Curiosity Encouraged. Faith Deepened. A Calling Discovered.

Alumni Spotlight: Josh Parks '10

Sometimes, all it takes is one teacher who says, "Go for it."

For Josh Parks '10, that teacher was Mrs. Roskamp.

"I loved everything about my seventh-grade English class with Mrs. Roskamp," Josh remembers. "Not only because she let me write a 30,000-word prequel to The Chronicles of Narnia instead of a book report, but because she was so good at making the classroom a fun and comfortable place."

That freedom to explore ideas wasn't an exception. It reflected a culture Josh experienced throughout Zeeland Christian, where curiosity was welcomed and every student was invited to discover the gifts God had given them.

"The ZCS teachers I had firmly believed that the classroom was a place where everyone belonged, no matter their race or gender or gifts or abilities," he says. "They encouraged us to be devoted to each other's learning and well-being, not just our own."

Alongside a love of learning, Josh found something even deeper: a faith that reached far beyond Sunday mornings.

"ZCS taught me that God welcomed my questions, my feelings, my loves, and my struggles, and everyone else's too. I learned that worshiping and walking with God didn't just happen in church, but in music rehearsals, research projects, and quiet reading time."

That foundation inspired Josh to continue pursuing both learning and teaching. After graduating from ZCS in 2010, he attended Zeeland West High School before earning double majors in English and Music from Calvin College. He then completed a master's degree in Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University, followed by a master's degree in the History of Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary. Today, Josh is a PhD candidate in Religious Studies at the University of Virginia.

While his academic journey has taken him across the country, the curiosity first nurtured at ZCS continues to shape his work.

"While at ZCS, I discovered a love of writing and reading that my teachers were eager to encourage," he says. "So many ZCS teachers told me something like, 'If you think that's interesting, go for it, and tell me what you find!' I want to be the same kind of teacher."

That encouragement has also led Josh into publishing. He is currently writing a religious biography of Walt Disney under contract with Eerdmans Publishing.

Josh's story is a reminder that when students know they belong, are encouraged to explore God's world, and discover the unique calling placed on their lives, the impact extends far beyond graduation. The curiosity cultivated in one seventh-grade classroom is now shaping college students, future readers, and the conversations Josh is leading through his teaching and scholarship.