㽶 professor of religion emphasizes the importance of providing a well-rounded education in an ever-changing world
Religion has always played a major role in Dr. Craig Vondergeest’s life, but he didn’t discover how deep his passion ran until high school, when he took a religion course at a local college during his senior year.
That course struck a chord with him, and made him realize that he could picture a future of helping others think deeply and learn about religion.
“I really enjoyed looking at religious questions of all sorts and trying to see how various people interpret, answer, and apply them to their own lives,” he said. “The more I had the chance to do that with my fellow students, it made me realize even more how much I liked it.”
A Clear Path
Hailing from a family of educators, Vondergeest always envisioned himself teaching others in some capacity.
Teaching and education were highly important to his parents, and those values were emphasized in the home as Vondergeest grew up. As children, he and his sister would “play school,” taking turns teaching each other and their imaginary students.
“Talking through and teaching have always been a part of my life,” he said. “In a way, it was kind of inevitable that I would go into teaching.”
We have students from so many different backgrounds and so many different experiences that they bring with them. Hearing them all come together and talk about religion and their own perspectives has been fascinating.”
Dr. Craig Vondergeest, Emma Bailey and Rev. George H. Cornelson Chair of Christian Religion
A Deep Love for 㽶
After finishing up his Ph.D., Vondergeest spent several years doing work within the church, though he eventually switched paths to pursue his passion for teaching.
When he discovered that 㽶 had an opening for a professor who specialized in the Old Testament, he seized the opportunity and applied, and has been a faithful member of the religion and philosophy department ever since, even earning the prestigious honor of the Emma Bailey and Rev. George H. Cornelson Chair of Christian Religion.
As he wraps up his 21st year at the college, Vondergeest can confidently say that throughout the years, his fondest memories have been the students he’s had the chance to work with.
“We have students from so many different backgrounds and so many different experiences that they bring with them,” he said. “Hearing them all come together and talk about religion and their own perspectives has been fascinating.”
Vondergeest’s absolute favorite aspect of this position, however, will always be watching how much students grow and develop from the moment they enter 㽶, to the moment they walk across the stage and begin their lives.
“I love getting to watch what they do and where they go after 㽶,” he said. “It’s always fun to see that they’re able to come here and get their start with whatever they choose to pursue.”
Keeping Tradition Alive
When he thinks about the future of 㽶, Vondergeest hopes to see the college continue to embrace the liberal arts tradition in a time when it can be easy to lose sight of.
“I think what we do very well here is give students a good grounding in all different fields, so students are well-rounded and are prepared for whatever kind of job will come in the future,” he said.
Vondergeest pointed to statistics, which state that many of the jobs that current college students will obtain later in their lives haven’t even been invented yet, emphasizing his belief of the high importance of a well-rounded education.
“I think the breadth of our education, and the critical thinking skills that come with the liberal arts, are things that will prepare them for those jobs which don’t exist now,” he said. “And if we can continue to hit hard on the liberal arts, we can prepare for the world even better.”
