Bethany Magazine - July 2017

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LUTHER’S HOMELAND Page 12

Join us the weekend of September 29–October 1, 2017, for the Bethany Fall Festival and Homecoming Weekend. This event includes activities for all ages and alumni reunions. All Bethany graduates are welcome to attend the homecoming celebration while graduating classes ending in the numbers “2” or “7” will celebrate their special reunions.

blc.edu/fall-festival

The Bjarne Wollan Teigen

Reformation Lectures October 26–27, 2017 Bethany Lutheran College S.C. Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center www.blc.edu/reformation-lectures

Luther’s Three Treatises: The Reformation Platform 1. To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation Professor Emeritus Erling Teigen, Bethany Lutheran College 2. The Babylonian Captivity of the Church Dr. Erik Herrmann, Associate Professor of Historical Theology Concordia Seminary, St. Louis 3. The Freedom of a Christian—Rev. James Langebartels St. John’s Lutheran Church, Rib Lake, Wisconsin

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table of

contents SPIRITUAL LIFE ____________________________

ATHLETICS ____________________________

4 FROM THE PRESIDENT

18 ATHLETIC HONORS

What makes Bethany so special?

Winter and spring sports achievements and results

FACULTY & STAFF ____________________________

ALUMNI ____________________________

6 FROM OUR FACULTY & STAFF

16 BROADCASTING HIS LOVE OF THE GAME

Recent accomplishments of individuals employed at Bethany

Halvorsen went from intern to Broadcast Manager for Minnesota Twins

7 MOVING ON AND IN

Those leaving Bethany and new employees joining the faculty and staff

24 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD

CAMPUS NEWS ____________________________

27 RETROSPECT

Judy Kuster is 2017 recipient Commencement has changed a bit over the years, but the procession still begins at Old Main. Do you recognize any of these faces?

8 THOSE FAMOUS RUDYISMS Recounting humorous stories of Professor Emeritus Rudy Honsey

10 REMEMBERING RUDY HONSEY

Beloved professor passes away at 98

19 SINGING IN PARTS Hymns recorded in chapel as part of CELC video

20 INVESTIGATING A CAREER IN LAW

Recent graduate interns at Georgetown

21 SPEECHLESS TURNS FIVE Film festival continues to grow and finds new home in Mankato

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CLASS ACT Theatre students produce show and perform it at area grade schools

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All contents Š COPYRIGHT 2017 Bethany Lutheran College. Articles, images or photographs may not be reproduced without written permission. The Bethany

Magazine is published three times yearly by the Bethany Lutheran College Office of Institutional Communication and distributed free of charge.

editor, writer | Lance Schwartz designer, photographer | David Norris

Please direct all correspondence, letters, news, corrections, and comments to: Bethany Lutheran College Bethany Magazine 700 Luther Drive Mankato, MN 56001-6163 Email: editor@blc.edu Phone: 507.344.7000 | 800.944.3066

Mission: Bethany Lutheran College is a Christian

liberal arts college owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod and committed to the teachings of the Bible as expressed in the statements of faith known as the Lutheran Confessions.

Bethany Lutheran College provides Christian higher education in a challenging academic environment where personal mentoring guides students to pursue knowledge, truth, and discernment for productive and fulfilling lives.

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from the

president

BY G E N E PFE I FE R • PR E SI D ENT, B E TH A N Y LU TH ER A N CO LLEG E

‘What’s so special about Bethany?’

Chapel devotion – May 5, 2017 Romans 8: 1. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

We’ve recently been working on articulating the identity – or perhaps you’d say the niche – of Bethany Lutheran College.

From visiting with our constituents, we’ve identified Bethany’s niche as: 1. being a center for excellence in academics; 2. placing a priority on personal mentoring of students; 3. providing opportunities for students to identify and develop their God-given gifts and talents; 4. impacting the lives of students through our caring Christian community; 5. and most importantly, producing compassionate graduates firmly grounded in the Christian faith and teaching who reflect Christ’s love with integrity, character, and unshakable values.

These identity statements provide a common language to describe how Bethany is to be perceived both internally and to the broad audience that does not know us.

I recently met a potential benefactor of the College for the first time.

You can imagine my amazement when this individual said to me, “So what’s Bethany’s niche in higher education?”

I quickly rattled off the first four vision statements.

And then came the fifth – do I dare get into “it” without knowing this person’s background? In the back of my mind was a recent study that said 26% of Americans don’t believe in God, and that many more are “closet atheists.” I ended up saying something like … “You need to understand that Bethany is a Christian college, so at Bethany we aspire to produce graduates who reflect God’s love in their lives.”

I concluded that he understood what I was saying because he nodded. As I reflect back on that interaction, my takeaway is that going forward I’m going to be bolder. We need to share with people that Bethany is all about preparing graduates who reflect Christ’s love in their lives. Communicating that gives us the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus’ love with someone who quite possibly might not understand.

Examine the words of our text again. That is an amazing statement.

As a matter of fact, in sharing the selected text with Chaplain Moldstad he commented by saying to me, “Great verse. It’s what I want on my 4

tombstone.” Think about it. The verse provides the comfort that every Christian needs. But to get the full power of God’s love in our lives you first have to understand the conjunctive adverb that begins the verse, “Therefore!”

If the theme of Romans chapter eight is God’s demonstration of His love for us by showing us a Savior, to grasp the full significance, you first have to understand Romans chapter seven that shows us our sins.

Romans chapter seven contains the Apostle Paul’s description of his own struggle with sin. He writes starting in verse 21, “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law, but I see another

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law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.”

Like Luther we fall to our knees and humbly acknowledge before God our unworthiness. Paul concludes near the end of chapter seven, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

And then Paul responds to his own question, “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

C.F.W. Walther explains Paul’s words in chapter seven in this way, “What the apostle actually says in this text is that sin shall not be able to dominate Christians. It is absolutely impossible that a person who is in a state of grace should be ruled by sin.”

Walther goes on to give this illustration, “A pilgrim traveling on a lonely road, when attacked by a highway man, escapes from him at the first opportunity.

He does not want to be overcome and slain. Christians are pilgrims through this world on their way to heaven. The devil, like a highway robber, assaults them, and they go down before him because of their weakness, not because they meant to go down. To a true Christian this fall is forgiven because he turns to God in daily repentance with tears or at least heartfelt signs for pardon.”

So while we live in God’s grace, we acknowledge a just God’s demand for perfection, daily admit our violation of God’s law, and plead for his forgiveness.

For sinners like us, the name of Jesus Christ is sweet music to our ears. On Easter Sunday the Christian church united in praising God for the gift of His Son who overcame death by declaring victory over the devil and rising to life again – proving that because He lives – we can be confident we, too, will live again.

And so is the significance of our text. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation (there is no longer a declaration by a just God that we are doomed to the punishment of eternal death) because we are [covered] by the work of Christ Jesus.”

So now despite our human condition and daily need for forgiveness, we live in the assurance of God’s grace. There is no condemnation because we live by faith in the work of Christ Jesus. That’s what it means when we say that at Bethany we aspire to produce graduates who reflect Christ’s love in their lives!

And now with that assurance we can say the Christian church has a niche. Bethany Lutheran College has a niche. The Christian church and all believers have an important role to play in God’s kingdom on earth.

S PI R ITUA L LI FE

We rejoice in the fact we have a Savior from sin, and we heed the Great Commission to go and teach all nations the Christian church’s niche – that is the Gospel message – “The One Thing Needful.”

Yes, I’m going to be bolder in the future. To a fallen world that desperately needs to know this message of sin and forgiveness in Christ, we all need “to reflect Christ’s love to the world with integrity, with character, and with unshakable Christian values until the end when Christ takes all of His believers to be with Him in heaven.”

