Northwestern College names vice president for academic affairs

Northwestern College has announced the hiring of Dr. Mark Husbands as vice president for academic affairs. Husbands, the Leonard and Marjorie Maas Chair of Reformed Theology and director of the Emmaus Scholars Program at Hope College in Holland, Mich., will start his new position July 1.

Husbands will lead Northwestern’s academic program, seeking to raise the profile of the student learning experience and allocate the resources necessary to support academic excellence. He will also oversee such areas as the library, graduate and adult studies, computing services, audiovisual services, academic support and the registrar’s office.

“Mark has distinguished himself not only as a gifted teacher and scholar, but also as a visionary and inspiring academic leader,” says President Greg Christy. “His administrative style has been described as personal, principled, supportive and collaborative. He is authentically Reformed and has a passion for the Christian liberal arts and connecting the exceptional academic programs we offer to concrete needs in workplaces and communities beyond campus. I look forward to working with Mark to further our mission and unity as a Christian academic community.”

A member of Hope’s faculty since 2007, Husbands founded and leads the Emmaus Scholars Program, a one-year academic, residential and intentional Christian community focused on integral mission, calling, justice, spiritual formation and reconciliation. He also serves as a Center for Ministry Studies Fellow. He taught theology for six years at Wheaton College in Illinois, where he also oversaw undergraduate research in developing nations, led an annual theology conference and helped to design a pre-orientation experiential education program. He also taught theology and directed Tyndale University College and Seminary’s extension education and summer school for two years.

“I am excited to join the Northwestern College community and eager to begin work alongside such a gifted and dedicated faculty and staff,” says Husbands. “It has been a joy to learn more about the work and mission of Northwestern College. I have deep respect for what is happening there. It will be a privilege to promote a Christian undergraduate and graduate education that is intellectually strong, spiritually vibrant and fully engaged in an evangelical commitment to the cultural renewal of all things in Christ.”

Among Husbands’ goals as he begins his new role are to build meaningful relationships with members of the campus community and to gain an even greater appreciation of Northwestern College’s distinctive contribution to Christian higher education. “I also seek to promote academic excellence and leverage Northwestern’s strong commitment to the liberal arts for a more publically significant expression of the integration of faith and work in joyful and lasting service to the kingdom of God,” he says.

Husbands earned doctoral and master’s degrees in theology from the University of Toronto and completed his undergraduate education at Toronto’s York University. He has edited seven books and published 23 articles and chapters. A sought-after guest lecturer, he serves on the Reformed Church in America’s Commission on Theology and is a board member of 3Sixty, a Christian community development organization. 

Husbands replaces Dr. Jasper Lesage, who retired as Northwestern's provost last May after 10 years of service.