THE
COLLEGIAN Friday, February 12, 2021 | Volume 109, Issue 7 | North Newton, KS
Concert Choir members, Rachel Geyer, sophomore Kalona, Iowa, Stephany Meyer, sophomore from Goessel, and Julianna Schrag, sophomore from Goessel, participate in weekly sectional rehearsal. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel
2
Bethel College anticipates the vaccine
3
Editorial: Pronouns are empowering
6
Cultivating Slow Practices Amidst Busy Times
8
Thresher track and field athletes break PRs
11
Local places for small groups to visit
2 NEWS
When will the COVID-19 cure reach Bethel College campus? out date for the vaccine on Bethel Campus would impact future planning and class scheduling, as The initial distribution well as set a gradual return to a of the Pfizer and Moderna long lost normal without masks. COVID-19 vaccines in the In light of this, there are still U.S. and internationally leads numerous considerations that students to wonder when the would make the long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine could reach return of a normal not as easy as Bethel College. The vaccine expected. would gradually put an end to the “I have no idea when Bethel will get the vaccine, PHASE ONE PHASE TWO PHASE THREE even so college students do not fall • Healthcare personnel • Frontline essential • People aged 65-74 under the initial wave workers - firefighters, years • Long-term care police officers, USPS of the vaccination • People aged 16-64 residents and staff workers, grocery store process,” Sam Haynes, years with underlying workers, education vice president for medical conditions workers, etc. student life and dean • Other essential • People age 75+ of students, said. workers - food service, housing, law, media, Even though public safety, etc. there are currently few positive COVID-19 cases on Bethel’s *Phases may overlap. Information campus and it is sourced from cdc.gov currently in green
status, members of the Infectious Disease Management Team (IDMT) remain unsure of a potential roll-out period for either vaccine on campus. “The distribution of a vaccine on Bethel’s campus is directly related to Kansas State Department of Health policies on how the vaccine should be distributed statewide, therefore, there is no clear picture of when the vaccine will be available for distribution at Bethel,” Geri Tyrell, director of the department of nursing, said Any expectations for a COVID-19 vaccine to reach Bethel’s campus are unclear, much like any estimation regarding the grand exit of the COVID-19 from the face of the Earth. In addition to this, for Bethel to even truly consider a roll-out date for the vaccine, signs of herd immunity and of recovery
should be shown on a national and international level. With that information, Bethel could effectively start planning for a mass vaccination of the campus population. Thus, before the longawaited cure arrives for Bethel students, there will need to be adjustment on a global scale combined with a reversal of the death toll in the U.S. and abroad. In the meantime, one can assume that masks, six feet spacing among individuals, the newly implemented randomized testing of students and the social distancing guidelines will remain status quo for Bethel’s population. With the adherence and resilience of the Bethel community to these restrictions, the responsive community be heralded as a sign of good news on the horizons.
for all users. Students have been asking for years for a system where they could clock in and out on their phones. Even though it may be a little complicated if a student has more than one job, ADP does allow for that and eliminates the need for paper time sheets. It also requires employees to clock in and out when they are working, therefore not allowing an employee to complete their entire time sheet at the end of the month which was happening in many cases,” Gregg Dick, controller and head Men’s Golf coach, said. ADP may prove more convenient in the long run for campus users who prefer to forgo time sheets. “One additional important advantage with this system is that supervisors are now required to log into the system and electronically approve the hours of their employees. They can look at the time sheets daily which allows them more oversight of the
“Initially, I was interested in bringing Handshake to campus because of the platform’s ability to host virtual events. I knew I wanted to continue with our annual career fair and also ensure that it would be safe for students and organizations who wanted to participate. After meeting with the Handshake sales representative, I was able to see all the valuable tools Handshake could offer our students. It is now a nice, one-stop-shop for anything career-related,” Kershner said. The goal is to provide more career-related opportunities and resources for students and to make those resources accessible. “Students can check out opportunities all over the United States, as opposed to just the local job opportunities I would get through emails. It also serves as our internal studentemployment job board… students can see and apply for campus jobs much easier. Students can now have easy access to career-
related resources that come out of my office and they can easily set up an appointment with me. Students can download the Handshake app on their Apple or Android device and have all these tools and resources wherever they go. Additionally, this platform is really geared towards early employment, so young alumni are encouraged to use this platform as well,” Kershner said. Students are encouraged to set up their profile on Handshake at their earliest convenience in order to make future job-search ventures easier. “I can see that 27.5% of our campus has activated their accounts. Of those students, 33% have completed their profile. While I would like to see these numbers much higher, I am not disappointed. Enthusiasm with this tool will only grow as students experience all it has to offer,” Kershner said.
ARTHUR MAHRER Staff Writer
limitations and mental pressures of Zoom classes, as well as the color-coded status that governs the health of Bethel’s campus and constant monitoring from the Campus Clear App. On a national and international stage, the vaccine has introduced a discussion about the reliability and safety of its injections. A potential roll-
Career technology introduced on campus preps students BETHANY POWLS Editor-in-Chief
For the Spring semester, it is likely that students have had to deal with the introduction of a few new technological additions. In order to make a few operations occur more smoothly in a virtual format, the system for which students turn in on-campus work hours and the new resource for career searching have become hot-topics on Bethel’s campus. ADP or Automatic Data Processing, Inc., is now the format through which on-campus employees submit hours. Each student has an account for their on-campus job and logs in whenever they work. In order to record hours, they simply click a ‘clock-in’ button when they begin, and a ‘clock-out’ button when they finish. “The reason we made the switch to ADP from our current payroll system is that this system is web based and more automated
hours worked by their employees. It also makes the approval process at the end of the pay period much more efficient,” Dick said. However, students and staff alike have reported setbacks to the new system. “The biggest [challenge] is the creativity and manipulation of the system that was needed to make it work for students working multiple jobs in different departments. Also when you convert data from one system to another there always seem to be a few things that don’t convert quite right. We know there are still questions on how various things work, but appreciate the patience everyone has shown as we have made the transition and welcome questions,” Dick said. In addition to a new system for payroll, Megan Kershner, director of Career and Leadership Development, recently introduced Handshake, a virtual, nationwide job and internship board.