May God give each of us the strength and the zeal to do so. Amen.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, we praise and thank you for the undeserved love you have shown us in the gift of your Son, Jesus, as our Savior. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who instills in us saving faith in your gospel message through the sacrifice of your son, Jesus. We rejoice in this gift and are comforted by the eternal peace that comes through knowing you as Lord and King. Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of Christian higher education through Bethany Lutheran College and its two-fold mission that not only prepares young people for lives of Christian vocation, but, most importantly, shares your gospel message – “The One Thing Needful.” Continue to use each of us, and Bethany Lutheran College, as your messengers each day so that we may be a blessing to others and to the growth of your kingdom. We ask these things in the name of your Son, our Savior. Amen.

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From our faculty & staff Bethel Balge (Music) attended a Steinway Conference entitled “Keys to Finding Funds” in New York City from February 22-24, 2017. (Related story on page 22) Bethel Balge

Glenda Bossow (Science) earned a master’s degree in chemistry in May 2017 with a specialty in chemical education through South Dakota State University. Bossow Glenda Bossow wrote, administered, and defended an action research project entitled “Essential Laboratory Skills in an Introductory College General Chemistry Course.”

Lucas Fricke (Spanish) was recently featured and published in a literary magazine in Colombia called Revista Cronopio.

A former professor of Fricke’s, Eduador Espina, Lucas Fricke wrote about a new genre of literature in which writers publish items of popular culture in their non-native language. A short story Fricke wrote called “Y el décismo ¿dónde está?” was chosen as an example of how a non-native can offer new insights on a distinct culture in the use of language and humor.

Mark DeGarmeaux (Religion) was one of the speakers for the Emmaus Conference in Tacoma, Washington, on April 28, 2017. He spoke on “U. V. Koren: an Unsuspecting Mark DeGarmeaux American Luther.” He also played organ for an Easter Hymn Festival after the conference, featuring hymns and music from the Reformation to the 21st century, and led an organist workshop during the conference. He also played for church services during the visit, and preached for the 25th anniversary of ordination of Bethany College and Seminary alumnus Pastor Alex Ring.

Stacey Dawley (Business Office) earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bethany this past May. Dawley has been employed in the

Benji Inniger (Theatre) and seven BLC students participated in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Des Moines, Iowa, January 22-28, 2017.

Benji Inniger Jemimah Cordes, Hailey Dick, Lydia Lonnquist, and David Roemhildt were nominated for the Irene Ryan Scholarship program and participated in that audition process with their acting partners Hans Bloedel, Beret Ouren, and Peter Bloedel Amir Trotter. Ouren also entered her sound design for Icehouse into the National Design Expo. Inniger taught workshops on the creation of foley sound effects and music composition for theatre, and was an assistant director for the new National JFK Plays initiative. Special merit awards were given to Peter Bloedel (Theatre)

Stacey Dawley

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business office for the past twelve years and is also an accounting graduate from South Central College. Dawley’s daughter also attends Bethany.

for achievement in scenic design for Icehouse, the cast for ensemble acting for Icehouse, and Bloedel and Emily Kimball (Theatre) for playwriting of Aboveboard. AboveEmily Kimball board will be published by Playscripts, Inc. located in New York City. Additionally, Bloedel’s play A Seussifed Pride and Prejudice has also been published by Playscripts, Inc. Andy Krueger, Dean Shoop, and Jeff Younge (Business) attended a one day conference in Minneapolis on “How Behavioral Biases Influence Financial Decisions.”

The conference was presented by the Certified Financial Analyst Society of Minnesota. The business administration program also hosted a group of 31 students and 10 business community members for a golf event on April 18, 2017. The event included Bethany alumni Bruce Gratz, Chris Harstad, Jack Steffl, and Brooke Townsend (Osmundson).

The students had a great experience networking with the business partners.

Jon Loging (Communication) and Ryan MacPherson (History) have been awarded sabbaticals for the 2017-18 academic year. Loging will be making improvements

Andy Krueger

Dean Shoop

Jeff Younge

Jon Loging

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to the Bethany Speech Team and designing new public speaking curriculum for the College. MacPherson intends to pursue research, publishing, and public speaking opportuRyan MacPherson nities concerning topics related to marriage, public policy, and Christianity—aiming to complete a book that he has been drafting on these topics.

MacPherson presented “What to Do When Anti-Christian Worldviews Infiltrate the Classroom” at the 2017 San Antonio Biblical Worldview Conference, hosted by Pastor David Thompson (BLC Regent) at Faith Lutheran Church.

MacPherson also presented a paper entitled “The Bible and Bioethics” at the University Faculty for Life (UFFL) national conference.

UFFL also sponsors an annual essay contest,

which two BLC students won in prior years.

Lance Schwartz (Institutional Communication) accompanied students to two events focused on the Minnesota State Grant.

Bethany students Jennifer Hopp and Rebekka Olsen, together with students Lance Schwartz from Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU), and South Central College (SCC), met with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education Commissioner Larry Pogemiller on March 20, 2017, at South Central College. Over 200 students at Bethany receive a Minnesota State Grant. Schwartz also accompanied Bethany students Megan Cavanaugh and John Wagner to the annual Minnesota Private College’s “Day at the Capitol” on March 21, 2017.

RETIRING FROM BETHANY

Paulette Booker

Tatjana Durand

Adrian Lo

Juel Merseth

Lynette Merseth

An article written

by Amanda Quist (Media Arts) entitled “Developing Expressive Ani-morphs” was published in the March 2017 issue of Animation, an interdisciAmanda Quist plinary journal that covers animation, film, and media studies and is published by SAGE Publications. The article looks very closely at the morph in animation (ani-morph) and provides a critical systematization of this technique that allows for direct comparison of one such transformation to another. This taxonomical framework reveals the ways in which the ani-morph has developed stylistically since its invention, and is ultimately instructive in predicting the future of the photo-real or digital morph.

The close of the 2016-17 school year is bringing some changes to the campus.

We recognize and thank the following retirees: • Paulette Tonn Booker (17 Years) – Director of Human Resources • Tatjana Durand (27 Years) – Spanish • Adrian Lo (21 Years) – Music • Juel Merseth (10 Years) – Director of Maintenance • Lynette Merseth (21 Years) Executive Assistant to the President

WELCOME NEW EMPLOYEES As familiar faces leave the campus, new ones arrive. We also welcome these new employees: • Benjamin Faugstad – Music • Dr. Jason Lowrey – Dean of Faculty • Rev. Nicholas Proksch – Religious Studies • Rev. Andrew Schmidt – Dean of Students Benjamin Faugstad • Stacy Tomhave – Registrar

Jason Lowrey

Nicholas Proksch

Andrew Schmidt

Stacy Tomhave

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Those Famous

Rudyisms

Bethany archive photo

BY E R LI N G T E I G E N • PR O FE S S O R E M ER I T U S

Professor Honsey (right) was held in high regard by many students.

Rudolph Honsey was one of the most memorable professors to have taught at Bethany Lutheran College and Seminary. His students always treated him with respect — one simply couldn’t call him anything other than Professor Honsey. But out of his presence, he had to be referred to as “Rudy.”

One can gather from the Bethany student newspaper, The Scroll, of the late 1930s that already then, Honsey’s contemporaries regarded him affectionately, and also knew that he could take some ribbing. One of his contemporaries, Eugene “Tarz” Luth, needled Rudy in a Bethany Scroll column with a yarn about Rudy’s “Portable Post-Hole Theory.” “It goes like this,” he wrote. “If you dig a hole in the ground for a post, you have a hole. But if you put a post in that hole, there is no longer a hole there, because the post fills it up. Therefore, if the hole is no longer there, you can take it, and use it for another post and so on down the line until you have all the post-holes you need. Catch on? If not just mail a post-card to Honsey Portable Post-Hole Co., Inc., St. Peter, Minn., and you will be sent a little fifty-page booklet entitled Portable Post-Holes, Their Advantages and Disadvantages.” (Scroll, January 1940, p. 5) Rudy was famous for his memory of baseball scores, players’ names, and other trivia. What isn’t so well known is Rudy’s coaching career.

