April 2011 Bethany Report

APRIL 2011

Bethany report

the magazine of bethany lutheran college

3 Theater students, faculty take honors 6 Luther Hall gets makeover for students 19 Alumna heads art project for church

from the president

Artistic offerings I

n this issue of the Report magazine we feature Bethany alumni who are involved with some unique projects and careers, particularly in the world of fine arts. To be sure, many Bethany alumni lead interesting lives and are engaged in some remarkable endeavors. As you browse the magazine you’ll read about a trio of alumnae. Visual artists Karyn (Lussky) Lukasek and Charis Carmichael Braun are highlighted as well as Allison Czer who is completing her graduate coursework with hopes of becoming a professional opera performer.

It is not surprising to me that we are highlighting the fine arts in this issue. Bethany has an extensive and successful history in the fine arts. So many of our alumni have participated in choirs and band or studied the visual arts.

Our choirs have been a source of beauty in their art for decades. The music of the Bethany choirs is basis for comfort in the Lord and leads us in praise of Him. Music professor and choir director Dennis Marzolf chronicled the history of the Bethany choirs in a collection of anecdotal stories. Dennis compiled and published the stories with the help of choir alumni for the book With Hearts and Lips Forever We Shall in God Rejoice. The book was published by the College in 2002 and is available through our College bookstore.

What special quality among Bethany’s fine arts President Dan Bruss programs makes them so endeared and treasured? As you read the stories in Professor Marzolf’s book or the remarks made by the alumnae featured in this issue, you’ll find a common theme. The theme is the focus of a Bethany education. That focus is the “One Thing Needful.”

Bethany Lutheran College has been blessed with instructors who’ve labored to make the fine arts an integral part of the Bethany academic experience. These are excellent, Christian instructors who believe that the performance and creation of art should always be in keeping with the mission of this College. In a world where art can sometimes be far from tasteful, we are fortunate to have instructors at Bethany Lutheran College who place value in teaching art from a Christian viewpoint. That focus manifests itself in so many, wonderful, artistic ways. It is confirmed in the sentiments of Bethany alumni.

Of course, education focused on the “One Thing Needful” is a part of all of our academic offerings, not just in the fine arts. We are blessed to have the opportunity to be a unique college that offers a Christian focus in all of its programs. We thank you for your continued support and prayers.

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Bethany report editor, writer | Lance Schwartz designer, photographer | David Norris designer, proofer, writer | Amanda Quist Please direct all correspondence, letters, news, corrections, and comments to: Bethany Lutheran College Bethany report 700 Luther Drive Mankato, MN 56001-6163 Email: alumni@blc.edu | www.blc.edu 507.344.7000 | 800.944.3066 FAX: 507.344.7417 ISSUE: CXXI The Bethany Report is published quarterly by the Bethany Lutheran College public relations office and distributed free of charge to the college’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.

All contents © COPYRIGHT 2011 Bethany Lutheran College. Articles, images or photographs may not be reproduced without written permission.

Mission: Bethany Lutheran College, owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, is a private, residential, liberal arts college committed to the teachings of the Bible as set forth in the Lutheran Confessions. Bethany provides studies culminating in a Bachelor of Arts degree.

The college serves Lutherans and others by offering a challenging, student-centered approach to education that fosters spiritual development, intellectual and creative growth, self-understanding, and responsible citizenship.

In keeping with its heritage, Bethany aspires to produce students with a clear understanding of Christian vocation, which encourages students to make the most of their God-given talents.

On the cover: The building that symbolizes Bethany for hundreds of students, alumni, and friends of the college is now celebrating its centennial anniversary. The construction of Old Main began when Bethany existed as a ladies college in 1911. Although the scope of the College has undergone tremendous growth in the past 100 years, Old Main continues to stand as a strong testament to the college’s rich history and firm roots in the “One Thing Needful.”

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from the chapeL February 22, 2011 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

O

ur text is about running a race. St. Paul is using a picture that people understand in order to drive home a point about living your life of faith with a view of heaven. Today we want to learn about the race of life. Let’s first apply the running image to our sinfulness.

Have you ever heard this expression, “Stop running around like a chicken with its head cut off?” You farm kids know what that looks like.

Cut off a chicken’s head and its body runs all around in circles this way and that with Dr. William Kessel no reason or thought. The same thing can happen to us spiritually. We easily get trapped in the riches, cares, and pleasures of this life and we dart this way and that way without considering the big and eternal picture. Sin can render us clueless and aimless.

Here’s another expression: “Stop giving me the runaround.” The “runaround” has the idea of deception and evasiveness. We often feel deception is the best remedy for awkward situations. We become masters of twisting and massaging the truth until we start to believe our own lies.

Have you ever heard of a run-on sentence? That’s an ungrammatical sentence which just seems to go on and on, pulling in everything at one time. It’s like an author just can’t stop putting everything into one sentence. Spiritually, there is a tendency in each of us to concentrate everything we can think of on ourselves, to be egocentric. We just want to focus on ourselves and our likes and dislikes, our situation and

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

circumstances, our moods and emotions, and so on.

Self-centeredness is the kissing cousin of arrogance and pride.

One final run word: to run amok. That means to behave in a wild or unruly manner, to go crazy, to go on a violent rampage. There is a part of us which wants to take a swing at things, or just as damaging, to harbor the idea of getting even.

On Judgment Day there are only winners or losers.

Runner-up ends up in hell.

So can you be a winner in the race of life? Paul says yes. “Run in such a way as to get the prize.” And then Paul goes on to tell us how to run to get the prize.

First, keep your eye on the prize. Any sprinter will tell you that in a race you focus your eyes straight ahead on the finish line. And that’s what we are to do spiritually. The finish line is described in the words crown and prize which occur five times in our short text. Christ Jesus is our Crowned Prince who has won for us the prize of eternal life in heaven. If you think about it, Jesus ran the race of life perfectly for us. Every thought, every word, every deed was in total compliance with the will of the Heavenly Father. His righteousness, He says, can count as ours. Meanwhile, also so we could win, He disqualified Himself from heaven by taking on Himself our sins and iniquities. He suffered the defeat of hell so we could have the victory of heaven.

As we run through life, focus on Jesus your Lord and Savior. See Him standing at the finish line with the crown He has won for you.

And the way to keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus is to practice proper Christian training. Stay in shape as a Christian. Paul writes, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.” The ancient Greek philosopher, Epicetus, gave this advice to would-be winners: “You must live by the rules, eat what will be disagreeable, refrain from delicacies; you must oblige yourself to constant exercise at the appointed hour, in heat and cold; you must abstain from wine and cold liquors; in a word, you must be submissive to all the directions of your master as to those of a physician.”

You exercise your faith by not only shunning evil but also by partaking of what the world considers disagreeable and ridiculous—God’s Word and Chapel continued on page 5 3

campus news

Students, faculty earn theater honors

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

S

everal Bethany Lutheran College theater students and faculty members attended the weeklong Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) Region V festival at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, January 16-22, 2011.

Two Bethany students competed in the National Critics Institute: Michael Lilienthal (senior, English) and Elizabeth Horneber (senior, English). Lilienthal won the competition and will represent Bethany and Region V at the national KCACTF festival in Washington, D.C. in April 2011. There, he will have the opportunity to write reviews in a more advanced setting responding to plays being performed at the national festival and studying with a variety of critic mentors. Winners at the national festival are invited to attend the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center Critics Institute during its national playwriting conference. The national conference allows student critics the opportunity to study with leading professional newspaper and magazine critics from across the United States.

Bethany representatives were also awarded three certificates of merit. One went to recent graduate Timothy Favorite in dramaturgy for And Then They Came For Me. Faculty members Jacob Yenish and Matthew Caron were awarded certificates for their work in lighting design and scenic design with the Bethany production Child of Grace.

