Annual Fund - Alumni

Alumni Participation Rate

Every gift from a Bethel alumnus or alumna, whether it’s $5 or $5,000, not only allows for continued ministry and educational opportunities for future generations of students, but also acts as a symbolic gesture of one person’s appreciation for the role Bethel has had in his or her life.

Many alumni give generously to Bethel. Some make regular gifts to the Annual Fund, respond to mail appeals and phonathon campaigns, or establish scholarships designed to advance the mission and values of the school they love. They can increase the Alumni Participation Rate (APR) with a gift of any amount.

When making major gifts to colleges and universities, corporations and foundations put great emphasis on the APR because it is an excellent gauge of student satisfaction; in essence, someone returning $5 counts as much as a major donor in showing a positive attitude towards Bethel as a stronghold of Christian education. In addition, college guidebooks such as U.S. News & World Report, Barrons, and Fiske use alumni giving participation rates as the single measure to rate alumni satisfaction when ranking colleges.

If you are an alumna or an alumnus, you are in a very unique position—only alumni can boost the APR. Each and every gift an alumnus gives counts towards the APR, whether it is $1,000 or $1.

Alumni Coffee Club

The Alumni Coffee Club is a great way to give and get back. For each pledge at or above $120 ($10 a month), you’ll receive an alumni coffee mug as a small thank you for your gift. A longtime staple of many Bethel kitchens, the Coffee Club travel mug is a stylish way to show your support for Bethel.

The Alumni Coffee Club theme? “For less than the cost of a daily cup of coffee for a year, join in support of Bethel.”

The club began in 1984 when a cup of coffee was only 25 cents (and Caribou lattes and Starbucks mochas had yet to arrive on the scene). In appreciation for an annual financial gift, Bethel sent a mug. It caught on, and Coffee Club mug collections can be found in many kitchens and offices all over the world.

A strong Annual Fund allows for the pursuit of excellence in Christian higher education and has a direct and immediate impact on every student studying at Bethel. We invite you to join Bethel’s Coffee Club to show support for your alma mater. To learn more, contact the Office of Development at 651.635. 8050.