“I am--In the midst of what I consider a calling.” Words that solidify the profound faith found in Jane Zwart. More appropriately, Professor Jane Zwart. A deserving title this Grand Rapids native achieved after many years of school, receiving degrees at both our very own Calvin College, and Boston University. A recent addition to Calvin’s English department in 2005, Prof. Zwart is a spirited teacher with passion both in and outside the classroom. Jane Zwart, however, did not just pop on Calvin’s campus with her wisdom ready to spread. She, like most, has a story of her journey to Calvin College. Hers, however, is a story of strength, endurance, and blossoming faith.
Early Years
“I did grow up in Grand Rapids, on the northeast side of town in a hundred-year-old house set back from a busy street,” she describes the scenery in which her childhood was set. Zwart recalls having the memories she assumes most have, a mix of happy and bluntly sad. Remembering how she played with her brother at that century old house she admits having “insisted on being the principal” when her and her brother played school. As she moved on and grew up she recalls having “done all the prescribed things” such as attend Grand Rapids Christian High School, and so forth until enrolling at Calvin for her undergrad degree. “I always wanted to read and to write. But I think I shied away from the idea of teaching for a while because my mom is a teacher,” answering to an question about dream jobs and childhood fantasies. She settled on wanting to teach at a college because of the mental stimulation and ability to examine text that came along with that age group and class standards in college. Thinking about her Teaching fellowship program she remembers her hesitant thinking of “if I don't like this, I don't know what I am for.” Having found her way through her irresolute thought and confused years of schooling she resolves that her love for teaching, English, and her fellowship was “a sacred answer to a prayer I don't think I ever said in so many words.”
Education and Occupation
After finishing her time at Calvin she married her husband, Andrew, and they moved out to Boston together, Continuing her education at Boston University. Thinking back to their time living in Boston she recollects the hurdles they made it through, “Boston is a pricey city to live in, and it's not very hospitable to outsiders… We lived in a dingy basement apartment for the first year.” While struggling through these times Andrew was teaching at a public high school and Zwart reconsidered her choice in school, “I doubted whether Boston U. had made a huge error of judgment in letting me into their Ph.D. program.” Through it though, they managed, and ended up adjusting, finding a church, and finishing school. While in Boston, she taught film, literature, English as a second language and writing. However, it was not Boston she was to finally settle, “We moved back somewhat unexpectedly. Calvin's English department realized that they needed someone for a term contract and invited some of its alumni in grad programs to apply.” She did apply, with the idea that at least it was practice in interviewing and job application, however in the middle of writing her dissertation, she found her self in a teaching position at Calvin. “Things fell into place” she puts aptly, speaking of the exciting opportunity and chance to live closer to home, family, and friends.
Faith Journey
Bringing it back around to religion, as is so well done at Calvin College; the question of Zwart’s faith journey was brought up. She discussed openly her confused times through out college and university, and reflected on how church and prayer helped her through her struggling times in Boston and where she fit into place in the world. Digging deeper into where her resolute faith in God came from she recollects one of her bluntly sad memories, “When I was nine, my brother Adam died.” Talking about how her brother’s two-year battle with cancer shaped her faith she eloquently said, “Adam was, among other things, resolutely beautiful in his faith.” Hearing her words it was clear how strong this event made her both in faith and in life, “I suppose this is the most pressing thing that shaped my faith, early.”
Can be found: happy in life
You can find Professor Zwart contently teaching in the English department at Calvin College. You can also find her name in a number of publications. She has published many writings such as academic articles, book reviews, conference papers and poems. On the topic of her published work she says, “I am happiest with the poems I have in print, I think.” She continues her life, outside of the classroom (shocking to think of professors as people outside of school) with many other passions besides English and writing. She enjoys dabbling in amateur photography adding pictures to her thousand words with her Canon EOS Rebel Digital SLR.
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