Bethel Tapestry Fall 2010

BethelTapestry The multicultural fabric of Bethel University

Issue 20 • Fall 2010

We Are Reconcilers

By Nicolle Westlund ’09

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hey live in Palestine and sleep in tents on the street to show solidarity with the peace movement. They facilitate study abroad trips for Bethel University students.

They partner with the International Federation of Footballers Association. They teach college ceramic classes in the West Bank of Palestine. They help low-income communities in the Twin Cities learn and utilize technology in their job searches. Who are they? They’re graduates of Bethel University’s Reconciliation Studies program. And they’re making a global impact.

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The program, available as a major only since December 2005, is one of the few undergraduate Reconciliation Studies programs in the country. Curtiss DeYoung helped develop the curriculum for the major starting in 2002, when he was hired as a full-time Bethel faculty member. After gaining approval to launch a minor in Reconciliation Studies in 2003, DeYoung worked with other faculty members to take it a step further and seek approval for a major.

With DeYoung’s help and the high level of student interest, the fall 2005 course catalog brought with it the Reconciliation Studies major. “Prior to the program, Bethel’s administrators and faculty were already talking about the idea of reconciliation, and we held it as one of the university’s core beliefs. The major came out of those discussions,” says DeYoung.

Now more than 125 graduates have completed the Reconciliation Studies program, and those students have gone on to spread the concepts and philosophies they learned at Bethel with others around the world.

Beth Atim ’09, a major in the

Name: Rebecca Juarez ’08 Location: Richfield, Minn./Antigua, Guatemala Occupation: Onsite program coordinator for Bethel’s Guatemala Term About the program: “The program is more than a field of study—it’s a program of self-discovery.”

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Beth Atim in Palestine

program, has taken what she learned all the way to Ramallah, a West Bank city in Palestine. Through the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Atim has been assisting teachers in English and art since graduating. She credits Bethel’s program with helping her assimilate to her Middle Eastern surroundings. “The transition from Bethel’s reconciliation program to living in Palestine was as natural as I could have asked for,” says Atim. “The program prepared me to face the harsh realities of peace, justice, conflict, hatred, and forgiveness in a very unique way. Had I moved to Palestine/ Israel without a background to speak about and process such issues, I don’t know how I would have made it through this year of seemingly unanswerable questions.”

Ryan Kjesbo-Johnson ’08, who now Name: Seth Naicker ’07 Location: Lenasia South, South Africa Occupation: Operations Coordinator, Football for Hope, streetfootballworld About the program: “Reconciliation studies gave me a framework that puts the priority on people.”

lives and works in the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul, Minn., agrees and says the program gives students tools to understand the present by digging into the past. “There is no way to truly study the depth of reconciliation except by entering into the stories of oppression and struggle throughout history,” he says, “and studying those attempts toward reconciliation.” The classes, study abroad opportunities, and internships offer students the “opportunity to learn by studying a wide variety of issues both historically and currently,” he adds.

The foundation of the program, which DeYoung says is based on the life of Jesus and the teachings of Paul, approaches reconciliation in a holistic fashion and addresses the idea of conflict resolution on many levels, from individuals to societies.

It also helps students learn to identify, navigate, and challenge systemic societal issues, says Nicole Smith ’07, who works with youth from low-income families at Emerge Community Development in North Minneapolis. “There are a lot of ways society keeps people stuck in their positions,” says Smith. “Because of the program, I understand those systemic issues, and I can help students and their parents navigate those systems.”

Elisabeth Geschiere ’09 echoes Smith’s ideas about helping to influence societal change. Geschiere volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement, a Palestinian-led, nonviolent movement in Palestine and Jerusalem that uses direct-action methods and principles to resist Israeli apartheid. She attributes the decision to go overseas to Bethel’s reconciliation program. “The program provided me with essential knowledge about myself, my position in the world, and how I can be part of social movements that work for change,” says Geschiere.

