Fall 2007 Bethany Report by Bethany Lutheran College

FALL 2007

Bethany report

the magazine of bethany lutheran college

5 Exchange agreement now official 10 Volleyball hitter named Player of the Year 12 A biology oasis

from the president

Reaching higher B

ethany Lutheran College continues to move forward. As I write to you today, I am pleased to report another milestone in enrollment for the College. This fall we are serving a record enrollment of 578 full-time students. In total, the Bethany student population stands at 617 students. Not only are we able to celebrate record enrollment, but we also continue to see solid evidence of the success of our programs and our students who participate in them. Recent highlights include: • The State of Minnesota Department of Education has given us approval for secondary education licensure in language arts and literature, visual arts, and social studies. • Our fourth year of provisional membership in NCAA Division III athletics has been waived. We will be eligible for full membership after successful completion of this year’s provisional status. • Several students received national recognition for their work in areas ranging from communication and theatre to mathematics. Bethany’s academic programs are growing and expanding. At the November 2007 Board of Regents meeting two new majors were approved in religion and mathematics. The College now offers nineteen majors of study— several of them having different tracks to help meet the needs of our growing student numbers. President Dan Bruss Many are observing this growth and consequently partnering with Bethany in an assortment of meaningful ways. In this issue, you’ll read about a unique partnership our biology department has established with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Our students also participate in a variety of service-oriented programs: • This fall, forty students participated in the annual “Rake the Town” program in the Mankato area helping folks tidy up their yards before the snow flies. • Our students recently donated 12,500 back-to-school supplies to “People Serving People” in the Twin Cities. • Nearly 43% of our student body is currently involved in collection efforts for a Mankato food shelf. Certainly, partnerships and program growth are valuable to Bethany Lutheran College and the community, state, and region that we serve. But even more importantly, we are pleased that our graduates are provided the opportunity to do this work in light of God’s Word. More exciting projects are on the horizon for Bethany. I appreciate your support for the work being done here and ask that you continue to keep Bethany Lutheran College in your prayers so that we remain faithful to our mission of offering an “Education That Lasts Beyond a Lifetime.”

Bethany report editor, writer | Lance Schwartz design, photography | David Norris proofreader, writer | Emma Baumann Please direct all correspondence, letters, news, corrections, and comments to: Bethany Lutheran College Bethany report 700 Luther Drive Mankato, MN 56001-6163 Email: alumni@blc.edu | www.blc.edu 507.344.7000 | 800.944.3066 FAX: 507.344.7417 ISSUE: CX The Report is published quarterly by the Bethany Lutheran College public relations office and distributed free of charge to the college’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends. All contents © COPYRIGHT 2007 Bethany Lutheran College. Articles, images or photographs may not be reproduced without written permission. Mission: Bethany Lutheran College, owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, is a private, residential, liberal arts college committed to the teachings of the Bible as set forth in the Lutheran Confessions. Bethany provides studies culminating in a bachelor of arts degree. The college serves Lutherans and others by offering a challenging, student-centered approach to education that fosters spiritual development, intellectual and creative growth, self-understanding, and responsible citizenship. In keeping with its heritage, Bethany aspires to produce students with a clear understanding of Christian vocation, which calls for people to make the most of their Godgiven talents in whatever walk of life they pursue. Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents: Rev. John A. Moldstad, Sr., Chair Harold A. Theiste, Vice Chair Rev. Kenneth V. Schmidt, Secretary Willis Anthony, Ph.D. Rev. Mark Bartels Paul T. Chamberlin Lyle Fahning Rev. Herbert C. Huhnerkoch James Minor Roland Reinholtz Rev. J. Kincaid Smith, D.Min. Rev. Joel Willitz Advisory Members: Pres. Dan R. Bruss, Ph.D. Rev. Lawrence A. Burgdorf Rev. John A. Moldstad, ELS President William Overn

On the cover: Brent Petersen was among a group of student from Professor Chad Heins’ biology class conducting research in the Cobb River Waterfowl Production Area. Read more about their work on page 12.

report | fall 2007

from the chapeL our use of His new testament of forgiveness and salvation in the Sacrament of the Altar. But in a wider sense, Christ is addressing every aspect of our lives as Christians—men and women who have been consecrated by His Word to be His presence in the world. We leave the altar and proceed on our daily walk. Do we walk in remembrance of Him, or do we forget? How do we make our life choices, our decisions? Is every one done in remembrance of Him? Do we treat one another in remembrance of Him, or do we forget? “Do this in remembrance of Me” is a simple and profound phrase from the Divine Service with far-reaching implications in the liturgy of life. But it is easy to forget. We are not alone in our forgetfulness. Peter’s dilemma is a clear reminder that those who know God’s word are frequently forgetful. Listen to some of these phrases which Peter must have known from his own liturgical experience: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to the multitude of Your tender mercies blot out my transgressions, If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You...Israel, hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is abundant redemption. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. These words from the Psalms, the hymnal used by the apostles, were certainly known to Peter. Yet he did not remember them when it came to dealing with his neighbor. You see, sometimes anger is stronger than remembrance. “Enough is enough! How patient should I be with those around me? He makes me so mad! She makes me so angry I could spit!” In today’s lesson we are taught that there is no room for unforgiving anger in the life of the Chriso this in remembrance of Me.” How often have tian. According to our human nature we look you heard those words? Hundreds of times? for justice in our dealings with one another; but Thousands of times? How often have you thought the Lord has called us to a different response, a about the life-changing energy in those words? “Do different attitude, a different reality, shaped by the this in remembrance of Me.” In the narrowest sense, Christ is speaking about Chapel continued on page 5

Nov. 5, 2007 Matthew 18:21-35—21Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 30And he would not, but went and threw him into prison Rev. Dennis Marzolf till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

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education that lasts beyond a lifetime

faculty

New faculty and staff members installed

wo new faculty and four new professional staff members were installed for the 2007-08 school year at Bethany Lutheran College on Sunday, August 26, 2007. We welcome these men and women into the Bethany community and are thankful for the time and talents they are dedicating to the Lord. Thomas G. Flunker—Coordinator of the Multi-Ethnic Center, Admissions Counselor Dr. Doyle Holbird—Biology Leigh Ann LaFave—Coordinator of Student Activities and Intramurals, Head Softball Coach

Faculty & Staff News Bethel Balge (music) discussed and performed advanced piano literature at the annual southwest district Minnesota Music Teachers Association workshop on Friday, September 21, 2007. Silas Born (education) attended the Asian Mission Conference at the Evangelical Lutheran Synod mission in Seoul, South Korea, October 24-29, 2007. Born delivered a presentation entitiled “Mission Schools — How Can They Be Effective?” John Boubel (history) participated in the annual “Cemetery Walk Through” of the Betsy-Tacy Society of Mankato at Glenwood Cemetery. During the summer of 2007, Dr. Angela Forsythe (communication, sociology) served as a faculty member in the Upward Bound program based at

Thomas Flunker

Doyle Holbird

Leigh Ann LaFave

Derick Lyngholm

Paul Osterman

Patti Reagles

Derick M. Lyngholm— Head Women’s Soccer Coach, Communication Paul J. Osterman— Head Athletic Trainer Patti J. Reagles—Coordinator of Student Counseling, Sociology

