Spring 2006 Bethany Report

SPRING 2006

Bethany report

the magazine of bethany lutheran college

4 Graduates don’t let rain dampen celebration 7 Lillos, Wiechmanns retire from Bethany 12 Men’s basketball places fifth in nation

from the president

Opportunities thrive T

he 2005-06 academic year has drawn to a close and as I reflect on the many wonderful things that have happened here atop McMahan Hill in Mankato, it never ceases to amaze me how richly the Lord has blessed Bethany Lutheran College. In the spirit of thankfulness, allow me to single out just a few of the highlights.

Enrollment growth continues to be positive. The college was recognized in a Minneapolis Star Tribune report published in January 2006 for the thirty-five percent growth that has occurred at BLC during the past five years. This growth has been primarily in the enrollment of upper division students, reflecting the increase in the number of majors offered. During the 2005-06 academic year we awarded diplomas to eighty-nine baccalaureate graduates. It is humbling and exciting to know that more and more students who have trained for four years on our campus will enter the work force armed with their BLC degree rooted in the knowledge of the “One Thing Needful.”

Bethany graduates are prepared for a life of leadership.

The idea of service to others is recognized as an important aspect of Christian life. In this issue, you will find an article about the new Bethany Student Leadership Institute. This program, administered by Dr. Janet Moldstad, involves students identified for their leadership potential in their sophomore year. As the article details, the particiPresident Dan Bruss pants spent numerous hours learning about a life of leadership in the Christian spirit. The graduates of the Leadership Institute will be equipped to be campus leaders and mentors. They will practice these skills as they continue their undergraduate studies at Bethany next fall and in the future as graduates of this institution.

Every corner of the campus at Bethany Lutheran College has contributed to this successful year. Academics, as well as a wide array of co-curricular activities such as athletics, debate, music and the arts, play an important role in constructing the rich fabric that makes Bethany what it is. We offer the student an opportunity that few colleges and universities can—that being a Christian, liberal arts education that embraces the philosophy of multi-dimensional learning. Bethany students have the opportunity to learn from experience, whether it is in the classroom or through the many co-curricular activities available and open to all of our students. It is indeed a blessing to be a part of this dynamic college environment. I ask for your continued prayers and support.

Bethany report editor | Lance Schwartz design, photography | David Norris proofreaders | Sarah Harstad Jon Kovaciny Elayne Luiken Shannon Reichel Tami Tillman Please direct all correspondence, letters, news, corrections, and comments to: Bethany Lutheran College Bethany report 700 Luther Drive Mankato, MN 56001-6163 Email: Report@blc.edu | www.blc.edu 507.344.7000 | 800.944.3066 FAX: 507.344.7417 ISSUE: CV The Report is published quarterly by the Bethany Lutheran College public relations office and distributed free of charge.

All contents © COPYRIGHT 2006 Bethany Lutheran College. Articles, images or photographs may not be reproduced without written permission.

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

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

In keeping with its heritage, Bethany aspires to produce students with a clear understanding of Christian vocation, which calls for people to make the most of their Godgiven talents in whatever walk of life they pursue.

Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents: Rev. John A. Moldstad, Sr., Chair Harold A. Theiste, Vice Chair Rev. Kenneth V. Schmidt, Secretary Willis Anthony, Ph.D. Rev. Mark Bartels Jon C. Bruss Paul T. Chamberlin Rev. Herbert C. Huhnerkoch James Minor Roland Reinholtz Rev. J. Kincaid Smith, D.Min. Rev. Joel Willitz Advisory Members: Pres. Dan R. Bruss, Ph.D. Rev. Lawrence A. Burgdorf Lyle Fahning Rev. John A. Moldstad, ELS President William Overn

On the cover: As part of Professor Polly Browne’s Teaching Health and Human Performance course, elementary education students took turns presenting games to play with a parachute on the campus green on May 3, 2006. In order to practice their teaching skills, the students invited others passing by to shed their backpacks and join in the spring time fun. (Photo by David Norris)

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report | spring 2006

from the chapeL April 19, 2006 Luke 24:13-16, 30-31­—Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him....

30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

This charming story from Luke has been called one of the “best loved of all the resurrection stories.”

And it has provided subject matter for hundreds of older painting masters: Rembrandt, Velazquez, Vander Velde, Titian, Altobello Melone, and more recent artists like Sallman, Bloch, and Hole. Just this past January, historians delighted over the discovery Dr. Steven Reagles of Carravagio’s “Pilgrimage of our Lord to Emmaus” under an organ loft in France.

Most everyone is familiar with Robert Zund’s classic painting of the Road to Emmaus, where Jesus accompanies the two disciples of the text on the Emmaus road, winding itself through a beautiful alcove of leafy trees. Artists focus either on the journey to Emmaus—Jesus talking with disciples whose eyes are restrained from understanding—or that moment at the destination where Jesus breaks bread with disciples opening their eyes.

Now these are the key ideas. During the journey “Their eyes were restrained” and while breaking bread “Their eyes were opened.”

Like painters who must choose the moments they wish to emphasize, our text this morning is truncated. It hints at, but leaves out, the story in-between, giving us the charming subject matter the masters love to paint—beautiful scenery, the moment of epiphany at the table. But for all the Easter morning charm, the glory of the Gospel of resurrection... let us education that lasts beyond a lifetime

recall that in Jesus’ conversation on the road with the disciples—the in-between that Luke presents us with the Easter Christ rebuking the disciples.

The disciples on the Emmaus Journey explain to Christ the events that had taken place, and Jesus— whose identity has been kept from them—plays along as if ignorant, but ultimately these disciples are filled with doubt about whether or not Jesus has indeed risen. And this is the key issue to which Christ responds “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?”

All through the days prior to his crucifixion, Jesus alluded to Old Testament prophecies predicting that He would rise again. The Emmaus account is conditioned by the critical importance of believing God’s written prophetic word. What restrains our eyes and ears from believing is our sinful nature.

Unless Christ’s spirit opens our understanding today, we, as post-Resurrection believers, doubt. Luke is not only the author of the Gospel, but of Acts, and at the end of that book he cites Isaiah to, similarly recall the malady at the heart of God’s chosen people, the Jews. And these words are, equally, a warning today describing our malady. Luke warns against our Old Adam even as he directly addresses the Jews, God’s chosen people: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand. And seeing you will see, and not perceive.

Their ears are hard of understanding and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.”

During this Easter, let us give thanks to God’s Spirit, who through the Word opened our ears and eyes, enlightening our understanding to recognize Jesus as Christ. Once the eyes of these Emmaus disciples are open they rush to Jerusalem to tell others, and while the chosen disciples have joy over the report of Christ’s resurrection, once again it takes Jesus’ appearance to vivify the Old Testament prophecies of Moses and the prophets. Déjà vu—as in Christ’s conversation with the Emmaus disciples— it took Jesus to “open their understanding, that they might comprehend the scriptures.” Things haven’t changed.

Communication theory teaches us to distinguish Chapel continued on page 5 3

campus news

Students start a new chapter T

he culmination of four years of study and hard work was officially recognized with two events held on the Bethany campus on May 11 and 12, 2006.

Right: Scott Schneider gave this year's commencement address titled, “Let your light shine throughout the world.�

Photos by Michael Schwertfeger

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On the evening of Thursday, May 11, the eighty-nine graduates from the 200506 academic year participated in the Commencement Vespers worship service.

The sermon for the worship service was delivered by the Rev. Eric Hartzell, pastor of Cross and Crown Lutheran Church in Georgetown, Texas. Rev. Hartzell’s daughter, Krista, is a member of the class of 2006.

The commencement ceremony for the class of 2006 was held on Friday morning, May 11. Bethany alumnus, Scott Schneider, addressed the graduates, faculty and assembly. Schneider, a member of the associate in arts class of 1986, is the Chief Operations Officer for aOva Technologies Inc. aOvaTechnologies is a Wisconsin biotechnology company organized in 2001 for the purpose of commercializing its patented, natural egg protein product.

Commencement ceremonies at Bethany have often been sun-drenched spring days with trees and flowers in bloom, but a persistent rain on this graduation day failed to dampen spirits. Immediately following the ceremony, graduates, family, friends and Bethany faculty gathered in the corridors of the Sports and Fitness Center, instead of the traditional campus green location, for congratulatory celebration, hugs, and good-byes.

report | spring 2006

communication

Speech team wraps up successful season

By Jon Loging Speech Team Coach, Communication

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n Wednesday, April 19, 2006, the Bethany Speech Team finished another successful season. During this academic year, forty-three students took part in twenty-three competitive tournaments. The entire season lasted just over six months with the team traveling to four different states for competition.

Bethany hosted eight tournaments.

Among them was the annual Vocal Viking tournament, which included all twelve individual events and Parliamentary Debate. Other tournaments hosted at BLC were the This House Believes That (THBT) Classic debate tournament, and five debate tournaments of the Parliamentary League of the Upper Midwest (PLUM).

The Bethany Speech Team did well in the five tournaments of the PLUM season.

Bethany was named the top competing

institution with six team members ranking among the top ten speakers for the year. The last time Bethany claimed such a high ranking was the 2001-02 academic year.

The final tournament hosted by Bethany was the Minnesota Collegiate Forensics Association State Speech Tournament.

This tournament brings the best forensics students the state has to offer together for two days of competition. Different campuses host the tournament each year.

This year, Bethany was host to twelve other schools.

The team presented its annual Home Concert on Wednesday, April 19. Several students performed their award winning pieces from the season. The entire team was recognized and end-of-the-year awards were given. You can learn more about the season’s highlights at www.blc. edu/speechteam.

Speech Team Awards Most Improved Team Member – Jessica Gehrke (Junior, Brown Deer, Wis.) Spirit Award – Lisa Buchs (Sophomore, Rochester, Minn.)

Top Newcomer Award – Jesse DeDeyne (Freshman, Nekoosa, Wis.) Room Taker Award (given for four years of active participation) – Casey Barnes (Senior, Blue Earth, Minn.), Richard Jones (Senior, Lindstrom, Minn.), and Stacy Lilienthal (Senior, Arlington, Minn.)

Most Valuable Team Member – Lisa Buchs Pi Kappa Delta Leadership Award (given to a returning student who will lead the team the following year) – Jessica Gehrke and Elizabeth Gullixson, (Junior, Cannon Falls, Minn.)

Chapel continued from page 3

between listening and hearing. Hearing is a physiological process whereby we merely hear sounds. But this doesn’t mean that we understand meaning or truly understand the import of a message, which is listening. Similarly, a popular visual gestalt reminds us that in an optical illusion, e.g., where you can see either the profile of two figures, or a lamp, but not both, parallels the spiritual truth about Christ.

The disciples that first Easter morning at first did not see the lighted lamp, which is Christ. It took Christ’s Spirit to open up their understanding through Scripture to truly perceive the Truth.

How many times in life haven’t we had “Aha! I get it” experiences after going for days, weeks, even years trying to “get it!”

This text teaches us important Easter lessons about how to “get” the truth: 1) Our own mind and intellect are incapable of perceiving the Truth unless God’s education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Spirit opens our understanding, by a Word and Sacrament-based Faith, so that we truly perceive. Seeing is not the same as perceiving by faith. 2) God has given us Holy Scripture, just as He gave those early disciples His Word, a divinely authored, record of historical events, testified by faithful witnesses, which is the means of grace for working Faith.

And consider our advantage over the Emmaus disciples. Not only do we have the Old Testament, but we also have the faithful New Testament historical account of the Easter narrative. Against the false claims of the so-called lost Scriptures— the Gnostic Gospels of Thomas, Judas, Mary Magadalene etc., recently making news again—drafted sometimes centuries after the Apostolic Scriptures and which offer another Gospel, we do well to follow Christ’s advice to turn to the authentic Word of Christ—thirty-nine Old Testa-

ment and twenty-seven New Testament books. All other Gospels are fabrications.

If you have come to appreciate the power of conscience to recollect the guilt of your sins as it burns its way into your heart, creating sadness, despair, sorrow over sin and death, then let the charm of the Emmaus account recollect for you Christ’s much larger love. Let this Easter account and season with all the springtime cheer of its victorious Easter Gospel restore within your heart another kind of burn— the impassioned joy of the Gospel and its love. Appreciate the charm of today’s story for its grace and power because it packs a narrative vigor in artful brush-strokes, a portrait about the power of Christ’s love, who forgave us our sins, destroyed death and who, by rising from the dead, brought righteousness, forgiveness, salvation, and everlasting life to light and to our lives through the happy Gospel of peace.

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campus news

leadership | led' r-ship' | e

noun

the action of leading a group of people or an organization : different styles of leadership.

• the state or position of being a leader : the leadership of the party.

• [treated as sing. or pl. ] the leaders of an organization, country, etc. : a change of leadership had become desirable.

• the ability to lead skillfully : they hailed DuPont’s courage and leadership.

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

T

he Oxford American Dictionary’s definition of leadership offers a common explanation of how most people understand leadership. Of course, the meaning of leadership is often talked about and debated. What does it take to be a leader? Can anyone be a leader?

Are leaders born with inherent leadership traits or can leadership be learned?

The mission of Bethany Lutheran College states: “Bethany aspires to produce students with a clear understanding of Christian vocation, which calls people to make the most of their God-given talents in whatever walk of life they pursue.”

When Dr. Janet Moldstad (business administration) was appointed the Glen Taylor Chair of Business and Leadership, she made a point to consider Bethany’s mission statement and its importance in the training of future leaders. The product of her consideration led to the establishment of the Bethany Student Leadership Institute.

The Student Leadership Institute concluded its inaugural year in April 2006 with the goal of leadership training with a Christian viewpoint. The institute’s curriculum, a comprehensive sevenmonth program, was established with the idea of identifying and developing future leaders.

Seventeen BLC sophomores submitted applications for the Leadership Institute from which nine were chosen to become part of the first class. Applica6

Photo by Janet Moldstad

Some of the students who participated in a session on leading teams (from left) were Kelli Hanson, Lyudmyla Petrenko, Ryan Latterman, Malia Krohn.

tions and letters of interest were reviewed and judged by Moldstad and four other faculty members. Students were chosen on the basis of their potential to become leaders on and off the campus.

The program sought to strengthen leadership skills and community awareness and to prepare students for leadership roles on campus and after graduation.

Leadership training with a Christian view Moldstad’s objective was to develop a concept of leadership that focused on serving others. Topics discussed helped the participating students to understand various leadership themes including: self awareness of behavioral style; time management; effective meeting management; teamwork; oral and written communication; community, church, and government awareness; understanding your own talents and appreciating the talents of others, personal behavioral style

assessment, discussion, and personal development activities, and service that grows from a Christian perspective. The group met for seven monthly meetings during a two to three hour evening session.

When asked if the program achieved the objectives Moldstad envisioned, both the instructor and students agreed. “The concept of a servant leader was something completely foreign to the students,” said Moldstad. “When the course was completed, all of the participants had moved from an understanding of a leader in the secular sense to the concept of leadership being a form of service to others.”

Several students who completed the program have already taken on leadership roles for the upcoming academic year including responsibilities as resident assistants, community volunteer positions, and the newly elected student body president, Nate Abrahamson (Junior, New Hampton, Iowa), is a graduate of the Leadership Institute. report | spring 2006

campus news

Lillos, Wiechmanns retire from BLC

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

Three faithful servants are set to take their leave from Bethany Lutheran College after sixty-three years of combined service.

Ernie Lillo, Director of Maintenance, Marge Lillo, Assistant to the Registrar, and Jean Wiechmann, College Registrar, will all be retiring after the close of the 2005-06 academic year. Another familiar face on the campus, Richard Wiechmann, who has served the College in both the admissions and development offices, and has been employed as the Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s development officer for nearly twelve years will also be retiring.

Ernie Lillo has been the College’s Director of Maintenance since 1982. After serving in the United States Air Force, Lillo began his duties keeping the Bethany Lutheran College campus in good repair.

Lillo has seen the campus grow from a small five-building enclave to its current size of twelve buildings. Throughout all of those changes, Lillo and his maintenance crew have kept the campus safe and in top shape. Lillo’s duties haven’t been limited to maintenance though, for nearly twenty years on a certain crisp fall day you could find him cutting and preparing about 500 pounds of Lutefisk for the annual feed held at BLC each October. We still don’t know how he will be replaced in

Ernie and Marge Lillo

Richard and Jean Wiechmann

that capacity!

Marge Lillo, who just happens to be Ernie’s spouse, is also set to retire from her position as Assistant to the Registrar. She has helped countless numbers of students during her eighteen years at BLC. Lillo, just as the others who are retiring, will be greatly missed for her encouraging words and Christian guidance she provides for BLC students. The Lillos are excited to begin a new phase of their life together as they plan to sell their home in Mankato and travel the United States in a large motor home.

Jean Wiechmann came to Bethany Lutheran College in 1985 and has served the College as both instructor and registrar. She has been a mentor and advisor to many students at Bethany while assisting them in the selection of classes and planning their courses of study. Other

responsibilities of the registrar include the scheduling of classes and preparing the college catalog for publication. Bethany Lutheran College will miss her commitment to the students and her love for serving God. Richard Wiechmann began his work at Bethany Lutheran College in 1985 as a member of the admissions department.

He served in that capacity for three years before moving into the College’s development office where he worked in virtually all aspects of fund raising. Wiechmann possesses one of the friendliest demeanors you’ll ever come in contact with and his smile and sincerity will be missed on the BLC campus.

Bethany wishes these retirees the Lord’s blessings as they begin new chapters in their lives.

science

Science department hosts annual symposium

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

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griculture and the products associated with the industry are part of everyone’s lives. The Science Department at Bethany Lutheran College hosted their annual Science Symposium on April 35, 2006, with the theme and topic “The Science of Agriculture: From Field to Fork.” education that lasts beyond a lifetime

The event featured presentations by three Bethany alumni. Dr. Carol Lehtola (BLC class of ’71) spoke on the theme “Agterrorism and Agtourism: Implications for American Agriculture.” Lehtola is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Florida.

Mr. Peter Anthony (BLC class of ’96) delivered a presentation titled “And some

seed fell into good ground: Maps, Soil Chemistry, and Resource Efficiency in Crop Production.” Anthony is a farmer in Nicollet County, Minnesota.

To conclude the series, Dr. Daniel Schaefer (BLC class of ’71) spoke on the theme “Animals, Meat and Science.”

Schaefer is the chair of the Animal Sciences Department at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

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academics

Article contributions by Bill Bukowski, Andrew Overn, Eric Ouren, Denice Woller Art Department Faculty

The world needs more Christian artists. The art department at Bethany Lutheran College exists to help young adults take the gifts that God has given them and utilize them to actively engage in contemporary culture. Bethany’s art department is challenged to enable students to become productive, creative individuals with the ability to produce work that is consistently innovative, significant, and compelling.

Bethany’s first studio art major graduated in the spring of 2003. In May 2006, eleven students earned a BLC studio art degree.

“In the past, art students had to leave Bethany to finish a four-year degree, and over the years we’ve had alumni doing every kind of artistic activity from architecture, commercial art, teachers to starving artists,” art professor Bill Bukowski said.

Now a student can prepare for a variety of jobs in the computer graphics area, illustration, and photography, or prepare for post graduate study in any number of studio areas like painting, sculpture, photography, and ceramics while attending Bethany for four years.

Travel opportunities A driving philosophy of the Bethany art department allows for students to think, see, and experience things beyond the Bethany campus. An annual trip to New York City has been a tremendous opportunity for Bethany students to visit world-class museums and commercial galleries in the center of the art world. Every other year since 1997, students have the opportunity to travel over spring break to Italy. The Italy trip has been very influen-

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Photo by David Norris

Krista Hartzell was one of the eleven studio art majors to graduate this year.

tial for students to visit an “art” infested culture.

“Students often have come back and said, ‘Now I understand what you were talking about,’” Bukowski said.

Study abroad has been a recent addition to the Bethany student’s choices.

“Last year, we had four students living and studying art in Florence, Italy. I am very happy that the Bethany art curriculum is not limited to our campus in Mankato. We try to help students identify and link up with programs that are compatible with their studies at Bethany,” commented Bukowski.

Combining traditional with modern One of the unique aspects of the art major at Bethany is the opportunity that it offers students to combine the methods of a traditional course of study in painting and sculpture with newer methods afforded by modern technology. Graphic design, multimedia, and illustration enable students to make use of their God-given talents and intellect in an expanding creative marketplace.

Students choosing to study the graphic arts at Bethany learn design using industry standard software and state-of-the-art equipment. The digital Photos by Steve Woit curriculum currently Art Professor Andrew Overn conducts reguincludes coursework lar critiques for the graphic arts students. in page layout, image manipulation, drawing, multimedia authoring, and Web page development.

Illustration students, on the other hand, utilize a more traditional set of tools to create innovative and compelling images geared towards publication in books, magazines, and other printed media.

Since every successful assignment begins with a great idea, the most important tool that a designer can possess is their creative mind. Bethany students spend a great deal of time studying the creative process and developing ways to produce truly innovative solutions to visual problems.

Design and drawing skills naturally lead into a variety of potential career choices including graphic design, advertising, public relations, and a variety of corporate and freelance opportunities. To better prepare students for these possibilities, interested Bethany students are encouraged to take advantage of internship opportunities toward the end of their academic studies. Recent internship sites have included a variety of local and regional organizations, such as Lime Valley Advertising, the Brown County Historical Society, and the Greater Mankato Chamber of Commerce.

Problem solving with materials A student working in any of the 3-D areas is always faced with exercises in concrete problem solving. Because an object exists in space and in the world, students first need to come to terms with creating a thing that is structurally sound. The next step is to translate that knowledge across materials such as wood, stone, clay, cement, Styrofoam, paper, etc. (Objects that fall over tend not to be very successful or interesting, unless, of course, they are created with that purpose in mind.)

Consequently, students spend a great deal of time learning about the various working properties of material and how each one can be handled for maximum artistic expression. At the same time, they must deal with artistic impression; or how the audience perceives the object, and how well they understand its intent and purpose. All of this becomes knowledge and experience that the student can bring to any facet of the postcollege working life, whether they stay within the art field, or go in other directions.

Studio art major graduate Erik Lonnquist used the sculpture space to complete many projects.

Processing information Photography at Bethany is open to both art and non-art majors. A basis for the study of photography—the history of photography—is part of each semester of study. Within the photography curriculum, students are able to learn the art in four levels. In the first level, students learn the basics of photography, including how cameras function, how to use their film camera to its maximum capabilities and what makes a good photograph. They also learn how to process the images they captured by developing their film and making black and white prints. As they advance, the addition of using other types of film and paper, medium format photography, and studio lighting are added.

The advanced levels are for experimental photography and allow the students to learn over forty different techniques— from processes as old as the art to digital manipulation. While using color photography, students in the darkroom learn the techniques of color balancing and are able to make prints up to 20”x24” in size. Processing color gives Bethany students capabilities that they would not receive elsewhere in many other programs.

And not to forget the medium of choice for growing numbers of photographers, Bethany students also learn the most current digital photography techniques.

The art programs at Bethany offer excellent instruction for the serious student as well as Current students, such as Diana those simply wishing to expand Cheek, take advantage of the their knowledge of the world of many offerings in photography. visual art.

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advancement

Insider’s view of phone-a-thon

By Sarah Harstad Coordinator of Annual Giving

A

thletes, actors, musicians, freshmen, seniors, on-campus students, commuters, the shy and the extremely extroverted—what brings this diverse group of students together? A desire to meet others and to support the school they love by working during the annual Phone-a-thon.

This eager group of students gathers two evenings at the beginning of the Spring Semester for training on how to be a Phone-a-thon caller. The students learn about the history of Bethany (did you know Bethany had a high school curriculum, and as recent as the 1980s a wrestling team?) the future of Bethany, and the details of the Phone-a-thon.

Next comes the first night of calling.

As we gather in the Meyer Hall Seminar Room—a sprawling lecture room with phone access—the room has been transformed. The stark classroom walls are now covered by inspirational phrases, bright posters, and motivational (if not just funny) messages cover the rooms white boards. The nerves that were palpable in the air just seconds ago begin to dissipate.

The night begins with announcements, reassurances, and a description of the evening’s activities.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Harstad

Phone-a-thon callers this year from left: Sarah Harstad (Coordinator), Jerusha Londgren, Tami Tillman (Coordinator), Eric Hansen, Stephanie Brozo, Mike Leyrer, Rachel Mellon, Becky Tecken, Elizabeth Retz, Casey Fitzgerald, Amanda Fehr, Elisabeth Bruss, Samantha Loewen, Keri Ploog Front row seated: Jessica Kruse, Sandra Gale, Lucy Tillman, Kim Kruse Not pictured: John Meilner, Nina Maksymenko, Laura Cole

And then... silence. The nerves return, until one brave soul picks up the receiver.

“Hello, I am a student from Bethany Lutheran College. How are you doing this evening?”

As the stories begin to flow, the callers learn about Bethany and the people who love it. Often times, the callers will look up in disbelief as they hear about family connections, histories, and college pranks.

Many callers meet new friends and mentors during the phone-a-thon; people with whom they will keep in contact

and rely on for advice throughout their college days and sometimes for a lifetime.

During the end of the calling season, all the students gather to share these memories—the highlight of their experience.

Teamwork, games, meeting new friends, and having fun while garnering support for Bethany—that’s what the Phone-a-thon is all about. Thank you to our alumni and friends for talking with our students, providing a great experience for them, and supporting Bethany during this year’s Phone-a-thon.

Midwest Wireless expands scholarship

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idwest Wireless, a communications company with headquarters in Mankato, has generously donated $5000 to augment a scholarship they created at Bethany. The scholarship, which will also be matched by a private foundation, already has an endowment balance of over $20,000 after being initiated just over a year ago.

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The endowment, like others established by businesses, friends, and alumni of the college, assists students by helping to cover some costs associated with attending Bethany Lutheran College.

Bethany gratefully acknowledges the generous support from Midwest Wireless and others who have established endowed scholarships at Bethany.

For more information about establishing endowed scholarships and matching opportunities, please contact the Bethany Lutheran College Advancement Office at 800-944-3066. report | spring 2006

fine arts

Everyman

By Matthew Caron Theatre

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he spring play of 2006 was a departure from more traditional theatre offerings.

Everyman, written by an anonymous author, is a medieval morality play. That is, its original intention was to teach the illiterate laity of the day to behave morally and, thus, the means by which they can get into heaven. It achieves this by placing an allegorical character that represents all of humanity (Everyman) in a situation where he is visited by Death, and summoned before God to account for the deeds of his life. Being frightened and lonely, Everyman turns to the earthly things that he knows for company into the grave. He visits other allegorical characters like Fellowship, Goods, and Beauty.

All of them refuse to accompany him save Good Deeds.

This play is an excellent example of the works-based theology common during the middle ages, and with which reformers like Martin Luther had to contend. While the play clearly teaches a theology that is in conflict with confessional Lutheranism, it proved to be a valuable learning experience for the cast and crew, as well as our audiences. Each performance was followed by an open forum discussion session during which the members of the audience had an opportunity to interact with members of the cast, crew, designers, and the director. The central focus of the discussion surrounded the theological implications of the play—particularly, the differences between relying on ourselves and our good deeds to please God, versus the scriptural teaching of Christ’s death and free, undeserved Grace (Eph 2:8-9). education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Left: Everyman (Jacob Kempfert) pleads with Goods (Allison Czer) to accompany him on his journey to the afterlife.

Photos by Denice Woller

Discretion (Paul Gansen), Beauty (Allegra Reuter), Strength (Robert Bruss), and Five-Wits (Lauren Albrecht) all pledge to stand by Everyman (Jacob Kempfert) in his final hour, while Knowledge (Erin Peek) comforts him, and Death (Megan Nord) looms above.

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viking athletics

Fifth in the nation Men’s basketball team advances to NCCAA National Tournament

By Adam Holtz Assistant Sports Information Director

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ational tournaments are almost becoming the norm for the Bethany men’s basketball team. In just its third season under head coach Rick Jeddeloh, the Vikings advanced to a national tournament for the second time, capturing fifth place at the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division I nationals.

Compiling a 17-15 record on the year, the Vikings’ young lineup, anchored

by Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Player of the Year Alfonso Mayfield (Jr., Milwaukee, Wisc.) and sophomore Dewan Grant (Milwaukee, Wisc.), went 9-5 against UMAC opponents, finishing third in the conference.

They also took second place in the conference tournament. Then, Bethany won on the road twice in three days to win the NCCAA regional championship and a berth in the national tournament. After a first day loss to repeat national champion Spring Arbor (Mich.), the Vikings won their final two games at the national tournament to claim fifth place.

After the season, Viking team members received a number of honors. Along with his UMAC Player of the Year award, Mayfield received the following honors: All-UMAC first team, NCCAA North Central All-Region first team, NCCAA All-American first team, and NCCAA Nationals All-Tournament team. Grant was named to the All-UMAC first team and to the North Central Region’s second team. Ross Libby (Jr., Mankato, Minn.) was named Academic All Conference by the UMAC and a Scholar Athlete by the

12

Photo by Sport PiX

Alfonso Mayfield was selected as this year’s Upper Midwest Conference Player of the Year. The Vikings finished third in the conference.

NCCAA. Amun Bordain (So., Milwaukee, Wis.) made the UMAC All-Defensive team, and Jeddeloh was honored as coach of the year in the UMAC and the North Central Region.

The fact that the nucleus of this year’s team will return next year is encouraging to Jeddeloh. “Starting two juniors, two sophomores, and a freshman much of this year, the potential for improvement next

season will definitely be there. I think we can contend for the conference championship,” he says. “We play a number of tough teams in non-conference games next year, so we should be well-prepared for our conference opponents.”

Basketball continued on page 13 report | spring 2006

community

Students lobby for aid at state Capitol, learn from former Bethany student

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

C

itizen participation is the hallmark of our democratic process. Several Bethany Lutheran College students took this principle to heart and participated in the annual Minnesota’s Private Colleges Day at the Capitol on April 6, 2006. The Day at the Capitol is a special day set aside for private college students to speak to state of Minnesota elected officials about the value of the Minnesota State Grant Program. The State Grant Program is designed to assist Minnesota residents

with the costs of attending a college or university located in Minnesota.

During the trip, Bethany students received training about effective Michael Valleau citizen advocacy and lobbying from Michael Wilhemi, Director of Government Affairs at the Minnesota Private College Council.

The students were also fortunate to hear from Bethany alumnus, Michael Valleau

(’96). Valleau is the administrator for the House of Representatives Higher Education Committee. He has been interested in politics for years and has worked at the state capitol in various capacities before recently being hired by the Republican Caucus as a committee administrator.

After a full day of lobbying, Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson and the Speaker of the House of Representatives Steve Sviggum addressed the students. Both legislators offered the students practical advice for a life of leadership.

Basketball continued from page 12

Women’s basketball team makes playoff push T he Bethany women’s basketball team made some great strides this season, going 6-8 in conference games, and nearly qualifying for the UMAC tournament. Overall, the team’s 10-15 mark included some narrow losses to good teams, but also netted a championship in the Southwestern (Texas) Invitational in late December.

Comebacks seemed to be a big part of the Vikings’ season. In the Southwestern Invitational championship game, Bethany trailed by seventeen points early in the second half, but surged back to win the tournament. In the season’s final game against Martin Luther, with a playoff berth on the line, Bethany found itself down by eighteen points, but came back to tie the game twice in the closing minutes before Martin Luther won with a last-second basket.

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Third-year head coach Tiffany Young Klockziem knows that determination was one of her team’s strengths. “The whole season was like that—they fought hard and never gave up. Even if the win wasn’t there to show for it, their character, tenacity, and Christian sportsmanship shone through.”

After the season, junior Jessica Merseth (Mankato, Minn.) was honored as an NCCAA Honorable Mention All-American selection, an All-North Central region selection, and was named to the UMAC All-conference and All-defense teams.

Leslie Bremer (So., Northrop, Minn.) was named to the All-UMAC team, and Lindsay Kahle (Fr., Gaylord, Minn.) was named All-North Central Region honorable mention.

Klockziem is obviously excited about the future. “We have an impressive group

Photo by Sport PiX

Jessica Merseth earned multiple honors this season as the Vikings came out champions in the Southwestern (Texas) Invitational.

of returning players and a talented incoming class. After establishing ourselves in the conference this year, I think we have a great shot of finishing at the top in 2007.”

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ff

fall festival September 22–24, 2006

Please plan to join us for these

Scheduled Events Friday, September 22

10 a.m.

All day 2 p.m.

4 p.m.

7 & 9 p.m.

8:30 p.m.

Chapel Service with students and faculty Alumni, parents, and guests invited to visit classes Women’s Soccer vs. Presentation Men’s Soccer vs. Presentation Performance by Bethany Speech Team – Meyer Hall 101 Theatre Physics Performance – YFAC Theater Acoustic Performance in The Lab Coffeehouse Movie – Meyer Hall 101

Saturday, September 23

All day

10:30 a.m.

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

11 a.m.

12 noon 2 p.m.

Campus Tours Food Vendors on the Green Admissions Department Open House Arts on the Green President’s Address to Alumni, Parents, and Friends Women’s soccer vs. UM-Morris Men’s soccer vs. UM-Morris

3 p.m.

4 p.m.

6 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 & 9 p.m.

9 p.m.

Alumni Choir Rehearsal – Trinity Chapel Class Reunions 1940s and 50s - Old Main Fireside Room 1960s and 70s - Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center 1980s - Memorial Library 1990s and 2001 - Meyer Hall Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet – South Gym Performance by Bethany Speech Team – Meyer Hall 101 Theatre Physics Performance – YFAC Theatre Young Alumni Gathering

Sunday, September 24

9 & 10:45 a.m. Worship Services – Trinity Chapel 2 p.m.

Theatre Physics Performance – YFAC Theatre All events subject to change. Visit our Website for the most up-to-date information.

www.blc.edu/fallfestival education that lasts beyond a lifetime

15

alumni news

alumni

news 1940 Ellinore (Busness) Ask’s husband, Carl, passed away four years ago but Ellinore still resides on the farm thanks to help from her children.

1941 Donald Lau and his wife, Lucille, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on February 3, 2006.

Esther (Luebke) Knack and her son attended the Bethany Christmas Concert in Golden Valley, Minnesota.

1943 Robert “Robbie” Rickels and his wife, Thelma, are happily retired and reside in Billings, Montana. They enjoy creating ceramics and sterling silver jewelry at the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings.

1945 Helen (Kohlmeyer) Keyes and her husband, Donald, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on June 30, 2005.

They are blessed with ten children and twenty-five grandchildren.

Viola (Milbrath) Mueller and her husband, Hillard, moved to Fulton, Missouri, from Bentonville, Arkansas, to be near their son, David, who is the pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fulton. Viola is happy to report that Fulton is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the “Iron Curtains” speech by Winston Churchill. She invites everyone to come and see the Churchill Memorial Museum and a section of the iron curtain on display on the Westminster College campus.

1948 Helen (Naumann) Spitzack had back surgery in November 2005. She is doing well and is now pain free. Helen’s husband, Clarence, is in an Alzheimer’s unit. She corresponds with fellow 16

Bethany alumnae: Anna Borlaug (’48), Signe (Larsen) Carlson (’49 and ’51), Lorraine (Solberg) Hanson (’48 and ’50), and Grace (Seebach) Peterson (’48 and ’50).

Chuck Anderson and wife, Rose, are enjoying their 55th year of marriage and their 21st year of retirement. They keep busy metal detecting, panning for gold, fishing, and playing golf. They have two children and five grandchildren.

1949 Betty Lou (Stoll) Hauser is enjoying retirement. She is currently volunteering eight hours per week, September through May, as a teacher at Grace Lutheran Church in Tucson, Arizona. She teaches English as a Second Language. She loves to travel and watch her grandchildren as they become young adults.

Signe (Larsen) Carlson (’49 and ’51) and her husband, Ken, enjoy summers at Leech Lake, located south of Bemidji, Minnesota. She reports that retirement is “grand!” Signe’s brother, Jules Larsen, resides in Milwaukie, Oregon, and assists in preaching at several Wisconsin Synod churches. Signe’s sister, Margaret (Larsen) Brandle (’57), resides in Madison, Wisconsin, and is assisting at the parish school.

Lois (Iverson) Pieper (’47 and ’49), is enjoying residing in Stoughton, Wisconsin, where she is busy with family, friends, and local activities.

1950 Alice (Lillegard) Maxfield moved into a senior community in December 2005. Alice is still teaching piano lessons and playing organ at her church.

Lorraine (Solberg) Hanson is enjoying retirement in Northfield, Minnesota. She has been involved in a gospel quartet for three years. She enjoys other hobbies such as reading, quilting, and recording family stories. She encourages other people to record their family histories as well.

1952 Myrna (Beer) Mumme and her husband, Edgar, hosted thirty members of their family for Christmas 2005. This was the first time in ten years all of their family have been home. Myrna and Edgar are blessed with five children and eighteen grandchildren.

Rev. Lyle Rasch reports he’s having a hard time “retiring.” In his retirement of ten years, he has served five Lutheran churches and is still the pastor of one of those churches.

1953 Ruth (Solli) MacLeod resides in Plymouth, Minnesota. She is employed by an insurance company as an R.N., assessing and interviewing long-term care applicants. She would love to hear from fellow Bethany alumni. Feel free to call her at (763) 565-3368.

Daniel Hanel (’53 and ’55) retired from Minnesota State University, Mankato where he was employed for twenty-four years. He and his wife, Ann, reside in Portland, Texas.

1956 Rev. Ernest Geistfeld (’56) retired from the ministry in June 2005. Ernest and his wife, Ione (Sorenson ’59), have moved from Audubon, Minnesota, to enjoy retirement in North Mankato, Minnesota.

1957 Rev. James P. Olsen (’57) and his wife, Mary (Sullivan ’62), celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in 2005. James and Mary are blessed with six children and eighteen grandchildren.

1958 Gene Schreyer is semi-retired after teaching for forty years at Immanuel High School in Mankato, Minnesota. During the last four years, Gene has worked parttime as a supervisor of student teachers at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Gene’s wife, Grace, works at Corporate report | spring 2006

alumni news Graphics as a proofreader. They have three children: Juliana (18), Brent (16), and Christiana (14).

1960 Allan Tjernagel retired from Safeway Door Company on February 28, 2005.

He is enjoying retirement with his wife, Ellen, residing along Pike Lake in Warsaw, Indiana. They also enjoy spending time with their five grandchildren.

1961 James Lillo retired and handed down his company “Jim’s Electric” to his son.

Retirement has given James the opportunity to work with his first love, evangelism. A year ago, James started the Andrew Plan for Outreach and Assimilation. Feel free to visit www.andrewplan. net for more information.

1962 Rev. Ronald L. Mathison is the associate pastor at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe, Minnesota.

Frankie Bly reports that his son, Jared, was married on June 4, 2005, to Tara Taylor in Des Moines, Iowa. Jared and Tara reside in Lauderdale, Minnesota.

1968 Norman Hartigan and his wife Cheryl (McCafferty ’68) moved from Omaha, Nebraska, to Scottsdale, Arizona, in July 2005. They welcome friends and family anytime and can be contacted via e-mail at norman.hartigan@cox.net.

1971 Carol (Merseth) Robison’s son, Michael, graduated from basic training in the United States Marine Corps.

1973 Rev. John Schneidervin (’73 and ’74) has started a mission church in Pakistan.

Feel free to visit www.ChristianInConnect.com for more information about the mission.

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Lois (Narges) Peterson’s oldest daughter, Ann, is graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in elementary education and a minor in Spanish.

1975 Rev. Ronald Kruse (’75 and ’81) is proud to report that his two daughters, Jessica and Kimberly, are attending Bethany.

1976 Mark (’76) and Joal (Tolzmann ’77) Lillegard’s son, Micah, is serving with the Army National Guard in Kuwait.

1980 Cindy (Budach) Boyd’s youngest daughter, Melissa, is a freshman at Bethany and is in the theatre program. Her oldest daughter, Bridget, is married and has two sons: Anthony (2) and Devin (1).

Cindy’s son, Andrew, is employed fulltime.

1981 Becky (Manteufel) Perez and her husband, Richard, have been married for twenty-two years and reside in Atlanta, Georgia. They have a son who is eightyears-old. Becky has been employed by United Parcel Service for twenty-five years in the corporate marketing department.

1983 Phil and Karis (La Gruth ’84) Geistfeld moved to Florida from Ohio because Phil received a promotion with the United States Justice Department. Karis is currently looking for a teaching position in Florida.

1985 Mary (Vanstrom) McCullough reports that her daughter, Lauren, has qualified to attend the first-ever National Special Olympics Games in Ames, Iowa.

Lauren is one of eight gymnasts representing Minnesota at the games this summer.

1986 Rev. Jeffrey Bovee would like to say “Hello to the Gang!” and everyone who graduated around 1986.

Rev. Brian Goens serves a dual parish in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He and his wife, Linda, have four children: Michelle (7), Tyler (5), Robert (2), and Kimberly (1).

1987 Kirsten (Weseloh) Schnackenberg reports that she resides in Bemidji, Minnesota, with her husband, Mike, and her three children: Katrina (16), Aaron (13), and Daniel (6). Kirsten teaches flute and piano lessons at Headwaters School of Music and the Arts in Bemidji.

Pete Meyer and his wife, Kendra, are very happy to announce the birth of their first child. Hannah Bethany Meyer was born on January 19, 2006. She weighed 7 lbs 12 oz and was 21 inches long.

Everyone is doing great! Pete and Kendra would like to thank everyone for their prayers and good wishes. Pete and Kendra can be reached via email at pmeyer@lisle202.org Todd (’87) and Ruth (Moldstad ’88) Olsen have moved to North Mankato, Minnesota, from California. They are enjoying Minnesota with their three children: Rachel, Bekka, and Austin. Rachel and Bekka attend Mt. Olive Lutheran Grade School and Austin attends Jesus’ Lambs Pre-school at Peace Lutheran in North Mankato. Ruth is employed as a part-time Nursing Supervisor at Immanuel St. Joseph’s Hospital in Mankato and Todd is employed by Powerware of California and works from home.

17

alumni news 1990 John Philipp Augustine resides in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is in his first year at Concordia Seminary.

Benjamin (’96) and Sara (Knudson ‘97) Olson announce the birth of a baby boy, Will Benjamin Olson, on September 18, 2005.

1994

1997

Wendy

(Wurster)

Graf

(’94)

announces the birth of her quadruplets: Hope Margaret (2 lbs 8 oz), Livvie Irma (3 lbs 6 oz), John Calvin (3 lbs 2 oz), and Luke Joseph (3 lbs) on January 18, 2006.

All babies were home by March 1, 2006, and are doing great. The power of prayer is evident here!

1995 Ryan Meihack is employed in the Twin Cities as a Nurse Anesthetist. He was recently engaged to Tara Kohout and they will be married on June 9, 2006.

On March 7, 2006, God blessed Ryan and Marie (Holtz ’04) MacPherson with the birth of their first child, Grace Emma. Peter Anthony (’96) and Jessica Bartels (’06) were sponsors at her baptism.

Marie, a part-time senior, will complete her B.A. in elementary education with ELS certification in the coming years.

Ryan continues to teach at the college and attend part-time at the seminary.

1996 Lisa Klaers is married to Michael Minnema and they have three children: Aaron (8), Thomas (2), and Molly (8 mos.).

18

Sarah Johnson married Travis Otto on February 25, 2006.

Jason Jasperson took part in a group show at the Carnegie Art Center in Mankato last fall and is currently working on a public monument for the city of New Ulm, Minnesota, due to be installed in the summer of 2006.

Jesse Kauffeld is recovering from his heart attack and he and his wife, Jodi, want to thank everyone for all their prayers and letters of encouragement.

1998 Patrick and Kristy (Robinson) Langworthy announce the birth of a baby boy, Samuel George, on February 14, 2005.

1999 Courtney (Adams) Anderson earned her master’s degree in education from Southern Connecticut State in December 2005. Ethan (’98) and Courtney announce the birth of a baby boy, Jonah Richard, on February 3, 2006.

2001

Miranda (Umphrey) Dittmer was married to Jason Dittmer on June 4, 2005,

at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota. Their wedding party consisted of: Christine (Marozick) Agenten (’03), Amanda (Umphrey) Campbell (’98), Lori Dittmer, Leslee Umphrey (’06), Jeff Dittmer, Ben Pickar, Matt Stoneburg and Andrew Umphrey (’06).

2002 Stacy Meincke was accepted into Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Sarah Lams married John Cantu on August 12, 2005. They reside in Hobart, Indiana, and attend Grace Lutheran Church. They are expecting their first baby in June 2006.

2003 Brandon Mustful has joined the Peace Corps. He leaves May 29, 2006, for Paraguay where he will be stationed for two years.

Travis Bredeson is employed by First Horizon Home Loans in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

In memoriam Brad Hove was married February 25, 2006. He and his wife, Rachel, reside in Chaska, Minnesota.

Scott Tillman (’97 and ’01) resides in Michigan and is employed by Americans for Limited Government.

Chris Harstad enjoyed three years of teaching English in Japan and South Korea. He resides in North Mankato, Minnesota, and is a Sales Representative at Fine Impressions.

1953 Irma (Marquardt) Gelhausen passed away December 8, 2005.

Marrina (Bostelmann) Baumann, wife of Martin (’52), has left this earthly vale of tears on July 9, 2005, to join her Savior in heaven.

1956 Lorraine (Penning) Abel, wife of Kaylan, passed away February 6, 2006.

report | spring 2006

alumni news In memoriam (cont.)

1957 Ronald Zuberbier passed away March 20, 2006.

1959 Jean Bentz, wife of Ronald O. Bentz passed away November 13, 2003.

1964 Elwood “Woody” Stallkamp passed away March 18, 2006, from complications of a stroke he sustained on February 27, 2006. Elwood was born May 27, 1941, to Ernest and Dorothy (Fenske) Stallkamp in Blue Earth, Minnesota. He graduated from Frost High School and attended Bethany and Mankato State University.

He was united in marriage to Gwen Prenzlow on July 15, 1967. He worked for South Minnesota Oil for twenty years. He enjoyed taking care of his yard and spending time with his sons, grandsons, family, and friends. Elwood truly lived the motto “People Helping People.”

1996

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

alumni

news

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

You may also submit alumni news by emailing it to alumni@blc.edu. Post your news online by visiting our Web site at www.blc.edu and click on the My Account link.

Name___________________________________________________________________________ Class year__________________ Address____________________________________________________________________________________________________ City____________________________________________ State___________________________ Zip ________________________ Phone ( _________ ) ____________________________ Email______________________________________________________ Spouse’s name __________________________________________________________________ Class year _________________

(first name/maiden or birth/current last name)

news (attach additional information and photos as necessary) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

birth/adoption announcement Parents’ names_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Name___________________________________________________________________________ Class year__________________

(first name/maiden or birth/current last name) Spouse’s name __________________________________________________________________ Class year _________________

(first name/maiden or birth/current last name) [ ] Daughter’s name

[ ] Son’s name________________________________________________________________________ First Middle Last

Date of Birth____________________________________ Place of Birth_______________________________________________

marriage announcement Name___________________________________________________________________________ Class year__________________

(first name/maiden or birth/current last name)

#

Bethany alumna, Gillian S. Kavinsky, died of leukemia on May 25, 2006.

Ms. Kavinsky was born in Homer, Alaska, on June 13, 1978. She received an associate in arts degree from Bethany in 1996 and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Viterbo College in La Crosse, Wis. After returning to Alaska, she worked as a registered nurse at Providence Alaska Medical Center.

Ms. Kavinsky was a member of the American Nursing Association-Alaska Chapter and Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church where a memorial service was held.

Her family wrote: “Gillian was a loving, caring, compassionate person, which made her such a wonderful nurse and family member. Her bright eyes and smile illuminated our lives. Her battle with leukemia was fought with grace, dignity and strength. She has gone home to her Lord, whom she dearly loved.”

We want to hear from you

Spouse’s name __________________________________________________________________ Class year _________________

(first name/maiden or birth/current last name) Date of Marriage ________________________________ Current Residence __________________________________________

Cut out (or photocopy) and send to: Alumni News, Bethany Lutheran College, 700 Luther Drive, Mankato, MN 56001

19

address service requested

Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Minneapolis, MN PERMIT No. 4656

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

Calendar of Events

Alumni Connection coming soon!

june

The first issue of the Bethany eNewsletter Alumni Connection is coming to your email inbox very soon.

9 Joel Laube Golf Tournament Lakeville, Minn., 1 p.m.

18-22 ELS Convention 26-30 Minnesota Private College Week

july 17 Madison Golf Classic Blackhawk Country Club Madison, Wisc., 1 p.m.

To make sure you’re not left out, please update your alumni profile with us at www.blc.edu/ alumni. You can also subscribe by visiting www.blc.edu/enews.

august 7 Bethany Golf Classic Mankato Golf Club, 10 a.m.

26 Residence Halls Open, 9 a.m.

27 Opening Service, SFC, 3:30 p.m.

28 Orientation and Registration 29 Classes Begin, 8 a.m.

Position Opening Head Women’s Volleyball and Softball Coach This is a permanent staff appointment with ten-month salary structure and responsibilities. The beginning date of employment will be on or before August 1, 2006. Head coach responsibilities include overseeing the development and promotion of the volleyball and softball programs, recruiting student athletes, monitoring student athlete’s academic and athletic performance, and ensuring compliance with NCAA Division III rules and regulations.

A complete job description can be found at www.blc.edu/jobs.

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

About Bethany Lutheran College Bethany Lutheran College, owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, is a private, residential, liberal arts college with a commitment to the teachings of the Bible as set forth in the Lutheran Confessions. The college serves Lutherans and others by offering a challenging, student-centered approach to education that fosters spiritual development, intellectual and creative growth, selfunderstanding, and responsible citizenship. In keeping with its heritage, Bethany aspires to produce students with a clear understanding of Christian vocation, which calls people to make the most of their God-given talents in whatever walk of life they pursue.

Location: Bethany is located in Mankato, Minnesota, an area of approximately 52,000 residents (eighty miles southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul).

Campus: Overlooking the beautiful Minnesota River Valley, the campus occupies fifty acres with thirteen buildings and two athletic fields.

Enrollment: While Bethany is continually growing, the average full-time enrollment is 515 students, with approximately thirty additional part-time students.

Bachelor of Arts degree: Sixteen majors and seventeen minors are offered.

For more information, please visit www.blc.edu.

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

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

Printed on recycled paper