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Throughout her four years at Dordt, Erika’s favorite experience was participating in cross country and track. Being a part of a sports team at ��͹��Ƶis truly special, from close bonds with teammates, long bus rides, devotional groups, and constant encouragement with coaches.

Erika would not trade the many miles, early mornings, tears, and injuries for anything. She says, “Being involved in track and cross at ��͹��Ƶwas one of the best decisions I've made.”

After graduating, Erika began working in an administrative role in the Human Resources Department at Interstates in Sioux Center. However, it took a lot of uncertainty to get there. Even after graduating, Erika was unsure exactly what she wanted to do with her business degree. ��͹��Ƶhelped her figure out her strengths and weaknesses as she narrowed down which career is right for her.

“Business is a broad field, so it can be challenging to figure out where you fit,” she says. “But it is also a great field because of the amount of opportunities and options available to you. I chose the Human Resources route and it still amazes me how many different paths are available to me. ��͹��Ƶhas equipped me with the skills I need to be confident in my business knowledge and confident in who I am as a person.”

In addition to helping her decide what to do with her life, ��͹��Ƶshaped Erika into the person she is today. Community is a word often used to describe Dordt, but Erika doesn’t think it's overused. The significance of being in a place surrounded by loving and encouraging people was vital for Erika.

“Having such a strong sense of community is one of the best things about Dordt. The amount of resources I had available to me to be able to grow as a person, including in my faith, was also significant. I knew that whether it be student services, professors, coaches, or friends on campus--I had the resources available to me to achieve.”