Minnesota State University, Mankato. Mark Harstad (religion, history) and his wife Peggy spent nine days in the Baltic nation of Latvia in July 2007. Harstad’s travel was funded by the Thoughts of Faith mission organization. He preached, lectured, and met with pastors of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church. Lars Johnson (English) wrote a successful grant to the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, which awarded $1,830 to help support The McMahan Hill Book Talks Reading Series at Bethany. In June 2007, Peter Kjeer (mathematics, physics) participated as a planning committee member for the Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching & Learning to help select participants and plan for a November 2007 Collaboration Conference. Dr. Tom Kuster (communication) was invited by Dr. Tatiana Stoichkova, head of the Cultural Studies program at the Southwest University Neofit Rilsky in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, to lecture to her students last May. He spoke through

a translator about the education of a “communication specialist” in the United States. Linda Loge (admissions) is in her third year as co-chair of the Admissions Practices committee for the state of Minnesota. She is also a board member of the Minnesota Association for College Admission Counseling. Jonathan Loging (communication) attended the annual Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota conference on Sept. 14-15 in Rochester, Minnesota. Loging has been accepted as the chair and respondent for a panel on Parliamentary Debate at the annual National Communication Association convention in Chicago, Illinois. In July 2007, Denice Woller (art, photography) exhibited her photographic series “Over Time” at the Kiesling House in New Ulm. The exhibition was also on display throughout the month of August at the Owatonna Arts Center in Owatonna, Minnesota.

report | fall 2007

campus news

Exchange agreement with UIC made official By Emma Baumann Communication Specialist

ethany Lutheran College signed a student exchange agreement with United International College (UIC) of Zhuhai, China, in a ceremony on Wednesday, October 3, 2007. This is the first official agreement between Bethany and a Mainland China educational institution. The reciprocal exchange agreement, signed by Executive Vice-President of UIC Professor Kwok Siu Tong and Dr. Dan R. Bruss, President of Bethany Lutheran College, will allow students to take courses and receive credits from both institutions. During the ceremony, President Bruss commented, “We’re delighted to partner with UIC in this venture… This is the first step between a long and growing relationship between the two institutions.” Professor Kwok noted that UIC is

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new testament of His grace; “Do this in remembrance of Me.” This lesson is an important one for us to learn, for anger is a strong emotion, almost as strong as fear. Do you remember our conversation here in chapel last Friday? Thanksgiving is to replace fear in the lives of Christ’s brothers and sisters. Today Christ speaks to us and tells us that remembrance is to replace anger in our lives. We feel helpless when we are wronged, and this helplessness can fester into an anger that is far more damaging than the initial wrong we have suffered. Satan watches gleefully when we fan the embers of anger in our lives. Anger can burn with a hot flame, sometimes even encouraged by friends who point out the injustice we are bearing at the hands of another. Anger disrupts our relationship with our heavenly Father. education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Photo by David Norris

Bethany President Dan Bruss (left) and Professor Kwok Siu Tong made the exchange agreement official during a press conference.

trying to bring “a new type of education to China”—a liberal arts education that emphasizes human relations and values, one that would shape each student as a

Anger is so powerful that it has the potential to drive Christ from our hearts. Consider well these words of St. Augustine, penned to the forgetful Christians of the fifth century: Imagine the foolishness of thinking that your enemy can do you more damage than your enmity. Everyone in the room has a nagging sin that just won’t go away, and there is a great diversity in our temptations. Yet many of us, perhaps all of us, have the temptation to be unforgiving. Very few of us have learned to control our anger in a manner that reflects our remembrance of Him. Note how Jesus teaches us to live temperately in His remembrance. When we look at our anger management we can see how we have fallen far short of the ways of our Teacher. But the Teacher reminds us to look to Him and not to ourselves. Contemplate the riches of forgiveness that Christ has

whole. Kwok believes that Bethany is a quality partner that will help bring this new education to China. Business professor at Bethany, Janet Moldstad, will be the first visiting professor from Minnesota to teach at UIC this coming spring. Three Bethany students will also visit China during the spring semester to participate in the unique learning experience at UIC. Although the move to China may be a challenging adjustment for Bethany students, the majority of classes at UIC will be taught in English so the language barrier will be minimized. President Bruss said of the partnership with UIC, “This is a historic opportunity for our faculty and students to participate in the redevelopment of the liberal arts in China, and at the same time provide valuable, first-hand experience for life in today’s interconnected world.”

offered to all, and that He has shared with us. When we rely solely on our good intentions and healthy habits of mind we will fall. But when we take every step in remembrance of Him and the life and salvation He gives to us in the sweet communion of grace and faith, then our walk is pleasing in His sight. Christ has not left us to our own devices; He has poured out His Spirit on us in Baptism. He is intimately united with us in His Supper. He has given us His word that He will not forsake us. Later today, or perhaps tomorrow, you will be tempted to give anger a place in your heart. Learn that even, and especially, in moments of temptation, Christ is at your side as Defender and Advocate. In that remembrance you will have peace that passes human understanding, and forgiveness that is strong enough to silence the voice of anger.

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

t’s been over two years since we brought you the story about Lucas Hendricks, then a Bethany junior communication major, who was about to leave college with other members of the Minnesota Army National Guard to serve in Iraq.

Photo by David Norris

Lucas Hendricks gave a presentation to the classes of Risen Savior Lutheran School at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, North Mankato, Minnesota, about his experiences in Iraq on Oct. 10, 2007.

Hendricks recently returned to the States and has moved back into the classroom at Bethany. Since his return he was married to fellow BLC student Regina Langhorst, who will graduate with an elementary education major in December 2007, while Hendricks is planning to graduate in Spring 2008. He is preparing to enter the seminary after completion of his bachelor’s degree. The two-year gap between this story and the first article written about Hendricks just about mirrors the time that he and the rest of 1/34th Brigade Combat Team (BCT) spent on active duty supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. This Minnesota-based unit that included more than 2,600 Minnesota National Guard troops as well as soldiers from thirty-eight other states was the longest deployed unit supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. By the time twelve months in the desert had been completed in January 2007 (in addition to six months of training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi) the soldiers of the 1/34 BCT were mentally and physically prepared to return home. But the uninvited news came that January when report | fall 2007

Photos courtesy of Lucas Hendricks

Lucas Hendricks was united in marriage to Regina Marie Langhorst on August 12, 2007, at Fort Snelling Memorial Chapel, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The bride’s father, Rev. Richard Langhorst, officiated.

