The work and presence of Dr. Doug Anderson is something that has been impactful to say the least. In his many years of work on campus, Anderson has been an intellectual guide to many students as he has helped with an abundance of student research projects and listened to their findings and thoughts on various subjects within the academic world. By working with the students, he has created quite the positive impression on students who have had the honor to sit and discuss research projects on topics related to history or literature.
Along with helping students with their academic pursuits, Anderson also works in the archives of the Dewitt Learning Commons (LC) cataloging resources, attending meetings, answering reference questions and weeding out NW’s library collection in order to maximize usefulness of the books and media found on the shelves. His work in the archives is a somewhat unseen yet definitely necessary part of upholding the academic relevance of NW. Because of his work, students, faculty and visitors can trust that the information found within the libraries of NW is relevant and valuable.
In his recent work at NW, Anderson has been cataloging notes from a retired NW faculty member. These notes are that of a research project on the first two congregations in Orange City, both organized by Dutch colonists in 1871. Anderson organized this information in a way that allows him to easily search for specific parts of the research digitally.
When Anderson has the opportunity, he keeps up with his own academic pursuits. After finishing the draft of his book project this past December, he has written an incredible 94,000+ words in one project. He now waits for edits on revisions on his third “chapter” before he moves to revising the next chapter. According to his resume, Anderson has written over 40 papers and 10 book reviews, making him a well published and polished author and researcher. Before working in the archives of the LC, Anderson taught college undergraduate history from 1989-2014. His experience with teaching students and being a constant student of history makes him an incredible resource on our campus. As a retired professor, Doug knows what is typically expected of students for a research assignment and how to help students reach the bar that has been set. This experience helps him guide students through the process of research while helping them achieve their goals in research. His work in the history department has also equipped him with the proper knowledge to not only write his own research but to listen, learn from, and add insight to the research of others. This knowledge makes Anderson a constant and lifelong teacher and learner as he can offer new bits of knowledge to those who come to talk about history and research. The work that Anderson has done in his life has made him into an accomplished guide, teacher, conversationalist and an unsung hero on NW’s campus. Next time you study or get a coffee in the learning commons, go down to the basement, find Anderson’s office, and see what you can learn from just one short conversation with one of NW’s finest.
