Trinity Western University is pleased to announce Johannah Wetzel as Executive Director of Student Life.
Johannah brings with her over 20 years of leadership experience within student life divisions in Christian higher education. She is passionate about the work of student development—particularly helping students to persist in their faith and develop a heart for engaging with the world.
Working with students who are passionate about making a difference in the world
In 2010, Johannah started her tenure at TWU as the Assistant Director of Global Projects, where she had the privilege of working with students who were eager to make a difference in the world. In this role, Johannah was responsible for training and sending short-term mission teams to countries including Cambodia, Israel, Uganda, Honduras and Romania. While working in Global Projects, Johannah re-established TWU’s relationship with the Lake Babine Nation outside of Smithers, B.C., in partnership with TWU alumni who are serving in First Nations ministry.
In 2018, Johannah jointly established the Global Engagement Office for Student Life (Langley), a hub for co-curricular programs that highlight international connections at TWU and seek to connect students with short-term service-learning opportunities around the world. As Director of the Global Engagement Office, Johannah advocated for international students across campus and worked to make the TWU community more welcoming and hospitable for non-Canadian students. Notably, she developed the Global Lounge, a dedicated space on campus for intercultural connection. She also fostered the growth of the Intercultural Programs and supported many student leaders to succeed. As part of TWU’s International Student Task Force, Johannah co-authored a report of recommendations that further encourage international students to thrive at TWU.
Innovative ways to connect students
During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–21, Johannah led the Student Life team to pioneer the Access Chapters initiative—an innovative way to connect students living in the same geographic location with one another in person and online. During the 2021–22 academic year, Johannah became the Director of Community Life. In this role, she engaged in the student conduct and accountability process and supported the team in addressing diversity as it relates to the hiring and selection of student leaders.
Prior to her time at TWU, Johannah worked at Wheaton College (Wheaton, Illinois), where she is also an alumna, having studied Christian Formation and Intercultural Studies. At Wheaton, Johannah held roles as Resident Assistant and Assistant Resident Director. These leadership opportunities confirmed her love of students and a clear call to vocational ministry. This sense of calling led her to work with university students in Spain, where she engaged in relational ministry with North African students at the University of Granada and helped to establish a summer missions internship program.
Following her ministry in Spain, Johannah came to Canada to study at Regent College (Vancouver, B.C.) where she completed a master’s in Spiritual Theology in 2009.
Transformational education at TWU
Johannah knows first-hand the value of pairing quality Christian higher education with strong community support, as she affirms, “Transformational education only becomes more important as the world increases in complexity and connectivity. The years students spend at TWU are pivotal in developing habits of wellbeing and Christian formation that will sustain them for a lifetime.”
Associate Vice President of Student Life Rob Rhea comments, “I’m very excited to see Johannah step into this role. I’ve worked with Johannah for almost 15 years and have continually been impressed with her spiritual depth, hard work, and desire to grow professionally and personally. I have every confidence she will excel as the Executive Director of Student Life and be a great asset to our division and the university as she leads in this way. I’m looking forward to the year ahead as she leads the division.”
President Mark Husbands remarks, “Given Johannah’s inter-cultural background, wide array of strengths, abiding commitment to student formation, graduate education, and deep Christian commitment, she is an ideal person to step into this important and vital leadership role. I am grateful that Johannah has accepted the invitation to serve as Executive Director of Student Life, and I invite the TWU community to both celebrate this accomplishment and offer her our strong support and encouragement."
Please join us in welcoming Johannah Wetzel, Executive Director of Student Life.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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