The Bethel University Board of Trustees is excited to announce the selection of Bethel’s ninth president, Dee McDonald, Ph.D., who will begin his tenure July 1. He will succeed Barbara K. Bellefeuille, Ed.D., who announced her retirement in December 2024. McDonald was unanimously confirmed by the Bethel University Board of Trustees and General Oversight Council of the Missionary Church, Bethel’s denominational affiliation.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. McDonald to Bethel University,” says Brian Habegger, Chairman of the Bethel University Board of Trustees. “He brings the skill set, vision, expertise and mission alignment Bethel needs for its next era as an institution. We are thankful to the Presidential Search Committee and FaithSearch Partners for their diligent work in our search.”

McDonald has 19 years of experience in Christian higher education and enrollment leadership, most recently as Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minn. He has a history of strong enrollment growth at the four CCCU (Council for Christian Colleges & Universities) institutions he’s served.

In his career, he has overseen undergraduate and graduate enrollment, as well as contributing areas, including class planning, financial aid modeling, site development, program development and athletic recruitment. He is committed to building healthy teams and systems through an authentic approach, developing leaders and followers who impact their institutions and Christian higher education.

“I am fully convinced that Dr. Dee McDonald is the leader God has called to guide Bethel University into a thriving future of unapologetic and bold Christian education, raising up the next generation of Missionary Church leaders,” says Rev. Rodney Arnold, President of the Missionary Church USA. “I’m honored to support him through this transition and look forward to the work ahead together.”

Growing up in LaPorte, Ind., McDonald learned about Bethel through Bible quizzing with his local Missionary Church.

“Bethel has always felt special to me – the mission, the people, the location, everything. 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,” McDonald says.

He earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Southeastern University (Lakeland, Fla.), studying the relationship between authentic leadership, authentic followership and organizational commitment within Christian Higher Education; an MBA from Olivet Nazarene University (Bourbonnais, Ill.); and a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science Education, also from Olivet.

As Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing at Crown College, he was responsible for the recruitment and retention of all new students, marketing and brand development, lead generation and digital marketing, and financial aid strategy and management. During his tenure, he helped lead revenue growth from $21 million to $25 million in three enrollment cycles and increase total enrollment by 22%, bringing in the largest overall enrollment in Crown College history (1,849). He also served as a member of the president’s cabinet and president’s council and was known for collaboration and helping build high-performing, winning teams.

He began his career at his alma mater, Olivet Nazarene University, and spent 10 years in a variety of enrollment-related positions. During his tenure at Olivet, he was personally responsible for 1,050 matriculated students. He then served as Chief Enrollment Officer at North Central University, Minneapolis, Minn., for two years and Executive Director of Graduate & Adult Enrollment at Southeastern University (SEU), Lakeland, Fla., for five years, before coming to Crown College.

At North Central University, through enrollment strategies, he strengthened the financial profile of the university. He fostered strategic relationships with denomination officials, high schools, local organizations and prospective students and their families to improve brand awareness, enrollment and strategic planning of the university. He also led a comprehensive re-branding campaign and 50,000-person event designed to collect leads.

At SEU, he helped increase the number of recruited students annually by nearly 200%, launch five new programs and nearly doubled the graduate school size. In his first six months, he led a team that helped increase graduate recruitment nearly 50%, followed by 15% increases in enrollment annually thereafter. At SEU he had oversight of the creative implementation for growth and revenue maximization through program development, marketing, process streamlining and enrollment.

In addition to his administrative roles, McDonald has also served as an adjunct graduate professor at Crown College, on the Board of Directors for NACCAP (North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals) and as pastor for JOY Church of the Nazarene, a church plant in Waconia, Minn., where he is a licensed minister on an ordination track.

He is enthusiastic about advancing the mission and reach of Bethel University as the next president.

“My prayer will be to see Bethel increase its passion for impacting the Kingdom of God and transformation as a university into something only God, through His almighty, ever-present hand, could bring to fruition. My dream for Bethel is big, but we serve an even bigger God who can do much more than we can ask or imagine through His Holy Spirit at work in us for His glory,” he says.

McDonald is married to his high school sweetheart, Amanda McDonald, MSW, MSK, who most recently served at Crown College as Director of Student Success and Men’s and Women’s Head Tennis Coach. Together they have two children and look forward to investing in the Bethel community.