JANUARY 2022
ACTIVITY IN PROGRESS
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From all of us at Bethany, please accept a heartfelt “THANK YOU” for supporting Give to Bethany Day 2021! Because of your generosity, the total donated was:
$158,708
(by mail, phone, text, online, and in person)
625 gifts And, as a result of the matching opportunity for new and increased gifts, and also achieving the goal to receive the $70,000 challenge grant, the grand total for the day was:
$253,708 raised! Please know how much we appreciate you, our alumni and friends around the world, and that your contributions are making a lasting difference in the lives of every student and in all areas of our beloved Bethany Lutheran College.
blc.edu/GTBD
B E TH A N Y Magazine
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS 4
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
EXPLORING NEW WAYS TO EDUCATE
Carrying out our Mary Martha purpose
XR Festival happening in April 2022
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UPDATES AND NEWS
ALL-TIME HIGH
Faculty and staff briefs
Fall 2021 enrollment is, once again, at an all-time high mark
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HONOR BAND EVENT
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MEDIA ARTS STUDENTS CONTRIBUTE
TOP IN SOCIAL MOBILITY
BLC ranked number one in the State of Minnesota for graduates’ social mobility
BETHANY HOSTING HIGH SCHOOL CHORAL FESTIVAL
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IMPROVED VISION
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New video production control room provides great experience
MASTER'S RESIDENCY
First in-person residency held for clinical mental health counseling program
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DEVELOPING LEADERS ACROSS MAJORS
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Taylor Leadership Institute helps students develop skills
ENCOURAGING A MINISTRY MINDSET
Online event held to inform, encourage teaching at Christian day schools
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Athletic season results and awards
Summer teaching experience rewarding for Lienig
RETROSPECT
GO VIKINGS
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BACK TO CLASS
Where to find a good book
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CLAY TARGET SEES SUCCESS Team places first at conference
ON THE COVER: The new Bethany Activity and Wellness Center as depicted in an artist's rendering. Courtesy of ISG
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zine Maga ISSUE: 150
All contents © COPYRIGHT 2022 Bethany Lutheran College. Articles, images or photographs may not be reproduced without written permission. The Bethany Magazine is published three times yearly by the Bethany Lutheran College Office of Institutional Communication and distributed free of charge.
HEY, IT'S HALVAR! Bethany's mascot was officially unveiled during Fall Festival
editor, writer | Lance Schwartz writer | Emeline Gullixson designer, photographer | David Norris Please direct all correspondence, letters, news, corrections, and comments to: Bethany Lutheran College Bethany Magazine 700 Luther Drive Mankato, MN 56001-6163
Email: editor@blc.edu Phone: 507.344.7000 | 800.944.3066 Mission: Bethany Lutheran College is a Christian
liberal arts college owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod and committed to the teachings of the Bible as expressed in the statements of faith known as the Lutheran Confessions. Bethany Lutheran College provides Christian higher education in a challenging academic environment where personal mentoring guides students to pursue knowledge, truth, and discernment for productive and fulfilling lives.
from the
PRESIDENT BY G E NE PFE IFE R • PRESIDENT, B E THANY LUTHERAN COLLEG E
Carrying out our Mary, Martha purpose Paul Gerhardt was a pastor in Germany, but also a prolific hymnist. It is said that the majority of Gerhardt’s hymns were written as the result of his own personal trials and grief. History notes that Gerhardt experienced much suffering in his life as he and his parishioners lived in the era of the Thirty Years’ War. Within his own family, four of his five children died young, and his wife died after a prolonged illness. Gerhardt’s hymns appear in many hymnals today including one entitled “Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me?” The third verse begins with the words, “God oft gives me days of gladness, shall I grieve if He give seasons of sadness?” During the past two years, there have been challenging times all around. We also know there will continue to be difficulties in the future. However, even amid the ongoing pandemic, right now Bethany is blessed by our almighty God with a season of gladness.
...Even amid the ongoing pandemic, right now Bethany is blessed by our almighty God with a season of gladness. During the current pandemic, when most higher education institutions are struggling with declining enrollment and challenging financial pictures, at Bethany by God’s grace and blessings, we are thriving while carrying out our two-fold Mary/Martha Bethany mission. In this article, I’d like to share some of the ways God is blessing our Christian higher education mission at this time. Bethany strives to be like Mary intently focusing on and supplying our students with the Good News message of the Gospel—The One Thing Needful. This is accomplished in required religious studies classes, during daily chapel worship and small group Bible studies, and evidenced through annual baptisms 4
of Bethany students, and when our students and alumni become connected with churches in their local communities. And while dedication to the Gospel is Bethany’s most important focus, we also strive to carry out our Martha purpose by equipping students and alumni for productive and fulfilling lives and vocations. Bethany continues to expand upon this aspect of our mission in various and deliberate ways. For the second time in three years, Bethany is ranked the number one college in Minnesota for its graduates’ social mobility (U.S. News National Liberal Arts Category). This means in comparison to what would be expected of Bethany graduates based upon their academic profile and demographic background, our students outperform what would be predicted. Yes, Bethany is number one in Minnesota and number forty in the nation among a prestigious group of National Liberal Arts Colleges in a ranking category that measures a College’s ability to equip alumni to have successful and fulfilling careers while climbing the socioeconomic success ladder. Another way Bethany is fulfilling its Martha purpose is through a deliberate expansion of our academic program options for students. An institutional first, Bethany recently launched a master’s degree program in clinical mental health counseling. Taught from a Christian perspective, the program has sixteen degree-seeking graduate students in this online program. In addition, in Fall 2021 we launched two new majors in fine arts administration (combining strengths in both our fine arts and business courses), and another program in Spanish. Bethany now offers 29 majors from which students can choose. In addition to these new program offerings, in an effort to add value and better support for the vocational employment needs of Bethany alumni, the College launched a full-time Career Services Office with the goal to help our students gain valuable
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internships in the Mankato area and throughout the country. What do all of these tangible blessings mean? Combined with many other factors, a result of these initiatives is record student enrollment. Again, at a time when most colleges and universities are faced with declining enrollment, for the second year in a row Bethany stands at record enrollment of 660 fulltime undergraduate students, and 800 total full and part-time students taking courses through Bethany. These blessings provide us the opportunity to engage students with Jesus, and to help equip them for productive and fulfilling lives. The Bethany student body looks different today. Most of Bethany’s growth in recent years has come from two sources: international enrollment and American urban and minority students. Today, thirty-seven percent of Bethany’s student body comes from an international or minority background, which is very similar to the demographic make-up of our communities. Among the 800 students learning at Bethany are 128 international students representing six of the seven continents of the world, and twenty-nine countries (largest: Congo, Ethiopia, Albania, Spain). Also, at Bethany, are students from urban, minority backgrounds who found Bethany through a local program called Urban Ventures, and with a national Christian organization called Act 6 (based on the Bible account in Acts 6 in which the question was asked “who’s going to take care of the Grecian widows,”— so the question asked in this program is “who’s going to give a chance to academically-qualified, first generation to college, minority students in urban centers to earn a college degree and return to be leaders in their communities?" Today, at Bethany, we are privileged to carry out the Great Commission given us by our Lord to go and tell all nations. What an amazing blessing this is! On top of these blessings, the College was fortunate to experience a balanced operational budget this past year. A big reason we were able to make our budget is because of you! Thank you, each of you, for your financial support, and most importantly for your prayers of support. Your gifts mean so much to our faculty, staff, and students! We couldn’t serve them without your partnership together with us in the Bethany mission! And now, on behalf of Bethany Lutheran College, I again ask for your prayers and thoughtfulness. We humbly ask for your support this year for our annual
Jesus with Mary and Martha at Bethany as depicted in the Trinity Chapel altar triptych, by former Bethany art professor William Bukowski.
