BC Collegian_Friday, Feb. 4, 2022_Vol. 110, Issue 7 by Bethel College

THE

COLLEGIAN Friday, February 4, 2022 | Volume 110, Issue 7 | North Newton, KS

Natalie Graber, senior from Divide, Colo., is a regular attendee of Chapel and is pictured above with fellow seniors as they write down ideas for future Chapel sessions. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

Reverie at Mojo’s new to North Newton

Editorial: Professionalism and expression

Engagement in Campus Ministries

Clifford Byrd reaches career milestone

Kauffman Museum hosts Kansas Day

2 NEWS

Resignation puts Dean Haynes in COVID-19 leadership JOSUE COY DICK

Staff Writer

Geri Tyrell resigned last semester in December from her position at Bethel College as director of the Nursing Department. Tyrell had a variety of duties; in addition to being the director of the Nursing Department, she was the co-chair of the Infectious Disease Management Team (IDMT) with Sarah Mason, and the main staff member assisting students through Bethel’s COVID-19 protocol. After Tyrell resigned, Masem became the interim director of the Nursing Department, while the responsibilities for Bethel’s COVID-19 response have dispersed. An integral character in the facilitation of COVID-19 responsibilities is the Dean of Students, Sam Haynes.

With the resignation of Tyrell in December, President Gering asked Haynes to oversee the operations that support students when they test positive for COVID-19. Haynes accepted. To make the process for students who test positive for COVID-19 easier, Haynes has created a new team called the “COVID Testing Response Action Team” for spring 2022. “Not having a plan makes people feel uncomfortable, and so I had to develop a plan. And I have, and we’ve been using it this semester ever since Dr. Tyrell left,” said Haynes. He created and now oversees a team of Bethel faculty and staff to facilitate the process for students, from the moment a student needs to take a COVID-19 test, to the managing of quarantine and isolation

procedures. This new team includes Hailee Owens, campus COVID certified nurse assistant, Larry Rice, coordinator of residence life, Chris Ibach, head athletic trainer, and a temporary nurse. Mr. Haynes also takes and executes recommendations from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) concerning students with COVID-19. In addition to his newly assumed responsibilities, Haynes continues to be a member of the IDMT. The IDMT makes recommendations to President Gering, who makes the final decision and executes COVID-19 policy. However according to Haynes, the IDMT has been significantly less active as of late because Bethel no longer uses

Campus Clear and a color code system. Any student concern relating to COVID-19 is forwarded to Haynes, who then does what he can to respond to these concerns. This includes everything from alerting faculty when students enter and exit quarantine to buying jump ropes for students so that they can stay active and healthy while in quarantine. Haynes also manages locating test kits for Bethel College so that Bethel students can continue to test. Testing kits are hard to come by, so Haynes is also critical in the process of deciding how tests will be used. Haynes emphasized that the ever changing nature of the pandemic requires flexibility in the response team, especially concerning following local, state and federal government recommendations.

Senator DeMond proposes committee for Caf reform APRIL POWLS

Staff Writer

“Don’t go to the Caf tonight, it’s not worth it,” is how Logan DeMond, junior senator from Larned, introduced his proposal at the last Student Government Association (SGA) meeting on January 23. The issue he brought to SGA that night was student disapproval with Caf food. “The Caf has a wide variety of food, and that’s great. We have options that fit the needs of gluten and dairy free students, students of various religions, and students with a diverse pallet. What the Caf does not always have, however, is a standard option to accompany these diverse choices,” DeMond said. It could be argued by food services that pizza could serve as that staple.

However, as many students express regularly, they cannot always eat pizza, and for nearly ten dollars a meal. DeMond argues that this should not be the case. “The menu simply has to contain more options, and if not, then when our contract with Aladdin expires, it is time to reevaluate our options,” DeMond said. His proposal was simple: as the direct representatives of the student body receiving one-hundred and twenty dollars a year to enact change, it is SGA’s job to do something about it. He proposed that SGA create a committee that could work with the meal coordinators to reform the Caf so that students always have something to eat that appeals to them. The bill passed and a committee was formed at the end of the meeting. This committee consists of Senators

DeMond, Brett Esch, a sophomore from Carrollton, Texas, Gabriella Fields, first year from Tulsa, Okla., Sam Wilson, senior from Minneapolis, Minn., and Christopher Strecker, junior from Goessel. They plan to meet with meal coordinator of Aladdin Food Services, to start working on change. “It is my desire to work with the Caf— not against it—in this process. We believe this is the most respectful, practical way of tackling the daily issues in the Caf. It is our hope that Lucy in the Caf is willing to meet us halfway, and treat us with that same respect.” Because Bethel College is currently in a contract with Aladdin food services, drastic changes cannot be made immediately or even in the course of this semester, but the intention is to voice

the student body’s concerns in hope that changes can be made. “Until we fight for change in the Caf, we cannot complain about the status quo— or in other words, the lemon dill tilapia that will be served on Monday night.” DeMond said. SGA has been working with Vice President of student life and Dean of students, Samuel Haynes, to determine the best course of action and they believe that this is it. DeMond concluded his proposal saying, “We’ve all heard students say ‘What does SGA do?’ Tonight, let’s take the first steps towards making visible change three times a day in the Cafeteria.”