There were a number of other Bethany students competing at KCACTF. Joshua Wierschke (senior, theater) was nominated for his role as Young Ed in And Then They Came For Me, with scene partner Michael Lilienthal. Kristin Carr (sophomore, music) was nominated for her role as Julie in Child of Grace, with

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Photo by David Norris

Bethany representatives at this year’s Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival included (from left) Elizabeth Horneber, Matthew Caron, Audrey Rehwaldt, Kristin Carr, Joshua Wierschke, Jacob Yenish, and Michael Lilienthal.

scene partner Alissa Kludtke (senior, music). Lydia Grabau (sophomore, English/theater) competed for the sound design award for her work on Child of Grace. Audrey Rehwaldt (junior, English/ theater) was nominated for her role as Ruth in Child of Grace, with scene partner Jonathan Basel (Post Secondary Enrollment Option, senior, Mankato East High School).

Bethany theater faculty member Matthew Caron said of Lilenthal’s award, “Michael’s award represents Bethany’s first individual award in a specific

competition at the Kennedy festival. We are all very proud of Michael for winning this competition and we hope for a continued BLC presence at this festival.

Michael’s award is also special in that it is really multidisciplinary—it encompasses both Michael’s writing skills and his knowledge of theater (as well as some very specific knowledge of the Greek classics). So, really, Michael’s award is a testament to the liberal arts education he has received at Bethany—theater, English, and everything else.”

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campus news

Global connection benefits students

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

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ive years ago it was little more than an idea to bring a different type of college education to Mainland China. The idea blossomed into what is now United International College (UIC), located in Zhuhai, China. The college was jointly founded by Beijing Normal University and Hong Kong Baptist University. It has become the first full-scale cooperation in higher education between the Mainland China and Hong Kong. According to its own website, “UIC shoulders the historic mission of advancing the internationalization of Chinese higher education and taking the lead in implementing liberal arts education in China.”

About the same time the organization of UIC was taking place, Bethany Lutheran College, along with other institutional members of the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC), began to discuss how these established colleges and universities might be able to partner with United International College (UIC) in order to assist in making the start up college a successful venture.

Bethany’s President, Dan Bruss, was among the first officials from MPCC institutions to visit China and UIC. Bruss recently returned from a trip to UIC and reflected on the status of the partnership.

“Since our first trip to UIC many

Chapel continued from page 3

Sacraments. This food feeds the soul and strengthens you. Here at Bethany you really have the opportunity to get in spiritual shape. Here you have religion classes, which you are privileged to

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Photo courtesy of Minnesota Private College Council

From left: Prof. Edmund Kwok, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, United International College; The Honorable Paul Magnuson, Sr. Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota; Dan Bruss, Ph.D., President, Bethany Lutheran College; Dr. Paul Cerkvenik, President, Minnesota Private College Council; Prof. Zhang Cong, Ph.D., Vice President, United International College; James Minor, Board of Regents, Bethany Lutheran College; Jack Ohle, President, Gustavus Adolphus College; Lonn Maly, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Concordia University.

exciting exchanges have taken place,” said Bruss. “We’ve hosted three large groups of UIC students for summer study courses on the BLC campus and two groups of BLC students have visited UIC.” A group from UIC is expected to study at Bethany during the summer of 2011.

Two Bethany faculty members have taught at UIC. Dr. Janet Moldstad (business administration) spent a semester at UIC with her family and Dr. Thomas Kuster (communication and interim dean of academics) taught at UIC through a Fulbright Specialist grant.

Bruss himself spoke at a UIC Presiden-

tial Lecture Series during his most recent visit. This was the second time he has been selected to speak at the series where his topic centered on faculty development in a liberal arts context.

Bruss says the partnership is beneficial to Bethany on a number of levels. “Our students have the opportunity to interact with faculty and students from an international campus allowing them and Bethany to be interconnected globally.”

There are approximately 4,000 students attending UIC now. The teaching staff comes from more than twenty countries and regions.

take. Here you have daily chapel services where God’s Word is served on a silver platter. Nearby are confessional congregations where you can receive the Sacrament. Here you can read your Bible and talk with our professors and classmates about Jesus. That’s training. And, let me

add, it’s enjoyable. Runners experience a “runner’s high.” Christians, too, can experience that exhilarating feeling of being in communion with none other than God. Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Amen.

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LUTHER

HALL

Makeover

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

T

Photos by David Norris

Sammy Powell (left) and Sarah Wagner head to the third floor of Luther Hall. Although the highly-polished woodwork still remains in what was once the main classroom building on campus, most of the classrooms have now been transformed into something else entirely.

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he banisters in Luther Hall still possess that ornate, beautiful look that you wouldn’t expect to find in today’s classroom buildings.

The large staircase still makes that old, creaking sound. Some would call it a dilapidated sound. Perhaps a sound that signals the end is near for a tired, old building. Indeed, many years of memories, lessons, and stories are held within the walls of Luther Hall—the old classroom building that for so many years was the only building on campus where academics had their place.

With the opening of Rudolph E. Honsey Hall in the fall of 2011, Luther Hall suddenly became the empty, old classroom building. It was no longer an academic building with the noise between classes, the conversations about how the test went, or the spot to meet your friends right after class dismissed. Sure, the biology and chemistry labs had been gone for some time now. Some faculty members had moved from the offices a few years back. Yet still, the building was a very busy space with business, sociology, psychology, religion, education, and other disciplines still meeting in the classrooms until last May 2010. When the building was finally vacated after the various departments moved to Honsey Hall, an imaginative student senate worked together with Bethany’s student services office to re-invent Luther Hall. And you should see it now.

Luther Hall had always been a hub of student activity—and it still is, especially when the academic day is over. Walk the hallways of this memory-filled old building and you’ll now find the trappings of

report | april 2011

an inviting student center. The lower level still houses The Lab Coffeehouse. The Lab has become more of an after hours shop used for socializing and a venue for acoustic music performances. The old chemistry lab (who can forget the aroma that emanated from that space?) is now a 24-hour fitness room equipped with wall mounted flat panel TVs, weights, and other exercise equipment. The College has also expanded its student health services to include an on-site nurse. The health services office is located on the lower level as well.

And then take a walk up those old, creaky stairs and you’ll find even more for students. There is a lounge with a high definition projector and screen, comfortable chairs and couches, and high top tables for conversation and studying. Located next door to the lounge is a gaming room with large screen TVs connected to gaming consoles. It’s a popular place to play a classic video game, hang out with friends, and avoid the homework that is waiting for your attention.

Even the third floor has new life. That big, old classroom is now a Pilates studio.

Another classroom has been transformed into a large group meeting room where students can work on projects together long after the library has closed its doors.

Maybe the room hasn’t completely replaced late night study trips to Perkins, but it certainly offers an alternative.

Ask Vice President Steve Jaeger how long the administration thought about the use for Luther Hall and he’ll be quick to tell you that the project was really the brainchild of the Bethany Lutheran College Student Senate. Several members of the senate dreamed about the re-adaptation of the rooms, presented the idea to Bethany’s administrators, secured funding for the project through student fees and the project became a reality. It’s a useful space that still retains the history of Bethany Lutheran College in days past.

So if you drop by the campus to see

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

The second floor large classroom was converted into a lounge where students can hook up their own DVD or Blu-ray player to watch movies, or just hang out with friends and play a game.

Joseph Ringen (left) and Andrew Soule were among many to check out the retro video games available in the new gaming room during the grand opening.

the new Honsey Hall, or any of the other wonderful academic spaces, don’t forget to stroll through the original academic center of the campus. As you walk the

creaky, old, staircase, rest assured that students still cherish the opportunity to spend time in Luther Hall.

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Faculty & Staff News William Bukowski (art) exhibited his painting, Wind Turbines in Minnesota, in an exhibition at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. Six paintings of Bukowski’s were commissioned by the Minneapolis Children’s Hospital as part of the Arts and Healing Urban Renewal Project.

Mark DeGarmeaux (religion, foreign languages) was commissioned to translate Pontoppidan’s 1737 catechism explanation to be included in an anthology of catechisms. He also translated five sermons by Martin Luther that were published in the newest volume of Luther’s Works: American Edition, Vol. 58.

Chad Heins (biology) assisted Dr. William Ehmann of Mercy College, New York, with a survey of Jumping Spiders in Lake County, Minnesota. This is part of

the larger County Biological Survey project that is being carried out by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Peter Kjeer (physics) authored a 780-question test bank and solutions manual for the textbook Engineering Fundamentals, An Introduction to Engineering.

Dr. Thomas Kuster (communication) hosted a session entitled “Fulbright: More Opportunities Than You Thought” at the fall 2010 Communication and Theatre Association of Minnesota conference.

Dr. Ryan MacPherson (history) contributed the chapter “The Natural Law of the Family” to a book recently released

by Concordia Publishing House titled Natural Law: A Lutheran Reappraisal.

Jonas Nissen (communication) attended the annual National Communication Association conference. He chaired a panel and served on the Past Chairs Committee of the theater division. He also served as a respondent to a panel for a presentation titled “Contributed Papers

in Theatre.”

Lance Schwartz (public relations) earned a master’s degree in English (technical communication track) from Minnesota State University, Mankato on December 11, 2010. His research was focused on the rhetoric of fund raising communication with the title of his paper, “Visual and Verbal Rhetoric and the case for Donor Motivation in Letter-based Fundraising.”

Tim Tollefson (music) presented to the Sioux Trails Chapter of the American Guild of Organists in Trinity Chapel on September 24, 2010. Tollefson performed several original organ compositions and demonstrated techniques for improvising hymn introductions and interludes.

Don Westphal (admissions) has been selected as a National Assembly Delegate to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

Westphal also served as chairperson for NACAC’s National College Fair in Minneapolis in October 2010.

Faculty and staff anniversaries On Monday, February 7, 2011, faculty and staff anniversaries were recognized following morning chapel. The Rev. Mark Bartels was the guest speaker.

Back row from left: Rev. Herbert Huhnerkoch (Chairman of the Board of Regents), Adolph Harstad (Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary, Old Testament–20 years), Jonathan Marozick (Programmer, Information Technology–15 years), Jonathan Loging (Communication–10 years), Dean Shoop (Business–30 years), Mark Wiechmann (Psychology–30 years), Eric Ouren (Art–10 years) Front row from left: President Dan Bruss, Tatjana Durand (Spanish–20 years), Patricia Lind (Health/Sociology–20 years), Ann Fredrickson (Music–15 years), Linda Loge (Associate Dean of Admissions–15 years), Audrey Winkler (Information Secretary–25 years), Lois Jaeger (Director of Fine Arts–20 years), Tami Board (Data Specialist, Advancement–10 years), Laura Matzke (Music–20 years) Not pictured: Ellen Bartscher (Computer Systems Specialist–10 years), Peter Kjeer (Mathematics/Physics–10 years), Adrian Lo (Music–15 years)

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academics

Hawkwatch program looking up

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

P

rofessor Chad Heins (biology) established a unique research study now called The Bethany Hawkwatch in the autumn of 2003.

“I noticed a few hawks showing typical migratory behavior over the Bethany campus,” said Heins.

“I had become familiar with this behavior during my undergraduate years when I played hooky from class to watch hawks migrate along the Lake Michigan bluffs at the Concordia University-Mequon campus. I never attended there; I just went there for the birds.”

“Those first couple of birds made me wonder if the Minnesota River served as a migratory corridor for southbound raptors, so I spent a little time looking upwards on days with favorable northwest winds. Though little time was spent collecting data, 123 birds were counted that first fall season. This suggested that further study was warranted.”

The autumns that followed Heins’ first gazes through the binoculars have revealed there is indeed significant movement of raptors through the river valley each fall; we average about 600 birds per season. Most of the data collection has been carried out by Heins, but he has also seen students, faculty, and staff contribute over the years.

“It was my desire to better formalize our data collection and get more students involved that led to the next step.”

In April 2010 the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) held their annual meeting in Duluth, Minnesota, and Heins was able to attend through a grant from Bethany Lutheran College faculty development funding. “I had a chance to talk with coordinators of hawkwatch sites around the Midwest and was encouraged by all of them to start submitting Bethany’s data to Hawkcount, which is an online education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Photo by Allison Homan

From left: Andrew Krenz, Professor Chad Heins, and Benjamin Schultz were among a group of students who traveled north to help band and release birds. These sorts of trips help Heins garner student interest with the hawk watching study on campus.

Photo by Peter Londgren

Bethany junior Benjamin Schultz received some instructions on releasing a banded hawk last fall along the North Shore by Duluth, Minnesota. This was the fifth year the Science Club has taken the trip.

database that helps researchers analyze population trends and migration patterns for raptor species on a continent-wide level.” At that point, data was only being submitted to the state ornithological society. So in the fall of 2010, Bethany’s raptor data went live on Hawkcount and

the data and site can now be viewed at www.hawkcount.org/bethany.

The next big step in this project is to get increased student participation in the research and improve the training process to ensure data quality, something Heins has been working on. Heins notes, “Raptors are pretty interesting study subjects. Sometimes it only takes a flock of thirty Broad-winged Hawks or a lowflying Osprey to get students interested.”

Even though this project is still in its infancy, it has immense potential for Bethany students. It provides them with an opportunity to participate in the scientific process and contribute meaningful data to a larger project like HMANA’s Raptor Population Index (RPI). It allows them to work with protocols and develop valuable skills in observation and identification. Local birdwatchers have also visited the Bethany Hawkwatch, which has given students a chance to engage with the community as well. Heins says of the future of the project, “I don’t know how the Lord will bless this project, but I am excited about the possibilities.”

Chad Heins contributed to this article.

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For one of Emily Heintz’s education courses, she was required to find primary and secondary information sources without using the Internet.

She discovered that one small town was more than willing to help provide information—even grade-school students got in on the act with an entire class writing letters to her.

Photo by David Norris

academics

Old School

Education class learns how to gather information—without using Internet

By Chelsea Dietsche, Senior Reprinted from The Scroll student newspaper

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mily Heintz, a Bethany Lutheran College education student, has been receiving a lot of packages in her campus mailbox lately, and they’re not coming from her mom. They’re from complete strangers in Cascade, Idaho.

Heintz’s letters, photos, and packages are all part of a geography project that began in her Teaching Social Studies class. Dr. Polly Browne, a professor in 10

the elementary education department, wanted her teachers-in-training to practice finding primary and secondary sources without using the Internet. That’s right. No Internet. Heintz was intrigued

by Dr. Browne’s challenge to write to a small-town newspaper requesting information from the locals themselves.

Heintz lost no time. She wanted to choose a town that was large enough to have a weekly local newspaper, but not so large that her letter would be easily report | april 2011

overlooked. And just in case one particular town did not respond, she decided to write to two places. She pointed to a spot on a map of Idaho and landed on Cascade, population 997. Using the same technique, she selected a town in Maine.

The day after class, she e-mailed a letter to the editors—the only time Heintz used the Internet besides looking up a state map.

Her letter to Maine was forwarded to the local historical society and she received a short letter and some photos of the town. The request Heintz sent to Cascade, however, was printed in the very next edition of The Long Valley Advocate.

Within a week, she opened her campus mailbox to find a heavy package from Idaho.

It was from Marilyn Whitson, an 86-year-old whose ancestors were among the original settlers of the Long Valley region. Whitson had stuffed a crisp white envelope with tourism pamphlets, scanned newspaper clippings, her latest Christmas letter, and even an authorautographed book about Cascade’s history. Whitson and most of her family members had been teachers themselves, which perhaps explains why she took a special interest in answering Heintz’s request. Not only that, but she was also urged to do so by friends who consider her to be the unofficial “historian of Cascade.”

Whitson, a member of the Friends of the Library in Cascade, remarked, “I went to the library for our meeting right after I had read the Advocate that day. All twelve women [there] had read [Heintz’s] letter and told me, ‘We hope you send something to that young lady.’”

Whitson said that she felt it was especially important to explain how the town got its start as a mining, farming, and logging town, and how it came to be the recreational tourist area that it is now.

When Cascade’s lake flooded the farmland, people flocked there for outdoor recreation—river-tubing, water-skiing, boating, hiking, hunting, and snowmobiling, to name a few. Such first-hand education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Photo courtesy of Marilyn Whitson

Marilyn Whitson saw Heintz’s letter in the local paper and sent information about the history of Cascade, Idaho.

information has proven to be valuable for Heintz’s project as it directly illustrated how geography has affected history.

Along with her handwritten letter explaining the march of progress in her hometown, Whitson also included an open invitation for Heintz to stay at her house if she were to visit Cascade.

After Whitson’s package, the mail steadily streamed into Heintz’s box. Packages included a phone book, place mats from a local restaurant with illustrated cartoon maps, and—especially meaningful for Heintz—an envelope full of twenty-two letters from fifth graders at Cascade Elementary School.

“My face was broken in half from smiling.”

- Emily Heintz on reading through letters she received from a class of fifth graders

As she sat on the bed in her dorm room reading each fifth-grader’s letter, Heintz recalls, “My face was broken in half from smiling.”

It turns out that this is not the first time Dr. Browne’s unique geography project has made students smile. In January of 2002—four months after the terrorist attacks on 9/11—Emily Wiechmann, a dorm manager at Bethany Lutheran College, was then an eighth grader at a Lutheran school in the Twin Cities, who

received the same assignment from “Miss Browne.” Prior to joining the faculty at Bethany, Browne was a full-time elementary school teacher in the Twin Cities.

Little did Wiechmann know that the mail sent to her would become an invaluable collection of primary sources documenting a New Jersey town’s reactions to the events of 9/11.

The multitude of letters Wiechmann received included a dentist’s memories of seeing the burning Twin Towers on his morning commute, an EMT’s vivid and moving description of working at Ground Zero the very day after the attacks, and homeschoolers’ detailed accounts of their towns’ display of patriotism.

“I can remember Miss Browne telling me, ‘You’re going to read about this in history books someday.’ She urged me to keep everything.” Scanning the precious letters spread out on her floor and couch, Wiechmann remarked, “The people who wrote these [eight years ago] might not even remember the details they wrote.”

“So many people had put time into responding to one little eighth grader from Minnesota!” she said, “When I received each letter, it was addressed to me…A history book isn’t addressed to me.”

That type of learning is exactly what Dr. Browne hopes to achieve when she suggested this project to her class of aspiring teachers. She said, “[This project] goes so much beyond the textbook, and that’s why I wanted to do this with college students. It touches on sociology, psychology, history, and geography. It’s a great way for kids to learn about the country in a much richer way than the Internet.”

So when the time came for Heintz to present her findings on Cascade to the class, Dr. Browne was enthusiastic, to say the least. She was energized by the results and impressed that Heintz had taken on the challenge in the first place: “That’s one of the things I appreciate about Emily—she puts in this effort and seizes these opportunities. She’s going to be a great teacher because she’ll do things like this.”

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VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS

Fall athletics Cross Country As a second year program, the Bethany Lutheran cross country teams have much to be proud of. It was a year full of personal bests and continued improvement for the Viking runners.

The men’s team finished fourth in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) and had two All-Conference runners in Matthew Behmer and David Blumer. Behmer finished third with Blumer right behind taking fourth in the conference championships.

For the women, the Vikings were led by steady runner Breanne Perlwitz. The women finished ahead of Presentation in the conference championships and almost consistently broke personal best records in every race.

The men’s team will be returning all runners from this season. The women will say goodbye to seniors Melissa Bergemann and Chelsea Dietsche.

Next year the Vikings will host the Bethany Lutheran Invitational for the second year, and will be hosting the UMAC Conference Championships.

Soccer Soon after its inception as a varsity sport in the 1970s, Bethany men’s soccer established itself as a perennial power in junior college soccer. A proud tradition of excellence continued for the better part of three decades. In 1998 women’s soccer was added at Bethany. In just a few short years, the team built a solid foundation and found themselves with a 12-9 record and a reputation as a team to reckon with in small college soccer.

But when Bethany officially became a four-year institution and joined the UMAC, the success of both programs diminished. In essence, both teams had to reinvent themselves and start from scratch. While the rebuilding process has been long and arduous at times, the last few years showed steady improvement for 12

By Julie Thomas, Assistant Athletic Director – Sports Information and Derick Lyngholm, Head Women’s Soccer Coach

both teams. This fall, those baby steps turned into giant leaps forward.

The men finished the season with a 12-8-1 record earning second in the UMAC with a 9-4-1 conference record.

This gave the Vikings their second ever conference tournament appearance and first home playoff game since 1996.

Sadly, the season ended with a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss to University of Minnesota-Morris in the conference semifinals.

“Once the guys bought into what it means to be a team, to die for each other on the field and to support each other they were unstoppable,” remarked head coach Rob Pipal, “It was a joy to watch as they went on to a second half record of 7-1-1.”

Accolades soon followed with head coach Rob Pipal receiving conference coach of the year and Johnny Luna receiving UMAC newcomer of the year.

All-conference honors went to defender Jimmy DuTremaine, midfielder C.K. Pock, and forward Evans Tackie-Yarboi.

Honorable mention honors went to forward Joe Nuah, defender Henry Ndikum and goalkeeper Cameron Koopman.

On the women’s side, records fell and fell often. Eighteen school records were either set or tied this season. The team finished with a program best 13-6-2 record and third in the UMAC with an 8-3-2 mark. This gave the Vikings their first ever playoff appearance, traveling to Northwestern in St. Paul. A hard fought game saw the Vikings lose to the eventual conference champions 2-1 in overtime.

“This was a truly special group of girls,” said coach Derick Lyngholm. “We had a young team this year that played solid defense and supported one another both on and off the field. While our future looks really bright with the core of our team returning; this will be the team that goes down as the one that turned the tide report | april 2011

Athletes from left: Breanne Perlwitz, Zachary Fick, Kristin Renner, Joe Nuah, and Vanessa Harkins.

Photos by SportPix

for our program.�

Six returnees received postseason honors for the Vikings. Leading the way was midfielder Joelle Pipal. Pipal, a team captain, became the school’s all time leading scorer this season. She will look to add to that total next fall alongside fellow All-UMAC honorees; forward Kelli Kitzman, goalkeeper Jada Holden, and defender Jacqui Bonrud. Joining them as honorable mention recipients were midfielder Paige Taylor and defender Kindra Fairburn.

Needless to say, 2010 was the year Viking soccer reclaimed a bit of that past glory. And hopefully it was a glimpse of greater things to come.

Volleyball The volleyball team finished 11-17 overall and 6-8 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference in the first year with Coach Sue Forrey at the helm. The Vikings finished fifth among UMAC competitors, just one spot out of advancing to the post-season tournament.

Highlights during the season include hosting the first Bethany Lutheran Invitational and defeating Gustavus Adolphus on the road in a five-game nail biter.

Nicole Jones and Emily Schrupp received All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.

Jones led the team in assists with 7.67 a set, while Schrupp led the team in kills averaging 2.34 a set. Vanessa Harkins also had a solid season posting 2.27 kills per set and led the team in service aces with 43 on the year. Freshman Tayler Kahlow was at the top of the defense category digging up 3.5 balls per set.

The Vikings are already looking to next season getting play underway September 1 at the St. Olaf Invite. The squad will be hosting the Bethany Lutheran Invitational again starting September 16.

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

13

advancement

Photo by David Norris

Ada (Stokes) Jeppeson visited the new writing center named after her in Rudoph E. Honsey Hall.

Jeppeson’s gift propels writing center H

onsey Hall, Bethany’s newest academic building, was named for Professor Rudoph Honsey who was a 1940 Bethany graduate. A room in Honsey Hall also bears the name of another 1940 graduate—Ada (Stokes) Jeppeson.

Ada Jeppeson left the Midwest for sunny California years ago. She and her late husband, Paul, both taught in California public schools until their retirements. Ada enjoyed a productive and satisfying career as a teacher and was recognized as the Los Angeles County teacher of the year. She also earned the respect of colleagues and was elected president of the Pomona (Cal.) Unified School District teacher’s union.

When you talk to Ada about her teaching and education experiences, one theme seems to resonate more than others—

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that’s the value she places on her time at Bethany.

