A biokinetics student shares her path to Bethel—and thanks the many donors who’ve helped give her a learning experience that’s set her up for lifelong success.
By Monique Kleinhuizen ’08, GS’16, content specialist
May 02, 2025 | 8:50 a.m.
Maddie Doeden ’25 shares her story at the annual Scholarship Celebration at Bethel University
Maddie Doeden ’25 could have boiled her college wish list down into just a few items.
She wanted a Christ-centered school that was small enough to make her feel at home, offered strong academics and a golf program, and had great views of the mountains.
Coming from Park Christian School near her home in Fargo, North Dakota, she was used to a tight-knit, Christ-centered learning community. But she also had dreams of studying something healthcare-related, and she loved golf. When Doeden visited Bethel, she was surprised how easily it checked all her boxes but one. There was also a special feeling she got on campus.
“I knew something was different. I could tell the community was really special.”
— Maddie Doeden ’25
She learned that Bethel offered incredible applied health sciences programs, with faculty who seemed to be personally invested in their students’ success. The lab spaces and Bethel’s commitment to healthcare impressed her. And, as she recalls,“the golf team already felt like a family before I had even committed.” But the mountains still remained high on the list for outdoorsy Doeden, so she kept Colorado in consideration as Bethel crept into contention.
She recalls her favorite Bible verse, Isaiah 26:3, coming to mind as she considered her future: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Wouldn’t it be cool, she thought, if that verse would be on the screen when I walked into Chapel at Bethel? The verse wasn’t on that screen, but when her admissions counselor texted a follow-up to her tour visit, Doeden almost couldn’t believe what she saw on her phone. It wasn’t an application reminder or a survey. It wasn’t a marketing tagline. It was Isaiah 26:3.
Doeden committed to Bethel the next day, certain that—despite Minnesota’s distinct lack of mountains—God had orchestrated her next step.
As a Bethel biokinetics student, Doeden has found a perfect mix of top-quality lab and clinical experiences that will prepare her for success in graduate school and her future career as an occupational therapist. She’s appreciated the way faculty weave faith into their teaching, inspiring her to view serving hurting individuals with the heart of Jesus as an incredible mission. She’s found treasured friendships and deep community on the golf team and in the dorms. But more than anything, she’s sought Jesus more closely throughout her college experience.
“The Lord has grown me closer to Himself throughout my time in college and revealed more of Himself to me,” she says. “It is really sweet to see the ways the Lord has used upperclassmen to pour into me and encourage me in my faith walk, and now the Lord has placed younger people in my life that I can come alongside and point to Jesus. Living in the Bethel community and interacting with other believers every day has impacted me greatly.”
Student scholarship recipients are intentionally seated next to the donors and families who provided their funding, creating unique opportunities for conversation
As Doeden approaches graduation next fall, she has a deep sense of gratitude for the Bethel community, and specifically for the donors who’ve helped make her experience possible. As a recipient of the Faith in Action Scholarship and the President’s Academic Scholarship, she jumped at the chance to share her story before scholarship donors and student scholarship recipients gathered in the Underground for the annual Scholarship Celebration on April 10.
The dinner provides a rare opportunity to celebrate Bethel’s rich culture of philanthropy and generosity in a tactile way. Donors and families behind Bethel scholarships go from abstract names on students’ financial aid awards to real-life people sitting across bedecked dinner tables sipping coffee and sharing stories. It’s a powerful moment for both student recipients and benefactors, offering a first-hand glimpse into what it’s like to be a Royal today.
Bethel recently repositioned its pricing for undergraduate programs, streamlining how financial aid works for students. But across all of Bethel’s programs, scholarships are still a significant factor in keeping college within reach financially. In the 2023-2024 school year, Bethel students were awarded 755 donor-funded scholarships totaling nearly $2 million—and this doesn’t include institutional or federal financial aid.
President Ross Allen connects with guests at the Scholarship Celebration on April 10
“One of the most powerful things is when people come together around a shared mission—to see lives transformed through Christ-centered education.”
— President Ross Allen
In true Bethel style, good food and conversation are centerpieces of the Scholarship Celebration
Whether you’re celebrating or remembering a loved one, or simply want to put a transformational Christian education in reach for more students, supporting or endowing a scholarship fund is an excellent way to make a direct impact.
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