the 1/34th had their tour extended past the March 2007 expected time of return. Hendricks said it was a bit “disheartening” to be staying for an additional four months. The extension was punctuated by the way they (and their families) were informed of the order—on a broadcast of CNN. “By January, when we found out, we were counting the days to March when we expected to be home, and many, including myself, had made summer plans already,” said Hendricks. “Regina and I had scheduled our wedding for June 9 and booked the chapel and the reception hall.” Fort Snelling Chapel, where the couple was to be married, worked with Hendricks and his fiancé to reschedule the wedding when the soldiers were to return. When asked about the extended length of time away from home Hendricks said, “The most difficult aspect about spending almost two years away from home was missing my loved ones, in particular Regina, and also missing opportunities. I still haven’t gotten to see the Bethany production of one of my favorite musicals, The Pirates of Penzance.” education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Hendricks served his country as a Chaplain Assistant. The U.S. Army describes the role of Chaplain Assistant like this: “Army Chaplains provide for the spiritual needs of Army personnel of any denomination. Chaplain Assistants provide muchneeded support to the Chaplains during missions and everyday activities. A Chaplain Assistant primarily provides support for the Unit Ministry Team (UMT) programs and worship services. Duties performed by the Chaplain Assistant include: • Coordinating Unit Ministry Team activities   • Maintaining physical security of Unit Ministry Team facilities/equipment   • Safeguarding privileged communications and offerings • Arranging religious retreats and memorial ceremonies • Supporting the Unit Ministry Team readiness program • Maintaining chaplain vestments and religious items. Advanced level Chaplain Assistants are responsible for performing religious support duties in first-level battle fatigue care. Advanced level Chaplain Assistants provide emergency ministrations on the battlefield, organize support for Unit Ministry Team programs, and conduct training on different religions, cultural distinctions, and world customs.”   Hendricks says the description is “pretty accurate.” The Chaplain and Chaplain Assistant are usually talked about together, as the Unit Ministry Team. The two work in tandem to provide or perform religious services for all soldiers, family members, and authorized civilians. The UMT also protects a soldier’s First Amendment right to practice their religion. According to Hendricks, the UMT mission has been described as “Nurture for the Living, Care for the Wounded (or Dying), and Honor for the Dead.”  When asked about the rewarding aspects of his

work, Hendricks says, “The most rewarding work I did were the memorial ceremonies I supported, the critical incident care I supported, and washing uniforms.” Washing uniforms refers to the actions of some soldiers after incidents involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and explosively formed projectiles (EFPs). Generally, these tragic events would occur in the evening. Late at night, soldiers who were involved with IED or EFP incidents would return to the base where Hendricks and others would meet them. The more seriously wounded in action and the killed in action soldiers would be evacuated to a base with better medical facilities. Hendricks would take the noncritical’s uniforms and some equipment, sometimes soaked in a fellow soldier’s blood, and thoroughly wash them. He would (at times) stay up all night to ensure the fatigues were ready to wear the next morning. This simple act of washing a uniform was a great help—mentally—for the surviving soldiers. They appreciated not having to put on the battle-marked

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academics

Conferences provide expanded opportunities

ive students majoring in history and broad field social studies attended the Northern Great Plains History Conference in Duluth, Minnesota, with Dr. John Boubel. They arrived on Thursday, October 4, in time to attend the afternoon sessions and left after the last session on Saturday morning, October 6. Among the topics covered were Irregular War at Sea; Revolution and the Early National Period; Issues of Research; Radicalism and Religion; Commercial River Boating on the Upper Missouri River; Communism and Internal Security; Cold War Politics on the Northern Plains; and Twentieth Century U.S. Immigration. These are representative of research papers by faculty of small-to-medium sized colleges and universities, mostly in the upper Midwest. It is also one of the few history conferences that allows undergraduate students to attend. The group finished the trip with a visit to the replicated North West Fur

Photo by John Boubel

Students who attended the history conference were (from left) Nick Kaminsky, Tim Harting, AJ Hafner, Angela Heidelberger, and Robert Douglass.

Company Post in Pine City, owned and operated by the Minnesota Historical Society. The trip combined learning and camaraderie and was enjoyed by all.

Math conference attendees place second in competition A group of six Bethany Lutheran College mathematics and science students recently attended a mathematics conference at St. Norbert’s College in Green Bay,

Wisconsin. The conference was organized by Pi Mu Epsilon—the national undergraduate mathematics honor society. Pi Mu Epsilon encourages undergraduate research in mathematics. The conference was highlighted by a Friday night keynote address given by Dr. Keith Devlin, a professor and researcher at Stanford University, who talked about the real-life mathematical motivation behind the television series Numb3rs. After the keynote address, a few Bethany students participated in “Mathematics Face Off”—a Jeopardy-style mathematical quiz game. Eight schools from four different states were represented by teams of up to four students, and the team from Bethany Lutheran College, “Team Lagrange” (named after the famous French-Italian mathematician Joseph-Louis Lagrange), finished in second place. The Bethany team was the only team comprised of non-mathematics majors.

fine arts

Bethany student pens dramatic production By Lois Jaeger Director of Fine Arts

t will be an exciting and historic moment this spring when the Bethany Theatre Department presents its first main stage production written by one of its very own students! The Essential Lunatic, by BLC senior Jacob Kempfert, will be performed April 18, 19, 20, 25, and 26, 2008, in the Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center Theater. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday matinee is at 2 p.m. In The Essential Lunatic, directed by Matthew Caron, unemployed pewter spoon maker Marty McGillicuddy finds

a loophole in his insurance policy guaranteeing him 1.2 million dollars, but there’s a catch: it needs to be shown that he is certifiably crazy. Meanwhile Jacob Kempfert his son, Salem, an amateur inventor who only wishes to be left to his work, must stave off the overbearing affections of a young receptionist working in the insurance office. Hijinks abound in this brand new comedy about winning and losing the great battles of everyday life.

Concerning the author, director Matt Caron writes, “Jacob Kempfert is a very talented writer, and we are excited to bring his original work to the Bethany stage as part of our regular season. He has created a quirky group of characters engaged in hilarious relationships and couched in offbeat situations, yet they maintain a certain realism in which we are able to see ourselves. Kempfert’s play is bound to be a treat!” Advance reservations may be made with the Bethany box office beginning April 7 through April 25, 2008. Box office hours are Monday through Friday from 1-5 p.m.

report | fall 2007

faculty

Passion for Dickens leads to new book for Hanna By John Dvorak Junior, Communication Major

very person has a passion for something. What a person aims to do with that passion is great. Bethany Lutheran College English professor, Dr. Robert Hanna, has done great things with some topics that he is most enthusiastic about: Christianity, education, and Charles Dickens. Hanna recently had his third book published, entitled Dickens’ Nonfictional Writings: An Annotated Bibliography. This book includes over 2,000 annotations along with citations on all of Dickens’ non-fiction plays and poetry. Hanna went through all of Dickens’ works (except his novels) and aimed at putting it all together. “It really takes care of all the gaps [created from the rest of the series on Dickens],” he said. Dr. Hanna’s publisher, AMS Press, has continued the goal earlier established by the Garland Press to put everything Charles Dickens has done in volumes of reference books. This process has gone on since the early 1980s. Hanna was asked by the publisher (AMS Press) to take on the challenge of this critical volume of the Dickens’ series. The task, in essence, tackled everything else that wasn’t yet published. Hanna started researching for this book in 1995 and finished his research in 2000. He then wrote the book from 2001 to

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clothing the following morning giving them strength to continue the mission. “It is kind of like being a pall bearer for a funeral of a someone close to you. You obviously would rather not have this task be necessary, but you are proud to do it,” said Hendricks. As Chaplain Assistant, Hendricks also education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Photo by David Norris

Dr. Robert Hanna’s book is the culmination of over ten years worth of research and writing.