OPINION 3
EDITORIAL Pronouns are empowering
CAPRI STEVENSON-BISOM Design/Layout Editor
This past year I came out as agender, which means I don’t identify as either a man or woman, and I am essentially genderless. I have asked people to start using they/them pronouns when referring to me. As a result, my friends and I have started to make an effort towards being more aware of people’s preferred pronouns and using non-gendered language. Let us start with some basic LGBTQ+ terms that pertain to gender identity and expression. My gender identity falls under non-binary or genderqueer, which means not specifically male or female. Rather than a man or woman, I would be called an enby. Non-binary and genderqueer fall under the transgender umbrella, as in not cisgender. Cisgendered means your gender identify is the same
SGA CORNER
as the sex you were assigned at birth. Gender expression is something entirely different from gender identity. Someone can look masculine, feminine or androgynous, but that does not mean that they are a man, woman or enby. I can wear a suit or a dress, or look feminine or masculine, and that does not make me any less genderless. In the English language, common honorifics such as Mr., Mrs. and Ms. are gender specific terms. However, a genderneutral honorific does exist: Mx. (pronounced “mix”). A lot of people think that there is not a gender neutral term for nieces and nephews. However, there is a gender neutral term that is also the plural form: nibling. This word is derived from sibling, and we can take it one step further and call aunts and uncles piblings, which indicates the siblings of your parents. A common way to address crowds is by saying “ladies and gentlemen...” Some fun alternatives include, but are not limited to: “distinguished guests,” “gentlefolk,” “homo sapiens,” “guys, gals and nonbinary pals” or just a simple “everyone.” Many professions tend
to put “man” or “woman” after their job title. It can be an easy fix to be more inclusive and replace “man” or “woman” with person or a more appropriate job description. Some common replacements could be: business person instead of businesswoman/ man, member of congress instead of congresswoman/man, mail carrier or postal worker instead of mailman, salesperson or sales attendant instead of saleswoman/man, etc. People who use other pronouns besides she or he can still be in romantic relationships. We just wouldn’t be a girlfriend/ boyfriend or a wife/husband. Using gender neutral terms like partner, significant other, spouse or enbyfriend are very important to many enbys. It can be beneficial to be aware of gendered language not just for non-binary or transgender people, but also to be aware of everyday sexism in the words we use. Take an extra second to ask someone their preferred pronouns and use more inclusive language.
Word on the Street
International Students: How does your opinion of American politics differ from your initial impression? Joaquin Pluis
I have always thought that the ex-president was someone who spoke his mind, but did a lot of show and always tried to be polemic. Since I arrived here, I was able to watch the transition from Trump to Biden and how that evolved, and Trump’s attitude made me reaffirm what I originally thought.
Julio Quiroga
SPAIN Now that I have been here for over a semester, I think that maybe only having two major political parties with such a different view can be problematic to society. If there were more parties involved, maybe there could be an adjustment in law that can benefit almost all citizens.
ARGENTINA
Tomas Quercia
I believe that Donald Trump wasn’t made for a being U.S. president. Although I don’t know too much about politics, that is my opinion about it. In Argentina we have several political parties but in the U.S., it is just Republicans and Democrats. I liked how the country is organized.
Milan Bucek
CZECH REPUBLIC The thing that stuck out for me was Trump’s approach after the election when he did not want to give up a presidential post followed by the Capitol’s attack. Politics in America are almost the same as in the Czech Republic. We also have a democracy, so there is not a big difference in the political system.
Capri Bisom is a junior chemistry and art double major. They are also the design/layout editor for the Bethel College Collegian.
SGA resumed meetings for the 2020-2021 session beginning January 24. Goodville Mutual Casualty Company provided $7,000 in funding for
ARGENTINA
and put the money towards initiatives that interest students: talkaphone tower and water fountain additions.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
SGA is working on updating the outdoor recreation area near Voth including a turf field, and new adjustable
The Bethel Collegian will accept letters of up to 250 words. The editor
basketball hoops (Thanks Maintenance!). Each committee of SGA is also starting their respective projects for
reserves the right to reject or edit letters for purposes of clarity, good
the upcoming semester. The Committee on Finance has been working on processing several ISR requests
taste and accuracy, and to prevent libel. Letters attacking a private
capital improvements to campus. President Gering feels strongly about the safety and well-being of campus
for students. The Committee on Academic Affairs is looking to start a book-share program and purchase school supplies for the CAD in the upcoming semester. The Committee on Student Life has been working with maintenance throughout this school year to come up with ways to improve lighting on campus, and they worked to start this column to provide more consistent updates from SGA. Speaker Wiles confirmed that the mural project for this school year is in progress, and will be designed by Adam Kroeker and Oscar Gonzalez. Lastly, Junior Sandy Dao was appointed to the senate as SGA’s newest member.
individual will not be permitted. Anonymous letters also will not be accepted. Letters must include a signature, address, and phone number.
