Sharon Flaten Joins Bethany Staff in Nigeria

Sharon Flaten, MDiv 2022, has joined the staff of Bethany Theological Seminary as Assistant of Recruitment and Student Development in Nigeria. Flaten is based in Jos, Nigeria, where she works directly with students enrolled in the Certificate for Biblical Peacemaking in Nigeria.  

Flaten is a graduate of Bridgewater College. She served as member Brethren Volunteer Service, and she first traveled to Nigeria in 2009. From March 2019 to July 2021, while enrolled at Bethany, she lived in Jos and served as liaison to current and future Bethany students. She will work closely with Joshua Sati, the academic/operations coordinator for the Nigeria program, to build a strong cohort of students for our Nigeria programs. 

“I am very excited to have Sharon as part of our team,” says Lori Current, executive director of student services. “Sharon’s gifts made her a perfect fit for this position. She has strong knowledge of both the Nigerian culture as well as the Bethany culture. She’s a Bethany graduate and she has built many relationships with the EYN leadership on a personal level.” 

Bethany helps Nigerian students connect with classmates and professors through its Technology Centre in the city of Jos. The first cohort of students to complete their studies at the Jos facility graduated with the Certificate in Biblical Peacemaking in 2021. Nigerian and American students have opportunities to learn from one another during classes held using advanced video conferencing technology. 

Read more about Flaten’s journey to seminary and to Nigeria in this profile. Read more about Bethany’s Nigeria partnership.