SGA met on Sunday, January 23 in the chapel. The Senate of the Student Government Association voted on the following: - Bill to Grant Jerod Kauffman Funds from the ISR Account - Bill to Approve Funding for a Fourth Talkaphone Tower - Bill to Approve the Community for Justice and Peace Club If you have any questions, comments, concerns or ideas regarding anything you think SGA should address, please feel free to reach out to any SGA member or send comments to sga@bethelks.edu or through the website, bethelsga.wordpress.com

NEWS 3

A new brew for North Newton with Reverie Roasters APRIL POWLS Staff Writer

At the end of the fall semester of 2021, Mojo’s, the campus coffee shop located in the Schultz student center announced they would be selling Mojo’s to Reverie Roasters, a Wichita based coffee roastery. This has piqued a lot of interest on campus. One of the largest changes made by Reverie Roasters was an overhaul of the old menu. For one, it has been cut nearly in half, limiting the options available. Some would say this makes the decision making process a lot less difficult, but for others, their favorite items haven’t returned. “I miss Mojo’s fun seasonal drinks that had lots of sweet syrups. I also miss having the 12 oz option for iced drinks because sometimes I don’t need 16 oz or I don’t want to pay for 16 oz when I just need a quick afternoon pick-me-up,” Annie Carlson, senior from Freeman, SD, said. In regards to food items, Reverie Roasters is still selling items from the Mojo’s Bakehouse until their own products can be brought 100% fresh from their scratch kitchen and bakery in Wichita. Some Reverie items can already be purchased, like their homemade hand pies. The Mojo’s menu may have been cut back, but Reverie Roasters has big plans for dessert. “In time, our goal is to provide daily delivery of our pastries…butter croissants, pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant), ham and cheese croissant and fruit and savory Danishes…And our rye chocolate chip cookie is probably the best cookie on the planet. But don’t take my word for it,” Andrew Gough, founder and owner of Reverie Roasters said. Reverie Roasters is excited to share their commitment to using locally sourced ingredients with the campus community. “We don’t just say we ‘love’ or ‘buy’ local. We mean it. We’ve actually coined a term ‘demonstrating localism,’ which is a written guide for what it truly means when we say local,” Gough said. Reverie Roasters hopes to soon declare that up to 75% of their ingredients come from within a one-hundred mile

radius of Wichita, including milk from Hildebrand Farms Dairy in Junction City and seasonal veggies and fruit from Strong Roots Healthy Farming in Valley Center. Reverie Roasters also makes nearly all of their syrup flavors in house, such as mocha, pistachio, rosemary salted caramel and a few fruit flavors for their Italian sodas. “We tend to have fewer options, but knockouts that are indicative of our interest in quality and uniqueness. We tend to rotate seasonal specials in and out throughout the year to keep the inventory of product fresh. Because we don’t use products with preservatives, we have an extremely short shelf life for many of our ingredients and smaller menus are crucial to keep supply from timing out,” Gough said. Unfortunately, this commitment comes with a cost. In order to afford so many local ingredients, the prices of all their merchandise had to be raised from the previously-owned Mojo’s. Reverie Roasters feels this is a necessary sacrifice to make in order to pay their employees well and maintain this standard of excellence in their ingredients. Visitors might notice some aesthetic changes, mainly the updating of the front bar, new furniture, and fresh paint highlighting the stage area. Reverie Roasters hopes to start hosting live events in the evening with extended hours, but it is dependent on staffing and COVID-19 challenges. In the meantime, Reverie will be exhibiting a local artist’s work every month. The months of January and February feature copper work by Glen Ediger, a Bethel college alum. Reverie at Mojo’s will still be using the online platform with ordering capabilities and the Bubbert’s sign still remains on the back wall in homage to how Mojo’s began. “We’re excited to be a part of the school family and a neighbor to the community. Mojo’s definitely created some big shoes and we are trying to fill them. Our hope is that we can make the shoes even bigger as we take this location on a journey into the next decade. We just ask that customers consider our

mission (to precipitate positivity within our communities) and decide how they can help us to accomplish this together,” Gough said.

(Left) Barista Kalie Kosminski, first-year from Newton, finishes a hot drink. (Right) Barista Katrina Heinrichs helps Brad Born out on the register at the newly minted shop. Photos by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

New decor at Reverie Roasters at Mojo’s include copper works by Glen Ediger, a painted back wall, and fresh tables with chairs. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

4 EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL Workplace professionalism and creative expression are not mutually exclusive this old-fashioned notion that creative expressions like dyed hair and other body modifications such as tattoos or piercings have no place in a professional setting. That doesn’t seem to stop those that are discouraging social change from being rude and attempting to enforce their, frankly, wrong opinions on others. Well, I am here to say you should do what you want. If you want to cut and dye your hair, I have clippers and purple hair dye in my room right now. If you want to get a tattoo or piercing that your parents think will “ruin” your future, we can look for safe parlors together. Do not let anyone tell you that expressing yourself is bad or wrong. The reason older generations are afraid of individualism and creativity is because the idea that “being different is bad” was drilled into their heads at a young age. CAPRI STEVENSON-BISOM Design/Layout Editor Whether the difference lies in race, physical ability or even brain chemistry, Have you ever been told that you it can be easy for some to clearly identify shouldn’t dye your hair, that you should what they believe to be too different. make sure you get that tattoo in a place The limits put on what was considered you can cover easily acceptable for personal or to be sure that appearances were you can take your derived from fear and piercings out? hate. The people In order to break asking these out of the cycle of questions will generational trauma, “Do not let anyone tell usually follow we all must recognize you that expressing their snide remark where fear and hate are with a spiel about yourself is bad or wrong.” motivators behind our how these body thought processes and modifications may actively reject that line prevent future of thought. employers from So, the next time hiring you. someone tries to dump It never seems their incorrect opinions to cross their minds that maybe I have no on you, don’t even engage. Just burp in desire to work somewhere that doesn’t like their face or something. Perhaps they my creative expressions. deserve a little disrespect. Younger generations are phasing out The fashion industry is also a medium

