October 16, 2014 Issue 9 Pick one up, pass it on, and please recycle. Dordt College TheDiamond Defender Days comes to In this Issue Defender Days Schedule Thursday Dordt College campus 8:00 p.m. “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Te Paske Theatre 10 p.m. Praise and Worship, Campus Center Students react to Ebola Pg 2 Friday 6:45 a.m. Business Connections Breakfast, Campus Center 8 a.m. -3p.m. Visit Classes 11 a.m. Chapel, B.J. Haan Auditorium 3 p.m. Small Music Festival, B.J. Haan Auditorium Organist Todd Wilson Pg 3 4:30 p.m. Goheen Gallop 5K Fun Run, All Seasons Center 7 p.m. Fall Music Festival, B.J. Haan Auditorium 7:30 p.m. Blades Hockey, All Seasons Center 9:45 Late Night with the Defenders, De Witt Gymnasium 10:30 p.m. Comedy League, B.J. Haan Auditorium Canadian Thanksgiving Pg 4 Lydia Marcus - Staff Writer possible to do,” said De Wit. Visitors have Saturday the opportunity watch athletic events, the 10:30 -11 a.m. Science and technology Center Dedication, Soon, multitudes of parents, siblings, and fall theatre production “The Adventures of Science and Technology Center alumni will flood Dordt’s campus. Tom Sawyer,” and music concerts. Visitors 11:15 -12 p.m. DC Broader Vision Seminars: Columnists Pg 5 What is the occasion? Defender Days. may also attend seminars, class reunions, Eggs, Dordt College, and Mozambique, Campus Center “Last year we combined Parents Weekend Board Room brunches, dinners, and chapel. Students invest through Capital Management Program, and Alumni Weekend for the first time,” De Wit described Defender Days as Campus Center 318 said Dianne De Wit, promotional programs the “do not miss event” of the year; people Campus Ministries, Campus Center 319 Men’s soccer starts clean Pg 6 coordinator. “Things went well, and now from all over the country participate. People 12 -1 p.m. Tailgate for PLIA, football field parking lot Defender Days rolls both those events into an 1 p.m. Women’s Soccer versus Morningside, soccer field responded positively to the Alumni and 1 p.m. Football Game, football field even larger mega event.” Defender Days last Parent weekend last year, and Defender Days 1 p.m. “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Te Paske Theatre from 3:00 p.m. on Thursday to 10:30 p.m. on registration has been promising this year as 2 p.m. Organ Showcase, B.J. Haan Auditorium Saturday. well. 3:15 p.m. Men’s Soccer verses Morningside, soccer field Tom Sawyer production Pg 7 Defender Days give parents, families, 3:30 p.m. Volleyball versus Hastings, De Witt Gymnasium Though alumni and families are the 4:15 p.m. Blades Hockey Game, All Seasons Center and alumni an opportunity to visit campus primary audience for Defender Days, students 5:00 p.m. Volleyball versus Hastings, De Witt Gymnasium and reconnect with Dordt and its mission. 5:30 p.m. Defender Nation Dinner, lower level of the have the opportunity to participate as well. “How better to understand the mission of an “Student services is spearheading a Spirit Campus Center Music Review - Kauai Pg 8 institution than to immerse yourself in it for a 7:30 p.m. “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Te Paske Week when students will be encouraged to Theatre day or two?” said De Wit. dress up according to a theme in order to win 9:00 p.m. Praise and Worship, lower level of Campus Center The SAC has planned a variety of prizes,” said De Wit. Students are encouraged 9:15 -10:30 p.m. Ice Cream Social, Dining Hall activities for the campus visitors. “There are to participate in any of the weekend’s events. more activities planned than is humanely Students connect with Dordt hosts QCommons industry at job fair Meagen De Graaf - Staff Writer “Internships help students build leadership conference experience so that they are ready for their The lower floor of the Campus Center career after graduation,” said Sarah Moss. Eric Rowe - Staff Writer was filled with a couple hundred students These companies want to help students build and about 30 company representatives last that important experiential learning that is so From Charleston to Chattanooga, Wednesday, October 8. necessary for future employees today. Silicon Valley and Singapore to Sioux At the fair, students were able to talk to Most of the employers involved were in the Center, Q-Commons provoked ideas companies about internships and jobs, as business, health or farming fields, but there and asked questions related to in the well as get help with resumes and building was some variety—companies included in respective communities of over 60 cities professional social media connections this event were hospitals, banks, restaurants, in the US and the world. through using LinkedIn. and photographers. Dordt College encourages students to Employers gave away promotional