EMAIL: collegian@bethelks.edu
4 OPINION
THRESHPECTIVES : staff writers share their perspectives Is increasing the minimum wage good or bad for America? America is more than ready to raise the minimum wage
One of the States is $1,468. Working a full time main promises job at minimum wage would only earn of the Biden someone $1,160 per month. The cost of administration rent does not include additional bills or is to raise the even food. Setting the minimum wage minimum wage. to $15 an hour would allow someone to This raise in earn around $2,400 a month. minimum wage Another argument against raising CHARLOTTE EHRMANN would be the the minimum wage is that skilled Copy Editor first increase in workers make roughly $10-15 an hour. over a decade This should not be an argument against and also the largest increase in the raising the minimum wage, but this federal minimum wage history. The instead should be an argument for new proposed minimum wage would raising all wages! This should be an be $15 an hour. This argument that should raise in the minimum be taken up with the wage is an attempt to employer, not those allow people a chance “As inflation rises so American citizens to earn a livable wage. who are struggling to Since most of our does the cost of living, make ends meet. and without raising news is presented and One last consumed in the form of argument for raising the minimum wage social media, there have people cannot afford the minimum wage been misconceptions is simply that it is to live.” and misunderstandings time to raise it. As about the minimum inflation rises so does wage. the cost of living, and The first without raising the misconception comes from the idea of minimum wage people cannot afford earning a livable wage. I have seen many to live. Read that again. People right people argue online that the minimum now cannot afford to even live. Not that wage was never meant to be a livable people cannot afford to buy things they wage. To that I would love to point out want, these people cannot afford food or the original act in which the minimum shelter. wage was introduced. According to Not raising the minimum wage to Forbes Magazine, when Franklin D. meet inflation allows big companies Roosevelt introduced the Fair Labor and those at the top to continue to Standards Act of 1938, he had intended accumulate wealth while those at the the minimum wage to be “more than a bottom have to decide between paying bare subsistence level.” From the mouth rent or eating dinner. of FDR himself, the minimum wage has always been designed to be a livable wage. Charlotte Ehrmann is a junior history and A full time job at $7.25 working political science and psychology double major. forty hours a week for one full year would She is also the copy editor for the Bethel only equate to $15,080. Let us break this Collegian. down even further. The average monthly rent for an apartment in the United
The proposition to double the minimum wage is irresponsible and unrealistic It should first be or education, let alone dedication and said that, regardless loyalty. It is not simply a case of ‘raising of the theoretical wages.’ Such rewards must be earned, and arguments that have companies are not able to give them out been circulating on at will. this issue for what The removal of the bottom rungs would seem like time of the economic ladder will have seismic immemorial, the effects on the rungs higher up. Many proposals recently put small businesses, those which employ the ARRAN KEARNEY Staff Writer forward by President majority of Americans, will find themselves Biden to raise the unable to cope. A potential fifty percent Federal minimum wage to $15 an hour increase to the wage bill, which does not could not have come at a worse possible even consider the additional layouts to time. The pandemic has affected everyone, those disgruntled employees higher up the but none have been hit worse than small chain, will inevitably lead to the closure of businesses. The fact that many such establishments any such proposals are or reduced hours for staff. being seriously considered Minimum wage at this point in time is employment offers “The minimum wage absurd – and that is to say genuine opportunities nothing of the arguments to the unskilled. These represents, in its that underlie such are opportunities that, present form, a virtual proposals in the first place. through hard work and backstop within the The proposal to loyalty, might lead to economic system.” double the minimum financial betterment or wage is an attempt to (at the very least) the entirely reshape the acquisition of skills that bottom rungs of the will be advantageous economic system in the in future employment. United States. Those who stand most Doubling it would wipe out the structure’s firmly in opposition to such legislation are through which generations of Americans the millions of workers currently earning have moved and lived. around $15 an hour - a decent wage that is The minimum wage represents, in earned in jobs that require significant levels its present form, a vital backstop within of skill and expertise. Indeed, for many the economic system. The conflation such people, it is a wage that they have between menial and skilled labor here is a earned through climbing the economic dangerous and short – sighted one, dressed ladder within a company (a ladder that up as compassion. Such a radical and illthey will undoubtedly seek to climb further considered jump, especially in the shocking in the future). It is something that has taken economic climate of the present, would be years of dedication and loyalty – something disastrous for the American worker and for which a person might well take some pride the United States. in. Imagine their dismay when many of those who rest below them in the ladder Arran Kearney is a first year aspiring history now think it right and just that they ought major. He is also a staff writer for the Bethel to be handed that same wage for work that Collegian. (generally speaking) requires far less skill
FEATURES 5
Bethel Worship Center returns under new leadership ELIZABETH ALDERFER Staff Writer
Have you heard that Bethel Worship Center (BWC) is back and better than ever? BWC is a student-led gathering for students to worship, as well as a safe space dedicated to bringing people closer to Jesus. A Sunday morning service for everyone on campus, BWC aims to be a convenient and meaningful place for students to gather. In a time where COVID-19 has prohibited worship in many churches, it is encouraging to see Bethel have a place to worship once again. Since the beginnings of BWC in the fall semester of 2019, BWC has overcome many obstacles, but the leaders are confident that now is the perfect time for it to make a comeback. A.B. Stokes, former football coach, brought intense energy and enthusiasm to get the worship center started. While he is no longer with the Bethel community, there are many others who stepped up and continued to bring the passion and energy to this place of worship. When COVID-19 hit last March, it was tragic and caused BWC to come to a halt,
