Campus Currents 
New President
Named
Jon Dybdahl will become the 22nd president of Walla Walla College, assuming administrative responsibilities late this summer.
Dybdahl, a former professor of theology at Walla Walla College, currently chairs the Department of World Mission at Andrews University.
“As president of Walla Walla College, Jon Dybdahl will bring a depth of academics, spirituality, global vision, and personal warmth to our campus,” says Jere Patzer, chairman of the WWC Board and also chair of the presidential search committee.
“Being called to serve Walla Walla College is an honor,” says Dybdahl. “We have sensed God’s leading in this decision and eagerly look forward to working with the Walla Walla College community.”
Dybdahl comes to WWC with a background in both teaching and mission service. He has served at Andrews University since 1990 where he teaches at the Institute of World Mission and at the Department of World Mission. The institute trains all General Conference missionaries and the Department of World Mission, part of the seminary, trains ministers in mission.
Mission service has been a part of Dybdahl’s life since he was a teenager. His parents were missionaries in the Philippines, and Dybdahl attended Far Eastern Academy (FEA) in Singapore his senior year of high school.
After graduating from fea, he returned to the u.s. to study theology at Pacific Union College, where he graduated in 1965.
Dybdahl holds a master’s degree in systematic theology and a master of divinity degree from Andrews University. He completed doctoral studies in Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary.
After Dybdahl completed graduate studies, he spent one year as a pastor in Northern California before he and his family moved to Thailand. In the Thailand Mission, he was a pastor and evangelist and also founded Chiangmai Academy and an adult education center. Two of his children, Krista Croft and Paul, were born while the family lived there.
After six years in Thailand, Dybdahl spent two years at Southeast Asia Union College in Singapore, serving as the College Church pastor and a professor of theology.
He returned to the u.s. in 1976 to teach at WWC, where he looked forward to working with theology colleagues he first met in the seminary (John Brunt, Alden Thompson, and Ernie Bursey).
Dybdahl taught at WWC for 13 years, and he is described by former students as being an excellent teacher and a deeply spiritual man.
Dybdahl has written five books of which the latest is a collection of essays on world mission published in 1999. He is also a frequent book reviewer and contributor, and he has had many articles published in professional journals.
While teaching at WWC, he received the Zapara Award for Excellence in Teaching. He also received the Andrews University Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1996-97.
Dybdahl’s wife, Kathy, is a 1965 puc graduate. The Dybdahls’ three children are all WWC alumni and live in the Walla Walla area. Jonna Buell is a 1989 elementary education graduate. Krista Croft attended WWC from 1989 to 1991 and graduated from Andrews University in 1993 with a degree in behavioral science. Paul is a 1992 theology graduate and recently joined the WWC faculty as an instructor in religion.
Although Dybdahl will not assume his duties until summer, the Dybdahls plan to visit the campus during Alumni Weekend, April 25-28, 2002. W