According to the March 1950 Scroll, “By mutual agreement, the high school team of last year chose a new coach. This year they appointed Prof. Rudolph Honsey to head the baseball division of the high school.”

Nothing in the Scroll or Fidelis provides information on the success of 8

the season.

Since he was ready to begin seminary a few years before the Norwegian Synod established its own seminary (1946) Rudy attended Concordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis, where most of the young men from the synod were being trained.

Rudy completed his seminary training at Concordia, but did not have a chance to take up the work he was trained for until 1962. As the enrollment at Bethany swelled after World War II, qualified faculty members were needed, so the young theologian was placed at the synod’s high school and college. After two years at Bethany, he was made a permanent member of the faculty. He earned a master of arts degree in Scandinavian Studies at the University of Minnesota.

Through the 1940s and 50s, he taught various courses at Bethany, ancient and modern humanities, Hebrew, Norwegian, and German, as well as various religion courses. That was this writer’s first experience with him as a high school junior. While many at Bethany have taught in a multitude of disciplines, Rudy Honsey has to rank near the top in the breadth of his teaching experience.

During the next four years, I believe that I had him

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for one course or another every semester, which provided more than a few “Honsey stories.” One of the more memorable ones was the humanities class where the Professor was explaining Zeno’s paradox, the one that says, you cannot go from point A to point B because first you must traverse half the distance, then half of the remaining difference, then half of that, and so on, always with something left over. Rudy’s refutation of Zeno consisted of taking off his glasses and walking into the black board.

Inside and outside of the class In Rudy’s classes, there was a steady stream of puns, demonstrations of palindromes (“Madam, I’m Adam”) and other linguistic jokes, and sight gags (backing away from the black board, bumping into the map-stand, and turning to the map saying “excuse me.” One my favorite Honsey puns, however, came from time spent at Hay Lake in northern Minnesota where the Teigens and Honseys had summer cabins.

On one occasion, one of the Teigen boys forgot to return the drain plug to the Teigen boat before anchoring it near the dock. Not much later, the rear of the boat had filled and sunk to the bottom with only the bow visible. Rudy happened along and observed, “I see what we have here is a “Teigenanic.”

Campus Day (a day set aside for the students and faculty to spruce up the grounds) was also a time when Rudy expressed his uniqueness. For a number of years in the 1950s, he came to Campus Day dressed in bib overalls, white shirt and tie, brown suitcoat and red baseball cap. It was fun to work on his crew because there were stories, baseball stats and jokes, along with a few reminders here and there to stick to work.

In 1962, as the College was working to strengthen its faculty credentials, Rudy finally had the chance to advance his scholarship, and study at Brandeis University. A church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was vacant, so Rudy resigned from Bethany and was called to serve the congregation while he studied.

During that time he earned a master of arts in Mediterranean studies and had begun his doctoral studies, completing the course work, but not the dissertation.

But then, Bethany suddenly was in need of someone to teach Hebrew and Old Testament courses, so he was called back to Mankato. That he was so near completing his doctoral work was a deep disappointment, but that part of Rudy’s career underlines the servant quality so many recognized in him.

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After returning to Bethany in 1966, Rudy served as a full time faculty member until the late 1980s, when he began a period of part time teaching until 1996. Thus with his service from 1945 to 1962, and 1966 to 1996 covered 47 years. In 1995, the Board of Regents granted him the Professor Emeritus title.

The college archives reveal some other things about Honsey. Rudy was often elected secretary of various committees of the College. Most notable were his secretary’s minutes for the Faculty Assembly and the Religion Division. They were impeccably complete, fulfilling the fondest dreams of an archivist/researcher. Over the years, when I researched a number of issues that later administrations and committees needed to understand, the Honsey minutes left no mysteries open.

An often-mentioned Honsey experience was the summer Hebrew course he taught for seminary bound students. Some on campus dubbed students taking the course “Rudy’s Hebes.” The students who were enrolled in the course, meeting four hours a day, five days a week, for six weeks, described it as being exhausting, mentally draining, and yet a fun and rewarding experience. Judging from papers later presented at conferences by those who had that course, along with seminary Old Testament courses, the labor was not in vain.

In later years, as his wife Betty’s health deteriorated and she grew more and more immobile, Rudy’s care of her was inspiring to many and not at all surprising. It was remarkable, and heart-warming to see Rudy drive their white VW wheelchair van into the church parking lot, and to manage the wheelchair lift and maneuver the wheelchair into the church.

For most alumni of Bethany, knowing (and reacquainting) with Rudy was about that instantaneous feeling of warmth when seeing him. A genuine, and happy greeting by name, and most likely a recollection of the class you were in with him, and quite possibly a remembering of other members of your family who attended Bethany. Very few were like him in that ability to recollect his students. Very few will be like him.

Bethany archive photo

Professor Honsey taught at both the College and Seminary during his time at Bethany.

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Bethany archive photo

Betty and Rudy Honsey in 2008.

1918-2017

Rudolph Honsey Rudolph Honsey, 98, died Thursday, May 11, 2017, in Mankato. Funeral services were held on Thursday, May 25, 2017, at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Mankato with the Revs. John Petersen and Luke Ulrich, officiating.

Rudolph Edgar Honsey was born on September 9, 1918, on a farm north of Lake Mills, Iowa, to Oliver and Nelsine (Stene) Honsey. He was baptized in infancy in the Lutheran faith at Lime Creek Lutheran Church, where the Evangelical Lutheran Synod had been recently formed. He graduated from Lake Mills High School and attended Bethany Lutheran College. He received a Bachelor of Divinity degree in Old Testament from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 1945. He also attended several other universities, including the University of Minnesota, where he received a master of arts in Scandinavian Studies in 1955, and Brandeis University, where he received a master of arts in Mediterranean Studies in 1966.

Honsey was a professor at Bethany Lutheran College from 1945 to 1962 and from 1966 to 1996. He taught a variety of classes during those years, including Hebrew, Greek, Latin, German, Norwegian and Religion. For approximately 20 years, he taught summer classes in Biblical Hebrew to prepare students for the seminary. He also taught Old Testament at Bethany Lutheran Seminary. He was known in the faculty 10

lounge for his ability to give the batting average of any number of professional baseball players on any given day.

Professor Honsey loved his students. He injected humor, insight and an occasional pun into the learning experience. In 2010, the academic center at Bethany Lutheran College was named in his honor. He felt humbled and grateful for that honor.

Rudolph was ordained into the ministry and served as pastor of Harvard Street Lutheran Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from 1962 to 1966. He also served several churches as a vacancy pastor. He is the author of a commentary on the book of Job in “The People’s Bible” series. He was also on a committee for revising William Beck’s “An American Translation” of the Bible.

On August 6, 1950, Rudolph married Elizabeth Ann Lillegard at Harvard Street Lutheran Church. Her father, the Rev. George O. Lillegard, performed the ceremony. Their marriage was blessed with five children, and was centered in faithful service to God and to each other.

Shortly after their 50th wedding anniversary in August of 2000, Rudolph and Elizabeth moved to Mankato Lutheran Home (now Ecumen Pathstone Living). In his retirement, Rudolph enjoyed church services, visiting with family and friends, reading, listening to music, and watching news and sports.

For several years, Rudolph occasionally conducted chapel services at Pathstone.

Surviving are his five children: Judith (James) Haaland of Frost, Minn.; Carole Falconer of Bloomington, Minn.; Philip (Cynthia) Honsey of Grove City, Ohio; Ellen (Jack) York of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Ralph (Robyn) Honsey of Centennial, Colo..

Also surviving are nine grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren as well as sisters-in-law Dorothy Honsey, Laura Lillegard, and Alice (Dan) Maxfield, brothers-in-law David (Ione) Lillegard, Norman (Diane) Lillegard, and many nieces and nephews.

Rudolph was preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth on January 10, 2012; his parents; two brothers, Conrad and Joseph Honsey; sisters and spouses Thelma (Bjarne) Dahl, Naomi (Neville) Dakken, and Barbara (Woodrow) Chrz; and his son-in-law, Gary Falconer.

Knowing he was a sinner who was saved by the grace of God through faith in his one and only Savior, Jesus Christ, Rudolph looked forward to eternal life in Heaven.

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Class Act

Photos by Benji Inniger

BY L A N C E S C H WA R T Z • D I R EC TO R O F I N S T I T U T I O N A L COM MU N I C AT I O N

Bethany students involved with the class production included: Hans Bloedel, Patti Lilienthal, Eyosias Mamo, Anna Meyer, Beret Ouren, David Roemhildt, Sarah Roemhildt, Jon Smith, Tessa Snyder, Amir Trotter, and Noella Wigtil.

Theatre class production performed at local schools

Students at St. Paul’s Lutheran School in New Ulm, Minnesota, were treated to a show by the students from Bethany.

Several Bethany theatre students took part in the new touring children’s theatre class in May 2017. These students helped to create the script and all of the design elements for a new play called Rope Day. The group performed at eight local grade schools, the North Mankato Taylor Library, and offered a performance at Bethany that was attended by 230 elementary school students and their teachers.

Every performance ended with a structured question and answer session, and the kids got to hear about what our students love about Bethany and what makes it great. Faculty supervisor Benji Inniger noted, “I had the pleasure of listening to the kids chatter about how excited they were about theatre, Bethany, and our students… it was a very successful new venture!

Bethany students Hans Bloedel (left) and Amir Trotter during a performance.

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The Land ofLuther Choir, alumni, and friends visit Germany

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Through the eyes of the director

BY D E N N I S M A R ZO LF • MU S I C

On Sunday, May 14, 2017, seventy-three members of the extended Bethany family stumbled into the venerable university city of Erfurt, Germany, for the first chapter of what would be twelve days of learning, performing, reflection, and fun with friends.

2017 commemorates the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation with the posting of Luther’s ninety-five theses opposing the sale of indulgences. That era– only five hundred years ago–witnessed the rise of many prophets who called for change in church and society. Luther is celebrated this year, all over the world, but especially in Germany, and even more especially in the heart of Germany where his work is celebrated for its social merit (the development of the German language and the sense of the significance of the individual, especially because of his understanding of good news from God that was directed equally to every person) and for his epochal importance to the development of European political individuality.

At the same time his unappealing traits, especially his writings against the Jews, are seen by the Germans, and others, as a contributing factor to the sorrows of those who suffered at the hands of Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. That, too, is remembered this year.

We encountered many elements of the Luther story during our tour, and were able to lend our voices—students, friends, and alumni—to the halls of history where this drama unfolded: the chapel of Moritzburg Castle in Halle where Albrecht of Brandenburg, the source of the indulgence trade in Luther’s region, aggravated Luther; the Merchants’

Photo courtesy of Kristian Marzolf

Photo courtesy of Kristian Marzolf

The group in front of Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church) in Leipzig. This is where J.S. Bach (1685-1750) worked for twenty-seven years, and was buried.

Church in Erfurt where Luther preached and where J.S. Bach’s parents were married; St. Sebald in Nuremberg where the earliest Lutheran Mass was celebrated; the chapel in Altenburg Castle, the summer residence of Frederick the Wise; Luther’s baptismal church in Eisleben; the St. Nicholai church in Leipzig where Bach’s cantatas and oratorios were performed and where the revolution for the reform of communist socialism of the 1980s found a sanctuary; the Paul Gerhardt chapel in his birthplace of Graifenhainichen; the Frauenkirche in Dresden, and the Castle Church in Wittenberg.

The singing was memorable, and a worthy complement to a daily regimen of touring and time for exploration in all of the commuPhoto courtesy of Susan Harstad nities on our tour: Erfurt, Eisenach, Wartburg, Eisleben, Weimar (the city of Cranach, Inside the very ornate Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), Dresden.

Goethe and Schiller) and the suburban Buchenwald, Halle (with the Handel House and the Francke Institutes), Wittenberg, Dresden (Kreuzkirche, Frauenkirche, Cathedral, Zwinger and Castle museums), Altenburg, and Nuremberg (city of Dürer, and site of the Nazi rallies).

Every day was full, and the time passed quickly for Bethany students, parents, alumni, and friends.

I’ve heard it said that “travel makes us wiser, but not necessarily happier.” I’m not sure if that applies to everything that we were able to cram into those days in May, but I know that the trip has made me a more thoughtful citizen of our world and of our church. I’m thankful for another opportunity to lead so many of our Bethany family on such a stimulating adventure.

N E X T PAG E : T H R O U G H T H E E Y E S O F A N A LUM N A

Choir Director Dennis Marzolf on tour with choir members.

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Photo courtesy of Susan Harstad

The choir performing at Kaufmannskirche in Erfurt.

Through the eyes of an alumna

BY J E S S I C A W E R R E • CL A S S O F 2 0 1 2

“I can’t wait for choir tour!”

As a graduate of five years, I didn’t suspect I would ever hear myself excitedly exclaiming these words again. But here I was, chatting over Skype with a good friend and fellow Bethany alumna. And we were all set to join the Bethany Choir’s 2017 tour in Germany on the 500th anniversary year of the Lutheran Reformation.

As a student, choir tour was the light at the end of the long tunnel of stress, projects, finals, no sleep, and did I mention stress? It was the glorious kickstart to a golden summer ahead. It was the end of The Return of the King: it’s over, the One Ring has been destroyed and now everyone feels like laughing and tucking in to second breakfasts again.

It was time with friends sans homework, exams, and conflicting class schedules. And, of course, doing what we love best, singing and sharing our passion for Bethany with others. This was how I had come to know choir tour as a student. Now I would get to experience choir tour as an alumna.

Our first concert was on our second evening in Germany at the Kaufmannskirche in Erfurt. During rehearsal, I found I easily slipped right back into the alto section (perhaps being a choir member is like Narnia “once a king or queen of Narnia…always a king or queen…”) As soon as we began singing, I was reminded what a privilege it is to be a part of the Bethany Choir. That evening, I was proud to see several other alumni and non-students also donning red polos. How neat it was that though the Truth of God’s Word is nearly all but lost in Germany, it again rang out with the voices of our choir. And not only in Erfurt but other places of Lutheran Reformation fame, such as the Castle Church (or Schlosskirche) in Wittenberg. It is simply stunning to hear On My Heart Imprint Thine Image echo through the soaring arches and vaults of those ancient German churches.

The mix of students and non-students enhanced my travel experience.

In the non-student group there were Bethany graduates such as myself, but also a number of family members of the students. For family of students as well as friends of Bethany, a trip such as this is a wonderful 14

Photos courtesy of Susan Harstad

Above: Announcement for the Bethany Lutheran College Choir’s concert at St. Mary Magdalene’s Chapel in Halle.

Below: The choir during the performance.

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and reasonably-priced opportunity to travel. As a twenty-something myself, I was not much older than the students and getting to know them while exploring this new-to-us country was a pleasant experience.

This was especially true in the evenings when we were free to wander. In Erfurt, one evening began with searching for a restaurant for dinner, then a few of us fancied a trip to an ice cream shop. There, we ran into another group of Bethany people who told us about the beautiful sight of the cathedral lit up at night. Later that week, when we were in Dresden, a few of us loitered around the famous Semperoper opera house for rush tickets. While we waited, some of us chatted with an elderly American expatriate who revealed he had not returned to the States in over forty years. Some of us (ok, it was me) also got the experience of sipping Moet champagne in the gorgeous hall during intermission.