just as leadership was attempting to get more people involved and increase attendance. This past fall, COVID-19 still prohibited BWC from returning, but it provided leaders to see the importance and meaning it holds to students, envision hopes for the future and find ways to make the greatest impact in attendees’ lives. Michael Unruh, campus pastor, witnessed firsthand during his first few weeks and interview process that BWC was important to many students. “Students asked about how I felt about continuing BWC, so it was clearly an important part of students’ experiences of worship on campus,” Unruh said. With much student interest and obvious enthusiasm, Unruh helped connect people and prepare for the launch, but stepped back from a leadership position and turned it over to Ashleigh Hollis, director of annual giving. BWC is led by passionate, enthusiastic students, including: Reagan Cowden, sophomore from Derby, Sydney Brown, sophomore from Keller, Texas, Lindsey Pfannenstiel, sophomore from Hays, Ryan
Students wait for Bethel Worship Center service to start on Feb 7. Photo by Schyler Entz Song lyrics were projected onto the big screen for students to follow during worship, and groups of students spoke during different sections of the service. Photo by Liz Alderfer
Clark, Moore, Okla. and Katy Ponce, sophomore from Chino, Cali. Hollis serves as a main coordinator, leader, and contact of BWC. This team of leaders has hopes and ambitions to make BWC thrive and grow this semester. “It’s going to look different than last year. Last year was mainly worship and a message. This year we plan to do bible studies, fun activities and
The Bethel Worship Center hosted its first meeting on February 7 after a long hiatus. Students like Jadin Kaltenbach, senior from Wichita, led the worship and intentionally connected with students who attended. Photo by Liz Alderfer
incorporate more students. We want everyone to feel at home and think of BWC as a place they can go whenever they need it,” Pfannenstiel said. With Bible studies, activities and more being planned, there are opportunities for many students to get involved. Additionally, Ponce articulated hope that each Sunday service will be unique and diverse. “We do not plan on having every Sunday be the same routine. We will have typical services in which people come in and can worship and listen to an honest, enriching message. However, we also hope to have services that include Bible Studies, guest speakers, and activities that allow people to be creative and feel set free from current stresses,” Ponce said. Now that you know a little more about BWC, you may be reading this and feel a call to get involved! You are in luck! If you feel so led, the BWC team is looking for people that want to get involved. Some major areas they expressed need for are with planning services week to week and helping musically.
If playing an instrument or singing confidently is your forte, or perhaps you have a band, BWC would love to see you consider joining the team! If you have questions or want more information, feel free to reach out to any one of the leaders mentioned above, they would be thrilled to meet and discuss questions, concerns or ideas. With all this in mind, the overall goal is to make this semester of BWC richer with content and music and bring more energy than in the past. Bethel Worship Center is another great way to get involved with Bethel’s campus. BWC gathers every Sunday at 11 a.m. in Krehbiel Auditorium. Consider joining on a Sunday morning to start your week off by worshiping through music, scripture and fellow believers. Your life could be positively impacted, or if you choose to get involved you could witness other people’s lives being changed. Continue to look for announcements or updates around campus as the semester progresses, you don’t want to miss out!
THE BETHEL COLLEGE COLLEGIAN
6 FEATURES
Cultivating Slow Practices Amidst Busy Times BETHANY POWLS Editor-in-Chief
In 1986, Carlo Petrini of Bra, Italy, began the Slow Food movement, an organization now devoted to the
practice of time and care in traditional cooking. Like Petrini, many others have become bewitched by the idea of slower, more careful practice during a fast paced time, particularly in response to the demands of education, career
Rachel Geyer, sophomore from Kalona, Iowa, is a member of Buller’s class and enjoys embroidering as a way to implement slow practice into her life. Photo by Bethany Powls
goals, media and now a pandemic. Locally, slowness is being evaluated from an artistic perspective with one of the newest class additions to the Bethel College art department. Rachel Epp Buller, associate professor of visual arts and design, introduced “Slow Art for Fast Times” to the curriculum for Spring of 2021. The course views art and art history through a contemporary lens, as the literature and projects discussed explore slow practices. “I have been asking the students to try out some of these ideas, and/or think about how they can incorporate some aspect of slow into their own lives. We did some brainstorming in class over what are areas of college life that they find stressful and how can ‘slow’ be incorporated into that to change it. Whether that has to do with changing times, or if it’s more about slow as an idea or as a methodology in changing your approach, you’re still changing the way you’re doing something,” Buller said. While the course is still in the opening stages, students are currently working with theoretical approaches to slow practice, and have been studying aspects of art and art history alongside that. “I’ll be asking them to try out some of these methods as we get a little farther into the class. Right now, we’re laying the groundwork for all of the ideas… and I guess I’m trying to establish some buy-in, so they can see how this could apply to them. We read an article last week about slow travel, which meant thinking about how you can make the journey part of the destination. Whether you’re taking a train trip or you’re intentionally setting
aside a longer period of time, it was all about how you’re going to get there. Students have expressed some interest in this, or have had experience with this in the past,” Buller said. Much of the content and study for this class began with Buller’s own experience in applying slow practice to her art. “I’m coming from a sort of slowness in making, whether that means things like embroidery that take a long time or just the idea of duration. You might have a daily practice that you do every day for a long period of time,” Buller said. However, the methods of slowness incorporated in the class can be practiced across all disciplines. “I’ve been most interested in how artists are using that, but also I think it’s a great stepping stone to incorporating slowness into your life to be healthier. And the whole slow movement is so interdisciplinary… it started with food, but we’ve been reading about slow scholarship, things like meditation. There’s an effort in music called tempo giusto where musicians are thinking about what it means to play at a slower pace. So there are quite a few areas that are exploring this idea to sort of help people become healthier, but also begin to see things in a different way,” Buller said. Students in the class have responded positively to the
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 content and have felt inspired to pursue slow practices in their own life, even as college students. “There are a couple of people in class who are living off-campus together and they said they just tried out Hello Fresh for a couple of weeks… I think they were interested in trying out cooking rather than just going with prepackaged foods. There was another student who talked about deciding that his body felt really bad when he was eating fast food all the time, and he has basically quit fast food. Making an intentional choice to change the way you’re doing something can have a really big impact on the ways you feel,” Buller said. While Buller initially planned on incorporating projects like embroidery in the class, during the month of February, students will be talking about slowness as an ethic of care. Their first hands-on project will involve intentionally performing acts of care for themselves and for another person each day as a sort of “social engagement.” “The pandemic has given us an opportunity to radically rethink the way we do all sorts of things… it’s sort of been a new way to imagine being in the world,” Buller said. As the semester fills spare hours with classes, practices and homework, slowness can be incorporated piece by piece. “The more you can incorporate little breaks, sort of the healthier you can be. And the goal is not to be slow all the time, but if you can incorporate periods of slowness, then that actually makes like the fast times better, or more productive and slow helps you generate more ideas, be more creative, or just give you a period of rest,” Buller said.
FEATURES 7
Kelly Habeggar, senior from Hesston, is a member of Buller’s class. As part of the weekly assignment, she takes time out of her week to journal reflectively on texts read in class. Photo courtesy of Kelly Habegger
Reccomended Readings from Slow Art for Fast Times:
In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore
Slow Art by Arden Reed
Slow Food Nation by Alice Waters
The Slow Professor by Maggie Berg and Barbara K. Seeber
THE BETHEL COLLEGE COLLEGIAN
6 FEATURES
Cultivating Slow Practices Amidst Busy Times BETHANY POWLS Editor-in-Chief
In 1986, Carlo Petrini of Bra, Italy, began the Slow Food movement, an organization now devoted to the
practice of time and care in traditional cooking. Like Petrini, many others have become bewitched by the idea of slower, more careful practice during a fast paced time, particularly in response to the demands of education, career
Rachel Geyer, sophomore from Kalona, Iowa, is a member of Buller’s class and enjoys embroidering as a way to implement slow practice into her life. Photo by Bethany Powls
goals, media and now a pandemic. Locally, slowness is being evaluated from an artistic perspective with one of the newest class additions to the Bethel College art department. Rachel Epp Buller, associate professor of visual arts and design, introduced “Slow Art for Fast Times” to the curriculum for Spring of 2021. The course views art and art history through a contemporary lens, as the literature and projects discussed explore slow practices. “I have been asking the students to try out some of these ideas, and/or think about how they can incorporate some aspect of slow into their own lives. We did some brainstorming in class over what are areas of college life that they find stressful and how can ‘slow’ be incorporated into that to change it. Whether that has to do with changing times, or if it’s more about slow as an idea or as a methodology in changing your approach, you’re still changing the way you’re doing something,” Buller said. While the course is still in the opening stages, students are currently working with theoretical approaches to slow practice, and have been studying aspects of art and art history alongside that. “I’ll be asking them to try out some of these methods as we get a little farther into the class. Right now, we’re laying the groundwork for all of the ideas… and I guess I’m trying to establish some buy-in, so they can see how this could apply to them. We read an article last week about slow travel, which meant thinking about how you can make the journey part of the destination. Whether you’re taking a train trip or you’re intentionally setting
aside a longer period of time, it was all about how you’re going to get there. Students have expressed some interest in this, or have had experience with this in the past,” Buller said. Much of the content and study for this class began with Buller’s own experience in applying slow practice to her art. “I’m coming from a sort of slowness in making, whether that means things like embroidery that take a long time or just the idea of duration. You might have a daily practice that you do every day for a long period of time,” Buller said. However, the methods of slowness incorporated in the class can be practiced across all disciplines. “I’ve been most interested in how artists are using that, but also I think it’s a great stepping stone to incorporating slowness into your life to be healthier. And the whole slow movement is so interdisciplinary… it started with food, but we’ve been reading about slow scholarship, things like meditation. There’s an effort in music called tempo giusto where musicians are thinking about what it means to play at a slower pace. So there are quite a few areas that are exploring this idea to sort of help people become healthier, but also begin to see things in a different way,” Buller said. Students in the class have responded positively to the
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 content and have felt inspired to pursue slow practices in their own life, even as college students. “There are a couple of people in class who are living off-campus together and they said they just tried out Hello Fresh for a couple of weeks… I think they were interested in trying out cooking rather than just going with prepackaged foods. There was another student who talked about deciding that his body felt really bad when he was eating fast food all the time, and he has basically quit fast food. Making an intentional choice to change the way you’re doing something can have a really big impact on the ways you feel,” Buller said. While Buller initially planned on incorporating projects like embroidery in the class, during the month of February, students will be talking about slowness as an ethic of care. Their first hands-on project will involve intentionally performing acts of care for themselves and for another person each day as a sort of “social engagement.” “The pandemic has given us an opportunity to radically rethink the way we do all sorts of things… it’s sort of been a new way to imagine being in the world,” Buller said. As the semester fills spare hours with classes, practices and homework, slowness can be incorporated piece by piece. “The more you can incorporate little breaks, sort of the healthier you can be. And the goal is not to be slow all the time, but if you can incorporate periods of slowness, then that actually makes like the fast times better, or more productive and slow helps you generate more ideas, be more creative, or just give you a period of rest,” Buller said.
