BUILD Alumni Buddies fosters lifelong community beyond Bethel
By Jason Schoonover ‘09, senior web content specialist
May 20, 2025 | 3:30 p.m.
Several former students of the Bethel BUILD program gather for BUILD Alumni Buddies. These twice-monthly events bring together graduates of Bethel’s BUILD program for regular events that foster connection, friendship, and lifelong community.
In the spring of 2019, three families gathered in Bethel’s Heritage Hall to pack boxes and clear out dorm rooms. Their children—Daniel Cline, Kirsta Graf, and David Kaetterhenry BUILD’19—had just completed two transformative years in Bethel’s BUILD program, a comprehensive transition and postsecondary (CTP) program for students with intellectual disabilities. They’d lived together, studied side by side, and spent two years immersed in Bethel’s community.
But for Daniel’s mom, Joy Cline, something felt off. “For the intensity of relationships they had, it seemed almost just so shallow to just be ending,” she says. The feeling stuck with her that summer as Daniel kept in touch with a few BUILD friends, but the regular connections that had defined his college experience were suddenly gone. “There was just this emptiness,” Joy says. “I think we went through that summer kind of realizing that we were missing that.”
Fall arrived without a new school year or the familiar pace of BUILD. So Joy reached out to a few other families from BUILD with a simple idea: “Let’s have them get together.” That small invitation would spark something far more lasting. That fall, families and alumni from BUILD gathered at Bethel for Homecoming. Soon after, they reunited for a Halloween party hosted by the Kaetterhenry family.
From there, BUILD Alumni Buddies was born. Five years later, it’s blossomed into one of Bethel’s most active alumni groups. While the group is independent, it’s closely connected to the BUILD program. “This group has allowed for the Bethel experience to continue for alumni,” says BUILD Director Dawn Allen. “It’s helped ease the transition after graduation and shown students that they can stay connected, come back to campus, and keep having fun.”
Olivia Elder BUILD’19, Kirsta Graf BUILD’19, Ryan Rapp ‘2022, and Daniel Cline BUILD’19 compete in a BUILD Alumni Buddies Dance Party.
BUILD Alumni Buddies take an art class with co-founder Alicia Graf, center.
Twice each month, alumni from BUILD gather around the Twin Cities for social events. Some are hosted in homes or neighborhood parks. Others take place at destinations like the Mall of America and area restaurants. No matter the location, each gathering continues the strong community formed during students’ time at Bethel. Since BUILD Alumni Buddies aims to keep former students from BUILD connected, the group is limited to alumni and families from the program. To keep planning manageable, the families take turns coordinating gatherings, though the co-founders—the Clines and Grafs—continue planning many events. Early events included a Cinco de Mayo party, movie nights, and mini golf outings—anything to bring alumni back together in familiar, welcoming environments. BUILD Alumni Buddies maintains close ties with Allen and other BUILD staff. The BUILD program supports the group by hosting several events each year—like a Christmas party centered around Festival of Christmas and unified sporting events—that bring alumni back to campus.
Each spring, organizers welcome the newest graduates from BUILD and their families into the group during BUILD’s annual celebration dinner. The BUILD community also uses a GroupMe chat to share event details and photos. Event turnout varies from a few people to over 30, with annual events like Homecoming and Festival of Christmas—both of which draw alumni back to Bethel—seeing the highest attendance. The group rotates locations across the Twin Cities to make events more accessible for alumni in different areas, but transportation remains a challenge since few alumni from BUILD drive. While many alumni use rideshare services like Lyft, costs and distance can add up quickly.
Kirsta’s mother, Alicia Graf, describes organizing each gathering as a bit like the art classes she teaches out of her home. She sets the stage, prepares the space, and then something beautiful and unexpected happens. “They’re not taking it for granted,” she says. “They’re so happy to show up. So excited to see each other.” Events range from simple to more elaborate. For example, Lori Kaetterhenry—David’s mom—says her favorite memory is the time they took a three-hour canoe ride on the St. Croix River. “The day gave us great memories of swamped canoes, soggy snacks on the sand bar, and daring cliff divers,” Lori recalls. “We came back to grill out at our place afterward, ravenous and tired. Suffice it to say, we all slept well that evening.” On the flip side, Geoff Cline—Joy’s husband and Daniel’s father—says it’s often the small, quiet moments that carry the biggest impact. He recalls going to Can Can Wonderland, where the alumni spent more time visiting in the dining area than they did playing mini golf or vintage arcade games. “What they mostly did was they sat at a table, ate food, and talked,” Geoff says.
