Norman Donkersloot
Vice President of Finance
Applying for Housing
With many housing options in Holland, seminary students can live in one of the “Top Five Cities in the U.S.”
Applying for Housing
After being accepted to Western and submitting a $250 confirmation fee, students can apply for housing by contacting Norman Donkersloot at 800-392-8554, x107 or norman@westernsem.edu. Housing is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If all units are filled, the business manager will assist students in finding suitable housing.
Applying for Housing
Utilities & Housing Policy
In 2016-17, townhouse, apartment, and house rentals range from $575 to $863 per month depending upon the location and number of bedrooms. A bedroom in the Friendship House rents for $260. Utilities are included, except for phone and cable. The seminary provides internet service for the Friendship House. The apartments and houses are wired for cable and internet but those costs aren’t included in the rent. See Housing Policy.
TownHouses
The townhouses on campus are especially attractive to families with young children. They encircle a commons area with picnic tables, a playground, and plenty of room for gatherings. The townhouses are available in 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units, and each includes air conditioning, a washer and dryer, as well as major kitchen appliances. Handicapped accessible units are available.
Townhouse 1 bedroom $648
Townhouse 2 bedroom $730
Townhouse 3 bedroom $863
The Friendship House
Because more than 40 million Americans live with a disability, Western Theological Seminary decided to do more to prepare our students to work with these individuals and their families. In 2007 the Ralph and Cheryl Schregardus Friendship House opened, offering students a unique housing option—the opportunity to live alongside young adults with a cognitive disability. This is the first residence of its kind among seminaries across the U.S. The Ralph and Cheryl Schregardus Friendship House accommodates 18 seminary students (including a resident director) and six people with cognitive impairments. Each special-needs adult shares an apartment with three seminary students, engaging in friendships yet functioning independently.
By virtue of living in community with people who have cognitive impairments, Western students become more aware of the challenges faced by persons with a variety of disabilities. Students who live in Friendship House take their experiences into the church— influencing congregations and ministries with the care and sensitivity persons with special needs deserve.
Friendship House $260 per bedroom (for WTS students)
Other Options
In addition to the townhouses and the Friendship House, the seminary owns traditional apartments and houses near the campus. All housing options are within walking distance of parks, churches, and the downtown shopping district.
47 E. 13th first and second floor apartments $730
47 E. 13th third floor $575
364, 366 and 368 College Ave $648
The Van Raalte Fellowship
Engage your passion for serving God and neighbor while participating in community development through living in Christian community.
Students at Western Theological Seminary are invited to apply for the Van Raalte Fellowship, a partnership between 3-sixty ministries (a community development non-profit in Holland), Pillar Church, and All Saints Anglican Church. This 2-year fellowship allows students to live in ministry while learning to minister at seminary.
Fellows earn internship credit, participate in a mentored peer group, and worship with Pillar Church and All Saints Anglican Church while helping to connect the church with opportunities for justice in the city. Fellows earn credit through participation in the following:
- Intentional Community: fellows live together in one of two homes in the city center, sharing meals, daily living responsibilities, and a rhythm of daily and weekly worship.
- Integral Mission: fellows serve with 3-sixty and partner in the neighborhood where God is already at work.
- Integrated Faith: fellows think deeply about the integration of the Christian faith in the public square, the marketplace, and the workplace.
For more information, contact Rev. Jenna Brandsen at Pillar Church (jenna@pillarchurch.com)
The Van Raalte Fellowship is $300 per bedroom.
