Bethany College Receives $300,000 Endowment

LINDSBORG, KAN., Feb 28, 2022 – Bethany College in Lindsborg, KS has received a $300,000 gift to establish an endowed scholarship in the memory of the Rev. Rolland and Gene Christenson, both Bethany College Class of 1950 alumni. This is the sixth endowed scholarship given to Bethany College by the Christenson family. Three generations of the family have felt the influence of Bethany College in the Smoky Valley either by attending classes or cultural and sporting events. The family has a legacy of service to the community as they pursued careers as pastors, missionaries, teachers, nurses, farmers, and artists. 



The Rev. J. “Rolland” Christenson and Aileen “Gene” Christenson were passionate alumni of Bethany College and supporters of the Lindsborg community, as well as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Pastor Rolland and Gene could be found actively participating in the life of their church, campus, and community. This modeled for their three children the joy that is found when contributing time and talents to their passions. All three children would later attend Bethany College and two would meet their spouses there. The Christenson family has a deep and generous connection to their faith and their support of Bethany College has been felt for generations. Rolland wrote of the profound impact that Bethany College had on his family of Swedish descent as they homesteaded in the Smoky Valley. This scholarship, in memory of Rolland and Gene, will ensure the continuation of the Christenson family values of “loving, serving, and using one’s gifts for others”.

Bethany College held its first class in Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg, serving as the Church in Mission in Higher Education ever since. Students’ study and live on a campus located in one of the Midwest’s most distinctive communities. Lindsborg is a friendly college town that has taken deliberate steps to retain and enhance a rich cultural tradition. 

Today Bethany College serves 700 students from 38 states and 25 countries offering 53 academic majors. They compete in the KCAC and the NAIA athletic division with 22 men’s and women’s athletic teams. Bethany College is a ministry of the ELCA, owned and operated by the Central States Synod and the Arkansas/Oklahoma Synod of the ELCA.

Bethany College, established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881, is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The mission of Bethany College is to educate, develop, and challenge individuals to reach for truth and excellence as they lead lives of faith, learning, and service. At Bethany, students join a community of dedicated educators and caring mentors who walk alongside them as they discover, explore, and navigate the path to their purpose. Bethany College is on the Web at www.bethanylb.edu and is located in Lindsborg, Kansas, the fine arts, and crafts capital of the state.