Toni Van Dyken is a remarkable student in many ways; not only is she graduating Aquinas with top honors this year in the field of Theology, but she also battled breast cancer. A member of Alpha Sigma Lamba, the national honor society for continuing education students, and Theta Alpha Kappa, the national honor society for religious studies/theology, Van Dyken’s ability to find God in human experiences along life’s journey and her willingness to learn are a few of the reasons why she has been selected as one of this year’s outstanding graduating students.

After receiving her certification in the three-year Spiritual Direction program at the Dominican Center in Grand Rapids and courses at Davenport College, Van Dyken prepared to enter The New Seminary in New York for a master’s level Interfaith Studies to become an ordained Interfaith minister. In the same year, Van Dyken entered Aquinas College, desiring to know the origins of the Christian faith and the beginnings of the Church and its tradition. The warm reception of Dr. Marko and the background of Catholicism in her childhood made it feel like home.

Dr. Robert Marko, professor of theology and department chair took note of Van Dyken. “What first impressed me was that she was a woman of incredible integrity, insight, and experience. In her theological study, what I found was a humility before the mystery of the divine. Here was a woman who took seriously human experience and how God was found in that experience and in her life journey.”

Due to many sudden changes in her life, it took Van Dyken five and half years to complete the programs. Her ordination in 2007 was followed by breast cancer, resulting in a double mastectomy and reconstruction. Leaving her liberal church community after 26 years and losing her brother to cancer also affected her. “I am profoundly grateful to Aquinas and my theology professors for having re-grounded me in my Christian faith,” said Van Dyken.

Her willingness to learn and engage the Christian tradition is what struck Dr. Marko as outstanding. “While she may or may not have embraced all the claims of the faith that I believe comes to us from the Apostles, she understood them and appreciated their value,” he said. She was also striving to learn more by asking questions and putting forth wholehearted effort into her work. Her graduation this year is a culmination of a 30-year pursuit, starting with night classes at Davenport. “Perhaps ‘outstanding’ means not giving up. The Theology program is demanding and I consider it a very high honor to be recognized,” said Van Dyken.

After she graduates, Van Dyken would like to work as a “theologian in residence” in a Christian community where she could continue to read, write, study, and preach five or six times a year while facilitating small group formations.

“The Second Century Church Father, Irenaeus, said, ‘The glory of God is the human being fully alive.’ ‘Fully alive’ - an excellent prayer for a graduate and cancer survivor,” said Van Dyken.