With more than 20 recognized student organizations, Bethel has something for everyone. If you are interested in starting your own student organization, please fill out the necessary Student Organization Docs and turn them into the office of Student Life in the basement of the Ad building.
Campus Government
SGA Executive Council is charged with the oversight of all student organizations and working to address student concerns and issues to increase the overall student experience at Bethel College. The Executive Council sets the tone for the entire SGA and represents the student interest at the faculty, staff, administration, Board of Directors and community level. The Student Body President and Vice-President are elected each spring and a cabinet of four Secretaries are appointed each year to carry out the mission of the SGA.
Leader – Heath Goertzen
Contact – sga@bethelks.edu, heathrgoertzen@bethelks.edu
SGA Judicial Council serves as the adjudicators for the student body. Charged with carrying out the Student Conduct Process and assigning sanctions to students who violate policies, the Judicial Council carries out the Code of Conduct for all students and the community.
Leader – Neil Smucker
Contact – sga@bethelks.edu, neiltsmucker@bethelks.edu
SGA Student Senate is charged with addressing and developing policies that impact the student experience. Charged with the oversight of the Student Activity Fee and services provided by the SGA, the Senate works to set the student experience each year. A total of fourteen senators are elected to serve on the Senate with representation from each class, the student body, and the commuter population.
Leader – Sydney Bollinger
Contact – sga@bethelks.edu, sydneylbollinger@bethelks.edu
Campus Engagement
Student Activities Council, a council under the SGA Executive Branch, is the campus programming board, is responsible for campus events and entertainment. SAC plans and produces activities for the entire campus, such as Welcome of Week, Spring Fling, Bubbert’s and much more. Any student who enjoys event planning and entertainment is welcome to join SAC.
Leader – Sarah Turner
Contact – sga@bethelks.edu, sarahjturner@bethelks.edu
The Diversity Council, a council under the SGA Executive Branch, is the campus diversity board made up of Ambassadors from each cultural organization that serves in the best interest for Bethel’s diverse population. Charged with implementing programs and/or services that creates a safe and inclusive environment for each student and member of the community.
Leader – Akiyaa Hagen-Depusoir, Austin Prouty
Contact – sga@bethelks.edu, akiyaanhagen-depusoi@bethelks.edu, austiniprouty@bethelks.edu
The Collegian is the official newspaper of Bethel College, and serves as a medium for communication to the student body and the College community. News stories concerning current campus, national, and international events that are of interest to the student body shall be published. The Collegian functions as a learning tool by providing the students of Bethel College with an opportunity to develop their organizational, financial, journalistic, and graphic design skills.
Leader – Elizabeth Ratzlaff
Contact – elizabethlratzlaff@bethelks.edu
Academic Organizations
BC Kansas National Education Association
Bethel College-Kansas National Education Association provides the students on campus, who are preparing to be teachers, a local education association which offers its members all the opportunities, responsibilities, and privileges of associate membership in a chose professional organization by promoting high standards and equality through the dissemination of information.
Club Leaders – Callie Ross
Contact – callieeross@bethelks.edu
Student Social Work Organization offers students the opportunity to learn more about the social work profession. The Student Social Work Organization provides opportunities to participate in service to the community, advocacy for social justice, and to join together with like-minded students in social and educational activities.
Club Leader – Sophia Minder
Contact – sophiabminder@bethelks.edu
Clio hosts various history themed events for students, by offering museum trips, historically themed movie showings, and other opportunities of historical and sociological value.
Club Leader – Aaron Long
Contact – aaronalong@bethelks.edu
BC National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Bethel College National Alliance on Mental Illness (BC-NAMI) is dedicated to the education of Bethel College’s community on mental illness, to the elimination of the stigma that surrounds mental illness, to promoting the understanding and to creating a safe environment for any and all affected by mental illness.
Club Leader – Vacant
Contact – Joanna Bjerum jbjerum@bethelks.edu, Rachel Messer rmesser@bethelks.edu
Pre-Health Professions Club provides students who are interested the opportunity to learn about health related careers and projects from Bethel alum who are currently in those positions.
