{"id":222480,"date":"2025-09-23T13:51:40","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T23:51:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=222480"},"modified":"2025-10-27T15:53:37","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T01:53:37","slug":"in-memoriam-douglas-dykstra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/in-memoriam-douglas-dykstra\/","title":{"rendered":"In memoriam: Former Windward <abbr>CC<\/abbr> Chancellor Douglas Dykstra"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-shaka.jpg\" alt=\"Dykstra flashing shaka\" width=\"676\" height=\"381\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-222582\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-shaka.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-shaka-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-shaka-130x73.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>Note: Doug Dykstra\u2019s Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 8, 10 a.m.&#8211;2 p.m. at Windward Community College, in Hale <span lang=\"haw\">&#699;Akoakoa<\/span> 101\u2013105.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Douglas Dykstra, former chancellor of Windward <abbr>Community College<\/abbr>, died on September 20, 2025. He was 77. Known for his warmth, humor and deep compassion, Dykstra led Windward <abbr>CC<\/abbr> from 2009 until his retirement in 2018, shaping the campus into a vibrant college serving the Windward region and beyond.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-grad-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"Doug Dykstra at commencement\" width=\"214\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-222520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-grad-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-grad-93x130.jpg 93w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-grad.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Doug was an incredibly kind man; his kindness walked in front of him into every room,&rdquo; current Windward <abbr>CC<\/abbr> Chancellor Ardis Eschenberg shared in a message to the campus community. &ldquo;His leadership style was gentle and compassionate, but still decisive. Doug worked hard to be transparent and understanding. &hellip; He really knew us. He took the time, cared and had insight into humanity.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>More on Dykstra:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2017\/04\/11\/windward-childcare-center-groundbreaking\/\">New Childcare Center breaks ground at Windward <abbr>CC<\/abbr><\/a>, April 11, 2017<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>According to an article published when he retired, Dykstra was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and raised in New York. He was deeply influenced by his father, a Columbia University linguistics professor whose career brought the family to Kabul, Afghanistan, and eventually to <span lang=\"haw\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>. After earning a master&rsquo;s degree in history from Kent State University and later a second master&rsquo;s degree in education from <abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa, Dykstra began teaching history at <abbr>UH<\/abbr> community colleges, most notably at Leeward <abbr>CC<\/abbr>, where he later became an administrator. In 2004, he was appointed vice chancellor for academic affairs at <span lang=\"haw\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> <abbr>CC<\/abbr>, a role that prepared him for the chancellorship at Windward.<\/p>\n<h2>A &lsquo;gentleman giant&rsquo;<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-car-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"Dykstra with a Windward CC holiday car\" width=\"214\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-222521\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-car-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-car-93x130.jpg 93w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-car.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>At 6 feet 4 inches tall, with a trademark broad smile, Dykstra quickly became a familiar presence at Windward <abbr>CC<\/abbr>. Students, faculty and staff fondly remembered his mix of humor, humility and fierce advocacy for the college. According to the article, during the 2012 accreditation process, Dykstra personally authored a 20-plus page response that turned a sanction into a commendation.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>More on Dykstra:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2013\/04\/29\/windward-chancellor-shaves-head-for-the-hungry\/\">Windward chancellor shaves head for the hungry<\/a>, April 29, 2013<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Colleagues often described him as a &ldquo;gentleman giant,&rdquo; one who could be both a soft-hearted listener and a strong, decisive leader when needed. He was known to show up at countless campus events, always asking after students and colleagues, making sure they felt seen and supported.<\/p>\n<p>Eschenberg, who succeeded him as chancellor, called Dykstra an inspiring mentor when he retired. &ldquo;Doug is unafraid. He bases decisions on what best serves our college and promotes student success, never on what is easiest. &hellip; Doug is a leader. He has made each of us better by working together.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Dykstra retired in 2018 to spend more time swimming, traveling and reading, and to be with his wife, Elitte. He is survived by Elitte and their son, Nathan.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Doug made an outsized impact through his caring and love,&rdquo; Eschenberg said. &ldquo;As those who knew him and benefitted from his leadership, we carry on that legacy of caring and compassion.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-group.jpg\" alt=\"Doug Dykstra with a group of people\" width=\"676\" height=\"381\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-222523\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-group.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-group-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-d-group-130x73.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Known for his warmth, humor and deep compassion, Dykstra led Windward <abbr>CC<\/abbr> from 2009 until his retirement in 2018.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":222582,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[756,71,66],"class_list":["post-222480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-in-memoriam","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-windward-community-college","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/windward-dykstra-shaka.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=222480"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":224414,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222480\/revisions\/224414"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/222582"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=222480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=222480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=222480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}