for creative expression. Clothing is an her hair. Spite is an excellent motivator excellent way to express oneself because it when challenging previous generational is so customizable. norms. While clothes As someone with may be good tools tattoos, dyed hair for expression, I do and a big personality recognize that some I was also told career options require that I could not be dress codes and/or creatively expressive “However, I feel as certain appearances with my appearance long as your piercings, that may rule out a lot, both as a child tattoos, or hair style more expressive and an adult. and individualistic I had resigned don’t interfere directly clothing choices. myself to stop dying with the work you are However, I feel as my hair after college, doing, your employer has always long as your piercings, wearing no business controlling pants to work and tattoos, or hair style don’t interfere directly your body and what you attempting to subdue with the work you are my more passionate do with it.” doing, your employer qualities. But that’s has no business not a way to live. controlling your body I remember and what you do with years ago when my it. artistic grandmother I could maybe would coach me see a valid argument made for hair and on looking and being eccentric. I would piercings getting in the way of work, rather follow her instructions than the especially for those that deal with food suggestions of strangers who try to tell me or with hazardous machinery. However, what’s good for me. tattoos are art placed directly on skin, so While I have taken my grandmother’s there is really no situation in which they lessons to heart, I do not think one has to could interfere with one’s work. If you be an artist to be eccentric and flamboyant don’t like the art on my body, don’t look in their appearance. I plan on working in at it. a museum setting for my future career In my experience, specific hair and I would rather change my work styles and “normal” hair colors are environment than downplay myself and only required when the employees are my artistic expression. being dehumanized. Oftentimes, these regulations are put in place to make everyone look the same, which goes back Capri Stevenson-Bisom is a senior Chemistry to the fear of individualism. and Art double major. They are also the Design/ One of my friends just had one of Layout Editor for the Bethel Collegian. these experiences where she was told that having the underside of her hair dyed a discreet pink was unprofessional. I was so proud of her when she told me that the next day she immediately re-dyed

THRESHPECTIVE 5

THRESPECTIVES Should Bethel raise the credit hour limit? Capping hours limits academic achievement With the new semester starting, every student must finalize their schedule and verify they are in the correct classes LIZ ALDERFER for their major. Opinion Editor Along with the help of advisors and the Registrar, each student creates a personalized schedule. Not only is it difficult to make sure all the right classes are being taken due to scheduling conflicts and courses offered alternating years, but worrying about exceeding a credit hour limit makes things more tedious. Being a full time student at Bethel means taking between 12-18 credit hours. While the college does allow students to exceed the limit of 18, there is a price to pay. For every credit hour over 18, the student must pay $575. This can get quite pricey if a student is feeling particularly ambitious or many of their required classes are offered in one semester. In a way, paying more may prohibit students from taking more classes. College students already have a variety of expenses and, to keep tuition down, they may desire to stay within the 12-18 range of hours. This can have a negative effect because some students may have to stay longer than four years to fit in required courses for majors and, ultimately, graduation. It also restricts students from graduating early because it limits the amount of courses one can take for a certain amount of money. If a student doesn’t want to pay over the 18 hour limit but wishes to take a class or be involved in extracurricular, students may choose to audit a course.

Auditing a course means a student can take classes but cannot be graded or given credit for a particular course. This allows the student to still be involved in musical groups, or benefit from a course without doing all the work or receiving credit. Auditing is a great option for some people but isn’t viable for others. Students may need the credit for majors, minors or to be classified as a full time student. Another way student’s avoid this rule is by taking classes through a local junior college during summer break or even throughout the school year. Since they aren’t taking classes through Bethel, they can easily exceed the 18 credit hour limit while avoiding the costly additional fees. Not every student may retreat to this alternative, but a lot certainly do. It is an easy way to gain additional credit hours and get general education credits out of the way at a lower price. In this scenario, Bethel is the one losing students and tuition money. With all this being said, it raises the question: “Why can’t Bethel raise the limit or get rid of it altogether?” Raising the limit may open new doors for students and allow them to further their studies. The limit may be a way of helping students take a manageable course load; however, each student should be able to decide for themselves what they can and cannot handle. It may seem ridiculous to question the cap because 18 credit hours can be quite a full load per semester but there are cases where it would be nice to be able to exceed that without the hassle of paying more or auditing. Liz Alderfer is a junior Elementary Education major. She is also the Opinion Editor for the Bethel Collegian.

The 18 hour credit limit is sufficient

BRETT ESCH Staff Writer

For a campus composed of over 75-percent student-athletes, an 18-hour credit limit not only shouldn’t be raised at this point in time, but might even in itself be a

tad excessive. In fact, the main argument in opposition to an increase in this figure is that it would simply be too much time and energy for the institution to invest when there are countless other, more pressing tasks at hand – such as the construction of a new locker room behind Thresher Stadium and managing the once again rampant spread of COVID-19 variants. Additionally, the elevation in Bethel College’s credit hour limit would very likely result in a need for more courses, which in turn creates a need for more professors. From my experience, along with the experience of many others I know, it’s tough to fill a schedule to its minimum hour requirement with major-specific/ necessary courses as it is. And while the introduction of new courses may sound exciting, it’s important to see it from the school’s perspective: there are limited social distancing spaces available on campus, Bethel was just upgraded from the ‘on notice’ status regarding its accreditation and the funds that are available are being utilized to improve campus life, which has long been the institution’s top item on the proverbial checklist. Finally, another consequence to consider is the possible raising of the credit minimum. Balancing sports, fine

arts or other extracurricular activities with 12 hours can be excruciating at times. If the maximum is bumped to, say, 21 hours, what would that do to the requirement? Elevate it by two or three hours? Place more demand on each student in an already notoriously academically rigorous school? Obviously, it would be painting with a broad brush to say absolutely no attendee can manage this workload, but education is far from one-size-fitsall. In the current system, students are able to tailor their course selection and quantity to fit their respective skillset. Ask them to do more (with a presumptive raise in the credit minimum of 12), and you take away their individualism – you force them into useless classes that will do nothing to enhance the pursuit of their passion. You naturally create apathy for an amazing institution. With an increase in campus size through the construction of more learning spaces, combined with an increase in enrollment, I could undoubtedly see a case for the current 18-hour credit limit being raised. Until then, in Bethel College’s current state with ongoing projects and the management of a (still very real) pandemic, there would have to be a very prolonged discourse regarding the subject – which is something I truly believe the school has no interest in being a part of. Brett Esch is a sophomore Communication Arts major. He is also a staff writer for the Bethel Collegian.