2003. In 2004 the index was completed and in 2005 and 2006 an extensive proofreading and editing process was done. “My hope is that my book will help anyone who is planning to write a dissertation on Charles Dickens. This book has done an entire review of his literature (except novels) and will be a great asset because much of the material in this book wasn’t examined yet,” said Hanna. Dr. Hanna’s other books are entitled, The Dickens Family Gospel, which was published in 1998 and The Dickens

Christian Reader, published in 2000. “Charles Dickens has been my favorite author ever since I read Oliver Twist in ninth grade,” said Hanna. “Many years later, when I was offered this opportunity [to write my third book], my motivation was to research and write a reference book about Dickens’ life and career—in order to make this information available to anyone who shares my interest in Dickens.” (Republished with permission from the Bethany student newspaper, The Scroll.)

supported three memorial ceremonies for fellow soldiers lost in the line of duty. “These soldiers and the many other Redbulls killed in action or wounded in action and those who did their duty in difficult situations are my heroes,” said Hendricks. “The Lord blessed me with a pretty easy (comparatively) deployment. There were occasions of terror, separated by

long moments doing my duty and enjoying life with the soldiers I was deployed with. I never experienced an IED or EFP strike or was the recipient of small arms fire. Every time I traveled outside the wire with the Chaplain, it was a safe and uneventful trip. To this I thank God and all those who prayed for me. God truly answered those prayers.”

athletics

Athletic teams wrap up fall season Men’s soccer The Bethany men’s soccer team tallied a record of 7-9-4, but in the end, the Vikings narrowly missed out on a postseason berth. Many players stood out in their efforts. Sophomore Richard Rowell led the team with eleven goals and seven assists, while freshman Evans Tackie-Yarboi recorded six goals. Fellow freshman Josh Jensen was right on the heels of Tackie-Yarboi knocking in four goals. The leadership on the team was also a contributing factor for success in ’07. “I thought the leadership of Ben Retta, Sean DeBruzzi and Jason Plowman was fantastic,” said head coach Rob Pipal. Following the season, Retta, Rowell and Will Tatge were named first-team AllConference players in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC).

Women’s soccer The women’s soccer team went through its share of ups and downs during the 2007 season. Coach Derick Lyngholm describes the year as one for building a foundation for the future. “While from a record standpoint, the season was disappointing, it was necessary for us to find out who we were,” he said. “We had new coaches, fifteen new players, and eight returnees, many of whom were asked to play different positions or to play their positions differently.” The Vikings were led by freshman Jenny Enger who scored nine goals. Fellow freshman Joelle Pipal tallied five goals and one assist to finish second in points. Following the year, the UMAC honored Leah Fehr with a first-team AllConference award as well as Enger and Pipal who were named All-Conference honorable mention.

Volleyball The Bethany volleyball team made big 10

Photo by Sport PiX

Leslie Bremer (14) was named Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year, while Joelle Shouts (11) was named Setter of the Week five times and led the UMAC in sets.

strides this year both in non-conference and conference play. “We played some very tough non-conference matches which helped prepare us for our conference play,” head coach Sue Wilde said. “The girls continued to improve in some aspect with every match.” Seniors Joelle Shouts and Leslie Bremer provided a solid foundation for the team carrying the Vikings in set assists and kills respectively. Named Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Setter of the Week five times, Shouts’ total of 579 sets topped the conference statistical charts. Bremer, a middle hitter, followed through as the top

attacker with 488 kills and was named the UMAC Player of the Year. Both also claimed first-team All-UMAC honors. Junior Eva Voss was second in kills (409) and blocks (62) for the Vikings earning her a first-team All-Conference award. From the back row, Laura Parochka, a sophomore libero, helped make plays possible leading the team with 290 digs. Parochka was named All-Conference honorable mention.

Fall Sports continued on page 11 report | fall 2007

athletics

Athletic Hall of Fame inductees 2007 T he Bethany Vikings Athletic Hall of Fame welcomed four new members at a ceremony on Saturday, September 22, 2007. The purpose of the Athletic Hall of Fame is to recognize individuals that best exemplify the Christian spirit, integrity, and philosophy of Bethany Lutheran College and the athletic department. Gerald Bakke placed first in the 1970 State Junior College Wrestling Championships and took third in 1971 for the Vikings. After Bethany, Bakke went on to wrestle at Gustavus Adolphus College. All told, Bakke compiled a 69-20-3 collegiate record. Bakke was honored in 1978 as the Iowa State Wrestling Coach of the Year. In 1991, Bakke was selected as the Class AA Minnesota State Wrestling Coach of the Year. Bakke, and his wife, Linda reside in Buffalo, Minnesota, where he has been a social studies teacher for the past twenty-seven years. They are the parents of six children: Eric, Heather, Shawn, Heidi, Alyssa, and Kyle. Dave Buckley played baseball at Bethany for the 1989 and ’90 seasons, earning All- Minnesota Community College Conference (MCCC) honors both years. Buckley made his mark on the mound pitching for the Vikings, but

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Men’s golf The Bethany men’s golf team used experience to its advantage this season for a solid campaign. All members of the team were returners with the exception of one freshman. A highlight of 2007 was taking home the UMAC championship title. “We talked about it several times,” said head coach Rick Jeddeloh, “but to actually do it was very special for the players.” The team also had the opportunity to education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Gerald Bakke

Dave Buckley

Larry Van Mersbergen

Jon Wroge

he also played shortstop and third base. During the 1990 season, Buckley went undefeated as a starting pitcher going 8-0 and leading Bethany to the MCCC State Championship. Buckley now resides in Georgetown, Texas, with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children: Collin, Regan, and Hailey. Larry Van Mersbergen was a two-time All-Southern Minnesota Junior College Conference (SMJCC), All-Region 13 Tournament, and All-Blue Waters Classic honoree in basketball. In 1959-60, Van Mersbergen’s freshmen year, he scored 500 points in just 25 games (20 ppg). Van Mersbergen was selected as the team MVP that year as he led the Vikings to the SMJCC conference title. Again in his sophomore year, Bethany won the conference championship as he had another great year scoring 320 points in 19 games

(16.8 ppg). Also a baseball player, Van Mersbergen participated both years at Bethany and hit close to .400 each season. Van Mersbergen now lives in Morton Grove, Illinois. He has three sons: Larry, Brian, and Ken.    Jon Wroge earned All-MCCC State, All-Region XIII, and team captain honors as well as pitching his way to a Division I scholarship while at Bethany. Wroge pitched and played first for the Vikings from 1986-88. During his sophomore year, Wroge was offered scholarships by many major colleges, but settled on the University of Minnesota where lettered for the Gophers twice. Since 2000, Wroge has been the head coach at Central High School in Norwood Young America, Minnesota, where lives with his wife, Mary, daughters Kylie and Hannah, and stepson Cole.

participate in the National Christian College Athletic Association’s National Tournament in Panama City, Florida. Two players were honored by the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference—Joe Baer and Jason Nelson were both named firstteam All-Conference. Coach Jeddeloh was named the 2007 UMAC Coach of the Year.

played all season like they were the best three players in our conference,” said head coach Rick Jeddeloh. A high point for the women was having all three members named to the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference first-team All-Conference. Abigail Lecy was also named the conference medalist, an impressive feat as a freshman. Coach Jeddeloh looks forward to next season. “With the top two women’s players in the conference returning, we are excited for next season.”

Women’s golf The 2007 women’s golf roster was small in size with three players, but bursting with talent. “I thought that our girls

Biology Oasis By Lance Schwartz Photos by David Norris

pread out across the vast acres of farmland in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, are fields of corn, soybeans, and other grains. These fields represent some of the most fertile farmland in the world. It’s a beautiful place to be when the crops are ready for harvest and the air begins to turn cooler.

