Five Members of Faculty Retiring at Conclusion of School Year

Dr. Matthew DeJongh

Professor of Computer Science

Joined the faculty in 2002

Matt DeJongh worked as a campus minister and software engineer before joining the Hope faculty in 2002, where he has combined his computer science expertise with his calling to Christian ministry. At Hope College he has taught courses on software design, programming languages, computational theory, and a Senior Seminar titled "Technology and The Future of Being Human." He has also conducted collaborative research with students in bioinformatics. He chaired his department and directed the college’s Senior Seminar program for four years.

He is a recipient of National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and Fulbright research grants, and has served as a visiting professor at two of Hope’s partner institutions: Liverpool Hope University in England (2002–23) and Meiji Gakuin University in Japan (later in 2023).

Dr. DeJongh earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in computer science at The Ohio State University, and a master’s degree in theological studies from Winebrenner Theological Seminary.

Questions and Answers Three

What about Hope made it a place at which you wanted to teach (and/or to which you wanted to return)?

When I was considering a return to academia, I wondered what institution might be interested in a candidate who has both a Ph.D. in computer science as well as experience working in campus ministry. I was thrilled to discover that the mission of Hope College is to provide students with an education in the liberal arts and in the context of the historic Christian faith. I am grateful that I have been able to integrate my academic interests and Christian faith in my computer science courses, Senior Seminar and research.

What will you miss the most?

Hope College has amazing students who are eager to learn, hard-working, talented, generous, and a joy to teach. I will miss the daily interactions with students who energize me with their interest and enthusiasm.

What do you plan to do in retirement?

I plan to continue playing piano concertos and developing the software that enables my computer to accompany me. I look forward to new adventures with my wife and family, lots of visits with my granddaughters, reading, cycling, hiking, and participating in the community of senior professionals at Hope College and in the greater Holland area.

Dr. Jane Custer ’86 Finn

Susan M. and Glenn G. Cherup Professor of Education

Joined the faculty in 2004

Dr. Jane Finn launched her career as a general education high school teacher, special education teacher and high school counselor, and has worked in public and charter schools. Since coming to Hope College in 2004, she has prepared Hope College students to teach in the field of special education. Jane has taught 10 classes throughout her Hope career, including The Exceptional Child, Assessment, Data, and IEP Processes in Special Education and Learning Disabilities Secondary Instruction Design. In recent years, she chaired the Department of Education.

Dr. Finn conducted research with multiple colleagues, published more than 23 peer-reviewed articles, featured in seven magazines/newsletters, and co-authored two books. She has presented 79 peer-reviewed presentations in state, national and international settings, along with over 20 invited presentations. She has received or assisted in 19 grants.

Throughout her years at Hope, she has worked with 76 Hope undergraduate research students on various topics, including reading improvements, compassion fatigue and burnout, algebraic mastery, and independent living skills for individuals with disabilities. Of these 76 students, 28 have presented at NCUR (National Council for Undergraduate Researchers), and multiple others presented at conferences with her. Dr. Finn’s research on the post-school outcomes for individuals, on which she published extensively, explores research-based practices to guide the development of skills that will benefit individuals with exceptionalities as they transition from high school to independent living.

Jane (Custer) Finn is a 1986 Hope College graduate who earned her M.A. and Ed.D.at Western Michigan University.

Questions and Answers Three

What about Hope made it a place at which you wanted to teach (and/or to which you wanted to return)?

I am a lucky person who has worked for places that I love. As a high school teacher, I always appreciated the relationships I made with students. When I came to Hope College, again, relationships were a top priority.

Hope people are kind and welcoming. My department has a sense of camaraderie, and my colleagues were open to sharing ideas, collaborating with me, and learning together. The college also invested in me — in my teaching and in my research. They allowed for professional development opportunities as I went to and presented at conferences.

Hope allows me to integrate my faith into my academic and professional life. The Christian atmosphere allows for a close-knit spiritual community. There have been many times when I have been with colleagues or students, and prayer has been offered. What an excellent way to help and support each other.

Overall, Hope is an environment that challenged me intellectually and allowed me to grow personally in a warm Christian atmosphere.

What will you miss the most?

No doubt, the people — both people that I work with and the students that I teach.

I will miss the daily interactions with students just stopping by my office to say “Hi.” I will miss seeing the students grow and understand a subject while developing more curiosity in this area. I love it when students come to discuss their future with me after an eye-opening lecture that they had in class. The students are inquisitive, willing to try new things and, most importantly, want to be role models and have relationships with their future students. Our education system is in hands with Hope teacher candidates.

