From Paul Hartge
Throughout the Spring, it became increasingly obvious that Steve was a pioneer in his thinking on the intersection of faith and politics. He encouraged all of us who were discerning careers in political engagement to think beyond standard categories of partisanship, and reach for a deeper, more biblical understanding of politics. Following this semester, I remained in touch with Steve. He was always eager to help me advance my career. After graduation, I continued to meet, and sometimes work for, other protege's of Steve. These included two men of faith who ran for the Michigan State Senate and one who led an affordable housing program in Western Michigan.
In recent years, my career has moved from political engagement to government consulting. This is a different path than what Steve had hoped for. However, I believe that by improving the functioning of government, I am living into the positive vision of government that Steve taught. All of my interactions with Steve were marked by kindness and humility. He and his voice will be sorely missed.
From Ambassador William Garvelink
Professor Monsma was an excellent and passionate educator. He stressed, in the courses I took with him, the importance of those who worked in the government bureaucracy. While some criticized government service, he stressed how important their works was to the success of the American democratic enterprise. I was intrigued by that and we discussed the role of federal bureaucrats several times. These conversations helped shape my career