Broadening Faith

When he arrived at Dordt, Jacob described himself as “fashionably challenged, emotionally burdened, theological questioning, and vocationally foundering.” Today, he is following God’s calling as he works for the University of Iowa in the Center of Public Health Statistics, where he manages data and assists students while teaching an online stats class at Dordt.

Jacob is grateful for Dordt’s small class sizes and student-teacher interaction, which prepared him for graduate school and beyond.

“Engaging with professors is much more practical in a smaller school, and I've found that most Dordt profs jump on this opportunity. These interactions opened opportunities that gave me experiences and training without which I probably never would have been able to get through grad school (much less into one).”

In addition to strong student-teacher relationships, Jacob describes the community at Dordt. Jacob was part of a PLIA trip, volunteered at a local school, participated in a cook-off challenge, and helped host the talent show and holiday-themed meals. Alongside the community, Dordt’s Christian perspective helped Jacob wrestle with God’s calling for himself in life and vocation.

“It was a community that gave me room to struggle and question my faith with others who were supportive and encouraging. My relationship with Christ deepened as a result and I'm forever grateful. The reformed thought infused into classes gives me the security to delve into today's issues without fear. Questions, doubts, and challenges don't shake my faith, but instead are ways to broaden my views on how the Kingdom is enacted into this world.”