The 2024 alumni award winners (from left): the Rev. Jonathan Opgenorth ’88, Alyssa (Currier ’14) Wheeler, Dr. Dick Van Holland ’58, and Dr. Darla (Vander Sluis ’84) Olson.
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.
Four awards are presented during the college's annual Distinguished Alumni Award Banquet:
- 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.
- Standout Young Alumni Award: The Standout Young Alumni Award is presented to alumni under 40 who demonstrate excellence in their chosen professions or community service, reflecting honor upon Northwestern College.
To nominate someone for a Distinguished Alumni Award who meets the above requirements, email the alumni office. Please include a letter of nomination and supporting documents.
Annual award winners
Dr. Darla (Vander Sluis ’84) Olson
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Rev. Jonathan Opgenorth ’88
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Dr. Dick Van Holland ’58
Distinguished Service to Northwestern
Alyssa (Currier ’14) Wheeler
Standout Young Alum
Felipe ’12 and Janelle (de Waard ’11) Silva
Standout Young Alum
Dr. John Swart ’90
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Curtis Weerheim ’76
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Dawn (Te Brink ’80) Wieking
Distinguished Service to Northwestern
Doug Boone ’82
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Dr. Kristine Legters ’82
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Kathy (Bonnecroy ’73) Meendering
Distinguished Service to Northwestern
Alison (Sadler ’05) Ter Horst
Standout Young Alum
Joyce (Beukelman ’57) Wrage
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Dr. Bob Boerigter ’70
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Donna (Heerspink ’84) Bunce
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Dr. Michael Holm ’06
Standout Young Alum
Karen (De Boer ’79) and Dr. Earl Woudstra ’78
Distinguished Service to Northwestern
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Distinguished Alumni Awards were not given.
Dr. David ’77 and Anita (Plantage ’77) Bomgaars
Distinguished Service to Northwestern
Carolina Endert ’60
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Dr. JoAnna Jackson ’02
Standout Young Alum
Jack Vander Stoep ’90
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Bryan ’81 and Nancy (Rowenhorst ’82) Den Hartog
Distinguished Service to Northwestern
Warren Langstraat ’69
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Linda Van Roekel ’69
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Stanley Bonnema ’67
Distinguished Professional Achievement
JP Sundararajan ’00
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Marilyn (Docter ’65) Van Engelenhoven
Distinguished Service to Northwestern
Sheila (Born ’94) De Jong
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Junko (Hirasawa ’70) Nagao
Distinguished Service to Northwestern
Glenn Van Ekeren ’74
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Ron De Jong ’71
Distinguished Service to Northwestern
Janet (Hassebroek ’84) Guthmiller
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Marjorie (Hartog ’56, ’58) Vander Aarde
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Dr. Mark Muilenburg ’84
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Henrietta Van Maanen ’55
Distinguished Service to Humankind
David Vellinga ’72
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Eric McDonald ’98
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Kristie (De Boer ’95) Mompremier
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Dave ’69 and Shirley (Van Maanen ’66) Van Wechel
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Rev. Bob Bouwer
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Dr. Kent Hoskins
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Larry “Bubb” Korver
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Peggy Bilsten
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Dr. Bryan Den Hartog
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Harold Vander Laan
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Rachel Klay
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Barb Lubbers
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Brian Renes
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Dr. Randall Oostra
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Darlene Vander Aarde
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Drew ’72 & Jean Vogel
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Charollene Coates
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Ron Juffer
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Rob Roozeboom
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Martin Guthmiller
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Dave Hulsart
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Don Van Etten
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Paul Colenbrander
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Beverly (Gaalswyk) '68 & Merlyn De Vries '66
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Ellen (Bunger) Errington
Distinguished Service to Humankind
James L. Franken
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Steve King
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Stephen Macchia
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Kevin Brasser
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Harry Tysen
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Lyle Vander Werff
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Frank Heemstra
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Fannie Menning
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Virgil Muilenburg
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Michael DeKrey
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Wayne Kooiker
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Carol Oliver
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Jim Christensen
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Robert Vander Aarde
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Edna Schut
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Robert Vander Plaats
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Samuel Williams
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Paul Muyskens
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Donald Nibbelink
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Kella Klinker Simonin
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Arlan Draayer
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Robert Van Citters
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Bonnie (Van Steenwyk) Vander Schaaf
Distinguished Service to Humankind
John Fakkema
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Lee Ver Mulm
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Harold Vogelaar
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Marge (Vander Ploeg) Beernink
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Merlyn and Gertrude (Brink) Kraai
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Corwin Smidt
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Marcine Muilenburg De Jong
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Bernard Hietbrink
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Earl Klay
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Bill Kalsbeek
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Herlan Schut
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
David Van Engelenhoven
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Peter Bartels
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Ruth (Lubbers) Foreman
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Ralph Mouw
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Dale Den Herder
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Ken Jacobs
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Donald Zwiep
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Christina McGrinson
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Ruth Van Engen
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Russell Vande Steeg
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Harold Korver
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Allan Schimmel
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Gary Smit
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Harris Van Oort
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Frank Vogel
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Bernard Brunsting
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Gene England
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Dan Te Grotenhuis
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Clarence Buurman
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Wilmyna Draayer
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Maggie Jackson
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Gerald De Jong
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Alfred G. Pennings
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Arie Vander Stoep
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Robert Hoogeveen
Distinguished Service to Humankind
Ronald Korver
Distinguished Service to Northwestern College
Robert Muilenburg
Distinguished Professional Achievement
Leo Landhuis
Distinguished Achievement
Harriet Heusinkveld
Distinguished Achievement
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 Maten
Distinguished Achievement
Wayne Vermeer
Distinguished Achievement
Donald D. Jiskoot
Distinguished Achievement
Stanley Vander Aarde
Distinguished Achievement
Robert Giebink
Distinguished Achievement
Arie R. Brouwer
Distinguished Achievement
Alfred Popma
Distinguished Achievement