— BUILD Director Dawn Allen
Such simple connection time has become a key part of most gatherings. The group makes space to connect in meaningful ways. Often, they circle up to answer a question or share updates—anything to get everyone talking. “We throw out a question to them,” Joy says. “Most of the time, it gets to be just life updates, what’s been going on in your life.” Other times, they use seasonal prompts or even use a “speed dating” format to help alumni from different cohorts get to know one another.
Faith also surfaces in quiet but steady ways. “We’ve prayed for others at meetings,” Joy says—especially when someone is going through a hard time. The group has rallied around alumni experiencing illness, family loss, or life changes. They’ve even served together through organizations like Feed My Starving Children. “They easily and quite deeply will pray for one another,” Geoff says. “It’s just a natural part of the community.”
Though graduates often help and bring ideas, the Grafs and Clines admit parents put in a lot of work to plan and host events. But as parents of children with intellectual disabilities, they also know it takes work to help their children connect and form relationships. From the time Kirsta was young, Alicia took it upon herself to help Kirsta build meaningful connections. That’s continued with BUILD Alumni Buddies. Joy says the friendships Daniel formed through BUILD stand out for their depth and connection. The bonds are rooted in shared experiences and a shared sense of independence. “If I look at Daniel's relationships with other friends and this group, the difference I see is the depth of connection,” she says. “There's just independence together, they're in the same place. They've had some of the same experiences, and it's advanced.” For Lori, the motivation was clear. “David’s time at Bethel meant new friendships for life—how could we not keep getting together? Not only was it great for the BUILD students, but the new relationships with other parents navigating ‘special needs life’ are priceless,” she says.
The BUILD Alumni Buddies stop on a hike into downtown Stillwater for ice cream. Pictured in front are: Daniel Cline BUILD’19, David Kaetterhenry BUILD’19, Kirsta Graf BUILD’19, Mikayla Holmgren BUILD’18, Justin Evilsizer BUILD’20, Lauren Russell BUILD’20, and Kirstin Bakken BUILD’20; and in back: Emily O’Shea BUILD’20, Ryan Rapp ‘21, Austin Motzko BUILD’20, Zoe Johnson BUILD’20, and Hanna Dryden BUILD’20.
Joy and Alicia continue to coordinate many events, though Lori stepped back due to family commitments. They’re also helping mentor new parents—and alumni—into leadership roles. Through the BUILD Advisory Committee, recent graduates like Malan Anderson and Addie Stern have stepped into leadership, bringing ideas, energy, and ownership to the group. “It’s kind of been Alicia and my job to fit them in and get them comfortable with hosting events,” Joy says. “That way it can grow beyond us.” In fact, students and graduates from BUILD came together to host a Homecoming gathering largely on their own last year. “We had the students really just make sure everyone got to the spot,” Lori says. “They just did it all themselves, and that was really cool to see that leadership.”
While organizing events can be a lot of work, Alicia and Joy remain committed. Alicia describes it as “God’s economy”—when you give, you get. “This is Kingdom work,” she says. “It is life-giving to me and to the kids.” The joy and connection that unfold reflect the heart of the BUILD community. Even when the planning feels like a lot, Alicia sees a clear payoff. “All of a sudden, they all show up at your house, and they’re laughing, and the whole group is so free,” she says.
At May’s annual celebration, BUILD is honoring the Graf and Cline families with the Excellence in Edification Award for their role in forming and sustaining BUILD Alumni Buddies. The award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to include, support, or inspire students in BUILD. “This is a dream come true,” Allen says. “To have a supportive group work to continue the Bethel connections and fun beyond the walls of Bethel—and in a capacity that exceeds what we’ve been able to do on our own—is incredible.”
Study in the BUILD program at Bethel.
Bethel's BUILD program provides a supportive and comprehensive educational experience for individuals with intellectual disabilities. You'll experience dynamic and encouraging instruction, career-oriented curriculum, specialized mentorship, and on-campus living—all within a supportive Christian environment.