Philanthropy, Passion, and the Power of Giving Back
Vice President of Development for the Community Health Network Foundation
As vice president of development for the Community Health Network Foundation, Bente Weitekamp, ’98, knows first-hand the impact of giving. Ms. Weitekamp leads the fundraising strategies that engage donors in the organization’s mission to enhance health and well-being. With over 200 sites throughout Central Indiana, this is no small feat.
But her dedication to philanthropy was instilled in Ms. Weitekamp from an early age.
“My parents led by example, and I understood early that it is our responsibility as humans to use whatever gifts we possess—talent, wealth, knowledge, time—to benefit those around us,” Ms. Weitekamp said.
Her husband, Jeff, grew up in much the same way, and they have made sharing their time and resources
a family priority. They give to the Community Health Network Foundation, several organizations within the arts, and to colleges and universities, including Ball State.
In her last year at Ball State as an Urban Planning major, Ms. Weitekamp worked on an affordable housing project and became interested in the social dimensions of a healthy community. After graduation, she traveled around the country for a year, working for the Alpha Chi Omega fraternity.
“I was exposed to various nonprofit organizations doing wildly diverse work in very different communities,” Ms. Weitekamp said. “What I saw was how a nonprofit—and more importantly, the nonprofit’s donors—influences a community and improves the quality of life of a community. Coming out of that year of traveling, I knew I wanted to work in the nonprofit sector.”
Ms. Weitekamp, a Ball State University Foundation Board member, recently became a member of the Women of Beneficence, a women’s collaborative philanthropic group at Ball State created to support students and fund innovative projects and programs on campus. She is excited to deepen her engagement with the University and directly influence the good things happening at Ball State.
“Ball State is ‘my place,’” she continued. “It is where I had the opportunity to practice skills valuable to any career or vocation and to develop critical thinking skills and thoughtful opinions. I am thankful to Ball State for the privilege to learn the value of authentic relationships in a challenging yet safe environment, and I am eager to help support that learning in whatever form it may take.”
