Baseball and Softball Win Championships p. 7
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Is College Worth the Cost? p. 12
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Pietistic Heritage Inspires New Vision p. 24
Summer 2015
IMAGES OF THE MIDDLE EAST An alumna’s
photo essay p. 16
College of Arts & Sciences
| College of Adult & Professional Studies | Graduate School | Bethel Seminary
FROM THE PRESIDENT Summer 2015 Volume 6 Number 3
A Bold Vision Several years ago, a Bethel commencement speaker joked about the ceremony being held in Benson Great Hall. Given our heritage, he said, it should have been named “Benson Pretty Good Hall.” Indeed, modesty is a long-standing trait passed down from our forebears. But our recently adopted vision statement stands in stark contrast: Bethel will become the Christ-centered university of choice for this century. However, certain things must be true if people are to choose us. First, we must call them to see a bigger picture of Jesus—and become adventurous followers of Him. That bold picture of Jesus must be unshakably rooted in Scripture and must convey a “living orthodoxy” that engages the world’s most challenging problems for God’s glory and our neighbors’ good. Second, we must do our work with excellence. We have made significant gains in the quality of our curricular and cocurricular programs—and we must not be content. We will pursue facilities and programs as good as the great faculty who teach in them. We will continue to challenge students to activate their potential to levels beyond what they previously thought possible. We want them to understand that mediocrity is not honoring to the God whose name is excellent! Third, we will continue to become a conversational community. This type of community acts with integrity, makes people feel they belong, and allows for the safe exploration of ideas. Here, respect for others is foundational, and our historic “irenic spirit” is alive and well. We will balance our commitment to the truth revealed in Scripture with a willingness to engage the most important issues in our culture. Fourth, our footprint and composition will be global. Our campuses will reflect the global church, and we will connect with and serve neighbors far and near. A Bethel education will engage students in issues of race, culture, and justice; give them a bigger picture of what God is doing in the world; and help them learn about God from those who see Him from another perspective. This issue of Bethel Magazine gives a clear picture of the importance of these commitments. Jeannine Brown continues the tradition of Bethel faculty engaged in top levels of Bible translation (see p. 27). Alumna Alex Potter exemplifies the best of a graduate with a global footprint (see p. 16). And professors Chris Gehrz and Christian Collins Winn stand on the shoulders of Virgil Olson, Carl Lundquist, and other past Bethel leaders who were so important in sharpening our Pietist heritage (see p. 24). Enjoy this issue—and continue to pray that we will live worthy of our calling.
Jay Barnes
Editor Michelle Westlund ’83 Design Darin Jones ’97 Contributing Editors Cindy Pfingsten Tricia Theurer Suzanne Yonker GS’09 Contributors Brianna Albers Elizabeth Brown ’16 Barbara Wright Carlson Christopher Gehrz Timothy Hammer ’08, S’12 Monique Kleinhuizen ’08 Jared Johnson GS’14 Nathan Klok ’17 Nicolle Mackinnon ’09 Suzanne McInroy Lauren Pareigat ’08 Alex Potter ’11 Scott Streble President James (Jay) H. Barnes III Editorial Offices 3900 Bethel Drive St. Paul, MN 55112-6999 651.638.6233 651.638.6003 (fax) bethel-magazine@bethel.edu Address Corrections Office of University Advancement 651.635.8050 university-advancement-updates@bethel.edu Bethel Magazine is published three times a year by Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul, MN 55112-6999. Postage paid at St. Paul, Minnesota, and additional mailing offices. Printed in the USA. Copyright © 2015 Bethel University. All Rights Reserved. Bethel University is sponsored by the churches of Converge Worldwide, formerly known as the Baptist General Conference. It is the policy of Bethel not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, or disability in its educational programs, admissions, or employment policies as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments. Inquiries regarding compliance may be directed to: Compliance Officer, Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul, MN 55112-6999.
Cover photo: In October 2012, Alex Potter ’11 took this photo of protesters reacting to the deaths of four people killed by a car bomb in Beirut, Lebanon.
Bee U
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
There’s a lot of buzz around the newest members of the Bethel community. A colony of bees is now housed on campus in the Royal Gardens maintained by Sodexo, provider of Bethel’s campus dining services. The colony was installed to produce honey, add to the gardens’ aesthetic, and involve the Bethel community in fostering a healthy environment for bees. Now that’s sweet!
DEPARTMENTS Campus News
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Commencement 2015; new Bethel leaders; baseball and softball win championships
Bookmarked
5
Recently published books by Bethel faculty members
Sports News
10
Standout spring athletes; men’s and women’s tennis coach Drew Fernelius; softball player Angie Jackson
Profile
27
Bethel Seminary Professor of New Testament Jeannine Brown
28 Alum News 30
PlaceMeant
FEATURES
12 Investing in the Future
National concern about rising college tuition and student debt leaves universities like Bethel to answer the question, “Is a college education worth the cost?”
16 Faces of the Middle East
Photojournalist Alex Potter ’11 pursues social justice through her camera lens, bringing to life the everyday activities of people living with the challenges of poverty, conflict, and political unrest.
24 Faith-filled Tradition,
New Vision
Bethel’s pietistic heritage informs and inspires a bold new vision. Professor of History Christopher Gehrz explains how.
Graduate School Labs
Bethel University
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CAMPUS News
Commencement
by the
NUMBERS
540
College of Arts & Sciences graduates
COMMENCEMENT
College of Adult & Professional Studies and Graduate School graduates
173
Bethel Seminary graduates, including St. Paul, San Diego, and Bethel Seminary of the East
photos by Nathan Klok ’17
2015
325
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Summer 2015
CAMPUS News
College of Arts & Sciences students earned recognition for spring achievements in a variety of disciplines. Communication studies seniors Sarah Nelson, Benjamin Roberts, and Madeleine Nelson received recognition as one of five Top Papers of the President’s Undergraduate Honors Research Conference at the Central States Communication Association annual conference, Madison, Wisconsin, for their paper, “Communication with Home Culture While Abroad: Implications for Intercultural Competence and Intercultural Communication Apprehension.” Biokinetics seniors Micah Nieboer and Bryce Stockwell received one of five research awards for their study, “The Effect of Corrective Exercises on Neuromuscular Function and Joint Laxity in the Knee,” at the Northland Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine annual spring conference at St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota. Several seniors won awards at the Minnesota Academy of Science annual meeting at the University of Northwestern, St. Paul, Minnesota: • Biochemistry and molecular biology and chemistry double major Andrea Cragoe received a top poster award from the American Chemical Society for her collaborative research with Associate Professor of Chemistry Trey Maddox. • Chemistry and physics double major Sarah Elliott received an American Chemical Society Award and the Lee I. Smith Award for Excellence in Chemistry from the Minnesota Academy of Science for
research, advised by Professor of Chemistry Rollin King. • Environmental science major Chad Cyboran received one of four 2015 Minnesota Academy of Science Excellence in Science Awards, Best in Session Oral Presentation Awards, for a collaborative Edgren Scholarship project with Professor of Biological Sciences Jeff Port, titled, “Studying Insect Diversity, Abundance, and Trophic Complexity in Reconstructed Grassland Habitats Near Austin, Minnesota.” A team of students from the Department of Business and Economics reached the final round of the Upper Midwest Chartered Financial Analyst Global Research competition, sponsored by the Certified Financial Analysts Society of Minnesota. Team members included seniors Seth Assam, Donovan Carson, Roman DeWitt, Harrison Hitt, and Grady Rolando. Associate Professor of Business Chuck Hannema was the team’s faculty advisor. A Bethel mathematics team earned a spot in the top 10 “Outstanding Winners” in the 2015 Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications Mathematical Contest in Modeling. The team received two additional awards: the Mathematical Association of America prize, which allows the students to travel to this summer’s MathFest in Washington, D.C., to present their paper, and the Frank R. Giordano Award, awarded to the paper that demonstrates true excellence in the execution of the modeling process. The team included math and computer science double major Philip Gibbens, math and computer science
photo by Lauren Pareigat ’08
Showcasing Excellence
Bethel’s winning mathematics team: Philip Gibbens ’16, Tyler Miller ’18, and Ben Visness ’17.
