Bethany Principal Allan Dueck has announced his plans to retire, effective December 31, 2014. Allan has been principal since 1995 and has loved working with the school, saying that his time at Bethany has been “enjoyable and rewarding.”
Allan has been involved with some area of Mennonite education for many years, after attending Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart and then lecturing at Goshen College periodically. He then got invited to teach at Goshen College, and later Hesston as well. Allan held the position of principal at Mennonite Collegiate Institute for ten years prior to coming to Bethany, so the position here was not a new foray into administration. He commented that he enjoys making things happen behind the scenes.
Something that many students may not know about Allan is his love for theater, and the theater program at Bethany. He actually directed shows for over 20 years and continues to enjoy productions, such as the musical Just So that will be performed March 6-10. (Purchase your tickets here!)
Along with theater, Allan has lots of other hobbies that he is looking forward to pursuing during retirement. These include travel, gardening and reading. As he and his wife relocate to the east coast to be closer to family he looks forward to getting to spend more time being a grandpa to his four grandchildren. The east coast geography will also provide place for hiking as they anticipate spending time outdoors. This includes family vacations and also scheduling freedom, as it allows their vacations to be any time of year. Although there are many activities that Allan looks forward to enjoying in his time off, he also reflects on things he will miss about the Bethany community.
Allan mentions the sense of kinship between faculty members, and seeing what students are up to in their daily routines. Allan enjoys the behind the scenes work too, with the Board. He says he enjoys the routine of that side of his work and the organizational skills required.
Allan commends the Bethany community, saying that “if students come and find connections, it can be a very formative experience. During my 19 years here, I’ve been deeply impressed with the integration of faith development with academic excellence.” This academic excellence is one of the things that he hopes to see continue and grow at Bethany, as the curriculum more than effectively prepares students for college.
Allan Dueck recounts his experience at Bethany with joy but looks forward to the new stage of his life with excitement. The Bethany Board is already looking for a replacement for Allan’s position, with committees beginning work in the next 30 days. Board president Sharon Yoder announced the transition, saying, “The board has been very pleased with Allan’s accomplishments during his tenure. With his strong work ethic and excellent administrative skills Allan kept Bethany within budget year after year. He was willing and able to make hard decisions during hard economic times and found creative ways to fuel growth and attract students.” Allan Dueck will be missed in the Bethany community, but we support him as he enters this next chapter of his life and thank him for his service.
~Katie Hurst