6 COMMUNITY

Word on the Street What is your favorite meal in the Caf and why? What is your least favorite meal? SENIOR

Peyton Fast

“My favorite Caf food is the chicken piccata! It always comes in clutch when the rest of the food is not the greatest. My least favorite meal is the Greek Turkey Sliders. They just never seem to hit the spot, which leaves a lot of potential left on the table.”

SOPHOMORE

Macy Sisco

JUNIOR

Arianna Gomez

“My favorite Caf meal would have to be the chicken piccata. Pasta and chicken has always been a favorite dish of mine and the sauce they make with it is delicious! As for least favorite, I would have to say the shredded hashbrowns at breakfast. I have never been a huge fan of shredded hash browns, but all other types of morning potatoes are great.”

FIRST-YEAR

Lucas Stewart

“My favorite meal would have to be the chicken piccata or crispy shrimp tacos. They are both reliable and good every time. My least favorite is the tilapia meals because I am not a big fan of fish and I do not like the seasonings that are put on it.”

“My favorite Caf meal is the spicy chicken sandwich because it’s good by itself and you can add things on it to make it how you want. My least favorite is any fish meal because the fish never seems seasoned well enough for me to pick it over anything else.”

Letters to the Editor The Bethel Collegian will accept letters of up to 250 words. The editor reserves the right to reject or edit letters for purposes of clarity, good taste and accuracy and to prevent libel. Letters attacking a private 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

THE

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 2021-2022 academic year. Feedback may be sent to:

collegian@bethelks.edu The Collegian, Bethel College, North Newton, KS, 67117

STAFF

BETHANY POWLS

ALLISON WEAVER

NATHAN GARBER

CHRISTINE CROUSE-DICK

LIZ ALDERFER

CHARLOTTE EHRMANN

CHARLES WALKER

JULIANNA SCHRAG

MIKI HARKINS

CAPRI STEVENSON-BISOM

SCHYLER ENTZ

EMILY BRANDT

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

FACULTY ADVISER

BUSINESS MANAGER

DESIGN/LAYOUT EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

FEATURES EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR COPY EDITOR

WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR

FEATURES 7

Print news and personal testimony: A peek into 1960s student journalism at Bethel College

BETHANY POWLS Editor-in-Chief

For Bethel students attending school during the 1960s, journalism remained a critical aspect of the campus community. Dave Janzen, a 1969 Bethel graduate from Hillsboro, was a resident of Mod 9B, met his future wife at Bethel, moved to Goshen, Ind., served in a variety of social work positions, and later managed Human Resources at Goshen College. Janzen felt that working in journalism was one of the most memorable experiences of his college career. “The Collegian was one of the things that was certainly good in terms of my experience at Bethel. The things you could do at a small college…” Janzen said. By the time that Janzen worked on staff, the newspaper had established its name as The Bethel Collegian. “I had done a little bit of journalism in high school, so I took some time and did a little writing for [The Collegian]. The person behind it—Clayton Koppes— he called himself a stringer, a Newton representative for the Wichita Eagle. He would send articles to the Wichita Eagle on behalf of what was going on in Newton. He upgraded the paper in many ways, both in design and in content and taught me a lot since we didn’t really have journalism classes and our advisor didn’t know much about journalism,” Janzen said. In the 1960s, Bethel ran on a threequarter system and the newspaper would print five issues each quarter, adding up to fifteen issues each academic year. “We had to type our articles and then take them over to the Mennonite Press office, which at that time was in North Newton. They would print up what we called galleys, which were long strips of paper with row after columns, fitting our size here. They set the type and we would literally cut and paste our articles to make it fit. We’d take those cut and pasted pages back and they would print them,” Janzen said. It was often difficult for students to juggle academics, athletics, part-time

jobs, and work with extracurricular organizations like newspaper. “We stayed up all night more than once. I flunked an English test because I was up all night putting the paper together. But we did some pretty good graphics... I think that’s why we were given honors,” Janzen said. The Bethel Collegian received ACP All-American status in the spring quarter of 1966; the first for the newspaper. It scored 3870 points out of 4000 points possible for the award—this continued through Janzen’s time as Managing Editor. “However, we did ruffle feathers… I got called into the dean’s office because he thought the tone of the paper was too negative at one point. In my junior year, some guys put together a pig barbecue about ten miles west of Bethel, and they had alcohol at that party… they had used college kitchen facilities to prepare some of the food. I guess then the college considered that to be a sponsored activity and there were thirty-eight guys that were busted because of that and they were assigned to tear down the old music hall… I wrote an editorial questioning what I considered to be an overreach of the administration to police students, considering that they were allowing smoking just north of Goering Hall—it ticked them off,” Janzen said. In the midst of the political and social turmoil of the sixties, Janzen and his fellows also wrote on broader topics, covering things such as the Peace Walk of 1967, as hosted by the Peace Club, on which even staff had differing perspectives. “It started out as a plan to walk to Newton post office, but after threats were received, they just decided to go to the North Newton post office instead. There were allegedly people ready with bats and stuff to greet the walkers along the way. Who knows… it would’ve caused a lot of turmoil. It was to mail letters to government officials at the post office. Administration talked with the Peace Club and they decided to instead go to the North Newton post office. And one

