Reflections on Joel Boettger's time at Bethel
Students share their appreciation for Boettger and all he has taught them.
On March 6, Joel Boettger’s resignation was announced to Bethel College students. Boettger has long been a part of the Bethel community, and his impact has been very much appreciated.
When asked about his roles at Bethel, Boettger spoke about the variety of positions he has held. “My role at Bethel College has been ever-changing. I started in 2017 right after graduate school when I was 26. I was an adjunct teaching Music Theory I and II, Jazz Ensemble II, and Jazz Combo II. Subsequently, I took on the role of Director of Bands. During the pandemic, I ran the Jazz Ensemble, the Wind Ensemble, taught private saxophone, clarinet, improvisation, and composition lessons. I have been the chair of the department for two years and the chair of the assessment committee for one year.”
Boettger has had a large impact on the students he has taught. When asked to reflect on this, junior music education major Emil Benavides from Stockton, Kan. shared her thanks. “Since my freshman year, Joel has been someone who I have deeply admired and looked up to. I feel very lucky to have been his student,” Benavides reflected. “Joel has been a vital part of my growth as a musician and as a person. Whether I needed a cheerleader, advice, or someone to rant to, Joel was there. Joel is a professor in the music department, but what he has taught myself and others in the music department goes beyond music.”
Junior art major April Powls from Garnett, Kan. shared similar thoughts. “Joel challenged me to become a better person with his consistent patience, guidance, and faith in me. I’ve learned a lot from Joel, a lot about music, but much more about living. I will always be thankful for the compassion he has shown to each one of us.”
When asked about his time here, Boettger shared some thoughts of his own. “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the students of Bethel College. My philosophy of music education states that I teach critical thinking skills & life skills through music and that my goal is to be a model of the excellence I expect from my students. I hope I have succeeded in shaping the way students perceive the world and themselves while engaging in the creation of beauty by making music together. I will miss working with the students and my colleagues on the faculty, but it is time for me to continue to grow.”
We are excited to see where Boettger’s post-Bethel path takes him and are grateful for all the time and dedication he has shown in the Bethel community. As Powls stated, “Joel embodies what I want Bethel College to be.”
Boettger’s final concert as a director at Bethel will be Jazz on the Green, which is tonight, May 1, at 7:30 p.m.