Bethany Fund Campaign that’s of primary importance in carrying out our annual mission; and an historic campaign to close the funding gap for our Building Bethany Campaign which now is seeing construction designed to increase activity space for all students. Bethany hasn’t increased activity space for students in over twenty-eight years, and this new facility is sure to be a blessing for the entire Bethany student body as well as the Greater Mankato community and youth programs which helps keep Bethany forefront in the minds of prospective families and students. We do need your ongoing support to continue to carry out Bethany’s two-fold purpose. Please keep Bethany’s mission and her students, faculty, and staff in your prayers; and prayerfully consider generously supporting the Bethany Fund and the Building Bethany Campaign. Yes, God is certainly blessing Bethany with a season of gladness. May Bethany continue to carry out its Mary/Martha mission so that more may know the message of The One Thing Needful.
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From our faculty & staff Peter Bloedel’s (Theatre) one act play, The Art of Being Vague, has been accepted for publication and will be licensed by the Connecticut-based publishing house Stage Partners. The Art of Being Vague premiered in March 2021 on the Bethany Stage Peter Bloedel and was directed by (then student) Lee Schauer. Mark DeGarmeaux (Religion, Languages) taught at the adult Norwegian language weekend in Bemidji, Minnesota, gave presentations at the Norseland (Minnesota) Music Camp, attended a webinar on the altar paintings of Herbjørn Mark DeGarmeaux Gausta, and preached for his 45th class reunion at Luther High School, Onalaska, Wisconsin, during the summer of 2021. ProMusica Minnesota, a professional chamber music-producing organization led by Bethany instructors Benji Inniger (Theatre) and Dr. Bethel Balge (Music), was recently featured on the national radio program Performance Today from American Public Media.
Benji Inniger
Dr. Brian Klebig (Communication) recently Bethel Balge defended his dissertation at Michigan State University. Klebig’s formal degree conferral will take place at the Spring 2022 Commencement in East Lansing, Michigan. Klebig is also a member of a research team that has been
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awarded a 1.2 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The research will involve developing and optimizing virtual spaces for classroom style interaction using virtual reality.
Brian Klebig
Bethany Professor Emeritus Dr. Tom Kuster was featured on KFUO radio (a Lutheran radio station in St. Louis, Missouri) where he discussed Bethany’s Gospel Outreach With Media (GOWM) online Tom Kuster conference. GOWM was also featured in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod WELS Together newsletter. Jon Loging (Communication) performed in the play Epiphany as part of the Minnesota Shorts Play Festival sponsored by the Jon Loging Merely Players Community Theatre of Mankato in September 2021. Loging was voted best actor of the evening by the audience. Dr. Ryan MacPherson (History) was an invited speaker to the “Called to Defend” conference hosted by Blessed Sacrament Lutheran Church in Hayden, Idaho, on August 7, 2021. His presentation highlighted the resistance by NorweRyan MacPherson gian Lutheran pastors to Nazism during World War II. MacPherson also led a three-part workshop on similar topics for the Digital Catacombs conference hosted by Our Savior Lutheran Church in
Pagosa Springs, Colorado, June 4-6, 2021. He also presented a three-part workshop for the Return to Wittenberg Conference hosted by St. Paul Lutheran Church in Tomah, Wisconsin, September 10-12, 2021. The first session contrasted the Nazi interpretation of Romans 13 (enjoining full loyalty to Hitler) with the historic Lutheran understanding of how to respect God’s gift of civil government while also resisting tyranny. The second session involved the audience in trying to recall as much of the Bible, the hymnal, and the catechism as possible from memory, in preparation for being deprived of those books during times of persecution. The final session gleaned lessons from our brothers and sisters in the underground churches, both historically and at the present time. In May of 2021, Dr. Carrie Pfeifer (Education) worked with students and faculty at Christ Lutheran School in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Dr. Pfeifer assessed and created Carrie Pfeifer appropriate 504 Plans for qualifying students. One day was spent presenting a workshop to the faculty on supporting students with autism spectrum disorders. In June, Dr. Pfeifer traveled to Aurora, Colorado, to teach a one-credit course on autism to faculty for several Colorado and Nevada schools. This school year, Dr. Pfeifer will be leading professional development for a cohort of teachers and administrators from Mankato Public Schools on literacy practices based on the science of reading. The professional development sessions will occur twice a month and will take place on the Bethany campus in Memorial Library. The training is part of an initiative by the Minnesota Department of Education in literacy.
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Shawn Stafford (Religion) co-directed the Evangelical Lutheran Synod Youth Camp from July 11-16, 2021, at Lutheran Island Camp near Henning, Minnesota. There were a record 136 ELS youth from Minnesota and Iowa in attendance. Dr. Brian Klebig (Communication) served as one of the chapel preachers, and Reece Boucher (Admissions) gave a presentation about Bethany to the campers, and he and his wife Maren Boucher (Fine Arts), a former camper and counselor, joined the campers for part of the week.
Shawn Stafford
Reece Boucher
Maren Boucher
Photo by David Norris
From left: Cheryl Clendenin, Emily Kimball, Megan Bezdicek, Karina Clennon, Shawn Stafford, Jason Jaspersen, and Kris Bruckerhoff.
NEW FACULTY AND STAFF Bethany welcomed the following new full-time faculty and staff members in 2021. These employees have key positions working directly with Bethany students, and were installed during the Fall Semester Opening Service. We wish them God’s richest blessings as they use their gifts and talents in service to Him and the mission of the College. Megan Bezdicek – Director, Career Services Kris Bruckerhoff – Associate Professor, Business Administration Cheryl Clendenin – Assistant Professor, Nursing Karina Clennon – Assistant Professor, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Jason Jasperson – Associate Professor, Studio Art Emily Kimball – Assistant Professor, Theatre Shawn Stafford – Assistant Professor, Religious Studies 7
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Bethany set to host Choral Festival for high schools in 2022
Photo by David Norris
The 2021 High School Honor Band conducted by Benjamin Faugstad.
High School Honor Band event held Bethany was host to a successful High School Honor Band on Saturday, November 13, 2021, facilitated and conducted by Benjamin Faugstad, Assistant Professor of Music. Fifty-five top high school music students were present from twelve different schools: Glencoe-Silver Lake, Glenville-Emmons, Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial, Lake Mills (IA), Madelia, Mankato West, Minnesota Valley Lutheran, New Prague, Northland Lutheran (WI), South Hardin (IA), Warroad, and Winnebago Lutheran Academy (WI). The full day of rehearsals and sectionals concluded with a 5 p.m. performance in Trinity Chapel.
Photos: bit.ly/HonorBand21
Bethany Lutheran College will host the 2022 West Regional Choral Fest to be held next November 3–7, 2022. The Choral Fest features choir groups from Lutheran high schools throughout the upper Midwest and beyond. This is the first time Bethany will host a Choral Fest event. Professor Dennis Marzolf and Bethany alumnus Eric Harstad (’93) will serve as choral clinicians for the Festival. The event features two signature events including a Pops Concert on November 4 at 7 p.m., and a Sacred Concert on November 6 at 2 p.m. Concerts will take place in the Ron Younge Gym.