of the writers of The Collegian said it should be canceled… they said it would damage Bethel and wouldn’t necessarily do any more good that couldn’t be done just by mailing it in from your home. It did make some of the students unhappy, questioning ‘whose side are you on?’ and all of that,” Janzen said. In his senior year, Janzen and some fellow students witnessed racial violence on campus, though the incident was pushed into obscurity. “I wrote about the experience of Black athletes at Bethel, my own teammates. The guys really opened up about what their experience was like here… All the times I’d heard about racial violence, I’d never really seen it until then. We were just all taken aback and wondering what to do. For many years afterwards I wish I’d said something. Dale Schrag actually wrote a letter to the administration and the football coach about it and the coach later told us in private, ‘Guys, we got to keep this in the family.’ Just about fifteen years ago I wrote a poem about that event called ‘On the Sidelines’... What do you do when you see something that doesn’t affect you, but your conscience?” Janzen said. Additionally, the Dean of Students at the time took him and a group of his fellows on a spring break to Jackson, Miss. in response to racial violence committed there.

“We were aware that a Black man had been killed after he had been promoted over a white man in a factory nearby, down the river a bit. There was a meeting that was going to be held at this church and our old dean of students took us down there, all twelve of us. The place was so tense and our dean was asked to stand up and talk and offer support to the local community. I wrote an article about that trip in the spring of 1967,” Janzen said. Through his experience working in print journalism, Janzen was able to explore issues and topics that he was passionate about, reaching out to his local community and beyond. “It was an extremely hard time with Vietnam, race relationships… there was just a bunch of stuff going on on campus…” Janzen said. Though Janzen never explored journalism professionally, he maintains a respect for the profession. “I didn’t maybe get the understanding of journalism that I should have, the importance. We’re suffering for not having enough good journalism. The printed newspapers are gone or shrinking, and it’s all the New York Times, the Washington Post, or on television now… the investigative reporters are extremely important to our democracy and they’re under attack like crazy now,” Janzen said.

The Collegian staff was honored in the Thresher of 1968 for their journalistic success throughout the year. Photo courtesy of the Mennonite Library and Archives

THE BETHEL COLLEGE COLLEGIAN

8 FEATURES

Campus Ministries to work for diverse student involvement

ARRAN KEARNEY Staff Writer

Last week’s Chapel service was significantly different from any in recent times. The opening and closing prayers were the same, as tradition would demand, but the purpose of the meeting this week was to, as Pastor Michael Unruh said, explore “possibilities for Chapel (or worship more generally) to engage a broader section of the Bethel community.” This aim of widening “community engagement” has been a key goal for Unruh since his arrival at Bethel College some eighteen months ago, and he views Chapel as being essential to this end. The Chapel services on the Green were, for a time in fall of 2020, one of the few official events taking place on campus. Unruh, in his first interview with this publication, said that he wanted the weekly service to be “a space where people from many backgrounds will be excited to attend.” Widening the reach and work of Campus Ministries still remains Unruh’s chief goal and it was reflected in last week’s Chapel meeting. Unruh believes that Chapel has around twenty-five regular or semi-regular attendees, with the service itself attracting “probably around fifteen staff and students a week.” This is “a pretty small percentage of the campus community,” Unruh said, though he also placed the problem within its wider context. The sense that greater campus engagement is possible is “something that has been around for quite a few years.” Unruh referenced the recent Faith Formation Survey as being indicative of students’ lack of participation in the current organized worship offerings. The intent of this survey was to encourage students “to think about and reflect on experiences of faith, spirituality, and life that you have had at Bethel College.”

Students were asked to rank different experiences at the college by the impact that it had on their spiritual development. “Conversations with other students came second, conversations with faculty and staff came fourth, and Chapel came sixth,” Unruh said. This data serves as evidence, it would seem, that students lean more towards informal, even spontaneous discussions about faith. Unruh feels that this conclusion is far from negative. “Conversation amongst students

doesn’t need to be facilitated by something official,” said Unruh. These sorts of sober, reflective conversations amongst students can instead be viewed as reflections of the strength of the Bethel College community, which Campus Ministries is but a single part of. It would seem that the key for Unruh lies in the promotion of community. This was, returning to last Wednesday’s Chapel service, certainly the conviction of the students in attendance. When asked to give an example of

a time when they felt most spiritually engaged, many attendees spoke of times in camps and elsewhere when they had engaged in large and small group discussions, reflections and song, which are activities that bear remarkable similarities to the outcomes of the Faith Formation Survey. Unruh believes that the Student Chaplains are one key to making the ministry a “representation of the community” that will promote and realize “God’s presence within the community.” “As I become more settled in the role,

Pastor Michael Unruh addresses students during the opening of Chapel. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2022 I will be better able to empower them,” Unruh said. The Student Chaplains already perform a great many duties on campus, hosting highly accessible and informal events throughout the week. Bible studies and morning prayers are regular features and are conveniently scheduled. For example, Monday Morning Prayers is led by Sam Wilson, senior from Minneapolis, Minn. every Monday at 8 a.m. in Mantz Library. Both Rachel Duer, senior from Chapman, and Natalie Graber, senior from Divide, Colo., lead bible studies every Monday evening. Campus Ministries are also planning several large-scale “Fellowship Events” for the coming semester, such as a Breakfast Night on Thursday, February 10, and a Bible Trivia Night on Wednesday, March 16. Campus ministry has sometimes been prevented from hosting many events due to the pandemic, which has “added a lot of unwanted anxiety and stress to the lives of the students,” Unruh said. Alongside these Fellowship Events will be others, such as “24-hour Prayer”

