Former Hoosier named president of Bethel University
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A former Hoosier and college administrator with nearly 20 years of experience in Christian higher education has been named the ninth president of Bethel University.
Dee McDonald, vice president of enrollment and marketing at Crown College in Minnesota, will begin his tenure July 1, Bethel University said in a Monday news release. He will succeed Barbara K. Bellefeuille, who announced her retirement in December.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. McDonald to Bethel University,” board of trustees Chairman Brian Habegger said in the release. “He brings the skill set, vision, expertise and mission alignment Bethel needs for its next era as an institution.”
At Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota, McDonald was responsible for student recruitment and retention, marketing and brand development, and financial aid strategy, the news release said. During his nearly three-year tenure, he helped lead revenue growth from $21 million to $25 million in three enrollment cycles and increased enrollment by 22% to the largest enrollment in the college’s history.
He also served as a member of the president’s cabinet and president’s council.
In addition to his administrative roles, McDonald has served as an adjunct graduate professor at the college, on the board of directors for the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals and as pastor for JOY Church of the Nazarene in Waconia, Minnesota.
McDonald said he learned about Bethel through Bible quizzing with his local Missionary Church while growing up in LaPorte.
“Bethel has always felt special to me—the mission, the people, the location, everything,” he said in the news release. “There’s a reputation for being who you say you are, a humble disposition and hard-working culture. These elements give me an added appreciation for this special place called Bethel.”
Prior to Crown College, McDonald worked in a variety of enrollment positions at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida; North Central University in Minneapolis; and Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois, a role he began in 2006. He earned a doctorate in organizational leadership from Southeastern University and an MBA and bachelor’s degree from Olivet.