Bethel University Foundation Announces 2022 Strategic Growth Award Recipients

Over the summer, the Bethel University Foundation announced the recipients of the 2022 Strategic Growth Awards. “Through Strategic Growth Award projects, the Bethel community has provided creative ideas to make a significant impact on Bethel’s effort to grow enrollment and increase student affordability,” says Pam Buchanan, senior corporate and foundation relations officer. Past awards have included bringing Bethel classes to local high schools, launching The 25, creating and installing digital signage across campus, eliminating text book costs in some academic programs, and enhancing the overall campus visit experience.

These projects have been impacting the Bethel community for the better since 2017. Their influence builds year after year, far beyond their initial goals. “This fall alone, 214 students are enrolled in four newly developed courses funded by a Strategic Growth Award,” Buchanan says. “The ability to build new courses was supported through the accomplishments of a previous Strategic Growth Award that identified Zero Cost Resources. These two programs have provided collaborative work across campus to directly impact student affordability, and in doing so, has led to quick innovation that’s assisted the significant PSEO enrollment growth this year.”

The Bethel Foundation, an independent nonprofit that partners with the university, supports Bethel by receiving and managing funds donated through a variety of means. This year, the Foundation has distributed $146,380 in total to these four Strategic Growth Award recipients:

Royal Academy

Funded at $12,000

Royal Academy received $12,000 to offer academic camps across various academic disciplines for students in grades 7-12. As students spend three days and nights on campus, they’re able to engage personally with Bethel faculty, explore campus for themselves, and start to feel at home. Conference and Event Services manages logistics like registration, housing, and meals, while faculty members focus on delivering their material and forming personal connections with prospective students. “Interactions with faculty have been some of the most valuable factors for prospective students as they make decisions,” says Andrea Hendricks, associate director of Conference and Event Services. “Conference and Event Services providing the structure and support for the camps allows faculty to focus on the student experience and gives Conference and Event Services an opportunity to directly contribute to the university’s enrollment goals.”

Along with the purchasing of relevant supplies for each camp, the grant will pay faculty, teaching assistants, and a resident director for serving beyond their typical contracts. “I am also excited about opportunities for interdisciplinary activities across camps which will engage students with a broader sense of the Bethel community,” Hendricks says. The goal is for Royal Academy to sustain itself by 2024 with registration fees from 100 or more campers.

Royal Bridge Program

Funded at $61,380

“High school graduates who enter college with no prior college credits typically encounter more challenges adjusting to college life and academic expectations,” says Julie Finnern, associate provost for the College of Arts and Sciences. The Royal Bridge Program provides college preparation and the opportunity to earn college credits before beginning fall semester, both of which are indicators of college success. The program will provide an intentional bridge to established areas of support at Bethel. By introducing these resources in summer and following-up during the first year, students will gain familiarity and awareness of how they can access needed support. The grant will be used to develop program curriculum, provide academic support, and pay Royal Bridge staff. 

“In July 2022 we piloted the Royal Bridge program, which provides opportunities for incoming freshmen to engage in college-level learning and build relationships with others on campus before the fall semester begins,” Finnern says. “Seven students successfully completed Introduction to the Bible and spent a week immersed in campus life. We are ready to expand this number to 28 students for summer 2023.”

Social Media Ambassador Program

Funded at $25,000

The Social Media Ambassador Program was given $25,000 to build enrollment pipelines by hiring students to serve as social media ambassadors. Throughout the 2022-23 academic year, these ambassadors would post about their Bethel experience on their personal social media accounts in addition to sharing their stories on the university Instagram and TikTok accounts. These students have been selected based on their affiliations to our external partners, their social media skills, and number of followers. “At Bethel, word-of-mouth has always been our most effective marketing strategy—precisely because the ethos of our community is centered on relationship, deep student-valuing, and individualized care,” says Jessica Daniels, associate provost of innovation and partnerships. “The Social Media Ambassador Program provides the opportunity for our ambassadors to authentically, relevantly, and compellingly share their own student story—and collectively share the Bethel story—with their extended communities and followers.”

The grant pays students to serve as social media ambassadors by promoting and amplifying their social media posts and engagement on different social media channels. If one new student enrolls in the College of Arts & Sciences because of this program, the return is approximately five-fold. “I am particularly excited that this initiative has allowed us to develop student ambassadors from specific schools, nonprofits, churches, and organizations, so that we can deepen our relationships with these external partners and build upon our shared values,” Daniels says.

Scholarships for new Actuarial Science and Finance Degree

Funded at $48,000

The Department of Math and Computer Science and the Department of Business received funds to support the launch of a new actuarial science and finance major. Over the next two years, they will award six $8,000 scholarships to incoming students pursuing their degree in actuarial science and finance. Since all the classes for this major are already offered at Bethel, the scholarships will create demand to officially launch the degree. “This type of degree will attract highly capable and top-caliber students to Bethel and provide them with premium internship and job placement opportunities after graduation,” says Drew Whitson, associate professor of finance. “We are excited about the support we have received from Bethel administration, the Board of Trustees, and the local firms who have already started contacting us about working with our students.”

The major was officially approved on October 24, 2022, and the first round of scholarships will be distributed next fall.

Further Your Impact

The Strategic Growth Award competition is one way the Bethel University Foundation supports the Bethel community. In addition, the foundation also provides donors with the support and resources to pursue their financial and charitable giving goals.

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