Tower Summer 2022

Dr. Judith Willems ʼ84
Dr. Judith Willems arrived at Montverde Academy at the
tender age of 12 from Aruba. Her family was seeking
better educational opportunities for her and believed that
MVA would be the perfect environment for her to thrive.
It was her first time being away from her family and
although it was a daunting experience, she was able to
adapt to campus quickly. Judith believes that coming to
the Academy and completing high school was one of the
most life-altering choices in her life and truly set her on
the path to achieving her dreams of becoming a doctor.
“High school is the place where we start our learning
phase of life. High school grows you into the person you
are today,” said Dr. Willems. “I always wanted to be a
doctor, even when I was in high school. My experience
at MVA has influenced my development as a person. It
made me independent, helped me choose friends wisely,
and accomplish goals I had set for myself. It helped me
contribute to the realization of my dreams and aspirations.
I became a doctor because I love helping people. The
school also taught us valuable life lessons that we can
incorporate in our daily lives. My school life helped me
learn dedication and self-actualization.”
She graduated with the class of 1984 and went to college in
the Dominican Republic, where her mother resided, and in
1992 graduated from the Medical Faculty of the University
Eugenio Maria de Hostos, Dominican Republic. In 1994,
she graduated with a Master’s degree in Clinical Sexology
from the University of APEC, Dominican Republic.
She returned to Aruba where she met her husband, Hans
Willems, who is Dutch, and they moved to the Netherlands
after their nuptials. The move resulted in her having to
complete medical school again, but that did not deter
her. Being a doctor had been in her heart since she was
a child and although the road had been challenging to
accomplish that dream fully, she had not given up!
In 2004, while pregnant, she was determined to begin
medical school in the Netherlands. In 2008, she
received her revalidation at the University of Groningen
(Rijksuniversiteit Groningen), Netherlands. For the last 22
years she has lived and worked in the Netherlands certified
as a medical doctor where she works at a mental health
clinic intensive care unit as a mental care general doctor.
Last year, Judith contracted COVID-19 and spent eight
months in the hospital where she almost died. She says
it’s been a long road to recovery, but she is thankful for life
and that she can continue to be here for her family and
hopefully see her son become a professional baseball
My experience at MVA has
influenced my development as a
person. It made me independent,
helped me choose friends wisely,
and accomplish goals I had set
for myself.
Dr. Judith Willems
player one day. She also knows that this is a second
chance and intends to continue to serve as a doctor and
will focus on those with mental health conditions.
Judith is also the founder of the first MVA Facebook
alumni group which has been instrumental in reconnecting
alumni to former classmates and the school. She initially
started the group on Hotmail messenger many years ago
and it has now grown to a more than 1,000 member page.
When we asked Judith if she had any advice for our
current students she said: “You can succeed without over
exerting yourself. Less stress and anxiety. When you earn
your degree, you accomplish a big step in your life. Be
yourself, gain knowledge, skills, and experience to help
you both in your career and in life in general. There is
always time to study and be what you want in life.”
THE TOWER | SUMMER 2022 59