Bethel College

At A Glance

Our Mission

You will learn to be a critical thinker and engaged global citizen.

Bethel College prepares students for meaningful lives of work and service through faith formation, the liberal arts, and practical experience in career pathways.

Mission

Basics

The Basics

Founded:1887

Type:4-year liberal arts

Church affiliation:Mennonite Church USA (independent corporation and board)

Location:North Newton, Kansas (adjacent to Newton, Kansas, pop. 19,000)

Campus:90 acres

Miles to Wichita:28

Miles to major cities:

  • Kansas City: 180
  • Oklahoma City: 184
  • Omaha: 303
  • Dallas: 389
  • Denver: 490

Newest campus additions:

  • Thresher Stadium Locker Room and Viewing Suite (2023)
  • Renovated Luyken Fine Arts Center (2014)
  • $5 million renovated Will Family Academic Center (2012)
  • Renovated Schultz Student Center and cafeteria (2012)
  • $5.5 million sports complex (2005)
  • $5 million Krehbiel Science Center and Mabee Observatory (2002)
Overall Ranking

Through our rigorous and enriched curriculum, Bethel receives many national honors

Graduation rate:
Postsecondary Education Opportunity ranks Bethel in the top 12 nationally of liberal arts colleges whose actual graduation rates surpass predictions.

Forensics:
One of six colleges or universities that have sent students to the American Forensics Association’s National Individual Events Tournament every year since its beginning in 1978.

Character:
A Templeton Character Building College and one of only eight colleges to be listed in Mother Jones as a college that combines great values with good value

Service:
One of only four Private Kansas colleges to be recognized as part of the most recent President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

Biomedical science:
In 1996, 2003, 2007 and 2011, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) recognized Bethel College for the high number of its science majors who go on to earn M.D. degrees and/or Ph.D. degrees in the sciences.

Honors

After

Life after Bethel College

Teacher education program completers who passed the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) professional knowledge component, 2018–23: 92%

Bethel nursing graduate NCLEX pass rates: historically above the state average/100% pass rate 2022 and 2023

Biology and natural science graduates who successfully pursued Ph.D. and/or M.D. degrees (since 1987): Approximately 50%

Graduate school: 1 out of every 17 graduates earns a doctoral degree, ranking Bethel first in the state and 92nd in the nation in percentage of bachelor degree students who go on to earn a Ph.D.

Return on investment: #1 small Kansas college for highest earning graduates – Zippia.com

academics

Academic Excellence

Degrees:

  • Bachelor of Arts
  • Bachelor of Science
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Study and travel abroad: Study abroad programs at 19 colleges and universities in 17 countries

Calendar:

  • two 16-week terms (fall and spring)
  • May term

Average class size: 21

Graduation requirements include: an undergraduate research project, a public performance and/or an internship

Faculty Profile

Full-time faculty: 38

Part-time faculty: 47

Student-faculty ratio: 10:1

Student Body Profile

Enrollment: 503

States represented: 24

Other countries represented: 6

Residential: 80% of traditional-age students live on campus in one of three residence halls

Nearly 20% of all students enrolled are first-generation college students

Freshman class (2023–24):

  • average ACT score 19.88
  • 16% in top 10% of high school class
  • 38% in top 25% of high school class

Students

Engagement

Engagement

18 varsity sports under the auspices of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics-Division II:

  • football
  • men’s and women’s basketball
  • women’s volleyball
  • men’s and women’s track and field indoor/outdoor
  • men’s and women’s golf
  • men’s and women’s soccer
  • men’s and women’s tennis
  • cheerleading
  • dance
  • women’s softball
  • women’s flag football
  • men’s and women’s cross country

Facilities

  • Thresher Stadium, Joe W. Goering Field and Herbert Schmidt Track
  • Thresher Stadium Locker Room and Viewing Suite
  • Thresher Gymnasium
  • Wedel Softball Stadium
  • Memorial Hall Gymnasium
  • Ward Tennis Center
  • practice fields
  • biking/walking/running paths
  • cardio equipment and weight rooms

Mascot

Colors

Maroon and Gray

Intramural sports

More than a dozen options

Clubs and organizations

Nearly 30 options

Forensics

Award-winning forensics team

Theater

4 or more opportunities each school year to perform on stage or behind the scenes in plays and musicals

Music

Bethel music groups have been selected to perform at the annual conference of the Kansas Music Educators Association.

  • choral ensembles
  • jazz ensembles
  • chamber groups
  • orchestra
  • athletic band
  • steel drum band
  • private lessons
  • community music groups
  • coffeehouse performance opportunities

Belief

Spiritual Life

Mennonites believe that a life of discipleship should exhibit, among other traits: service to others; concern for those less fortunate; involvement in issues of social justice; and emphasis on peaceful, nonviolent resolution of community, national and international conflicts. 

Other backgrounds:
Though Bethel is a college based on Mennonite beliefs, more than half of our students come from backgrounds other than Mennonite.

Available activities:
Bible study groups, praise and worship services, hymn sings, weekly chapel services and regular service opportunities