FEATURES 7
Kelly Habeggar, senior from Hesston, is a member of Buller’s class. As part of the weekly assignment, she takes time out of her week to journal reflectively on texts read in class. Photo courtesy of Kelly Habegger
Reccomended Readings from Slow Art for Fast Times:
In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore
Slow Art by Arden Reed
Slow Food Nation by Alice Waters
The Slow Professor by Maggie Berg and Barbara K. Seeber
8 SPORTS
Thresher track and field continue to break records
Natalie Graber, junior from Divide, Colo. smashes the school record running a 2:30 leg in the 4x800. Trey Palmer, sophomore from Pearland, Texas runs the anchor leg in the 4x400. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Brewer Reid. ARRAN KEARNEY Staff Writer
Coach Kelly Parsley has very good reason to be excited looking ahead to the KCAC Championship Indoor meet later this month. This indoor season has undoubtedly been Bethel’s best in recent history, with outstanding athletic performances across the board. “With each passing week our performances seem to be only getting better and better - we now have more athletes ranked in the top twenty-five nationally than
we’ve ever had” Parsley said. This puts the Threshers in good standing as conference fast approaches. If all goes well, Parsley believes that the team could rank as high as third, which would be an enormous improvement on last year’s seventh. It is a bold prediction, but a very feasible one. The athletic program has hit new heights over the winter, breaking several prominent college records. New records in both the men and women’s distance medley and 4x800 relays points to the
TRACK AND FIELD MAR. 18, 19, 20
AWAY
KCAC CHAMPIONSHIPS HESKETT CENTER - WICHITA
CHEER AND DANCE
MAR. 19
AWAY
KCAC CHAMPIONSHIPS LINDSBORG
growing strength of the team, which only seems set to expand further next semester. Other notable performances include the new indoor 3k records set by Mauro Arancibia and Natalie Graber, and the long and triple jump records claimed by Stephany Meyer. “The team has had an incredible struggle over the past few months. The coronavirus has forced event organizers to impose really heavy restrictions on their events capacities and schedules, which has meant some extremely long weekends, some of them stretching over three days,” Parsley said. Yet the team has been undeterred. One recent meet at Wichita State saw almost every athlete PR. It is unsurprising that Bethel currently has athletes ranked in the top 25 nationally across 13 different events. The men’s team has also received a good ranking recently at number 14 in the nation. These incredible achievements are a testament to the hard work and dedication that the men and women have shown in their training throughout the season. With their recent performances, some of these athletes have proven themselves to be amongst the best in NAIA. Braylen Brewer for example is ranked seventh and sixth in the 200 and 400 meters respectively.
Austin Cheatham has gone one better – ranking fifth nationally in shot put. Looking at these rankings and others Parsley and the rest of the coaching staff are feeling fairly hopeful about the conference meet coming up. “We have an excellent chance of getting multiple athletes to National’s this year,” Parsley said. Especially promising in this regard are the record-breaking relay squads which, should they qualify, could mean that Bethel would be sending a fairly large group of athletes up to the event in Yankton, South Dakota in March.
UPCOMING EVENTS BASKETBALL MAR. 17
6:00 PM
SOFTBALL MAR. 20
TENNIS HOME
vs. BETHANY COLLEGE
MAR. 20 5:00 & 7:00 PM AWAY at UNIVERSITY OF ST. MARY
MAR. 20
1:00 PM
AWAY
at EVANGEL UNIVERSITY
MAR. 28
1:00 PM
Coach Parsley is also determined to improve the reach and stature of the athletics program within the conference. On March 6, Bethel hosted their first ever indoor athletics meet at Wichita State University. This provided the athletes one more chance to showcase their impressive talents before the conference Meet, taking place at WSU. Hopefully the program can finish the season on a high. “(I am) extremely proud of everything that my athletes have been able to do this Winter – and I am confident that we can improve even more over the coming year,” said Parsley.
HOME
vs. COLLEGE OF ST. MARY
1:00 & 3:00 PM
HOME
vs. HASTINGS COLLEGE
MAR. 21
1:00 & 3:00 PM
HOME
vs. BRIAR CLIFF UNIVERSITY
MAR. 27
1:00 & 3:00 PM
HOME
vs. PERU STATE COLLEGE
Bethel fall sports look to finish seasons
Thresher volleyball faces against Friends University in the new spring semester games. Photo by Jessica LaRocque JESSICA LAROCQUE Sports Editor
COVID-19 is the cause of much adjustment this year. This includes games that have been canceled or postponed for almost every sports team on campus. It has been up to Athletic Director Tony Hoops and Assistant Athletic Director and Sports Information Director Josh Booth
to make the tough decisions regarding game play. “Postponing has been the solution probably 95% of the time this year, meaning that the intent is to put off the game but reschedule it for later in the year. Conference games directly impact postseason seeding and opportunities for teams to go to their respective
national championships, so we try to make these up as much as possible,” Booth said. With the improvement of athletic programs at Bethel College, this job is ever more important. Despite the athletic directors’ constant attention towards the subject, time is running out as the second semester dwindles down. “We will definitely see a few scenarios where postponing just isn’t feasible anymore. In the fall, we tried to avoid postponing games to the spring as much as possible but knew it would be inevitable. For our winter sports, the deadline is more distinct. We only have a few remaining days to either fit it in, or make the difficult decision to cancel it and move forward with the remaining schedules,” Booth said. Due to postponement, Bethel College is looking toward
an eventful semester filled with sports. “There is the potential for all of our sports to be in action in early March. The winter sports will be wrapping up their final postseason dates, the spring sports will begin and our fall sports will get back in gear as well,” Booth said. Not only are athletic directors working overtime in the next few months, support staff and athletic trainers are also having to work overtime to keep up with the increase. “We likely will see staff members having to deal with scheduling conflicts. It won’t be easy, but our athletic trainers and event support staff care about doing their jobs effectively. That is one of the reasons why I’m confident this semester will see success and a lot of great moments for our student-athletes and teams,” Booth said.
COVID return-to-play protocol revised JAYDE BLAIN Staff Writer
COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the world since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020. Sports are no exception to the pandemic. New protocols and procedures have been put in place, included is a COVID-19 return-to-play protocol. The original protocol required all athletes that tested positive for COVID-19 to see the college’s partnering doctor, Dr. Jenny Koontz. During their appointment, athletes would be given a general physical, a troponin blood test, an echocardiogram (EKG). As the scientific and medical communities’ understanding of COVID-19 changes, so do the procedures and protocols enforced to protect athletes.
Over the winter break, new information was discovered that changed the COVID-19 return to play protocol for Bethel College athletics. “There’s been more research that’s come out that has shown that there is significantly lower concern for certain conditions related to the heart than we thought prior. For those asymptomatic and mild symptomatic individuals, simply doing a provider eval, looking at those vitals, checking heart and lung. . .there’s no concern there, [as well] as the exercise progression goes well, there’s not a lot of concern to do the EKG,” Chris Ibach, head athletic trainer, said. Because of the new knowledge regarding COVID-19, new protocols were put in place for this semester. “If there are no red flags
[after the provider eval], they are cleared to begin their exercise progression, which hasn’t changed from last semester. For moderate and severe cases, we still go through the process of getting the bloodwork, getting an EKG,” said Ibach. In order to understand which tests need to be run, athletes are assessed by symptoms. Each category, has different progressions. “We use guidance from the AMSSM, as well as from the NCAA. For mild symptoms, generally speaking, we’re looking at cold type symptoms, a sore throat [and] congestion. For moderate, we’re looking for more flu-like symptoms... fever [and] total body aches. Severe cases are cases where we’re seeing people that have been hospitalized because they’re having trouble breathing,” said Ibach.
These new changes have decreased the amount of time between finishing quarantine and fully returning to the athlete’s sport, as well as lifted the financial burden many students had to bear in the first semester. The school’s athletic insurance does not cover the cost of COVID-19 related tests, and several student’s personal insurance also rejected the cost. This left many students with expensive medical bills, and no way to pay the bills that kept piling up. “Based on the information that we had at the time, the information from the medical community was saying that these tests were needed. There isn’t any sort of reimbursement mechanism for somebody that had mild symptoms in the fall,” said Ibach.
SPORTS 9
The Sideline
LAUREN MCCREARY Staff Writer
MICHAEL CECH TENNIS How is Kansas different from the Czech Republic? “The people here are really kind, and they are not complaining (about) everything like in the Czech Republic. You don’t have mountains here, but the sunsets are the most amazing thing in Kansas.”
How has tennis impacted your life? “The position provided me with the opportunity to study in the Untied States. I am really looking forward to the spring season, and I am excited to travel to some new places with my tennis team.”
What were you most excited about when coming to the U.S.? “I was the most excited to see Bethel’s campus, meet new people and make some new friends. I was also excited to experience American football. Go Chiefs!”
10 ENTERTAINMENT
Bethel College fine arts hopeful for public performances in spring JULIANNA SCHRAG Staff Writer
In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, fine arts at Bethel College are finding ways to thrive. Thanks to the combined efforts of dedicated professors and students, music and theater departments on campus hope to share the fruits of their labors with the wider Bethel community this semester. “The time frame we meet in is part of the safety protocol for each group,” Director of Bands/ Assistant Professor of Music Joel Boettger, said. Boettger rehearses his ensembles twice a week (at most). “Rehearsals [are] 45 minutes because of the concentration of potential aerosols. All musicians are required to be at least seven feet apart but farther apart is preferable, especially for potential super spreader instruments like trumpet and trombone. Bell covers and face masks are mandatory,” Boettger the Steel Drum Band and Pep Band [have] been doing more in-person practices… following COVID-19 protocols such as wearing masks and using bell covers,” Director of Pep Band and Steel Band/Director of Summer Programs Brad Shores said. The Bethel College Concert Choir, directed by Professor and Chair of Music/Director of Choral Activities William Eash, meets five days a week and rehearses for a maximum of thirty minutes. The full ensemble splits into smaller practice groups
at least twice per week. Speciallymade singing masks are used to enhance the experience for the singers. Though contingent on county and campus COVID-19 cases, Boettger has some plans to perform outside with all groups when spring arrives. Concert Choir is also hopeful for an outdoor concert in May. The Bethel College theater department is planning to produce a play entitled “I and You,” written by Lauren Gunderson this semester. The plot centralizes around two youths, one, fittingly, “homebound due to illness.” “Auditions will be held in [Krehbiel] auditorium Monday, March 22 at 6:00 p.m. Callbacks, if needed, will be held Tuesday, March 23 at 6:00 p.m.,” Assistant Professor of Communication Arts/Director of Theater Karen Robu said. “We have purchased the live-stream license so audience members can watch safely from home. Whether or not we allow audience members in the auditorium will depend on COVID numbers at the time,” Robu said. The show will premiere on April 30, running each evening through May 1, with an additional matinee performance on Saturday. Whether through vocalizing, playing an instrument or acting, Threshers are adapting to ensure they can exercise their artistic talents safely this semester.
