Sioux Center, Iowa — Dr. Leah Zuidema has been appointed to the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) at Dordt University.
Zuidema holds a Ph.D. in English from Michigan State University. At Dordt, Zuidema taught English for more than seven years and served as an associate provost and a dean for seven years. Most recently, she worked as Vice President for Online and Graduate Education, leading the expansion of Dordt’s online and graduate programs to ensure academic excellence and mission fit.
Zuidema says that serving administratively over the past eight years has given her a chance to listen to many faculty, staff, students, and prospective employees, all sharing about their stories within God’s story. These testimonies are compelling, and she is eager to lead a learning community where they deepen their Reformational understanding.
In addition to her work at Dordt, Zuidema holds an academic service role as President of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), a national nonprofit and the leading member association for literacy educators in the United States. Also, as a Fulbright Scholar, she participated in a United States – France International Education Administrators’ Program in France and Belgium.
As VPAA, Zuidema will lead as the university’s chief academic leader, providing guidance and encouragement to faculty and others as Dordt seeks to serve students, alumni, and the broader community to work effectively for Christ-centered renewal in all areas of life.
Dordt President Erik Hoekstra states that Dr. Zuidema is the perfect fit for this role. She brings academic expertise and an advanced understanding of curriculum and instruction, which will be an asset to her in this role. She is also an advocate for the Reformed Christian perspective, which is integral to Dordt as an institution.
Zuidema continues that she loves Dordt—who they are, what they do, and their mission. She loves academic leadership, too. As an administrator, She has had many opportunities to get to know Dordt’s faculty and support them in their development. She says it will be a joy to lead the central learning tasks of the university.
Others within Dordt’s leadership team have taken on additional responsibilities of the former provost role, including those in co-curricular and operational areas. As VPAA, Zuidema will provide leadership for all academic areas, including the online and graduate programs that were previously in her responsibility.
