Moving on to accolades, rock collecting and all things geeky, VB is famously studied, with master’s degrees from both Harvard and Yale proudly displayed. However, completing a PhD. from Yale wasn’t enough for him, as he celebrated furthering his achievement by summiting the 14,000 ft. peak of Colorado’s Mt. Yale – and he’s got the pictures to prove it. On top of these achievements, he is a published and well-respected scholar in his field. If you haven’t stumbled across Vonder Bruegge with his nose buried deep in one of his many biblical commentaries or Greek textbooks, you have not known him long enough.
Both well-studied and well-traveled, VB is an avid rock collector whose world travels have gifted him some of the most ridiculous rocks you could request. He’s taken travertine from Turkey, retrieved rocks from the ruins of one of the oldest churches in Greece, plucked pebbles from the very place Paul preached and been held at gunpoint by German soldiers after carving a chunk off the crumbling Berlin wall with his own two hands.
Everything has a story, we decorate our lives with them, and each one you uncover is more fascinating than the last. So, take the time, be curious, and use this as an excuse to berate your professors with stupid questions (I mean, get to know them more personally). Take the time to invest in the people who’ve invested so much into you. (P.S. There are also two easter egg items in VB’s crib that are well worth the visit. Your clue word is “dude.” Happy hunting!)