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Jon Arensen

In 1995 Jon Arensen and his wife, Barbara, came to Houghton College for a furlough year, to teach anthropology and to be near their daughter, then in her senior year. Arensen loved teaching Houghton students, and they, in turn, filled his classes, attracted by his enthusiasm and his ability to connect his academic training to an exceptional level of experience.

A short while later, the college asked Arensen to set up an off-campus program based in Tanzania, so Arensen became a full-time professor of anthropology in the Intercultural Studies department. He teaches and leads “Houghton in Tanzania,” the college’s most popular off-campus semester.

Arensen comes by his interest in missions and anthropology naturally. A self-described “kid from the bush,” he was raised in remote regions of Tanzania by missionary parents, learning the local language and culture, and developing a “deep interest and love for Africa.” Arensen went to high school at Rift Valley Academy (RVA), a boarding school in Kenya. After completing a B.A. and stint in church ministry, Arensen returned to the mission field, working in South America and teaching at RVA.

Later, the Arensens spent 19 years translating the Murle language (of Sudan) for Wycliffe Bible Translators while Jon served as anthropology coordinator for SIL, supervising activity in 24 African countries. He managed missionary orientation—known fondly to its alumni as “Kenya Safari”—training newcomers in such essential survival skills as automobile and water system repair. Despite a heavy workload, Arensen found time for academic pursuits as well, earning a master’s degree from Central Washington University and a master’s and doctorate in anthropology from Oxford University. He also penned numerous articles on anthropology, linguistics and ecology.

Arensen’s combination of academic accomplishments and African experience make him uniquely qualified to discuss and describe the issues surrounding cross-cultural transition and cultural conflict. Arensen says his students have a deep interest in global issues and a strong desire to “solve problems ... to do something with their lives.” Many recent graduates have pursued development work abroad, while others combine the Intercultural Studies major with programs in business or childhood education. Those opting for graduate school have found open doors, including recent placements (with full scholarships) at Georgetown and Rice.

Arensen continues to learn and share his knowledge. He is developing a course entitled Culture Change, which looks at the effects of globalization on indigenous peoples, and is pleased to note that the Intercultural Studies department now offers a concentration in Islamic Studies. The Tanzania Program continues to be one of Houghton’s most popular, with the spring 2007 semester already booked and applications rolling in for 2008.