FEATURES 9 that is scheduled to take place at the Agape House from 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 10 to 6 p.m. on Monday, April 11. Unruh is excited to use Campus Ministries resources to promote other worship and study events which form the backbone of community life, and said that he was “very receptive to any ideas coming out of the student body.” One of these resources, perhaps not well-known among students, is the Agape House. The house, situated just across the street from Bethel College Mennonite Church, has recently undergone some utility upgrades, with renovations planned in the near future. The house is readily available for students for faith and community building purposes. “I have a key inside my office, and all you have to do is ask,” Unruh said. Also worthy of note is the Interfaith Room, and Unruh also has plans to continue equipping this space. This room, on the ground floor of the Administration Building beside the Student Life office, is available for prayer at and time the building is open.

Joshua Kennell, sophomore from Newton, writes his reflection. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

Madison Terrell, first-year from Andover, Claira Janssen, sophomore from Beatrice, Neb., and Daniel Kaufman, sophomore from Moundridge, work on a reflection activity during Chapel. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

Students gather for weekly Chapel activities either outside when the whether is nice or inside the Bethel College Chapel when it is cold. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

THE BETHEL COLLEGE COLLEGIAN

8 FEATURES

Campus Ministries to work for diverse student involvement

ARRAN KEARNEY Staff Writer

Pastor Michael Unruh addresses students during the opening of Chapel. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

Joshua Kennell, sophomore from Newton, writes his reflection. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

Students gather for weekly Chapel activities either outside when the whether is nice or inside the Bethel College Chapel when it is cold. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

10 SPORTS

Clifford Byrd reaches end-of-season milestone

The men’s basketball team competed against the Bethany Swedes in one of their first games of the semester. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel JENNA MAHONEY Staff Writer

On January 13, 2022 at the 2:01 mark in the first half of play in the men’s basketball game against the Bethany Swedes, Clifford Byrd II, senior from Memphis, Texas, scored career point 1000 for the Threshers. During the team’s national tournament run last season, Byrd was one of the key players in their lineup. “This is a great accomplishment for him as he represents our team and continues to lead us through the rest of this year and the rest of his career,” Jaylon Scott, senior from

Allen, Texas, said. Going into the game at Bethany, Byrd was just eight points away from the 1000 point mark. Byrd is averaging 14.9 points per game this season. “I was confident, but I humbly knew that I was going to hit the mark of 1000 points. I was only eight points away from it, and from previous games, I was averaging more than eight,” Byrd said. This is a special accomplishment and a hard one to achieve as well. “Honestly, I didn’t think I was going to get close to hitting this milestone, and I wouldn’t have even considered it a goal of

MEN’S BASKETBALL FEB. 5 . . . . . . 7:00 PM . . . . . AWAY

mine. Just playing basketball in college was the ultimate goal and having to work hard and putting time into the game so that I may play to my best ability for my team just really paid off for me,” Byrd said. Byrd thinks that one reason this was so special for him and one reason he achieved this was because of his family and his fan base. “I have a great fan base behind me. God blessed me with a proud family, friends and coaches and teammates throughout all of this. I would say they were more happy for me than I was for myself. To this day they are still celebrating my achievement. They had always believed in me on the things I could do. Their confidence in me is another reason why I play this game and want to continue to get better,” Byrd said. The team, as well as the student fan base, also contributed to Byrd’s achievement. “I was in the game the moment when he hit his 1000th point. Everybody started cheering and I wasn’t sure why until I looked up and saw the 1000 point sign. I was running back looking at him smiling. It made my day because if anyone deserves that milestone, it’s him,” Harper Jonas, sophomore from Wichita, said. If there is one person the

As a senior, Clifford Byrd has played on the men’s basketball team for his entire Bethel career. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

most proud of him, it would be Head Coach Jayson Artaz. “I was so proud of Cliff because I know all the hard work he has put in to get to this point. I was happy for him because how can you not be happy for a guy like Cliff. He’s a perfect example of what a Thresher is

UPCOMING EVENTS

with how hard he works and how much he cares about others. I’m just glad he was able to reach that milestone because it gives a measuring stick to show how great his career has been to this point,” Artaz said.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FEB 5 . . . . . . 5:00 PM . . . . . . AWAY

at STERLING

CHEER

SOFTBALL

FEB. 9 . . . . . . 8:00 PM . . . . . HOME

FEB. 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:00 AM

FEB. 15 . . . . . 1:00 PM. . . . . . AWAY

FEB. 9 . . . . . 6:00 PM . . . . . . HOME

vs TABOR

INVITATIONAL

at LANGSTON

vs TABOR

FEB. 12 . . . . . 4:00 PM. . . . . HOME

FEB. 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:00 AM

FEB. 15 . . . . . 3:00 PM . . . . . AWAY

FEB. 12 . . . . 2:00 PM . . . . . . HOME

vs ST MARY

INVITATIONAL

at LANGSTON

vs ST MARY

at STERLING

Football team regains familiar leadership LOGAN DEMOND Staff Writer

AB Stokes is a familiar face at Bethel College. Just three seasons ago, Stokes helped lead the Threshers to an 8-3 season, playing an integral part in transforming the Thresher football program. This time, he’s back, and the expectations are even greater for the back-to-back KCAC Champions. In their first season without Terry Harrison at the helm since 2018, the Threshers have their eyes set on sustaining the success Thresher fans have seen the last two seasons while reestablishing team culture. “When Coach Stokes returned, everyone seemed to respond really well to his philosophy… stressing the idea that nothing comes easy and that we will earn everything we get. I believe the guys have really

bought into that idea and ran with it throughout our offseason program,” said John Henson, junior from Fort Worth, Texas. Stokes has also been hard at work building his staff. The result of these efforts is a mixture of veteran leadership and young talent surrounding the first-time collegiate head coach. During Stokes’ time as head coach at Larned High School (Larned) and as a former player at Sterling College (Sterling), he developed a network of coaches excited to coach at the next level. “I’m extremely excited about the staff that Coach Stokes has put together. We have a great group of men and there is already a lot of work being put in to keep this thing rolling,” Reggie Langford, offensive coordinator, said. While there are new additions to the staff, Stokes has placed his trust in those returning to Bethel, as well.

