Donor profile

David McBeth ’48, ’52 and his late wife, Lois Hostetler McBeth ’51, have a long history with Messiah College. Four generations of their family have attended here, including David’s father and mother, the Rev. Paul and Esther McBeth ’29; their four children, Carol ’75, Dora ’83, Tim ’85 and former trustee Steve ’78; and their grandson, Justin Witter ’19.

McBeth also has a long history in development and advancement work. After graduating from Messiah and attending Asbury Theological seminary, he and a fellow student were invited to become co-managers of the Asbury Seminary Press to design and print various publications. Later, after three years as a pastor of the Brethren in Christ Church in Palmyra, Pennsylvania, he was invited to help then-President D. Ray Hostetter in fundraising and advancement activities. McBeth remained in that role for nearly 20 years.

Alumni giving is one way to show appreciation for education received,” said McBeth. “While working at Messiah College, I soon discovered that regular alumni giving provides a key foundation for ongoing support and influences generous responses from other friends of the College. This fact confirms a decision my late wife, Lois, and I made nearly 60 years ago when we decided to donate annually to Messiah College, our alma mater.

We are deeply grateful for the enduring positive impact of multiple generations of the McBeth family – and other legacy families – on the financial future of Messiah College. Their generous financial investments ensure that Messiah can continue to flourish and provide an excellent Christ-centered education for current and future cohorts of students.