As our journey inevitably came to a close, I admit to being reluctant to return home. And, as we stood in line at the Icelandair check in at the Munich airport, a few of us chatting about the trip and future travel aspirations, it struck me how much I had enjoyed traveling as an alumna. There is so much value participating in a Bethany hosted trip as a student, but I am here to say it is not too bad after you graduate either!

It was a fantastic introduction to traveling in Europe, and if you are an alumnus/a and didn’t get a chance to travel while in school, or even if you did, this is an excellent opportunity. It’s a chance to feel like a student again (the fun bits, not the stressful bits). If you go, don’t forget your sense of adventure, and a really good pair of walking shoes.

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Photos courtesy of Susan Harstad

A memorial site for Lutheran minister and hymnwriter Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) in Gräfenheinichen.

Singing in the church of Luther’s baptism, St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Eisleben.

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BROADCASTING HIS

Love of the game Photos by David Norris

BY L A N C E S C H WA R T Z • D I R EC TO R O F I N S T I T U T I O N A L COM MU N I C AT I O N

Andrew Halvorsen at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins.

Halvorsen goes from intern to Broadcast Manager for Twins It’s been ten years since Andrew Halvorsen walked across the commencement stage at Bethany to accept his bachelor of arts in communication degree. Those ten years have seen a number of changes for Halvorsen, but the changes have almost always been for the positive.

Halvorsen’s degree in communication carried with it an emphasis in broadcast. Much of that emphasis was due to his work as a student on the Bethany produced and directed Maverick Hockey Broadcast (MHB).

MHB is a partnership with Minnesota State University, Mankato, which sees Bethany students, directed by BLC communication faculty and staff, producing live broadcasts of the Minnesota State hockey games played at the Verizon Center in Mankato.

In addition to the work Halvorsen did with MHB, he was fortunate to secure an internship with the Minnesota Twins professional baseball team as a senior. Bethany worked with Halvorsen to allow him to focus his academics on the internship solely during his senior year. That focus ultimately paid dividends for Halvorsen.

“I was fortunate to receive an internship with the Minnesota Twins in October of 2006 when I had nine credits remaining toward my BA. Bethany was gracious enough to work with me on those nine credits, so that I could focus entirely on my internship and still graduate in the spring of 2007. I am still thankful for the flexibility to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he explained.

Somewhere during the internship with the Twins, Halvorsen’s work ethic caught the eye of the Twins organization.

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Before each game Andrew Halvorsen hands out the schedule and checks in with the different broadcast partners.

“During the internship with the Twins, I continued with the same thought process I had while at Bethany, trying to challenge myself with every new experience that I possibly could. That mindset allowed me to develop my knowledge of producing stories and refining my technical proficiencies.

“After the internship, I was blessed to be hired parttime as the ‘Assistant to the Producer.’” (Halvorsen joked that he added the “to the” because he is a fan of popular TV series The Office).

Halvorsen held the role of ‘Assistant to the Producer’ for nine years.

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During those nine years, Halvorsen explained that he was able to make meaningful connections around the sports broadcast industry. In addition to working with the Twins, he expanded his portfolio working in engineering/production roles with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Gopher Sports, Learfield Communications, and Hubbard Broadcasting.

“Each of these opportunities enabled me to broaden my skillset and allowed me to gain perspective through unique experiences.”

Those experiences, and Halvorsen’s hard work paid off in December 2015, when he was hired full time with the Minnesota Twins as their Broadcast Coordinator.

“With the help of those throughout the Twins organization, I was able to make meaningful contributions to the Twins Radio and Television Broadcasts through community, marketing, season ticket, and corporate sponsorship opportunities.”

After the completion of the 2016 season, Halvorsen was promoted to Broadcast Manager –a role he continues in today.

Halvorsen thoroughly enjoys his work, something that is easy to see as he moved throughout the broadcast suite and the rest of Target Field during game day. It’s clear he’s a well-liked employee. He even received some good natured baseball clubhouse ribbing from members of the Twins’ broadcast team when they learned a writer and photographer from his alma mater were there to interview him.

Halverson’s work ethic is obvious at Target Field, where he’s quick to acknowledge the help of others.

“I wouldn’t be in the position I am today without the guidance of so many others.”

As Broadcast Manager, Halvorsen’s goal and charge is to ensure that the Twins brand and initiatives are delivered through all television and radio broadcasts.

He manages a group of talented individuals who help present that messaging across both platforms.

He also manages relationships with FOX Sports North, Learfield Communications, and Major League Baseball in order to utilize each other’s resources and platforms for mutual benefit.

“I love this job because every day is different. We are always looking for better or more unique ways to reach an audience. I sincerely enjoy collaborating with the team I manage, as well as other departments across the Twins organization. One lesson I always tell incoming interns is that we work as a team. A listener/viewer sees a mistake and doesn’t put blame

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Andrew Halvorsen in part of the radio broadcasting suite before game time.

on an individual…they just see a mistake. We all work together to put the next person in the best opportunity to succeed. As Tom Kelly (retired Twins Manager and two-time World Series champion) says, ‘we’re all in this boat together…everyone grab an oar.’”

“At the end of the day, I love telling stories…whether that be telling a story of the team’s success, why you should be interested in a Twins promotion, or explaining how a piece of technology works. The creative process in those stories always changes depending on your audience and medium in which you are delivering the message.”

Halvorsen fondly recalls his days at Bethany Lutheran College preparing for a career that he just might have been dreaming about as a child.

“My mom likes to tell a story of six-year-old Andrew Halverson reading the newspaper and telling her the updated standings, box scores, and story lines of the Minnesota Twins. She says that she quickly realized she better get in tuned with baseball since that was clearly a passion of mine from a young age. I guess that aspect hasn’t changed very much since those days.

“With regard to Bethany, I remember most the experiences and people. My closest friends are still the ones I made connections with in college and I don’t see that changing.”

Halvorsen says that Bethany students have a unique opportunity.

“Bethany is a smaller college in terms of students, but not in opportunities. I’m a big advocate of taking advantage of every opportunity that you can, not just to figure out what you want to do, but to also figure out what you don’t want to do. I was involved in a variety of activities while at Bethany and afterward I knew they were not my strengths.

However, I learned a lot from the people involved. It helped give me direction and expand my horizons through their perspectives.

“College is a great time to learn about yourself; the more you learn, the more confident you can be in what makes you unique. Always lean on the mentors and professors around you. They want you to succeed— use them and their advice. Above all, God always has a plan for you. I am extremely grateful for the blessings He has given me.”

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S R O N O H C I T E L ATH CAS

BY LU

MEN’S BASEBALL 22-19 (12-4) UMAC Brandyn Olsen (Blue Earth, Minn.) was named the 2017 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) pitcher of the year, leading a group of nine Viking baseball players who received postseason honors from the conference.

In addition to his pitcher of the year award, Olsen earned first team all conference honors, joining teammates Alex Babcock (Elk River, Minn.), John Brown (Lake City, Minn.), Jordan Grams (Mankato, Minn.), Cody Leitner (Red Wing, Minn.), and Trent Saharek (San Clemente, Calif.).

Olsen and Sararek were named to the NCAA Division III Midwest All Region second team as awarded by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), and Olsen was tabbed first team all Midwest region by D3baseball.com.

Nolan Grose (Waterville, Minn.) and Kevin Harris (El Paso, Texas) received honorable mention all conference honors.

MEN’S BASKETBALL 17-9 (12-4) UMAC Three Bethany Lutheran men’s basketball student-athletes received UMAC recognition in the conference’s postseason awards.