double major Tyler Miller, and computer science major Ben Visness. Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Nathan Gossett advised the team. This year’s competition included 7,633 teams from 17 countries. Bethel’s forensics team won five national championships at the National Christian College Forensics Invitational at Colorado Christian University, Lakewood, Colorado. Freshman Nathan Strecker, missional ministries major, was both the top novice and the top overall speaker in “After Dinner Speaking.” Senior teaching English as a second language major Samantha Stocker won “Communication Analysis.” Junior Emma Beecken, who is majoring in social studies education, elementary education, and history, was the top parliamentary debate speaker in the junior varsity division, and freshman missional ministries major Emily Forster was the novice national champion in “Poetry Speaking.” Bethel University
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Mark Miles is Bethel’s new senior vice president for university advancement. “Mark will bring years of fundraising experience to the university as we begin to focus on growing our endowment for long-term financial health for Bethel,” says Bethel University President Jay Barnes. “His campaign cabinet experience will also be helpful to us as we envision and launch the next comprehensive campaign.” Miles graduated from Biola University, California, and received his MBA from California State University in Long Beach. He began his career with World Vision as a financial analyst and later as a grant and finance manager for their domestic programs. He then worked for Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington, as the director of advancement services and director of annual giving. Since 2011, he has worked at Biola University as the senior director of development. William O. Washington is Bethel’s new vice president for student life for the College of Arts & Sciences. He brings more than 28 years of student affairs and higher education leadership experience to Bethel. “William is a strong advocate for Christian liberal arts education with a commitment to incorporate faith, living, and learning into all facets of the university community,” says Executive Vice President and Provost Deb Harless. “He demonstrates a faithbased educational model in his work and seeks out the voices and perspectives of others, and he is skilled at working collaboratively across student life, campus ministries, and academic affairs to develop and implement holistic experiences for students.” Washington served in several leadership roles at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois, including senior vice president for student life, dean of students, athletic director, associate dean of students, assistant dean of students, assistant football coach, and admissions counselor. He holds a Ph.D. in higher education from Loyola University, Chicago, an M.A. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a B.A. from Trinity College.
Heard on Campus During a troubled time in my life, I was able to find God involved in my education. He was in the people I had around me in my graduate program. —anonymous Bethel University Graduate School student 4
Summer 2015
Christian Book Award Finalist A Bible commentary by University Professor of New Testament Mark Strauss was named a 2015 Christian Book Award finalist. Mark: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament was one of five books selected in the Bible reference category. Strauss, who teaches at Bethel Seminary in San Diego, says that the goal of the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary series, which includes his commentary on Mark, is “to present the best of critical scholarship in a clear and user-friendly format for busy pastors and Bible teachers…The goal is not just to explain the text, but to teach the reader how to read and apply Scripture.” Strauss has been teaching Mark’s Gospel for a number of years, and says that “each time I go through it, I get more excited about its power and literary artistry. The author is a master storyteller who draws his readers into the mystery and grandeur of the good news of Jesus Christ. It’s been a privilege to contribute this volume to the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary series.”
photo by Gar Schneider
New Leaders
CAMPUS News
photo by Timothy Hammer ’08, S’12
The Board of Trustees approved the renaming of Pine Tree Center to Anderson Center after trustee and donor Rollie Anderson and his wife, Barbara. Anderson is the CEO of Anderson Trucking Service, Inc., in St. Cloud, Minnesota. “Rollie was instrumental in helping Bethel acquire Pine Tree through his real estate knowledge, financial support, and financial loan to the university,” says Bethel University President Jay Barnes. “When we purchased Pine Tree in December 2013, Rollie and Barb requested his role in the process be anonymous. However, we encouraged them to step forward and allow us to recognize their generosity and leadership by having the building called Anderson Center. Their passion has always been to advance God’s agenda in the world and to support Bethel’s mission. Their humility and unselfishness are remarkable.”
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
Pine Tree Center Now Anderson Center Links. Artist Jean Shin visited Bethel’s campus in April to create and unveil a community-based and community-sourced installation piece, Links, which featured a series of chains and metal items that were gathered from Bethel community members and suspended in an open space. The gallery walls were adorned with Bethel-sourced photography and mirror-like pieces designed to visually bring the viewer into the story.
Bookmarked Recently published books by Bethel University faculty Social Work Field Directors: Foundations for Excellence
edited by Cindy A. Hunter, Miriam Raskin, and Julia K. Moen, Associate Professor of Social Work (Lyceum Books) What are the best practices for designing, implementing, and maintaining an effective field education program? The authors present essential skills and knowledge supported by empirical research to shape field policies and curricula. This indispensable resource
illustrates how to build an effective and efficient program and provide leadership that promotes sustainable changes to improve the quality of existing field programs.
No Gathering In of this Incense: Poems
by Mark Rhoads, Professor of Music (Resource Publications) Memory is like incense: as the censer passes, so does the intensity of the aroma, leaving only faint wisps. No gathering of the memories of our past can reveal a precise picture or bring back the past in such a way that we can lay hold of it. But
the wisps of memory that surround us have the power to influence our present and shape our future. These poems uncover scraps of an ordinary story told with as much truth and substance as the incense of memory can evoke; ordinary in that the struggle between discontentment and serenity, fear and confidence, gravity and humor, conflict and reconciliation, disappointment and fulfillment, sadness and joy, death and life, is the natural topography of our humanity.
All books, as well as many others by Bethel faculty, are available at the Campus Store. Visit bookstore.bethel.edu to shop online; shop in person; or shop by phone at 651.638.6202.
Bethel University
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CAMPUS News
Visit bethel.edu/graduate/ physician-assistant to learn more about Bethel’s Master of Science in Physician Assistant (PA) program. 6
Summer 2015
time for about 350 grandparents to connect with their grandchildren on campus. For one family, the day brought together three generations: Marjorie Getsch; her granddaughter, Debbie (Getsch) Haag; and her greatgranddaughter, freshman Bethany Haag. Marjorie— who turned 99 in April—and her late husband Bill began supporting Bethel in 1978 through several planned gifts, and Getsch Residence Hall, dedicated in 1985, was named in honor of the couple’s generosity. Bethany is the first in the family to attend Bethel, but she won’t be the last—another Getsch greatgranddaughter plans to enroll in the fall.
New Accounting Scholarship Junior and senior accounting majors have a new scholarship opportunity, thanks to the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants (MNCPA). The society’s Education Fund has a long history of providing scholarships to Bethel accounting students, and the goal of this new fund is to provide one scholarship of at least $1,000 each year. “Bethel has a strong accounting program with a history of preparing students well to pass the notoriously difficult CPA exam,” notes Betsy K. Adrian, MNCPA president. “We hope the scholarship will encourage students to select the public accounting profession as their goal.”
NUMBERS 92% 2% 0%
*From an annual survey of Graduate School alumni who graduated one year prior, five years prior, and ten years prior.
job satisfaction rate of Bethel
Graduate School alumni
unemployment rate of Bethel Graduate School ’13 and ’09 alumni unemployment rate of Bethel Graduate School ’04 alumni
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
This spring, students from Bethel’s physician assistant (PA) program won the Minnesota Academy of Physician Assistants medical quiz bowl. The annual event is an opportunity for students in Minnesota’s four physician assistant programs to compete in answering medical-related questions, with multiple teams from each school participating. This summer’s August 1 commencement will mark the graduation of the PA program’s first cohort, a group of 31 students who began with the program’s launch in June 2013. “We could not have asked for a better inaugural cohort,” says Wallace Boeve, PA program director. “We look ahead with great excitement to the excellent patient care they will bring worldwide as representatives of a Bethel PA education.” This summer also brings an esteemed guest lecturer to PA course offerings. Jane Runzheimer, MD, co-author of Medical Ethics for Dummies, will introduce the topic of medical ethics to students. Runzheimer is a family physician who served on the Ethics Committee of Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Her book is a practical guide to the moral and ethical standards of healthcare.
Three Generations. This spring’s third annual Grandparents Day was a special
by the
Physician Assistant Program Gains Recognition
CAMPUS News
Professor Awarded CCCU Planning Grant
MIAC Champions! Bethel Baseball and Softball Win First-Ever Championships Coming into an April 25 doubleheader against Hamline University, St. Paul, the Bethel University baseball team needed just one win to secure its first-ever MIAC Championship. After a tense game that saw the Royals down six runs in the first inning, the team fought back to top the Pipers 11-10 in game one and claim the 2015 MIAC crown. The title comes after an incredible four-year stretch for the Bethel program under the direction of head coach Brian Raabe. In year one, Bethel returned to the postseason for the first time in a decade. In the second year, the team won its first playoff game, and last spring they reached their first MIAC Championship game. Now, an accomplished group of seniors has one more highlight to remember. The Bethel University softball team became MIAC Champions for the first time in program history on April 25 with a pair of dramatic victories over Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, in a doubleheader dedicated to cancer awareness. The Royals withstood a fierce Carleton rally in the first game to prevail 10-9, then came from behind to win game two 6-3. Bethel’s trip to the postseason is their third straight, and their first under head coach Penny Foore. In conjunction with their final home doubleheader, the team organized a Strike Out Cancer campaign that was inspired by several players and their families who were recently affected by cancer.
Gretchen Wrobel, professor of psychology, received a planning grant from the Council of Christian Colleges & Universities to examine religious motivations for adoption. In her proposal, “The Role of Religiosity in the Motivation to Adopt,” she wrote that the project “seeks to examine. . . how [religious motivations] relate to decisions made by adoptive parents in the initial stages of planning to adopt as well as how they relate to a range of outcomes over time.” Wrobel is serving as project director for the research.
Bethel University
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CAMPUS News
Cultural Connection Center
What does the CCC mean to you?
Rasmusen: It means that I, as a student of color, have a space specifically designed for me to feel safe in, as well as continue to grow in my understanding of my reality as a student of color, as a Christian, and as a world-changer. Jones: To me, it means progress. One of the purposes of the CCC will be to unite the student body, to facilitate, mediate, and stimulate difficult conversations. The CCC means that cultural and intercultural groups on campus will have a safe, designated space to have meetings, fellowship, and learn. Fulton: The CCC represents a step in the process of Bethel becoming a Christ-centered and culturally inclusive community. It means that students who might feel lost on our campus will have a place to call home,
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Summer 2015
and it represents expanding our understanding of what “diversity” means.
Why does Bethel need a space like this?
Rasmusen: This space is a step for Bethel to tell me that I am wanted on this campus, that my voice is both heard and wanted here. Fulton: Spaces like this provide the opportunity for students from non-dominant racial or cultural communities to find a place on campus that is reflective of who they are, where they come from, and what they value. Rivera: The world has always been diverse and is becoming more so every day. Research shows that spaces like the CCC provide a venue where a sense of belonging, Christ-redeemed selfworth, and community can be fostered among students who are not part of the historical mainstream. But such a space is not designed to keep the socalled majority out. The CCC is about learning how diverse people can live together in understanding, friendship, and shalom.
What does success look like for the CCC?
Rasmusen: This place will both challenge and grow the people it serves and will be crucial in exploring what the kingdom of heaven looks like at Bethel as it relates to growth in racial and cultural understanding. Jones: Success looks like a space
photo by Scott Streble
This fall, Bethel will open a new Cultural Connection Center (CCC), designed to promote understanding, friendship, and shalom among all College of Arts & Sciences students, with a special focus for students of color. Research has shown that a space for gathering, dialogue, and support can help significantly for students who might not be experiencing a sense of belonging on campus. Leah Fulton, associate dean of intercultural student programs and services, will oversee the space in collaboration with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and other groups on campus. Here, Fulton—along with Chief Diversity Officer Ruben Rivera, Conor Ramón Rasmusen ’17, and Esther Jones ’17— answer a few questions about the CCC.
that all Bethel students know about and feel welcome, where they’ll be expected to be respectful and listen to others’ perspectives with an open mind and heart. Success looks like students of color feeling safe, welcome, and at home on this campus. Success looks like being willing to reevaluate if something’s not working. Fulton: Success means that the impact of the CCC resonates beyond its physical location. Students will be well-equipped to have the difficult conversations both here at Bethel and beyond. Rivera: Long term, it is hoped that the CCC will develop into a Shalom Center that would serve the entire university and surrounding community and become known as a leader and model of how diverse people can live and thrive together.
Visit vimeo.com/123634741 to watch a video about the CCC.
CAMPUS News
Generations of Royals photo by Nathan Klok ’17
Legacy gift funds family’s future education
Original Drama Premieres This spring, the Department of Theatre Arts premiered Hedda!, written and directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Arts Brent Adams. A fan of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play Hedda Gabler, Adams joined the story with a few other favorite elements: film noir and murder mystery. His story picks up where Ibsen’s ends, but moves the setting from 1890s Norway to 1930s Hollywood. “I was really inspired by the character of Hedda,” says Adams. “She’s a strong woman with capacity, stuck in a man’s world.” While Ibsen’s play leaves no room for Hedda to fully express her strength, Adams’ use of a different era offers better opportunities for her. “In terms of gender equity, we’re still not there yet, even today,” he says. “With the play, I hope we will open hearts and minds to how we can best treat our sisters in Christ.”
As a statement of their connection to Bethel University, Ken and Audrey Peterson partnered with the Bethel Foundation to create a charitable remainder unitrust for the future education of their nine—soon to be 10— great-grandchildren. The Petersons, formerly of Kerkhoven, Minnesota, and now residents of Weslaco, Texas, are an education-minded couple who are committed to helping others, including their son Dean Peterson ’77, receive a Christ-centered post-secondary education. Three of their five granddaughters also graduated from Bethel. Both Ken and Audrey celebrated their 90th birthdays in 2015, and as they near the end of their lives, they want to bless their great-grandchildren and future generations. “My grandparents’ gift helped us attend Bethel without the financial concerns that so many students face,” says Heather (Larsen) Vedders ’02. “We never imagined that our children would also be blessed by this same sort of gift. We are so grateful for this special gift and the legacy our grandparents have created, not only for us but for their “This idea of creative great-grandchildren as well.” giving will provide The Bethel Foundation will invest the unique opportunities trust funds for growth until the 202223 school year, when the oldest Peterson for future generations.” great-grandchild is of college age. Then, in 2022, the trust will begin distributions to the great-grandchildren for the next 13 years, although the great-grandchildren are not required to attend Bethel, or any college, says Dan Wiersum, Bethel’s associate vice president for planned giving. He points out that besides providing for their great-grandchildren’s education, the Petersons’ legacy gift gives the couple a charitable deduction for a portion of the value of the trust. When the trust ends in 20 years, Bethel will receive substantial funds for the university’s endowment, which will in turn help more students. Reneé (Peterson) Larsen hopes that her parents’ example will inspire others to create a legacy gift. “We’d like to encourage others to consider such a gift through the Bethel Foundation,” she says. “This idea of creative giving will provide unique opportunities for future generations.” Visit bethel.edu/giving/creative-giving/planned-giving to read more about how you can leave a legacy with a planned gift that can benefit both the donor and Bethel.
Bethel University
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SPORTS News
From the Locker Room
Meet standout Bethel spring athletes
Baseball Nik Anderson • Sr. business major, Shoreview, Minn.
A four-year starter, Anderson helped the Royals reach new goals every season of his career. A three-time MIAC Academic All-Conference recipient and an MIAC Elite 22 honoree, he guided the Royals to many firsts, including a playoff appearance after a 12-year drought, a postseason victory, a championship game, and an MIAC title.
Softball Kelsey Anderson • Sr. political science major, Burnsville, Minn. A transfer student, Anderson made an immediate impact in her junior and senior seasons. A two-time All-MIAC recipient, she helped the Royals reach the championship game in 2014 and guided Bethel to its first-ever MIAC Championship in 2015. Men’s Tennis Matt Schull • So. biology major, Eagan, Minn.
Since the start of his freshman season, Schull has been locked in at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles. In his first two seasons, the two-time All-MIAC player has gone 27-13 in singles play and 25-15 in doubles play, while also helping the Royals to a postseason berth in spring 2014.
Women’s Tennis Kristin Vivian • Sr. nursing major, Green Bay, Wis. Vivian has been a staple in the lineup since the start of her freshman season. A three-time MIAC Academic All-Conference award-winner, she finished her career 30-43 in singles play and 29-43 in doubles play, while also helping her team reach the postseason in spring 2013. Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Cody Britt •
Sr. physical education major, Harland, Wis. Britt had a breakout year, as he not only tallied an All-Conference finish at the 2015 MIAC outdoor meet and an honorable mention mark at the 2015 indoor meet, but also broke a four-year-old school record in the pole vault. Prior to this season, his highest vault was 15’1”, but the senior captain finished his last career meet with a height of 15’8”—eclipsing the mark set back in 2011.