“All the time, it was Bethany,” noted Jeppeson. “It was at Bethany where I really learned how to teach, what it meant to be a teacher.”

She explained that teachers can have considerable knowledge about methods and be experts in their field, but she says, “It’s the human touch at Bethany that inspired me more than anything. Bethany professors cared about the student.

It’s the times that they went out of their way to talk with me that really stand out.

These are turning points in a person’s education.”

This is certainly high praise coming from someone who knows quite a bit about teaching.

Jeppeson recently returned to the Bethany campus to visit the new writing

center named in her honor in Rudolph E. Honsey Hall. Jeppeson’s donation allowed the room to be equipped and outfitted. She also had high praise for the new Honsey Hall.

“It’s a marvelous building, constructed the way it is, it’s a place where faculty feels like being,” noted Jeppeson. “There is a special feel in the building, it’s a beautiful setting and it’s built in a way that everyone can interact.”

The Ada Stokes Writing Center is a wonderful blessing and gift to the campus. Other rooms and centers in Honsey Hall could benefit from your help. If you are interested in helping strengthen the academic experience in Honsey Hall please contact Art Westphal in the Advancement Office at 507-3447375.

report | april 2011

advancement

Capital campaign announced B

ethany Lutheran College is able to offer an excellent, Christian, baccalaureate education because of the support it receives from so many dedicated and passionate alumni.

In 1911, Bethany Ladies College opened with forty-four students, four faculty members, and a mission to educate young women. In 1927, the Norwegian Synod, now known as the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS), purchased the College and Bethany became a coeducational, liberal arts junior college and high school. In the fall of 1999, Bethany enrolled its first junior class and awarded its first bachelor’s degrees in May 2001. Bethany Lutheran College now enrolls 575 fulltime students from twenty-three states and eight countries.

Bethany Lutheran College is thankful that previous capital campaigns provided resources to lay the foundation for the College to launch its journey as a fouryear baccalaureate-granting institution.

A well laid foundation, however, is just the first step needed to bring Bethany successfully into the competitive arena of American, baccalaureate, Christian higher education. Additional academic programming, student scholarships and technological support, and new and renovated facilities are critical components needed for the College to step beyond the threshold.

About three years ago, Bethany quietly began raising funds for the “Faithful Future” capital campaign. Since that time, nearly $18,000,000 have been pledged or donated toward the campaign.

The goals and objectives are firmly based in Bethany’s strategic plan developed by the campus community and approved by the College’s Board of Regents. The plan meets the needs of both current Bethany students and the thousands that will attend in the future. It addresses the external challenges exerted on a Christian education that lasts beyond a lifetime

institution of higher education in transformation. The plan is bold, but the principles upon which it is based are rooted in the values of a Christian, Lutheran, collegiate education.

The strategic plan calls for increased enrollment, on- and off-campus academic initiatives, physical plant upgrades providing new, technologically advanced classroom space, deferred maintenance, opportunities to enhance faculty/staff development, improving partnerships with local and regional communities, providing the library with the latest technological advances to enhance student study and research, and increasing scholarship endowments to allow more students to achieve a Bethany education.

Some of the plan’s projects have already been realized—most notably the recently dedicated Rudolph E. Honsey Hall. Other programs and plans will be implemented as the funds are received.

The plan calls for the completion of the campaign in January 2014.

In the coming months you will have the opportunity to learn more about the “Faithful Future” capital campaign at Bethany Lutheran College. Bethany asks for your prayers and support as we begin to tell a broad audience about the “Faithful Future” capital campaign. For more information about the campaign, you are invited to call Bethany’s Chief Advancement Officer Mr. Art Westphal at 800-944-3066 or by email at awest@ blc.edu.

Faithful Future campaign objectives I. Campus Facilities - $20,000,000 - New Academic Center - Improved Athletic Facilities

II. International Education - $1,000,000 - Equip students with the tools needed to succeed in this transformed world

III. Endowed Scholarships - $2,000,000 - Provide financial aid support for worthy students

IV. Library Endowment - $1,000,000 - Implement cutting edge technology - Offer a full array of electronic information sources - Increase library holdings

V. One Endowed Academic Chair - $1,000,000

VI. Faculty Development - $1,000,000 - Enhance teaching skills - Initiate research projects with students - Participate in national conferences and workshops - Bring outstanding higher education speakers to campus

VII. Annual Support - $2,000,000 - Average $400,000 a year over five years

Campaign Goal: $28,000,000

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alumna profile: Karyn (Lussky) Lukasek, ’09

Lukasek enjoying artistic endevours K

aryn (Lussky) Lukasek studied studio art at Bethany Lutheran College. Perhaps you’ve seen her work on the official Bethany Lutheran College Christmas Card. She’s taken an interesting path to becoming a published author.

Tell us about the work you’ve done since graduation.

I started out with what seemed like endless attempts to be a “real” artist— Submitting work to card companies and publishing houses, applying for freelance projects, starting a small business (Artwork by Karyn, LLC), attempting to sell oil paintings, giclée prints, and greeting cards via Etsy.com, and volunteering with the local Arts Guild—All without much measurable success.

In the fall of 2009, I did finally receive an exciting email response from Concordia Publishing House (CPH) with an offer for the publication of my children’s book, Where Did the World Come From?

The book is a 16-page poetic re-wording of the Biblical account of creation and is part of CPH’s “Arch Book” line for children. It was made available for purchase at the end of December 2010 on the CPH website (www.cph.org) and through local, Christian bookstores. (The book is also available through the Bethany Bookstore.)

The original illustrations in the book were purchased by Bethany in 2009. It was an incredibly positive experience working with CPH on this book; their communications were always cordial, professional, and Christ-centered. I am immensely blessed to have had this publishing opportunity and am ecstatic that this little book is affordable and available for families, schools, and churches all over now.

A few other illustration projects have come my way as well. In the fall of 2009, Dr. Peter Tjernagel Harstad approached 16

me wondering if I would be interested in illustrating his book about a Norwegian emigrant, Store Per. The complete title of the book is Store Per: Norwegian-American ‘Paul Bunyan’ of the Prairie. I completed thirty-six pen-and-ink illustrations of this real-life NorwegianAmerican strong-man, who also happens to be a distant relative of both Peter and me (Peter is my grandmother’s first cousin.)

In the meantime, a historian friend of Peter’s commissioned him to compile a book of diaries written by pioneers who traveled a specific portion of the Oregon Trail—the Lander Trail. The book’s full title is We Saw the Elephant: Overland Diaries from the Lander Trail. The phrase “we saw the elephant” was expressed when the travelers of the day had “had enough” or couldn’t take the hardships anymore.

Peter, in turn, commissioned me to complete some ink-wash illustrations for the interior of this book as well as an oil painting for the cover, which sports the backside of an elephant amidst a westward-moving wagon train. He also gave me the opportunity to try my hand at book layout and design, which included font selections, laying out each page electronically, designing the cover, and preparing all documents for the printing press. I had never done anything like this before but found it to be quite enjoyable.

(The Lander Trail book is available in the Bethany Bookstore as well.) It is a very fascinating historical compilation. Peter was able to obtain many more diaries than he ever thought imaginable.

A 16-page book that Karyn Lukasek wrote and illustrated was recently published through Concordia Publishing House.

After we finished the Lander Trail book project, our attention returned to Store Per. Since the layout and design had gone well the first time around, Peter commissioned me to do the same work for the Store Per book. We are currently working with the printer on final details and hope to have printed copies available soon.

This book will be published in cooperation with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod Historical Society.

This past summer, Rev. Samuel Gullixson asked me if I would be willing to create illustrations for a coloring-bookstyle children’s version of Luther’s Small Catechism. I have been working on these pen drawings as well and am excited to see the finished product, hopefully in report | april 2011

my work as well. I would never have felt the satisfaction of creating a 6-foot-tall triptych of the life of Christ if Professor Bukowski’s “the bigger the canvas, the better” mentality hadn’t rubbed off on me. And I wouldn’t have been able to handle the revisions requested by my recent illustration “employers” if I hadn’t experienced Professor Overn’s two illustration classes, in which he and the other students suggested ways to improve my work.

