Bethel University Magazine Fall 2021

“For stability, we needed continuity,” Bellefeuille says. “I was approached about the interim position – I wanted to keep Bethel stable and steady. I went to my spiritual mentors and there was a positive response. I was seeking God to ensure it was Him pushing for this – and there wasn’t any reason why not.” %HOOHIHXLOOH ZDV XQDQLPRXVO\ DƅUPHG E\ WKH %RDUG RI 7UXVWHHV DQG EHJDQ KHU QHZ UROH -XQH “Dr. Bellefeuille has proven herself to be a steady and consistent OHDGHU DQG WKH ERDUG KDV IXOO FRQ̯GHQFH VKH ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR VHUYH Bethel well through this transition,” says chairman Eric Kinsman. Bellefeuille has spent her entire career in education, starting as a SXEOLF PLGGOH VFKRRO WHDFKHU IRU \HDUV 6KH ƃUVW H[SHULHQFHG life changing Christian higher education during her undergraduate work at Columbia International University (formerly Columbia Bible College) in Columbia, S.C. Completing a master’s degree in Education DW 5HIRUPHG 7KHRORJLFDO 6HPLQDU\ LQ -DFNVRQ 0LVV IXUWKHU IDQQHG LQWR ƄDPH D GHVLUH WR DOZD\V DOLJQ ELEOLFDO WKLQNLQJ ZLWK DQ\ profession. Ţ, MXVW JRW D ƃUH OLW ZLWKLQ PH ţ %HOOHIHXLOOH VD\V Ţ8QGHUVWDQGLQJ teaching from a biblical perspective was so much richer than just getting a degree.” 6KH UHDOL]HG KRZ PXFK OLIH FKDQJLQJ LQƄXHQFH SURIHVVRUV KDYH over undergraduate students and began to feel a desire to train up IXWXUH . WHDFKHUV WR VHHN *RGŠV ZLOO DW WKH FHQWHU RI WKHLU SHUVRQDO DQG SURIHVVLRQDO OLYHV $̃HU JHWWLQJ KHU PDVWHUŠV GHJUHH VKH ZHQW on to pursue her doctorate at Virginia Tech with the goal of going into Christian higher education. She quickly began to see answered SUD\HUV GRRUV RSHQLQJ DQG *RG FRQƃUPLQJ +H ZDV SUHSDULQJ KHU She applied at Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, Ga., and was hired. $̃HU VHUYLQJ WKHUH IRU \HDUV ZLWK UROHV LQFOXGLQJ GHSDUWPHQW FKDLU DQG FKDLU RI VLJQLƃFDQW FRPPLWWHHV DVVLVWDQW YLFH SUHVLGHQW vice president, and eventually acting CEO for a year, she came to Bethel in 2012. “I fell in love with teaching men and women who wanted to be in the classroom– to train them to think from a Godward perspective,” she says. %HOOHIHXLOOH LV QRZ WKH ƃUVW IHPDOH WR VHUYH LQ WKH KLJKHVW OHDGHUVKLS role in Bethel University’s 74-year history. In her career, she’s watched the progression of women in the workplace, and has blazed a trail of KHU RZQ ŝ VHUYLQJ DV WKH ƃUVW IHPDOH FKDLU YLFH SUHVLGHQW DQG DFWLQJ CEO at Toccoa Falls College, and the second female vice president at Bethel University. Ţ:RPHQ DQG PHQ R̃HQ DSSURDFK LVVXHV IURP GLƂHUHQW SRLQWV RI view– I believe God means for us to balance each other,” she says, DGGLQJ WKDW VKH DQG KHU FROOHDJXHV DUH DEOH WR VKDUH GLƂHUHQW SHUVSHFWLYHV ZKLFK LV KLJKO\ HƂHFWLYH As she looks to Bethel’s future, she continues to say yes to God by remaining steadfastly committed to the university’s mission, FKRRVLQJ -RKQ DV WKH ELEOLFDO DQG FDPSXV IRFXV IRU WKH \HDU Ţ+H must increase, but I must decrease,” she says. Visit BethelUniversity.edu/Magazine to see a video from President Bellefeuille. 15 Bethel Career Highlights • Guided the development of new academic majors – both for on-campus and online programs. • Undertook two major curricula reviews and guided accreditation renewal process with the Higher Learning Commission. q -FE B TJHOJ̭DBOU SFWBNQJOH PG UIF BDBEFNJD calendar, classroom procedures and communication processes for faculty, students and academic administration amid the COVID-19 pandemic. • Served for the past two years as Chair of the $PNNJTTJPO PG $IJFG "DBEFNJD 0̯DFST PG UIF OBUJPOBM Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). Bellefeuille lives on a small hobby farm with two other SURIHVVLRQDO ZRPHQ DQG HQMR\V WDNLQJ FDUH RI KHU GRJ -R-R -ROO\ KHU KRUVH 7LPEHU DQG WZR PLQLDWXUH GRQNH\V ŝ -DFN and Rudy. Moving to the Midwest to serve Bethel eventually gave the opportunity to help care for her mother, Arbutus, who now has advanced Alzheimer's. She and her sisters split time caring for her. “True religion is this – to care for the widows and orphans. ,WŠV H[KDXVWLQJ EXW LWŠV EHDXWLIXO ţ VD\V %HOOHIHXLOOH %DFN URZ OH̃ WR ULJKW : housemate Donna Meeks, brother-in- ODZ /HH /XFNPDQQ VLVWHU /LQGD .DKOHU VLVWHU 3DWW\ /XFNPDQQ )URQW URZ OH̃ WR ULJKW : housemate Patti Fisher, Arbutus Bellefeuille, Barb Bellefeuille.