New Faculty in College of Adult & Professional Studies and Graduate School

This year, Bethel University’s College of Adult & Professional Studies (CAPS) and Graduate School (GS) welcomed seven new full-time teaching faculty to campus.

“Although we know that God orchestrates all aspects of our world, each of these seven CAPS and GS faculty hired has a story behind their coming to Bethel, and each story could only be directed by the hand of God.  We are truly blessed,” says Judith Landrum, dean of the College of Adult & Professional Studies and Graduate School.

• Jessica Daniels begins a one-year appointment in the Ed.D. program on November 1. She has her bachelor’s degree from Westmont College and two master’s degree from Bethel in organizational leadership and teaching. She completed her Ph.D. in higher education administration from Azusa Pacific University.
• Mary Lindell joins the education department as an associate professor of special education and Bethel Graduate Education Partnership Coordinator. Lindell completed her Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota and she has a Master of Arts degree in education and human development from George Washington University.
• Peggy McCormick returns to the education department as an associate professor of special education. She received her Ph.D. and master’s degree in special education from the University of Minnesota.
• Lisa Naser joins the physician assistant faculty as an assistant professor. She has two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree from University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. She also has a postsecondary teaching certificate from Bethel.
• Jennifer Nelson recently began at the Graduate School as associate professor and clinical director of the M.A. in counseling psychology program. She has a master's degree from Northern Illinois University in applied family and child studies specializing in marriage and family therapy. She has her Ph.D. from Purdue University in child development and family studies, with a specialization in marriage and family therapy.
• Tim Nelson also joins the M.A. in counseling psychology program as a professor and program chair. He has a master’s degree from Xavier University in history and a second master’s degree from Colorado State University in human development and family studies with a specialization in marriage and family therapy. He has his Ph.D. from Purdue University in child development and family studies, with a specialization in marriage and family therapy.
• Jeanne Szarzynski recently started as an assistant professor in the Graduate School’s physician assistant program. She has more than 34 years of clinical experience as a physician assistant and has degrees from Eastern Washington University (Bachelor of Science), Duke University (Bachelor of Medicine), and the University of Nebraska (master’s degree of physician assistant studies). 

The official fall enrollment numbers for the College of Adult & Professional Studies (CAPS) and Graduate School (GS) are 469 students in CAPS, which is about 1.6% more than last year, and 1,258 students enrolled in GS, which is a 2.8% increase over last year.