Jon (Eric) Rhoades

I had the good fortune of growing up in Newton, where I learned the true nature of community through the people I was blessed to cross paths with and the experiences only a small town can offer. The educators and coaches who gave of their time and talents as I moved through the USD 373 public school system (Pleasant Acres, Suncrest, Santa Fe Middle School and Newton High School) and on to Bethel College played an important role in my development and created community for me. They challenged me and my classmates to be curious and think independently.  They wanted the best for us and were wonderful role models. They taught me how to learn.

While the passage of time has dulled the memory somewhat, a few of those important educators and coaches in my life included Horst, Beckham and Hinz in grade school; Graber, Whitfield and Benninga in middle school; Stratton, Niles, Schier, Engel, Hall, Gould, Krier, Barnhart, Cameron and Akin in high school; and Wiens, Lehman, Hinz-Penner, Rogers, Graber, Schultz, Friesen and Juhnke at Bethel College.

The Newton school system and Bethel College prepared me well to pursue further education (law school) and a career as a litigation attorney representing health-care providers and hospitals in Maryland and Washington, D.C. I am hopeful that today’s NHS graduates will be open to learning about Bethel College and how it can provide them the experiences and instruction to grow and flourish as they move into the professional phase of their lives.