Linda Goodwin ’79 named Alumna of the Year for Bethel University

Faith has always shaped Linda Goodwin’s path. Growing up, she watched her grandmother’s deep faith lived out daily in the pages of a well-worn Bible—an heirloom she treasures to this day. Even as a child, she sensed God drawing her near. “I feel like God just wired me to love Him,” she says.

That foundation deepened at Bethel. “Coming here, that’s when my faith truly became my own,” she says. “I saw it lived out in my professors and in my peers. That made it personal. That made it real.”

Throughout her life, Goodwin has described her journey in terms of “Moses moments.” Just as Moses felt timid and unprepared when God called him to lead, she too often wondered, Why me? “But I’ve seen again and again that God equips us with exactly what we need in the moment,” she says.

That perspective carried her through unexpected turns. She began at Bethel as a pre-med student, then switched to psychology. After graduation, she managed a daycare, then transitioned into banking, where she rose through leadership ranks despite lacking a business degree. “I was often the youngest, the least experienced, and yet God kept opening doors,” she says. Her leadership was marked by integrity and a commitment to valuing people.

Life shifted again when her husband experienced a life-threatening heart condition. “It was one of those moments where you stop and reevaluate—life is short,” she recalls. Within a year, she stepped into early retirement, ready to follow wherever God led next.

And that led to a phone call from Bethel. Two alumni were launching a mentorship initiative to connect students with alumni, and they asked her to help. “It was another Moses moment,” she says. “I didn’t know what would come next, but I immediately knew: This is it.”

Since 2013, Goodwin has directed BethelBiz, personally pairing more than 100 students with professional mentors each year. “Hearing students talk about how their mentors shaped their lives—those conversations give me so much hope,” she says. For her, it’s about far more than career coaching. “My prayer is always that this would be about the whole and holy person. If they only talk about résumés, they’re missing the point. This is about discipleship.”

Along the way, she’s been deeply encouraged by the students themselves. “I get to meet this young generation who is on fire for Christ,” she says. “That has been one of the greatest privileges.”

Looking back on her life and career, Goodwin sees God’s hand in every step. “We don’t always understand what God is doing in the moment,” she says. “But I’m so grateful for the opportunities He’s given me, one at a time, to say yes.”

For Goodwin, the honor of being named Alumna of the Year is not about recognition—it’s about obedience. “I didn’t pursue these opportunities; they came to me. And I said yes. If anything, I hope people remember that I loved God, loved people, and was faithful to His call.”

Bethel honors outstanding alumni each year through the Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award and 4 Under 40 Alumni Achievement Award. If you know an incredible alum who deserves to be recognized, let us know! Nominations are accepted year-round.

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