HERITAGE
(graduated more than 50 years ago)
Paul Schrader ’68 has been awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement by the Venice International Film Festival. Paul has written or directed more than 30 films, including Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and The Last Temptation of Christ.
Tom Eggebeen ’66 is serving as interim minister at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, California.
Education professor emerita Arden Post ’65 is back in the classroom. She is sharing her love of reading with young students at Bradenton Chris- tian School and Samoset Elementary School in Florida. Arden spends one day a week reading with first and second graders. The youngsters’ chief interest is books about snow, she says. At Bradenton Christian, Arden also gets to spend time with one of her former students Rachel Schepel De Haan ’96. “I’m thankful to be a part of this small part of God’s kingdom on earth,” she writes.
1970s
The Kent County (Michigan) Board of Commissioners has elected Stan Stek ’74 as its new chair. An attorney with Miller Canfield, Stan was elected to the board in 2014. Also elected as vice chair was Emily Post Brieve ’05.
Emily was also elected to the county board in 2014; she works for her family’s small business FastoolNow. com, selling construction and industrial tools and supplies.
1980s
Simon Feddema ’84 took an early retirement after almost 30 years at Grundfos Canada. Upon retirement he has been active with his church in Acton, Ontario, and Water Mission in Charleston, S.C. He also recently start- ed a consulting partnership, wanting to use his experience to help others: boardroomconsultants.ca.
01 Christine Jacobs Mouw ’88, deputy director of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library, recently had the opportunity to meet Pellagia Muliba Gambiza ’05, who was visiting the library as a Presidential Leadership
Scholar, a program started by George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. “We had a delightful time exchanging stories and getting to know each other as much as time would allow,” wrote Christine.
After 30 years of distinguished service, Col. James R. Poel ’85 retired from the United States Air Force. Jim joined the Air Force in 1992 after graduating from the University of Michigan with a master’s in public health. Most recently, he developed and directed Air Force Public Health/Preventive Medicine programs and policy for 76 bases.
1990s
02 Debra Perry ’91 and family members, including Marvis James ’71, have released a new album, Legacy. The album, which features the James Family Singers, is currently available on all digital outlets.
03 Seven Class of ’98 friends who lived together on first floor Veenstra Hall traveled from four states to Las Vegas for reunion weekend. Pictured back row, from left: Diane Falk Duimstra, Kristen Adama Slagter, Anne Stevens Croel, Kristen Mol Eller, Becky Schmidt Crane. Front row, from left: Susan Buist, Lisa Eriks Dekker.
Scott Hauman ’95 has been named Firebolt Group’s chief growth officer. Scott will be responsible for customer experience, marketing, and innovation across the enterprise.
2000s
Kaylin Bolt ’07 received a Fulbright Scholar award to conduct public health research within the European Union. As a recipient of the Fulbright- Schuman Innovation award, she will spend 2023 in Alicante, Spain, and Turin, Italy, at the Institute for Humanity- centric Artificial Intelligence (University of Alicante) and Institute for Scientific Interchange Foundation conducting research on innovative ways data was translated to policy throughout the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her re- search will examine how mobile device data informed public health decisions, as well as implications for public privacy and equitable health outcomes. Kaylin is a social research scientist at Public Health Seattle King County. She holds master’s degrees in public health and social work from the University of Washington–St. Louis.
Melissa Simon Elliot ’08, who earned a PhD in German studies from Michigan State University, was recently awarded the Women in German Dissertation Prize for her dissertation: Forgotten Notes: Narrative Film Music in DEFA Cinema. Melissa is currently an assistant professor of German and German studies at Wheaton College.
04 Todd Sytsma ’02 has been named the director of the OEM department at Kawasaki Engines in Grand Rapids. In his new role, Todd will provide strategic leadership to customers in commercial and residential landscape equipment, light industrial, and other markets within the U.S.
Nathan Zwagerman ’06 has been promoted to associate professor of neurosurgery in otolaryngology, director of pituitary and skull base surgery, director of the cranial base fellowship, and associate neurosurgery residency program director at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Katelyn Beaty ’06 has been named editorial director at Brazos Press for the Baker Publishing Group (BPG) imprint. She has been with BPG since 2018.
2010s
Kate Nieuwsma ’14 is serving for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) through its Serving and Learning Together (SALT) program as a monitor- ing and evaluation project assistant in Nairobi, Kenya. As a partner with the Center for Peace and Nationhood, the committee is implementing a child and maternal health care project in Mathare, a large informal urban settlement near Nairobi. Its goal is to educate mothers and create opportunities for them to learn, teach others, and support themselves.
David Robb ’11 has become co-owner and managing partner for Express Employment Professionals, a recruiting and consulting firm, in Grand Rapids. His previous roles at the company include director of marketing and director of operations.
Kyle ’17 and Alicia De Jong Bradshaw ’17 have become co-owners of Civic Roasters Coffee in Tacoma, Wash. They are a third-wave coffee roaster that seeks to provide ethically and sustainably sourced coffee while inspiring greater connections across the city by providing training and employment to formerly incarcerated women. Their coffee is available online, in grocery stores, and at a few cafes in the Puget Sound region. They plan to open their flagship roastery in Tacoma later this year.
Ben Shoemaker ’11 has joined HSBC Bank PLC in its London headquarters to serve as special counsel and senior adviser to the chief legal officer. He was previously a senior associate attorney in litigation and dispute resolution in the Washington, D.C., office of Mayer Brown LLP.
2020s
James Zandstra ’20 is a legislative aide for U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Michigan). James began his work in Meijer’s campaign office.
