Diversity at Bethel

We are called to create a more equitable, just, and hopeful future—together.

As a Christ-centered university, Bethel is committed to providing an academically excellent, faith-transforming education that prepares students to emulate the life and teachings of Jesus in their churches, workplaces, and communities. At the very heart of Jesus’ message is the command to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves—and it is this command that serves as the justification and motivation for our diversity and reconciliation work. 

Visit the Office of Inclusive Excellence for more. 

Programs, Partnerships, and Resources

Bethel's commitment to diversity is evidenced by the programming, partnerships, and resources that provide support and development opportunities to all students and employees.

• The Act Six Scholarship Program offers full-tuition scholarships to promising young urban leaders in a cohort mentoring model.
• The BUILD Program is a two-year, residential certificate program for students with intellectual disabilities.
• The George Floyd Scholarship supports the education of the next generation of diverse leaders.
• The Fight for Something Scholarship provides financial support to students from the Karen community.
• The Frogtown-Summit University Partnership provides students with the opportunity to live, learn, serve, and engage with the Frogtown community in St. Paul. 
• The Office of Accessibility Resources and Services ensures that students with disabilities have equal access and opportunity to the university and its programs. 
• Our Intercultural Programs and Services exist to meet the needs of underrepresented students as they acclimate to college life, engage in campus activities, and grow academically and spiritually.
• Our International Programs and Services support international and third culture students as they adjust to living and learning in the United States. 
• The Peer Empowerment Program exists to support and contribute to holistic growth and success of first-year students who come from underrepresented and underserved groups/backgrounds. 
• The Shalom Seminar is a training for all new employees that provides a basic biblical understanding of reconciliation-shalom. It explores areas of needed growth often hidden from our awareness that keep God’s people from living remarkable Christianity and modeling reconciliation and a diverse community of shalom.

Academic Integration

At Bethel, faith, learning, and life are deliberately linked. Rooted in the authority of Scripture and committed to a living faith, we encourage students to think deeply, critically, and creatively about the world around them—and to use their God-given talents to make a difference in that world. Through our study abroad and off-campus programs, we offer more than 30 destinations where students can discover the diversity of God's creation.

While an appreciation for diversity and culture is woven into all of our academic curriculum, we also offer a variety of programs, majors, and minors with a special focus on intercultural understanding, justice, and reconciliation

• Gender Studies
• Spanish
• Master of Divinity
• M.A. in Counseling
• MSW in Social Work
• M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy

Vision

While we have made important strides toward making sure that Bethel is “Beth-El”—the House of God—for each student, employee, and guest who steps foot on our campus, our community also anticipates the good work yet to be done. Our vision for diversity at Bethel is rooted in the concept of shalom, a Hebrew word that describes the wellbeing of all people under the just and loving rule of Christ. Striving to bring about shalom in our community calls us to a remarkable kind of Christianity—one that convicts us to love our enemies as well as our friends and compels us to include those who have historically been cast out by society. With this vision in mind, we seek not the uniformity that drives out difference but the unity of the gospel, which proclaims that one day people from every nation, tribe, and tongue will worship together in the presence of Christ.

Contact Us

Email: inclusive-excellence@bethel.edu 

Staff 

Rahn Franklin Jr., Ph.D.
Vice President of Inclusive Excellence
r-franklin@bethel.edu

Sara Shady, Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Academic Inclusive Excellence
s-shady@bethel.edu

Jamey Johnson, M.A.
Associate Dean of Academic Inclusive Excellence
jaj48559@bethel.edu

Ann Lees
Administrative Assistant, Office of Inclusive Excellence, Office of Finance, and Office of Christian Formation
a-lees@bethel.edu