Video: bit.ly/HonorBand21Video
Media Arts students contribute to professional content library Bethany students learning animation in media arts classes had their work published in the Ion Concert Music content library. Ion Concert Media was started by Bethany alumnus Scott Winters (’89). The Ion library of animation makes it possible for visual music to be reliably synced to live orchestral performances. Visual music pieces in this content library are available for purchase and screened alongside live music using Ion’s unique software. Bethany student animators involved with the project were: Brock Aaker, Christopher Anderson, Shawn Bjerke, Emily Dietz, Alex Gutzke, Keren Horneber, Vianna Kovaciny, Alec Mueller, Joey Pasbrig, Franklin Selvey, and Taylor Theiste. Supporting animators/ designers were: Maelyn Duquaine, Savannah Soltis, Sashia Swenson, and HyunJun Yoon.
View video previews at: ionconcertmedia.com. 8
Still frames from the two video animation projects.
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Photos by David Norris
Students in the clinical mental health counseling program conducted exercises in Honsey Hall during their in-person residency.
First master's program residency complete Bethany’s first master’s program is now serving its inaugural cohort of students. The new program, in clinical mental health counseling (CMHC), is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The CMHC master’s curriculum is primarily delivered through an online program with some on-campus components. This past fall, Bethany welcomed its first cohort of online graduate students to campus for their first face-to-face residency weekend. The four-day event allowed these students to collaborate together on topics pertinent to the counseling field, engage in skills practice, hear from professionals in the field, and build community among their peers in the cohort. The cohort also enjoyed Bethany’s Fall Festival activities during their residency stay. Dr. Benjamin Kohls has led the development of the new program and teaches within the program, and Dr. Karina (Harstad ‘07) Clennon is also a full-time faculty member in the CMHC program.
Students engaged in skills practicing with each other serving as client and counselor, while other participants observed.
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Encouraging a Ministry Mindset BY EMELINE GULLIXSON (' 21)
Not all students enter into education classes at Bethany knowing exactly the kind of teaching track that they want to pursue. Some are set on a public school teaching track, while others are sure that they want Synod Certification, meaning that they are able to be called to teach in Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) schools. A number of students are undecided about pursuing Synod Certification, and many do not fully understand the process. This is what motivated Dr. Carrie Pfeifer, Professor of Education at Bethany, to bring attention to the blessings that come from teaching at Christian day schools. In September 2021, Pfeifer organized an event over Zoom called Ministry Mindset. Current Bethany education students were able to hear from Bethany education graduates Jayde (Thompson '19) Faugstad and Daniel Nusbaum ('19)–who are both now teaching in ELS schools–about their experiences, why they chose to become Synod certified, and what teaching in a Christian day school is like. “Even over video, it was such a personal and encouraging experience that gave students a great taste for what teaching in our Christian day schools is like,” said Pfeifer. Pfeifer also noted that though she could tell students what teaching in a Lutheran school might be like, hearing about those experiences from former Bethany education students was sure to make more of an impact. Shu-Ting Lai, principal at Bethany Lutheran School in Port Orchard, Washington, has seen the blessings that have come from having Faugstad as their third and fourth grade teacher. Lai also participated in the event and shared some information about Christian day schools with students. “We certainly need Christian teachers in public schools, but our Christian day schools can also be a huge mission opportunity,” said Lai. “Many parents send their children to these private schools for reasons not having to do with the Lutheran focus, like the small teacher-student ratio, the moral teachings, 10
and the small school environment.” There is certainly a need for more teachers in ELS and WELS schools. However, some education students are apprehensive about the call process, knowing that they might get placed anywhere in the country. This was a relatable fear for both Faugstad and Nusbaum, though eventually, they had turning points in their college careers that led them to pursue Synod Certification. Nusbaum teaches fifth through twelfth grade at Christ Lutheran School in Port Saint Lucie, Florida,–on the opposite coast from Faugstad. For Nusbaum, the small school environment played a large role in his decision to be called to an ELS or WELS school. “After student teaching in Minnesota, I realized that I wanted to be placed somewhere smaller, where I could really connect with the community of students and parents,” Nusbaum said. “At a certain point, I just had to trust God’s hand in the process.” Nusbaum and Faugstad, who both grew up in the Midwest, said that they in no way saw themselves moving across the country to teach in a Lutheran school. Now, they could not imagine themselves teaching anywhere else, both finding tight-knit communities in their respective churches and schools. Aside from these blessings, the two both touched on their favorite job perk: sharing the Gospel with students from varying faith backgrounds. “The best part of my job, hands down, is being able to be a light for students and to watch them grow in their faith,” said Faugstad. Some of my students have never heard any Bible stories before, so it’s a privilege to be able to share the Gospel with them for the first time.”
Top: Shu-Ting Lai (left) and Jayde Faugstad. Right: Rev. Chris Dale (left) and Daniel Nusbaum.
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Back to
Class
File photo by David Norris
BY LANCE SCHWARTZ • CHIEF COMMUNICATION OFFICER
Dr. Alanna Lienig
Summer teaching experience rewarding for Lienig Bethany Associate Professor of Education Alanna Lienig enhanced her own classroom experiences while spending a portion of her 2021 summer break teaching at a middle school in Minnesota School District 191. This diverse school district includes parts of the Twin Cities suburbs of Burnsville, Eagan, and Savage. Lienig teaches a variety of education courses at Bethany, and the summer teaching position proved valuable for her on several levels. First, it was the opportunity to perhaps instruct the very same elementary students Bethany education graduates would find in their own first classrooms. “I missed teaching younger students and this was an opportunity to stay current with my practice. I was also looking for an opportunity to work with diverse populations and Early Language Learner (ELL) students,” explained Lienig. The summer classrooms where she taught were full of young students with special circumstances and learning needs. “I taught fifth graders at Eagle Ridge Middle School in Savage. My classroom had a mix of students who
didn’t have good attendance during the school year because of COVID, students with a disability, others who were behind academically or socially, and some English language learners.” And while the students had their own unique needs, the classroom wasn’t considerably different than a normal middle school setting. Lienig said, “The teaching focus was on math, reading, and social skills. We used a lot of science experiments and art to help students engage in the math and reading topics. We took field trips about once a week, and incorporated physical exercise in the schedule every day. We used positive behavior interventions and supports to proactively help students achieve success socially.” However, while the classroom setting was similar to traditional learning situations, the parent/teacher progress interactions definitely proved to be far from familiar. Lienig said, “I gained experience with students from communities I had not worked with before including early language learners who spoke Russian, Spanish, Persian/Dari, and Somali/Arabic. I used a translator service to communicate with parents over the phone.” The entire summer teaching experience was quite rewarding for Lienig—her own learning in these diverse classrooms will ultimately prove to be valuable for the Bethany education students she mentors in college classrooms, and in their student teaching experiences while on the path to becoming teachers and education professionals.
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Success on point for clay target team
Bethany's clay target team at their home range in Le Sueur, Minnesota.
Bethany’s new Clay Target Team, consisting of just eight members in its inaugural season, captured first place in the USA College Clay Target League (Division 1A) National Clay Target Conference. The Vikings were placed into a conference of four schools (Bethany, Bemidji State, Kent State, and Jefferson CC of New York). For Fall 2021, there are fourteen college teams participating in the USA College Clay Target League. The schools are assigned into one of three conferences based on team size (changes every year). The Vikings participated in a five-week competition season ending on October 24. Competitions are virtual with each school contending at their home range.
Bethany’s Andrew Adermann (River Falls, Wisconsin) was the top shooter within the conference and Tyler Stolt (Gaylord, Minnesota) was third. For the women, Audrey Peterson (Kilkenny, Minnesota) came in first and Viktoria Kranz (Gaylord, Minnesota) was second. Kenn Mueller coaches the team and Vice President of Student Affairs Ted Manthe and Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration Daniel Mundahl assist with the team’s operations.