“It challenged me to think about what it means, tangibly, to ally oneself with movements and people who are working for justice, and actually equipped me with skills for addressing issues we face as individuals, societies, and a global

Nicole Smith visiting the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden with Emerge youth.

Name: Beth Atim ’09 Location: Ramallah, West Bank of Palestine Occupation: Teaching English, art, and ceramics through an Evangelical Lutheran Church of America program About the program: “The reconciliation program helps students understand what social issues they are particularly passionate about and assists them in finding ways to plug in.”

Bethel University

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Nicole Smith volunteering with Emerge youth at Feed My Starving Children.

community. My journey with these ideas took me to stand in solidarity with Palestinians and Israelis who are truly anticolonization and pro-justice.”

The major focuses on three parts, says DeYoung. It begins with an introductory course that gives students a background on what reconciliation really is, and how it can influence a culture. The second part presents students with a skills course, like mediating conflict, and the third aspect, designed to be the senior capstone course, is centered on leadership. With the three components, plus a semester studying abroad in South Africa, Guatemala, the Middle East, or elsewhere, students are prepared in a well-rounded way for what lies ahead.While post-graduation activities

encompass a wide range of occupations, it’s clear that companies and businesses— whether for-profits or nonprofits— recognize the value of hiring people with the skill set Bethel’s reconciliation major provides, says DeYoung. Smith concurs, “Because of the knowledge I gained from Bethel’s program, the social workers, parents, and teachers call me for help.

They know I understand the systems and the culture in a different way.”

Seth Naicker ’07, a Reconciliation Studies/Biblical and Theological Studies double major, says reconciliation is beneficial to the business community as a whole. “Reconciliation allows people to learn with a social conscience and place a high value on others. It allows students to

Name: Ryan Kjesbo-Johnson ’08 Location: Frogtown neighborhood, St. Paul, Minn.

Occupation: Helping low-income communities with Project for Pride in Living, AmeriCorps About the program: “Reconciliation studies challenges your understanding of race, class, gender, religion, and disabilities in ways no other program at Bethel does.”

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become ‘people smart.’”

An advantage of the program is that it was designed to be part of a double major.

DeYoung says Bethel launched the program with the idea that most students would couple a reconciliation degree with a second interest, and use both in a future career. Rebecca Juarez ’08 is doing just that. She says that when people asked what she would do after graduation with her Reconciliation Studies/Spanish double major, she jokingly replied, “Reconcile in Spanish.” But now, she’s doing exactly that.

As the onsite coordinator for Bethel’s Guatemala Term, she communicates between Bethel and the term’s host program, Students International, and works between Americans and Guatemalans to, as she puts it, “talk through the students’ experiences in a new culture and language, and offer what I’ve learned through my own experiences and studies to help guide them.”

And reconciliation doesn’t just start and stop with the program, says KjesboJohnson. “Beyond the major and the reconciliation classes, I believe it is important for all those in the Bethel community to engage in what it means to be a Christ-follower committed to the ministry of reconciliation,” he says. “For

Name: Nicole Smith ’07 Location: North Minneapolis, Minn.

Occupation: Emerge Community Development, Housing Department About the program: “The reconciliation program creates the space for students to bust out of their normal boxes.

Reconciliation starts at Bethel, in those small circles in your classes.”

Rebecca Juarez with Bethel students on Guatemala Term.

some that could mean entering into conversations about race relations; for others it may mean trying to understand interpretations of Scripture from other cultural backgrounds. There are so many ways for members of the Bethel community to pursue reconciliation that I not only recommend that they do so, but I also expect it.”

Juarez agrees. “Having a reconciliation studies major doesn’t give you a quick and easy fix for conflicts,” she says. “But as reconciliation is a biblical mandate, it’s not something we should shy away from.

It can be scary, messy, charged, emotional, and uncomfortable, but that’s how you know you’re doing it right. The end result of catharsis and healing, bringing people together, and restoring relationships provides us with a small glimpse of God’s love demonstrated and lived out.” BT Name: Elisabeth Geschiere ’09 Location: West Bank, Palestine/Mpls.

