Bethany College Announces Commitment To Strengthen Business Education
Empowering the Next Generation: Gift of $250K from Dean Coughenour Trust Will Inspire Excellence and Expand Opportunities Across Bethany College for Students
LINDSBORG, KS. AUGUST 26, 2025 — Bethany College (bethanylb.edu) today announced the establishment of the Dean Coughenour Endowed Scholarship in Business. The scholarship will be awarded annually to returning Bethany College business majors to support their continued studies and internship opportunities.
“The Coughenour Family embodies the spirit of Bethany College through their leadership, vision, and generosity,” said Laura Crawley, president of Bethany College. “The support of alumni and friends contributes to our mission to prepare students to build lives of meaning and impact. The gift from the Coughenour Trust will transform the program, inspire alumni, and create opportunities for students who are called to lead with integrity and purpose.”
Dean Coughenour owned and operated AgPress Inc. in Manhattan, Kansas, from 1958 to 1986. Raised by a single mother during the Great Depression, he was given the opportunity to pursue higher education through the generosity of benefactors, under the condition that he, in turn, put forth effort and, if possible, one day extend similar support to another student if he was able. Dean Coughenour delivered on his promise and has provided vital financial support to students at Bethany College seeking to pursue a degree.
“My dad was committed to Bethany College and appreciated the positive experience both my husband, Greg, and I had as students,” shared Susan Lundstrom, a 1978 Bethany College alumna. “It is my fervent wish that current and future students experience growth, intrigue, and a genuine sense of possibility during their time at Bethany College.”
Bethany College offers a distinctive liberal arts education grounded in Lutheran values, with close faculty-student mentoring, small class sizes, and a focus on leadership and service. You can learn more about the Business Program at: bethanylb.edu/business.
Bethany College (bethanylb.edu) is a higher educational institution located in Lindsborg, Kansas. Bethany College was established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881. For more than 140 years, Bethany College has been dedicated to educating, developing, and challenging individuals to pursue truth and excellence while leading lives of faith, learning, and service. At Bethany College, students join a community of dedicated educators and caring mentors who support them as they discover, explore, and navigate their purpose. Bethany College is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