Submitted photos
Top Majors at BLC by enrollment 1 Business Administration
7 Engineering
2 Education
8 Media Arts
3 Exercise Science
9 Biology
4 Psychology
10 Comm./Health Comm.
5 Nursing/Pre-Nursing
11 Computer Science
6 Legal Studies 12
Visit blc.edu/majors to see all programs offered.
Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.com
BY LANCE SCHWARTZ • CHIEF COMMUNICATION OFFICER
Exploring new ways to educate The "XR Festival," presented by Bethany Lutheran College’s (BLC) Christ in Media Institute, will be held on the BLC campus April 1–2, 2022. XR = extended reality, which includes Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). In preparation for the campus event, Lutheran High Schools nationwide have been invited to participate in the Festival in either of two ways. The first option involves students and teachers attending the XR Festival activities on April 1–2, and secondly, these same schools are also invited to participate in the “XR Project” during the current school year, that is, form a team of students who will explore “extended reality” and (perhaps) come up with ways to use VR and AR technology in meaningful education situations or in the effort of Gospel outreach. Those schools accepting the assignment will send their student teams and their advisors to the Festival to present a “show and tell” of their best ideas. Online registration for the Festival began in January 2022 and continues through March. Five high schools have already registered and are participating in the research/idea gathering during this school year: • • • • •
California Lutheran High School Fox Valley Lutheran High School Luther High School, Onalaska Northland Lutheran High School St. Croix Lutheran Academy
The XR Festival’s main keynote speaker is Christine Lion-Bailey. Lion-Bailey is the Chief Strategy Officer of Ready Learner One, LLC, an innovative solutions provider for learning and training. She is an 13
instructional design expert with a clear vision for how technologies of all types can enhance the overall learning experience. She is the co-author of Reality Bytes: Innovative Learning Using Augmented and Virtual Reality and The Esports Education as well as numerous articles and publications surrounding innovative learning and leadership. She also serves as the Director of Technology & Innovation and Elementary Principal in the Morris Plains School District in New Jersey, and is an adjunct professor at Ramapo College of New Jersey where she teaches instructional technology to undergraduate students. Lion-Bailey’s presentation will be thought-provoking for all educators interested in incorporating virtual reality into their curriculum including home school educators. While the focus of the XR Festival at Bethany is on educational uses, the event is open to anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating and useful technology, including exciting applications of extended reality in medicine, various kinds of therapies, care facilities, real estate, and other sales and marketing, training programs, and law enforcement.
INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION CHRISTINMEDIA.ORG/XRFESTIVAL
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Building begins Courtesy of ISG
BY LANCE SCHWARTZ • CHIEF COMMUNICATION OFFICER
Rendering of the new Bethany Activity and Wellness Center.
Activity and Wellness Center becoming reality Construction has begun for a new Activity and Wellness Center on the Bethany Lutheran College campus. Groundbreaking for the Center took place at the construction site near the corner of Marsh and Division streets on November 9, 2021, while the Bethany Board of Regents was on campus for their quarterly meeting. The new building under construction is being called the Bethany Activity and Wellness Center. Site preparation and foundation work commenced in mid-November with construction continuing throughout 2022. The building is projected for completion in February 2023. The 84,000 square foot facility will be utilized by the entire Bethany campus population providing much needed spaces for students, athletes,
"We couldn’t be more excited to begin this project." - G E N E PFE I FE R , B E TH A N Y PR E S I D E NT
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and educational and community events alike. The 68,000-square-foot Activity Center and 16,000-square-foot Wellness Center have been in the planning stages for several years, and when completed will be an asset for the entire campus community. The indoor recreational space features a six-lane running/walking track, jumping spaces, artificial turf infield, and drop down netting to divide the space for multiple user groups and purposes at the same time. A new fitness center will house a variety of exercise machines and equipment for the entire campus to use, as well as locker rooms and a 3,000-square-foot student lounge and event space. These new spaces will alleviate pressure on the overtaxed Sports and Fitness Center that was built nearly twenty-eight years ago in 1994. “The remarkable new facility will provide a fourfold impact for Bethany. Students currently using our overcrowded recreational and study and lounge facilities will see immediate benefit. Likewise, with Bethany’s athletic programs doubling in size since the
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current facilities were built, teams will have new and additional practice space. Finally, the entire Mankato community and region will see new event and recreational space available for their use. We couldn’t be more excited to begin this project,” Bethany President Gene Pfeifer said. Bethany is investing in this facility to not only support the growth of the student body, but to remain attractive to prospective students. The first four phases of the project are being funded by the $20 million dollar Building Bethany Campaign which has already garnered more than $14 million in funding. Additional fundraising and sponsorship opportunities are currently being sought through the College’s Advancement Office. Art Westphal, Chair of the Building Bethany Campaign said, “I want to extend my most sincere thanks to the many supportive Bethany alumni, family, and friends who’ve helped to make this new construction a reality. We are thrilled to be building a facility that will be used by both today’s students and future generations of Bethany Vikings. We look forward to meeting with new partners to help us complete our fundraising efforts for the final phases of the campaign.” The Activity and Wellness Center projects are part of a five-phase construction and renovation effort on the Bethany campus. The development saw the Bethany baseball team moving to ISG Field at the city-owned Franklin Rogers Park in 2019 (phase one) and the construction of a new turf soccer field on the Bethany campus in late 2019 (phase two). The Activity and Wellness Center together make up phases three and four, while the final phase will see the renovation of the Ron Younge Gymnasium in the College’s Sports and Fitness Center. A new webcam has been added to the Bethany website that is focused on the new building from across the street. The camera allows viewers to see the progress and activity at the construction site.
Photos by David Norris
Official groundbreaking was held on November 9, 2021.
Just days after groundbreaking, construction began and the area was quickly transformed from field (top) to pouring foundation and adding base layers of sand (above).
FOLLOW CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS BY VIEWING OUR LIVE WEBCAM AT: BLC.EDU/WEBCAMS
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Photo by David Norris
Standing from left: Erv Ekhoff, Alex Ring, Joshua Mears, Glenn Obenberger, Mark Bartels, David Thompson, David Sparley, and John Scott. Seated from left: William Soule, Tim Roemhildt, Gaylin Schmeling (Seminary President), Herb Huhnerkoch, Gene Pfeifer (BLC President), Lyle Fahning, and James Minor.
Bethany's Board of Regents The Board of Regents of Bethany Lutheran College and Seminary is the governing council of the College and Seminary and consists of twelve members of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) who have been elected to their positions by the ELS in convention. The Board oversees the College and Seminary through the respective presidents of each institution. They meet on the Bethany campus four times each year for regular meetings. At their meetings, the Regents hear and react to committee reports presented to them by the members of the President’s Cabinet, meet in plenary sessions with the presidents to discuss issues pertaining to governance and strategic direction of both the College and Seminary, and vote on action items concerning policy and governance. The major College committees of the Regents include Academic Affairs, Advancement, Enrollment Enhancement, Finance and Audit, and Investment.
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The Board members are: Rev. Herb Huhnerkoch, (Chairman), Fort Myers, Florida Rev. Mark Bartels, (Vice-Chairman), Madison, Wisconsin Mr. William Soule, (Secretary), Minneapolis, Minnesota Rev. Erv Ekhoff, New Hope, Minnesota Mr. Lyle Fahning, Prior Lake, Minnesota Dr. Joshua Mears, Lakeville, Minnesota Mr. James Minor, Danbury, Wisconsin Rev. Alex Ring, Port St. Lucie, Florida Mr. Tim Roemhildt, North Mankato, Minnesota Mr. John Scott, Vero Beach, Florida Mr. David Sparley, Tigard, Oregon Rev. David Thompson, Lombard, Illinois Bethany Senior Vice President Daniel Mundahl serves as the treasurer, and Greg Costello (Controller) serves as the assistant treasurer for the Board. Rev. Glenn Obenberger, president of the ELS, serves as a voting member ex officio, and the College and Seminary presidents are advisory members.