Senior Brandyn Frelix (Minneapolis, Minn.) was named UMAC player of the year and all conference first team. Frelix also earned third-team all region honors as recognized by d3hoops.com. Frelix becomes the first member in Bethany men’s basketball program history to be selected to an all region team since the award’s inception sixteen years ago. In addition to Frelix, 18

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juniors Neil Eichten (Wabasso, Minn.) and Brady Rose (Le Sueur, Minn.) were named all conference honorable mention. Rose was also named to the UMAC all defensive team for the second time in his career.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 13-14 (9-7) UMAC Two Bethany Lutheran women’s basketball student-athletes received UMAC recognition in the conference’s postseason awards.

Haley Sandin (Zimmerman, Minn.) was named all conference first team, while teammate Minnie Frederick-Childress (Flint, Mich.) was named to the all conference second team along with all UMAC defensive team honors.

WOMEN’S SOFTBALL 15-24 (8-8) UMAC Junior Anna Pipenhagen (Elk River, Minn.) was named first team all conference and all defensive team while senior teammate Christina Wickingson (Mason, Wis.) earned all conference honorable mention honors.

MEN’S TENNIS 10-13 (4-4) UMAC Senior Jacob Kubler (Shakopee, Minn.) along with juniors Andrew Jelken (Luverne, Minn.) and Dexter Jackson (Chicago, Ill.) received UMAC all conference recognition.

WOMEN’S TENNIS 4-18 (4-6) UMAC While the women’s tennis team enjoyed success on the court, there were no all conference selections for the Bethany team in 2017.

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MEN’S INDOOR AND OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD UMAC Indoor – Fourth Place Team UMAC Outdoor – Fourth Place Team Head Coach Michael Dunn – UMAC Coach of the Year Nicolas Bruss (Lafayette, Minn.), Kevin Harris (El Paso, Texas) Noah Larson (Appleton, Wis.), and Stefan Prince (Prior Lake, Minn.) earned all conference awards for their efforts during the 2017 season.

WOMEN’S INDOOR AND OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD UMAC Indoor – Third Place Team UMAC Outdoor – Second Place Team Head Coach Michael Dunn – UMAC Coach of the Year Lydia Hildebrandt (Mountain Lake, Minn.), Kari Marzinske (South St. Paul, Minn.), Megan Rutt (Le Center, Minn.), and Megan Sauer (Lismore, Minn.) each received all conference awards.

Also announced in May 2017, Sauer earned United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) all academic honors while both the Bethany men’s and women’s cross country teams achieved all academic team honors.

In order to earn the all academic honor as an individual, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) and finish in the top 25 percent at their respective region. For a team to be considered for this distinction, it must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA regional meet. The team must also have a minimum team GPA of 3.10 on a 4.0 scale.

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Singing in parts

Photos by David Norris

BY L A N C E S C H WA R T Z • D I R EC TO R O F I N S T I T U T I O N A L COM MU N I C AT I O N

Bethany student Tyler Voigt helped capture the hymn sing as part of a collaborative project of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference.

Hymns recorded in chapel as part of CELC video Bethany’s award winning production studio recorded a number of hymns connected to the Lutheran Reformation during a special chapel service in May 2017. The recording is being used in conjunction with a unique presentation of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference’s (CELC) Ninety-Five Theses for the 21st Century. Bethany Lutheran College is owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS), which is a member of the worldwide CELC association.

A committee of fifteen pastors from around the world who are members of the CELC put the new set of Ninety-Five Theses together.

They were prepared in conjunction with the Reformation 500 anniversary being observed in 2017. Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses to the Castle Church Door in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517.

According to the CELC, the “Ninety-Five Theses for the 21st Century, unlike Luther’s, present all the basic teachings of the Bible as confessed in the Lutheran Church. They are organized according to the outline of Luther’s Catechism, which to this day is treasured as a teaching tool in the churches of the CELC. “ “With these new Theses, the members of the CELC joyfully give united expression to what they have received as heirs of the Lutheran Reformation. They are thankful to God to be part of an international church fellowship that holds to the teachings of the Bible, focusing on salvation through Jesus Christ. They are eager to share their heritage with the world.”

Bethany’s studio director, Greg Vandermause, was traveling to Grimma, Germany, at press time to record the proceedings of the CELC

Kurt Shrader (left) moved Seth Grabow along on a dolly while filming one of the hymns in Trinity Chapel

convention and the unveiling of the Ninety-Five Theses for the 21st Century. He will be recording the reading of these new “theses” by leaders from the various churches that are members of the CELC during their convention being held June 28–July 2, 2017. The readings of the new theses, accompanied by hymns from the BLC chapel recording along with contributions from Martin Luther College, will be edited and arranged by the BLC studios for presentation on October 31, 2017. A formal announcement of the project is forthcoming.

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Photo courtesy of Rachel Melby

Rachael Melby (far right) with fellow interns in Washington D.C.

INVESTIGATING A CAREER IN LAW Graduate Rachael Melby interns at Georgetown

Rachael Melby is a December 2016 graduate of Bethany Lutheran College, and has set her sights on a career in law after spending the past semester at Georgetown University Law Center as an investigative intern. Bethany Magazine recently had the opportunity to ask Melby a few questions about her internship, future plans, and how her Bethany education helped to shape her career aspirations.

Tell us about your recent experiences after graduating from BLC. “A few weeks after my graduation from Bethany in December, I made the twenty-four hour drive to Washington, D.C., where I began working at Georgetown University Law Center as an investigative intern.

I was placed in the Criminal Defense and Prisoner Advocacy Clinic, and investigated criminal cases for two public defenders. I conducted field investigations, interviewed witnesses, took statements, served subpoenas, attended court proceedings, helped brainstorm defense theories, completed criminal background and social media checks, and canvassed crime scenes. It was an incredible, eye-opening experience that taught me so much about the inner-workings of the criminal justice system and solidified my passion for criminal law.”

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What are the next steps in your career path?

“The next steps in my career path include investigating for the Innocence Project of Minnesota this summer and attending the University of Minnesota School of Law in the fall.”

How did Bethany prepare you for the future?

“Bethany prepared me in so many ways, but what immediately comes to mind are my two advisors: Dr. Sara Edwards and Dr. Jennifer Wosmek. Over my three and a half years at Bethany, both encouraged me to pursue my passions and pushed me far beyond my comfort zone. They believed in me from the very beginning and invested countless hours in my education and mentoring. I can confidently say that I would not be where I am today without them.”

What do you remember most about your time at Bethany Lutheran College?

“I remember the people most from my time at Bethany. I made so many life-long friends and have countless memories from playing soccer and getting involved with clubs and organizations that I will forever cherish. Bethany is an incredibly unique place, home to so many genuinely kind people who truly want to see others succeed, and this quality is what I remember most.”

What inspires you every day to be your best?

“When I was growing up, my parents instilled in me that those who had the ability to give back also had a responsibility to do so. This mentality has stuck with me and drives me in the work that I do. There are so many injustices and inequalities in the world it is overwhelming, but knowing that I can make a difference in someone’s life is incredibly rewarding and motivates me to continue the work I am doing.”

What advice do you have for current students to help them strive for a great internship, career, etc.?

“I would encourage students to follow their passions.

A wise person once told me, “If you choose a job you love, you will never work a day in your life,” and I’ve found that to be accurate. Also, I would encourage students to network. The opportunities that networking can open up are virtually endless and it is so easy!

While it might be intimidating talking with individuals who are experts in their fields or currently hold the position you dream to have one day, it is an invaluable tool in the professional world and will help make your goals reality.”

Bethany Lutheran College wishes Rachael all the best as she begins her law school studies and continues on the path of helping others.

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Photos by Denice Woller

Speechless Film Festival turns five

BY L A N C E S C H WA R T Z • D I R EC TO R O F I N S T I T U T I O N A L COM MU N I C AT I O N

Bethany Lutheran College’s Speechless Film Festival turned five this year. In the life of film festivals, it’s definitely a milestone.