The art professors at Bethany were the major influences on my interest in art.

It’s inspiring to see them not only teach art in a positive light, but to live as true artists as well—Professor Bukowski with a painting constantly in the works in his office, Professor Overn and his book that he made with the Divers, and all of the art faculty putting on shows in the gallery from time to time.

Photo courtesy of Karyn Lukasek

Karyn Lukasek and her husband, Michael, were blessed with a baby boy, Isaac Michael, on January 4, 2011.

time for Evangelical Lutheran Synod Convention this coming June. This is a wonderful idea of Rev. Gullixson to instruct even the youngest children in the Biblical doctrines of the Lutheran Church—and to aid parents in encouraging their learning.

This summer I also had the opportunity to teach children’s art camps with a franchise called Abrakadoodle. Teaching art to kids is quite rewarding! Volunteering at the Northfield Arts Guild (NAG) opened some doors for me as well. As a member of the NAG, I’ve been able to show a few pieces in both the 2009 and 2010 Members’ Exhibits. I’ve also taught a few art classes for autistic students and am currently co-teaching the NAG’s KidsARTS program.

How do you believe Bethany helped to shape your career decision?

Bethany has such a positive attitude toward the arts, especially when it comes to using them for religious purposes.

Professor Bukowski once lamented over the lack of fine visual art in some of our Lutheran churches; it made quite the impression on me that this was a major education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Top: A nativity painting by Lukasek was used for the official Bethany Christmas card in 2009.

Above: Another earlier nativity painting by Lukasek was used for Bethany’s Christmas card in 2007.

concern of his.

I really appreciated the fact that I was not pressured to focus on an area of art that would bring me the greatest financial gain. This is an important factor to consider when choosing a major and a career, obviously, but it’s also important to do something that you’re passionate about.

I was passionate about making fine art, especially to express my Lutheran faith.

As I discovered soon after graduation, there’s not a lot of fame or money to be found in making religious artwork (or fine artwork of any kind, for that matter), yet my professors hadn’t discouraged me from pursuing this interest of mine.

I’m glad they didn’t. I’m so thankful to Professor Bukowski and Professor Overn for challenging me to try new things with

What do you hope to be doing in the coming years?

Undoubtedly, being a mother will be my primary focus in the coming years.

Little Isaac already has me wrapped around his little finger! But I want to stay active as an artist, too, as time allows. My mom always told me that it’s vital to have an “outlet” as a young mother; otherwise you’ll go crazy.

I would love the opportunity to write and illustrate more Biblical children’s books; that would be my first choice for an “outlet.” Teaching art is also appealing and has been a positive experience so far.

I’m so thankful to Bethany for the fine education it provided for me, not just as an artist, but also as a person.

Bethany doesn’t skimp on or evade opportunities to teach its students the “One Thing Needful,” and I pray that this quality stays true for many, many years to come. Even as an alumna, I am encouraged by the tone of mailings and advertisements we receive from Bethany—always putting Christ at the center.

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alumna profile: Allison Czer, ’08

Czer continues pursuit, love of opera A

How did Bethany prepare you for graduate coursework?

After the first few weeks of graduate school, I remember sending a message to several professors in the music department at Bethany thanking them for their amazing education, support, and preparation for graduate studies. Graduate school is just a little more focused on my music education with scholarly research added in. However, it is a lot of work. Because of my liberal arts education, I came into graduate school with the exact amount of education I needed to propel my master’s degree.

llison Czer is a 2008 Bethany alumna. Czer studied music at Bethany and then enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Iowa where she is again studying music with an emphasis in opera performance. Czer recently landed the leading role in a University production of La Traviata. A career in opera is certainly not a choice many Bethany graduates make, but for Czer it was a natural decision.

When did music/singing first become important to you?

Music has always been very important in my life. I grew up with music all around me. I had been in piano lessons through high school, but it hit me around 17 or 18 that I liked opera and could sing it fairly well. My parents enrolled me in voice lessons and it just sky rocketed. I grew to love the complexity of the music, the drama of love, romance, and the cultural aspect of opera.

What, in particular, do you enjoy about performing?

I am oddly drawn to fashioning a character to be someone different than myself; living in their world and feeling their pain or happiness. However, the more I’ve dived into my characters, the more I realize that I am that particular character.

I am experiencing that character’s pain, love, happiness, and death or demise.

What’s the process for earning a lead role in an opera?

Preparing for a role in an opera is a research project in of itself. For the past three lead roles I’ve done, it involved being completely uninhibited. You must show the judges what you are able to do, not what you deserve based on your voice.

They must see how far you go. Every director has told me “Go farther. If it’s

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Photo courtesy of Allison Czer

Allison Czer is pursuing a career in opera and is currently taking graduate courses at the University of Iowa.

too far, I’ll pull it back.” That has been my strongest asset since performing here.

The character becomes me, I live their life for a brief moment, and I want to bring the audience into an entirely different world. I want them to forget that I’m Allison, but rather I am Violetta/Fiordiligi/Arminda or whomever it is that I am portraying.

Vocally, I have developed a tremendous amount of stamina to last me through all four acts of La Traviata. I attribute that to rehearsals in Milan where we rehearsed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with nothing but acting and singing. There was a day when I sang the difficult “Come Scoglio” (Cosi fan Tutte aria by Fiordiligi) six times, and still had stamina left. That helped with Violetta tremendously. You need to maintain incredible support, believable facial expressions, remember your vocal technique, and emote your feelings all while singing a legato line.

Where do you see your career taking you after you earn your master’s degree?

I’ve been auditioning for several young artist programs or resident artist programs. The competition is intense, so I keep auditioning and praying that God will lead me where I am supposed to go.

In the meantime, I’m also participating in competitions all around the U.S. to gain experience, advice from judges, and more overall professionalism. I gained some connections while performing in Milan, Italy, and I have an audition scheduled for an opera house in Basel, Germany. From there, I can only pray that God leads me.

I’m continuing to teach voice and piano on my own in between auditions.

I know this is exactly where I am supposed to be. I love doing my art and even though I’m performing secular works, I believe that I am still letting my light shine and that I am using the best of my talents to glorify God. A lot of these operas have such religious themes that I connect on a different level than most singers. But religious or secular, I am confident that I can proclaim God’s Word through what he has blessed me with.

report | april 2011

alumni news

Photos courtesy of Charis Carmichael Braun

The finished mosaic at Sure Foundation Lutheran Church, New York City.

Metrocard Mosaic Alumna helps coordinate work of art from transit tickets that celebrates faith, community, and life

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

B

ethany alumna Charis Carmichael Braun lives in New York City and is an artist and administrator at a New York art college. She was involved with a unique creation of artwork at Sure Foundation Lutheran Church (SFLC) in New York City where she and her husband Andrew (’99) are members. Braun shared with us how the creation of a mosaic artwork has been a unique celebration of the faith, community, and life of her church. The mosaic was installed in conjunction with Sure Foundation’s 10th Anniversary in October 2010.

Partnering with musician Jonathon Roberts, SFLC’s Leadership Team, and Pastors Dan Olson and Tim Bourman, this extraordinary mosaic is a celebration of faith in Christ within the diversity of their community. The process for the creation of the artwork was designed to offer an opportunity for everyone

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

to participate.

The mosaic “tiles” are made from Metrocards, New York City’s ubiquitous transit ticket used on subways and buses in the greater New York area. After collecting used tickets, they were each turned into an individual work of art.

The project has strengthened their membership, reached out to their neighbors, and generated excitement about art in their church. Even friends and family a bit further afield from SFLC’s NYC home even had a chance to create a minimasterpiece, sending the transit tickets on their own round-trip across the U.S. and the world.

