Rooted in Mission, Reaching the World: Rebecca Stoltzfus at Goshen College
Welcome to Small College America, a podcast dedicated to exploring the role and value of small colleges in higher education. I’m Kent Barnds, at Augustana College, and I’m joined by my co-host, Dean Hoke.
Our guest today is Dr. Rebecca J. (STOL – FUS), Stoltzfus, the 13th president of Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana. Rebecca became president in 2017 after serving as Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Professor of Human Nutrition at Cornell University. Earlier in her career, she taught at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and her research has focused on the causes and consequences of malnutrition among women and children in low-income countries.
Rebecca’s connection to Goshen runs especially deep. She is a 1983 graduate of the college, as is her husband Kevin, and her father, Victor, also served as president of Goshen College from 1984 to 1996.
After a career that included global research and leadership at major research universities, she returned to lead her alma mater, bringing both an international perspective and a personal commitment to the college’s mission.
Rebecca, welcome to Small College America. We’re delighted to have you with us today.
Q1: Goshen College Today - Rebecca, tell us about Goshen College. How would you describe the student body and mission of Goshen College today, and how have the changing demographics of the region influenced the college’s identity and recruitment strategy?
Q2: Liberal Arts in a Manufacturing Economy - Northern Indiana is one of the country’s most dynamic manufacturing regions, particularly around the RV industry in Elkhart County.
Q3: Faith, Mission, and Inclusion - Goshen College is rooted in the Mennonite tradition, which emphasizes peacebuilding, service, and community. At the same time, the student body today is quite diverse and includes many students who are not Mennonite. How does the college maintain that faith-based mission while welcoming students from many backgrounds, and how does that identity show up in the student experience?
Q4: Global Learning and Experiential Education - One of Goshen’s most distinctive programs is the Study-Service Term, which I believe has existed since the mid to late 1960”. Goshen sends students around the world for immersive cross-cultural experiences. In a time when many colleges are emphasizing internships and workforce readiness, why has Goshen remained committed to global service learning, and what impact do you see it having on students?
Q5: Town and Gown - Goshen is both a manufacturing center in northern Indiana and a vibrant small city with strong civic engagement and a growing multicultural population. How would you describe the relationship between Goshen College and the city, and how does the college contribute to the community and regional economy?
Q6: Looking Ahead - Rebecca, looking into the future, what capabilities do you believe small colleges like Goshen must strengthen now to remain resilient and relevant? - and as you think about Goshen specifically, what gives you the greatest confidence about the college’s future?
Closing - Rebecca, thank you for joining us today and for sharing your insights about leading Goshen College — a place with deep roots, a distinctive mission, and a meaningful role in its community.
For those listening or viewing, if you'd like to learn more about Small College America, visit our website at www.smallcollegeamerica.net, where you can find details on upcoming episodes, contact us, and suggest topics you’d like us to cover.
This episode of Small College America is made possible with underwriting support from Edu Alliance Group — a higher education consulting firm that champions small colleges and the communities they serve.
On behalf of our guest, President Rebecca Stoltzfus, my co-host Dean Hoke, and I, thank you for joining us.
