Dr. Chris Nonhof, assistant professor of education and English, and Dr. John Vonder Bruegge, associate professor of biblical and theological studies, have been appointed by the Northwestern College Board of Trustees to endowed professorships.
The endowed chairs provide annual funds to support the recipients’ scholarly work, which can be used for research, the purchase of equipment or materials, travel to pursue research, or assistance to student researchers. Criteria for the appointments include a distinguished record as an outstanding teacher; recognition for scholarly and leadership contributions to their discipline; exemplary service to the department, Northwestern and the larger community; and a demonstrated commitment to the college’s mission.
Nonhof has been appointed to the James and Margaret Blekkink Endowed Education Professorship. A member of Northwestern’s faculty since 2015, he has given presentations at conventions of the Iowa Council of Teachers of English and the International Community of Christian Teacher Educators. Nonhof taught high school English and theatre in Florida and Wisconsin for 16 years and served as an adjunct writing instructor at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He earned a doctorate in language and literacy and a master’s in instructional technology from Cardinal Stritch University, along with a bachelor’s degree from Dordt University.
Vonder Bruegge has been appointed to the Marvin and Jerene DeWitt Endowed Biblical and Theological Studies Professorship. A member of the faculty since 2004, he won the Northwestern Teaching Excellence Award in 2009 and has served as co-director of the Honors Program for 11 years. Recently appointed Northwestern’s dean of arts and humanities, he is an active member at Orange City’s Trinity Reformed Church. Vonder Bruegge, the author of “Mapping Galilee in Josephus, Luke, and John: Critical Geography and the Construction of an Ancient Space,” earned a doctorate in religious studies from Yale University, master’s degrees from Harvard University and Covenant Theological Seminary, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri.
The endowed chair appointments are for a five-year period and made with recommendations from the Faculty Status Committee, vice president for academic affairs and president. The Blekkink Professorship was most recently held by Dr. Lila Sybesma. The DeWitt Professorship was held by Dr. James Mead.