Festival organizer Amanda Quist (Assistant Professor of Media Arts) explained what the festival is exactly, “Speechless is a three-day multimedia event showcasing both local and international artists. Our festival is unique among others because the mission is to foster cross-cultural engagement through the celebration of visual storytelling, which is a creative endeavor rooted deeply in the history of cinema.”

The 2017 festival attracted nearly 400 film submissions from which the organizers chose 90 films to screen. The submissions, from around the world, featured both traditional films and the “speechless” variety that gave the festival its name. With these significant numbers, the festival has become a very competitive contest for the diverse collection of filmmakers involved.

The fifth anniversary of Speechless was not only highlighted by a terrific collection of films, but also a venue change from a variety of downtown storefronts to a single location in the Verizon Center. The Verizon Center is an impressive city-owned entertainment and convention facility in the heart of the revitalized downtown Mankato area.

Attendance was excellent as well with nearly 250 filmmakers, crewmembers, performers, and film enthusiasts involved. Attendees praised the event as a model of a well-run festival, and several mentioned the experience is “as good as or better than festivals far bigger and older.”

“Speechless visitors consistently praise the quality of our programming and enthusiasm of our community. We have been told repeatedly that our unique mission, sincere interest in filmmakers, and attention to detail result in a truly inspiring and memorable festival event.” said Quist.

Associated festival events featured two filmmaker panels and one standing talk. Bethany organizers collaborated with Mankato’s South Central College for one of the panels, which featured filmmakers mostly from Minnesota.

Assistant Professor of Sociology Nick Haumann hosted the awards ceremony held in the Performing Arts Center, part of the Verizon Center in downtown Mankato.

A Q&A session and concert was held at the Kato Ballroom after the premiere of a new music video by The Last Revel.

While the event certainly saw success in numbers, the festival is focused on learning. Quist explained, “We strive to create a truly formative event with the power to inspire, change, direct, and facilitate the growth of students in particular.”

More photos from the event are available on the Festival’s Facebook page. The dates for next year’s festival will be April 12-14, 2018.

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Keys to Success

BY L A N C E S C H WA R T Z • D I R EC TO R O F I N S T I T U T I O N A L COM MU N I C AT I O N

Campus goal is to become an all-Steinway campus

Photo courtesy of Bethel Balge

Dr. Bethel Balge at the Steinway & Sons factory in New York City.

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In a prominent location at the front of Trinity Chapel is a magnificent instrument. The instrument is a Steinway concert grand piano. Bethany Lutheran College is fortunate that, through donations from a variety of friends of the College, the Steinway found its way to the campus after serving as the principal performance piano at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival in Aspen, Colorado.

Professor of Music Dennis Marzolf explained the significance of such an instrument for the campus, “The Chapel grand, along with our other instruments, is used to ‘complete’ the performances of the Concert Choir and Mary Martha Singers during their spring concert, as well as the entire music department in the performances of Christmas at Bethany.

We also have many students (in keeping with the BLC tradition) that are not music majors, but who want to be good stewards of their musical gifts in college. All of our pianos help them, and the magnificent Chapel piano allows for a subtlety of accompaniment for our singers and instrumentalists in recital performances. In these ways, the pianos really touch every corner of the campus, since it’s usual that our ensembles will be made up of students representing every major on campus.”

Dr. Bethel Balge (Music and Piano Instruction) helped Bethany locate the piano and explained the significance of the instrument to her work at BLC. “Obtaining a new Steinway concert grand for Trinity Chapel was a huge boost, thanks to the generous donations of patrons. A Steinway affords the broadest range of nuance in dynamics, tone, and touch. It is simply unsurpassed. Recently, two of my piano performance majors had a recital on our new Steinway. Every stylistic dimension we discussed in lessons came through effortlessly in their recital. The instrument breathed with them and truly became a natural outlet for their expression.”

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“A Steinway affords the broadest range of nuance in dynamics, tone, and touch. It is simply unsurpassed.”

- B E TH E L BA LG E , PR O FE SS O R O F MU S I C

Balge teaches piano at Bethany and is an accomplished performer. She holds degrees from Michigan State University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Musikhochschule in Frankfurt, Germany, and earned her doctorate of musical arts (piano performance emphasis) from the University of Minnesota in 2014.

She has performed throughout the world in Russia, Portugal, and Germany, and, most recently as soloist with the Mankato Symphony, on National Public Radio for Bach’s Birthday Bash, and with the newly formed Bekesh Trio (Balge, piano; Kenneth Freed, violin; and Sharon Mautner-Rodgers, cello).

Her goal is to share that love for music with her students, “I want to be a role model for others, encouraging students to confidently pursue a fine arts career. By joining the adjunct faculty at Bethany in 2006, I have been able to pass on the lessons that schools and experience have taught.”

While the Chapel Steinway has been a tremendous addition to the piano program at Bethany, the College hopes to enhance the program with additional new Steinways in the near future realizing the goal of becoming an all-Steinway campus.

Bethany’s collection of eighteen pianos is showing its age. Many soundboards on practice pianos are cracked. Hammers and strings are worn out. Since pianos are foundational tools for study in all areas of music, this really affects all students, not just those in piano performance. Pianos are used for classroom instruction in music theory, ear training, music history, music literature, and performance classes. Every music student practices on pianos every day.

Balge noted, “As to the age of most of our pianos... the two “chief” grands in the Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center date from the early 1970s, and one of those is a rebuilt instrument from the 1920s. All of the studio and practice room pianos have been in constant use since 1990. They have served us well, but like light bulbs installed in a new building, they have all burnt out at the same time. So we find ourselves with a challenge. There is an urgent need for new instruments.”

Photo by David Norris

Professor Dennis Marzolf at the Steinway grand in Trinity Chapel.

In order to begin the dialogue about replacing older pianos, Balge recently toured the Steinway factory in New York City and attended a conference aptly named, “Keys for Finding Funds.”

“After touring the factory, I realized that the reason I as a performer and teacher gravitate towards Steinway is no accident. It takes about twelve months to build a Steinway grand piano. If you add two years for drying and seasoning the wood, three years have been invested. Every stage of production from constructing the rim (18 layers of thin-cut, twenty-two feet long, hard rock maple slabs) to shaping the soundboard to calibrating each key in the keyboard for a consistent feel is done by hand. Steinway uses only the best materials, starting with the raw wood (in addition to maple, walnut, pear, and spruce) to the various veneers (mahogany, rosewood, pommele). Steinways last on average 10-15 years longer than other pianos. Studies show that with careful maintenance (temperature control and timely repairs) they can last even longer.”

All told fifteen pianos on the campus are currently in need of replacement with the average age of the heavily-used pianos at nearly 25 years.

Bethany alumni and friends are a “key component” to this ambitious plan. Alumni and friends who are interested in helping the College secure new pianos are encouraged to contact the Advancement Office.

Photo courtesy of Bethel Balge

Workers at the Steinway piano factory bent maple wood strips to make a frame.

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Photo by David Norris

BY L A N C E S C H WA R T Z • D I R EC TO R O F I N S T I T U T I O N A L COM MU N I C AT I O N

JUDY KUSTER 2017 Distinguished Alumna Award Recipient

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Judith (Maginnis) Kuster is the recipient of the 2017 Bethany Lutheran College Distinguished Alumna Award. Judy was born on February 23, 1944, to Francis and Mary Maginnis in Madison, Wisconsin. She has one brother, Richard H. Maginnis who is also a Bethany alumnus. Judy was a longtime member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Madison, Wisconsin, where she was baptized and confirmed. She is married to Bethany Professor Emeritus, Dr. Tom Kuster. The couple was married at Our Saviour’s on June 9, 1967, and will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year. The Kusters have nine children, and twelve grandchildren, of which many are Bethany alumni. They also have sponsored a refugee family from Vietnam in 1975, an immigrant from Cameroon in 2010, and provided room and board for two students who attended Martin Luther Academy in New Ulm, Minnesota. These special people are considered as family. The Kusters currently live in New Ulm and are members of Peace Lutheran Church in North Mankato, Minnesota.

