Bethel Together Archives

Andrew ‘07 and Anna (Salazar) Conrad ‘08

by Bethel University Public Relations | Apr 6, 2026

For graduates, relationships made at Bethel can go on to be integral to their adult lives. For Andrew ‘07 and Anna (Salazar) Conrad ‘08, their group of Bethel friends is now having a generational impact.

Andrew met his wife, Anna, at Bethel and developed a close group of ten friends over their student years. They kept in touch after graduation and going their separate ways, even when the Conrad’s spent a few years in Mexico as missionaries. After returning in 2015, Andrew suggested getting the group together in person, and the answer was a unanimous “yes”.

They spent a long weekend catching up, talking about their futures, encouraging each other and praying for one another. Andrew still calls that first meeting one of the most meaningful memories he has of the group.

“We spent time being honest, praying, and talking about the real stuff.” He recalls. “Being able to talk to each other with that kind of depth was such a treasure.”

The experience was so positive that they decided to meet again the following year, and then the next, and the next – and the summer of 2025 was their tenth year in a row. Together they have walked through job losses, family challenges, major moves, and collectively added 18 children to their families! While they would normally take a weekend away with just the adults, on their tenth anniversary they decided to spend a week in Tennessee with all the kids. It was like one giant family gathering, passing down the joy of Chrisitan community to the next generation.

Looking back, Andrew says that taking advantage of the opportunities to build relationships with a strong foundation was the most impactful part of his college career.

“The older we get, the more we see the value of these relationships and community.” he says, “You have to invest in it, but the return you get can’t be calculated, it’s a jewel.”

To current students, Andrew advises that they be intentional now with who they surround themselves with, and take advantage of the opportunities to build strong relationships. Choose your people carefully, serve together, travel together, and stay intentional, and the impact on your life could last for generations.

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Miriam (Swank) Wertz ’83

by Bethel University Public Relations | Apr 6, 2026

“Next year, in 2027, Bethel will celebrate its 80th year of service. Because the school has been around for this long, we can see the impact being a Bethel grad has across a whole lifetime.

“A long-time member of the Missionary Church, Miriam (Swank) Wertz ’83 and her husband Denny Wertz ’78, grew up attending Ludlow Falls Camp and hearing about Bethel. Though they had met before, they began their dating relationship while attending Bethel in the 1970’s. Since then they have remained Mishawaka residents, continued serving in the church, and they regularly get together with friends they met at Bethel – 43 years after graduation.

One group, self-titled “the Legacy Group”, meets specifically to pray for their families and children. Several of the children in this group also attended Bethel, including Miriam’s own sons and daughters-in-law. While Miriam herself had a great experience at Bethel, watching her children grow and flourish here was a special blessing.

The Wertz’s also meet regularly with their Life Group, made up of friends from Bethel and their long-time home church, St. Mark Missionary. This group has been meeting for decades, sharing Bible studies, prayers, and even vacations and holidays.

“When people share life with you, they become family.” They have prayed for my children and with me through all kinds of ups and downs,” Miriam says. “They are my Bethel family.”

She believes that her Bethel experience gave her a well-developed Christian faith, a Christ-focused education, and a lifelong community – all of which impacted not only her, but her marriage, her children, and now her grandchildren.

Here at Bethel, we see stories of lifelong impact all the time, and we believe that Bethel is a great place for students to experience real impact and change for Christ!

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Kendall Kenders

by Bethel University Public Relations | Apr 6, 2026

Junior Psychology major Kendall Kenders came to Bethel University looking for opportunities to learn and grow. She has been able to fully take advantage of Bethel’s many opportunities by being part of Billy Kirk Scholars, Psych Club, working as a learning commons tutor and campus guide for admissions.

“Each of these involvements mean so much to me and bring out different aspects of my personality. The people within each of these groups have truly helped me grow during my time at Bethel.”

Only I her third year, Kendall has already seen major growth in her personal confidence and independence, and she attributes this growth to being encouraged, by mentors and peers, to practice and refine her leadership skills. She notes that the friends she has on campus not only encourage her to lead well, but consistently model Christ-centered leadership and talk about how God is working in their lives, offering a real-time example of how to walk out her faith.

She also mentions that her professors have made a big impact by making it clear that they care about her as a whole person, not just a number in the classroom. Referencing Dr. Spivey, a long-time professor of Psychology at Bethel, she says it’s obvious that he cares deeply about the lives of his students.

“Dr. Spivey, along with the rest of the psych department, has taught me what it means to be a servant of the Lord in my chosen field.”

Kendall has invested deeply in her experience on campus, and we believe that Bethel is investing back into her, developing her and preparing her to lead a life of Christian leadership.

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