B E TH A N Y Magazine
Enrollment at
ALL-TIME HIGH BY LANCE SCHWARTZ • CHIEF COMMUNICATION OFFICER
Bethany Lutheran College’s Fall 2021 enrollment is, once again, at an all-time high mark. Exactly 800 students began the semester taking classes from Bethany. Included among the 800 students are undergraduate (660) which is also an all-time high, graduate (15), high school students enrolled at Bethany through Minnesota’s Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) or through an online partnership with schools both locally and throughout the nation (119), and a small number of non-degree seeking students (6). Notable among the enrollment figures is the 2021 first-year class of 228 students. This represents a record number of new students at Bethany. Another widely-used enrollment figure for colleges and universities is the full-time-equivalency (FTE) statistic. This number is used as a key metric for institutional reporting. Bethany’s FTE number stands at 710, another record. This exciting news comes on the heels of last fall’s record enrollment of 778 students. The College released the figures after the 10th day of classes on Wednesday, September 8, 2021. Bethany is also blessed with a robust international student enrollment which stands at 128 students from 29 countries. These students from throughout the world present Bethany with the opportunity to bring the precious Gospel message to more and more souls. As a result of the enrollment growth, Bethany is also experiencing the highest number of students living on campus in the school’s history. There are 422 students living in college housing. President Gene Pfeifer said about the enrollment records, “These excellent enrollment figures are welcome news. We’re very thankful for our continued growth, even as the recruitment climate remains challenging. We continue to focus our efforts on serving the needs of our students well, and on establishing new, attractive programs of interest for prospective students. Those efforts are proving to be a catalyst for growth. These numbers move us closer to realizing our enrollment objectives for coming years.”
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Bethany tops social mobility ranking
MicroOne/Shutterstock.com
Once again, Bethany Lutheran College is ranked number one in the State of Minnesota for graduates’ social mobility—the ability to climb the success ladder—in the 2022 U.S. News College Rankings – National Liberal Arts Category. The rankings were released on Monday, September 13, 2021. Bethany is tied for 40th place nationally in the social mobility category. U.S. News ranks schools in four categories – National Liberal Arts Colleges, National Universities, Regional Colleges, and Regional Universities. Bethany falls in the National Liberal Arts classification. This marks the second time in the past three years that Bethany is the top college in Minnesota for social mobility. The high ranking indicates that Bethany is doing a great job educating students from a variety of academic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Social mobility refers to the ability of a person to move upward in income and social class. Bethany President Dr. Gene Pfeifer remarked, “We are happy for this acknowledgment of the student-focused education that happens at Bethany. We center our education on personal mentoring for our students, and this work shows itself in successful alumni. It’s quite an honor to be recognized.”
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Improved Vision Photos by David Norris
BY LANCE SCHWARTZ • CHIEF COMMUNICATION OFFICER
Production Studio Manager Greg Vandermause (left) talked with students in the new production control room.
New production control room provides great experience A state-of-the-art video production control room was recently added to the Thomas Kuster Media Center at Bethany. The control room is the new video streaming home for Bethany athletics, graduations, conventions, Minnesota State University Hockey, studio shows, podcast videos, and so much more. The production room replaces the former control center housed in a customized media trailer that would be transported to various events. Now, instead of hauling expensive gear in the trailer, live events are fed via the internet to the control room and produced on campus inside Honsey Hall, which allows communication and media arts students to focus more on the basics of production helping them to grow their experiences while at the same time improving the quality of Bethany video events online. The planning and construction of the room was a team effort. The control room was designed by Bethany alumnus Jonathan Sehloff (’19) who now works with St. Thomas University’s Division One athletic broadcasts. Studio staff Seth Grabow, Greg Vandermause, IT staff members Todd Marzinske, John Sehloff, and student summer workers Franklin Selvey, Besa Sharra, and Job Wosmek also helped throughout the project.
The former media trailer (above) served as a mobile production control room prior to it's decommissioning in early 2021.
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Photo by Karee Bless
Chad Heins prepared to put a star on the top of Meyer Hall's Christmas tree.
A very Meyer Christmas BY EMELINE GULLIXSON (' 21)
During the advent and epiphany seasons there are many Christmas trees decorating Bethany’s campus, none may have such an interesting backstory as the one situated at the entrance to Meyer Hall. For over ten years, the Meyer Hall tree has come from Little’s Tree Farm in Good Thunder, Minnesota. Glenda Bossow, an Administrative Assistant in the IT Services Department located in Meyer Hall, would call the farm and ask if someone from Meyer Hall could come out and cut down a tree. The owners at Little’s were always happy to oblige. A few years back, Little’s closed up shop to the general public. However, the relationship with Bethany continued to grow, as they still let those in Meyer Hall return for a tree every year around Thanksgiving. “Little’s has been very good about continuing to let us come out to the grove and pick a tree, even though it’s not open to the public anymore,” said John Sehloff, Director of IT Services. The Meyer Hall tree holds a special place for Bethany students, 20
too–especially students of Chad Heins, Associate Professor in the Biology Department. Every year around Thanksgiving, those lucky enough to be part of Heins’ field biology courses, such as botany, zoology, or ecology, are treated to a three-hour lab period of driving out to Little’s Farm, observing the wildlife there, and cutting down the Meyer Hall Christmas tree. “Because those field biology classes tend to be smaller ones, it makes for the perfect work crew. And the students love doing it, too,” said Heins. Heins sees this as an opportunity for some hands-on, local learning. Owls are abundant at the farm, and the trip is a highlight for Heins and students alike. “We’ll first drive the trailer through the grove to see if there’s any owls roosting, since they love Evergreen trees,” said Heins. “Then we’ll walk around, pick out a tree, cut it down, and load it in the trailer. From there, our job is to get the tree to the front door of Meyer. Maintenance meets us there, and they do the trimming.” The chosen tree presents exciting challenges each year, some reaching up to thirty feet tall, and some with trunks so wide the tree has to be cut even shorter. A few days after the tree is situated in Meyer Hall, the Bethany Organization of Student Scientists (BOSS) decorate the tree while enjoying holiday treats. Depending on the height of the tree, the task of decorating sometimes requires a lift. Though going to Little’s Farm has been memorable for students, the annual tradition went on hiatus in 2021. Because trees were being cut down near the soccer field to make room for Bethany’s upcoming Activity and Wellness Center, it was only fitting that one of those trees be put to good use. This year, the Meyer Hall Christmas tree came from somewhere even closer to home, serving as a reminder to those who walk by it of Bethany’s Christmas, Christ-centered campus.
Photo by Sarah Schwartz
Student Leah Hahm helped with decorating the tree.
B E TH A N Y Magazine
Developing leaders across majors File photo by David Norris
BY EMELINE GULLIXSON (' 21)
Glen Taylor addressed students in 2019 about the value of leadership.
Though Bethany students have plenty of opportunities to engage in leadership roles on campus, the Taylor Leadership Institute is making those opportunities all the more hands-on. The Taylor Leadership Institute exists to develop leadership skills for students, build community awareness, and prepare students for future leadership positions. Mr. Glen Taylor, former CEO of Taylor Corporation, took an interest in Bethany and created an endowment to fund the Institute. The group is nominated-based, with faculty and staff identifying students from a variety of majors and disciplines. Professor Erika Gunderson serves as Bethany’s Taylor Leadership Institute Chair, along with teaching business administration classes. She coordinates the group’s monthly meetings, plans events, and identifies leaders who might be valuable resources for students. As opposed to the classroom setting, Gunderson enjoys taking a backseat role for Bethany’s Taylor Leadership group. “You’re going to hear far more from me in the classroom. In the Taylor Leadership Institute, I want to facilitate an environment where students can learn, but I’m going to put that learning and ownership on the students.” This past Fall semester, students partnered with the National Society for Leadership and Success, a nationally–recognized Honor Society in leadership and development. This allowed them access to an online curriculum of national speakers from a variety
of areas–celebrities, writers, business owners–all of whom had stories surrounding their failures and successes. One highlight for junior education major Cianna Hoppe has been learning with students from other disciplines. “There are leaders in every major, sport, and job,” said Hoppe. “Being a part of the Taylor Leadership Institute has allowed me to broaden my perspective on what those leadership roles might look like.” Students also met in small accountability groups to share goals, progress, and achievements. Hoppe has enjoyed hearing about what success looks like to her fellow classmates. “Everyone has something they want to achieve. One person wanted to work at getting an internship at Google, and another one wanted to read a chapter of a book a day,” said Hoppe. In the 2022 Spring semester, Gunderson plans on facilitating a more hands-on approach for students, allowing them opportunities to serve their classmates and community. Students will brainstorm, plan, and put on a community service project of their choosing. “Our goal is that we can take what we’ve learned in the Fall semester and then practice what we have learned this upcoming Spring semester. I wanted it to be something that the students came up with themselves, to have them think about how they could strengthen their leadership skills and serve the community,” said Gunderson. Gunderson is also scheduling in-person speakers so that students can interact with local leaders and ask questions about their experiences. “I want them [students] to think about how these people became the leaders that they are today,” said Gunderson. Ultimately, seeing students broaden their skillset, ask thoughtful questions, and take initiative is what makes running Bethany’s Taylor Leadership Institute rewarding for Gunderson. “Students here at Bethany are our future leaders.” 21
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Nursing students score big, exceed national average Bethany’s nursing program is producing top-notch graduates based on their recent performance on the The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) exam. The NCLEX exam has one purpose: To determine if graduates have the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential to the safe and effective practice of nursing at the entry level. Bethany’s program has awarded degrees for three years, and each of the three graduating classes have achieved an impressive 100% pass rate on the first attempt of the NCLEX exam, exceeding the national pass rate of 87%.
Photo courtesy of Sara Edwards
The group in Washington D.C. with legal studies professors Sara Edwards and Dan Birkholz, who organized the trip.
Bethany Law Club visits Washington D.C. A group of nineteen Bethany students traveled to Washington D.C. over the 2021 Midterm Break where they visited the Supreme Court, the White House, and many other museums and monuments. The group consisted of Bethany Law Club members, legal studies students, and members of the Bethany Mock Trial team. Bethany’s Law Club is open to any student with an interest in law-related careers. They meet to discuss legal matters, host guest speakers, and hold several law-related events throughout the year. This is the second time the Law
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Club has visited D.C., the last time being in 2018. The Club planned to return in 2020, but COVID-19 restrictions forced them to put the trip off to this year. Legal Studies Professors Sara Edwards and Dan Birkholz organized the trip and plan to continue offering students the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. on a biennial basis. Ruth Kennedy, Bethany Scroll Copy Editor, contributed to this story.
B E TH A N Y Magazine
MEET HALVAR! Most Bethany alumni have known College teams to carry the nickname Vikings. But the burly mascot’s presence on the campus does not go back quite as far the origins of the College itself. Bethany’s resident historian and archivist, Dr. Erling Teigen, says that through the 1920s, 30s, and early 40s the College teams were simply referred to as “Red and White,” or the “Quint.” The high school teams were known as the “Comets.” It wasn’t until 1947 that the College teams took on the new nickname—“Vikings.” Teigen dug into some issues of the College newspaper The Scroll, and discovered in February 1947 that a contest was held to name the teams. The February 1947 edition carried a front page article reporting that after student body elections on February 12, “the name ‘Vikings’ had been chosen as suggested by Al Halvorson.” While there was no explanation for the reason behind the name, it certainly seemed appropriate for a school with a strong Norwegian heritage to take on the Viking moniker. It’s also interesting to note that at the time the College took on the name Vikings, there were no intercollegiate women’s teams. Teigen told us, “There was an extracurricular group called Girl’s Athletic Association (G.A.A.) which did have a system of points one could accumulate in order to win a letter. They had a wide choice of activities, which included baseball, skiing, even horse-back riding. There weren’t any women’s intercollegiate teams until into the 60s, though back in the 30s, girls competed with local and nearby high school or club teams.” Fast-forward 74 years to October 2021, Bethany’s Viking was finally given a proper name. And hearkening back to the mascot contest of 1947, students, faculty, and staff had the opportunity to vote on a name for The Bethany Viking. His name, Halvar, means “defender of the rock.” According to his official page on the Bethany website, Halvar is “an active spirit in deed and faith with a distinctly Lutheran taste for the world’s finest Lutefisk. While carried in the hearts of students for years, the Bethany Viking became flesh—or stuffing—at the Fall Festival and Homecoming of 2021.” You can carry a little reminder of Halvar for your coffee mugs or skateboards by visiting the Bethany Bookstore’s website where you’ll find a wonderful decorative sticker bearing his likeness.
VISIT BLC.EDU/HALVAR TO LEARN MORE! 23
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BY K ATIE JO SVE NSON • COORDINATOR OF SPORTS INFORM ATION
DID YOU KNOW? Bethany offers seventeen intercollegiate sports for our students— nine for women and eight for men. The national average at Division III schools is nineteen. Officially, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) offers thirty-seven different championships at the Division III level on 438 campuses for over 197,000 student athletes. The NCAA reports that the national percentage of full-time students at Division III (non-scholarship) institutions like Bethany who participate in at least one varsity sport is around 27%. At Bethany, our average over the past seven academic years is 41.5%. In each of the last two academic years, 223 students at Bethany participated in at least one varsity sport—an all-time high.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY The Bethany men’s cross country team placed fifth in the eight-team field at the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC ) Championships with 116 points. Senior Jakin Anderson (Belle Plaine, Minnesota) finished sixth with a time of 28:09.40, which earned him First-team All-Conference honors. This marked the first All-Conference honoree for the program since 2015.
Jakin Anderson
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Sophomore Kayla Tobin (Watertown, Wisconsin) was the 2021 individual UMAC cross country champion and earned First-team honors while classmate Jordan Merwin (Isanti, Minnesota) and Kayla Tobin Jordan Merwin junior Cianna Hoppe (Lewiston, Minnesota) earned Second-team honors. Having three conference honorees tied the school record 24
which previously occurred in 2015 and 2016. Tobin became the first individual champion in Bethany program history, and the team’s first All-UMAC First Team finisher since 2016. The sophomore clocked a time of 23:30.5 that was 48 seconds faster than the rest of the field. Her performance helped the Vikings to a third-place team finish.
Cianna Hoppe
MEN’S GOLF The Bethany men’s golf team won the UMAC Championship with a team score of 934. The Nick Hansen V. Daniel Nitardy Vikings defeated three-time defending champions UW-Superior by seven strokes. This marked the third UMAC championship in program history, and first since 2013. Of note, current head coach Josh Pederson, and current assistant coach Andrew Aukes were Gabe Stoesz student-athletes on the 2013 championship squad. With the win, Bethany has qualified for the NCAA Championships May 10-13, 2022. Senior Nick Hansen (Watertown, South Dakota) was the top Viking finisher as he placed third with a 228, to earn All-Conference honors. Senior V. Daniel Nitardy (Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin) and Gabe Stoesz (Waseca, Minnesota) also earned All-Conference honors with their fifth and eighth place finishes, respectively.
