Calvin Remembers Pennylyn Dykstra-Pruim
Pennylyn (Penny) Dykstra-Pruim regularly brought chocolate to share at her department meetings and left encouraging notes attached to packets of tea on her colleagues’ desks.
These touches of hospitality left clues of how she lived.
Dykstra-Pruim, 58, served at ϲʿ¼ for nearly two decades as both a professor of German and associate dean for diversity and inclusion. She died on August 16, 2024, following a lengthy battle with cancer.
A Welcoming Presence
“Penny was hospitable, always trying to make new people feel welcome and thought of,” said Herm De Vries, who had the benefit of both studying German alongside Penny as an undergraduate student at Calvin and then later teaching with her in the German department for her entire tenure.
“Those who worked with her will remember who she was before what she did,” said David Smith, a colleague of Penny’s in the German department. “She was a warm-hearted and gently constructive person.”
“Penny could articulate, like few others, to all sorts of audiences, how important language learning and learning about other cultures is—and how much it is needed in our world,” said De Vries.
Equipping Students and Teachers
It led her to create learning materials to help with cross-cultural engagement, including authoring several innovative, nationally used textbooks for teaching and learning German.
“Every class period was carefully organized, and she would maximize every minute,” said De Vries.
And her classes weren’t just happening inside four walls.
Creating Culturally Rich Learning Experiences
In 2012, 2014, and 2016, she co-led “Transforming Cambodia” interim trips alongside professors Leonard De Rooy and David Dornbos. As the students were setting off on their travels, she gave them an assignment.
“Penny had a heart that saw and heard all people. Sure, she participated in and led a fair share of devotions with students, but her faith and skill set her apart in another way—her intercultural awareness and ability to help others become more interculturally sensitive,” said Dornbos. “Penny developed a booklet we printed and gave to each student to complete on the way to and while in both Thailand and Cambodia. The booklet had an extensive set of questions about self and awareness of the attributes of people in other cultures and particularly those of Southeast Asia. There were lists of key words and phrases in Khmer, descriptions of how common gestures in the West are problematic or offensive in Cambodia.”
“Penny’s various projects were often tethered to the basic biblical ideas of love of neighbor and hospitality to strangers,” said Smith. “She was clearly focused on the learners and their learning experience, and she created culturally rich learning experiences.”
“Her cross-cultural awareness and ability to help others become sensitive to what might otherwise not be seen or noticed are part of her legacy,” said Dornbos.
Building Bridges
For her two decades at Calvin, Penny was teaching her students and her colleagues how to build bridges across diversity and difference. Her compassion and creativity, thoughtfulness and thoroughness, are key reasons why she was asked to serve a formal role at the university in helping lead its diversity and inclusion efforts.
“Her legacy will be the bridges she built for cross-cultural understanding,” said Michelle Loyd-Page, who collaborated with Penny on several projects that advanced Calvin’s diversity efforts.
“Penny had a way of encouraging people to see a different perspective or view things through a different lens that was humble, invitational, and compelling, and never heavy-handed or confrontational,” said Benita Wolters-Fredlund, who served alongside Penny on the provost’s senior academic leadership team.
“The ‘issues’ and ‘difficulties’ that come up in churches and Christian schools matter, of course, but there was something about Penny and how she went about things that put the human and the person first such that the other things could be grappled with in much healthier and better ways,” said Micah Watson, a colleague who participated in various bridge-building events with Penny.
Creating Beautiful Spaces
It's because she listened well. One of her colleagues articulated it as being “plugged in,” willing to engage learners of any age on any topic at any time. In short, she made people feel seen and heard.
“She made an indelible imprint on the community,” said Noah Toly, provost at Calvin.
And she left this community more colorful than it was when she started.
“She brought a large pencil case of colored pens to every meeting, and it was fascinating to watch her take detailed and colorful notes, which often included beautiful sketch-doodling of flowers, leaves, and other creative shapes and figures,” said Wolters Fredlund. “She always seemed to be creating beautiful things.”
That she did.
Penny is survived by her husband, Randy; her children, Andrew (Hannah) Pruim, Nik (Maia) Pruim, and Jason Pruim; siblings, Paula (Alan) Rindels; in-laws, Julie (Mike) Fernandes, Brad (Laura) Pruim, Mark (Chriss) Pruim, Jen Pruim; parents-in-law, Jay and Bev Pruim; and many loving nieces, nephews, and friends.
Penny’s family will greet family and friends on Friday, August 23, from 4-7 p.m. at Zaagman Memorial Chapel (2800 Burton St. SE). A is being held on Saturday, August 24 at 11 a.m. at Sherman St. CRC (1000 Sherman St. SE) with visitation available one hour prior to service. Childcare will be available during the service and attendees are invited to stay for a light lunch and to share memories.
