IN THIS ISSUE:
National Alumni Board Supports 100% Page 3
Ed Johnson Set Stewardship Bar Page 3
BethelInvestor www.bethel.edu • Summer 2010
News for Donors to Bethel University
Jay–and Bethel–Thank You!
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hank you for making this an exceptional year at Bethel University! We’re grateful for the steadfast support that you and others have given to make this an unusually good year during such challenging times. More than 7,800 of you contributed to Bethel’s mission. Given the economy, the fact that so many of you stepped up your giving warms our hearts and gives us great encouragement. You stand with us in expanding the teachings and work of Jesus Christ through graduating exceptional men and women who are committed to making a difference in today’s world. Still, the past year has been challenging for Bethel. We’ve adjusted our budget to face the
financial realities. We know that more than 475 of our students’ families experienced a financial crisis of some sort throughout the year. Bethel stepped up with your help to provide scholarship assistance to these students and families. We’re gratified by that! We’ve had trustees, board members, and parents go above and beyond with challenge grants that have helped bridge the gap between student need and Bethel’s cost (“Donors Go Above and Beyond,” p. 1). We continue to be committed to being an exceptional university. We want our education to be excellent in every way. We depend on your partnership to help make this happen. We look forward to being good stewards of what you trust to our care in the days ahead. Keep us in your prayers; keep us focused; and hold us accountable. We’re looking forward to God doing amazingly abundant things at Bethel in the year ahead! With Gratitude,
President Jay Barnes
CONGRATULATIONS GRADS!
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ore than 800 students participated in commencement ceremonies in late May and early June across all schools of Bethel University—the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Adult & Professional Studies, the Graduate School, and the seminary. •
Donors Go Above and Beyond Parents Multiply Parents of a recent Bethel graduate as well as a current student (both from the College of Arts & Sciences) read in a past Bethel Investor that Bethel faced some financial challenges. In April, this South Dakota couple called President Jay Barnes with an offer to help; they gave a gift of $20,000 to the Annual Fund, under the condition that other parents would match their contribution with gifts to the Annual Fund—above and beyond what was given in the previous year. Development Officer John Neibergall relayed this opportunity to two sets of Bethel parents who are equally grateful for the transformative experience their children had at Bethel. These households, both from Texas, matched the initial challenge, multiplying the original gift of $20,000 by a factor of three. The rest of the development team relayed this story to additional select parents as Bethel worked to close its fiscal year on May 31. As a result, dozens of parents responded with aboveand-beyond gifts to the Annual Fund of another $109,270. Bethel applauds the generosity of all these parents and is grateful for the opportunity to multiply a $20,000 challenge into a $169,000 outcome.
Board Helps A Bethel Foundation board member, concerned for the financial plight of many Bethel University families, provided an above-and-beyond gift to a special designation of the Annual Fund called “The Special Hardship Fund.” This category of giving was instituted as a means to provide additional financial aid to the many College of Arts & Sciences students whose families had recently suffered financial setbacks, such as job
loss or major medical expense in the present economic conditions. In fact, the number of families of students finding it necessary to appeal their financial aid support due to recent significant financial distress has increased from about 75 per year to more than 400 in the past academic year, according to Dan Nelson, vice president for admissions, financial aid, and retention. This board member worked with President Jay Barnes and the Office of Development to encourage fellow Foundation Governors and Bethel University Trustees to support student families. Through their volunteer efforts, more than $70,000 was raised.
San Diego Upswing While the San Diego campus continues to make progress in securing funds for its longawaited campus expansion, support for the Bethel Seminary Annual Fund continues to grow! Bethel Seminary San Diego (BSSD) had hoped to raise $200,000 during the 20092010 fiscal year. Thanks to the generosity of donors, more than $220,000 was raised from more than 400 separate gifts! “There are many faithful people in San Diego who are — DONORS cont. on p. 2