Rajean Wolters was a student at Hope College from 1986 to 1990. A few highlights during her four years include joining the SIB sorority, a semester in Philadelphia, a June teaching term in London (which allowed for backpacking Europe thereafter) and the wonderful privilege of working as a student assistant in Hope’s Provost Office, which introduced her to the administration level of the college.

After she graduated, Rajean went on to work for 15 years as a teacher for Holland Public Schools, married Tim Wolters, gave birth to a son, Jarod (Hope College class of 2019, now married to Kelly Arnold ’19), and earned her master’s degree. She is so grateful that God brought her back to Hope College in 2005 as the administrative assistant to the dean for arts and humanities.

Rajean’s work responsibilities include:

• Managing the dean’s schedule and coordinating divisional, committee and campus meetings
• Serving as a conduit between the provost and divisional departments
• Communicating important dates, deadlines, processes and procedures
• Facilitating sabbatical applications, third-year reviews, and tenure and promotion
• Completing and processing part-time adjunct data for provost-generated contracts
• Coordinating course evaluations for arts and humanities faculty
• Eliciting participation for the National Conference for Undergraduate Research and coordinating all Hope NCUR student and chaperone travel logistics
• Maintaining the divisional website and social media accounts
• Monitoring/reconciling divisional budgets; processing financial forms
• Assisting with the arts and humanities and the social sciences summer research luncheons and annual research showcase each fall
• Coordinating divisional events such as the annual Arts and Humanities Professorial Lecture Series and Strudent Leadership Retreat

Education

• MA, Western Michigan University, 1997
• BA, Hope College, 1990

Why I love Hope

Rajean loves Hope College because it provides opportunities to nourish her soul, mind and body. It is a very supportive workplace where employees encourage one another and can freely share their faith in Jesus Christ. It is family. She greatly appreciates how students are bringing hope into the world and the world to Hope. Interacting on a daily basis with students, faculty, staff and administrators from diverse backgrounds has been her “glimpse of heaven.”

Outside the college

Outside the college, Rajean loves to serve. She has worked for more than 30 years with individuals who have developmental disabilities through weekly tutoring at Special Education Ministries and summer volunteering at Camp Sunshine. At church she's part of the women's leadership team, teaches Sunday school and VBS, and is an elder.

Rajean loves to spend quality time with family and friends (she and Tim have been part of a euchre group for 30+ years). Any setting with water or nature (boating, skiing, sunsets, snow, mountains) and music will bring her joy. She thoroughly enjoys gathering with others to pray and delve deeper in God’s word. Rajean gravitates toward inspirational music, poetry, reading, movies and more. Ask her about her iTunes playlist, “RJ’s inspirations from God.”

She was raised in a German/Dutch home, so you can still make her day if you serve a good BBQ sandwich, pickle/olive side, chips and any type of “fluff” salad.

Her best memories include “laughing so hard that tears stream down my face” and reflecting how God's plan for our lives is always immeasurably more!

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” —1 Thessalonians 5:16–18