Braun noted that special thanks goes to Bethany’s own Bill Bukowski, Jason Jaspersen, Laura Braun, Stephanie Barenz, Ruth Wels, Rebekka Mantegna, Jonathan Mayer, Heather Carmichael, Aud Welde Trohaug, Raelene Miller Kovaciny, Matt Meilner, Nicole Zahn Becker, Jon Loging, Crystal Lonnquist

‘Tile’ submissions that were once Metrocards (transit tickets in New York City) came from many people across multiple states. The project has strengthened church membership and given members an opportunity to reach out to their neighbors.

and Rev. Don Moldstad, who all contributed tiles to the artwork. So next time you’re planning a trip to NYC, stop by Sure Foundation and see this special work of art. For more information, feel free to contact Charis at CjCarmichaelBraun@ gmail.com.

Charis Carmichael Braun contributed to this article.

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advancement

Krier joins advancement to work with alumni

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

A

new name is now appearing on Bethany Lutheran College alumni relations materials. Jake Krier recently began his duties as Bethany’s Manager of Alumni Relations. Krier takes over for Sarah Harstad who has moved into the College’s Career Guidance Office.

Krier graduated from Bethany in 2006 with a degree in business administration and worked for the last four years as the membership development director at Greater Mankato Growth, the local chamber of commerce in Mankato. Krier will be responsible for all alumni relations programming as well as the annual fund drive, which includes the yearly phonathan.

Krier is very excited to be back at his alma mater and to be working in the alumni/advancement office. One of the things Krier cherishes the most about his Bethany days are the special relationships that he developed with friends and others

Photo by David Norris

One of Jake Krier’s duties is coordinating the yearly phone-a-thon fund raising effort and the student staff.

connected to Bethany. “My Bethany friendships are some of the best,” said Krier. I am looking forward to meeting with many Bethany alumni and friends in the coming months.” Krier enjoys meeting and being with people and has stated

that working with Bethany alumni will be a “perfect fit for me.” Krier is married to Greta (Nelson ’07), and they have a six-month-old baby girl. Krier can be reached at jake.krier@blc.edu, or by calling 800-944-3066 extension 519.

Spring Choir Tour Schedule - May 2011 Monday, May 16 at 7 p.m.

Our Savior Lutheran Church Naples, Florida

Saturday, May 21 at 7 p.m.

Peace Lutheran Church Kissimmee, Florida

Tuesday, May 17 at 7 p.m.

Grace Lutheran Church Vero Beach, Florida

Sunday, May 22 at 9:30 a.m.

Open Bible Lutheran Church Oxford, Florida

Wednesday, May 18 at 7 p.m.

Christ Lutheran Church Port Saint Lucie, Florida

Sunday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Risen Savior Lutheran Church Pooler, Georgia

Thursday, May 19 at 7 p.m.

New Life Lutheran Church Sebring, Florida

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Tuesday, May 24 at 7 p.m.

Hope Lutheran Church Saint Louis, Missouri Sponsored by Friends of Bethany Lutheran College

Wednesday, May 25 at 7 p.m.

Bethany Lutheran Church Ames, Iowa Thursday, May 26 at 7 p.m.

Homecoming Concert Trinity Chapel Bethany Lutheran College

report | april 2011

alumni news

alumni

news 1932 Esther (Thoen) Wunderlich celebrated her 100th birthday on October 1, 2010. She is a former soloist with the choir under Walter Buszin, and a former

The Holtes enjoy welcoming their nine great-grandchildren (pictured) to their home.

The Holtes send a special thank you to the Bethany High School class of 1955 who gathered for a reunion at Bethany last September. The beautiful plant and kind message delivered to the Holtes is a constant reminder of your thoughtfulness and brings back many fond memories.

God’s rich blessings to all! Visitors are welcome at their home in Mankato.

1944 Leona (Hultberg) Merseth has been blessed with six children, nineteen grandchildren, and thirty-four great-grandchildren.

1946 grade school teacher at Zion Lutheran School in Beecher, Illinois. She has seen three generations of students. Esther is the great aunt of the Rev. Dr. Thomas Kuster (’66).

1942 Virginia (Aamodt) Hecht is now spending her summers in a retirement apartment in Arvada, Colorado, and winters in her home in Tucson, Arizona.

President Emeritus Norman Holte and Violet (Fevig) Holte (’42) moved to Keystone Communities of Mankato, Minnesota, in January 2007. Keystone is a retirement complex for seniors. The

Christopher and Ruth (Molnau) Faye (’48) celebrated fifty-eight years of marriage on October 19, 2010. They hope to see Chris’ classmates in 2011 at the 65th class reunion.

1948 Esther (Busch) Gartland is enjoying retirement with her husband, Irvin.

Together, they enjoy spending time with their eight grandchildren and one greatgrandchild.

1963 Pastor Tosten (’71) and Diane (Natvig) Skaaland thank God for forty years of marriage. They celebrated their anniversary in July together with their children and grandchildren. They currently live in Wittenberg, Wisconsin.

1968

Holtes say they are in generally good health, but they suffer from some of the aches and pains of the “golden years.” education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Arthur Luedeke retired from 3M Company as a technical manager after working there for thirty-four years as an engineer. He is now living with his wife in Greenwood, Wisconsin, farming 500 acres and raising beef cattle. They have been richly blessed by their Lord and Savior as they celebrate forty years of marriage. Visitors are welcome!

1970 The class of 1970 celebrated their fortieth-year reunion during Fall Festival in September 2010. Jeanne Runeberg

submitted the class photo and reported that thirty classmates were in attendance.

1971 Dan Schaefer is about to complete his thirtieth year with UW-Madison and an interim appointment as associate dean for undergraduate programs in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. He will then return to his position as Chair of the Animal Sciences Department.

1982 Rebecca (Radway) Bartlett lives in Kearney, Nebraska, with her husband, Paul, and two sons: Alex (20) and Noah (11). She continues to work in education.

1984 Doug Eichhorst and his wife, Megan, announce the birth of their baby girl, Olivia Rose.

Jon and Cindy (Griffin) Natvig (’85) hope all of their friends from Bethany are happy and healthy. Their oldest daughter, Emily, will graduate from high school in May 2011. They also have two sons: Andrew (15) and Aaron (11). They would love to hear from any of their Bethany friends. Their email address is jonnmsn@ juno.com.

1985 Carl O. Tulee recently published two books in a series titled Time Gamblers.

The third book is scheduled to be released sometime in 2011.

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alumni news 1989 Erik Sundboom (’89) and Nancy Rimbergas were married on November 13, 2010, in Chicago, Illinois. Participating in the wedding party were: Tyler Johnson (’89), Rich Kottke (’89), Greg Frehner (’90), and Paul Krengel (’90).

Since graduating from Bethany and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Erik has worked internationally for a number of years and most recently throughout the Upper Midwest. Some of his hobbies include woodworking, fishing on Lake Michigan, and competitive skeet shooting. He and Nancy reside in Chicago, Illinois.

1991

welcomed home by his older sister, Katilyn (2). Sarah is the quality director for Cargill Salt/Deicing Technology. Eric is an Oracle business analyst for Ingersoll Rand.

1998 Benjamin Lemke recently moved to Marina Del Rey, California, where he is in his eighth year with the United States Air Force. Ben is currently a captain, actively building and launching satellites.

Jerome Wardlow has been married since July of 2008 to Angela (Laudon) Wardlow. He currently works as a special education teacher at Pulaski High School and serves as the varsity softball coach at Lifelong Learning High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jerome and Angela are blessed with a two-year old daughter named Leigha.

RaeAnne (Driscoll) Besser was recently a contestant on Wheel of

2001 Miranda (Umphrey) Dittmer gave birth to her second son, Aaron, on March 5, 2010. He was welcomed home by his older brother, Isaac (2). She continues to

Tara (Underdahl) Parmenter is married and has two boys: Eli (8), and Levi (2). She is a stay-at-home mom in Chaska, Minnesota, and she loves to share Tastefully Simple products as an independent consultant.

Fortune. The episode will air on Tuesday, April 19, 2011. Her husband, Steve Besser, parents, and in-laws all made the trek to Los Angeles, California, for the filming.

