Bethany Magazine - June 2016

j u n e 2016

FACING THE FUTURE Page 11

Join the Bethany Choir on a

TOUR THROUGH GERMANY Martin Luther profoundly changed the Christian church on October 31, 1517, when he nailed the 95 Theses to the Castle Church door at Wittenberg, Germany. Luther’s return to Christ as the sole way to salvation is the same message brought forth in Bethany’s motto of the One Thing Needful.

In observance of the 500th Anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation, and the importance of Bethany’s commitment to a Christ-focused college education, alumni, friends, and families are invited to travel, sing with (and listen to) the Bethany Lutheran College Choir in a study and performance tour through the land of the Lutheran Awakening.

ITINERARY The tour will begin on May 13, 2017, flying from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Frankfurt, Germany.

The proposed tour will be built around four “hubs”including Erfurt, Halle, Dresden, and Nuremberg, spending three nights in each of these cities while making daily excursions for tours and concerts to cities and towns in close proximity including Eisenach, Eisleben, Wittenberg, Quedlinburg, Weimar, Naumburg, Leipzig, and Altenburg. At the conclusion of twelve nights in Germany the tour group will return to the Twin Cities from Munich.

COST The projected cost for the trip ranges from $3,062 to $3,683 (double occupancy) based on the final number of travelers. This includes group travel to, from, and within Germany, housing, guides, and all breakfasts. At least two evening meals will be included. Final details are forthcoming.

REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT DATES • July 1, 2016: Official registration opens. Deposit payments are welcome after this date. In case of trip over-booking the date of deposit will determine travel priority (all payments are to Bethany Lutheran College).

• November 13, 2016: Deposit of $300 per person due (this deposit is refundable until February 1, 2017).

• February 10, 2017: Last day to submit your passport number and rooming list/request.

• February 24, 2017: Final payments due. Last day to purchase travel insurance. Travel insurance information is available upon request.

Concert information for alumni, friends and family singers, as well as scores, will be provided following the initial deposit date in November.

If you have a serious intent to travel with us in May 2017, please send a note to Dennis Marzolf (Dennis.Marzolf@blc.edu) as soon as possible.

This note is not a binding commitment, but will help get a sense of ensemble and potential size of the traveling group.

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JUNE 2016

table of

contents FINE ARTS ____________________________

4 FROM THE PRESIDENT Measuring success

12 ENCORE PERFORMANCE

SPIRITUAL LIFE ____________________________

Bethany theatre receives awards, takes show on the road

5 ONE THING NEEDFUL Grace-filled service

ATHLETICS ____________________________

FACULTY & STAFF ____________________________

18 A FIERCE NEW IDENTITY

6 FROM OUR FACULTY & STAFF

19 SEASON WRAP UP

7 ANNIVERSARIES

ALUMNI ____________________________

Take a look at the new Viking logo

A recap of all the winter and spring sports action

Recent accomplishments of individuals employed at Bethany Honoring years of service

24 FROM OUR ALUMNI

ON CAMPUS ____________________________

News and notes from our Bethany family

8 VOLLEYBALL VOLUNTEERS

26 A DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA

Vikings caring for the community

Honoring Val Imm Bashour

27 RETROSPECT

STUDENT ACTIVITIES ____________________________

The campus kitchen looked like it was full of some serious folks. Who are they?

10 SCHOLAR SHOWCASE

BLC students present their research

16 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

BLC student and assisted living senior share a common bond ON THE COVER Kate Ruschmeyer was among the 77 graduates who received their bachelor of arts degree on May 13, 2016. Photo by David Norris

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zine

Maga ISSUE: 134

The Bethany Magazine is published three times yearly by the Bethany Lutheran College Office of Institutional Communication and distributed free of charge to the college’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.

WHIRLWIND CHINA TOUR

Bethany students take an eleven-day spring break trip

editor, writer | Lance Schwartz designer, photographer | David Norris designer, proofreader | Andrew Rustad

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, 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 Godgiven talents.

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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

How do we measure success at Bethany Lutheran College?

Often, I’ll hear students and faculty asking each other a common question near the end of the academic year. That question is an ordinary one, “Did you have good school year?” Almost habitually, the answer is an “off the cuff” — “Yeah, sure, it was fine.”

But if you dig a little deeper into the question “Did you have a good year?” — the answer might depend on whether you’re a senior intending to graduate, an upperclassmen just getting into your major, or a freshman determined to make it in college.

And if you’re no longer a college student, you’ll discover the world measures success in life in very tangible ways centered on meeting physical needs. Success criteria might be the type of career you have, your salary, the type of home you live in, or even the amount and type of things you possess.

In gauging yourself against success, you need criteria to make a determination — God’s criteria for our success is outlined in Col. 3: 1-4 — there we are reminded our ultimate success is measured differently than the way the world measures it.

In God’s criteria, Paul first reminds the Colossians (and us) that because of faith in Christ we too have been raised with Him — His resurrection proves victory over death and assures us of our own resurrection and our eternal life with Him. Paul explains that we must “Set our hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God and set our minds on things above and not on earthly things.”

It almost seems contradictory to say this at an academic institution, where ultimate success of alumni would seem to be measured in career and financial accomplishments, that we would take Paul’s advice to heart. But that’s what success in God’s eyes is all about!

Of course, academic success is important. We need that at a Christian liberal arts college. But, to daily connect with Jesus through the study of His Word so that we never grow weary or lose heart — that’s what’s most important.

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We are so blessed to have a Christian college in Bethany where you can not only receive an education grounded in the liberal arts that prepares you for meaningful vocations of Christian service, but also a Christian college uniquely equipped to keep one focused on what really counts — the One Thing Needful — a personal relationship with the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Very recently, I had the opportunity to meet with an alumnus of the College from years ago. We discussed Bethany’s mission — Christian higher education focused on personal mentoring relationships in a relevant and challenging academic environment with a two-fold purpose of daily connecting students to Christ, and developing in each his or her God-given talents for meaningful lives of Christian service.

The alumnus said to me, “You just described my Bethany experience — you see, I came to Bethany not knowing Jesus. And what I came away with was academic training that prepared me for life, and something I didn’t know I needed — a Savior."

May God grant success to our alumni in using their God-given gifts and talents to their fullest. And in so doing, may the Holy Spirit “set all our hearts and minds on things above...” so that when Christ appears in glory on the Last Day, by faith we too will appear with Him in glory.

B E TH A N Y Magazine

PU SLNLI E FE WS SCA PI RM ITUA

one thing

God's grace at work in the Bethany student body “Lazy.” “Self-centered.” “Not involved.” “Unconcerned with spiritual matters.” Those labels are quite often used to describe today’s college students.

In actuality, those stereotypes quite rarely fit the students on Bethany’s campus when it comes to their spiritual lives.

Each semester, I take a small poll regarding church attendance among third and fourth-year students in one of my classes. Over the past four years 85% of the students claim to go to church “frequently” or “every Sunday.” Some even claim to attend church more frequently during college than they did at home with their parents.

Nearly every week, a student contacts me hoping to know how to discuss his/her faith with a friend, a roommate, a relative or a co-worker. One of the enjoyable aspects of working at Bethany is observing first-hand how many of our students exhibit their Christian faith.

Since Bethany is not a church, we encourage them to get involved in local congregations in the Mankato area. Not only do many of them attend regular services on Sunday mornings, but they also get involved with volunteering and other service projects through these local churches and organizations.

College students are especially drawn to working with children and youth. In talking with some of the local pastors, here are just some of the ways they are involved: teaching Sunday School, helping with afterschool care, Christmas & Easter for kids programs, helping with youth groups, serving as gym monitors, and also helping coach at local Christian elementary schools.