Former safeties coach Daylon Markham did not follow Harrison and co. in their crossconference, lateral move and has been named the Threshers’ newest Defensive Coordinator. “I’m excited for the opportunity…we aren’t going to change much of the philosophy. We’re still about flying around and being really physical. I’m embracing this challenge and am very much looking forward to next year,” said Markham. Stokes has also expressed a desire to give back to the community and connect with locals, assigning his team monthly service projects and team bonding activities. Giving the Goering Hall weight room a face lift was the team’s first project, promoting appreciation of what the program already has. New equipment, reorganization and a fresh coat of paint were in order, and the Thresher Football boys went to

work on a frigid January morning. “Painting the weight room together as a team was really something that brought us closer… most definitely gives you pride to see that we made changes and improvements,” Julian Jackson, junior from SC said. While Stokes maintains a great deal of anonymity on social media, his message to the campus, alumni and the surrounding community remains succinct, filled with overwhelming optimism. “I’m excited to continue moving the football program in a positive direction and look forward to seeing growth in the young men involved in the program, developing relationships with them, and seeing their successes after they leave Bethel College,” Stokes said.

Angela Rowe hired as new flag football coach

ANNA RANZINGER Staff Writer

In the next year, Bethel College will be introducing a new athletic program. Women’s flag football has been gaining popularity all around the country. More specifically, the sport is growing within the NAIA. The sport was barely added a year ago and the school will be on the cutting edge by adding it so early. Bethel College is excited to utilize Thresher Stadium more intentionally during the spring season as the turf is not often used. The process of finding a coach took a few months as Bethel was looking for the right

person for the position. The position was nationally advertised in September. Interviews began in December and the new flag football head coach was announced in January as. “We loved her knowledge of women’s flag football and her experience playing women’s football in general. We loved her commitment to mentoring young females across the country. Her passion for making an impact in society within this sport using what she has learned as a law enforcement officer for over twenty years,” Tony Hoops, athletic director, said. Rowe is currently on the road recruiting. She will spend a total of five weeks recruiting in a multitude

of places. She will spend her time in Georgia, Florida, Nevada, Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina. There is also some talk on opportunities for other women that already attend Bethel College. The idea of this has some women on campus very excited. One in particular who already attends Bethel and has expressed interest in the new program is a junior from Everman, Texas, Mariah Vallejo. “I think that it is so cool that Bethel is introducing this new sport on campus. It will be fun to interact with new girls from the places that coach Rowe is recruiting from. I also grew up in a house full of brothers who loved football and I loved when

they would let me play with them. Ever since then I have wanted the chance to try my hand at the sport,” Vallejo said. “I currently play for the women’s soccer team but since our season is in the fall, I will get the chance to potentially play flag football in the spring. I am very interested in trying something new and getting the opportunity to branch out a bit more. I love to compete and I hope that even if I don’t get the chance to see the field that the first season for women’s flag football at Bethel College is a success,” Vallejo said.

SPORTS 11

The Sideline

LAUREN MCCREARY Staff Writer

CLIFFORD BYRD II SENIOR MEN’S BASKETBALL What are the team’s goals for the rest of the season? “To simply keep playing our best ball and to focus on the little things that are important.”

What has the journey been like so far? How has this affected you? “We have been learning a lot about how to be patient, confident, and to adapt to things that don’t go our way at times.”

How does the team celebrate big wins or milestones? “We celebrate by working even harder the next day and try to find the things that we lacked during the game and work on it in practice to make us even better. As for celebrating milestones that our teammates reach/achieve, we always show how happy we are for one another.”

12 ENTERTAINMENT

Kauffman Museum hosts annual Kansas Day event ARTHUR MAHRER Staff Writer

The Kansas Day event hosted by Kauffman Museum is an annual opportunity for community members of Bethel College and the surrounding North Newton area to celebrate the land which is now Kansas. Additionally, it is an opportunity to recognize the communities of people who once inhabited this land. It is also an opportunity for one to gain a brief insight into Kansas history and culture. The atmosphere of the event has been described by community members as playful and fun, as well as insightful. “There are programs and hands-on activities inside, a bake sale and activities and demonstrations outdoors including horse drawn wagon rides and popcorn made over a fire,” said Andi Schmidt Andres, director of Kauffman Museum. For those who have never been to the Kansas Day celebration, one can expect

to encounter the world of prairies life as viewed from the perspective of Mennonite settlers from the 1870s. For example, the Voth/Unruh/ Fast Farmhouse on display behind the Kauffman Museum is sometimes referred to as a relic of the Mennonite settlers. “An Eastern European/Russian style of interior decor and architecture are conveyed in this house,” said David Kreider, museum technician. The preservation of the Voth/Unruh/ Fast Farmhouse transports visitors into the life and livelihood of some of the first Mennonites in this area Kansas, and helps younger generations answer the question: “What was it like to start a new life in America?” This house has seen the coming and going of three families since the 1870s The Voth family was the first to live there. They then sold the house to the Unruh family in 1884, and the Unruh family sold it to the Fast family in the 1930s. Additionally, the Kansas Day event hosted by Kauffman Museum has several

