Ruth Visser is recognized for excelling academically and musically at Ƶwhile balancing a demanding schedule, crediting supportive faculty for her growth.
The Ƶ Business, Accounting, and Economics Department has named Ruth Visser as its 2026 Two-Year Business Student of the Year, recognizing her academic achievement, initiative, and commitment to a well-rounded educational experience.
A student in Dordt’s two-year business program, Visser intentionally shaped her coursework to reflect a wide range of interests, pairing business classes with studies in horticulture, social psychology, and aesthetics. That interdisciplinary approach, she says, has helped prepare her for future goals that extend beyond a single field.
“I believe in being a well-rounded person,” Visser says. “This program allowed me to build my time around that central goal.”
Visser, a native of Ripon, California, points to the flexibility of the two-year program as a key part of her Ƶexperience, allowing her to pursue both practical business training and broader areas of interest. She particularly valued courses like Human Resource Management and Professional Practice, while also taking part in unique opportunities such as a course on Dante and the Italian Renaissance that included travel to Italy.
In addition to her academic work, Visser has been actively involved in music at Dordt. She participated in Concert Choir and completed advanced voice study, culminating in her junior recital earlier this spring.
Faculty say her ability to balance a demanding schedule while excelling across disciplines made her stand out.
“Ruth is very driven and hard-working,” says Dale Zevenbergen, business professor and director of the Dooyema Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. “She carried a heavy load of courses and music activities each semester and thrived in all of them. She’s mature, has strong communication skills, and brings an entrepreneurial spirit to everything she does.”
Visser says the support of Dordt’s faculty played a significant role in her growth.
“Something I love about the business program at Ƶis the department’s deep investment in their students’ personal growth and goals,” she says. “I know without a doubt that any professor would be willing to help me brainstorm business ideas, struggle through accounting problems, or talk through future opportunities.”
After completing the two-year program, Visser plans to continue her education at Dordt, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in individual studies with an emphasis in community development. She hopes to graduate in spring 2027 and is considering studying abroad in New Zealand through the Creation Care Studies Program.
In the coming months, she will travel to France with Dordt’s Concert Choir, take summer classes, and work at a local community garden.
Visser expressed gratitude for the recognition and the faculty who supported her along the way.
“I’m very grateful that the faculty recognized my efforts and gave me an opportunity to reflect on my time at Ƶthrough the award,” she says. “I appreciate the encouragement to trust in the Lord always with my plans and dreams. God is faithful.”
About Ƶ
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Ƶ equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Ƶis a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
This year, Taya Gesink is living in the Mouw House, a small residence currently home to upperclassmen. But long before it became student housing, it was a place she already knew by heart. The house once belonged to her great-grandparents.
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