Rahn Franklin, Jr. Named Next Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

After an extensive nationwide search, Rahn Franklin, Jr. has been named the next vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Bethel University. With more than 14 years of experience in higher education as both an administrative leader and professor, Franklin has a proven track record of missional investment, visionary servant leadership, and facilitating strategic, organization-wide collaboration. 

“My life’s work is to join God in connecting people to people, the planet, and our creator,”  says Franklin, who will begin his new role on August 30. “In our current times, the call to love and serve one another is deafening. I pray that we in Christian higher education continue the valiant effort to answer.”

Most recently the director of strategic diversity initiatives at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, Franklin is an expert in strategic diversity planning, promoting multicultural student thriving, and facilitating research, scholarship, and training that equips employees for culturally intelligent teaching and service.

“Rahn’s strengths and passions are deeply aligned with Bethel’s mission,” says President Ross Allen. “As we continue to embody our core value of reconciliation, I am confident that he will inspire and engage our students, employees, alumni, and leaders to think critically and act purposefully in our collective pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion.”