,” he says. “It’s critical that while we’re helping students integrate into the Dordt community, we’re also equipping families to continue to speak into their children’s lives—even if they are no longer sharing a nightly dinner table.”

After a full day of ceremonies, meetings, and meals, the Ice Cream Social is a students’ first time to informally connect with other students. Parents are welcome to join, but Tudor says they typically only stay for a short while.

“In those two hours, students form their very first college friendships—relationships that in many cases will last a lifetime. After a day of experiencing the intentionality of Dordt’s campus and now seeing their new college students already forming friendships, parents can confidently leave campus knowing that their children are safe, cared for, and building relationships with peers who will encourage them in their faith and in their lives.”

“This time of life is exciting as we watch our children learn, experience, and mature into adults,” says Bajema. “We often grieve the days when they were young, but their high school and college days are bringing moments of astonishment and wonder of God’s blessings.”