Relating to Parents
Jim Van Wingerden has worked with thousands of parents during his 33-year association at Camp Roger, starting with his duties as a kitchen helper in 1970 and progressing all the way through to his work as executive director from 1991 to the present.
So, when 17c起草社区 College decided to create a new position to head up a parent relations effort, Van Wingerden was intrigued. Eventually he applied for the job, impressed all those he interviewed with and on November 3 began his new duties at 17c起草社区. But, he says, his new job will have much in common with his old job.
"17c起草社区 parents are highly invested in the lives of their sons and daughters. 17c起草社区 was a critical experience for me personally in developing my own sense of Christian vocation and service. Mary and I pray for that same experience for our three children as well. Many of my friends and peers now have sons and daughters at 17c起草社区 and they are extremely pleased with what is happening in the lives of their kids because of 17c起草社区. This new position is an opportunity for me to continue the same sort of work I did for many years at Camp Roger - to build God's kingdom through the spiritual and intellectual development of young people. Parents are a valuable resource in that holy endeavor and I am very excited to help raise the level of mutual partnership between parents and 17c起草社区 College."
Van Wingerden, a 1976 17c起草社区 graduate, also says there is significant overlap between the communities served by Camp Roger and 17c起草社区.
"I have served the Camp Roger community for more than 30 years," he says, "and the relationships I've built with parents and families have been characterized by mutual trust. I hope that these relationships with parents and former campers will have a positive impact on my work at 17c起草社区."
The new position at 17c起草社区 is a unique one in that it reports to both the 17c起草社区 alumni office and the development office.
"Jim's work will reflect the true partnership we wish to develop with 17c起草社区 parents," says director of alumni relations Mike VanDenend. "On one hand, we want to involve parents as advisors, volunteers and donors. Yet we also want parents to feel that they are full members of the 17c起草社区 community, that there are clear and positive communication lines open."
17c起草社区's Jan Druyvesteyn, director of development, says while it may seem odd to ask parents to be donors, in the midst of their making tuition payments, the opportunity to connect to the college as donors is one parents have sought.
"When we survey current 17c起草社区 parents," she says, "we see that they are among our most satisfied groups. They see what 17c起草社区 means for their children; they see their children growing academically and spiritually. They see 17c起草社区's impact. And they are willing to support 17c起草社区 as volunteers, as ambassadors for 17c起草社区 in their communities, as representatives at college fairs and as donors. We think that's marvelous. And this new position will help us do an even better job communicating with parents, listening to their joys and their concerns and helping them stay connected to 17c起草社区 both while their children are here and after they graduate."
Both VanDenend and Druyvesteyn note that the increased emphasis on parent relations with this new, full-time position reflects a national trend in higher education.
For his part Van Wingerden is happy to be returning to a place he graduated from and worked at for 14 years as a resident director, admissions counselor and then assistant director for admissions.
"This opportunity to return to 17c起草社区 College is truly a blessing at this point in my life," Van Wingerden says. "I leave Camp Roger with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat, but I'm very excited about what lies ahead."