I will also miss my daily interactions with my colleagues. My department has been an excellent support for my teaching and research. We work hard (can anyone say, National Accreditation, Michigan Department of Education regulations, Special Education laws that are constantly changing?!?) But with all of this, we have had fun (did anyone see that Halloween dress-up with Susan Cherup as the instigator?)

I am proud of this department's work. It has created a top-notch program for Hope College teacher candidates, and this will spread into the world of education.

What do you plan to do in retirement?

I have some set plans for retirement. I have three precious grandbabies I need to love and pour into, as well as three wonderful children and their families. Family is a top priority.

Of course, my husband, Doug, and I plan on traveling and exploring new places — whether internationally or nationally, or simply taking day trips in Michigan on a sunny day.

As I reflect, retirement is also a time to give back to my community. I see many needs and am still deciding how to plug into them — whether via counseling, teaching or being on agency committees. A goal is to be a light to others, have lots of fun, and positively influence the next generation.

Dr. Lynn Winkels ’81 Japinga

Professor of Religion

Joined the faculty in 1992.

Dr. Lynn Japinga’s teaching has focused on American religious history and women’s studies. Since joining the Hope faculty in 1992 she has published five books including a history of the Reformed Church in America and three recent volumes about women whose stories are sketched out in Scripture. She is an ordained RCA minister and has pastored a number of RCA congregations.

Dr. Japinga majored in religious studies at Hope College, received an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and earned her Ph.D. in history from Union Seminary. She has been affiliated with Hope’s Women’s and Gender Studies program, an interdisciplinary program that explores women, gender and power in a global context, and with the college’s A. C. Van Raalte Institute as a visiting research fellow.

Questions and Answers Three

What about Hope made it a place at which you wanted to teach (and/or to which you wanted to return)?

I graduated from Hope in 1981. I had such terrific professors here that my goal was always to come back! Dennis Voskuil, Wayne Boulton, Robert Palma, Elton Bruins, Jane Dickie, Jane Harrington Bach ... these people shaped my life and we have been friends ever since. They were excellent scholars, and great teachers, and they all took a personal interest in me. I wanted to be that kind of a professor to my own students, though I have not done nearly as well as they did!

What will you miss the most?

The classroom, but even more, the informal conversations with students about life and theology and WGS. Seminar classrooms especially ... the WGS keystone course, various religion seminars, and Senior Seminar ... those have been the most fun to teach. Such bright students and some excellent conversation (when they worked well ... I had a few notoriously difficult senior seminars that had me wondering if I had lost my touch as a teacher!).

What do you plan to do in retirement?

So much reading!!!

More gym classes, more lap swimming, more walking my grand-dog.

Catching up on some of the sleep I haven't gotten in the last 33 years!

I will be working with the Van Raalte Institute and have multiple research projects that I would like to pursue, starting with exploring the experience of RCA members and churches during WWII.

Dr. William Polik

The Edward & Elizabeth Hofma Professor of Chemistry

Joined the faculty in 1988

During his 37 years at Hope College, Dr. Will Polik has taught, held institutional leadership roles, pursued research with nearly 100 students, invented a spectroscopy method that allows scientists to directly observe the vibrational energy levels in polyatomic molecules, and developed software for internet communication and computing chemical properties. His courses included general chemistry, physical chemistry, computational chemistry and advanced spectroscopy. Polik introduced lasers into the physical chemistry lab curriculum and built the first cluster computers on Hope's campus. He published physical chemistry lectures and experiments, and he developed new curricula in spectroscopy and computational chemistry.

Polik served as associate dean for research and scholarship, and chaired the Department of Chemistry, the Academic Affairs Board and the Administrative Affairs Board. Hope honored him in 1998 with the Janet L. Andersen Excellence in Teaching Award, and in 2001 with his endowed professorship as Hofma Professor of Chemistry. In 2009 he received the American Chemical Society’s James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry. In recognition of his impact at the national level, Polik was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2006 and a Fellow of the American Chemical Society in 2010. The child of U.S. Foreign Service Officers, Polik graduated from Dartmouth College and received his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.

Questions and Answers Three

What about Hope made it a place at which you wanted to teach (and/or to which you wanted to return)?

I was attracted to Hope in 1988 by the enthusiasm of Hope students, the opportunity to carry out year-round research with undergraduate students, and the care and thoughtfulness that faculty demonstrated toward students and each other. Shortly thereafter, I also came to appreciate the versatile talents of Hope students, who are frequently involved in significant extra-curricular activities such as athletics, music, art, community service, etc., and the kindness and generosity of Hope students through their collaborative study efforts and their volunteer work.

Overall, Hope is a community of scholars and people who pursue excellence, work toward common goals and support each other in doing so. Learning at Hope extends beyond the classroom and into the research laboratory, performance halls and athletic fields. In particular, Hope has outstanding facilities to carry out research and an outstanding track-record of obtaining external support for research, both of which facilitate student-faculty collaborative research.

What will you miss the most?

Without a doubt, my daily interaction with Hope students. Their enthusiasm to learn and their dedication is inspirational. They are why I get out of bed and come to work every morning! Students in my courses ask interesting questions, which help me think about my teaching in new ways. And students in my research lab keep me involved with the latest developments in science.

What do you plan to do in retirement?

First, I’ll share what I won’t be doing… By my count I have graded 15,000 homework sets, 7,000 lab reports, and 6,000 exams while teaching for 37 years at Hope College. I believe that providing individualized feedback is essential for student learning, and I’m grateful for the opportunity and satisfied with my effort in this area.

Going forward, I’ll stay professionally active through the continued development and distribution of the WebMO computational chemistry program that a former Hope student and I co-developed. With my newly found time I expect to attend more live art performances, concerts, movies, museum exhibitions, etc. I’ll spend more time with friends locally and visiting those living further away. I’ll also explore places domestically and internationally to which I’ve never been. Finally, since I am physically active and enjoy the outdoors, I’ll expand on this through bicycle trips (with a goal of crossing the country in segments), windsurfing, sailing, hiking and cross-country skiing, which I think cover all the seasons of the year!

Jill Vredevelt ’87 VanderStoep

Assistant Professor of Mathematics Instruction

Joined the faculty in 1999

Professor Jill VanderStoep began teaching statistics and mathematics courses at Hope College in 1999. Helping students understand how to use data to make decisions led her to making the improvement of statistics education a second focus of her career. Through National Science Foundation-funded research she, along with other statistics educators, have developed simulation-based active learning methods for teaching statistics.

She has presented student outcome findings from using these methods at both national and international conferences as well as conducted both online and in-person workshops on how to best use these methods. Articles she co-authored won “best paper of the year” awards twice from the Journal of Statistics Education. She also teamed with colleagues at Hope and elsewhere to publish three statistics textbooks, one of which received awards from the Textbook and Academic Authors Association and the Mathematics Association of America.

Professor VanderStoep majored in math at Hope and holds two master’s degrees in applied mathematics (from the University of Illinois) and biostatistics (from the University of Michigan). In 2023 the college honored her with the Janet L. Andersen Excellence in Teaching Award.

Questions and Answers Three

What about Hope made it a place at which you wanted to teach (and/or to which you wanted to return)?

For those professors that I got to know well, I saw what joy and fullness their lives had. They were doing things that they loved within their discipline and getting to share that passion with young people who might catch that same passion. Even if I hadn’t fallen in love with mathematics, I feel like my professors were strengthening a piece of the person I was growing into. I was shaped not just by the John Van Iwaardens, Rick Vanderveldes, and Mary DeYoungs of the math department, but also by education professors, and religion professors, and coaches who offered a piece of them to build me into, well, me. I am so thankful for that. That is what I wanted to do for students whom I would teach if I came back to Hope.

What will you miss the most?

This is a hard one for me because there are so many things I will miss. The top two contenders are the students and my department faculty. While I will miss many faculty from other departments who have become dear friends, the math faculty are like family. We care for each other and pray for each other, we challenge and grow each other, we serve as surrogate parents for each other’s children, and we just have fun, laugh and socialize together during our work days and outside of our work hours.

The students are who have kept me young all these many years. I love seeing the “aha” moments in class when understanding clicks in. I love the talks I get to have not only inside the classroom, but outside the classroom as well. I will miss applauding them in the theatre and music halls, and cheering for them in the athletic arenas. I will still show up and do that for Hope students, but I will miss having a connection to them as a student in one of my classes.

What do you plan to do in retirement?

My main goal in retirement is to give back to my parents. They are living independently in Holland and wish to stay in their condo. I want to honor that wish, but to make sure they are safe and comfortable I will be spending more time with them. I also hope to spend more time with my three children: one in Maryland and the other two in Michigan. I know I can’t be as big a part of their adult lives as I was when they were children, but I love spending time with them and enjoying the independent people they have grown into.

I also want to give back to places that were a nurturing community to my children. I’m thinking reading with elementary students, possibly coaching a sport at the junior high school level. There are a number of hobbies I am looking forward to spending more time on: tennis, gardening, reading, crocheting, knitting, painting and photography, to mention a few. Also, I have to admit that being a snow bird has been growing on me as I get older.

Five Members of Faculty Retiring at Conclusion of School Year

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