Transformational gift given to aerospace engineering program

Education

Feb 25

Written By Staff

Michael and Wendi VanWoerkom
Photo courtesy of Calvin University

Calvin University alumni Michael (1995) and Wendi VanWoerkom (1996) have made a significant gift to support the long-term growth of Calvin University’s new aerospace engineering concentration, positioning the university to become a national leader in aerospace education within Christian higher education.

The gift will fund advanced laboratory equipment, create the VanWoerkom Aerospace Lab, and establish the VanWoerkom Endowed Professorship dedicated to space systems, hands-on student projects, and external research funding. The aerospace concentration officially joined Calvin’s ABET-accredited engineering program in Fall 2025, with full lab implementation targeted by fiscal year 2027.

“This extraordinary gift reflects the very best of Calvin - alumni who are deeply grateful for their education and eager to invest in the next generation,” said Greg Elzinga, President, Calvin University. “Michael and Wendi’s vision will allow our students to pursue cutting-edge aerospace engineering while being formed by a Christ-centered education that emphasizes purpose, responsibility, and service.”

The VanWoerkoms credit their Calvin education with laying the foundation for their professional success. Michael went on to earn an advanced degree from the University of Michigan and later founded the aerospace company ExoTerra. Wendi, who also earned her engineering degree from Calvin, currently works for Muller Engineering Company in Lakewood, Colorado. The couple met as students in Calvin’s engineering program, and their connection to the university remains deeply personal: their oldest son, Ethan, graduated from Calvin in 2024, and their middle son, Drew, is currently a junior.

“Calvin prepared us exceptionally well - for our careers, for leadership, and for life,” said the VanWoerkoms. Michael will play an active advisory role in the program, mentoring students, supporting senior design projects, and assisting with industry connections, job placement, and graduate school pathways.

The new VanWoerkom Aerospace Lab will occupy renovated space within Calvin’s engineering building and will be recognized with exterior signage and an interior plaque honoring the VanWoerkom family’s leadership gift.

“At Calvin, our faith and ethics perspectives are not simply ‘add-ons’,” said Ken Visser, Professor of Aerospace Engineering. “They shape our teaching strategies and guide our students to think about their responsibility to the profession and how their choices impact God’s creation. This gift from the VanWoerkoms will provide tremendous opportunities for our students and enriches our ability to train them to become both technically excellent and deeply grounded engineers.”

For more information, visit https://calvin.edu/majors-programs/aerospace-engineering-bse.

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