One student who was recently baptized was helping teach English in an ESL outreach program through

needful

BY D O N MO LD S TA D • B E T H A N Y LU T H ER A N CO LLEG E CH A PL A I N

a local church this winter. One month after coming to faith she was already teaching Bible stories to new immigrants.

Nearly every year students assist at a local pro-life pregnancy counseling center. Others have been trained and volunteer with an abused women shelter, and a suicide prevention hotline. It is also common to see our students joining local church choirs, playing musical instruments in worship, and in a few cases even directing vocal and hand bell choirs.

Each Christmas, I have no problem organizing a group of students to sing Christmas carols at local senior living facilities.

St. Paul writes of the joy he would find in seeing God’s grace working in the lives of Christ’s faithful. He says to the Romans that observing this wonderful activity is “mutually encouraging to each other’s faith” (Rom. 1:12). May all of us also be encouraged in our own faith as we see a love for our Savior alive in the students on our campus. What a blessed place to serve!

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From our faculty & staff Chad Heins (Assistant Professor of Biology) was a speaker at the 8th annual Day of Insects at Reiman Gardens on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, on Saturday, April 9, 2016. His talk was entitled: “Spiders of Minnesota: Lessons Learned from a Checklist.”

Music written by Benji Inniger (Assistant Professor of Theatre) and BLC student Beret Ouren for this spring’s production of Aboveboard was recently used on National Public Radio’s (NPR) StoryCorps podcast. StoryCorps is an American non-profit organization whose mission is to record, preserve, and share the stories of Americans of all backgrounds. The

production is distributed nationally through NPR reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners.

Jon Loging (Assistant Professor of Communication) was elected to a two-year term as Executive Secretary of the Minnesota Collegiate Forensics Association. The Minnesota Collegiate Forensics Association has two functions: it supports and promotes forensic programs in the state of Minnesota, and it is also responsible for the running of the Minnesota State Speech Tournament. The Executive Secretary is responsible for all the financial aspects of the organization, and also acts as the state tournament director. Loging was unanimously elected by the membership.

He is the fourth Executive Secretary in the last 30 years.

Ryan C. MacPherson (Professor of History) and David Reagles (Adjunct Instructor, History) served as moderators for the Third Annual Minnesota Undergraduate History Symposium, at Bethel University on April 9, 2016. Timothy R. Schmeling (Assistant Professor of History) also accompanied their seven student presenters: Kristian Marzolf, Nathan Evans, Gabrielle Emmons, Alexis Poul, Katherine Caflisch, Caleb Stoever, and Misa Sparley. The symposium, co-founded by Bethany, Bethel, and Northwestern in 2014, drew participants from twelve colleges this year, with Bethany supplying the second-largest number of presenters.

We recognize those

RETIRING FROM BETHANY THIS YEAR

Ramona Czer

Linda Loge

Ralph Miller

Professor of English 22 years

Associate Director of Admissions 19 years

Director of Accounting 19 years

Thank you for your years of service.

B E TH A N Y Magazine

Schmeling also contributed two chapters, to a new Concordia Publishing House book on Lutheran Orthodoxy. He submitted to the project the following two translations from the writings of Abraham Calov and Johann Andreas Quenstedt respectively: “‘Introduction and First Preliminary Chapter’ from the Historia Syncretistica.” and “‘Concerning the Cross’ from the Theologia Didactico-Polemica, Sive Systema Theologicum.” He has now been asked to serve as co-editor of the book with Dr. Robert Kolb, a mentor of Prof. Schmeling and a leading international Martin Luther and Late Reformation scholar. The bibliographical information is as follows: Kolb, Robert, and Timothy Schmeling, eds. Lives and Writings of the Great Fathers of the Lutheran Church. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, Forthcoming.

Daniel Mundahl (Vice President for Finance and Administration) was selected 2015 CFO of the Year – Minnesota by Acquisition International.

FACU LT Y & STA FF

Ashley Rand (Assistant Professor of Mathematics) and students, Lauren Farquhar and Adam Kluball, attended the Joint Mathematics Meetings of the American Mathematical Association and Mathematical Association of America in Seattle, Washington, on January 6-9, 2016. At the meeting, Farquhar and Kluball presented work related to their summer research experiences in an undergraduate poster session.

Rev. Shawn Stafford (Adjunct Professor of Religion) was the banquet speaker for the 27th Annual Congress on the Lutheran Confessions, held in Bloomington, Minnesota, April 6-8, 2016. He spoke on “Luther’s Sense of Humor: Do We Still Have It Today.” The overall theme of the conference was “Roots of the Lutheran Reformation

in Light of the Lutheran Confessions.” The Congress on the Lutheran Confessions is a "free conference" co-sponsored by the Association of Confessional Lutherans and the Luther Academy.

Jessi Zimmerman (Reference and Instruction Librarian) presented a session at the MnPALS Workday on Friday, April 1, 2016, with four other librarians from the MnPALS consortium. Zimmerman focused on library marketing and outreach. She specifically discussed how a library with a small staff can effectively market to their patrons as well as the success of library game nights in an academic setting.

2016 FACULTY AND STAFF ANNIVERSARIES Back row from left: Rev. Herbert Huhnerkoch (Chair, Board of Regents), President Gene Pfeifer, Mark Wiechmann (Associate Professor, Psychology–35 years), Jonathan Loging (Assistant Professor, Communication–15 years), Kurt Paulsen (Assistant Professor, Communication–10 years), Dean Shoop (Professor, Business–35 years)

Front row from left: Adolph Harstad (Seminary Professor, Old Testament–25 years), Laura Matzke (Piano and Organ Lessons Instructor–25 years), Ann Fredrickson (Adjunct Faculty, Music–20 years), Bethel Balge (Piano Instructor–10 years), Adrian Lo (Associate Professor, Music–20 years), Mary Jo Starkson (Registrar–10 years), Eric Ouren (Associate Professor, Art–15 years)

Not pictured: Jonathan Moeller (Information Technology Specialist–10 years), Ellen Bartscher (Computer Systems Specialist–15 years), Tatjana Durand (Adjunct Faculty, Spanish–25 years)

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Bethany Volleyball

'LEEPS' INTO ACTION

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

The Bethany volleyball team hosted an event for Mankato area residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities on April 26, 2016. The event was offered by the organization known as LEEP. LEEP (Leisure Education for Exceptional People) enriches lives through “inclusive education, recreation, and healthy living opportunities.”

LEEP was started in 1978 by a group of parents in the Mankato region who had children with disabilities.

The group met every Wednesday night to socialize and recreate with other kids who had similar interests and abilities. Since that time, LEEP has grown in number of consumers served and services offered.

LEEP’s programs are designed to enhance the quality of life for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities over the age of eight years, however the agency’s largest population is adults. Participants may live independently, in a group home, an adult foster care setting, with family members, or in a supervised living situation. Approximately 850 people in the greater Mankato area participate in LEEP programs throughout the year, many of whom participate on a weekly basis.

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Photos courtesy of LEEP

In 2014, LEEP’s Special Olympics volleyball team had their first clinic with BLC volleyball team. The partnership has continued throughout the last two years. Bethany head volleyball coach John Olmanson and LEEP Athletics Coordinator Kristy Rotchadl worked together to find a date that worked with both of the team's schedules. The LEEP volleyball team participates in Special Olympics Minnesota with their season running April through June, which coincides perfectly with Bethany’s spring practice time.