Kuster is a graduate of Bethany Lutheran High School in 1962, and attended one year at Bethany Lutheran College before transferring to University of Wisconsin-Madison. At Wisconsin, she earned a bachelor of science in speech pathology, and then went on to earn a master of science in speech pathology in 1967. Her first job, after graduate school, was as a speech-language pathologist in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, and

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then in 1968 she became a clinical supervisor at the University of Wisconsin. After a year working at the University of Wisconsin, she worked in various schools in cities throughout Michigan as a speech pathologist helping students with reading and speech.

Following her time in Michigan, she moved to Southern Minnesota, and worked in New Ulm, Winthrop, and then for Brown County as a speech clinician. It was then in 1987 she began her career as a longtime instructor and professor in speech and communication disorders at Mankato State University (which is now called Minnesota State University- Mankato).

Also, in 1987 she received her master of science in adult counseling at Mankato State University.

It was during her time at Mankato State that Judy became nationally recognized for her work with speech disorders. She has written for numerous professional publications, and been referenced in many publications on a local, regional, state, and national level. She also has been a keynote speaker at several national conferences focused on speech pathology and disorders, and led several workshops over the years helping others in the speech disorders field. She also has developed and chaired many speech disorders committees and conferences. Most notably is the International Stuttering Awareness Day Online Conference, which is celebrated on October 22 every year. She has also led several research projects in speech pathology and disorders at Minnesota State University, and secured several grants at the institution for communication disorders.

The 2017 Bethany Distinguished Alumna Award is just one of several awards Judy has received over the years. She has been recognized on local, regional, state, national, and even international levels. In 1985 she received the Minnesota Clinical Service Award, which is awarded for outstanding achievement in human communication and science disorders. She received the Service to Mankind Award in 1987 from the New Ulm Sertoma Club, and the Region IX Minnesota – Roger Wolff Achievement Award in 1989.

In 2002 she was a Named Fellow by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. She was awarded the Distinguished Contributor Award in 2003 by the International Fluency Association, and the Outstanding Contribution Award recipient in 2007 by the International Stuttering Association. In 2009, the National Stuttering Association inducted Judy in their hall of fame for the tremendous impact she has had on those with speech impairment.

CA M PU S N E WS

CHINA RECRUITMENT TRIP YIELDS PROMISING RESULTS President Gene Pfeifer and Nicholas Cook (International Student Recruiter) traveled to China in March 2017. The two-week recruitment trip netted positive results. While on visits to four cities in China: they met with thirteen educational partners; visited with several families at an international college fair; conducted one-toone interviews with three prospective Bethany students for fall 2017; gave presentations at two high schools; conducted fourteen follow up interviews with current juniors at the high schools; met with leaders of a Chinese national church; and met with the Friends of China group in Beijing.

STUDIO SEEKING TOUR GROUPS On Tuesday, April 11, 2017, 7th and 8th Graders from Mt. Olive Lutheran School spent the morning on the Bethany campus. The students learned about Photoshop with Art Professor Andy Overn, helped in the creation of a slow motion montage, and experienced putting together a short newscast. Other groups from Mankato schools including East and West High Schools have visited the studio recently. If you know of a school group of any grade level that would be interested in a studio tour, please contact the Bethany Admissions Office or Greg Vandermause, Studio Director.

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A LUM N I

from our

alumni 1960s

Some alumni gathered together in the Twin Cities in fall 2016. Clockwise from left: Dan Browning (‘68), Dennis Malenke (‘68), Mike Kroon (‘68), Sandy (Narges ‘67) Malenke, and Linda (Madson ‘68) Browning.

1980s Sarah (Gieseke ‘81) Garcia’s husband, Albert, was called to Glory on May 14, 2017. He died peacefully at home with his wife at his side.

Sarah and Al were married 29 years and made their home near her family in rural St. James, Minnesota.

1990s Jim Stangler (‘95) was honored as Twin Cities North District Coach of the Year at the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame Banquet in Saint Louis Park. Stangler was head coach at Saint Agnes in St. Paul for five years.

2000s Samuel (‘03) and Anna (Norman ‘06) Gullixson are excited to announce the birth of their fifth son, Boaz Samuel. He was born on Nov. 24, 2016.

Samuel accepted a call in April 2016 as the Associate Pastor at Parkland Lutheran Church in Tacoma, Washington. Their children are, Abel (8), Simeon (with Jesus), Elisha (4), Matthias (3) and Boaz (3 mos).

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J U LY 20 1 7

Julie (Meilner ‘04) Knutson and her husband, Craig, welcomed their daughter, Claire, to the world.

Sarah Denn (’04) is now working as an administrative assistant for the Church of St. Peter in St. Peter, Minnesota.

Jon and Tanya (Niemuth ‘08) Homan welcomed the birth of their first child on November 30, 2016.

They had a son named Luke Richard Homan and he weighed 8 lbs. and was 21 inches long.

Keith Peterson (‘09) was elected to board of directors of the Center of Human Environment in Mahnomen, Minnesota.

2010s Rachel (Gleason ’13) Utterback is expecting her second child (a boy) in August 2017.

Cassie Bliesmer (Wierschke ‘14) married Aaron Bliesmer in Eagan, Minnesota, on October 15, 2016. Aaron and Cassie recently bought a seven-acre hobby farm north of Nicollet, Minnesota. Cassie is currently a nanny in Mankato and Aaron is a supervisor at Kraft Heinz.

Ella Andreasen (‘17) submitted a photo showing three generations of Bethany students.

From left: Janine Andreasen (‘81), Ella Andreasen, Avis Van Zomeren (‘17), Gloria Steinke (‘57), Nadine Van Zomeren (‘17), Renae Van Zomeren (‘79).

In Memoriam Mary Ellen (Finegan) Gutknect (‘51) passed away on November 14, 2016. Her husband, Paul Gutknect, still lives in Westminster, Colorado.

Dr. Peter T. Harstad, who served Bethany for four years (1980-84) as the director of development and remained a very active alumnus of the college, passed away on June 7, 2017.

He received Bethany’s Distinguished Alumnus award in 2013. Harstad was instrumental in establishing the S.C. Ylvisaker Scholarship, and he edited a book commemorating the centennial of Ylvisaker’s birth, published in 1984.

Harstad was a very gifted historian. During his career he served as the director of both the Indiana State Historical Society and the Iowa State Historical Society. He was also considered him an expert on Abraham Lincoln. Two of his brothers have served at Bethany as well.

He was the older brother of the sainted Prof.

Mark Harstad and the recently retired seminary professor Adolph (Adie) Harstad. A beautiful garden on the south side of Trinity Chapel was a gift from Peter and his wife, Carolyn, also a Bethany alumna. A Christian funeral service was held on Monday, June 12, 2017, at Heritage Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, Minnesota.

Bethany gathering A small gathering of Bethany alumni in the Washington D.C. area took place on the evening of Thursday, February 16, 2017, at Crystal City Sports Pub. In attendance were Rachel (Ohlendorf) ‘02 and Larry Kovaciny ’03, Kari (Nickel) Hurley ’95, Penny (Johnson ’81) Hoeting, Jeff Rohrman ’84, John and Erika (Christensen) Ohlendorf ’07, and Luke ‘08 and Regina ’07 (Langhorst) Hendricks. A great time was had by all as everyone was able to share their “Bethany story” with others in attendance, hear an update from the College delivered by Bethany Director of Development, Christopher Kind ’91, and enjoy a great dinner, and conversation.

Everyone went home with some Bethany items as well.

B E TH A N Y Magazine

Bethany

retrospect

Remembering a campus moment from years gone by.

Graduation proceeding from Old Main in the 1940s led by President S.C. Ylvisaker.

Do you recognize anyone from this photo?

Send your response to editor@blc.edu.

27

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