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Mollie Gillberg • Jr. psychology major, Coon Rapids, Minn. Gillberg displayed great endurance in the 2015 campaign, placing first in the 10,000-meter run and fourth in the 3,000-meter run at the MIAC outdoor track and field championships. She also helped Bethel post a second-place finish at the 2015 MIAC indoor meet, the highest result in program history.
Extra Points Going Pro. Two Bethel baseball
players recently signed contracts with professional and amateur baseball teams. Mike Schultz, who signed with the St. Paul Saints, became the second member of the Royals to sign a pro contract in the last three years. Meanwhile, Tyler Heitmann became the fourth player in the last three years to play in the Northwoods League after signing with the Willmar Stingers.
Royal Road Trip. Bethel’s men’s golf team recently played in their first-ever NCAA Division III Golf Championship at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C. The Royals were two strokes from making the cut after day one, but a tough second day gave them an early exit from the 41-team tournament. Bethel still finished No. 28 overall.
Follow the Royals: bethelroyals.com | youtube.com/bethelroyals | facebook.com/bethelroyals | twitter.com/bethelroyals
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SPORTS News
CoachQuote “We are extremely excited about the energy and enthusiasm within the tennis teams at Bethel University. Our programs strive to create a positive environment where studentathletes can grow in their relationship and with each other, while also competing at a high level. We believe that this is accomplished by being committed to giving 100%
Name: Angie Jackson Year: Senior Sport: Softball
Hometown: Oakdale, Minn. Major: Social Work
How do you hope to use your major after graduating from Bethel? Eventually I hope to work with survivors of sexual trafficking, most likely in a residential aftercare setting. What has been your most memorable experience while attending Bethel? The day we won the conference title this season, not only because we won, but because it was our cancer awareness game and we had some fun events planned. I was filled with pride and joy in my teammates, and my whole family showed up for the games and festivities. The feeling of belonging and unity with the team and all their families was an amazing blessing. You’re a two-time All-American and two-time Player of the Year. What made you so successful? The most important thing that contributed to my success was learning how to be a good teammate and use my God-given gifts for the benefit of the team instead of myself. What is the legacy you hope to leave behind as you finish your career with the softball team? I hope upcoming players will put in extra work because I am living proof that it pays off. I hope Bethel softball continues to grow and improve each year. Most of all, I hope future players understand that no one person is more important than any other on the team and that each person contributes to the whole.
every day, both on and off the How has the softball program prepared court (Colossians 3:23).” Drew Fernelius men’s and women’s tennis coach third season Read the full interview with Coach Fernelius at www.bethelroyals.com
you for life after college? This year I have really come to appreciate the parallels of softball to life in general. There is always going to be adversity, but what sets people apart is how they respond to it. I have learned to be a teammate and to work with people, which will be very important in my social work career. And I have learned how to lead well. My coaches are great examples of this and have inspired me to do the same.
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
with Christ
ROYAL PROFILE
Bethel University
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INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
&
costs benefits Weighing the
of higher education by Tricia Theurer
Nationwide—in news reports, on social media, and around kitchen tables— conversations reveal a concern about rising college tuition and student debt, leaving universities like Bethel to answer the question: “Is a college education worth the cost?”
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Summer 2015
As parents and students engage in some tough discussions about higher education and finances, an increasing number of families may wonder if a college education is out of reach. “The average family income has remained the same since 2008, but the cost of a college education continues to rise,” says Bethel University President Jay Barnes. More than 40 million Americans have student debt, with the issue affecting younger grads most of all: 65% of student loans are held by Americans younger than 39.1
Worth the investment But a look beyond the statistics provides some perspective—and encouragement—to families considering private nonprofit institutions like Bethel. “Because of generous institutional aid policies, private colleges remain affordable to students from all backgrounds,” states a February 2013 factsheet from the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. In addition, the factsheet continues, “the overwhelming majority of college borrowers have manageable loan levels,” with 88.7% of all borrowers (undergraduate and graduate students across all sectors of higher education) having debt of less than $50,000. And because students at private colleges graduate faster than their peers at public universities, they are more likely to avoid extra years of tuition and begin earning money in a career earlier. 2 Regardless of cost, most experts agree that a college education is worth the financial investment. According to a May 2014 New York Times article, “Yes, college is worth it, and it’s not even close. For all the struggles that many young college graduates face, a four-year degree has probably never been more valuable.”3 The Pew Research Center concurs. In its 2014 report, The Rising Cost of Not Going to College, the center’s staff writes, “On virtually every measure of economic well-being and career attainment—from personal earnings to job satisfaction to the share employed full-time—young college graduates are outperforming their peers with less education.”4
1 “9 Myths about Private Nonprofit Higher Education,” National Association of
Independent Colleges and Universities, Feb. 2013.
2 “Student Debt Jells as Issue for Voters,” The Washington Post Weekly, May 31, 2015. 3 “Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say,” The New York Times, May 27, 2014. 4 “The Rising Cost of Not Going to College,” Pew Research Center, Feb. 2014. 5 See “Moving Forward,” Bethel Magazine, Winter/Spring 2015, p. 12, available online at
bethel.edu/news/publications
Bethel’s long-term strategies Since the recession of 2008, Bethel leaders have recognized that families were facing financial hardship, and made a commitment to increase financial aid. Bethel increased its annual gift aid budget for undergraduates by $18 million between the 2007-08 school year and 2014. That budget increase helps, but leaders also see the need to develop new, sustainable long-term plans. “We knew we needed to identify “Yes, college is worth it, and innovative strategies to help it’s not even close. For all the the university struggles that many young thrive in the college graduates face, a fouryears ahead,” says year degree has probably never Barnes. To that end, in February been more valuable.” Bethel unveiled —David Leonhardt, The New York Times a new vision statement and five strategic goals to help chart a course for sustainable success, with a strong, student-centric structure to serve students across all schools.5 One of the goals focuses specifically on creating a sustainable financial model for the university, with the most significant recommendation involving the growth of Bethel’s endowment from $35 million to $250 million. “Building our endowment to $250 million is a stretch goal,” says Pat Brooke, Bethel’s chief financial officer. “But it is where a university of our size needs to be.” Why is an endowment so important for Bethel? An
Online Resources • Get a better bottom-line estimate of costs before enrolling. Visit bethel.edu/undergrad/ financial-aid/before-apply/estimate for an estimate calculator that helps families see what they’ll likely be responsible to pay. • Bethel students have access to CashCourse, a personal finance tool provided by the National Endowment for Financial Education that helps them make informed financial decisions during and after college. Visit Bethel’s financial aid website at bethel.edu/undergrad/financial-aid/forms/ cash-course to start.
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endowment is comprised of restricted gifts from donors, meaning that the money can only be used for a designated purpose. The gifts are invested so that earnings produce an income stream that is independent of enrollment dollars. These earnings open up new opportunities for funding scholarships, endowed faculty positions, loan forgiveness —Dayton Dodge ’15, Master of Arts in programs, or other initiatives. Bethel has the smallest endowment of the 17 colleges and Ministry Practice graduate, Bethel Seminary St. Paul universities in the Minnesota Private College Council, but it is also the only school that has moved its campus in the past 50 years. That move required an investment in bricks and mortar, a commitment to building a campus that invites and accommodates learning and community. Now Bethel turns its focus toward affordability, and the endowment is Advice from Jeff Olson, Bethel University an important part of that plan. “We are at a point where we director of financial aid can build into our programs rather than physical buildings,” • Determine your goal in pursuing a college says Deb Harless, executive vice president and provost. education. Is it simply to earn a degree? To take “There is something appealing about the endowment that says, ‘We’re here, established, and now we’re going to be part in the whole Bethel community experience? To here for the next 100 years.’” finish in fewer than four years? “It’s important to know your goal coming in,” Olson says. “But it’s okay Immediate impact if that goal changes.” While Bethel is committed to long-term, sustainable • Borrow wisely. Affordable loan payments should be strategies for enhancing affordability, some changes have no more than 10% of your anticipated annual gross been immediate. This spring Bethel Seminary reduced income. tuition for some students by about 12% and is changing some financial aid practices, all with the goal of helping • Be resourceful. Research and take advantage of students better anticipate costs. “We are committed to all potential scholarships for which you might be making Bethel Seminary more affordable for everyone,” eligible. says David Clark, Bethel Seminary vice president and dean. • Capitalize on transferrable college credits. In the College of Arts & Sciences, a payment policy change Check into high school classes—like Advanced will help families avoid financial surprises. Starting in fall 2015, all undergraduate students’ tuition must be paid before Placement courses—that offer an opportunity to earn classes start, or students must be enrolled in a payment plan. college credits. And a subtle shift within Bethel’s Office of Financial Aid now • Finish on time. Re-think double or triple majors, introduces discussion about goals, loans, and financial aid which translate to an extra semester or year of packages earlier in the undergraduate enrollment process. college. Instead, consider a single major B.A. As Jeff Olson, director of financial aid, points out, the time followed by a master’s degree, which might cost less for those hard conversations is before a student enrolls. (Read and make you more marketable in the long run. Olson’s tips for students and their families in the box at left.)
“I’ve found great value in the education I received at Bethel Seminary. Although this has been the most challenging thing I have ever undertaken, it has also been the most formational.”
Planning for Your College Education
• Take advantage of Bethel’s Office of Career Development and Calling. Students not only get help with the job search process, but also in determining their God-given gifts and strengths that can lead to a more enriching career.
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“My Bethel graduate degree is well worth the investment in terms of my personal growth and preparation for success in my next career.” —Catherine Kriske ’16 Master of Arts in Gerontology student
Financially literate students Financial aid staff members aren’t the only ones on campus working to empower students in the area of finances. A newly established financial literacy committee at Bethel is committed to helping students learn basic financial principles that will serve them during their college years and prepare them for the future. To that end, the committee has registered Bethel for access to CashCourse, an online tool provided by the National Endowment for Financial Education that’s brimming with helpful personal finance resources (see box on p. 13). In addition, this spring the committee sponsored the first-ever financial literacy panel for undergraduates. Current students worked with the Department of Business and Economics and BethelBiz—a business alumni network that promotes excellence in the business community, in the classroom, and through relationships. The event featured Dean Junkans, recently retired chief investment officer at Wells Fargo Bank, who now serves as an adjunct professor at Bethel. Attendees received guidance on everything from student debt to everyday financial decisions, and several spoke afterward about the need for this type of training for students. “Seeing my own need for financial literacy, I knew others probably had the same unspoken questions,” says Alyssa Andersen ’15, a business major and BethelBiz student liaison who helped organize the panel. “Financial literacy is especially important for me as a first-generation college grad, because my parents had a very different experience with finances when they were young adults.” Organizational communication major Michael Rangoonwala ’15 sees the value in learning basic financial principles as he graduates and moves into a career. “It’s vital for all students, including me, to learn principles in how to budget, save, and spend money wisely,” he says. “Creating good money habits now will help me transition after college when I have more responsibilities.” Chad Boysen, director of the Bethel Fund, was part of the panel’s organizing team. He points out the larger goal of equipping students to think critically about the integration of their faith and finances. “Faith and money can be hard to reconcile,” he says. “We’re trying to be transparent and realistic so that graduates won’t have surprises. We often talk about Bethel being a place where students make their faith their own. We want the same to be true about their values and attitudes about money.”
Weighing in on the Value of Higher Education
6 in 10 7.9%
American jobs will require some form of postsecondary education by 2018.
The unemployment rate in 2013 for workers with at least a bachelor’s degree was 3.7%, compared to a national unemployment rate of 7.9%.
3.7% $78,000 $49,000 $29,000
Average annual income in 2010 for workers with a bachelor’s degree was $78,000, compared to $49,000 for workers with an associate’s degree and $29,000 for those without a high school diploma. Source for statistics: “9 Myths about Private Nonprofit Higher Education,” National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Feb. 2013.
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Northern Yemen | March 2014 This Northern Yemen community was destroyed by war, yet with very few resources, they rallied to rebuild schools. “It speaks to how the young generation in Yemen is so excited to learn—to show the world they have something to prove,” says photojournalist Alex Potter ’11.
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FACES OF THE MIDDLE EAST BEHIND THE LENS OF ALEX POTTER ’11 by Monique Kleinhuizen ’08
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Minneapolis | May 2012 Potter’s first photo project captured the life of her young Somali neighbors in Minneapolis, and the tension in their struggle to balance their parents’ culture with being American. The woman in this photo—her face covered in smoke—has a look of distress. “She’s 18,” says Potter. “She wants to go out, but she also wants to keep her culture, her religion…to make her community proud.” Projects like this grew Potter’s fascination with telling the stories of lesser-known people in her own city.
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Alex Potter ’11 has a heart for social justice. Based in Yemen and traveling the world as a photojournalist, she often focuses her camera on the ordinary moments of everyday life in the nations she visits, believing these images give politics and conflict a human face. From the lens of Alex Potter, here are some of those faces.
Yemen | September 2014 These two boys lost their dad—a police officer killed in the line of duty—a week before this photo was taken. Rebels took over the capitol, the officer was caught in the middle, and he was shot. “As always when there’s a political conflict, the youth and wives are the most affected,” says Potter.
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Just outside of Sana’a, Yemen | January 2013 This photo was taken during the first public gathering—effectively a show of power—after the Houthi rebel group rose to power in Yemen. Potter recalls walking miles, from behind the gate visible to the right of this man’s head, and going through several lines of security to get this shot.
Iraqi Kurdistan | November 2014 These women—hiding in a safe house in the mountains—are members of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), which has been fighting against the state for years. The group is working against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, often scribbling unofficial visas to help one another cross borders at night. The woman in the middle is writing one of these visas, just “notes on tiny pieces of paper,” says Potter.
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Alex Potter ’11 is originally from Windom, a rural southwestern Minnesota community with a population smaller than Bethel’s. Now she lives in Yemen, working as a photojournalist and traveling the world on assignment for news organizations, including The New York Times and The Associated Press, and pursuing personal photo projects. She has been selected for the LOOKBetween Fellowship, the New York Portfolio Review through The New York Times, the Eddie Adams Workshop, and the Chris Hondros Student Fellowship. She also spent a year in Lebanon as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. At Bethel, Potter majored in nursing while dreaming of a life abroad. When she graduated, she recalls the commencement speaker talking about humanitarian work overseas. “I thought, ‘It’s possible! I can actually do this,’” says Potter. She launched her photojournalism career by taking a variety of unpaid assignments and raising her own travel expenses, and quickly gained a reputation for her ability to capture life in areas of political unrest, especially the Middle East. She views photojournalism as complementary to her nursing skills, using images instead of medicine to break the grip of injustice and poverty. At the heart of Potter’s work is her desire for social justice. “I’ve learned that no matter what people’s religions are, they want the same things,” she says. “A good future for their children and to be able to practice what they believe.”
View more of Potter’s work at www.alexkaypotter.com
“It’s worth it to me to give up a lot of what would be comfort in order to raise the profile of those who are struggling, who need help to get their stories told.”
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These three photos are part of “The Defenders,” an ongoing project documenting young Kurdish militia. Syria | March 2015 “Upholding values of camaraderie, nationalism, and gender equality,” says Potter, “young Kurdish men and women are living every day like their last—and for many of them, it is. Yet they push forward with courage and a longsuffering strength that is defining this generation of Kurdish youth.” Syria | November 2014 Potter spent time with an all-female sniper unit of Syrian Kurds who joined the YPJ (People’s Protection Units). Though Syria is a religiously and culturally conservative country, women are seen as equal to men when they’re fighting. Most join for life. “Their brother unit sat far to the side, since despite the liberal values for women fighting, they still uphold a conservative standard regarding the mixing of genders,” says Potter. “The women started to sing nationalistic songs, the one thing that keeps them hopeful and sane while their friends are dying around them. The combination of how the men illuminated them with the light from their cell phones, and the women’s songs, was one of the most beautiful and human moments I’ve experienced.”
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Syria | November 2014 “Since ISIS took over much of Syria, young Syrian Kurds rose up,” says Potter. “I took this photo during an interview with a female member of the YPJ (People’s Protection Units) in Kurdish-controlled Syria. She looked so exhausted. I wondered what it would be like to be 19 and carrying that weight on my shoulders. Yet despite their youth, the YPJ members say they’re not afraid to die for their people and country.”
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Tradition, Vision FAITH-FILLED
NEW
Bethel’s pietistic heritage informs and inspires a bold new vision In the past year, Bethel has made some bold decisions as the university seeks to adapt to a changing higher education landscape and move forward in strategic and innovative ways. And according to President Jay Barnes, “Bethel’s new vision statement might be the boldest idea of all.”
Bethel will be the Christ-centered university of choice for this century. “For some,” says Barnes, “this bold vision might seem to go against our pietistic sensibilities, but if you could hear Professor of History Chris Gehrz talk about our vision, you’d know that it fits with both who we are and who we aspire to be.” Here, Gehrz—editor of two books on Pietism—explains how Bethel’s pietistic heritage informs and inspires the Bethel community as we seek to live out this new vision.
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“We are both truest to our tradition and timeliest on the current scene when we continue to stress the genuine life that is in Christ.” Carl Lundquist, Bethel University president 1954-1982, speaking at a 1970 faculty/staff retreat
peaceable, spirit prevailing in matters where the Bible leaves open a range of interpretations (or where Pietists encounter those of other or no religious faith). Clergy and laity alike form a common priesthood actively engaged in worship, education, evangelism and social action, in the firm hope that God intends “better times” for the church and the world. What does this mean for our university? Lundquist explained that “Bethel grew out of reaction to cold, formal religion in Sweden, however orthodox it may have been theologically. To our forefathers Christianity was more than a creed. It was Christ. It was life.” Nearly half a century later, that commitment to life in Christ still inspires our people. Rediscovering Pietism, says Bethel trustee Harold Wiens, “makes me realize how best to have a wholesome, profoundly Christ-like impact in my actual life on earth.” David Clark, vice president and dean “Truest to our tradition” Bethel draws strength from multiple Christian traditions, of Bethel Seminary, underscores how our but one is most distinctive. No other American college or university identifies more closely with Pietism than Bethel. roots sustain Bethel’s ongoing commitment Born as a renewal movement in 17th-century Germany, to transformational Pietism continued to inspire revivals like the one in education: “Pietism 19th-century Sweden that gave rise to what’s now Bethel reminds us that lasting University. It’s a diverse tradition, hard to pin down and change starts when the affections of our hearts seek after prone to misunderstanding. But in my introduction to The God…which means that education is about so much more Pietist Vision of Christian Higher Education: Forming Whole and Holy Persons, a 2015 collection featuring essays than job training.” Indeed, Lundquist began his 1970 retreat talk by by current and former Bethel faculty, I tried to sum it up: emphasizing that Jesus Christ “has become the supreme Pietists at all times and in all places seek a more affection in our lives.” So when we say that we are “a Christauthentic Christianity: not inherited or assumed, centered university,” it means, first and foremost, that we coerced or affected, but lived out through the share a relationship with the person of Jesus. “I appreciate transformative experiences of conversion and that this allows us to live into our deep unity as believers in regeneration. Suspicious of “dead orthodoxy,” Pietists and followers of Jesus,” says Bethel Seminary’s Jeannine subordinate doctrine to Scripture—with an irenic, or Debates over foreign and domestic policy were tearing Americans apart. A new generation questioned the status quo. Bethel was experiencing tensions between faculty and administration, theological debates about what it meant to be a Christian college, uncertainty about what to do with a new campus…and, as ever, funds were short. It was 1970. But it could have been 2015. If the challenges sound familiar, so too should the hope. Like Carl Lundquist, our longest-serving president, today’s Bethel community believes that a Bethel truest to its tradition can also be timeliest on the current scene—indeed, that such a Bethel can take the lead in redefining and renewing Christ-centered higher education in this century. “We have the opportunity to develop a new approach to Christian higher education,” says Sara Shady, associate professor of philosophy in the College of Arts & Sciences. “We can stop trying to copy other models and forge new and distinctive territory.”
“Pietism reminds us that lasting change starts when the affections of our hearts seek after God.”
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Brown, professor of New Testament. “It also sets any faith statements that bring us together in the context of our prior and foremost relationship with the Triune God.” It leads us to seek a living orthodoxy, which, for Brown, “calls for the best of Christian thinking and cultural engagement…for love of both neighbor and enemy as commanded by Jesus.”
“Timeliest on the current scene”
That commitment to loving neighbor and enemy alike means that the personal transformation taking place at Bethel prepares us for service beyond it. “Pietism reminds us,” says Clark, “that knowledge gained and skills learned must be pointed toward serving our 21st-century world in honor of the eternal God.” In their new book, Reclaiming Pietism: Retrieving an Evangelical Tradition, Christian Collins Winn, professor of biblical studies in the College of Arts & Sciences, and former Bethel theologian Roger Olson affirm that, “at its best, Pietism always includes an impulse toward social transformation ‘for God’s glory and neighbor’s good.’” Instead of withdrawing from an increasingly post-Christian culture, Bethel is at its best when its people serve in the borderlands of our time, building bridges across racial, political, social, and religious divides. Shady, a campus leader in promoting interfaith engagement, describes Bethel as “a school that exists to cultivate the ability for our students to be God’s hands and feet” in a pluralistic age that “is no longer clearly divided along the lines of Christian vs. secular.” In an age of division, when our society evokes words like “fracturing,” “polarization,” and “conflict,” our Pietist DNA prompts us to seek reconciliation, wholeness, and peace. It’s no accident that some of Bethel’s strongest programs have long been those devoted to healing. In our Pietist Vision book, for example, Professor of Nursing Emerita Nancy Olen concludes that “the goal of nursing is to promote, maintain, and restore wholeness in all people, and to make God’s image seen and alive in them again.” In an age of doubt, when traditional religious institutions seem to be in decline, our tradition calls us to renewal—to become the epicenter of a new religious movement that seeks a more authentic Christianity and embodies a living orthodoxy. In an age of fear, we approach our work with hope, convinced that the God who is “making all things new” (Rev. 21:5) still intends better times for the church and the world. Christopher Gehrz is professor of history and chair of Bethel’s history department. He is the co-editor of The Pietist Impulse in Christianity and the editor of The Pietist Vision of Christian Higher Education.
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RECENT BOOKS ON PIETISM BY BETHEL FACULTY The Pietist Vision of Christian Higher Education, edited by Bethel Professor of History Christopher Gehrz, brings together leading scholars, all with Bethel connections, to present a distinctively Pietist approach to Christian higher education emphasizing the transformation of the whole person for service to God and neighbor. A unique aspect of the book is the shared experience and commitment of its contributors, all current or former Bethel faculty, staff, or alumni. Rather than a single voice, the book reflects this sense of community and hopes to draw a wider circle of churches and universities into the conversation. In Reclaiming Pietism: Retrieving an Evangelical Tradition, Bethel Professor of Biblical Studies Christian Collins Winn and Roger Olson argue that classical, historical Pietism is an influential stream in evangelical Christianity and that it must be recovered as a resource for evangelical renewal. They challenge misconceptions of Pietism by describing the origins, development, and main themes of the historical movement and the spiritualtheological ethos stemming from it. The book also explores Pietism’s influence on contemporary Christian theologians and spiritual leaders such as Richard Foster and Stanley Grenz.
ProFile–JEANNINE BROWN
by Elizabeth Brown ’16
Jeannine Brown’s Bethel connection is about much more than a career. A scholar, author, and Bethel Seminary professor of New Testament, Brown S’91 began her relationship with Bethel in 1987, when she pursued her Master of Divinity degree at Bethel Seminary St. Paul. While teaching a summer Greek course at the seminary in 1989, she met Tim Brown, who claims he was the most attentive student in the course. They were married in the seminary chapel a year later. Now, 20 years after co-teaching her first seminary class as a faculty member, Brown is the first Bethel Seminary professor to hold a transregional position at both the San Diego and St. Paul campuses. Her teaching load is divided between the two locations, with primarily online or intensive courses in St. Paul and more face-to-face classes in San Diego. When asked about the advantages of her job, Brown doesn’t hesitate. “I get to live in San Diego!” she says. Brown hasn’t stopped with just two teaching jobs. In 2010, she accepted a position on the New International Version Committee on Bible Translation, which has led her to translation work in far-flung destinations worldwide. She also finds time for academic writing on subjects from Matthew and the Gospels to hermeneutics and interdisciplinary topics. Brown often fields questions about her influence and experience as a woman in the male-dominated arena of biblical studies. “My gender alone doesn’t interact with reading Matthew,” she explains. “My whole person does.” It is this awareness of her identity as a whole person that has led to the collaboration that has characterized her career. “I like being a bridge-builder,” she says. Brown’s long career at Bethel, and her many contributions to biblical scholarship, have been shaped by who she is—not just as a woman, but as a scholar, writer, wife, mother, and foundationally, a Christ-follower.
Bethel University
Photo by Nathan Klok ’17
And Brown’s Bethel connection continues. Her daughter Elizabeth (Libby) Brown ’16 is a current student at Bethel’s College of Arts & Sciences, where she double majors in literature and communication arts and literature education, works as a nonfiction editor on the university’s literary magazine, and occasionally writes about her mom for Bethel publications.
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PlaceMeant– GRADUATE SCHOOL LABS
Bethel’s state-of-the-art training facilities for the Physician Assistant (PA) and Nurse-Midwifery degree programs use patient simulators, video-monitored clinics, and other technologies to enhance learning. Both programs, offered through the Graduate School, prepare men and women to serve with compassion, competence, and confidence by providing meaningful medical care. And much of that preparation takes place here in Bethel’s high-tech lab spaces.
by Cind
dy Pfingsten
Quick facts about the Physician Assistant and Nurse-Midwifery labs and programs: • Exam tables surrounding the perimeter of the lab (at left) provide excellent practice spaces, while conference tables in the center allow for group instruction and discussion. • Four mock exam rooms (see inset photo) are equipped with cameras, allowing professors to evaluate and critique students’ interactions with model patients, including diagnosis, delivery of lab results, and treatment. Videos are emailed to the student to review his or her own performance. • Students practice simple procedures like IV insertion and cast application on one another. Medical mannequins are used to practice more invasive procedures like lumbar punctures, suturing, and biopsies. • The programs use live models to help facilitate students’ learning in the areas of patient relations and examinations. • Nurse-Midwifery students travel to campus three times a year to learn and practice in the labs, while the rest of their program takes place online.
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
• In addition to year-round lab experiences, PA students take a 10-week summer course in which groups of four students complete entire dissections of eight cadavers.
Visit bethel.edu/graduate to learn more about the Physician Assistant and Nurse-Midwifery degrees offered through Bethel’s Graduate School.
• Besides Bethel faculty, retired and practicing physicians, physician assistants, and nursemidwives provide specialty training in cardiology, endocrinology, anesthetics, obstetrics, and more. • Of 200 PA programs in the U.S., Bethel is one of just three programs with a Christian focus. Only two other PA programs exist in Minnesota. • Bethel’s Nurse-Midwifery program is one of the only faith-based programs in the U.S. and just the second certification program in Minnesota.
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ALUM News “Measure our performance by what God accomplishes through our graduates after they have been prepared at Bethel to go out into the world to serve.”
—John Alexis Edgren, founder
50s Dick Anthony received the 2015 Milestone Award at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville in recognition of his 50 years of ministry in Christian media. He attended Bethel for two years (1949-51) and participated in music ministry, playing piano for the traveling group “Melodies in Color” and forming a Bethel quartet that went on to New York to work with evangelist Jack Wyrtzen’s radio and TV ministry. He then joined the music staff of WMBI Radio in Chicago, where he performed 25 broadcasts a week. He served as arranger, accompanist, conductor, or producer of more than 100 Christian music albums and has published more than 30 collections of original compositions and arrangements for various vocal and instrumental combinations. More than 200 gospel songs from Dick Anthony Music are available on YouTube.
60s Larry ’66 and Vivian (Walker) ’65 Houk celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 5. Larry recently retired after 46
years practicing law, and the couple will relocate from Minnesota to Alexandria, Va.
70s R. Bruce Larson ’75, S’78 wrote Secrets and Rivals: Wartime Letters and the Parents I Never Knew, based on almost 700 letters his mother saved during World War II. Larson interweaves an historical account of his parents’ experiences with his reactions of surprise, disbelief, and ultimately understanding. The book also includes reflections on his Bethel years. Holly Donato ’78 earned accreditation in public relations (APR) from the national Public Relations Society of America. She is the former director of publications at Bethel University and currently serves as principal and consultant at Donato Communications, LLC in Minneapolis. Bill Greig ’79 is president of churchgrowth.org, an e-commerce store and publisher, after serving in leadership at Gospel Light and Regal Books for 25 years. Arrowhead, Calif.
Bethel Magazine includes Alum News from all schools of Bethel University. “S” indicates news from Bethel Seminary alumni, “CAPS” indicates news from the College of Adult & Professional Studies, and “GS” indicates news from Graduate School alumni. All other news is from College of Arts & Sciences alumni. 30
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80s Dawn (Fuller) Denny ’88 received a Ph.D. in nursing from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks in September. She teaches nursing at Flathead Valley Community College, Kalispell, Mont. Naomi Ludeman Smith ’82; GS’94,’08; S’ 10 is director of the Confucius Institute at
Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D.
90s Michael Peil ’90 is chief executive officer of Step Seven Ministries in Parker, Colo. David Houvenagle S’91 lives in Louisville, Ky., and recently wrote Clinician’s Guide to Partial
Choosing Hope by Brianna Albers Nikki Abramson ’09, an elementary education major, has spent her life choosing hope in the midst of challenges. At Bethel, she participated in multicultural and intercultural groups on campus and pursued a path of self-discovery related to her identity as an adoptee and an Asian American. In 2010, she was involved in a car accident that left her with dystonia, characterized by involuntary muscle contractions. During her seven-month recovery, she was over whelmed by the encouragement she received from friends who thought her positive outlook would help others. She became a motivational speaker and is the author of the recent book I Choose Hope. “We all go through struggles in our lives,” she says. “We can see them as a cloud over our heads or as an opportunity. I see them as an opportunity to give back and teach and inspire others.”
ALUM News
BETHEL HOMECOMING
OCTOBER 9-11, 2015 THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
• free family movie night featuring Minions • department open houses • seminary alumni events • tours of new facilities: Anderson Center and Wellness Center Undergrad classes celebrating a reunion: 1965, ’75, ’85, ’95, ’05, and ’10 Platinum Alumni Breakfast for 1940, ’45, ’50, ’55, and ’60 Visit bethel.edu/events/homecoming to learn more.
Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Practice. Eric Green ’93 is the new chief executive officer of West Pharmaceutical Services, Exton, Pa.
00s Bart Becker ’00 received a doctor of education in leadership in K-12 administration from Bethel University in July. He is the principal of Maple Grove Senior High School, Maple Grove, Minn.
Wendy L. Patrick S’09 is a San Diego County deputy district at torney and was recently named the 2014 Ronald M . George Public Lawyer of the Year by the California State Bar’s Public Law Section. Garret Ross ’09 is the founder and artistic director of the annual Apollo Music Festival in Houston, Minn. In its third year, the 2015 festival features eight ensemble musicians, five free concerts, five master classes, and guest performer Eteri Andjaparidze. Visit www.apollomusicfestival.org for information.
10s David Masterson ’10 teaches technology and engineering education at Mosinee Middle School, Mosinee, Wis. He was selected as the 2014 Middle School Teacher of the Year in the Mosinee School District.
MARRIAGES ’08 Tim Van De Walker married Elayne Sodestromin in Santa Rosa, Calif., in June 2014. In the wedding party were Casey Dzieweczynski
’07, Luke Dornbush ’08, and Diane (Van De Walker) Christianson ’06. Van De Walker is an enrollment counselor at Bethel Seminary San Diego. ’12 Susy Savig married Tony Laursen in October. Bethel alumni in the wedding party included Lauren Berfeldt ’13, Gabrielle Selg ’13, and Bea Ramirez ’13. ’14 Natalie Anderson married Kyle Terhark ’13 in May. They reside in Burnsville, Minn.
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’82 Benjamin Lowell was adopted in May in Shanghai, China, by Beth Cragle and Stephen ’83. He is nine years old and joins Katie, 7, who was adopted from China in 2008. ’90 Aaron Douglas was born to Keri and Doug Beetner in August. Shoreview, Minn. ’92 Matthew was born to Trisha and Jon Aleckson in September. Maple Grove, Minn. ’94 S a die J oy was b orn in June 2014 to Amy (Steele) Harris and Steve. Lisle, Ill. ’97 Weston James was born to Stacy (Johnson) and Matthew Elsholtz in November. He joins Maddie, 4. Matt is a transportation broker at Universal Am-Can and Stacy is an executive assistant at the Abbot Northwestern Hospital Foundation. Grant, Minn. ’97 Caedmon Isaac was born to Kaaren (Wood) Swenson and Todd in October. He joins Karsten, 5. Edina, Minn. ’99 Twins Eli Anderson and Wyatt Hooper were born in February to Sarah (Anderson) Fesler and Drew. Minneapolis, Minn. ’00 Maelle Grace was born in September to Kristina (Huisinga) Collins and C.J. Lawrenceville, Ga.
Jack’s Basket by Brianna Albers In March 2013, Chris ’04 and Carissa (Nieuwboer) ’02 Carroll were stunned to learn that their newborn son Jack had been diagnosed with trisomy 21, or Down Syndrome. Heartbroken over their child’s fate, the couple ached to regain their sense of awe at the newest addition to their family. “Our loving family and friends reminded us that Jack’s diagnosis was not a surprise to God, that He does not make mistakes, and that He is always faithful,” says Carissa. Yet they felt as though the diagnosis had stolen their joy when congratulations were replaced with apologies and best wishes. They began to wonder: “What if families in our situation could be congratulated and presented with a gift? And what if that gift set the tone for a chance to celebrate a beautiful baby?” In the months following Jack’s birth, Carissa began work on that idea, starting with a simple bouquet of flowers and eventually creating what is now known as Jack’s Basket, which includes a personalized letter and picture from families raising children with Down Syndrome, toys, clothing, and resources from support organizations. “I know that the family might not be ready to accept this gift at first,” Carissa says, “but to hear the word ‘congratulations’ will be something they reflect on and are thankful for when their child steals their heart.” Visit www.jacksbasket.org to learn more. ’01 Evelyn Louise was born in March to Heather (Yue) and Ryan Conover ’02 . Crystal, Minn. ’01 Eliza May was born in June 2014 to Heather (Buchite) Comstock and Jason. She joins Brayden, 4, and Keegan, 2. Heather is a physician assistant in urology. Hugo, Minn. ’02 Alexander William was born to Roxanne (Erick-
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Summer 2015
son) Lorenz and William in August. He joins Alaina, 2. Benson, Minn.
’07 Wynden was born to Lindsey and Greg Atkins in December 2013. Austin, Minn.
’03 Jonas Deen was born in November to Elizabeth (Ecklund) Escalante and Leo. He joins Amelia Grace, 2, in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, where Elizabeth and Leo serve as missionaries with a local church.
’07 Eden Braithwaite was born to Arianne (Braithwaite) and Jeff Lehn ’04 in October. Fort Wayne, Ind.
’04 Graham Alexander was born in March to Kristin (J o h n s o n) K u e h n a n d Brandon. He joins Beckett, 5, and Zoe, 2. Olathe, Kan. ’05 Levi Nathan was born in January to Emili and Nathan Hibbs. Nathan is a social worker with Todd County Health and Human Services. Long Prairie, Minn. ’06 Elijah Kenneth was born to Sarah (Sachatza) and Dan Nimlos CAPS ’13. Blaine, Minn.
’08 Esther Ruth was born in November to Christiana (Calvin) and Jordan Fitch ’06. Minneapolis, Minn. ’08 Vivienne Rose was born in April 2013, and Samuel Clay in June 2014, to Jessica (Wright) and Kenny VenOsdel ’07. St. Paul, Minn. ’09 Judah Kelley was born in March 2013, and Joy Elizabeth in August 2014, to Kristen (Hood) and Jordan Lindstedt ’08. Las Vegas, Nev. ’09 Odessa Marie was born in April to Lisa (Alf) Stoneberg and Trevor. Elk River, Minn.
Photo by Vick Photography
ALUM News BIRTHS
ALUM News ’10 Twins Jane and Emma were born in November to Mary Ellen (Bray) Olmstead and Nathan. Upper Marlboro, Md. ’10 Carter Glen was born in April to Britney (Johnson) and Mark Perzichilli. Golden Valley, Minn. ’10 Madison Jo was adopted by Amanda (Hoffman) Stichter and Jarrod. Madison was born in July 2014; her adoption was finalized in November. Visit www.addingtous.com to follow the adoption story. Freeport, Ill. ’12 Willow Grace was born in April to Denika Anderson and Ned ’11. Lauderdale, Minn.
DEATHS ’44 Marj Moberg, of Portland, Ore., died in December. She attended Bethel for one year and went on to pursue a nursing degree in Rochester, Minn. She is survived by her husband Stanley. ’51 Katherine “Kay” (Johnson) Brooks, age 90, of Turlock, Calif., died in December. She worked in medical records for 35 years. She married Earl B rooks in 1988, and is survived by him, a daughter, one brother, two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
W h il e B et h e l s t rive s fo r accuracy in all we do, we cannot be responsible for the content of news items submitted by alumni. The inclusion of news items here should not be construed as an endorsement of their content by Bethel Magazine or Bethel University. Due to limited space, Bethel Magazine reserves the right to exercise editorial discretion in the publication of alumni news and photos.
She was preceded in death by three brothers. ’52 Bernard E. Hogan S’55, age 86, died in October. In 1946, he joined the U.S. Army and served in General MacArthur’s honor guard in Japan. He married Eileen Vander Ploeg in 1949, then studied at Bethel College & Seminary. While there, he served as student pastor at the Baptist General Conference church in Aitkin, Minn., and later earned a master’s degree in theology from Princeton Seminar y. He pastored BGC churches in Wisconsin , New Jersey, Chicago, and South Dakota. ’53 David Eugene Rathjen (S), age 92, of Sun City, Ariz., died in February. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard
during World War II, and married Katherine VonDeLinde in 1943. He was ordained in 1953 and commissioned as a Chaplain in the U.S. Air Force, where he served 30 years around the world. He earned the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, two Meritorious Service medals, and an Air Force Commendation medal. After retiring from the military as Colonel, he served as a pastor in Sun City for 17 years. He is survived by Katherine, his wife of 71 years; three sons; a sister; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. ’56 Morris Motley S’60, age 82, died in December in Kansas.
’62 John H. Marrs S ’65, age 83, died in April. He attended Bethel for two years and graduated from the University of Minnesota. He married Joyce Teser in June 1964, and together they served three terms as BGC missionaries in Brazil 1965-1978. Returning to the states, John served as BGC World Missions associate director 1978-1997, director of short-term ministries 1997-1998, and Missions Advance associate director and church representative 1999-2008. Joyce died in October 2009. ’80 Terry Edstrom, age 71, died in March. He is survived by his wife Judy. Omaha, Neb.
—ROYAL NATION— CELEBRATING BETHEL UNIVERSITY AROUND THE COUNTRY
Watch for opportunities to connect with other Bethel alums, parents, students, and friends in your area!
Royal Nation—Portland 15th annual Portland area picnic gathering Saturday, August 8 | Beaverton, Oregon
Royal Nation—Seattle Seattle area picnic gathering Sunday, August 9 | Edgewood, Washington Visit bethel.edu/alumni/events to learn more and to register.
BE PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER.
BE PART OF ROYAL NATION. Bethel University
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“Though Ecuadorians call this place simply ‘The Treehouse,’ it is known globally as ‘The Swing at the End of the World.’ In a sense, this was the purpose of my time abroad: to reach the end of my world, peer over, and catch a glimpse of what lies beyond.” MEGAN HALLSTROM ’16, A DOUBLE MAJOR IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE AND ELEMENTARY EDUCATION, TOOK THIS PHOTO IN ECUADOR’S CLOUD FOREST DURING THE BCA (BRIDGE, CONNECT, ACT) STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM IN QUITO, ECUADOR, IN SPRING 2014.