Jakob VanDerWerff
Admissions Counselor
jvanderwerff@whitworth.edu
509.777.4833
Counseling Areas: Northwest and Southwest Washington, Snohomish county, Montana, Wyoming, Midwest
Biography
Hometown: Orange City, Iowa
High School: MOC-Floyd Valley
University: Northwestern College (Iowa)
Major: Political Science
Favorite Quote: “I read in a book that a man called Christ went about doing good. It is very disconcerting to me that I am so easily satisfied with just going about.” – Toyohiko Kagawa
Favorite College Courses: American Government, Christians and the Political Order, Servant Leadership, The Art of Advocacy, Sustainable Development, Comparative Politics, Criminology, Justice as Skill and Commitment.
Favorite Spokane Activities: I love all things Centennial Trail; whether it is running, biking, walking or swimming in the Spokane River, being active near the Centennial is great. Further, I enjoy strolling around downtown near the falls and checking out books at the public library.
Favorite Spokane Restaurant: The Flying Goat has the best gluten-free pizza.
Favorite Thing About Whitworth: It truly is amazing to see how people care for each other here. Whitworth truly fosters a wonderful Christian community where people are welcomed and challenged to grow! Whitworth's commitment to thoughtful Christian dialogue on diverse topics makes it a fantastic institution. Not to mention that Whitworth may have the most beautiful college campus on the planet.
Advice for Whitworth Applicants: Visit in person! I am a strong believer that you get a true feel for a campus and you understand the student body better when you experience it for yourself. Not to mention that you meet cool people and might eat some late-night pizza, play pingpong or watch some college sports. I’d also recommend meeting with a professor. You can have a conversation with the person you will learn from in future classes.
Free-for-All: I am a casual Bigfoot believer. I love following politics, and I constantly stay up to date with the news. I am a huge sports fan, especially the NBA – my player comp is Dyson Daniels, but not 6'8". My favorite food is crunchy peanut butter. I am 182 centimeters tall. I love hiking, and some of my favorite locations are Yellowstone, Banff, the Grand Tetons, Whidbey Island and the Black Hills. I love The Office. I constantly participate in mellow, competitive activities like pickleball, spikeball, frolf, basketball and ultimate Frisbee. My favorite book is Life of Pi.