A Generous Gift Brings a Joyful Surprise

Through the endowed scholarship in his family name, Ardent Mills CEO Dan Dye ’81 has an unexpected link to the next generation.

By Contributing Writer

June 07, 2021 | 3:30 p.m.

The Dye scholarship has given Anna Hage ’21 (second from left) the financial freedom to participate in track and field, where she regularly wins medals while strengthening her spirit.

The Dye scholarship has given Anna Hage ’21 (second from left) the financial freedom to participate in track and field, where she regularly wins medals while strengthening her spirit.

Connections run deep at Bethel. When Dan Dye ’81 and his brother, Tim, endowed a scholarship to honor their parents in 2007, Dan knew it would link their family to future Bethel students. He knew the gift would delight their father on his 80th birthday. What Dan didn’t realize at the time was how the endowment would deepen a Bethel connection in his own life—one that goes back 40 years.

Recently, Dan and his wife, Alea ’81, attended an online gathering of Bethel scholarship donors and the students who benefit from their gifts. When everyone split up into small groups so the students could personally thank their donors, Dan and Alea were surprised and delighted to see Anna Hage ’21 smiling back at them from the computer screen. “We’ve known Anna since she was a baby,” Dan recalls. “It was a total surprise to see her—and a really special way to connect.”

Family friends Alea and Dan Dye hold Anna Hage on the day she was born in 1999.

Family friends Alea and Dan Dye hold Anna Hage on the day she was born in 1999.

Anna is the daughter of Dan’s college friend Doug Hage ’80, and the two families have kept in touch across four decades, even as the Dyes have moved multiple times for work opportunities, while the Hages have been anchored in Edina, Minnesota. 

Today the Dyes live in Denver, where Dan oversees the North American Ardent Mills network of flour mills, mixing facilities, and bakeries. His bond with Doug is as strong as ever. “It helped that he became a pilot,” Dan says. Doug’s work with regional carriers and now Delta Airlines gave him the opportunity to meet Dan for dinner on layovers. Doug would then return home, excited to tell his own family how the Dyes were doing. 

There is plenty to report for both families these days. Anna is one of 71 students who have benefited so far from the Donald A. '51, S'55 and Nadine F. Dye '54 Scholarship. Each year, the fund’s earnings are awarded to students with financial need who attend a Converge church. Because the Dye brothers have continued to give, this year the fund produced enough earnings to help 10 students. Meanwhile, the principal has remained intact, providing a treasured legacy for the Dye family and a reliable source of revenue for scholarships.

Thanks to this scholarship, Anna has the financial freedom to run track and field rather than take on more paid hours as a coaching assistant. She is a biokinetics major with a biology minor, heading for a career in nurse-midwifery. “I was called to study science at Bethel because of its Christ-centered approach,” she says. “My professors recognize the complex nature of the human body as evidence of a Creator.”

That’s what connects the Dyes and the Hages: their shared love of Jesus. During college, Dan and Doug bonded through church and on-campus activities that deepened their faith—and their friendship. “So much has changed at Bethel,” Dan says, “but that core foundation, that deepening of your spiritual roots and your relationships, those are still there. Anna’s dad and I built our friendship around Christ, and now she’s building hers.”

Doug is on the far left and Dan is on the far right. Between them are Brian Doten ’81, S’87 and former Bethel Professor Steve Simpson.

Doug is on the far left and Dan is on the far right. Between them are Brian Doten ’81, S’87 and former Bethel Professor Steve Simpson.

In his online reunion with Anna, the highlight for Dan was hearing her talk about her Bethel experience and the impact it’s having on her life. “It was really special to see not only the daughter of a really good friend but also someone who loves the Lord and wants to serve God,” Dan says. “To be able to invest in her in a small way, I didn’t expect that.” 

Earlier this month, Anna married Brady Johnson ’20, a biology graduate and software developer. The Dyes weren't able to make the trip to attend, but the Hages will surely have pictures to share the next time the two families meet. They will no doubt talk about Anna’s future, and they will rejoice—as one big extended Bethel family—in the opportunities the Lord has given them to influence her young life in His service.  

Five Fun Facts about Anna Hage ’21

Favorite Food: Biscuits and gravy in the Monson Dining Center
Favorite Spot on Campus: The track (“Go Royals!”)
Favorite Bible Passage: Isaiah 40:31
Favorite Course So Far: Integrative Physiology (“Working with patients!”)
Dream Job: Nurse midwife

Connect with future Royals

With rising costs outpacing the average family’s income, 99 percent of incoming students receive financial aid. Available scholarship funds nowhere near meet the need, which is why the endowment is a funding priority for Bethel’s Called to More campaign. The campaign has almost reached its $14.25 million goal for endowed scholarships. Your gift could take us over the top—while providing a financial head start for generations of Bethel students. Establish your own endowed scholarship today!

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