President’s Office
鈥婣s 大象视频鈥檚 ninth president, Dee McDonald, Ph.D., is enthusiastic about advancing the mission and reach of 大象视频.
McDonald began his Bethel tenure on July 1, 2025. He has 19 years of prior experience in Christian higher education and enrollment and marketing leadership, most recently as Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minn. (2022-2025). He has a history of strong enrollment growth at the four CCCU (Council for Christian Colleges & Universities) institutions he鈥檚 served. His other previous roles have included Executive Director of Graduate & Adult Enrollment at Southeastern University (SEU), Lakeland, Fla. (2017-2022); Chief Enrollment Officer at North Central University, Minneapolis, Minn. (2016-2017); he also served for ten years in a variety of enrollment-related positions at his alma mater, Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Ill. (2006-2016).
My prayer is to see Bethel increase its passion for impacting the Kingdom of God and transform into something only God, through His almighty, ever-present hand, could do! My dream for Bethel is big, but we serve an even bigger God who can do much more than we can ask or imagine.”
In addition to his administrative roles, McDonald has also served as an adjunct graduate professor at Crown College, on the Board of Directors for NACCAP (North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals) and as pastor for JOY Church of the Nazarene, a church plant in Waconia, Minn., where he was a licensed minister on an ordination track.
He earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Southeastern University (Lakeland, Fla.), studying the relationship between authentic leadership, authentic followership, and organizational commitment within Christian higher education; an MBA from Olivet Nazarene University (Bourbonnais, Ill.); and a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science Education, also from Olivet.
Growing up in LaPorte, Ind., McDonald learned about Bethel through Bible quizzing with his local Missionary Church. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Amanda McDonald, MSW, MSK, who most recently served at Crown College as Director of Student Success and Men鈥檚 and Women鈥檚 Head Tennis Coach. Together they have two children, Ell and Maelee, and look forward to devoting their lives to the Bethel community.
UPDATED JULY 1, 2025
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