B E TH A N Y Magazine
ATH LE TI CS
Photo by David Norris
WOMEN’S GOLF Bethany Junior Hayley Thompson (Victoria, Minnesota) fired a final round 78 to win the UMAC Championship individual medalist honor. Thompson broke her own BLC school records in three categories Hayley Thompson while on her way to earning her third All-Conference honor, the most of any Viking competitor in Bethany history. Thompson shattered multiple records in throughout the tournament: • UMAC Championship 18-hole record (78) • UMAC Championship 36-hole record (164) • UMAC Championship 54-hole record (250) Thompson is the third individual UMAC Champion in program history and first since 2008 (Abigail Lecy).
MEN’S SOCCER The Bethany men’s soccer team finished the 2021 season with a 14-7 overall record and were 13-1 in UMAC contests, under third-year head coach Derick Lyngholm. The Vikings won their first UMAC regular season championship in program history. BLC qualified for the UMAC Tournament for the third-straight season and were the second seed for the second-straight year. Junior Max Busch (Odenthal, Germany) led the team with 19 goals and added seven assists for 45 points. He ends his career as the program’s leader in points (140), goals (63), game-winning goals Max Busch (14), and penalty kicks (7), as he will graduate a year early. Busch became the first student-athlete across all sports at Bethany Lutheran College to repeat with Academic All-American honors as selected by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA).
The men's soccer team won their first regular season UMAC Championship in program history.
Tomas Abreu (Lisbon, Portugal), Busch, Quadio Curzio (Lecco, Italy), and Liam Peterson (Port Orchard, Washington) were all named Firstteam All-Conference. Nick Lundberg (Mankato, Minnesota) and freshman Gianluca Trastulli (Rome, Italy) Tomas Abreu Quadio Curzio received Secondteam accolades to tie the school record of six total First-and Secondteam honorees. Busch and Peterson were Liam Peterson Nick Lundberg Gianluca Trastulli named Secondteam All-Region by the United Soccer Coaches Association. This marks the first time the Vikings have had multiple honorees. Busch previously received this honor in 2019, and this is the first career accolade for Peterson. The duo also swept the UMAC MVP awards this season.
WOMEN’S SOCCER The Bethany Lutheran women’s soccer team finished the 2021 season with a 13-6-1 overall record and were 10-3-1 in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) contests, under third-year head coach Emma Morris. The Vikings qualified for the UMAC Tournament for the third-straight season and were the third seed, Maddie Perry which was their highest seed since 2014. Senior Maddie Perry (Anoka, Minnesota) led the Vikings with 15 goals and eight assists for 38 points. She ends her career as the program’s career leader in points (135), goals (57), and game-winning goals (18). Perry also ranks third in career assists (21) and sixth in games started (71). Perry was named First-team All-Conference, which was her fifth career accolade, as she took advantage of the COVID eligibility waiver. 25
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from our
deaconesses which means she is the dorm mama, and leads a weekly Bible study for the deaconesses. The Kenyan people are very friendly and speak English quite well.
ALUMNI 1950s
1980s of Pheasants Forever Journal (Dec ‘21) highlighting the group’s over 50 years hunting pheasants together.
1970s
Mark Grossklaus (‘88) accepted the position of Executive Director of Teaching and Learning at Centennial Independent School District (Minnesota) starting July 1, 2021. Mark had served as high school principal at Albert Lea (Minnesota) High School since July of 2014.
1990s p Margaret (Harstad) Matzke (’54) and her husband, Fred, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on August 14, 2021, with an open house attended by fifty close friends and relatives. Fred and Marge reside in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Dave Geisler (’55) sends his greetings and God’s blessings to all of his Class of 1955 high school classmates. If you make it to Murdo, South Dakota, please stop in for a visit at the Pioneer Auto Show.
1960s Vivian (Unseth) Weseloh (’60) and Larry Weseloh are pleased to announce the birth of their second great-grandchild, Odin Jack Weseloh, on March 30, 2021. Odin’s older brother, Ezekiel Lawrence Weseloh, was born on April 18, 2018. Zeke and Odin’s parents are Devin and Claire (Ott) Weseloh of West Fargo, North Dakota. Devin is the oldest child of Viv and Larry’s son, Christian Weseloh and his wife, Wendi.
p Alumni from the class of ’68 John Branstad, Terry Harstad, Steve Lucht, and Bill Moore together with Bill Jorgenson (’67) were featured in the winter issue 26
p Wanda (Olmanson) Berke (‘70) and Marvin Berke (‘70) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June at Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin, with their two children and spouses and six grandchildren. They were married at Norseland Evangelical Lutheran Church on June 26, 1970, by the late Rev. Theodore Aaberg. Bethany alumni in their wedding were Marv’s two brothers, Larry (‘62), Don (‘66), Anita (Olmanson) Wise (‘74), Ann (Gullixson) Laudon (70), and Linda (Hellwig) Gross (‘69). A blessed life!
Dennis Hutter (’93) won his 250th career game earlier during this 2021-22 basketball season. Dennis has been the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Mayville State University for the past sixteen years. Mayville State is located in Mayville, North Dakota. His current career coaching record at Mayville State is 252-189.
2000s
Jim Lemke (’71) enjoyed attending the Class of ’71 Reunion in October 2021. Cheryl Roberson (‘78) recently retired from Central Rivers Area Education Agency in Marshalltown, Iowa, after nearly 40 years in the rewarding field of education. Linda (Harstad) Becker (‘79) and her husband, Rev. Vance Becker, are Lutheran Church Missouri Synod missionaries living in Matongo, Kenya. Vance is a theological educator at Neema Lutheran Theological College. They live up in the beautiful tea hills where the weather is always pleasant. Linda keeps busy playing piano for the daily chapel services, accompanying the choir which meets four nights a week, and teaching piano lessons. She also is the matron of the
p Peter (‘05) and Kristin (‘07) Faugstad were blessed with their sixth child, John Arthur Axel, on July 30, 2021.
p Anton Myroshnychenko (‘08) and his family live is Singapore. The couple’s second child, Isabella Eva, was born on October 4, 2021.
B E TH A N Y Magazine
p Paul (’09) and Marta (Krause) Webber (’13) are pleased to announce the birth of yet another child, Kenneth. He joins his older brother, Robert, whose birth his parents forgot to announce in this magazine, along with the rest of their siblings. The Webber family lives in West Jordan, Utah, where Paul is the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod congregation there.
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p Ben Petzel (‘13) and Allison (Homan) Petzel (‘12) are proud to announce the birth of their son, Micah, in August 2021. Micah was welcomed home by proud big sister and brother, Faith and Jonah (two and a half years old).
p Adam and Lindsay (Brech) Schulz (‘15) are proud to announce the birth of their baby girl, Mallory Ann Schulz. Mallory was born in October 2021 and is their third child.
2010s
p Kristin Matzke (‘11) stepped into the role of Resource & Donor Development Director at Greater Mankato Area United Way in September. She and Michael Litynski became engaged in October and are planning a May 2022 wedding at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Mankato. Sara (Krueger) Sanchez (‘12) and Thomas Sanchez (‘11) are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Maria Rosa Sanchez born on July 8, 2021. She is little sister to James Sanchez (three years old) and two golden retrievers. The Sanchez house is busy, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.
p Hannah (Rank) Dupont (‘14) was married to Joseph Dupont on May 22, 2021, at Bethany’s Trinity Chapel. Her father, Bethany Professor Reverend Thomas Rank, was the officiant. Hannah and Joey were blessed to have their entire families and friends present for the ceremony.
p Anna (Flintrop) McKelvey (‘15) and Chris McKelvey were married on January 22, 2021, in Davenport, Iowa.
p Morica (Reinsch) Nichols (‘15) and Brandon Nichols were married in their backyard on January 9, 2021. They reside in Lakeland, Florida.
p Ella (Andreasen) Balbach (‘17) and Josh Balbach were married October 17, 2021, at Peace Lutheran Church in North Mankato, Minnesota, with just immediate family present due to the pandemic. They have enjoyed settling into their brand new home and are looking forward to throwing a “Happily Ever After Party” at their home to celebrate their marriage and housewarming next summer.
