A new book is shining a light on the history of Northwestern College. “Pursuing the Light: A History of Northwestern, 1882–2024” traces the institution’s growth from a classical academy and junior college into today’s college with about 1,700 students and more than 16,000 alumni worldwide.
The nearly 400-page volume was written by Dr. Douglas Firth Anderson, professor emeritus of history and part-time archivist at Northwestern. Anderson spent more than eight years researching thousands of documents, including trustee minutes, student newspapers, and alumni magazines.
The book features nine chronological chapters, seven chapters on athletics, more than 125 archival photos, and 40 sidebar articles on influential people and events. Extensive appendices include enrollment figures, lists of campus leaders, and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees.
Anderson says the title reflects the college’s motto, “Deus est lux”—God is light. “Hopefully readers will see that God has been at work at Northwestern,” he said, “and that we’re seeking God’s light. We don’t claim to have always found it, but we are pursuing it.”
“Pursuing the Light” will be available beginning October 1st at the Northwestern Bookstore and online for $25. It will also be sold at events during Raider Nation Celebration on October 4th and at a special program on October 7th at Orange City’s Dutch American Heritage Museum.