Amos
Jessie Thomas is a junior from Halstead. Her aspiring major is English Education. She has a passion for art, with a love of digital media, and creating characters like Amos. This comic, featuring Amos, was inspired by professors’ procedure with open air classrooms in freezing weather. We don’t blame you, professors, just the cursed Kansas wind. If you would like to contribute a piece of artwork to a future issue of the Collegian, email us at collegian@bethelks.edu!
ENTERTAINMENT 11
Fun places to explore in the Newton area in small groups CLAIRA JANSSEN Staff Writer
It can be difficult to find a balance between obtaining an education and maintaining a healthy social life. Add in the aspect of a global pandemic and things become way more complicated. That social life we once knew has almost completely disappeared. If you find yourself in a slump, it may be a good idea to get out and explore! (While taking the correct precautions of course.) Doing so can help you improve your focus and motivation on whatever may be left on that dreaded to-do list. A super fun throwback to try out with a small group of friends is bowling! Newton is home to two bowling alleys: Play-Mor Lanes and Eastgate Lanes. Both places are on top of safe COVID procedures. This would be a great activity to do if you are feeling especially stressed out with classes. There is something therapeutic about throwing a weighted ball and listening to pins clatter as they get knocked down. It’s less about the game and more about good times had with good friends. If bowling doesn’t sound too appealing, there is always retail therapy. It’s even more
THE
enjoyable when it doesn’t put a strain on your bank account. You can have the best of both worlds, and then some, with the pastime of thrift shopping. Thrift shopping and antique shopping is a great way to support small businesses and the causes that they often support as well. Newton has plenty of options of stores to choose from and check out. There are the Newton Et Cetera Shop and Goodwill. These places mainly sell clothing. Searching for gems and joking about the oddities with your friends is a great way to step away from the pressure of upcoming assignments. If you are feeling brave, try picking out gag outfits for your friends. This will certainly bring many laughs. If shopping for vintage and discount clothing isn’t your style, there are plenty of antique stores and flea markets to check out. Layman’s Antique Mall & Flea Market and Metcalf Sisters Antiques are some great shops downtown to look through. Simply looking through the items that are for sale and embracing the nostalgia they bring is fun enough in itself. If you are craving some serious nostalgia, the Kauffman Museum is a wonderfully historic place to get away for
a quick break. Going alone or with a small group are both ideal options, however, sometimes it’s best to take a breather and get some entertainment in solitude. If you are feeling ambitious, another simple and pocket friendly activity to enjoy is a walk on the sand creek trails.
Newton Et Cetera Shop and Play-Mor Lanes are both places that students can visit in small groups while following appropriate safety guidelines. Photos by Lindsey Pfannenstiel
COLLEGIAN
The Bethel College Collegian is a student-run newspaper published bi-weekly during the fall and spring semesters. The Collegian is funded by advertisement revenue and student fees. The Collegian will be digitally available to Bethel faculty, staff, students and community members for the 2020-2021 academic year. Feedback may be sent to:
collegian@bethelks.edu The Collegian, Bethel College, North Newton, KS, 67117
If we are lucky enough to get a warmer day, this activity is highly recommended. A social life is still possible these days, we just have to get a bit more creative! Whatever you choose to do in your free time, be sure to wear a mask and keep a safe distance from others.
STAFF
BETHANY POWLS
ALLISON WEAVER
NATHAN GARBER
CHRISTINE CROUSE-DICK
JADIN KALTENBACH
CHARLOTTE EHRMANN
KRISTA LOOMIS
SCHYLER ENTZ
MIKINZIE HARKINS
CAPRI STEVENSON-BISOM
JESSICA LAROCQUE
EMILY BRANDT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
FACULTY ADVISOR
BUSINESS MANAGER
DESIGN/LAYOUT EDITOR
NEWS EDITOR
OPINION EDITOR
FEATURES EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR COPY EDITOR
WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR
THE BETHEL COLLEGE COLLEGIAN
PHOTO FEATURE 12
Fun places for small gatherings in Newton area
The colorful wall is in alley behind Prairy Harvest, on Main Street (Top Left), and the colorful house is in Newton (Top Right). The Blue Sky Sculpture is a local attraction at Centennial Park, also in Newton. (Bottom Left) Del Puente Cafe and Layman’s Antique Mall and Flea Market are on Main Street. (Middle Right) The alley staircase can be found west of Main Street. (Bottom Middle) See if you can find these local locations! Photos by Lindsey Pfannenstiel
