Joel Dykstra, Ed.D., from Roswell, New Mexico, has joined Lincoln Land Community College as dean of English and humanities. He began his new duties May 18.

Dr. Dykstra comes to LLCC from the New Mexico Military Institute where he served as associate dean of the humanities division for eight years. He also taught Arabic and Spanish at NMMI for 15 years and was involved in the leadership of the school’s participation in HLC’s Student Persistence and Completion Academy and the development of an early warning system. In 1999, Dykstra enlisted in the U.S. Army as an Arabic linguist. He served with the First Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, and was deployed twice after 9/11. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant professor of Spanish at Northwestern College in Iowa and Colorado Mesa University.

“Dr. Dykstra’s extensive experience both in the classroom and as an administrator will serve him and our college well,” said Vern Lindquist, Ph.D., vice president of academic services at LLCC. “LLCC is happy to welcome him and his family back home to the Midwest.”

Dykstra is originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He earned a doctor of education degree in community college leadership from Texas Tech University. He attended Michigan State University and the University of New Mexico for graduate studies and attended Calvin University and Grand Valley State University for undergraduate studies.