Anna Seidl was among the students looking for a very elusive Leopard Frog at the Cobb River Waterfowl Production Area on September 4, 2007.

Tucked amidst these vast acres of land producing cash crops, just a short drive from the hustle and bustle of Mankato, is a little oasis of sorts. The oasis—The Cobb River Waterfowl Production Area (WPA)—is owned by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service which has been quietly acquiring some of this fertile farming land during the past decade bringing this land closer to its pre-agrarian state. The program aims to introduce buffer zones near the river and around the tiling intakes that drain the farm fields of water after large rain events. This buffer zone

keeps the sediment and chemical runoff entering the Cobb River to a minimum. All of this is important for the long-term sustainability of the Cobb River watershed area. Another important aspect of the Cobb River Waterfowl Production Area is the wildlife that counts on this oasis on the prairie for their natural habitat. The habitat is what Bethany Lutheran College’s Chad Heins is most interested in. Heins is an accomplished ornithologist and botanist. When the College owned the former Marvin M. Schwan Retreat & Conference Center in northern report | fall 2007

Wisconsin, Heins scoured most of the 700 acres of the near-pristine wilderness to identify over 700 species of plant, animal, and fungi. In the spring of 2004, the decision was made to sell the Schwan Center. This property had been serving Bethany’s biology department as a field station since its purchase and was considered an important asset for Bethany’s biology majors. Students and faculty had been collecting data on plants and animals at the Center. The National Park Service, which owned adjacent lands, had expressed interest in the research and opportunity to work cooperatively with Bethany to further the study. Long-term goals included building a laboratory facility and having students doing meaningful research alongside park service biologists. “We knew that it had been a great blessing for our students to paddle canoes over eight-foot sturgeon, shine flashlights into a wolf’s eyes, or carry on conversations with Barred Owls across the lake,” said Heins. “We will miss those bear encounters, those moments of personal discovery, and the sights and smells of the semiwilderness that had been recorded on the 700-acre site, but we knew that God would bless us wherever we worked.” During the summer following the decision to sell the Center, Heins participated in an event at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge near Jordan (45 miles from Bethany’s campus). His responsibility was to record all the bird species (and anything else he could find) within the Rapids Lake Unit near Jordan during a single day. “One of my students and I discovered several Henslow’s Sparrows (rare

in Minnesota) at the site which led to a conversation with a refuge biologist,” said Heins. “During that conversation I indicated that Bethany’s biology department was looking for a new site to do field studies and explained the work we had been doing at the Schwan Center.” The refuge biologist expressed interest in Bethany students doing that same kind of work at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. While the opportunity had its possibilities, the problem of distance between Mankato and the refuge as well as the lack of housing at the site complicated the situation. But Heins remained in contact with Refuge officials and when plans to build a dormitory at the Rapids Lake Unit went forward he began talking again about how Bethany and the Refuge might benefit one another. It was in August of 2006 when the plan took another interesting twist. “During a conversation in which we Biology continued on page 15

Biology instructor Chad Heins led the group of students conducting a field study. From left: Anna Seidl, Todd Bain, Leah Fehr, Mary Finck, Jessica Costello, Brent Petersen, Chad Heins, and Sam Faugstad.

Above: Leah Fehr and Mary Finck worked the waters in the Cobb River WPA.

advancement

Generosity swells from Schwan, Bashour

gift to Bethany can come in one of many forms—annual fund support, support for a specific project, deferred gifts, and planned gifts just to name a few. Recently, the College was blessed to receive two special gifts.

Robert Schwan A dear friend of the College, Robert Schwan, passed away in April 2007. Schwan served his country as a member of United States Navy. After his military service, he returned to Marshall, Minnesota, working for the Schwan Food Company where he helped to develop the highly successful food delivery service for his brother, the late Marvin Schwan, founder of the Schwan Food Company. Robert Schwan served the family business longer than any other employee in the company’s history—58 years. In 2001, the company’s service program was named in his honor. For several years prior to his passing, Robert Schwan occasionally met with Bethany’s chief advancement officer, Art Westphal. It was during these visits that he informed the College of his intent to include Bethany in his estate plans. Schwan valued the mission and principles upon which the College was founded and expressed to Westphal on several occasions how he planned to help the College continue to provide “The One Thing Needful.” While the College was aware of Schwan’s intent, it wasn’t until after his passing that the full extent of his gift became known. Some weeks after Schwan’s death, the College was informed by a trustee of the Robert Schwan estate of a gift nearing $700,000 from his assets. What a tremendous blessing Robert Schwan provided to Bethany Lutheran College! The assets will be used for two significant projects for the College: 1) To begin a scholarship in Robert Schwan’s name and 2) For future building initiatives yet to be 14

Photo by David Norris

Val Imm Bashour interacted with students in a communication class at Bethany during her recent visit.

determined. Bethany is truly grateful for Robert Schwan’s gift of love for Bethany. An estate gift such as the one he provided for Bethany is indeed very special.

Val Imm Bashour While Val Imm Bashour hasn’t exactly been a stranger to Bethany (she’s attended her class reunions several times) it wasn’t until recently that she decided to support Bethany with a gift to establish a scholarship fund at the College. Bashour grew up the daughter of a newspaper publisher and state senator (Val Imm) in Mankato. Her studies at Bethany and then Mankato State College led her to want to discover more of the world. She traveled to Europe (seeing thirteen countries) after graduating from college, taught and lived in New York and eventually settled in Dallas, Texas, to be near a sister who was there. In Dallas, Bashour eventually found herself writing for a fashion publication. A staff member at the Dallas TimesHerald newspaper noticed her work at the fashion publication and she was offered a job at the paper as the society reporter. Her career as a writer for the Dallas

Times-Herald was the focus of a talk she gave to twenty-five communication students at Bethany during a recent trip to Mankato. Bashour encouraged the communication students to set their standards as future communicators to a high level. “You have a terrific responsibility,” says Bashour to the students. “You are going to be out there as the next wave setting standards, speaking out against the flashy trash we are inundated with.” Bashour’s successful career in journalism and her marriage to the late Fouad Bashour, a gifted research physician, enabled her to be philanthropic towards Bethany. She recently initiated scholarships that will benefit students of communication, English, and religious studies at Bethany. When asked why she chose to support Bethany, she says, “My decision to establish scholarships at Bethany was predicated on three factors—Christcentered teaching, a high-quality developing campus and curriculum, and of course for sentimental reasons as my two sisters and I all appreciated the time we spent at Bethany.” Bethany is thankful to Val Imm Bashour for her commitment to Christian higher education. report | fall 2007

alumni

Bethany alumni and friends gather for events By Sarah Harstad Director of Alumni Relations

f you spent any time in Minnesota or Wisconsin this fall, chances are good that a Bethany event for alumni and friends occurred in your area. Well over 200 alumni visited the Bethany booth at the Minnesota State Fair during the end of August. The Alumni Board hosted Bethany night at a Minnesota Twins game in early September where fifty alumni and friends enjoyed a night at the ballpark. Early September took Bethany events on the road when Madison and Milwaukee hosted “An Evening with Bethany Friends.” President Bruss joined alumni and friends for a Friday night fish fry in Madison and an evening at Sprecher Brewery in Milwaukee. As President Bruss accurately observed, when Bethany friends get together, the conversation starts to flow immediately; not simply shallow greetings but true connections. Fall Festival 2007 brought September to an exciting end with alumni reunions and a weekend of activities on campus. The gorgeous weather flooded the campus with sunshine while alumni and friends enjoyed the inaugural Norsemen 5K Run/Walk, Arts on the Green,

