Biology professor receives NWC teaching excellence award

Dr. Cody Rozeveld, assistant professor of biology at Northwestern College, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Northwestern Teaching Excellence Award. He was honored during the college’s commencement ceremony on May 9.

The award honors full-time faculty who embody the college’s Vision for Learning in their classroom teaching. Recipients are those who have distinguished themselves in their ability to lead their students to trust, love and worship God; to engage ideas; to connect knowledge and experience; and to respond to God’s call.

Rozeveld joined Northwestern’s biology department in 2022 after completing postdoctoral research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Students who nominated him for this year’s award described him as a dynamic educator.

“He fosters deep engagement with ideas, challenging us to think critically and make connections between knowledge and real-world experience,” wrote one student. “His classes incorporate a plethora of ways to facilitate interactions with material—ranging from case studies and literature reviews to essay-oriented exams,” said another nominator.

Students also praised his authenticity and care for students. “His heart for students and their perspectives is not only obvious, but intentional,” wrote one nominator. “Dr. Rozeveld genuinely wants his students to succeed and actively invests in helping us do so,” a student added.

“He makes himself available, explains complex concepts with patience, and ensures that we understand not only the ‘what,’ but the ‘why’ behind what we are learning,” a student wrote. “Beyond academics, he listens carefully to student concerns. He advocates for us when challenges arise and consistently demonstrates that he sees us not just as students, but as future healthcare professionals and individuals called by God.”

A central theme of Dr. Rozeveld’s teaching philosophy is creating a classroom environment where students feel seen, heard and empowered to explore their questions. He seeks to help students deepen their relationship with Christ while pursuing God’s calling in their lives.

“One of Dr. Rozeveld’s greatest strengths is his ability to integrate faith and science in a way that deepens both,” said a nominator. “He does not shy away from asking difficult questions. Instead, he challenges us to think critically about disease, suffering and the complexity of the human body. Through his thoughtful questioning, he pushes us to wrestle with how microbiology, pharmacology and pathophysiology fit within God’s creative design and redeeming work in the world. His classroom is a place where intellectual rigor and faith coexist naturally.”

Rozeveld earned a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology from the Mayo Clinic Graduate School, where his thesis focused on the unique metabolism of metastatic pancreatic cancer cells. At Northwestern, he developed a new course, Biochemical and Molecular Foundations of Cancer, and involves students in his research on how obesity contributes to poor prognoses in cancer progression. Rozeveld has been published in Cancer Research and given a presentation at the American Association of Cancer Research Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer.