15 SPRING 2025 She cared for Bethel’s place through the “Faithful Campaign,” focused on strengthening Bethel for the future through an emphasis on its purpose, people and place. Because of this campaign, she secured the largest single gift from a living donor in Bethel’s history. This enabled many deferred maintenance projects to be completed, including renovations in the freshman dorms, Shupe and Oakwood, exterior work on the Huffman Administration Building, roofing on the Goodman Gymnasium, new HVAC systems for the Academic Center, flooring for the common areas in Sailor Hall and much more. The campaign also allowed for the hiring of several key positions, including a marketing partner to expand Bethel’s reach to prospective students. But perhaps most importantly to her personally, she helped keep campus focused on Jesus through annual themes based on scripture, including “He must increase, I must decrease” and “Speak Jesus.” “I think I’m most fulfilled by how we’ve re-centered our purpose,” Bellefeuille says. “My first chapel focused on biblical truth. During [that] chapel, we laid out Bibles signed by faculty and staff … and every single one was taken. Later I heard a story of a student reaching out to a faculty member for prayer, just because they had written in that Bible.” A lifelong educator, Bellefeuille has made herself particularly accessible to students, continuing to mentor several students as she’s served as president. She started “Barb’s Barn Bash,” an annual fall harvest party, and can often be seen at campus events, stopping to talk and laugh with students on the sidewalks. “I have felt very privileged to have had the opportunity to represent such an institution. It is an honor. As a female president, I trust I have been able to encourage future young ladies to aspire to leadership.” As Bellefeuille wraps up her 13th year at Bethel (she served as Vice President for Academic Services from 2012-2021), she looks forward to taking a spiritual retreat, enjoying a slower pace for the first few months and spending more time with the animals on her hobby farm in Granger. But she also plans to remain a good friend of the university and Christ-centered higher education. “My life has been poured into educating future generations with a biblical and Christ-centered focus. I have deeply loved my work and finishing my career as President of Bethel is something I will cherish!” says Bellefeuille. President Bellefeuille cared for Bethel University through the $6.5 million “Faithful Campaign,” focused on Bethel's purpose, people and place. Page 14: Bellefeuille with students at the inaugural Lighting of the Pilot Lights; Page 14, inset: with Rodney Arnold, president of the Missionary Church and Shawn Holtgren, Ph.D., during Missionary Church Day at Bethel. Page 15, left to right: Dr. Bellefeuille throwing the first pitch at a South Bend Cubs game; with students at her inauguration celebration; with new students and families at the President’s Picnic; speaking at commencement.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODMyNTU=