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Joel Johnson, Ph.D., has been named Vice President for University Advancement at ������Ƶ and will begin his tenure September 8.

Johnson is a Mission-driven advancement executive with 21 years of experience in Christian higher education, specializing in major gifts, donor engagement and strategic campaign leadership. He has a proven track record of cultivating seven-figure gifts and significantly increasing annual giving, and is committed to aligning philanthropic initiatives with institutional missions to foster transformational impact.

“Dr. Joel Johnson arrives at the perfect time to begin a new era of connection and possibility. With his passion for connecting people and inspiring generosity, his leadership will create lasting relationships that strengthen the heart of the Bethel community – uniting students, faculty and alumni to realize the best of Bethel’s potential and ignite transformation,” says President Dee McDonald.

Johnson most recently served as Director of Advancement at the Institute for Worship Studies in Jacksonville, Fla. There, he established a major gifts program, enhancing personalized donor experiences, increased year-end giving by 20% within the first year and collaborated with leadership to align giving strategies with institutional goals.

He served as Vice President of College Relations at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minn., from 2022-2024, where he elevated annual giving from $800,000 to $2.9 million over two years, led a major donor team, securing multiple six-figure gifts, developed a five-year advancement strategy integrating donor analytics and planned giving tools, and orchestrated major donor events, boosting attendance and revenue.

Prior to that, he served as Director of Alumni Relations at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla., from 2018-2022, enhancing alumni engagement by 27%, resulting in a $750,000 increase in contributions, implementing targeted campaigns to drive donor retention and fostering cross-departmental collaborations to strengthen alumni giving strategies.

He has also served as Senior Partner Executive (Corporate Partnerships) for Indiana Wesleyan University since 2024, managing institutional partnerships to drive community engagement and enrollment and aligning corporate support with institutional objectives through collaboration with marketing and enrollment teams.

Additionally, he has held advancement and athletics administration positions at Crown College, Bryan College, Toccoa Falls College and Chattanooga Christian School.

He earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Southeastern University, with his dissertation focusing on alumni giving at Christian colleges and its implications for strategic advancement. He has an M.S.S. in Sport Management from U.S. Sport Academy, Alabama and a B.A. in Secondary Education, also from Southeastern University.

“Bethel’s mission and legacy inspire me, and I am so excited to serve the university in this capacity,” Johnson says. “What drives my work is a commitment to stewardship and storytelling that honors God’s transformational work through Christian higher education. I view advancement not merely as fundraising but as ministry – building authentic relationships, celebrating generosity and aligning donor vision with kingdom-driven institutional goals. I can’t wait to get started.”