Biology continued from page 13

were lamenting the distance again, a colleague in the background suggested that she tell us about the Cobb River Waterfowl Production Area,” said Heins. And so the door was opened on Bethany’s involvement with the Cobb River WPA. Waterfowl Production Areas typically consist of wetlands with upland habitats for ducks to breed. The Cobb River site consists of restored wetlands, grasslands, and bottomland forest near Beauford (about fifteen miles from the Bethany campus). Surrounded by corn education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Photo by Sarah Harstad

One of the opportunities for alumni to connect took place at Sprecher Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisc.

sports, theatre, and music events. Alumni reunions were celebrated in the afternoon with an hors d’oeuvres reception in beautiful Meyer Hall and the announcement of our second Distinguished Alumni Award. The Distinguished Alumni Award was created in the Spring of 2002 and is awarded to a Bethany Lutheran College alumnus/a who has distinguished themselves through extraordinary contribution to society at large including religious, social, business, political, educational, or cultural life. Such contributions can be at the local, national, or international level in recognition of recent or lifetime achievement. The late Marvin Schwan is the 2007 Distinguished Alumni recipi-

ent for service to his church, success in business, and dedication to Bethany. Celebration of the award will continue at commencement in May 2008. Saturday evening featured a gathering of over sixty-five young alumni at the Tavern on the Avenue (formerly the Stone Toad). The Bethany community gathered for Sunday morning worship services to conclude a successful Fall Festival 2007. Watch for more Bethany activities in your area. If you are celebrating a reunion next fall (graduation years ending in 3 and 8) and would like to help plan activities for your class, contact Sarah Harstad at 507-344-7519 or sarah.harstad@blc.edu.

and soybean fields, it is an oasis for wildlife and an answered prayer for Bethany’s biology department. After an initial tour, permits were issued for Bethany to collect material and the process of documenting organisms began anew at this site. Heins sees this opportunity as a true blessing. In the next year, the Cobb River WPA will increase in size from 586 acres to nearly double that as adjacent lands are purchased and wetlands restored. During this past summer, a senior biology student studied aquatic macroinvertebrates as part of a study about wetland health indicators. The United States Fish and Wildlife

Service supplied the equipment and the expertise while the Bethany student spent the time and energy to provide them with meaningful data. Plans are being made to have additional students in the field this next summer. Heins sums it up nicely when he says, “It all goes to show how much God can bless you through a couple of sparrows. If I hadn’t seen those Henslow’s, I may never have had the conversation with the refuge biologist, and we never would have had this opportunity.” Chad Heins contributed to this article. 15

alumni news

alumni news 1932 Esther Wunderlich looks fondly on her time as the soprano soloist for the original Bethany Lutheran Choir. She still remembers the year that Bethany was purchased by the ELS. She is now in her 97th year and still living in her own home. Her son John is her best help and friend.

1952 Rev. Lyle Rasch (Sem.) celebrated two milestones this August: His 80th birthday and 55 years in the active pastoral ministry. He still serves 158-year-old Trinity Lutheran Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1955 David A. Geisler owns the Pioneer Auto Show and Antique Town in Murdo,

generations of his family together over the summer: David’s parents, Alfred and Alice Walther; David and his wife Kathleen; daughter Rebecca A. (Walther) Barnack (’95) and husband Tony with sons Benjamin, Samuel, Daniel; son Scott and wife Christine with children Caitlyn, Alexander, and Nicholas.

1972 Mark and Sandra (Sampson) Johnson (’72) are the owners of Terrasol Restoration & Renovation Co. in St. Peter, Minn. Their son, Lance Johnson (’07), is currently enrolled in the Bethany Seminary. Their daughter, Gena, graduated from South Central Technical College with honors in architectural design and she is now employed at Paulsen Architects of Mankato, Minn. Sandra’s father and retired Bethany employee, Orville Sampson, celebrated his 80th birthday in September. Mark and Sandra invite friends to visit their company website: www.terrasol.net.

1976

S.Dak. He began his sales career at the age of nine, selling and repairing bicycles at his father’s Chevrolet Dealership. David has received several accolades over the years for his business and tourism accomplishments, with his most recent award being from the South Dakota Retailers Association in January 2007.

1966 David A. Walther gathered four

Jane Briggeman reports that she has moved back to Wisconsin and is employed full-time as a production planner for a Madison area printing company. She also plans to finish her second book soon. Jane would love to hear from Bethany friends. Feel free to e-mail her at jbriggbhs@yahoo.com.

1977 Lori (Wrolson) Tukua has been living in Burnsville, Minn., for the past two years. She enjoys working for Total Higher Education in St. Paul. Lori invites former classmates to contact her via e-mail at ltukua@yahoo.com. Kris (Albrecht) Marriott has been accepted into the master’s in nursing—nurse educator program at Concordia University in Mequon, Wisc. She will take classes

on-line as she continues to work as an obstetric nurse in a hospital outside of Dallas, Texas. Kris has recently been invited to go with a parish nurse mission team to Bethlehem, Texas, where she will speak about nutrition in pregnancy and help install a parish nurse at Christmas Lutheran Church. Kris would like to be contacted by alumni at krismarriot@ yahoo.com.

1987 Mary (Monson) Zinger is a grandma as of August 26, 2007. Her first granddaughter’s name is Juliana Elizabeth. Pete Meyer is now the head baseball coach at Lisle High School in Lisle, Illinois.

1988 Dale Kelm has been notified of deployment overseas with the United States Army Reserve in January of 2008. He is currently employed as the health and personal care supervisor at MWR, a 70-bed assisted living/CBRF. He and his wife Jesi have two children, Claire (2) and Gabriel (7 mos.). Patrol Officer, Jon Loken, received commendation from the Weyauwega Fire Department for rescuing a woman from a burning house on September 23, 2006. The award stated, “Officer Loken’s quick thinking and actions, without regard to his personal safety, saved the woman from serious injury or death.”

1991 Lori (Brammeier) and Patrick Bierman announce the birth of their son, Andrew James, born October 12, 2006. They also have one daughter, Ellie, and another son, Henry. Lori is a stay-at-home mom and Pat is a veterinarian in Mandan, N. Dak. Todd and Kirsten Biesterfeld have been living in West Bend, Wisc., since 2003. They have four sons, ages 5, 7, 9, and 11. Todd is working as a physical therapist, and Kirsten has re-entered teaching with a one-year call in kindergarten at their church, Good Shepherd. Todd has been running marathons since report | fall 2007

alumni news 2002, and Kirsten joined him for a halfmarathon in Green Bay, Wisc., this year.

1992 Eric Woller and his wife Denice (Fetzer) (’97) welcomed their daughter

a warm, tropical honeymoon is planned for this winter. Janelle graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1995 and is currently an administrator with TDS in Mankato. Her husband is the owner of Electrical and Communications Specialist, Inc., also of Mankato. The couple lives in North Mankato.

