Fall 2023 Magazine

The Bethel Magazine is published two times each year for alumni and friends of the university. Please send correspondence and address changes to the editor. BETHEL MAGAZINE 1001 Bethel Circle Mishawaka, IN 46545 Email: Lissa.Diaz@BethelUniversity.edu Phone: 574.807.7384 Website : BethelUniversity.edu/Magazine Founded in 1947 by the Missionary Church, Bethel University is an accredited Christian university offering associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in more than 50 areas of study. At Bethel you will find a community of nearly 1,300 learners. Our mission is to challenge the mind, enlarge the vision and equip students for lifeong service. To learn more, visit BethelUniversity.edu . PRESIDENT Barbara K. Bellefeuille, Ed.D. VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE AND CFO Pamela Campbell, Ph.D. VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT Amanda Slaughter VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Brent LaVigne, Ph.D. VICE PRESIDENT FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE & UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS Shawn Holtgren ’95, Ph.D. VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT DEVELOPMENT & SUCCESS Julie Beam, Ph.D. EDITOR Lissa (Grashorn) Diaz '07 ASSITANT COPY EDITORS Erin J. Hollister '07 Karis Kindinger '23 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lissa (Grashorn) Diaz '07 Erin J. Hollister '07 Karis Kindinger '23 Luke Schrock GRAPHIC DESIGNER Brianna Haessig PHOTOGRAPHERS Doug Bouquist Brianna Haessig Peter Ringenberg '03 Luke Schrock Emily (Rogers) Sherwood '99 Aidan Strite COVER PHOTO Peter Ringenberg '03 A PUBL ICAT ION OF BETHEL UNIVERS I T Y, IND. VOLUME 3 4 , I S SUE 1 A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Greetings, Friends of Bethel, This year, we began the semester declaring the theme “Speak Jesus!” I have challenged our students, IDFXOW\ DQG VWDƂ WR VSHDN WKH SRZHUIXO QDPH RI -HVXV RYHU HYHU\ OLIH VLWXDWLRQ ,Q WKLV LVVXH RI WKH Bethel Magazine, you’ll read stories about how they’re doing that – from strategic changes in our VWXGHQW GHYHORSPHQW RƅFH WR IRFXV RQ VSLULWXDO IRUPDWLRQ WR RXU ZRUVKLS DUWV VWXGHQWV ODXQFKLQJ DQ album that intentionally speaks to their generation, to the student body being the hands and feet of -HVXV LQ RXU FRPPXQLW\ WKURXJK 6HUYLFH 'D\ ŝ DQG PRUH ,Q PDQ\ VHWWLQJV , KDYH VDLG ZH H[LVW WR LQƄXHQFH VWXGHQWV LQ WKH WZR ( V ŝ (GXFDWLRQ DQG (WHUQLW\ (GXFDWLRQ ZLOO VHUYH D VWXGHQW IRU DERXW \HDUV EXW HWHUQLW\ ŝ ZHOO ŝ LV eternal! A few weeks ago, I received an email from our athletic director, Tony Natali, ZKR UHPLQGHG PH RI WKH LPSRUWDQFH RI RXU IRFXV RQ HWHUQLW\ +H VKDUHG DERXW WKH OLIH FKDQJH D VWXGHQW H[SHULHQFHG \HDUV D̃HU VSHQGLQJ MXVW RQH VHPHVWHU DW %HWKHO ,ŠG OLNH to share an excerpt from this student’s mom with you: The one semester that my son was at Bethel was the best thing that has ever happened to him. He just wasn’t ready for it at that time. He is now a believer and has accepted Christ as his personal savior; he leads a group in his calling to get people out of their addictions to follow Jesus. He gives Bethel all the credit in starting this journey on this path that will take him the rest of his life. Tony never expected this type of life change based on what he witnessed during this VWXGHQWŠV WLPH DW %HWKHO 7KH VWXGHQW VWUXJJOHG LQ FODVVHV DQG QHYHU VHHPHG WR EX\ LQ WKHQ OH̃ D̃HU RQH VHPHVWHU %XW WKDW GLGQŠW VWRS 7RQ\ IURP SODQWLQJ VHHGV RI IDLWK IRU WKH IXWXUH ZKLOH KH ZDV KHUH Tony shares, “Praise Jesus! This was so encouraging to me…God makes no mistakes… WKLV LV ZKDW %HWKHO LV DOO DERXW ŝ FKDQJLQJ OLYHV (YHQ ZKHQ ZH GRQŠW WKLQN LWŠV KDSSHQLQJ LW LV /HWŠV DOO EH UHPLQGHG WKDW DV ZH VSHDN -HVXV VWXGHQWV DUH OLVWHQLQJ ŝ HYHQ ZKHQ ZH GRQŠW WKLQN WKH\ DUH ţ 2I FRXUVH , ZLVK WKLV VWXGHQW KDG ƃQLVKHG KLV %HWKHO HGXFDWLRQ DQG PD\EH KH ZLOO EXW KH GLG JHW WKH Ţ( WHUQDO GHJUHHţ WKURXJK %HWKHOŠV LQƄXHQFH I hope you are encouraged to speak the name of Jesus over your own life as you interact with these VWRULHV 7KDQN \RX IRU SDUWQHULQJ ZLWK XV LQ RXU PLVVLRQ WR FKDQJH OLYHV DQG LPSDFW FRPPXQLWLHV WKURXJK &KULVW FHQWHUHG JUDGXDWHV %DUEDUD . %HOOHIHXLOOH (G ' President 2 %(7+(/81,9(56,7< ('8̌0$*$=,1(