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 […]
The freshman school year perspective
lla de Jong—Staff Writer We cried. We laughed. We missed out. We experienced change that affected our lives. We cried, and we moved on. We did things differently. We went […]
Shifting gears with The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
Gretchen Lee—Staff Writer After the smashing success of WandaVision, Disney faced the challenge of following it up with a show that would even remotely touch the excitement people had for […]
The 93rd Academy Awards makes history
Daniel Ketchelos— Staff Writer A night surrounded by A-list actors, renowned filmmakers, and the prestigious golden Oscar filled the 93rd Academy Awards. The Academy Awards focus on honoring high-achieving filmmakers […]
Dordt pitcher breaks new record for single-season strikeout
Yee Lim Shin—Staff Writer Gyeongju Kim walks to the mound, glove and ball in hand. His heart pounds as the energy drink he drank half an hour ago courses through […]
Horses and rabbits and cows, oh my: Ag Day comes to Dordt
Katie Ribbens—Staff Writer Some colleges have a puppy day before finals week to help students cope with stress. Dordt University fills the campus with farm animals instead. Green posters hung […]
Dordt students still confident in vaccine, despite pause
Jaclyn Vander Waal— Staff Writer On April 7, 218 Dordt University students entered the DeWitt Gymnasium with their student IDs, masks, and consent forms to receive the Johnson & Johnson […]
Dordt football’s historic run sees its end
Connor Van Hulzen—Staff Writer The Dordt University Defenders faced off against the Grand View University Vikings in the first round of the NAIA Football Playoffs in Des Moines on Saturday, […]
Graduation draws near for seniors
Yage Wang—Staff Writer The 2021 graduates of Dordt University, who will walk across the stage of the B.J. Haan Auditorium on May 7, will be the first class to graduate […]
Diversity in a new era
Mikaela Wegner—Staff Writer It was one of the first house parties of the year—a time for first impressions. Bryan O’Neil, a freshman at Dordt University at the time, had just […]
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 […]
Travis Else plants new church in Sioux Center: Good Shepherd
Zac VanderLey– Staff Writer Sommer Schaap walked into Kinsey Elementary with a handful of her friends on Sunday morning, April 18. She took a seat on a folding chair in […]
Dordt football selected for NAIA playoffs
Connor Van Hulzen— Staff Writer On April 17, for the first time since the inception of the program in 2007, the Dordt University Defender football team will participate in the […]
Cross country crosses the finish line at nationals
Mikaela Van Soelen— Staff Writer In the midst of a busy track season, a number of long-distanced athletes put aside their track spikes for the weekend and traded them for […]
Baseball battles Northwestern
Isabel Pheifer— Staff Writer This past weekend, the Defenders set out to defend their home field against one of their biggest foes: the Northwestern Red Raiders. Over the course of […]
Peter and the Starcatcher: Where you get to be a boy for a while
Emma Bennett— Staff Writer On Saturday Oct. 16, I attended the Dordt University Theatre Arts Department’s production of Peter and the Starcatcher. I had never read the book or seen […]
In defense of the defender
Sam Landstra—Staff Writer Oh, shut up. I’ve seen a lot of things from my front porch. I’ve heard every square inch of criticism levied at this university. I’ve even called […]
2 kooky, 2 creepy – too much
Gretchen Lee—Copy Editor The Addams family is a cornerstone of Halloween pop culture; they’re a kooky, creepy, mysterious, and spooky satire of North American nuclear families, providing lighthearted fun with […]
Canadian Thanksgiving explained
Corina Beimers—Staff Writer I was asked many questions on October 11. For Canadians on campus, it wasn’t just another Monday, it was the second Monday of October, which means Thanksgiving. […]
No Time to Die—A movie review
Anna de Oliveira—Staff Writer No Time to Die premiered this month as one of Daniel Craig’s final movies for the Bond franchise. In this installment the film focuses on the […]
4th Avenue Jazz: An enchanting ensemble
Lexi Schnaser —Staff Writer On a busy Friday afternoon, thanks to a crowd of family, friends, and alumni visiting for Defender Days, 4th Avenue Jazz vocalists kicked off their first […]
Art seniors explore print-on-demand
Glory Reitz—Staff Writer On a Thursday afternoon in the Campus Center gallery, nine art seniors arranged a display of canvas bags, stickers, pillows, pins, and a variety of other household […]