1996

Claire Elizabeth on February 20, 2007. Always full of smiles, Claire is excited to have joined big sisters Rylee and Olivia who dote on her with endless attention. Robert and Stephanie (Johnson) Moreno announce the birth of their fourth child, Rebekah Elizabeth, on January 12, 2007. Rebekah joins brothers David (6), Daniel (6), and Simon (3). Robert volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America as a troop chaplain and has been working for U.S. Bank for eleven years in information technology. Stephanie earned her master’s degree in early childhood education in the spring of 2005 and now enjoys being at home with her children. The family makes their home in Brooklyn Park, Minn.

1993 Janelle Phelps married Erik C. Magelee on June 9, 2007, in an outdoor ceremony

and reception at the bride’s family farm. The couple spent a few days in northern Minnesota following the wedding, but education that lasts beyond a lifetime

(’98), and their son, Jonah Samuel (2). Marty Schmidt and his wife Jenny recently welcomed a new baby, Lydia Joy, into their home. Lydia joins her older brother, Toby (2). Marty is a church plant pastor of The Bridge in Ottumwa, Iowa. More information about the church can be found at www.ottumwabridge.org. Darren Papstein is married to Molly (Rud) Papstein (’98), and they have three boys: Austin (9), Andrew (5), and Ayden (2 months). Darren works for Philip Morris as a territory sales manager in Nebraska.

Bob Schweim was inducted into the Mankato East Athletic Hall of Fame on October 6, 2007. Art Westphal (’70) was his presenter. Wendy (Schmidt) Lokensgard has resigned from her job of nine years in the jewelry industry. She had been with Zales for the last five years, and is now enjoying being a housewife-in-training. Wendy and Craig Lokensgard (’95) have been happily married for nine years, and although they do not have any children yet, Wendy promises to keep everyone posted. Wendy would like to be e-mailed at wendylokensgard@hotmail.com. Luis Alcala is currently living in Portland, Ore., with his wife, Seana. Luis is a senior solutions consultant in the area of asset management for BCSI in Beaverton, Oregon. Rachel Aderman married Paul Learman in May 2006. The couple lives in Freeport, Ill., where Paul is a WELS pastor. Rachel works as a compliance attorney for M&I Bank in Milwaukee, Wisc. Paul and Rachel are expecting their first baby in December 2007. Rachel reports that her parents are going to become grandparents to two babies at once, since her sister, Sarah (Aderman) Lambrecht (’00), is expecting her first baby in November 2007.

Dawn (Werling) Erickson graduated from St. Mary’s University with a master’s in business administration in October 2007. Dawn married Michael Erickson (’98) on July 29, 2000, at Bethany’s Trinity Chapel. They currently reside in Rochester, Minn., with their dog, Dottie. Dawn works at RSM McGladrey and Mike works as a programmer at Mayo Clinic. Jesse Hartzell and his wife Michelle were recently blessed with their first child, Isaiah Stephen. Isaiah was born in July weighing 9 lbs., 2.3 oz. Jesse and Michelle are currently living in Boerne, Texas, where Jesse works as an engineer for Albany Engineered Composites, an aerospace composite company. Phil Meitner was married on August 11, 2007. He lives in Ostego, Minn., and has been teaching at West Lutheran High School for the past six years. Mike Mueller was named most valuable player for his pitching ability in the recent State Amateur Baseball Tournament in Minnesota.

1997

1999

Peter J. Durow received a Ph.D. in music education with an emphasis in choral conducting from Florida State University in August 2007. He is currently teaching at Clearwater High School in Clearwater, Fla., where he lives with his wife, Jodi (Pelleymounter) Durow

1998

Terri Sohre married Martin Malecek in 2003. They had their first child, Gracelyn Elizabeth, in April 2007. Terri works as an RN at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, Minn., and is currently working on a master’s degree at Minnesota State University, Mankato. 17

alumni news 2001 Heather Look was married to George Brenden Weber on January 19, 2007, in

Big Rapids, Mich., and Christi is teaching in the English department at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Lucas Robert Hendricks, son of Sergeant Major Richard Vernon

now working for Arrow Electronics and Elisabeth is going to school for a master’s degree in social work at the University of Denver. They are currently taking advantage of the Colorado outdoors, hiking and camping whenever possible.

2007

Christianfield, Denmark. Heather plays clarinet and George plays trumpet in the Army band. They are currently stationed near Wiesbaden, Germany, and plan to be in Germany for a few more years. Lora Hopp graduated from Drake University Law School in May 2007 and passed the July 2007 Minnesota Bar Exam. She was sworn in on October 26, 2007. Lora has accepted employment as a family law and housing law attorney with Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services.

2003 Dustin Reese received his master’s at the University of Northern Iowa and is now working towards his Ed.S. degree. Dustin is currently employed at Grant Wood Area Education Agency as a school psychologist. He married Amanda Rank (’05) this summer, and the couple now resides in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

2004 Christina (Jenkin) Hagen had her thesis, entitled “Pushing the Bayou Boundaries: The Early Fiction of Kate Chopin,” accepted for publication and was awarded her M.A. in English literature from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2006. She was married in June 2006 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minn., to Kurt Hagen, a seminary student at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Kurt is currently serving as a vicar at Redeemer Lutheran Church in 18

Hendricks, II (’82) and Theresa Gay Hendricks (Mother, Debra Lynn Hendricks) married Regina Marie Langhorst (’05), daughter of Rev. Richard Erwin and Gail Marie Meitz Langhorst, on August 12, 2007, at Fort Snelling Memorial Chapel, Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Adam Holtz was married on September 8, 2007. The couple spent their honeymoon in Hawaii. Nathan Fehr and Elisabeth Bruss (’06) were united in marriage on August

12, 2006, at Bethany’s Trinity Chapel by Chaplain Don Moldstad (’78). Alumni participating in the wedding were: Justin Oman (’05), Beth (Johnson) Edwards (’03), Mark Edwards (’03), Missy (Grams) Vandermause (’05), Jarod Robran (’01), Paul Preus (’02), Bethany (Fehr) Preus (’02), Joseph Tyrell (’05), Matt Neshiem (’01), and current and former students Robert Bruss, Leah Fehr, Rebekah Fehr, Erica Knoll, Rachel Fehr, and Daniel Fehr. Nathan and Elisabeth moved to Denver, Colo., on their one-year wedding anniversary. Nathan is

Andrew Olsen and Bridget Hulke were married on June 16, 2007. Kristen Goebel married Brandon Havenik on July 14, 2007, in Danvers, Ill.

Bethany students in the wedding party included Kristen’s brother Jon Goebel and friend Terri Wiederhoeft. Kristen plans to continue her education at the University of Minnesota in January, and Brandon will be receiving his degree in law enforcement in December 2007. Kristen and Brandon now reside in Austin, Minn., and would like to be contacted by Bethany friends via e-mail at bkhano07@ yahoo.com. Brian Bartelt was married in May 2006. He and his wife, Josie, welcomed a baby girl, Emily, into their family on August 10, 2007. Brian is currently employed full-time as a security officer at Bethany Lutheran College. Brian is also majoring in law enforcement at Minnesota State University, Mankato. In May 2007, the ELS assigned Andrew Schmidt to Peace Lutheran Church in Lakeland, Fla. Andrew was installed as their pastor on July 1, 2007. report | fall 2007

alumni news

In the Spring/Summer 2007 issue of the Bethany Report, there was an error in a news announcement. Allen and Mary (Younge) Hansen’s daughter Alison went on a mission trip to India with a group from the Church of the Lutheran Confession.

Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam. He was an Ashau Valley and TET survivor. After Vietnam, Richard returned to St. Louis, Mo. Richard is survived by his sister, Diane Fleming (Long) of St. Paul, Minn., and his brother, David Peterson of Saratoga, Calif. He is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis.

In Memoriam (alumni)

In Memoriam (friends)

Correction

1949 Rev. David N. Ylvisaker, son of former Bethany president, Dr. S. C. Ylvisaker, passed away Saturday, September 1, 2007, at the age of 78. His death was caused by congestive heart failure and complications from Parkinson’s and diabetes. David served as pastor at several churches before his last call to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Marion, Ind., where he served for nine years. Next to preaching, David loved singing and was involved in many choirs and musical performances. David was married to Shirley Hasebrink for 36 years until her death in 1993. They had two daughters, Kristi and Karen. David then married Judy Henley in 1994, who is one of his survivors.

1967 Richard Long died at the age of 60 on April 12, 2007, after a long battle with metastatic bone cancer secondary to

Herman Rudolph Anderson passed away on August 20, 2007, at the age of 92. Herman was married to Evelyn Strande on June 6, 1940, and they were blessed with five children while they continued to live and work on the farm in Fisher, Minn. In 1980, Herman and Evelyn retired and spent their last years together in Grand Forks, N.Dak., and Mankato, Minn. Evelyn passed away in April 2003. Howard Martin Hougan died at the age of 90 in his home in Faribault, Minn., on September 19, 2007, surrounded by his family. Howard was a retired Air Force Major, having served in the Pacific Theater during WWII. He married Ruby M. Holzhueter on January 1, 1946, and they had four children. Among his survivors are his wife Ruby, four children and spouses, 17 grandchildren, 15 greatgrandchildren, and two brothers.

We want to hear from you

alumni news

We need your personal and professional updates to include in our alumni news. You may submit alumni news by emailing it to alumni@blc.edu, mailing it to the address below, or you can post your news online by visiting our Web site at www.blc.edu and click on the My Account link. Alumni News, Bethany Lutheran College, 700 Luther Drive, Mankato, MN 56001

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Madson family celebrates anniversary, many years at Bethany

uul B. (HS ’38, JC ’40) and Clarice E. (Huso) Madson (’46) celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary on September 14, 2006. Both Juul and Clarice worked for many years for Bethany Lutheran College. The couple was married in Northwood, Iowa, where Juul found his wife-tobe before being ordained there as a Lutheran pastor. The couple was blessed with nine children. Of these nine children, the three oldest each attended Bethany Lutheran High School for their last two years of high school study. All nine attended and earned associate’s degrees from Bethany when it was yet a two-year institution. In addition, six of the nine children married Bethany graduates. A third generation of the Juul and Clarice Madson family continues to call Bethany their educational home: eight of their grandchildren have associate’s degrees from Bethany, and another spent three years as a student in the bachelor’s program while another is currently enrolled in the Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. Thus far, the total number of years of study on the Bethany campus for the three generations of the Juul and Clarice Madson family totals seventy years. Both Juul and Clarice are hopeful that there will be many more Madson years to follow! We at Bethany also look forward to the continuation of this academic legacy.

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

Calendar of Events january 4, 5 Women’s Basketball @ Whittier Tourn. Los Angeles, Calif. 11 Women’s/Men’s Basketball @ UM-Morris Morris, Minn., 5:30/7:30 p.m. 12 Women’s/Men’s Basketball @ Presentation, Aberdeen, S.Dak., 2/5 p.m. 17 Art Lecture and Reception for Kimble Bromley, YFAC, 7 p.m. 18 Women’s/Men’s Basketball vs. Crown SFC, 5:30/7:30 p.m. 19 Women’s/Men’s Basketball vs. Northwestern, SFC, 3/5 p.m. 25 Women’s/Men’s Basketball @ Northland Ashland, Wisc., 5:30/7:30 p.m. 26 Women’s/Men’s Basketball @ St. Scholastica, Duluth, Minn., 3/5 p.m.

february 1 Women’s/Men’s Basketball vs. St. Scholastica, SFC, 5:30/7:30 p.m. 1, 2 The Sorcerer by Gilbert and Sullivan YFAC Theater, 7:30 p.m. 2 Women’s/Men’s Basketball vs. Northland SFC, 3/5 p.m. 3 The Sorcerer by Gilbert and Sullivan YFAC Theater, 2 p.m. 5 PLUM #4 Debate Tournament, 2 p.m. 8 Women’s/Men’s Basketball vs. Presentation, SFC, 5:30/7:30 p.m. 8, 9 The Sorcerer by Gilbert and Sullivan YFAC Theater, 7:30 p.m. 9 Women’s/Men’s Basketball vs. UM-Morris, SFC, 3/5 p.m. 12 Women’s Basketball vs. North Central Minneapolis, Minn., 5:30 p.m. 15 Women’s/Men’s Basketball @ Northwestern Roseville, Minn., 5:30/7:30 p.m. 16 Women’s/Men’s Basketball @ Crown St. Bonifacius, Minn., 3/5 p.m. 19 Women’s/Men’s Basketball @ Martin Luther New Ulm, Minn., 5:30/7:30 p.m.

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

Faculty Openings Business Administration

This full-time, nine-month faculty position is responsible for teaching a variety of marketing and management courses at the lower and upper division levels. Other responsibilities include overseeing internships, practica, and independent studies; directing and advising business administration majors; and working with faculty to develop related curricula. Candidates must either have a master’s degree in the administrative field or a Ph.D. (preferred). ABD will be considered with a commitment to complete the terminal degree. Minimum of five years practitioner experience required for candidates without a terminal degree.

Spanish

The full-time, nine-month Spanish faculty position will teach courses at all levels of Spanish language, literature and culture. Other responsibilities will include advising students, overseeing student language assistants for small group conversation labs, and working with other language faculty to develop a Spanish major. Candidates should hold a Ph.D. (ABD will be considered), have native or near-native fluency in Spanish, have experience with proficiency-based language instruction.

Mathematics

This full-time, nine-month faculty position will teach lower and upper division mathematics and statistics courses for majors and non-majors. Responsibilities also consist of maintaining an active program of scholarly activity, overseeing internships and independent studies, advising mathematics majors, and working with other faculty to develop the mathematics major. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in mathematics, statistics, or mathematics education (M.S. in mathematics). ABD will be considered. Teaching experience in mathematics and statistics is preferred. Candidates for these positions must be a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) or Wisconsin Evangelical Synod (WELS). More information and how to apply is available at www.blc.edu/jobs.

Hall of Fame nominations sought Bethany is currently seeking nominations for induction to the Vikings Athletic Hall of Fame in the fall of 2008. Any former player nominated must have 1) lettered at Bethany, 2) graduated from Bethany, 3) been out of school for ten years or more, as minimum qualifications. All nominations for induction consideration in 2008 must be received no later than February 1, 2008. Nomination forms can be submitted online or downloaded from: www.blc.edu/athletics/halloffame.

Key: SFC – Sports and Fitness Center; YFAC – Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center. Dates and times are subject to possible changes. Please call in advance to confirm dates and times of events before traveling: 800.944.3066 or 507.344.7000.

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