Occupation: Minnesota Break the Bonds Campaign About the program: “The classes helped me develop personally and intellectually, and gave me skills to listen, communicate, and problemsolve.”

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First FSU Cohort Finishes General Studies Program

By Suzanne Yonker GS’09

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n September 2008, eight students began taking general studies courses in the Frogtown/Summity-University (FSU) neighborhoods, Bethel’s first offering in this inner-city location. Over the last two years, the students learned foundational course work needed to earn an associate of arts degree or enter a degree-completion program. And on August 31, 2010, all eight of them celebrated their accomplishment, one that has been years in the making for many of them.

Bertha Givins, longtime FSU resident, was one of the first members of the Partnership Advisory Committee, a

Assistant Professor Sandie McNeel with Melvin Giles.

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Tapestry • Fall 2010

group guiding this unique collaboration between the FSU neighborhoods and Bethel. Over the years, she has seen many organizations come and go—and make and break promises about their offerings to the community. “When I saw that Bethel was hanging in there, I began hanging in.

I became stubborn about it and decided that we had to see [the offering of college education] work,” Givins says.

When this first cohort started in fall 2008, they took courses in art appreciation, academic research and writing, western civilizations, and biblical studies, among others. The program, aimed at adult learners, was organized through Bethel’s College of Adult & Professional Studies and held in FSU at the ModelCities Brownstone Building, next to the Bethel FSU Community Partnership office.

These foundational courses have clearly made an impact on the group. “I have gained rich insight, applying this knowledge to my daily life,” says Joan Gooden. “There was a meeting of the minds amongst individuals from various age groups, backgrounds, and cultural

Graduation Day

Members of the FSU Cohort

status that kept class time enjoyable.”

The final session included a brief celebration of the group’s accomplishments, including a poem written and read

by Givins (see right column). “Without Bethel giving us the opportunity for education, I wouldn’t be standing here today,” Sharon Roberts said during the celebration. “I also thank my advisor, Marian Williams, who pushed me along through all the things I went through during the program.”

Several students plan to continue on to complete their associate of arts degrees, while others intend to enroll in Bethel’s

FSU Student Cosandra Lloyd

Well, today is your graduation, and we are

so glad that you are here.

The good Lord has blessed you with yet

another year.

Oh, some days have been high, and some

days have been low.

Some days have gone swiftly, while others

went slow.

But you’ve weathered them all with a

smile on your face, and your strong constitution has kept you

in this race.

It seems as you get older, things take a toll

on life.

But God will bring you through it one step

at a time.

And when you come to the pitfalls and

you feel that you are lost, He will pick you up gently and carry you

across.

Now today is your day to step out on the

stage because you’re the stars of the

show, and you are kings and queens

for today.

You’ve earned a bachelor’s, your master’s

and a doctorate, too.

And the greatest of the scholars have

nothing on you.

Have a marvelous day, and kick your heels

to the sky.

Make a toast to the future, and kiss the

past good-bye.

God was with you yesterday and the day

that you were born, and He will be with you tomorrow and for

all your years to come.

Copyright Bertha Givins 2010

Bethel University

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Chief Diversity Officer Leon Rodrigues interacts with the FSU students.

bachelor’s degree cohorts or attend other schools.

“Most of the individuals in my cohort had probably previously given up on advancing their educational goals,” said Gooden. “The Class of 2012 has paved the way for future FSU cohorts.”

“All of these students are possibility seekers,” says Melvin Giles, program coordinator for the Community Partnership office. “Only goodness can grow from here.” BT

Interested in Learning in FSU? Bethel provides: • Classes on University Ave. and Victoria • Valuable foundational course work • One night a week, one class at a time • Earned credits toward an associate of arts or bachelor’s degree • Tuition grants for FSU residents Contact Mike Graham at 651.635.8018 to learn more.

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Graduation of a Different Kind

his fall, 12 young students celebrated their graduation from the King Family Foundation Child Development Center (CDC) in the Frogtown/Summit-University neighborhood, beginning the next adventure in their lives—kindergarten!

The children sang “This Little Light of Mine” and heard from parents, teachers, and others in celebration of this milestone.

Their theme verse for the graduation was “Let your light shine before all men … and glorify your father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

The King CDC, a joint venture between Bethel University and the Union Gospel Mission, provides children from the Frogtown/Summit-University (FSU) community quality, Christ-centered care and education, while simultaneously providing Bethel education students with experiential learning that is communitybased, enhancing their ability to be strong, culturally responsive teachers. The center is part of Bethel’s partnership with the FSU neighborhood. BT

Two members of the King Family Foundation Child Development Center class of 2010.

Bethel Grad Earns Prestigious Lilly Fellowship Yelena Bailey ’09 begins a Ph.D. program at the University of California San Diego as a Lilly Graduate Fellow.

By Steffanie Lindgren ’10

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elena Bailey ’09 was awarded the prestigious Lilly Fellowship to pursue her Ph.D. and goal of becoming a professor of Latin American literature. Bailey is the first Bethel grad to be chosen for the program that supports outstanding students who want to explore the connections among Christianity, higher education, and the vocation of the teacherscholar.

Her time at Bethel played an important role in shaping her career goals and leading to her academic successes. As an undergrad and an Edgren scholar, Bailey visited Cuba for two weeks with Bethel Spanish Professor Sandi Weightman. Together they studied the work of AfroCuban poet Nancy Morejón, examining Morejón’s literature and exploring ways it could be taught effectively in Spanish literature classrooms.

“It was the first time I got a chance to work on an academic paper and learn that there can be a connection between Spanish literature and

social justice,” said Bailey. She graduated from Bethel with bachelor’s degrees in physics and Spanish, and then went on to receive an M.A. in Hispanic Literature at the New York University program in Madrid; this fall, she began a Ph.D. program in Comparative Literature at the University of California San Diego.

Barrett Fisher, dean of arts and humanities for Bethel University, recommended Bailey for the fellowship, a new program of the Lilly Fellows Program funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. The 16 fellows were selected by a nine-member selection committee who interviewed 24 finalists (selected from 66 applicants) in April.

Bailey met with the other fellows at an Inaugural Conference in early August and has now begun the threeyear program. She will meet regularly with a mentor, attend four conferences, participate in a long-distance colloquium, and receive three annual stipends of $3,000. BT

Yelena Bailey Bethel University

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Yelena

Promoting Peace in FSU: An Adventure of Discovery

By Suzanne Yonker GS’09

From working in neighborhood gardens to organizing community events, seven Bethel College of Arts & Sciences students served in St. Paul this summer.

The aroma of hamburgers cooking on the grill scented the air as dozens of Frogtown neighbors gathered for a street cookout at host Cary “Pop” Rembert’s place. In the middle of the road, a live Christian rapper provided a pulsating beat. Later in the evening, several guests approached the peace pole in Rembert’s front yard, touching it lightly as a gesture of unity and peace in this urban neighborhood.

This celebration—called a Drum Circle—was organized by two neighborhood development agencies and was just one of many weekly events that seven Bethel students attended as part of their summer of service in the Frogtown/

Vashti Pearson blows bubbles with a child at the Drum Circle on July 22.

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Summit-University (FSU) community as Bethel ambassadors.

David Kim (Junior, Business and Reconciliation Studies major) worked in the District 7 Planning Agency office as a student intern, helping to organize community events such as the Drum Circle for their Summer of Peace initiative and to take surveys in the neighborhood to gather data.

A native of London, Ahmed Odushola (Senior, Reconciliation Studies major) has the most experience working in FSU, having served in the community since 2007. He developed a passion for serving people like himself from the inner city soon after arriving in the States. This summer, Odushola has been empowering inner-city youth with college prep tools through the Ober Community Center.

He arranged for several college visits, including to Bethel, and provided general mentoring to encourage the youth to continue their educations.

While Kim and Odushola served in civic organizations, Elizabeth Hale (Senior, Sociocultural Studies major) and Vashti Pearson (Junior, Elementary Education major) served at Central Baptist Church.

They helped run a children’s day camp

Left to right: Christiana Goldschmidt, MaiLou Thao, Elizabeth Hale, Ahmed Odushola, Chinret Best, David Kim, and Vashti Pearson surrounding a peace pole.

each week for kindergarten through sixth graders. They also provided child care for English classes as well as assisted office staff.

“I have been involved at Central for a couple of years now and have gotten to know some of the kids and their families quite well,” Pearson says. “After the last camp, I realized that I was making a difference in their lives, and that had a huge impact on me.”

Chinret Best (Junior, Business major) and MaiLou Thao (Sophomore, Nursing major) managed the FSU Community Partnership office. Along with being a presence in the neighborhood, they also helped find future service-learning sites for other Bethel students.

“This summer has been a great time of learning, serving, and growing in the community,” Best says. “I learned it is important to be genuine in everything I do. If I am not, the people I am interacting with will not be receptive to

me.” Christiana Goldschmidt (Senior, Environmental Studies/Third World Studies major) spent much of her time maintaining a community garden. The plot exists to help “reconnect people to the land and each other, and to increase their access to fresh foods,” Goldschmidt says. “My goals included simply observing and learning how a community works and develops, as well as learning more about urban farms.”

Her more important task? Building relationships in the community. “I can have all the knowledge in the world, but if I can’t relate to people, then it will do me and them no good,” Goldschmidt says.

These students did more than a summer job, believes Melvin Giles, summer supervisor and program coordinator for the FSU Community Partnership. Instead, they were “explorers and ambassadors for Bethel on an adventure of discovery.” BT

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Edgren Scholars Program 2010:

Listening to Students of Color

By Laura Wegener ’03

S

ummer is often the time when students forget homework, books, and other school-related activities, but for some Edgren Scholars recipients, summer is an opportunity to better their community.

The highly selective Edgren Scholars Program pairs faculty members and students to work together on a research project over the summer. This program not only encourages scholarship and research beyond regular academic time at Bethel, but also strengthens the relationship between faculty and students.

Each facultystudent partnership applies to the program with a specific proposal in mind and a place where their research will be published and/or presented.

Amy White, associate professor of social work, and Nina Rasmusen, a senior social work major, were two of the Edgren Scholars recipients for 2010. The title of their research project is “Needs Assessment of Students of Color at Bethel University: Exploration of Spiritual, Academic, Relational, and Psychological Needs.”

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White and Rasmusen both recognized that students of color at Bethel University faced unique stresses that weren’t being specifically addressed. They knew the best way to change that was to devote time to hearing specific stories and recommendations for change directly from these students.

What made this research unique was its specificity and focus on change. “Our goal in the research [has been] to talk with students to hear their stories and identify specific needs. By understanding the experiences of students of color, the institution can better address [these] needs,” said White.

During the summer, the two held focus groups with students of color as well as individual interviews with those who couldn’t attend the focus groups. Questions regarding their current needs and desires in four different areas— spiritual, academic, relational, and psychological—were posed to each student.

Once analyzed, the research will be presented to specific areas at Bethel.

For example, White and Rasmusen will present the Office of Campus Ministries with the top spiritual concerns students of color face and then recommend specific ideas for addressing those concerns, all based on what students have said. They will also meet with various faculty and

staff to share academic needs students of color face as well as recommendations for change; relational needs will be presented to Bethel’s Office of Student Life while psychological needs and suggested areas of improvement will be presented to Bethel’s counseling services staff. With this approach, White and Rasmusen hope to maximize the impact of their research.

“Too often students leave [Bethel] because they don’t feel listened to or they don’t see themselves represented in [various areas],” White shared. “Many who stay become tired of being asked to represent their racial group, tired of being ignored in social activities or events, or tired of the burden of having to educate not only peers but faculty in sensitivity and cultural awareness. If Bethel wants to be a reconciling institution, we have to better

meet the needs of people of color on our campus.”

Beyond Bethel, White and Rasmusen will present their findings within the community, potentially at a student development or Council for Christian Colleges & Universities conference. They will finalize their research within the next few months.

Through all the research, White and Rasmusen learned much. “I have learned the importance of genuine relationships and listening to people’s stories, especially those that are difficult or painful to tell or hear,” reflects White.

“It is our sincere hope that Bethel’s administration is able to utilize this data to…better meet the needs of our students of color. We hope we will not only speak about reconciliation, but also take action to be a place of reconciliation.” BT

Researchers Amy White and Nina Rasmusen

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Bethel Learners Use Experience to Empower African-American Men

By Suzanne Yonker GS’09

D

anny Givens and Roy Barker are not the typical adult students at Bethel.

Both have a criminal record and have been incarcerated. Just as they share a similar history, they also share a common goal: to reach out to African-American men in the Twin Cities.

enforcement officer and was sent to prison for 12 years. But God hadn’t forgotten him.

“My grandmother had been praying for me while I grew up and even told me I would be a preacher one day,” Givens explains. “I came to know Christ in prison through the ministry of a local church bishop.”

Growing up on the Street Cred south side of Chicago,

African-American Barker also began dealing men often face challenges drugs as a youngster and from the very beginning— became a dangerous from single-parent homes criminal by adulthood. He to lack of educational was sent to jail for a support. It takes someone serious crime he did not who’s been there to fully commit, then acquitted. understand their needs “My life began to transform and offer the right kind of while incarcerated,” he help. explains. “Later, my

Givens and Barker fit mother became deathly ill, the bill. and I promised her I Danny Givens

Givens, who is working would not hurt anyone toward a Bachelor of Arts in Christian again. But this promise was a public Ministries through the College of Adult & acknowledgement of a vow I had already Professional Studies, grew up in St. Paul made to God and myself while and surrounding suburbs. Raised by a incarcerated.” single mother, Givens was a model child at

Barker came to the Twin Cities in home. But on the street, he became 1995, and later connected with Twin someone else. He began dealing drugs by Cities Rise as a program participant. This the age of 10 and robbing people at organization, which provides job skills for gunpoint as a young teenager. By 19, he people in poverty, further empowered him was convicted of shooting a law to overcome his past.

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Now, Givens and Barker both use their experiences to reach out to young men with similar histories.

African American Men Project

While incarcerated, Givens grew in his relationship with God through the help of the project coordinator for the African American Men Project (AAMP) in Minneapolis. Soon after his release from prison, Givens began serving with this organization. AAMP exists to empower African-American men in Hennepin County through client advocacy, support groups, and other services.

“I serve as an advocate working with intensive case management, health, housing, education, employment, family structure, criminal justice, and civic/community engagement,” explains Givens.

born of his own experience, Barker finds it easy to reach out. “Because of my own history, I am in a unique position to help,” he explains.

“The programs at Ujaama Place are important if we hope to save this generation of young men,” Barker continues. “We don’t know the amount of intellectual loss not letting these men reach their potential is costing us as a society.”

Bethel Courses Provide Skills

While Givens serves full time with AAMP, he also has felt led to start a church in inner-city St. Paul.

The Christian Ministries program has given him the vocabulary he needs to explain God’s Word, he believes.

“Bethel has taken the indiscernible cries of my heart and given them words,” Givens says. “I wasn’t necessarily able Ujaama Place to articulate it in the

On the other side ways that I wanted to, Roy Barker of the river, Barker, who and being exposed to is pursuing an M.A. in this curriculum at Bethel Organizational Leadership, has just been has helped me to color in the lines. It has named the director of Ujaama Place, a St. helped me to define my walk with God Paul nonprofit dedicated to assisting young and increased my ability to convey that to African-American men to succeed through others in an understandable way.” finishing their GEDs, maintaining sobriety,

Barker’s leadership courses have also finding appropriate housing, and securing informed his work. “One of the most steady jobs while upholding their cultural important things I learned is that in order heritage. Each client is assisted by a to be a true leader, you must first learn to mentor in a process that takes four to eight be a true servant,” he says. “I have learned months or longer. Through a compassion continued on page 16 Bethel University 15

Student Scholar’s Journey Leads to Bethel

By Joyce Venida ’13

B

It’s playing a big role in my future, ethel University freshman Zang Xiong and is taking a lot of the worry off recently received a $6,900 grant from financially,” says Xiong, who is from North the Annexstad Family Foundation, making Minneapolis. He says he chose Bethel him the first Annexstad Family Foundation because he “liked that it was ChristScholar to attend Bethel. centered.” Xiong is a youth ministry major

Xiong applied for the scholarship and a psychology his senior year of minor. high school, but his

Founded in journey to Bethel 2000, the Annexstad started back in the Family Foundation third grade when works closely with he was invited participating colleges to participate in to provide Destination 2010, scholarships for an initiative of students who have The Minneapolis been mentored by the Foundation to help Big Brothers Big students pursue Sisters organization. higher education.

The foundation looks It was through Zang Xiong at students who Destination 2010 that demonstrate strong he was encouraged academic performance as well as character, to apply for the Annexstad grant. Three and who have been accepted to one or months after applying, news came that he more of the participating educational won the scholarship. institutions. BT

“I felt very blessed to have the opportunity to receive the scholarship. continued from page 15

to be led by the Spirit.”

Two degree programs. Two ministries.

But one thing is for sure: the Minneapolis-

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St. Paul communities are the better for it all thanks to these servant-leaders. BT

Bethel Staff Members Honored A

t the annual Staff Appreciation Day in June, several staff members were recognized for their outstanding service to the Bethel community, helping Bethel to live out its values and fulfill its mission.

Sarah Sauerbry, human resources generalist, was awarded the George K. Brushaber Reconciliation Award, which is presented annually for demonstrating Chief Diversity Officer Leon Rodrigues presents reconciliation through action an outstanding award to Sarah Sauerbry. commitment to honoring the worth and dignity of people from all races and purposely seeking to create a community that reflects the diversity of the Body of Christ.

Sauerbry has been at Bethel since 2000, during which time she has grown and intentionally placed herself in positions to nurture her growth and become a leader in the area of antiracism and reconciliation. She has attended classes and training that equip her for a personal journey in becoming an antiracist reconciler, and is supportive of students struggling on this same journey.

Sauerbry uses her voice to advocate for reconciliation to co-workers, family members, and her community. A model

Bethel community member, Sauerbry is a dedicated, anti-racist reconciler who loves God and serves Bethel faithfully as an outgrowth of that love.

Carol Chang, associate dean for international students and programs, was presented a Distinguished Service Award for outstanding service to the Bethel community.

Her loyalty to her Provost David Clark presents colleagues and her service award to Carol Chang. students has been outstanding, but is surpassed by her loyalty to Jesus Christ, which is clearly reflected by her attitudes and actions.

Chang has been a model of servant leadership throughout her 20-year career at Bethel. She has gone out of her way to serve and minister to students—visiting them in the hospital, going to their homes, providing clothing and bedding to international students, and much more.

In addition, Chang ensures that Bethel is in compliance with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s regulations for international students, exchange students, and visiting scholars. She takes this responsibility seriously and has served Bethel’s international students and visitors with excellence and care. BT Bethel University 17

TapestryToutings

Members of the Bethel community making a difference in communities of color

Curtiss DeYoung (Reconciliation Studies) served as a co-editor on The Peoples’ Companion to the Bible (Fortress Press, 2010), a textbook based on The Peoples’ Bible. The textbook highlights the role of cultures in both the development of the Bible and in its subsequent reception around the world, enabling students to see how social location has figured in the ways particular peoples have understood the biblical text and to formulate their own social location as a key to understanding the Bible and its import for them.

