“You’ll Love it Here!”

Through the Faith in Action Scholarship, Bethel is helping students who’ve been involved with Young Life, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Collision—faith-based organizations built on relationships and personal development—choose to attend Bethel to take their next step.

By Jason Schoonover ’09, content specialist

April 01, 2022 | 9:30 a.m.

Bethel students

For students who’ve been involved with Young Life, Collision, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Bethel University offers a great chance for them to take their next steps.

Will Swanda ’24 owes a lot to Young Life. He started in the middle school program Wyldlife, participated in Young Life in high school, volunteered as a Wyldlife leader, and continues serving as a Young Life volunteer leader. “It changed my life, strengthened my relationship with the Lord, and inspired me to pursue ministry both in college and outside it going forward,” Swanda says. He’s pursuing that goal to work in ministry at Bethel University, where he is majoring in history and missional ministries.

Bethel recently launched an effort to help students like Swanda attend Bethel. The Faith in Action Scholarship Fund aims to help prospective students choose Bethel and pay for college. The scholarship fund is providing $4,000 scholarships to incoming students who have been involved in Young Life, Collision, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). The scholarship is renewable, meaning a student can receive it for four years and a total of $16,000. Associate Vice President of Enrollment Kate Gunderson says these faith-based groups have ties and share close values with Bethel. “We want to make the Bethel experience as affordable as possible for our prospective students, and we want to continue investing in students from Young Life, FCA, and Collision as these students are such a fantastic fit for Bethel,” Gunderson says.

FCA, Collision, and Young Life are all organizations that help young people form a strong biblical foundation and curiosity about their faith—things they can continue to develop at Bethel. That makes them a great fit for Bethel. “This scholarship provides an opportunity to help these students fund their education and it gets that right fit student in our classrooms and communities!” Gunderson says. Associate Provost for Innovation and Partnerships Jessica Daniels sees many parallels between these groups and Bethel, especially since all center on strong relationships. “Their staff builds personal relationships with kids and supports them in building a personal relationship with Jesus,” Daniels says. “And this model aligns with Bethel, and how we do community and foster spiritual growth.”

Bethel students

Bethel offers several grants and scholarships to help students meet their educational goals. The latest is the Faith in Action Scholarship, which is available to incoming students involved with Young Life, Collision, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Those similarities equip students involved with Collision, FCA, and Young Life to flourish at Bethel, where academic excellence is firmly rooted in faith and explored within a vibrant and supportive community. “The active, energetic, and social communities they are enjoying within these organizations are also thriving at Bethel, all with a faithful and engaged academic focus,” Daniels says. For himself and others involved with Young Life, Swanda calls Bethel a great fit because both encourage a strong faith in Christ while living life to the fullest. “The balance between a Christian environment and the fullness of life is vibrant, and at both Bethel and Young Life, people are encouraged to be who they are created to be,” he says. As he’s been involved at Bethel and College Young Life, he sees opportunities to grow as a leader and continue growing his faith. “Being with like-minded people at Bethel, alongside a Young Life background, is incredible,” he says.

“The balance between a Christian environment and the fullness of life is vibrant, and at both Bethel and Young Life, people are encouraged to be who they are created to be."

— Will Swanda ’24
Bethel carries deep ties with FCA, Collision, and Young Life, and students who’ve been involved with these groups have frequently chosen to attend Bethel. Many graduates also go on to work with Young Life, and others involved with Young Life continue their education at Bethel Seminary. For example, Wiley Scott ’90—Bethel’s undergraduate Alumnus of the Year in 2018—works as senior vice president of Young Life’s eastern division. And several students remain involved as Young Life leaders around the Twin Cities during their time at Bethel. As for FCA, the organization has office space in Bethel’s Anderson Center, and Bethel coaches maintain close relationships with the organization as a way to connect with Christian athletes. Bethel also often hosts Young Life and FCA events and camps on campus. The Faith in Action Scholarship provides new opportunities to build on relationships with these partners.
Wiley Scott '90 serves as the senior vice president of the eastern division of Young Life.

Wiley Scott '90 serves as the senior vice president of the eastern division of Young Life.

But this is the first time Bethel has formed a scholarship specifically for these students. For some longtime Bethel donors, the Faith in Action Scholarship Fund is an opportunity to help prospective students who would fit at Bethel take the next step. Rollie and Barb Anderson, along with Lyn and Ann Tschetter, provided support to form the fund. The Andersons see it as a way to help students overcome obstacles that could keep them from coming to Bethel. “We regard it as a loss if financial reasons prevent a qualified student from attending Bethel,” the Andersons wrote in an email.

After donors provided the initial funding for 15 scholarships, several Bethel Board of Trustees members and other partners joined in, expanding it to 39 scholarships offered to incoming students for the 2022-23 academic year. "We are so thankful for all of them," says Vice President for University Advancement Jim Bender. "Because of their generosity, many students are able to join us next year for a Bethel education." The goal is to continue growing the fund so scholarships will be available to incoming students every year. 

The Andersons share a deep, generational connection to Bethel. Rollie, who has served on the Bethel Board of Trustees, was instrumental in Bethel acquiring property at 2 Pine Tree Drive—which has since been renamed the Anderson Center after the couple—to house Bethel’s seminary, graduate, and adult undergraduate programs along with office space. The Faith in Action Scholarship provided another opportunity to be good stewards of God’s resources, and it is a way to help students form similar lifelong connections to Bethel. “We desire that the generations of many families will be able to establish a legacy, such as we have been blessed to enjoy, at Bethel,” they wrote. “It is our privilege to participate in an initiative that invites new, bright minds into the Bethel family.” 

Often, the first step in forming that strong connection to Bethel is fit. Gunderson says the Faith in Action Scholarship Fund shows that Bethel values prospective students’ past experience and their investment in their personal faith journeys. “I want these students and their families to know that their experience with Young Life, FCA, and Collision is valued by Bethel, and we would love the opportunity to continue walking alongside them in their faith journeys,” Gunderson says. Similarly, Swanda encouraged those who’ve been involved with Young Life, FCA, and Collision to consider Bethel, noting it’s a fun and exciting environment where people constantly pursue the Kingdom. “Bethel, like Young Life, is a blast,” Swanda says. He also likes that nothing is forced upon students at Bethel, where everyone can grow at their own pace. “We would love to have you, and I promise you, you’ll love it here, too.”

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