Bethany College Announces 2022 Commencement Speakers

Bethany College is pleased to announce Rev. Amy Truhe, Dr. Cheryl Rasmussen, and Ms. Gabriela Hernandez for the 2022 Baccalaureate and Commencement Ceremony.

The Rev. Amy Truhe - Bethany College Campus Pastor

The presiding minister and preacher for Baccalaureate and Commencement, the Rev. Amy Truhe, has been the Bethany College Campus Pastor since July of 2017. She earned a Master of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Kansas State University. Pastor Truhe was commissioned as a lay minister through the Central States Synod, and was ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in October of 2010, graduating from Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa. She has served the call to ministry through several pathways including pastoral calls to United Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Milberger, KS, Scherer Memorial Lutheran Church, Chapman, KS, and Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lindsborg, KS in partnership with Bethany College. She has served as interim pastor at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Clay Center, KS, and as a Chaplain at Salina Regional Hospital. 

Prior to being called into formal ministry, Pastor Truhe worked for many years as a counselor for adolescents in residential care, including homes that served people on the autistic spectrum, the Solo Parent Dorm of the Flint Hills Job Corps, Focus on the Future, and St. Francis Boy’s Home. She owned and operated a state licensed, home-based daycare for nine and a half years, serving 10 children daily. During her time in Lindsborg, she has been instrumental in establishing the Dala Pantry, feeding those who live with food instability through a donor funded food pantry. This summer, Messiah Lutheran Church will begin to house the Summer Food Program, feeding noon, weekday meals on-site and sending backpacks of food home for the weekends. On campus, serving faculty and staff along with the joy of watching students transform has been the primary motivator of all she does! While working closely with Pastor Amy on the Dala Pantry and as Chapel Fellow, several students have been able to determine their vocational callings. The weekly gatherings of Campus Ministry groups have served to strengthen the campus community. Pastor Truhe has been certified since 2014 by the state of Kansas as a diversionary mediator of Victim/Offender and Parent/Adolescent cases. 

Dr. Cheryl Rasmussen, Ed.D.

Cheryl Rasmussen, originally from Lincoln, KS, graduated from Bethany College in 1982 with a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Music Education. While at Bethany, she participated in the Bethany Choir and Choraliers, was a basketball player, an Omega, FCA member, RA, and participated in student government.

Cheryl taught K-12 vocal music in Highland, KS for 6 years and then served as Jr/Sr High School Principal in Highland until 2002. At that time, she was named Vice President for Student Services at Highland Community College. Cheryl continued to teach music while serving as principal at Highland. Additionally, she coached the high school volleyball team for 17 years. The Highland High School Bluestreaks won the state championship in 1992-a definite highlight of her coaching career!

At Highland Community College, Cheryl was instrumental in developing the Summer Blitz program for students who needed a jump start in college, creating a student leadership training program designed to enhance the campus culture, was the campus leader in developing campus crisis response teams, and led a team that secured a $2.2 million Title III grant that established an additional outreach site at HCC featuring a precision ag program.

Cheryl received her master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Kansas in 1990 and her doctorate in educational leadership from Wichita State University in 2004. Cheryl’s thesis and dissertation helped shape her work at the Jr/Sr High School and the college. Her thesis examined school care teams and their potential to help students be more successful. Her dissertation titled, “A Community College’s Culture and Its Effect on Student Retention,” framed her work at the community college relative to student enrollment and retention.

Cheryl is grateful to her parents, Ray and Pat Rasmussen, for making it possible to attend Bethany College and for showing her what it means to have grit, show grace, and demonstrate an attitude of gratitude throughout life. 

Ms. Gabriela Hernandez, Class of 2022 - Senior Speaker

Gabriela Hernandez is a Communication major from Wichita, KS. She was a part of The Bethany Messenger staff for three years, served as a Writing and Communication tutor, worked at KSAL radio station as a board operator, worked closely with athletic teams on campus doing videography in her free time, and relished her final semester at Harlaxton College in Grantham, England! She has recently been hired at Sharp Performance in Salina working in their communications and marketing department.

Graduation activities will take place Saturday, May 21st, beginning with the ceremonial walk from Bethany Lutheran Church at 10:15 am. The Commencement ceremony starting at 2pm will be livestreamed and available to watch at bethanylb.edu/live.