Bethel University receives $20M donation to open health sciences college
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Bethel University on Wednesday announced the launch of a faith-based college for nursing and health care programs with a $20 million donation from a Minnesota couple.
The Anderson Family College of Health Sciences is named after donors Barb and Rollie Anderson, who have family ties to the health care industry and Bethel University. Barb Anderson graduated from Bethel in 2001 with a master’s degree in counseling psychology. Her children and grandchildren are also alumni. Rollie Anderson is CEO of St. Cloud-based Anderson Trucking Service.
“We’ve been blessed beyond our expectation in many ways — not just monetarily but also in terms of opportunity. So, we feel very strongly that we’re stewards and have a responsibility to the greater community,” shared Rollie Anderson in a statement.
Bethel is a private, Christian university in Arden Hills. It had around 3,700 students enrolled last year.
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The College of Health Sciences includes health care-related courses in undergraduate, professional and graduate programs. It includes applied health sciences, public and community health, counseling, nursing, social work, medical sciences, nurse midwifery, a physician assistant program, and a pre-med pathway.
Bethel President Ross Allen said the new college allows the university to better meet a critical workforce shortage in the region. He said it makes partnerships with other providers in the region and between disciplines easier.
“We're excited about this. We think it fits, frankly, with our graduates, what they go and do once they're out in the marketplace,” said Allen. “They work with other health care providers often in delivering their care.”
In September, the school said it would slash tuition by $18,000 starting next fall, reducing tuition from $44,050 to $25,990, to make the cost of attendance more attainable.
“We are passionate about providing opportunities for students to get a higher ed degree and to be prepared for what they feel called to do,” said Allen.
