David Van Heemst, Ph.D.
David Van Heemst was the first political scientist hired in Olivet's history in 1993. He developed the program which focuses on the three major areas of political science: American government, international relations and political theory. He sponsors a variety of campus clubs including the Capitol Hill Gang, the Academy and International Justice Mission club.
He came to Olivet after completing his Ph.D. at the University of Virginia. He also holds three master's degrees from Olivet and American University. He has been awarded the Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence and the Second Mile Award. He has authored three books: “Empowering the Poor: Why Justice Requires School Choice,” “Herman Dooyeweerd and Eric Voegelin: A Comparative Study” and “Hope in Troubled Times: A New Vision for Confronting Global Crises.” He is particularly interested in the interaction of Christian faith and political activities from an evangelical point of view.
In his free time DVH (as he's known on campus) enjoys jogging, playing tennis, reading, and spending time with his wife, April, their twin daughters, Maggie and Ellie, and triplet daughters Elizabeth, Annika and Jessica.
Having grown up on the East Coast, he's a huge New York Yankees and New Jersey Nets fan.
