Ahead of the fall, TWU introduces Executive Director of Student Life, Johannah Wetzel. Johannah has led several departments on campus over the past twelve years, and she brings with her a strong passion and commitment for student development.
Johannah Wetzel, TWU’s Executive Director of Student Life, believes in students and sees them as valuable contributors to the campus community.
“Typically, students come to TWU eager to engage, learn, and grow,” said Johannah, who has held several leadership roles at TWU since 2010, including Director of Global Engagement Office and Director of Community Life.
From her experiences at TWU and in other higher education contexts, Johannah knows that when students receive the right resources—caring staff who empower them to lead, and programs that are designed with high expectations and high support—students will often take hold of the opportunities before them and contribute greatly within their context.
Furthermore, not only do students contribute well within their current context, but they will be well-prepared to be a positive influence in society after they graduate. As Johannah observes about the impact of a TWU education, “The time that students spend here [at TWU] is a training ground for how they will impact the world once they leave.”
"The time that students spend here [at TWU] is a training ground for how they will impact the world once they leave.”
Leaders raise leaders
“I heard it said once that you know a leader by the leaders they develop around them. That’s not only good leadership, it’s good student development,” Johannah said as she reflects on her philosophy for leading Student Life.
She continues, “It also strikes me as a good discipleship model as well—you know a Christian by the Christians they develop around them.”
Johannah sees this model of multiplying leaders as integral to the work of Student Life. “If we are doing things from a student development lens, we will shape all our programs and policies with that in mind, towards that end,” she said.
“It would be my hope that the Student Life team would continue to deepen and grow their professional practice in these ways—that we would be known for developing students, leaders, and disciples.”
Best campus memories
An inspirational student development model is not the only resource that Johannah brings into her new role; she carries many fond TWU experiences and memories as well.
During her time at TWU, Johannah has built many campus connections and a legacy of excellence in leadership.
“It would be my hope that the Student Life team would continue to deepen and grow their professional practice in these ways—that we would be known for developing students, leaders, and disciples.”
Among her favorite leadership moments are leading retreats for Global Projects (part of Student Life’s Global Outreach program). Johannah remembers these retreats as a rich time of learning, reflecting, and sharing stories.
“I watched students transform into leaders over the course of two days spent together in a Douglas Upper meeting room. …There were many significant conversations both in preparation for going out on mission and in reorientation, processing what students saw and experienced on (service-learning) trips.”
Some of the most memorable events were prayer nights at the Reorientation retreats. She describes how the student teams would create a creative prayer station for the community where they had served. Students would share a story or two from their trip as well as how others in the group could pray for that community.
“Then the whole group would spend about an hour praying through the different stations and praying for all the places in the world students had been,” Johannah recalls. “It was always a meaningful time.”
Johannah also has fond memories of going out on mission trips with students, “Mostly, I would be part of the support team, driving a team to their location or connecting for key reflection times—but it was always fun to watch students live and learn off-campus,” she said. “And it was wonderful to see the relationships that developed between students, and with staff as well.”
In fact, Johannah is still connected to many alumni because of how the teams bonded during Global Projects trips through deep conversations, much learning, and many funny stories.
As Johannah describes, “The memories are diverse: from the Calgary Mustard Seed trip with three Chinese students who had never done volunteer work before, to supporting the Urban Plunge teams who engaged with my friends and neighbors doing inner city justice work in Vancouver, to the long-term relationships and bonding that took place with a community up north in Fort Babine.”
“I am thrilled to be leading Student Life. I discovered that I was leader by leading at TWU, and I love facilitating this same discovery process for our students.”
Leadership during a pivotal time
When asked what she hopes to see among the TWU community this upcoming year, Johannah responded thoughtfully, “The last two years have been full of challenges and change. We are all bearing scars from living and leading through Covid…This next year, it is going to be imperative that we ground ourselves more deeply in the love and goodness of God—and that we learn how to trust one another again.”
Despite the challenges resulting from two pandemic years, Johannah is confident and full of hope.
“I want students to know that the drive and goal of what we do in Student Life is their support and development.
We look forward to serving you and caring for you in the year ahead.”
She adds, “I am thrilled to be leading Student Life. I discovered that I was leader by leading at TWU, and I love facilitating this same discovery process for our students.”
To the students of 2022-23, she says, “I want students to know that the drive and goal of what we do in Student Life is their support and development. We look forward to serving you and caring for you in the year ahead.”
For her journey at TWU thus far, Johannah is thankful. “I am also grateful to God that I get to lead Student Life in this pivotal year,” she said.
“…We’ve all gone through a lot these past two years. The world also continues to experience a lot of global challenges, and it is very tempting to despair. It is an important time to be a Christian leader—to learn how to hold onto hope, how to forgive and be forgiven, and how to lead with audacity and humility. I can’t wait to do this alongside our students and staff this next year!”
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About Trinity Western University
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