As part of Homecoming 2024, the Bethel University Alumni Association will present its three annual Alumni Awards. Registration Closed Learn More About Past Award Winners Check out more Homecoming 2024 Events
President’s Lunch
Enjoy a catered lunch and hear from Bethel’s president, Dr. Barb Bellefeuille, and this year’s award recipients. Registration is $25 per person Registration Closed Learn More About Past Award Winners Additional pay-at-the-door lunch options will be available in the...
Alumnus of the Year 2017: Caleb Bislow
Written by Jorge Piquer
In recognition of an outstanding alumna or alumnus of Bethel College who exemplifies the values of the college in his or her personal and professional life.
Caleb Bislow left Bethel College in 2000 with a degree in graphic design and a minor in youth ministry. For five years after graduation, he served as a youth pastor at Colonial Woods Missionary Church. He went on to become an ordained minister with the Missionary Church. Today, he shares the word of God in unusual ways.
He is founder of Unusual Soldiers, training ordinary people to “courageously bring the hope of Christ to dark, dangerous, and despised places around the world.” This part of his ministry led him to write the book, “Dangerous: Engaging the People and Places No One Else Will.” (Bethany House) He is also an itinerant speaker for Forge (ForgeForward.org).
He travels and speaks at a variety of Christian venues across the United States and Canada. He focuses on topics that aim to challenge Christians to take risks and engage in God’s global mission.
Bislow grew up in Nebraska and began following Christ at an early age. He and his wife, Jessica (‘00), have four children.
Alumna of the Year: Becky Savage ’16
Written by Susan Miller
In 2015, the oldest two of Becky and Mike Savage’s four sons, Nick and Jack, died as a result of prescription drug use at a party. Becky, in an effort to help parents, students and communities address and prevent prescription drug abuse, started the 525 Foundation. As the Savages take this journey to educate others about the opioid crisis and save lives, they take the memory of Nick and Jack with them. The 525 Foundation partners with law enforcement agencies for prescription take-back events and has installed pill drop boxes at local businesses, including Martins Super Markets. Along with other organizations, the 525 Foundation has collected over 14,000 pounds of pills. Becky has spoken all over the country and even testified before Congress about the opioid crisis.
In 2019 the Foundation and Becky herself received several awards. The Foundation was named “Playmaker of the Year” by the Kelly Cares Foundation and was recognized by the Addiction Policy Forum for addressing opioid addictions. Becky was recognized as the 2019 Indiana Mother of the Year by American Mothers Inc., and Indiana University recently awarded her the Bicentennial award. Bethel University is proud to name Becky as the 2020 Bethel University Alumna of the Year.
Young Alumna of the Year 2020: Amy (Baker) Baddley ’14
Amy (Baker) Baddley ’14, an English major with an economics minor, completed her Bethel degree in Washington, D.C., through the American Studies Program with hopes of kickstarting a public policy career in the nation’s capital. That summer, she participated in the American Enterprise Institute’s Summer Fellowship program before accepting full-time employment in the House of Representatives. For three years, she served as a legislative assistant for a congressman from Oklahoma and cut her teeth in federal policy, legislative drafting and congressional procedure.
When her husband was offered the opportunity to obtain his Master’s in Theological Studies at Harvard, they moved to Cambridge, Mass., and she accepted employment at athenahealth, a health technology company. She first served as a product associate, managing a technology-enabled physician workflow, and later transitioned to become the company’s Government and Regulatory Affairs Senior Associate. In this capacity, she used her prior experience in federal policy to advocate for legislation and regulations that promote technological innovation and enable better patient outcomes.
Five years of experience in public policy confirmed her passion for our nation’s legal and legislative processes, so she decided to pursue legal education at Vanderbilt Law School to continue growing in this field. She is currently a Juris Doctor Candidate at Vanderbilt Law.
“At Bethel, I was exposed to psychology, history, literature, philosophy, theology, economics, languages, and fine arts. I was taught to interweave these disciplines, think critically and communicate effectively about them, consider new perspectives, and develop informed thoughts and opinions. In short, I learned well how to learn well.”
Young Alumna of the Year 2022: Allison (Beachy) Baylis ’16
During her time at Bethel, Allison (Beachy) Baylis ’16 (Sociology & Intercultural Studies) was a part of the first study abroad group to travel to South Africa. After graduating from Bethel, she returned and spent one year serving at a children’s home near Johannesburg. She then came back, married her husband, fellow Bethel graduate Jacob Baylis ’18, and worked at an autism center and earned her master’s degree in applied Behavior Analysis in 2019. She is now a Senior Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in Salt Lake City, supporting children with Autism and their families by providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. She also supervises and facilitates the fieldwork experience of master level students in the field pursuing their BCBA certification as they accumulate their practicum hours.