Alumni & Friends

Distinguished alumni awards

Northwestern’s alumni office seeks nominations for future distinguished alumni award candidates. Nominees should be graduates of the academy, junior college or college, or have attended the junior college for one year or the college for three semesters. Candidates must be at least five years beyond their graduation year and not currently an officer of the Alumni Association or a member of the award selection committee.

Three awards are presented:

Distinguished Professional Achievement: The alum chosen for this award demonstrates leadership, competence, dedication to continuing education and integrity in his/her chosen profession.
Distinguished Service to Humankind: The alum chosen for this award demonstrates leadership abilities in service to the community and/or society at large through notable Christian contributions.
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College: The alum chosen for this award demonstrates loyalty to the mission of Northwestern College, continued interest and support of the goals of NWC, and reflects honor on the college by his/her Christian lifestyle.

To nominate someone for a Distinguished Alumni Award who meets the above requirements, email the alumni office.

Previous award winners

2011 Peggy Bilsten Distinguished Service to Humankind Dr. Bryan Den Hartog Distinguished Professional Achievement Harold Vander Laan Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
2010 Rachel Klay Distinguished Professional Achievement Barb Lubbers Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Brian Renes Distinguished Service to Humankind
2009 Dr. Randall Oostra Distinguished Professional Achievement Darlene Vander Aarde Distinguished Service to Humankind Drew ’72 & Jean Vogel Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
2008 Charollene Coates Distinguished Professional Achievement Ron Juffer Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Rob Roozeboom Distinguished Service to Humankind
2007 Martin Guthmiller Distinguished Professional Achievement Dave Hulsart Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Don Van Etten Distinguished Service to Humankind
2006 Paul Colenbrander Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Beverly (Gaalswyk) '68 & Merlyn De Vries '66 Distinguished Professional Achievement Ellen (Bunger) Errington Distinguished Service to Humankind
2005 James L. Franken Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Steve King Distinguished Service to Humankind Stephen Macchia Distinguished Professional Achievement
2004 Kevin Brasser Distinguished Professional Achievement Harry Tysen Distinguished Service to Humankind Lyle Vander Werff Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
2003 Frank Heemstra Distinguished Professional Achievement Fannie Menning Distinguished Service to Humankind Virgil Muilenburg Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
2002 Michael DeKrey Distinguished Professional Achievement Wayne Kooiker Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Carol Oliver Distinguished Service to Humankind
2001 Jim Christensen Distinguished Professional Achievement Robert Vander Aarde Distinguished Service to Humankind
2000 Edna Schut Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Robert Vander Plaats Distinguished Professional Achievement Samuel Williams Distinguished Service to Humankind
1999 Paul Muyskens Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Donald Nibbelink Distinguished Professional Achievement Kella Klinker Simonin Distinguished Service to Humankind
1998 Arlan Draayer Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Robert Van Citters Distinguished Professional Achievement Bonnie (Van Steenwyk) Vander Schaaf Distinguished Service to Humankind
1997 John Fakkema Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Lee Ver Mulm Distinguished Professional Achievement Harold Vogelaar Distinguished Service to Humankind
1996 Marge (Vander Ploeg) Beernink Distinguished Service to Humankind Merlyn and Gertrude (Brink) Kraai Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Corwin Smidt Distinguished Professional Achievement
1995 Marcine Muilenburg De Jong Distinguished Service to Humankind Bernard Hietbrink Distinguished Professional Achievement Earl Klay Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
1994 Bill Kalsbeek Distinguished Professional Achievement Herlan Schut Distinguished Service to Northwestern College David Van Engelenhoven Distinguished Service to Humankind
1993 Peter Bartels Distinguished Professional Achievement Ruth (Lubbers) Foreman Distinguished Service to Humankind Ralph Mouw Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
1992 Dale Den Herder Distinguished Service to Humankind Ken Jacobs Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Donald Zwiep Distinguished Professional Achievement
1991 Christina McGrinson Distinguished Service to Humankind Ruth Van Engen Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Russell Vande Steeg Distinguished Professional Achievement
1990 Harold Korver Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Allan Schimmel Distinguished Professional Achievement Gary Smit Distinguished Service to Humankind
1989 Harris Van Oort Distinguished Service to Humankind Frank Vogel Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
1988 Bernard Brunsting Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Gene England Distinguished Professional Achievement Dan Te Grotenhuis Distinguished Service to Humankind
1987 Clarence Buurman Distinguished Service to Humankind Wilmyna Draayer Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Maggie Jackson Distinguished Professional Achievement
1986 Gerald De Jong Distinguished Professional Achievement Alfred G. Pennings Distinguished Service to Humankind Arie Vander Stoep Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
1985 Robert Hoogeveen Distinguished Service to Humankind Ronald Korver Distinguished Service to Northwestern College Robert Muilenburg Distinguished Professional Achievement
1984 Leo Landhuis Distinguished Achievement
1983 Harriet Heusinkveld Distinguished Achievement
1982 Alfred Aalberts Distinguished Achievement Henry Beltman Distinguished Achievement Douglas Groen Distinguished Achievement Richard Mouw Distinguished Achievement Arloa Muilenburg Distinguished Achievement John A. Muilenburg Distinguished Achievement M. Samuel Noordhoff Distinguished Achievement Frank Van Der Maaten Distinguished Achievement Wayne Vermeer Distinguished Achievement
1981 Donald D. Jiskoot Distinguished Achievement
1980 Stanley Vander Aarde Distinguished Achievement
1979 Robert Giebink Distinguished Achievement
1978 Arie R. Brouwer Distinguished Achievement
1977 Alfred Popma Distinguished Achievement

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