Since its founding in 1927, Bethany Lutheran College has had ten presidents. The current president is Gene Pfeifer, who was inaugurated in 2015.

Dan R. Bruss
Dan R. Bruss Ph.D. was the ninth president of Bethany Lutheran College (BLC). An alumnus of BLC (’73), he returned to lead his alma mater in January 2003 and served until June 2015. Dr. Bruss

Marvin G. Meyer
BLC President, 1982-2002 The Board of Regents called Meyer in November 1982. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. Meyer had been a faculty member of the school since

Prof. Norman Holte
BLC President, 1978-1982 Holte received a call from the Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents in August 1978 to serve as the first lay president in the school’s history. Holte had been a member of

Rev. Theodore A. Aaberg
BLC Interim President, 1977-1978 Aaberg was the president of Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary when he was asked to serve as acting president of the college after Raymond Branstad stepped down. Aaberg served until March 1978

Rev. Raymond Branstad
BLC President, 1970-1977 Branstad was serving as pastor of King of Grace Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, Minnesota when he was called to serve as president of Bethany. Branstad took this post on July 1,

Rev. Dr. Bjarne Wollan Teigen
BLC President, 1950-1970 Teigen became president of the institution in 1950. He served in the capacity of president for 20 years before moving back into the classroom in 1970 and continued to teach until his

Rev. Dr. Sigurd Christian Ylvisaker
BLC President, 1930-1950 Ylvisaker became the institution’s third president in 1930. He held a doctorate from the University of Leipzig, Germany, and taught at Concordia College, St. Paul, and Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, prior

Rev. Walter E. Buszin
BLC Interim President, 1929-1930 Buszin was also an ordained minister and a faculty member in the music department at Bethany. He served one academic year (1929-30) as interim president.

Rev. Holden Olsen
BLC President, 1927-1929 Olsen had been president of Bethany Ladies College, an institution owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association. The all-girls school was on the brink of folding when the Norwegian Synod

Dan R. Bruss
Dan R. Bruss Ph.D. was the ninth president of Bethany Lutheran College (BLC). An alumnus of BLC (’73), he returned to lead his alma mater

Marvin G. Meyer
BLC President, 1982-2002 The Board of Regents called Meyer in November 1982. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa.

Prof. Norman Holte
BLC President, 1978-1982 Holte received a call from the Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents in August 1978 to serve as the first lay president

Rev. Theodore A. Aaberg
BLC Interim President, 1977-1978 Aaberg was the president of Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary when he was asked to serve as acting president of the college

Rev. Raymond Branstad
BLC President, 1970-1977 Branstad was serving as pastor of King of Grace Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, Minnesota when he was called to serve as

Rev. Dr. Bjarne Wollan Teigen
BLC President, 1950-1970 Teigen became president of the institution in 1950. He served in the capacity of president for 20 years before moving back into

Rev. Dr. Sigurd Christian Ylvisaker
BLC President, 1930-1950 Ylvisaker became the institution’s third president in 1930. He held a doctorate from the University of Leipzig, Germany, and taught at Concordia

Rev. Walter E. Buszin
BLC Interim President, 1929-1930 Buszin was also an ordained minister and a faculty member in the music department at Bethany. He served one academic year

Rev. Holden Olsen
BLC President, 1927-1929 Olsen had been president of Bethany Ladies College, an institution owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association. The all-girls school