DeYoung also presented a lecture titled “To Lead Here and Now: A Leader and Campus Diversity” for the Desmond Tutu Diversity Trust at its Leadership Institute on Diversity in Pretoria, South Africa. This gathering last March brought together student leaders from 23 public universities in South Africa.

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Juan Hernandez (Biblical and Theological Studies) taught a class on the gospels at Princeton University this past summer as part of the Hispanic Summer Program. He also has been invited to travel to Wuppertal, Germany, December 4-7 to deliver a paper titled “The Reception of the Septuagint in the Manuscripts of John’s Apocalypse.”

Kathleen McGillivray (Disability Services) presented “Cultivating Environments to Grow Students with Disabilities” at the national Association of Christians in Student Development conference held at Messiah College (Pa.) this past summer.

Ben Lim (Marriage and Family Therapy, Bethel Seminary San Diego) traveled to Malaysia in July with his wife to teach an intensive 40-hour course on Marriage and Family Therapy with the Bridge Fellows Graduate Program. They also gave a public lecture on managing stress.

In addition, Lim presented “Enhancing Creativity in the Midst of Your Stressful Personal Life and Practice” at the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, San Diego.

Ripley Smith (Communication Studies) presented a workshop on intercultural communication and developing a ministry to local refugee populations at Westwood Community Church last November. He will present a paper titled “Building Bridges in Christian Radio: The Discursive Price of Cultural Relevance” at the National Communication Association conference in San Francisco in November.

In addition, Smith authored a book chapter, “The Role of Trust in International Crisis Areas: A Comparison of German and US-American NGO Partnership Strategies,” in Organizational Trust: A Cultural Perspective (Cambridge University Press, 2010).

Samuel Zalanga (Anthropology and Sociology) wrote a chapter titled “The Post Colonial State: Theoretical Insights on the Roles of the State in Promoting Economic Development and Cultural Change” in Leadership and Nation Building in Africa: Challenges, Threats, and Opportunities (Outskirts Press, 2010). In addition, he chaired a panel on “Micro-Finance” at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Business Ethics in August in Montreal, Canada. Zalanga also presented “Comparative Study in Development Studies and Social Change: Western Debates on Capitalism from Third World Perspective” and “Neoliberalism as Imperial Utopia: The Impact of Neoliberal Public Policies on Human Rights in Africa” at the 28th Annual Conference of the Association of Third World Studies in early October at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga. BT

Bethel University 19

Two students in Bethel’s adult degree programs reach out to Twin Cities African-American men.

A summer of service in St. Paul

Sherie J. Lindvall ’70, Senior Vice President for Communications and Marketing Cindy Pfingsten, Editor • Thomas Vukelich ’82, Design Contact tapestry@bethel.edu or 800.255.8706, ext. 6233.

For more about multicultural diversity at Bethel, visit bethel.edu/ about/diversity.

10 14

Five years of Reconciliation Studies graduates are

making a global impact.

9 Bethel’s first-ever Lilly Fellowship award recipient

enters Ph.D. program.

1

Inside

Welcome Week began a little early for 23 participants in the Navigators Program, an additional orientation designed to help incoming multicultural, international, and third-culture students make the transition to college life at Bethel. The special sessions provide support to these students in cultivating relationships that are empowering, inclusive, and lead to a successful college career. Gary Burnette, a freshman reconciliation studies major originally from Chicago, says the orientation “helped students feel more comfortable and confident by building solidarity and unity within the group.”

Address Service Requested

3900 Bethel Drive St. Paul, MN 55112-6999

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We are reconcilers, honoring the worth and dignity of people from all races and purposely seeking to create a community that reflects the diversity of the Body of Christ.

A Bethel Core Value