The Christmas spirit, consumerism, and Christians
Zac VanderLey—Staff Writer The grinch is back. He’s here to take your Christmas spirit. Well, really, he just wants you to exercise some patience. Before the turkey leaves the oven […]
Won’t be home for Christmas
Mikaela Wegner –Co-Chief Editor It’s Christmas on top of a cliff in Brazil. At a beach house sitting above the Atlantic Ocean, around 40 people mingle in a yard. Steak […]
Washington and B.C. flooding: Damaged homes, strengthened community
Sydney Brummel– Staff Writer Sophomore Levi Korthuis has lived in Lynden, Washington his entire life, next to almost all his extended family. When he returned for Thanksgiving Break, however, he […]
It takes a village
Katie Ribbens– Staff Writer It takes a village to move a village. Community members are stepping up to help move the Heritage Village to its new location at Tower Fields. […]
Dordt University records 42 cases among student body for fall semester, 35 percent of students fully vaccinated
This past semester, Dordt University’s students attended their classes with minimal COVID-19 restrictions.
Dordt’s connection to World
Zac VanderLey—Staff Writer On Nov. 21, Marvin Olasky resigned as editor of World, a Christian news media outlet. His resignation came just eight months before he had planned to retire […]
Cross Country teams seek conference win
Dayna Wichhart—Staff Writer For the past two weeks, Dordt University’s cross-country teams have been focused on one date and one date only: Nov. 6. The Great Plains Athletic Conference Championship […]
Sexual assault training and the person sitting next to you
Corina Beimers – Staff writer What did you learn from the sexual assault training? Probably not a whole lot, because you didn’t do it. At the beginning of October, Robert […]
The French Dispatch: Wes Anderson’s artistic interpretation of journalism
Daniel Ketchelos—Staff Writer The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson’s latest contribution to cinema, follows the publication of an American newspaper in a fictional French city. The film’s structure is composed of […]
Dordt Dining to host sandwich competition
Emily Vander Ploeg—Staff Writer For the remainder of the fall semester, Dordt Dining will host a grill-off. The submissions of student workers from the Commons and the Defender Grille will […]
Multiple on-campus incidents bring student safety into question
Zac VanderLey – Staff Writer Hannah Vanderhooft- Staff Writer Sam Landstra-Co-Chief Editor Editor’s Note: This article includes sources whose names have been kept anonymous at the request of the sources […]
Sidebar hosts trivia night
Elise Wennberg—Staff Writer An indistinct chatter filled the room as eight teams sat ready to fight for the first-place prize. The smell of flavored drinks and flatbread pizza entered the […]
West hall floods with plumbing problems
Sydney Brummel—Staff Writer Though its wing decorations change yearly, the dim lighting and aged-building scent remains the same. In Dordt University’s West Hall, piano music flows from the lodge and […]
A bug catcher’s life
Zac VanderLey—Staff Writer It’s a sunny, Sunday afternoon and Eoghan Holdahl lowers his sweep net over an unsuspecting blue damselfly in the Dordt University prairie. The junior agriculture major, holding […]
Fall Music Festival celebrates collaboration and community
Aleasha Hintz —Staff Writer While the athletic teams of Dordt University ran, passed, and tacked in their respective sports during Defender Days weekend, the university’s musicians endured a marathon of […]
A Halloween movie guide for dummies
Gretchen Lee—Staff Writer Beyond the world of Hallmark, only a few holidays are consistently the focus of themed movies. While Christmas, in my opinion, still reigns as king of holiday […]
The rotten side of Halloween
Glory Reitz—Staff Writer Halloween is an ugly day, and Christians need to stop pretending otherwise. I’ll concede that dressing up is fun, and I can’t complain about the day-after candy […]
Defender Days returns to form
Dayna Wichhart– Staff Writer Defender days back in action. On Friday, Oct. 15, the campus of Dordt University buzzed with anticipation. Throughout the afternoon, as students finished their final classes […]
FLAME fans the fire of love
Teresa Taylor—Staff Writer A good Dordt University student knows the motto: “Don’t date before Tri-State.” Well, Tri-State (better known as Heartland Break) has come and gone. Now, it’s open season. […]
TenHaken receives Distinguished Alumni Award
Georgia Lodewyk– Staff Writer On Friday Oct. 15, Paul TenHaken, mayor of Sioux Falls, S.D., walked into a Dordt University corporate finance class wearing a plaid suit with an American […]
Dear Evan Hansen…
Hannah Vanderhooft—Staff Writer Dear Evan Hansen, I was so excited for you. I was introduced to your soundtrack during my senior year of high school. When I found out your […]
Vero’s taco truck delivers with family-cooked meals
Sydney Brummel—Staff Writer There’s a brand new, bright yellow addition to Sioux Center’s North Main Avenue. Located in front of the Napa Auto Parts store right off the highway, Sioux […]
Music with friends
Emma Bennett—Staff Writer Though COVID-19 caused the cancellation of numerous on-campus events over the past two years, Dordt University’s wind symphony has played on. This semester, Onsby Rose, conductor of […]
Dordt University, Hoekstra, ask Sioux Center for $2 million
Glory Reitz– Staff Writer Dordt University’s “Planting for the Future” capital campaign has been in the “quiet” stage of fundraising since 2019. In the “quiet phase,” a university rallies its […]
Art, but in the prairie
Elise Wennberg—Staff Writer At 3:00 p.m. on an overcast Saturday, the Dordt University campus community gathered in the Dordt prairie for Arts in the Prairie: a celebration and cultivation of […]
Peter and the Starcatcher: belonging and family
Zac VanderLey– Staff Writer The cast of Peter and the Starcatcher sat in the Te Paske theater in preparation for a nighttime rehearsal. Teresa Ter Haar, the director, and stage […]
Dordt’s democracy: Student government
Lexi Schnaser—Staff Writer The results from the 2021-22 Dordt University Student Government elections are in. For several years, the student body has elected classmates from their respective majors and residence […]
Pork ‘n’ Bands showcases local musicians
Glory Reitz—Staff Writer Though known for its Dutch culture, the college town of Sioux Center strums and sings beyond the borders of the Netherlands at its annual Pork ‘n’ Bands […]
A closer look: Dordt ranks first in undergraduate teaching, ties for first in engagement
Zac VanderLey– Staff Writer It’s ranking season for colleges and universities across America. On Sept. 13, the US News and World Report ranked Dordt University the fifth best college in […]
Dordt on the 46% vaccination rate on campus
Elise Wennberg– Staff Writer On Sept. 14, Dordt University President Erik Hoekstra announced in a video release a “very low” number of COVID-19 cases on campus—”less than ten.” If on-campus […]
The future of the midnight donut run
Georgia Lodewyk—Staff Writer It’s 10:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning and the Dutch Bakery in Orange City, Iowa is almost out of donuts. Still in their display cases are a […]
Why I filed a lawsuit and why it matters for the future
Lauren Hoekstra— Staff Writer When I made my final college decision in the spring of 2018, I never imagined my sexuality would become a point of contention at a Christian […]
Dordt begins fall semester with 46 percent of student body vaccinated
Elise Wennberg-Staff Writer While COVID-19 continues to threaten human life across the country, some pockets of America are returning to an inkling of normalcy. This semester, Dordt University is hoping […]
Dordt posts record enrollment, largest freshmen class
Zac VanderLey–Staff Writer Greg Van Dyke remembers a five-to-sixday freshman orientation during his first year at Dordt in 1998. The college’s brick buildings still covered campus back then. While Dordt […]
Record enrollment consequential for Dordt financials
Georgia Lodewyk—Staff Writer Every year Dordt University arrives with a new set of firsts. This 2021-2022 academic year is no different. Dordt’s record-high enrollment brings new opportunities and potential challenges […]
Way: a journey through art
Tabetha DeGroot— Staff Writer “Have you ever flown to a kingdom made of clouds? Have you walked across a sea of glass to the country on the far side?” These […]
The Event: DSA hosts the three-in-one talent showdown
Sydney Brummel— Staff Writer On the evening of Friday, April 23, a large crowd of Dordt students and friends gathered inside the B.J. Haan Auditorium. Six white banners hung from […]
Dordt finishes two in-person semesters during pandemic
Emma Stoltzfus — co-chief editor Like 524 of her peers last fall, Sarah Holmberg spent part of her semester under quarantine in Dordt University’s efforts to halt on-campus spread. “This […]
Professors present on Shakespeare and Beowulf at conference
Elise Wennberg—Staff Writer When thinking about early British literature a few key writings may come to mind. Maybe Beowulf, Shakespeare, Chaucer, or Milton. However, there are a lot of topics […]
A review of The Haunted
Rochelle vanderHelm— Staff Writer The only time I have been truly horrified by a play was when I was still a wee child of fifteen and two actors kissed on […]
Sustainable housing, remote planes, and football dummies.
