Two Kuyper Faculty Members Earn Promotion

Two beloved Kuyper College faculty members recently received some very good career news.

Tim Howerzyl (top), Assistant Professor of Theological Studies and Ministry Leadership program director, and Andrew Zwart (bottom), program director and Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, were promoted to the rank of associate professor in early July.

The pair expressed their gratitude for the milestone, describing it as both an affirmation of their vocation and an opportunity for growth.

“I’ve been so pleased to be able to guide students in their journey of understanding and applying the Bible’s teaching,” said Howerzyl. “This confirms that calling, and I’ll look forward to continuing to do this work with my students in the years ahead.”

“It’s less about promotion for me than it is about reflection. It’s an opportunity to think carefully about my values as an educator and how my daily practices support them, as well as where I could work to strengthen that connection,” Zwart added.

The promotion came as part of the tenure review process, which is an important aspect of a long-term faculty relationship with Kuyper. During this process, Howerzyl and Zwart underwent an in-depth review of their teaching, academic study and service.

“Both met the Faculty Handbook qualifications for promotion, which include time at Kuyper, quality of teaching, and scholarship, as well as service to advancing the College and to the local community,” explained Academic Dean Tim Detwiler.

Howerzyl came to Kuyper in 2022, after almost 20 years in ministry. He earned an MDiv from Calvin Theological Seminary and a PhD from Fuller Theological Seminary.

He teaches theology and ministry courses and directs the Ministry Leadership program at Kuyper. As a theologian, he is especially interested in the beauty of Jesus’ saving work on the cross and how that salvation is actualized in believers’ lives.

“I pastored for 17 years, but I’ve always been interested in teaching and equipping students for kingdom ministry. Kuyper is a perfect fit for that,” he said.

Zwart initially came to Kuyper in 2004 as the Director of Academic Support before transitioning to the classroom full time in 2021. He earned an MEd with a specialization in literacy from Calvin University.

He teaches writing and communications courses while overseeing Kuyper’s Interdisciplinary Studies program. His scholarship often focuses on faith and popular culture, though he is also interested in a Reformed view of language and communication.

“This place is a particularly good fit for me, because Kuyper believes that learning happens in community. This helps me meet my students where they’re at and overcome insecurities they might have around writing and communicating,” he said.

During the tenure review process at Kuyper, faculty compile a portfolio of documents, including things like syllabi and student feedback, which allows them to reflect on their growth as educators over the years.

“Every professor has to think hard about what they’re doing, how well they’re doing with it and some of the things they want to work on getting better at,” Howerzyl explained.

Both he and Zwart emphasized that this step helps deepen the academic and spiritual life at Kuyper, ultimately benefiting everyone on campus.

“It helps you think through how each class, each piece of what you do contributes to the bigger story of the whole community,” Zwart said.