1994

Mary Finck was married to Rick Reinke on July 17, 2010, in Willow Creek, Minnesota. Rachel (Gregor)

Tiffany (Britt) Vaughn is still residing in Marion, Alabama, where she serves as the library director for the Marion-Perry County Library. She celebrated ten years of marriage on April 1, 2010. She has a son, Isaac, who is now six years old. He is the delight of her life. She volunteers as a board member for the Perry County Chamber of Commerce and serves on the West Alabama Literacy Council. She loves to bake and cook in her free time, and would love to hear from any Bethany classmates.

John and Wendy (Wurster) Graf announce the birth of their child, Ginger Mae, who was born in September 2010.

1996 Sarah (Bell) Hubert and her husband, Eric, announce the birth of their second child, Skylor, in December 2010. He was

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2007 teach 1st grade at Mt. Olive Lutheran School in Mankato, Minnesota.

2003 Brandon Mustful became engaged to Shelly Morgan in November 2010. They will be getting married on June 25, 2011.

2005 Wayne and Kendra (Bryant) Christensen welcomed their son, Bennett Connor, to their family on January 16, 2010. They currently live in St. Paul Park, Minnesota, where they both work for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Liz (Hellmann) Hackenmueller earned her masters degree in healthcare administration from the University of Minnesota in May 2010. Liz and her husband, Jesse (’03), have since moved to Boise, Idaho, were Liz works as an administrative fellow at Saint Alphonsus Health System and Jesse is a physical education teacher in the Boise school district.

Baerbock (’07) and Erin Reed (’07) participated in the wedding. Mary is working toward a practical nursing degree from South Central College in North Mankato, Minnesota. Rick works as a farmer and is employed by Syngenta. The couple resides in Amboy, Minnesota.

Brian Bartelt is now working as a 911 dispatcher for LaCrosse County in Wisconsin. He lives in Onalaska, Wisconsin, with his wife, Josie, and two children: Emily (3) and Joseph (1).

report | april 2011

alumni news 2008

2009

Becky Breitbarth and Noah Rogness were married on September 4, 2010, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fairmont, Minnesota.

Katie Lange (’09) and Michael Breitbarth (’08) participated in the ceremony.

The couple lives in Alexandria, Virginia. Becky is press secretary for Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Noah is a Sergeant First Class stationed at the Pentagon working for the Office of the Chief of Chaplains.

Zachary Pieper and Jenna Bohn (’09) were married on a rainy June 12, 2010, in Cambridge, Minnesota, surrounded by many wonderful friends and family. Zach is currently working for Target Corporation as a senior business analyst and Jenn is the owner of ElisePhotography. The

Aaron Deutchman is scheduled to graduate from Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering in May 2011.

Piepers live in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, with their Yorkie, Frankie.

Participating in the ceremony were: Bethany Ferkenstad (’09), Emilie Menges (’09), Ryan Riesop (’08), Ben Hughes (’09), Molly Erdman (’10), Ben Schroeder, Kelsey Marzolf, Kara Wilfahrt, Elisabeth Neumann, Stella Georgas, Trell Givens, and Jesse Becker.

2010 Abigail Popp recently received a full-time position as a radio personality at KDUZ/KARP radio in Hutchinson, Minnesota, where she interned during the summer of 2009. Popp graduated from Bethany with a double major in English and communication.

In Memoriam 1942 Dr. Lenore (Rickels) Salvaneschi, former history professor at Valparaiso University, died on November 20, 2010.

She had made her home in Louisville, Kentucky, where she lived in retirement until her death.

Dr. Salvaneschi earned her undergraduate degrees at Bethany Lutheran College and Valparaiso University.

Salvaneschi earned a Ph.D. in medieval history from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, in 1953. She was associated with the history department at Valparaiso as an instructor, assistant, and associate professor from 1950 until 1961. During the academic year 1956-57 she was a recipient of a post-doctoral Fulbright Fellowship and a post-doctoral grant from the American Association of University Women for study in 14th Century law

in Bologna, Italy. During the summer of 1958 she was a recipient of a grant from Valparaiso University for study at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece. From 1963 until 1969 Salvaneschi was associated with Mary Mount College, Palos Verdes, California, (1968-69 Loyola Marymount, Los Angeles) as associate then full professor and chairperson of the department of history.

During her academic career, Dr. Salvaneschi belonged to the American Historical Association, the Medieval Academy of America, and the Renaissance Society of America. In 1969, she was listed in the first edition of “Who’s Who in American Women.”

Cordelia (Streufert) Koepke was called to her heavenly home on February 27, 2011.

1948 Rev. Iver C. Johnson was born on August 16, 1924, in Parkland, Washington. He passed away on December 30, 2010, in Lake Mills, Wisconsin.

Iver graduated with the first class from Bethany Lutheran Seminary in 1948.

Following approximately ten years at parishes at Lime Creek and Lake Mills, Iowa, he spent the next nine years as the high school dept. principal and as college professor and choir director at Bethany.

His brothers David (’48) (deceased), Walter (’47), and sister Ingeborg Wilking (’59) also attended Bethany. A third brother, Dan, resides in Tennessee. He is survived by his wife, Joan, six children, sixteen grandchildren, and two greatgrandchildren. Bethany always remained dear to his heart.

We want to hear from you alumni

news education that lasts beyond a lifetime

We need your personal and professional updates to include in our alumni news.

You may also submit alumni news and photos by emailing them to alumni@blc.edu, or through our Web site at www.blc.edu/submitnews.

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Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities MN PERMIT No. 90100

700 Luther Drive Mankato, Minnesota 56001-6163 education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Calendar of Events april 18 Baseball at St. Thomas St. Paul, Minn., 3 p.m.

18 Senior Art Lecture, YFAC, , 7 p.m.

19 Softball at Martin Luther Double Header (DH) New Ulm, Minn., 3 p.m.

19 Spring Honors Recital Trinity Chapel, 7 p.m.

21 Softball at Northwestern (DH) Roseville, Minn., 3 p.m.

22 Softball at Crown (DH) St. Bonifacius, Minn., 1 p.m.

22 Baseball at Northwestern Roseville, Minn., 3 p.m.

23 Baseball at Northwestern (DH) Roseville, Minn., Noon 25 Softball at Presentation Aberdeen, S.D., 3 p.m.

25 Softball vs. MN-Morris Aberdeen, S.D., 3 p.m.

28 Spring Student Art Show Reception and Awards, YFAC Gallery, 7 p.m.

29 Baseball vs. Crown, 3 p.m.

29 Softball vs. Crown, 4 p.m.

29 Softball vs. Northwestern, 7 p.m.

30 Softball vs. Northland, Noon 30 Baseball vs. Crown (DH), Noon 30 Softball vs. St. Scholastica, 4 p.m.

may 1 Baseball vs. Gustavus (DH), 1 p.m.

3 Baseball vs. St. Olaf (DH), 2:30 p.m.

5 Directors’ Showcase, Lee Theater, 7 p.m.

6 Softball UMAC Tournament Duluth, Minn.

6, 7 Baseball at MN-Morris Morris, Minn., 3 p.m./Noon 12 Baseball UMAC Championships Duluth, Minn., 4 p.m.

12 Commencement Vespers Service Trinity Chapel, 7:30 p.m.

13 Commencement Younge Gym, 10:30 a.m.

Job Openings Admissions Counselor (two positions)

Responsible to the Dean of Admissions for recruiting students who will develop and succeed in the Bethany Lutheran College environment.

Start date: July 1, 2011

Resident Manager (men’s residence hall)

Responsible to the Dean of Student Services to create and encourage a positive residential learning experience with academic, spiritual, social, and personal growth.

Start date: July 1, 2011

Apartment Manager (women’s apartment complex)

Responsible to the Dean of Student Services to create and encourage a positive residential learning experience with academic, spiritual, social, and personal growth.

Start date: July 1, 2011 More information and how to apply is available at www.blc.edu/jobs.

Save the dates!

Joel Laube Memorial Golf Tournament............................June 3, 2011 Bethany Golf Classic....................August 1, 2011 Registration information will be available soon.

For more calendar events, visit: www.blc.edu

Key: SFC – Sports and Fitness Center; YFAC – Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center. Dates and times are subject to possible changes.

Please call in advance to confirm dates and times of events before traveling: 800.944.3066 or 507.344.7000.

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