Mikaela Van Soelen— Staff Writer The theme of the next few weeks for Dordt students across campus is “just get ‘er done” as students wrap up classes, major assignments, and […]
Nursing student combats COVID-19 with purpose
Megan Ammermann — Guest Writer Pulses of red light flashed above the doorway filling the hall while sirens screamed, modeling the heartbeat of the patient who would take their last […]
The rock of Defender football
Cal Yordt—Guest Writer In 2016, Dordt University Head Football Coach Joel Penner and his staff were hired. They had a difficult task set before them: their new program had […]
Dordt junior sets example for students with late major change and early graduation
Taylor Rus— Guest Writer University expectations and “unspoken rules” shattered as Dordt University student Kacy Haynes switched her major during the second semester of her junior year and now plans […]
FLAME flickers during pandemic and membership drop
Georgia Lodewyk—Staff Writer On Thursday, April 16, Dordt University business students packed their bags and hit the road at 6:30 a.m. Those in attendance were all involved with Dordt’s business […]
Avocados kept me alive this year
Rochelle vanderHelm— Staff Writer The price of one avocado has been around $0.50 for the past two semesters and that has been my primary source of sustenance. However, to my […]
KDCR signing off after 53 years on air
Aleasha Hintz—Staff Writer When KDCR started, radio was a lively, fast paced, and a high-tech work environment. The industry provided the perfect opportunity for a small, community-based college like Dordt. […]
A final word
Caleb Pollema— Staff Writer When you walk into a new place, you never truly realize its impact on you until you have left it. I am beginning to understand this […]
A goodbye from our graduating reporters
Caleb Pollema — Staff Writer Writing for The Diamond over the last four years has been one of the highlights of my college career. I am immensely grateful for professor […]
Defenders advance to NAIA volleyball championships
Isabel Pheifer—Staff Writer Editor’s note: The Dordt women’s volleyball team won its first two games in the NAIA championship tournament this week, advancing to the quarterfinals after a thrilling 5-set […]
Actually, service workers are people too
Lexi Schnaser— Staff Writer The Catholic tradition has long involved itself in issues of social justice, including the dignity of labor and laborers. “The Dignity of Work and the Rights […]
Theatre department performs ten minute plays
This past Thursday and Saturday, the Dordt University Theatre Arts Department performed ten, ten-minute plays in the Fourth Avenue Theatre. The productions were directed by students enrolled in the department’s […]
Red Notice: The treasure hunting heist film we didn’t know we needed
Gretchen Lee–Copy Editor I love treasure hunting movies. From National Treasure, to The Librarian, to The Mummy, I would classify this as my favorite genre. Treasure hunting movies are campy, […]
Christmas music before December (and why it might be okay)
Sydney Brummel—Staff Writer After reading the title of this article, I can imagine what you’re thinking: “Oh, look: another person who thinks it’s super hipster to listen to Christmas music […]
PLIA returns following pandemic-related absence
Emma Bennett—Staff Writer It’s no secret that COVID-19 put a damper on many of Dordt University’s community-driven events this past year. AMOR, a summer missions initiative to Belize, and Putting […]
Full-scale, on-campus campus events return
Hannah Vanderhooft—Staff Writer Dordt Student Activities (DSA) oversees Dordt University’s campus events. This semester, these events have included a screening of Luca on the campus green and Airband, amongst others. […]
House of Gucci, more than family
Daniel Ketchelos—Staff Writer House of Gucci, directed by Ridley Scott, explores the dark conflict between the founding family members of the Gucci brand. The dramatic retelling of Gucci’s history makes […]
Dordt University choirs perform Christmas concerts
Dayna Wichhart—Staff Writer This past week, the Dordt University Music Department put on three choral concerts in a week’s time. Clayton Baas, a sophomore, had three different concerts on three […]
Rehumanize yourself
Aleasha Hintz—Staff Writer On Monday, Dec. 6, Dordt University faculty and students gathered at Sidebar for a variety show in celebration of the humanities. That evening, professors and students presented […]
Ghostbusters: Afterlife resurrects the joy of fandom
Tyson Van De Berg- Guest Writer You know what? Sometimes it’s okay to give the fans what they want. That was my first thought after watching the much-anticipated Ghostbusters: Afterlife. […]
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