At the clinic, the Bethany volleyball team led a variety of drills focusing on the fundamentals of the sport. Activities included warm ups and stretching to emphasize the importance of taking care of your body and staying healthy, and also focused on the fundamentals of passing, setting, hitting, and movement. During each of these drills, a LEEP athlete was partnered with a BLC athlete.

Rotchadl said, “The interaction of athletes was very inspiring because there were no barriers, no judgments—it was athletes helping each other grow in the sport of volleyball.”

Rotchadl explained that the LEEP volleyball team holds weekly practices and two tournaments - the area tournament and the state tournament. The area

B E TH A N Y Magazine

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LEEP teams utilize local school gyms in the Mankato area for practice.

tournament was held on May 14, 2016. The LEEP team competed against teams from twenty-eight counties and they placed second overall. They are looking forward to the State Tournament, which will be held on June 25, 2016, at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, Minnesota.

Rotchadl is looking forward to more collaboration with other Bethany athletic teams. She’s been working with Bethany’s Student Athletic Advisory Council (SAAC), to help the partnership continue to grow.

LEEP has teams in aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce ball, bowling, flag football, golf, powerlifting, softball, and volleyball. They also offer unified sports where athletes with and without disabilities compete together on the same team. This is a movement that is becoming more and more popular.

Rotchadl mentions that the volunteerism with LEEP is open to all Bethany students and others who have the time and desire to help. “We have many BLC students and student athletes that volunteer with us, and we are so appreciative of their dedication. Not only do many start with one sport, but the bonds and memories made create the want to continue to come back for other opportunities.”

She continued, “These training opportunities are such an honor to the LEEP athletes. They get to go to a clinic and not only play the sport, but hang out with

the athletes they look up to. The college teams that work with us are celebrities and role models to the LEEP athletes, and when they get the opportunity to learn from them, it increases their passion for their sport.

LEEP athletes are talking about these opportunities weeks and weeks leading up to them, and long after the excitement continues.

"Athletes will bring the drills they learned at the clinic into practice and ask that we continue to do them each week. As they are in the middle of one season, they are asking about the next clinic they get to be a part of.

It is such a renewed excitement for the sport that they are always striving to reach. The athletes are so grateful and work to support the college athletes by going to their games. The LEEP athletes are beaming with pride when they see the college athletes compete and it is truly inspiring.”

In January 2007, the Mankato Sertoma Club donated the building that houses LEEP to the organization. They continue to provide monetary support for basic maintenance and utilities. Sertoma is a national service club which has been providing services to the community for many years. In Mankato, they have been providing opportunities for people with disabilities since 1960.

LEEP uses a variety of resources to keep the agency running smoothly. The United Way is a great source of support, as are contributions from civic groups and individuals. Participants do pay a small fee to assist with some of the expenses for activities. LEEP utilizes an average of 150 volunteers each year, which helps to lower the cost of support professionals.

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REWARDING RESEARCH

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

J U N E 20 1 6 J U N E 20 1 6

Photo courtesy of Minnesota Private College Council

Students Participate in Private College Scholars Showcase Two Bethany Lutheran College students were selected to participate in the annual Minnesota Private College Scholars Showcase event in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday, March 10, 2016. The event included students from fifteen private colleges and universities, with the goal of promoting the important role that undergraduate research plays in students’ educational and professional development. Each institution determines the two undergraduate research projects that will be included. All academic disciplines are welcome; research efforts that have a clear link to policy or society are encouraged. Bethany’s representatives were Danielle Marzinske and Timothy Wildauer. While Marzinske was unable to attend the event as she was on tour with the Bethany bands, Wildauer presented his research to the gathering.

Wildauer’s research came about as a result of a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Georgia in Athens. Wildauer was one of fifteen students selected for the program among 400 that applied from throughout the nation.

He worked with Dr. John Drake from the Epidemiology Department at Georgia. Wildauer’s work is titled Visualizing the Effect of Interventions during the 2014-2015 West Africa Ebola Outbreak.

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Wildauer noted, “This project was very mathintensive, so when I returned to Bethany last fall, I continued my work on the project with Dr. Ashley Rand (Mathematics). Under her guidance, I've developed two more methods to solve the problem, and a third one is almost completed. I presented these three methods at my senior thesis in late April.

After I complete my thesis, I will send a thorough review to Dr. Drake with the expectation our findings will be published.”

Marzinske worked with Bethany faculty member Dr. Jennifer Wosmek (Psychology). Her research and paper carried the title Examining the Link Between Religiosity and Altruism. Few studies have included observational measures of participants’ altruistic behavior. In Marzinske’s study, participants completed questionnaires, which evaluated their degree of religiosity, spirituality, and altruism. In addition to this self-reported measure, each participant had the opportunity to engage in “helping behavior.”

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Spring 2016

COMMENCEMENT

Photos by David Norris

The Bethany Lutheran College Class of 2016 received their diplomas at the spring commencement ceremony on Friday, May 13.

The commencement speaker was Mr. Jim Minor of Danbury, Wisconsin.

He is the former CEO of People Serving People, the largest homeless shelter in the Midwest. He is currently a member of the Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents.

Val Imm Bashour of Dallas received the 2016 Bethany Lutheran College Distinguished Alumna Award (see story on page 27).

A COMPLETE SPRING 2016 COMMENCEMENT RESOURCE WEBPAGE WITH ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND LINKS TO VIDEO OF THE CEREMONY IS AVAILABLE AT BLC.EDU/SPRING2016 11

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TAKING THE BIG STAGE

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

BLC Theatre earns accolades

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

The Bethany theatre department has once again demonstrated its excellence after earning a bevy of awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF). Since the department’s first award in 2009 for the original musical Jam Jar Sonnets written and directed by Peter Bloedel (with music by Bloedel and Benjamin Inniger) several students have received honors from KCACTF Region V. Now in 2016 Bethany was again honored for the recent productions titled Metamorphoses and Leveling Up. Both productions were directed by theatre Assistant Professor Benji Inniger with Leveling Up being selected for performance at the Region V Festival in January 2016. KCACTF Region V includes the states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Roughly 1,500 students and faculty attend the Festival from 80 colleges and universities.

Leveling Up was first performed on Bethany’s Lee Theater stage in November 2015. At that time, representatives from the KCACTF viewed and responded to Leveling Up and recommended the work to be held for consideration for performance at the annual festival. Other faculty and staff involved with the design of the production included Peter Bloedel, Emily Kimball, John Merseth, and Jake Yenish.

Leveling Up was one of just six productions from Region V institutions to be invited. Other institutions chosen for this honor included such schools such as Minnesota State University Moorhead, Emporia State 12 12

University, Southwest Minnesota State University, University of Nebraska at Omaha, and Wichita State University.

Another indication Bethany’s strength in theatre is demonstrated with the additional nomination of the spring 2015 production of Metamorphoses for the KCACTF Region V Invited Scenes Showcase. This means Bethany was nominated to choose a scene from the Metamorphoses production and perform it on a bare stage at the Festival. Because of the Leveling Up obligations, Bethany was not asked to bring that scene.

Several students and faculty received numerous nominations and awards for recent productions.

