Putting faith to work: Bethel associate dean of education helps lead global disability conference in Ukraine

In April 2025, Bethel University’s associate dean of education, Katie Bonawitz, helped lead a global virtual conference on disability education that brought together over 1,500 participants across Ukraine—amid the backdrop of an ongoing war. The event—organized with Ukrainian colleagues, the Shepherds Foundation, and Bethel faculty and graduate alumni—was a direct response to the escalating needs of individuals with disabilities in the region, especially civilians affected by conflict.

The idea first took root in fall 2021 when Bonawitz completed a sabbatical in Ukraine. Originally slated to pursue a Fulbright opportunity in Russia, those plans were canceled due to political instability. But what initially seemed like a setback turned into a transformative opportunity. “God opened an unexpected and transformative door for me,” Bonawitz says. “I was able to travel all over Ukraine and share strategies and education on people with disabilities.” 

In Ukraine, Bonawitz encountered educators, caregivers, and university leaders eager to expand their understanding of how to support people with disabilities. “There was a real hunger for knowledge,” she says. “Every group I spoke with in 2021 kept asking, ‘What else can you share with us?’” That planted a dream: to one day return with a team—much like a short-term mission group—to host an in-person disability education conference. But when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, those hopes were quickly dashed.

Still, Bonawitz remained connected. As a board member of the Shepherds Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to transformative ministry in Ukraine, she continued offering insight and leadership in disability education. Then in November 2024, a new path opened. She reconnected with her Ukrainian colleague and friend Vitaliy Sobko, CEO of Camp Maximum and fellow Shepherds Foundation board member. Together, they envisioned a virtual conference uniting Ukrainian and American educators, students, parents, and advocates. “It was a significant answer to a prayer I had been praying for three and a half years,” Bonawitz says. 

Sobko immediately saw the urgency and impact such a conference could have. “As the war continues, we are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of people with disabilities—thousands of new amputees and civilians living with trauma and physical limitations,” Sobko says. “This isn’t just a growing need—it’s a national crisis. Ukrainian educators, leaders, and parents urgently need support, knowledge, and encouragement to navigate these challenges with both skill and compassion.”

One key partner was Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy, which has collaborated with Bethel and the Shepherds Foundation since 2021. Before the war, they hosted in-person gatherings. Now, despite conflict and infrastructure challenges, they embraced the online format—demonstrating their commitment to advancing disability education. Representatives from the university’s Department of Primary and Special Education call it a way to continue their shared commitment to advancing disability education in the face of adversity.

With only about 10 days to promote the conference, Bonawitz and other organizers hoped for a modest 75 participants.  “I was a little concerned,” Bonawitz says. “How are people even going to know about this?” But Sobko’s expansive network—reaching seminaries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), universities, and schools—proved to be a powerful bridge. Registrations surged. Four days before the conference, Sobko warned that registrations were rising fast. A few days later, they topped 600, far exceeding the 300-person Zoom limit.

Thanks to Bethel’s IT department, the team quickly transitioned to a webinar format. In the end, more than 1,500 people registered, with each of the 12 sessions averaging 700 live participants.“That alone is a strong signal that this topic is timely, relevant, and urgently needed,” Sobko says. He also noted the encouraging response from top teacher-training universities in cities like Cherkasy, Kyiv, and Kharkiv—evidence that the conference resonated deeply across both professional and educational sectors.

The event drew directors of educational and scientific institutes, deans, department heads, and a wide range of professionals. “It was way beyond our expectations,” says Bonawitz. “I think God was laughing at us, like, ‘Really? That’s all you think I can do?’ It was amazing. A top-five career highlight for me.” 

United by mission, across borders and disciplines

The virtual event brought together faculty from multiple Bethel programs—including counseling, special education, and BUILD—Bethel’s Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary (CTP) program for students with intellectual disabilities. Bonawitz also invited colleagues with unique expertise, knowing their content would resonate with the Ukrainian audience. Professor of Special Education Peg McCormick, Ph.D., presented on hope theory, while BUILD Director Dawn Allen and Professor Mary Lindell, Ph.D. shared insights from the BUILD program—offering a vision of what inclusive higher education could look like in Ukraine. Although Ukrainian institutions are not yet ready to launch similar programs, Bonawitz says the presentations helped them imagine the possibilities—especially after hearing directly from four BUILD students who shared their experiences.

Bethel alumna Carissa Carroll ‘03, founder of Jack’s Basket and recipient of Bethel’s Alumna of the Year award, also presented alongside a partner from Lithuania doing similar advocacy work. “It was just a delight,” Bonawitz said. “That was a big exclamation point on the conference.”

Collaboration in the midst of crisis

What made the event especially poignant were the real-time reminders of the ongoing war, and the Bethel team wanted to acknowledge the realities the audience faced. “Over the three days of the conference, I gave opening remarks, and our Ukrainian colleagues did as well. We acknowledged that there may be air raid alerts and that people might need to leave. We kept recording the sessions so that when they returned from the shelters, they could still access everything.” But nothing prepared Bonawitz for seeing it happen. “I watched university students leave their classrooms and go to a bomb shelter. I’ve seen photos and social media posts, but seeing it live—it was a punch to the gut and to the heart,” she says.

Powerful feedback

Despite sobering circumstances, the feedback was deeply affirming. Bonawitz recalled a moment at the close of the first day that left an impression: “At the closing of the first day, someone said something that struck me: ‘Souls are always warm, even in wartime.’” Other participants shared similar sentiments. One told a presenter: “Your heart is like golden sunshine.” And another added, perhaps most memorably: “We hope to see your smiles again, walking on land that is free.”

For Sobko, he was moved to be part of a larger, global community committed to building an inclusive and more hopeful future. “Collaborating with Katie Bonawitz and the Bethel University team was a gift—and a sign of what’s possible when hearts and missions align,” Sobko says. To Sobko, it was more than a conference. It laid the foundation for what I hope will become a nationwide disability conference—one that can spark lasting change. “Together, we can continue sharing not only strategies—but hope rooted in Christ,” he says. 

A growing vision 

Bonawitz and her colleagues hope to make the conference an annual event. For the next year, she hopes it will be half Ukrainian and half American presenters. “This year was a broad net. We reached educators, families, and some church leaders. Next time, we’d like to do a separate track for seminary and church leaders—hopefully with collaboration from Bethel Seminary.”

For Bonawitz, the long-term goal isn’t just content delivery, but ongoing partnership. “I hope our Ukrainian partners feel cared for and supported, and know that Bethel University and the Shepherds Foundation have not forgotten them,” she says. “I also hope the event showed our commitment to disability education and international collaboration. Ukraine is doing important work. They don't need us to direct their work, but rather to collaborate and partner with them.”

More than a professional training, the conference also served as a source of spiritual encouragement and support for families impacted by disability and war. For Sobko, it aligned closely with the mission of Camp Maximum, offering hope to parents raising children with disabilities amid challenges and uncertainty. “This was a reminder that every person, regardless of ability, carries God-given value and dignity. Many are raising their children in the midst of war, often without guidance or hope. This conference reminded them they are not alone, not forgotten—and that there is a community standing with them.” Sobko says.

Cherkasy National University shared similar reflections: “For many, this conference became a true source of support and hope. It offered more than knowledge—it was emotional recovery, connection, and renewed motivation in the face of immense difficulty.”

Importantly, the conference was the first formal initiative under a new institutional partnership between Bethel and Cherkasy National University. “This was our first unified collaborative effort,” Bonawitz says. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to go back again—maybe even bring some of them here to Bethel.”

Photos courtesy of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy

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