items The Andreas Center at Dordt College think about their future before senior year, with their company name printed on it, in hosted Q-Commons in the BJ Haan on when graduation is just around the corner. hopes that students would gain an interest October 9. The event featured three local Sarah Moss, the Career Center coordinator, in their business. Many of them did, and the speakers, who were selected because of stresses the importance of internships typical workplace buzzwords started flying their passion for their respective interests, throughout the college experience. around the tables set up there. and three national speakers live streamed from New York City. Immigration lawyer and Sioux Center native, Amanda Bahena, talked about the Photo by Eli Anderson expanding immigration in Sioux Center identity that locally rooted art builds, as well and how Christians should respond with as the way that art can be a safe vehicle to love for our neighbors. Bahena described consider difficult issues and strengthen small ways to take action to build relationships town connections. with immigrants by learning their stories Dordt students were able to take advantage and making connections. of a limited number of complimentary tickets In his talk, “Living business as a provided by the Andreas Center. Though Mission,” Justin Schuiteman described some students were required to attend either how Jesus used the ordinary rhythms of for a class or because they were representing life in his work on earth, and encouraged their school newspaper, other students us to be “faithful where God has planted accepted the free tickets Dordt offered simply us, in our business lives.” to attend the event. Dordt Art Professor, Matt Drissel “I like to take advantage of events that presented “Why small towns need art.” Dordt offers,” sophomore Mark Huitsing said. He emphasized the importance of the Continued on page 4 Photo by Megan Kaiser Page 2 News Professor Profile: Steve Holtrop Lydia Marcus - Staff Writer “I think one of my strengths is that I am interested in everything,” he said. Half a dozen knickknacks line the Accordingly, Holtrop appreciates English windowsill in new education professor Steve because it dabbles in a little bit of everything. Holtrop’s office. Holtrop combines his appreciation for a A glass sailboat, a glass apple and a foam wide range of subject matter with his passion brain may be the most significant of the for “helping students take their knowledge trinkets. In some ways, these three ornaments to the next level” in depth as well as breadth. outline the development of Holtrop’s Holtrop does this by promoting critical philosophy of education. thinking. One of Holtrop’s first influential While studying for his Master’s teaching experiences occurred on a sailboat. examination, Holtrop was disappointed to Professor Holtrop joins Dordt’s faculty this fall Photo by Megan Kaiser Holtrop worked in the waterfront staff of discover that the test consisted mostly of a Boy Scout camp when he was 16. He was surface-level memorization and very little that, if students are asked to engage with the are a result of the reliance on “regurgitating responsible for teaching sailing as a part of critical thinking. He was told that material material, and think deeply about it, they will facts” and neglect of critical thinking. the maritime badge. Holtrop had a week of would be covered more in-depth in the learn the facts. Holtrop is passionate about developing new 1 hour sessions to teach his students how to Ph.D. program. This response disagreed with The idea of refocusing classrooms and programs that allow students to engage with sail. At the end of the week, the boys would Holtrop. examinations comes at a pivotal moment in the material they learn. Holtrop thinks he has be tested on their skill. Holtrop cares deeply about critical the life of higher education. Higher education found a place to develop such programs at Holtrop realized that he enjoyed putting thinking. He believes it is important for is experiencing a time of transition, he Dordt. the concepts of sailing into everyday language. students of all grade levels. believes. “We are having to rethink a 500- “My first months at Dordt have been “That was probably when I first thought, ‘Hey, “I am opposed to memorization,” he said. year old model,” said Holtrop wryly. “Higher great. The students are great. They are smart I could enjoy being a teacher,’” he said. Holtrop never gives multiple choice tests, and education is not like Google, which is and engaged,” he said. “I am excited to be at Holtrop earned a B.A. in English from he tries to avoid memorization-only tests. designed to look to the future. It is designed Dordt, because there are innovative things Calvin College and an M.A.