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By Amanda (Shine ’05) Zambrano

Lifelong learning is a thread running through the fabric of 1986 graduate Dr. Tim Coetzee’s story. The story begins at a small Christian school in New Jersey where Tim fell in love with biology under the tutelage of his AP biology teacher, Kathleen (Fink ’77) Donaldson. He was interested in a career as a physician, and Kathleen shared Houghton’s outstanding pre-med reputation with him. As a missionary kid and pastor’s kid, Tim discovered the financial aid Houghton offered made it an affordable choice for his family. But it was more than just pre-med and scholarships that brought Tim to Houghton. The direct influence of a Houghton alumna was a driving factor in Tim’s choice.

Tim started his Houghton journey, as have many alumni, on the Highlander Wilderness Adventure under the leadership of Doris “Mabel” Nielsen ’71. During Highlander, he read Francis Schaeffer’s The Mark of a Christian, and it was a defining moment. “Forty years later,” said Tim, “I still remember the impact of that book. It’s a bit of an organizing principle for me today. There are so many things we could be distinguished by, but the idea that ‘they’ll know you by your love for each other’ is something that infuses the work I do today.”

Although Tim was initially determined to become a physician, by his sophomore year he knew he was on the wrong path. After a three-week practicum experience, during which he shadowed a family medical doctor, Tim found himself seeking the guidance of his advisor, Houghton biology professor and director of pre-med at the time, Dr. Donald Munro. Tim’s love of biology and desire to move away from clinical medical practice landed him in Houghton’s biology labs conducting research. Like Houghton students today in the Shannon Summer Research Institute and in independent research studies, Tim was pursuing his study of biology in a distinctly Houghton way—doing science in a lab rather than simply listening to a lecture.

“It was great, because at Houghton I was pretty much learning by doing,” said Tim. “The uniqueness of Houghton was that I was doing a lot of research on my own, figuring things out for myself through trial and error. It wasn’t an opportunity I would have had at larger institutions.”
Tim completed two independent research projects and a senior honors project during his time at Houghton. He also found his passion at Houghton, in Dr. Charles Detwiler’s ’72 classroom studying microbiology. The seeds planted in microbiology led Tim to post-graduate education at Albany Medical College where he completed an M.S. and a Ph.D. studying molecular biology—particularly that now-famous molecule mRNA.

Tim’s work in molecular biology put him on a path that led through research labs with funding provided by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, to offices where he managed projects and started up the for-profit research arm FastForward LLC. He found himself on another learning curve, which required him to rely on the soft skills he picked up at Houghton—particularly effective communication.
“Dr. Munro instilled the importance of communication,” remarked Tim. “I learned that clarity in communication, both in how you write and in how you speak, is important. But because the ideas in science often require visuals, I also learned about the importance of visuals that have clarity and impact.”

A year ago, Tim entered another phase of his lifelong learning journey when he was appointed CEO of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Those lessons in communication have grown to encompass storytelling, relating to prospective funders about the difference the society’s work makes in the lives of people living with multiple sclerosis.

And it isn’t just the communication skills honed at Houghton that Tim relies on. “The commitment to people is something I continue to carry with me. I look back on the people part of my time at Houghton, the emphasis on relationships with people and the way my faith journey influences how I serve the people right in front of me every day.”

“Houghton taught me the importance of constantly learning. You’re never done. It’s never too late to be a better leader.”