Club Leader – Elizabeth Tran, Jalal Gondal
Contact – elizabethctran@bethelks.edu, jalalagondal@bethelks.edu
Business Club
Club Leader – Caleb Allen
Contact – calebjallen@bethelks.edu
Pi Kappa Delta
Club Leader – Vacant
Contact – mtaylor@bethelks.edu
Bethel College KS Association of Nursing Students
Club Leader – Vacant
Contact – Geri Tyrell, gtyrell@bethelks.edu
Arts & Cultural Organizations
FEMCore is a feminist collective that brings awareness to gender and social issues on a campus, state, national, and global scale. FEMCORE also stands as an advocacy group as well as a safe- space.
Club Leaders – Rebecca Schrag & Madison Hofer-Holdeman
Contacts – rebeccaschrag@bethelks.edu & madisonchh@bethelks.edu
BeLonGTo is an organization that exclusively provides support to people who identify as LGBTQ or are questioning their sexual orientation. The group is student led and isn’t open to the community. The meeting space and time of this group is solely anonymous for those who want anonymity.
Contact – belongto@bethelks.edu
International Student Union
Club Leader – Kaho Yanagidaira
Contacts – kaho.yanagidaira@hesston.edu
Tolteca Club II
Club Leader – Vacant
Contact – Doug Siemens, dsiemens@bethelks.edu
The Multicultural Student Union is a community of passionate, culturally diverse students who seek to build bridges across social barriers through the organizing of campus-wide artistic events, fellowship meals and awareness campaigns by meeting regularly to brainstorm new ways of ensuring that all cultures are being voiced within our community and that all students, regardless of their background belong and will be heard.
Club Leader – Lyric Martin
Contacts – lyrickmartin@bethelks.edu
Performance Organizations
YAWP! Literary Magazine offers students a place to publish their creative writing and create a vibrant literary community on campus
Club Leader – Vacant
Contact – Siobhan Scarry, sscarry@bethelks.edu
BC Swings
Club Leader – Garrett Smith
Contact – garrettdsmith@bethelks.edu
Religious Organizations
Fellowship of Christian Athletes is an organization that provides students with opportunities to play games, eat food and worship. FCA tries to host as many events as possible and reaches out to all of the athletic teams on campus as well as non-athletes.
Club Leader – Luke Unruh
Contacts – lukebunruh@bethelks.edu
Service Organizations
Service Corps provides serves opportunities for students around the Newton area and amount the broader US over Spring Break.
Club Leaders – Vacant
Contacts – Peter Goerzen, pgoerzen@bethelks.edu
Special Interest Organizations
Zazen Meditation Club offers students a setting in which to cultivate their mind and being through the practice of sitting meditation. The regular practice of this secular activity aims to foster compassion and conscienciousness to all students irrespective of background.
Club Leader – Neil Smucker
Contant –neiltsmucker@bethelks.edu
Bethel College Young Democrats
Club leader – Emily Kondziola
Contact – emilygkondziola@bethelks.edu
Environmental Action Club aims to create a place for conversation about environmental issues and implement green policies and practices here on our campus, as well as in the community.
Club Leader – Maya Kathrineberg, Connor Born
Contact – mayamkathrineberg@bethelks.edu, connorlborn@bethelks.edu
Humans vs. Zombies HvZ sets up one to two zombie apocalypse theme games per semester for students to participate in. HvZ encourages students to get to know each other when they step out of their comfort zones to participate because the games inherent focus on teamwork to achieve a goal.
Club Leader – Connick Roe
Contact – connickjroe@bethelks.edu
Rock Climbing Club
Club Leader – Sarah Balzer
Contact – sarahjbalzer@bethelks.edu
Thresher Sharks Swim Club is to promote a life-long healthy lifestyle, provide an outlet to try something new in a safe space, allow for the growth of new relationships and the strengthening of existing ones, and to bring a unique element to Bethel College.
Club Leaders – Madeline Nachtigal and Caroline Preheim
Contacts – madelinepnachtigal@bethelks.edu
carolineepreheim@bethelks.edu
Video Game Society
Club Leader – Austin Coulter
Contact – austintcoulter@bethelks.edu
