26 When Bethel Student Body President Chris Scott first met with newly-elected President Gregg Chenoweth, he was impressed. “He’s very competent- very well spoken,” Scott said. “He has the ability to draw you into a vision and inspire you.” It was Thursday, March 28, and Chenoweth was being interviewed by the presidential search committee. All told, three candidates were interviewed, and each member of the committee was asked to rank their choices one through three. Every member selected Chenoweth as number one, according to Scott. “He gave us hope,” Scott said. “I think that’s what everyone would say in the committee.” According to Scott, that hope came in the form of practical ways to adjust to the ever-changing landscape of higher education. Scott said that Chenoweth seemed to have the best knowledge of the state of education out of all three candidates. He added that all three choices were impressive, but ultimately, the committee agreed on Chenoweth. Scott began his part in the work of choosing a president by gathering a group of students who represented different aspects of Bethel’s student body. He said he tried to include a diverse group of students, including those who might view things differently than he does. After meeting with the group, Scott compiled his information on what the student body wanted the most in a new president. He stated that often in colleges and universities, students have less dialogue with the president than other parts of the institution do. “As students, we often see the president and interact with the president the least,” Scott said, later adding, “We desired a sense of warmth. We just wanted to feel valued and that someone cared about us.” Scott said that while he was certain in his hope that Chenoweth would get elected, he was glad that the next president accepted Bethel’s offer. Scott said that one thing that students have expressed is for their desire for Bethel to gain a broader reach, such as recruiting more international students and improving diversity. “We are one of the best kept-secrets in Indiana,” Scott said. “Well, let’s move beyond that.”
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