Five student actors were invited to participate in the Irene Ryan scholarship audition: • Senior Emily Dworak (partner Beret Ouren) for her work in Metamorphoses • Senior Leah Hagen (partner Patti Lilienthal) for her work in Metamorphoses • Senior David Roemhildt (partner Amir Trotter) for his work in Leveling Up

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Q AND A WITH SARA TRAYLOR, DIRECTOR OF NURSING

Photo by Benji Inniger

• Freshman Tessa Snyder (partner Amir Trotter) for her work in Leveling Up • Freshman Hans Bloedel (partner Beret Ouren) for his work in Leveling Up Awards were also given for behind the scenes work for both productions: • Peter Bloedel for achievement in Scenic Design for his work in Leveling Up • Benji Inniger for achievement in Directing, Sound Design and Projections for his work in Metamorphoses, and Motion Graphics Design for his work in Leveling Up • Kadyn Wishcop for achievement in Projections and Motion Graphics Design in Leveling Up • Fall 2015 graduate Molly Brueske was accepted into and participated in the National Student Dramaturgy program.

• Senior Kasey Gratz was accepted into and participated in the National Stage Management Fellowship program. After making the final round of interviews, Gratz received a special commendation for her presentation and work during the week.

• As a result of the performance of Leveling Up at the KCACTF Festival, Bethany junior Amir Trotter was recognized by the national headquarters of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for his performance in the acclaimed production. This award was first announced on March 22, 2016, on the national KCACTF blog. Gregg Henry, Artistic Director of KCACTF in Washington, D.C., nominated Trotter for this recognition. Henry and his staff attend all of the regional KCACTF festivals and select outstanding individuals for special recognition. Trotter’s “Distinguished Performance by an Actor in a Play” is one of only eight such citations given nationally.

• And finally, an indication of the camaraderie that is emblematic of Bethany Lutheran College Theatre, the cast and crew of Leveling Up were awarded with the Festival’s Golden Handtruck award for the best load-in and load-out of festival.

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide and has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theater in the United States. The KCACTF has grown into a network of more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country, where theater departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment by KCACTF respondents.

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spring break

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD Photo by Kathy Bruss

BY K AT H Y B R U S S • CO O R D I N ATO R FO R I N T ER N AT I O N A L ED U C AT I O N

Students spend eleven days immersed in the Chinese culture How can we help Bethany students become immersed in a culture and engage with its people when we are limited to just eleven days in the country? That was the challenge Dr. Jennifer Wosmek (Associate Professor of Psychology) and Kathy Bruss (Coordinator for International Education) faced when they set out to design a China study tour as part of the psychology/sociology course titled Understanding Chinese Culture.

Capitalizing on a special relationship with an English-speaking liberal arts college in southern China and fellow Lutherans in Hong Kong, was key to solving the challenge.

Every other summer, twenty or more students from United International College (UIC) in Zhuhai, China, spend a month studying at Bethany Lutheran College. Working in close connection with the psychology department at UIC, Wosmek offered a psychology course for the second time this past summer. Class, field trips, and events in the professor’s home were great opportunities for cultural exchange. Lasting bonds were formed between the UIC students and our six Bethany students who served as intern/RAs. By the end of the program the Chinese students were looking forward to Wosmek’s trip to their own campus in March with a group of Bethany students.

Sixteen BLC students, including three of the summer interns, enrolled in Wosmek’s Understanding Chinese Culture course. Prior to Bethany’s Spring Break, the students attended class twice a week, got in touch with aspects of their own culture first, and then transitioned to learning about Chinese history and culture. Selected readings, videos, and input from a BLC Chinese student helped to prepare them academically. Practice eating with chopsticks, learning a few key phrases in Chinese, and taking local public transportation helped to prepare them culturally.

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Finally, March 2 arrived and the group flew to Beijing where they spent three days visiting famous sites, attended a Sunday church service to witness a government sanctioned Chinese church, and shopped at the local Wu Mart. During these visits, and throughout the trip, students completed assignments that encouraged them to fully engage with the Chinese culture and people. After a packed three days of outings and adjustment to jet lag, the group was ready to spend Tuesday relaxing on the ten-hour train ride south. This spacious and comfortable high-speed train gave the students time to reflect, soak in the changing landscape, and get caught up with their journals.

When the UIC bus picked them up in Zhuhai, the group was met by more than half of the summer program students, some of whom they had been corresponding with BLC students via email during their course. The UIC students welcomed them with open arms, taking them out to dinner that evening. It didn’t matter that most had already eaten a meal on the train; they soaked up the gracious hospitality.

The next three days were filled with attending presentations and a psychology class with the UIC students. Chinese history, language and culture, Tai Chi and calligraphy were among them. Outings took them to historical sites and daily life places. On one of the evenings the group went out with their new UIC friends for karaoke, a very popular activity in China.

On Saturday it was time to board the 90-minute ferry trip to Hong Kong where the Asian Lutheran Seminary of the Wisconsin Synod and associated churches were ready with another warm welcome. By now students confidently went off to explore the city on their own via public transportation. Sunday morning, the group split in half to attend services at two different churches with our fellow Lutherans. This was one of the highlights of the tour. The special planning that went into worshiping together in Cantonese and English, and the kindness of the congregations, warmed the hearts of the students.

A special lunch was held afterward to provide more time to interact.

Early Monday morning it was time to head for home.

The course would have a few more meetings, but students were primarily busy preparing their multi-media video presentations on how the study tour had impacted their lives. The BLC study tour would like to thank Bill Feng and the TBC team, Jasmine Sun and the UIC IDO team, Ghee Ho, Chair of Psychology at UIC, Irene Ng, the churches, and the Asian Lutheran Seminary, for making this study tour a success.

Photos by Philip Wels

There was time for sight-seeing and pictures, eating new foods, and fun with new friends while learning more about the Chinese culture.

TO DISCOVER FOR YOURSELF HOW THIS “TRIP OF A LIFETIME” MADE AN IMPACT, VIEW A SAMPLING OF STUDENT-PRODUCED VIDEOS AT BLC.EDU/CHINA2016

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A common homeland,

an uncommon bond R EPR I N T ED W I T H PER M I S S I O N FR OM T H E LU T H ER A N H OM E A S S O CI AT I O N

Russian is the language of love for senior at Cedar Haven

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It’s past 10 a.m., but Vasiliy Shevstov is slow to start his day. He’s waiting for someone special. When his visitor arrives and greets him in Russian, Vasiliy lights up.

“He’s good. He’s very happy that we’re here. He waits for us as he waits for the sun,” translates Nadiya Borshch, who visits Vasiliy each week with Rev. Roger Woller, chaplain at The Lutheran Home: Cedar Haven in Mankato, Minn. Vasiliy is originally from Russia. He has lived in the Cedar Haven assisted living community for two years, and during that time has had an extremely limited ability to connect, speaking only a handful of English phrases. He struggled with culture shock, coming from a place where senior living communities did not exist and where traditional food was very different.

“It is our constant goal to enrich the daily life of each resident who calls Cedar Haven ‘home,’” said Elli Fuller, Administrator at Cedar Haven. “Pastor Woller reached out to contacts at Bethany Lutheran College seeking someone who could help us better communicate with Vasiliy.”

That’s how they found Nadiya, a junior at nearby Bethany Lutheran College (BLC). She came to the United States from Ukraine as a high school exchange student nearly seven years ago and now studies business and religion at BLC. Nadiya grew up speaking Russian and Ukrainian and agreed to talk to Vasiliy and translate for him.

“She has a heart for service. Not too many college students would take the time to do this,” Pastor Woller said, adding Nadiya has also come to doctor’s visits to translate.

When they started meeting in November, Nadiya and Pastor Woller tried to learn more about Vasiliy. He had been a blacksmith or a metal worker in Russia and sometimes rode his bike to work. After his wife died and their sons were moved here, he came to the United States.

“He said he could tell you a sea full of stories but it’s not as important as talking about God’s Word,” Nadiya said.

At every visit, Pastor Woller plays a Bible chapter in Russian for Vasiliy on an iPad. A confessing Christian who

B E TH A N Y Magazine

STU D E NT AC TI V ITI E S

Nadiya Borshch was the recipient of the 2016 Lutheran Home Association Care of the Soul Leadership Award. The Care of the Soul Leadership Award recognizes men and women who faithfully serve the Lord and provide leadership in the area of special ministries.

Pictured from left are Elli Fuller (Cedar Haven Administrator), Nadiya Borshch, and Rev. Roger Woller (Cedar Haven Chaplain).

Photos courtesy of The Lutheran Home Association

learned about Jesus from his grandfather, Vasiliy knows his Bible history well. Protestant missionaries came to Russia during a disastrous famine when he was young, Vasiliy said. They strengthened his faith but were persecuted by Orthodox religious orders in Russia and the Ukraine, sometimes imprisoned.

“He decided to pray every night, the Lord’s Prayer.

But he would only do it at night because he was afraid he would be persecuted too,” Nadiya translated.

And he still prays. Now more than 90 years old, Vasiliy has low vision and is hard of hearing. But his voice is clear, sometimes thunderous as he prays in Russian.

“Usually when our visit comes to an end, he speaks loudly in Russian. He’s praying for us,” Pastor Woller said.

Since Nadiya began visiting, team members at Cedar Haven say Vasiliy seems much happier and more content.

“Pastor Woller and I usually ask Vasiliy many questions trying to get to know him better, and we try to tell

a little bit more about ourselves. I talk about choir, my family at home, my vacations, the weather and other things, while Pastor Woller talks about his family and where he grew up. Vasiliy likes and appreciates it very much. He wishes we would visit him every day,” Nadiya said. “I like Vasiliy. He is very nice and always has lots of stories.”

“He said he could tell you a sea full of stories but it’s not as important as talking about God’s Word.”

N A D I YA B O R S H CH

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ATH LE TI C S N E WS

The new look of the Bethany Vikings

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 unveiled a new logo for its athletic teams on May 2, 2016. In addition to the Viking logo, the identity package creates a revised look for the words "Vikings" and "Bethany," utilizing a new typeface. The update will undoubtedly enhance, strengthen, and unify the Bethany Lutheran College athletic and institutional brand. The new design replaces a logo and graphic identity package that had been used since 2004.

The process for creating the new logo included input from coaches and student athletes who are members of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC). Overseeing the efforts were Don Westphal, Director of Athletics, Ryan Kragh, Assistant Director of Athletics, and David Norris, Bethany’s Manager of Visual Media.

“We are very excited to roll out this new look for Bethany Viking athletics,” said Westphal. “The process weighed in the thoughts and preferences of a wide variety of individuals who care about Viking athletics. It provides a historical perspective of decades of Viking teams, yet still adds in a contemporary touch. The end result gives us a look of a determined and fierce competitor while still being graphically appealing. We are confident that this new Viking logo and wordmark will quickly become the look identifying successful Viking teams for many years to come.”

Luke Hahn is a member of the men's track team and President of SAAC. Hahn remarked, “The athletes at BLC are excited about the new look for the Viking teams. The new design embraces the power and fierceness that is shown in everything we undertake in competition, and it empowers the student-athlete to take every challenge head on.”

Along with a new Vikings logo, all Bethany Viking athletic teams will begin sporting new Adidas uniforms as a result of a partnership with Chanhassen, Minnesota-based BIG Athletics. This partnership with BIG Athletics will allow each of Bethany’s seventeen varsity teams to transition to Adidas uniforms and training gear over the course of a five-year partnership. The men’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams will be the first varsity sports to feature the new uniforms beginning with the fall 2016 season. Other teams will transition to the new look during the course of the normal jersey replacement cycle, which will take place over a three-year period.

The new Viking likeness made its debut at center court of the North Gymnasium in Bethany’s Sports and Fitness Center. During the Viking logo unveiling, all current students, faculty, and staff received an Adidas t-shirt with the new Viking logo and wordmark. The new Viking identity will be offered on merchandise in the Bethany Lutheran College Bookstore beginning mid-summer 2016.

As part of the implementation, the Athletic Department also updated the Bethany Viking Athletics website. Most notably, the website features the new logo and wordmark.

TO SEE THE NEW LOOK OF THE BETHANY LUTHERAN COLLEGE VIKINGS, VISIT THE ATHLETICS WEBSITE: BLCVIKINGS.COM.

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B E TH A N Y Magazine

ATH LE TI CS

WINTER/SPRING SPORTS RECAP

BY LU C A S H E R D • CO O R D I N ATO R O F SP O RT S I N FO R M ATI O N

MEN’S BASEBALL

9-21 (7-9 UMAC) Several Bethany Lutheran College baseball team members earned Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) All-Conference Awards.

Drew Quame (Eagle Lake, Minn.) and Alek Zentzis (Forest Lake, Minn.) received First-Team All-Conference recognition. Quame led the Vikings in several offensive categories during the 2016 campaign.

He posted a .359 batting average with 37 hits and 38 RBIs in 30 games played. Zentzis finished with a .339 batting average and 29 RBIs. He led the team with eight home runs, currently second best in program history in a single season. Zentzis also scored 29 runs to go along with nine doubles in 30 games played. On the mound, he posted a 2-5 record while striking out 49 batters in 47.2 innings pitched.

Nick Caldeen (Blaine, Minn.) and Brandyn Olsen (Blue Earth, Minn.) earned All-Conference Honorable Mention. Caldeen played in all 30 games, recording 36 hits and 23 RBIs with a .316 batting average. Olsen posted a team best 4.30 earned run average with 29.1 innings pitched. The right-hander was 2-0 on the season, throwing a complete game in both his mound victories. Offensively, Olsen appeared in 21 games, posting a .294 batting average with 20 hits, 14 RBIs, and three home runs.

Anthony Radloff (Green Bay, Wis.) earned the individual Sportsmanship Award.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

14-11 (10-6 UMAC) The Bethany women’s basketball earned the number three seed in the UMAC postseason tournament before losing to Northwestern in the semifinals. The Vikings received many individual accolades from the league for their performance on the hardwood.

Haley Sandin (Zimmerman, Minn.) earned FirstTeam All-Conference recognition and was voted the Freshman of the Year. The guard ranked second in the UMAC and 20th in Division III women’s basketball in points per game. She averaged 20.0 points per game in 36.3 minutes per contest. In 26 games played, Sandin scored 519 points, ranking second in the Bethany record books for most points scored in a single season while connecting on 42 three-point field goals.

Minnie Frederick-Childress (Flint, Mich.) was also named First-Team All-Conference and an All-Defensive Team selection. The guard played in 24 games while averaging 35.6 minutes per contest.

She finished the season with 115 steals, ranking first across NCAA Division III women’s basketball. She averaged 4.8 steals per game, which ranked first in both the UMAC and NCAA.

Briana Brandts (St. James, Minn.) received Second-Team All-Conference and captured the individual Sportsmanship Award. Brandts finishes her career with her name etched in several Bethany women’s basketball records. She recorded 13 double-doubles throughout the 2015-16 campaign, finishing her career with 30. The forward played in all 26 games for the Vikings, averaging 12.4 points per game and 11.4 rebounds.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

10-15 (8-8 UMAC) Brandyn Frelix (Minneapolis, Minn.) received First-Team All-Conference. The junior started all 25 games for the Vikings, averaging 28.1 minutes per contest and 18.8 points per game, ranking fourth across the entire Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.

Nick Sanborn (Lakeville, Minn.) earned the individual Sportsmanship Award representing the Viking who best exhibits sportsmanship throughout the entire season.

WOMEN’S SOFTBALL

7-23 (4-12 UMAC) Anna Pipenhagen (Elk River, Minn.), the 2015 UMAC Freshman of the Year and All-Conference player, received another First-Team UMAC All-Conference award in 2016. Pipenhagen led the Vikings with a .387 batting average, accumulating 29 hits over the span of 26 games. The right-hander also drove in 10 RBIs. On the mound, she struck out 74 batters in 55.2 innings of work for the Vikings. She led the pitching staff with an overall record of 3-5 and an earned run average of 2.43.

Rachel Kurtenbach (Cottonwood, Minn.) earned the individual Sportsmanship Award. Kurtenbach was sidelined just three games into the season due to injury. Head coach Renee Tatge noted that Kurtenbach was the team’s “go to first baseman” and will be counted on next season upon her return.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

4-19 (3-7 UMAC) Taylor Nordhausen (St. James, Minn.) received First-Team UMAC All-Conference for the Bethany women’s tennis team. Nordhausen made a big leap from playing number four singles to number one singles during the season for the Vikings. The sophomore also stepped up to one doubles playing alongside Alicia Kranz (Arlington, Minn.) all season.

Madalyn Elmquist (South St. Paul, Minn.) received the 2016 individual Sportsmanship Award for Bethany.

MEN’S TENNIS

8-16 (6-4 UMAC) Jacob Kubler (Shakopee, Minn.) received FirstTeam All-Conference for the Bethany men’s tennis team. Kubler returns to the First-Team All-Conference lists for the third time in his tennis career at Bethany. The junior had a very successful season for the Vikings both in singles and in doubles competition.

Jordan Poff (Blaine, Minn.) received the 2016 individual Sportsmanship Award for Bethany.

WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Kari Marzinske (South St. Paul, Minn.) earned All-Conference for the Vikings. She finished second in the UMAC with a jump of 1.52m (4'11.75"). Her success did not stop there as she competed in the 60m high hurdle finals and was a member of the 4x400m relay. She ran a 9.86 in the 60m High Hurdle, putting her second on the all-time list and fourth at the UMAC Championship.

Kari’s teammate and sister Danielle Marzinske (South St. Paul, Minn.) received the individual Sportsmanship Award.

MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Noah Larson (Appleton, Wis.) earned All-Conference for the Vikings. The freshman placed second in the men’s high jump with a leap of 1.82m (5'11.50").

Luke Hahn (Sioux Falls, S.Dak.) received the individual Sportsmanship Award.

WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

The women’s outdoor track and field team finished fourth overall in the UMAC, which is currently best in program history.

MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

The men's team finished tied for fifth in the conference, a step in the right direction for the team that saw several school records and personal records set.

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GOING FORTH ONLINE

BY TOM K U S T E R • D I R EC TO R O F T H E CH R I S T I N M ED I A I N S T I T U T E

Bethany's Christ in Media Institute Extends Gospel Outreach Strategies Around the World The first Gospel Outreach With Media (GOWM) online conference may well become the first annual GOWM online conference.

The conference is a venture of Bethany's Christ in Media Institute (CMI), whose mission is to learn and then help others learn - how to use technology to reach out in the U.S. and around the world with the saving message that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.

Since it was entirely online, attendees could visit the conference at any time from any place, experience the presentations, and post comments and questions to which presenters would respond while the conference was open, the three weeks after Easter 2016. After that the conference remained online for reading only. You can visit now at http://gowm.org.

An online conference brings together individuals who might otherwise never encounter each other.

In this conference, mission workers in various fields overseas interacted with each other and with people in the U.S. serving in various agencies and initiatives, like Truth in Love Ministries, the Wittenberg Project, and the WELS/ELS services to the military, sharing insights into technology use.

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The pioneering work by the WELS Latin American mission featuring outreach with mobile devices was explained and explored. One presentation demonstrated a basic evangelism strategy for spreading God's Word by transferring files directly from one cellphone to another.

Another reviewed scores of digital resources for evangelism and teaching that are freely available online. A person with an idea for a Christian movie consulted directly with a professional about how to secure property rights. And valuable connections were made with experienced media users from outside our usual fellowship circles.

The full potential of such a conference is yet to be achieved, but is illustrated by the reach of this one. Tracking revealed, that while it was open for discussion, the conference was visited by 930 different individuals - a decent attendance for any face-to-face conference - who came from 37 of the 50 U.S. states, and 181 different cities in 51 countries, from Albania to Zimbabwe (see flags above). Since the conference closed to active discussion on April 17, those numbers continue to grow.

The success of this first conference prompted the CMI Board to authorize another next year, but rather than on dates linked to Easter (which moves very late in 2017), we will instead open the conference for discussion during the three weeks prior to Reformation Day. Not wanting to lose the momentum from the 2016 conference by waiting sixteen months, a "mini-conference" is planned for October 2016, aimed primarily at inviting involvement from students. Watch for an announcement of presentation topics in September, and a conference opening around October 9, 2016.

The teaching lab space at Bethany contains hospital beds and equipment to aid in instructing the next generation of nurses.

Bethany receives Mankato Clinic Foundation grant for proposed nursing program

high school dual credit

Bethany Lutheran College is the recipient of a generous $6,000 grant from the Mankato Clinic Foundation. The funding will be used for the addition of a teaching/lab space that is part of the College’s proposed nursing program. Bethany Lutheran College proposed to add a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program to its academic offerings. While the program can only function after review and approval by Minnesota Board of Nursing, the projected timeline for the nursing program could have it operational by the fall 2017. Current freshmen and sophomore students may already take courses that will be required for the proposed nursing program.

There is strong community and regional support for Bethany's proposed nursing program. The College has received letters of support from numerous health care organizations and educational institutions throughout southern Minnesota.

Several health care organizations providing direct patient care have committed to partnering with Bethany to provide clinical experiences, and are also indicating that they will strongly consider hiring Bethany Lutheran College bachelor of science in nursing graduates.

“This wonderful gift from the Mankato Clinic Foundation helps Bethany to equip the important teaching/lab space needed for the proposed nursing program. The support of the Mankato Clinic Foundation was critical to reaching our goal for this component of the proposed nursing major. It’s my hope that this gift will be the impetus for a long standing partnership with the Mankato Clinic,” said Art Westphal, Bethany’s Vice President for Advancement.

High school students from across the United States can now take full-credit college courses through the new Dual Credit program offered by Bethany Lutheran College. Bethany’s dual credit courses offer high school students great savings in time and money by providing both high school and college credit through online classes taught by Bethany Lutheran College faculty. These collegiate-level courses can be accessed at any time during their high school day or in the convenience of their home.

Dual credit courses are one semester long (concurrent with the Bethany academic calendar) and are normally priced at $360 per credit. However, students that attend a Bethany Advantage Partner School are eligible for the Bethany Advantage Grant* allowing qualified high school students to take courses at just $75 per credit.

Any student taking courses through the Bethany Advantage Grant program who then enrolls as a full-time student at Bethany after high school is eligible to have the entire cost of those courses taken credited towards their tuition cost during the first semester of full-time attendance. This credit will appear in the form of a tuition scholarship making the net cost of the courses taken through the Bethany Advantage Grant program $0.

At present, there are eleven high schools participating in the Advantage Partner program with others considering the partnership. In addition, high schools may offer courses on site through the Bethany Endorsed Instructor option.

High school students interested in learning more about the Dual Credit program may visit www.blc.edu/dualcredit.

AT BETHANY LUTHERAN COLLEGE

*Minnesota PSEO students may enroll in the dual credit courses but are not eligible for the Bethany Advantage Grant.

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broadcasting

excellence

BY L A N CE S CH WA R T Z • D I R EC TO R O F I N STIT U TI O N A L COM MU N I C ATI O N

Photo by Jeff Olsen

Bethany receives newscast excellence award and celebrates fifteen-year broadcast partnership

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Bethany’s communication and media arts students continue to garner attention and awards for the excellent work they do in and out of the classroom.

Some of their work was recently recognized by The Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS). A contingent from Bethany attended the NATAS 2016 Student Production Awards on Sunday, April 10, 2016, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. Once again, the great work done by the students from BLC Studios earned a Student Crystal Pillar Award for Newscast Excellence in the category of College Sports: Live Event for their work producing Maverick Hockey Weekend (MHW).

Bethany students David Schuyler (junior) and Paul Riediger (senior) attended the awards.

“The awards ceremony was very exciting,” said Schuyler. “It’s one thing to say that 40 schools had been nominated, and it’s another thing entirely to see them all gathered in the ballroom. The anticipation of waiting for your category to be called is really quite surreal. When they called out our names, I wasn’t

even sure how to react. Everything happened very quickly. It truly was an honor to be a part of such a great event!”

This is the third time BLC Studios has received a Student Crystal Pillar Award. This year, NATAS Upper Midwest Chapter received more than 260 entries from 40 different high schools and colleges/ universities from across the region covering Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Students compete in 20 categories.

“It is a great honor to receive this Student Crystal Pillar award. Our students pushed themselves all season long to put out a professional looking product and to be recognized by NATAS is a great achievement,” commented Studio Manager Greg Vandermause.

Vandermause says that Director Paul Riediger and producer David Schuyler set the tone for the broadcast. “We ask a lot of our leaders and Paul and David did a great job of motivating their fellow crew members and continually looking to improve the broadcast.”

“It’s really nice to see all of our hard work amount to something,” said David Schuyler. “Receiving this Crystal Pillar is super rewarding. It is a great accomplishment for us.”

Maverick Hockey Weekend is the show name for all productions associated with the Bethanyproduced Minnesota State Hockey broadcasts. MHW broadcasts over 35 men’s and women’s hockey home games per season and also operates the state-of-theart Daktronics video board at the Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato, Minnesota.

FIFTEEN YEARS OF HOCKEY PARTNERSHIP RECOGNIZED Bethany Lutheran College and Minnesota State University recently celebrated the fifteenth season of broadcasting Maverick Hockey Weekend.

The anniversary of this unique broadcast partnership was recognized on Saturday, March 12, 2016, with a special reunion/recognition event prior to the Minnesota State men’s hockey WCHA playoff game at Verizon Wireless Center, located in downtown Mankato. Many Bethany Lutheran College alumni who currently work with broadcast giants such as ESPN, Good Morning America, Minnesota Twins, and nationally syndicated cable television shows returned for the event.

It was 2001 when an up-and-coming collegiate broadcast program at Bethany teamed with an up-and-coming NCAA Division I men’s hockey program to form a unique partnership that has produced positive results for both. The partnership grew out of a meeting between Bethany’s Vice President for Finance and Administration Daniel Mundahl and Charter Communications’ Director of Field Operations Craig Stensaas.

The Maverick Hockey broadcast partnership has been a catalyst for dozens of Bethany graduates to secure jobs with well-known broadcast organizations.

Vandermause commented, “We are excited to celebrate fifteen years of a great broadcasting partnership between Bethany, Minnesota State and Charter Communications. Throughout the years our students have landed jobs and internships at major networks and organizations such as ESPN, Fox Sports North, WWE, Good Morning America, NBA teams and so much more. Our program at Bethany has grown significantly through this partnership and we look forward to many years to come.”

And like the solid outcomes that Bethany Lutheran College has seen for its broadcast programs,

A large group of Bethany communication alumni and others gathered to celebrate the fifteen-year anniversary of Bethany's Maverick Hockey Broadcast partnership.

Minnesota State Athletics values the partnership as the broadcast has been promoted to a wide audience throughout the upper Midwest and beyond.

Kevin Buisman, Minnesota State Director of Athletics, commented prior to the milestone. “As we celebrate the fifteen-year anniversary of our partnership with Bethany Lutheran College and Bethany Studios, I want to take an opportunity to acknowledge just how important that relationship is to our hockey program. Much of the credit for the leadership on this initiative goes to Daniel Mundahl, BLC’s VicePresident of Finance and Administration. It was Daniel who first saw the experiential opportunity it could create for Bethany students and made the financial investments, then and now, to make this vision become a reality.

“Over the years, the quality of the broadcast has continued to improve and through our collaboration with Charter Communications the footprint has increased to where we reach a substantial viewing audience across the state of Minnesota and throughout the upper Midwest via our standard and high-definition broadcast of each home hockey series. We connect with even more constituents by web-streaming the same content and both of these components offer an extremely important outreach platform for an NCAA Division I hockey program. In his role as Production Studio Manager, Greg Vandermause has put us at the forefront from a technology standpoint and his expertise and passion always ensure a high quality broadcast and a great viewing experience for our fans. We truly appreciate this longstanding relationship with Bethany Lutheran College and are excited to celebrate this milestone with them.”

Throughout the fifteen-year partnership, Bethany students have produced over 200 live Minnesota State men’s hockey broadcasts, dozens of promotional videos for the Maverick hockey program, and have even partnered with ESPNU and Fox Sports on occasion.

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A LUM N I

from our

alumni 1960s Linda (Remmele) Schumacher (’68) is in her 43rd year as administrative assistant to the president of South Dakota State University (six presidents). In 2012, she became publisher of four weekly newspapers after the death of her husband, Chris. She is also a part-time church office secretary for Our Savior Lutheran Church, Brookings, S. Dak. Linda has a son, daughter, and four grandchildren. She welcomes Bethany friends to her home in Volga, S. Dak.

1970s In November 2015, Carol Lehtola (’71) displayed classic toys she collects and gave a presentation focusing on how these toys opened up her world of creativity which then led to a successful career in engineering. The presentation also focused on how these toys can benefit potential young engineers as they develop their engineering skills for the future. Among the classic toys discussed were Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, and Erector Sets. The presentation was held at the Matheson History Museum in Gainesville, Florida. Lehtola was a longtime professor in Agriculture Safety & Health at the University of Florida, and a nationally recognized engineer in this field. She is now retired, but still finds time to give back and help those in her profession when she is able.

J U N E 20 1 6

finished the 2016 season ranked as the number one NAIA college baseball team in the nation compiling a 55-4 record. Stromdahl started the baseball program at Georgia Gwinnett in 2013, and has turned the Grizzlies into an NAIA powerhouse with an overall career record of 133-52.

kids, and Jeff is a youth care worker and graduate student in professional counseling.

2010s

2000s Rachel (Ohlendorf) Kovaciny’s (‘02) short story The Man on the Buckskin Horse won this year’s fairy tale retelling contest from Rooglewood Press and will be included in their Five Magic Spindles anthology, which hits bookstores in summer 2016.

p Dusty (’03) and Amanda (Rank) Reese welcomed a baby boy on April 13, 2016. Gunnar Lee weighed 8 lbs., 11 oz. and was 21-1/2 inches long. He was welcomed home by brothers Asher (6) and Aiden (5) and sister Brynna (3).

The family resides in Lake Mills, Iowa.

p Amy Halverson (‘10) and Brandon Wexler were married on April 18, 2015, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, Minnesota.

Amy has a license in marriage and family therapy and Brandon is an engineer for Buhler Inc. in Plymouth, Minnesota.

p Anna (Rysavy) Pyle (‘13) and Brandon Pyle were married on April 23, 2016, in Mason City, Iowa. Anna will be teaching seventh grade social studies for the 2016-17 school year in the Mason City Community School District, and Brandon works as an automotive technician for Mason City Ford Lincoln. They reside in Mason City, Iowa.

1980s John Miller (’80) is serving as an associate pastor at Manchester Community Church since January 2015. In October 2015, he was ordained by his church after evaluation by a council of pastors and elders.

1990s Brad Stromdahl (’97) is the head baseball coach for the Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies, and 24

We want to hear from you! p Jeff and Jen (Krueger ‘07) Ulrich announce the birth of their daughter, Violet Anne, born on May 2, 2016. Jeff baptized her the next day, and she is adored by her big brothers, Daniel (7) and Braden (5). The Ulrichs live in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, where Jen homeschools the

We want your personal and professional updates to include in our alumni news. Submit your news and photographs online at:

blc.edu/submitnews

B E TH A N Y Magazine

In Memoriam Angeline Esther (Schwartz) Meyer better known as “Angie,” class of 1947, into her 90th year, entered life eternal on Tuesday, February 9, 2016, to worship and serve her Creator. She is survived by her husband, Robert; sons, Robert Jon and Russell; daughter-in-law, Susan; granddaughter, Kristin and sister, Margaret. Also remaining are hundreds of still affectionate and attentive children she taught over her 43 years of dedicated service teaching in the Lutheran parochial school system. Some even ministered to her in her last days. Her lay ministry was also dedicated to outreach ministries through choir and solo work, world mission, and social ministry guilds. Preceding her to eternal life are her parents, John and Esther Schwartz and parents-in-law, William and Meta Meyer.

Maury “Moe” Beehler (‘87) passed away from a short, but tough, battle with renal cancer on August 29, 2015. He was employed as a commercial lines insurance underwriter with Western National Insurance Group in Edina, Minnesota.

He continued to live in his hometown of Finlayson and worked from his home on Big Pine Lake. Moe is survived by his parents, Walt and Marion Beehler of Finlayson, brother Whitney Beehler and family of Rogers, Minnesota, Sister Jenyne Beehler of Willmar, Minnesota, and sister Becky Beehler Peterson (‘86) and husband Scott Peterson (‘86) and family of Reedsburg, Wisconsin.

Lola Evelyn Schartell, age 98, was called to be with her Savior on Monday, March 7, 2016, at Brookdale Senior Living in Mankato .

On September 18, 1954, Lola was united in marriage to Arthur Schartel in Chicago, Illinois. In 1963 the couple moved to Mankato where Lola worked as a cook at Bethany Lutheran College and Art as a custodian. They opened their hearts and home to family, church members, and neighbors.

They befriended college students and supported Bethany’s choir and groups such as Services for the Blind and Services for the Handicapped.

Lola was a quiet and unassuming woman but ministered to many. In 1998 she received an award for “Outstanding Senior Citizen in Blue Earth County.” On Friday mornings she helped the church secretaries in the office at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church.

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” II Corinthians 1:3

WHAT IS THE BETHANY FUND? At times throughout the year the many alumni and friends of Bethany Lutheran College will be contacted by the College through the mail, an email, via social media, or even a telephone call in the spring asking if you would be willing to support the Bethany Fund. And yes, we are very blessed that so many alumni and friends of the College generously support this fund every year. But why exactly is the Bethany Fund so important? The truth is, the Fund allows us to enhance our students' educational experience in nearly every aspect. From financial aid, to learning tools in the classroom, to athletic equipment, props for theatre performances, or even just to heat the buildings during those cold Minnesota winters, the Bethany Fund is there for the support of students. That is why the motto identifying what this fund supports - “where the needs are the greatest” is so accurate. Tuition dollars don't come close to providing all the funding needed at Bethany, so by choosing to support the Bethany Fund you are helping students to receive the best education possible, while making a tremendous difference in their college experience.

Bethany has been blessed to see an increase in support for the Bethany Fund throughout the years, raising almost a half a million dollars through nearly 3,500 gifts in 2014-15, and is on pace to see the same results for our students in 2015-16.

A special thing about the Bethany Fund is is the fact that you can give to whatever your heart is drawn to, such as scholarships, the choir, the volleyball team, or even a special project on campus you might want to see become a reality.

We are very blessed to have many people who support Bethany in so many ways. When you consider a gift to the Bethany Fund, regardless of the amount, your support will have an immediate impact, and it will have direct impact on every student that steps foot on this special campus.

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J U N E 20 1 6

Photo courtesy of Mankato Free Press

JOURNALIST, PHILANTHROPIST, FRIEND OF BETHANY

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

Imm Bashour receives Bethany Lutheran College Distinguished Alumna Award Val Imm Bashour of Dallas is the recipient of the 2016 Bethany Lutheran College Distinguished Alumna Award. The award was presented on May 13, 2016, during the 2016 Bethany Lutheran College spring commencement ceremony. Although Imm Bashour was unable to attend the ceremony, she delivered comments via video during the service.

Imm Bashour, a Mankato, Minnesota, native, graduated from Bethany in 1947. She is the daughter of both the late Gertrude and Val Imm. Her father, Val, served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for thirty years and in the Minnesota Senate for three.

Bashour’s career in journalism got its start while she was a student at Bethany. During that time she also worked for Mankato News, a daily newspaper owned by her father. It was there that she was introduced to the newspaper business, including writing.

After attending Bethany, Imm Bashour found work at a fashion magazine based in New York. She also taught for a time in the Adirondacks. Her life changed significantly when she decided to move to the Dallas/Forth Worth area at the urging of her sister.

It was there in Dallas, that her career began to move forward.

In Dallas, she worked in advertising for Town North Magazine and also held a position as fashion editor for Dallas Fashion Manufacturers. Her work for the Fashion Manufacturers eventually prompted the 26

management at the Dallas Times-Herald to take notice, and she was then hired as a society reporter for the newspaper. She has also written for Dallas publications D Magazine, Opera News, and the Society Section. During her working career, she made frequent appearances on KRLD (CBS affiliate) television.

Her journalism career in Dallas was one of substance, being honored with writing awards. She was awarded for her society coverage and for headlines she wrote. While her position as society reporter, and eventually editor, brought memorable moments and brushes with fame, her writing was much more than coverage of celebrity; it was focused on humanity, on sociology. Her writing was both excellent and powerful.

She was awarded for her reporting about abused and neglected children. It was her writing that prompted the Dallas city government to investigate its social welfare system and subsequently make changes to the organization.

Imm lost her first husband in 1974 and later married Fouad A. Bashour, a cardiologist at the University of Texas (UT) Southwest Medical Center.

Together they founded the Fouad A. and Val Imm Bashour Distinguished Chair in Physiology at UT Southwest. She also supports a variety of charitable causes with particular interest in the arts, education, and organizations that provide support for homeless and neglected youth.

While the demands of traveling keep Imm from visiting her native state and hometown often, she did visit Bethany in 2007 to meet with alumni, friends, and students. Through her philanthropic work, she established several scholarships at Bethany benefitting students in communication, English, and religious studies.

Bashour lives in Dallas. She was widowed in 2003, and is a member of Believer’s Chapel in Grapevine, Texas.

B E TH A N Y Magazine

Bethany

retrospect

Remembering a campus moment from years gone by.

An undated photo from the campus kitchen.

Do you recognize anyone from this photo?

Send your response to editor@blc.edu.

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