(Monday, December 5; Sioux Center, Iowa) Olivia Shirk, a senior at Aplington Parkersburg High School (Iowa), has announced her intention to attend Dordt and join the Defender dance team.  

"We are so excited to welcome Olivia to our dance program at Dordt next year! She is a strong leader with a fun personality and I can tell that she will be a great fit for our team. I am excited to see what she will all bring to our program next year," said Dordt dance coach Mel Knobloch. 

Olivia is the daughter of Leia and Jay Anderson of Parkersburg, Iowa. She plans to study education at Dordt. 

"I chose Dordt because it felt like home. I felt very welcome and comfortable. I know I will be able to receive a good education here to get my degree and be welcomed onto the dance team," said Shirk. 

Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive Christian college rooted in the Reformed tradition. The Defender athletic program is a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) and the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA).  

U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review all list Dordt on their best colleges lists. Dordt is home to approximately 1,500 students.