Rachel Geyer, junior from Oxford, Iowa, takes a break from her Kansas day celebration and rests underneath the sign in front of Kauffman Museum. Photo by Capri Stevenson-Bisom

years of experience hosting this even, as the first Kansas Day celebration “was held in 1998, making this the 25th hosted at Kauffman,” said Andres. It has been quite successful at attracting guests from the community as “the attendance averages around 700 guests with an all-time high of 1100 guests,” said Andres. A unique feature of last Saturday’s event was its theme, as it aimed at celebrating the contributions of famous Kansans to the culture of the state. These included figures such as Blackbear Bosin, William Allen White, Gordon Parks, George Washington Carver, Amelia Earhart, Walter Chrysler, James Naismith and Laura Ingalls Wilder. For example, Blackbear Bosin, was a self taught Kiowa-Comanche painter and sculptor who sculpted the Keeper of the Plains in Wichita. William Allan White was a newspaper editor who, through his ownership of the Emporia Gazette, brought affluence to Kansas in the press. Because the Kansas Day celebration at Kauffman is an annual opportunity, Bethel College students are invited to

attend next year’s celebration. One goal of the museum is to provide a sense of the significance of the space they are living in during their college career, especially for those who do not call Kansas home.

This sign welcomed visitors to Kauffman Museum as they arrived to celebrate Kansas Day. Photo by Capri Stevenson-Bisom

Members from the community flocked to Kauffman Museum on January 29 to celebrate the 25th annual Kansas Day celebration. Photo by Capri Stevenson-Bisom

ENTERTAINMENT 13

SAC returns with new drive and new leadership LOGAN DEMOND Staff Writer

After a yearlong hiatus from regularly scheduled activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a shaky semester following the resignation of former activities director Ana Para, “Welcome Back Week” saw nightly events and hundreds of students in attendance. This is the new normal, according to Samantha Bond, coordinator of student activities and engagement, who was “very pleased” with the festivities. “Welcome Back Week” consisted of Thresher Bingo night with prizes from the Thresher Shop, a “Dine @ 9” French fry bar, a magic show hosted by Nash Fung, a bracket-style volleyball tournament and Casino Night, which featured several casino classics. “Going forward we will plan each semester ahead of time - so all of Fall ‘22 events will be decided on the calendar by the end of Spring ‘22,” said Bond. In continued pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness, Bond is bringing event coordinator positions back to SAC, a feature of the organization created just two years ago under former leadership. “This will allow us to focus on area programming such as series events” like Craft Nights, Dine @ 9s and halftime contests, providing students “with a wellrounded range of events each month,” said Bond. SAC will continue to build back better outside-of-event planning, as well. “SAC will be attending NACA Live, the National Association for Campus Activities regional conference, in early February. This is an opportunity to network with other campus programming board student leaders from across our region to learn what is working on their campus and what isn’t. We will attend educational sessions that range from best practices of advertising on campus, to diversity training, to learning to develop intentional self-care practices for overwhelmed students,” said Bond. Social media will be used to keep the student population updated on new activities. If you don’t follow SAC, you can find them on Instagram @

bethelcollegeKS_sac, on Snapchat at @ BC_SAC and on Twitter @BC_SAC. If students have event ideas of their own, Bond encourages students to email sac@ bethelks.edu. “It might not be able to happen right away, but maybe it’s an event we can see in the upcoming semesters. Students are also more than welcome to stop by my office in the basement of the Admin Building if they want to discuss anything regarding events and programming on campus,” said Bond. Due to the pandemic and changes in organizational leadership, SAC has not enjoyed consistent turnout in recent years. However, students can rest assured that Bond is helping bring this organization back to its full potential. In order to sustain the success SAC saw during “Welcome Back Week,” though, “it is vital that each student chooses to comply with Bethel Colleges mask policy so SAC is able to provide programming to the student body,” said Bond.

This ragtag team of volleyball players enjoyed a nice tournament as hosted by SAC. Photo courtesy of Stephany Meyer

Nash Fung shows his proficiency at magic when he was invited to campus by SAC. Photo courtesy of Bethany Powls

Students enjoy casino night hosted by SAC. Photo courtesy of Rachel Geyer

14 GAMES

“Snow Days” at Bethel College

Jessie Thomas is a senior from Halstead. Her major is English secondary 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 the emails student life have sent out about canceling class and the apparent disregard Bethel seems to have for commuter students and staff... Here’s to a happy Snow Day! If you would like to contribute a piece of artwork to a future issue of The Bethel Collegian, email us at collegian@bethelks.edu!

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THRESHER CLASSIFIED Direct all inquires to Megan Kershner in WAC 215 or check out Handshake to learn more about these job opportunities On-Campus Jobs

Off-Campus Jobs

- Mojo’s Team Member

- YMCA Lifeguard

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- NMC Heath Nurse Tech

- AV Student Assistant

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YOU COULD HAVE YOUR AD HERE email charlesrwalker@bethelks.edu for inquires

- Student Chaplain

Sunday School @ 9:30, Worship @ 10:45

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peacemakers, teachers engineers, administrators agriculturists, leaders support staff, nutritionists community workers and more ... Find current opportunities

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Mennonite Central Committee

THE BETHEL COLLEGE COLLEGIAN

Celebrating Kansas Day like the early settlers

This year, Kansas Day fell on January 29 and Kauffman Museum celebrated with their annual community event. Activities such as wagon rides, dressing up in period clothes, black smithing and rope making are staples of Kauffman’s yearly celebration of the formation of Kansas as a state. Students and community members are invited and encouraged to attend the event next January! Photos courtesy of John Fast and Kauffman Museum

PHOTO FEATURE 16