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p Kyle Kubesh (’19) and Melinda (Poehler) were married on July 18, 2020.
2020s
p Kenlie (Pytleski) Maday (‘20) married Tristan Maday on September 4, 2021.
p Leah (Sonnenburg) Shult (‘21) was married to her high school sweetheart, Wade, in May 2021. Wade graduated from Martin Luther College also in May, and received a call to teach at Huron Valley Lutheran High School in Westland, Michigan. After moving to Michigan, Leah began a job in the Henry Ford Health System at an eye clinic as an optometric technician. Anne Marie Tshibwabwa (‘21) is proud to announce that she has been working at Creation Technologies in St Peter, Minnesota, for the past three months in the Supply Chain department.
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Gwen was a natural athlete (a member of the Bethany Vikings women’s basketball team), problem solver, and artist, as well as a devout Christian who committed her time to teaching Sunday School and coordinating children’s Christmas programs at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Iola, Wisconsin. A Christian Funeral Service was held on Friday, December 3, 2021, at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Weston, Wisconsin. p Audrey (Rundgren) Schilling (’21) and Caleb Schilling (’20) were married on August 6, 2021. Audrey now works at Bethany as an admissions counselor. Caleb, during this last summer, was a contestant on LEGO® Masters on FOX and was a Top Three finalist on the show. His finale build is on display in LEGOLAND® Florida along with the other two teams’ work.
Deaths – Alumni, Regents, Faculty and Staff Darlene (Lorenz) Helming (‘50) passed away on May, 4, 2021. Marvin Beer (‘52) passed away on September 11, 2021. Shola (Kauffeld) Fohr (‘89) passed away on September 27, 2021. Erma (Hohenstein) Morrill (‘42) passed away on October 9, 2021. Ardelle (Fischer) Krenz (‘53) passed away on October 12, 2021. Norman Werner (‘48) passed away on October 17, 2021. Thomas Farrell (‘69) passed away on October 17, 2021. Linda (Nelson) Squires (‘70) passed away on November 19, 2021. Gwendolyn Kay (Hoyord ’84) Gauerke entered the loving arms of her Savior on November 26, 2021, after a courageous battle with ALS. She attended Bethany Lutheran College, Concordia University-St. Paul, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and National College of Chiropractic where she received her Doctor of Chiropractic degree.
Gerald “Gerry” Bakke (’71) passed away September 25, 2021, at his home after a long illness. Bakke attended Bethany, where he placed first in the 1970 State Junior College Wrestling Championships, third in the 1971 Championships, and twice qualified for the National Junior College Tournament. After graduating from Bethany in 1971, he continued to study secondary social studies education and to wrestle at Gustavus Adolphus College (GAC), where he placed second in the 1972 MIAC Championships and was the 1973 GAC Most Valuable Wrestler. After graduating from Gustavus in 1973, he started his teaching and coaching career at Nashua High School in Iowa where he was honored as the 1978 Iowa State Wrestling Coach of the Year. In 1980, Bakke and his family moved to Buffalo, Minnesota, where he continued to coach and teach social studies until his retirement in 2010. In Buffalo, his wrestling teams advanced to the state team championships seven times. In 1991, he was selected as the Class AA Minnesota State Coach of the Year. Bakke was inducted into the Dan Bartlema Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 1999 and was inducted into the Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018. He was a member of the Class of 2007 Bethany Lutheran College Athletic Hall of Fame. Bakke’s funeral took place at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Buffalo, Minnesota, on October 2, 2021.
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Photo courtesy of Agnesian HealthCare
Darold Treffert 1933-2020
Dr. Darold Treffert, the 2012 recipient of the Bethany Lutheran College Distinguished Alumni Award, passed away in December 2020. Treffert was a world-renowned autism and savant syndrome expert, and studied savant syndrome for more than fifty years. Throughout his lifetime of research and service, he authored several wellknown books and over fifty journal articles about savant syndrome. He was a frequent speaker on the subject throughout the world. His career saw appearances on numerous television and news programs and was interviewed for various news publications. Dr. Treffert was a consultant to the movie Rain Man, in which Dustin Hoffman portrayed an autistic savant. Dr. Treffert’s interest in austism arose as a result of establishing a children’s unit at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he was superintendent for fifteen years. It was during this experience that three patients caught his attention. Fascinated by these children’s capabilities, he found a life calling researching and helping the world understand autistic savants. Treffert also worked closely with Agnesian HealthCare in Fond du Lac, WIsconsin, for more than forty years. In 2012, he was honored with the naming of the Treffert Center at Agnesian HealthCare which is a destination for families of autistic children and individuals with savant syndrome. The Treffert Center’s objective is to be a place to share information and materials with other researchers worldwide, and it features the Treffert Library, Treffert Academy, and Agnesian Autism, Behavior and Communication Center (AABCC) which provides
state-of the-art comprehensive, multidisciplinary diagnosis, and treatment for a variety of behavior and communication disorders, including autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adults. Dr. Treffert is the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions and once served as the President and Chairman of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin. He has also served on the Board of Trustees of Marian University. Treffert earned his associate in arts degree in 1953 from Bethany where he focused on pre-medical courses. He received his medical doctorate from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1958. Dr. Treffert never neglected to tell everyone that he met the girl of his dreams, Dorothy Sorgatz, at Bethany Lutheran College. They were married on June 11, 1955. Together, they raised their family of four — Jon, Joni, Jill, and Jay — in Fond du Lac. The Trefferts are grandparents to seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. When he was selected as the Bethany Lutheran College Distinguished Alumnus in 2012, Treffert credited his Bethany education for a great deal of his successes. He specifically noted that he was very appreciative of receiving a Christ-centered education. Treffert always considered it a blessing to be able to utilize his God-given talents to help autistic savants, and he used them to the best of his abilty. Blessed be his memory. 29
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Upcoming gatherings Basketball Pre-game Gathering Bethany vs. University of Northwestern Friday, February 18, 2022 at 4 p.m. DoubleTree Hotel - 2540 Cleveland Ave, Roseville, MN 55113 • Heavy hors d’oeuvres, Update on Bethany, Prize drawings • Complimentary tickets to BLC Women and Men’s Basketball distributed at the event • Women play at 5:30 p.m./Men play at 7:15 p.m. Please RSVP by Monday, February 14 by contacting Jake Krier (507-344-7519) or Jake.Krier@blc.edu
Old Fashioned Wisconsin Fish Fry Friday, May 20, 2022 at 6 p.m. Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co. - Hilldale (357 Price Pl, Madison, WI 53705) Additional details and RSVP information about the event coming soon
Bethany at the Ballpark Iowa Cubs vs. Omaha Storm Chasers Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday, June 18, 2022 Additional details and RSVP information about the event coming soon 30
B E TH A N Y Magazine
Bethany
RETROSPECT
Remembering a campus moment from years gone by.
TIME TO STUDY: Students gathered in the Bethany library, 1963. Where was the library located then? Do you recognize anyone in the photo? Send your reactions to editor@blc.edu. Find more photos from years past on archives.blc.edu.
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