BETHEL INVESTOR
Spring 2015 | www.bethel.edu
21st Annual Bethel Golf Classic
BETHEL HOMECOMING OCTOBER 9-11
Monday, June 15
North Oaks Golf Club Plan now to join us for a day of fun in support of Bethel students. Find out more.
How Your Gifts Impact Students: Meet Lily For undergraduate sophomore Lily Podany, Bethel’s Christian supportive and challenging environment has been the key to her spiritual growth. But she wouldn’t be a Royal if it weren’t for gifts from donors like you: “Without financial support from Bethel donors, I would have not been able to attend this university or be able to take part in this loving community. My upbringing and family financial status suggest that logically, I should not be here, but because of God’s grace and generous support from donors, I am able to attend and succeed at Bethel.”
Current Foundation Assets, Endowment As of February 28, 2015, Bethel’s endowment was $39.9 million and total assets under management were $133.9 million. For more information about opportunities available through the Bethel Foundation, contact Angella Hjelle, Bethel Foundation executive director, at a-hjelle@bethel.edu or 651.635.1001 (800.255.8706, ext. 1001).
29,30 Spring Play: Hedda! 28 Philharmonic Orchestra Spring Concert
May
1 Jazz in the Great Hall 1, 2 Spring Play: Hedda! 3 The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
8 Classics in the Great Hall/ Royal Heritage Society Dinner 10 Bethel Handbell Ensemble Spring Concert 16, 23, 24, 30 Commencement 17 Bethel Wind Symphony Bon Voyage Concert
News for Donors to Bethel University
Undergrad classes celebrating a reunion: 1965, ’75, ’85, ’95, ’05, and ’10 Platinum Alumni Dinner: 1940, ’45, ’50, ’55, and ’60 Learn more, update your contact information, and let us know if you want to help with your reunion.
OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT Phone: 651.635.8050 Email: development@bethel.edu Web: bethel.edu/giving Editor: Tricia Theurer Designer: Thomas Vukelich ’82
Calendar of Events April
BETHEL INVESTOR
June 15
Bethel Golf Classic
See the full calendar of events.
Wellness Center Construction Update Contractors are making progress on the construction of the new Wellness Center between the Robertson and Hagstrom Centers. This winter, workers have drilled deep piers into the ground for the foundation, prepped and poured concrete structural grade beams, and formed and poured exterior walls and columns. The Wellness Center is on budget and on schedule and is expected to open in fall 2015.
Bethel’s New Vision and Direction In February, Bethel’s Board of Trustees adopted a bold new vision statement: “Bethel will be the Christ-centered university of choice for this century,” and also approved 15 recommendations presented to advance Bethel’s mission to its 150th year and beyond. The new strategic goals and initiatives were presented by the Strategic Coalition, a boardappointed group of 16 trustees, faculty, and administrators, who examined how to close the gap between the average family income and the cost of a Bethel education, how to become more student-centric, and how to make the Bethel community better reflect the diversity within the body of Christ. Learn more about how this will impact Bethel in the Winter/ Spring 2015 issue of Bethel Magazine.
BETHEL INVESTOR
BETHEL INVESTOR
Former Schoolteacher’s Estate Gift is Bethel’s Largest Highlights of Each School COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES Eleven ActSix Scholars Coming to Bethel Urban Ventures’ ActSix program recently announced the names of 11 emerging urban and community leaders who will receive scholarships to Bethel University next year as part of the inaugural class of ActSix scholars in the Twin Cities. Selected through a rigorous three-month competition among more than 200 applicants, these diverse student leaders were selected for their distinctive leadership, academic potential, and commitment to making a difference in their communities. Read more about this new program.
The Value of Values “Growth during school isn’t always directly relevant to the subject you are learning about. Certainly, the courses are very important, but sometimes you are learning deeper values that teach you how to relate, understand, and interact with other people. These values are what made me successful with social media and blogging.” —Chris Ashbach G’13, M.A. in Organizational Leadership
Read about Chris’ business.
COLLEGE OF ADULT & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES/ GRADUATE SCHOOL Teachers’ License Accredited The license in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) offered by Bethel University’s Graduate School recently received final accreditation, making it one of just a handful of accredited ASD license programs in the state. The license is in high demand in Minnesota due to a legislative change, effective next summer, mandating that all public schools in the state have at least one ASD-licensed teacher. Find out more about the ASD license.
SEMINARY Making Seminary Education More Affordable Bethel Seminary recently announced a tuition reset. Tuition for master’s degree programs for the 2015-16 academic year will be $495 per credit hour, about a 12% decrease in per credit hour for full-time seminary students compared to 20142015. The new tuition rate goes into effect with the fall semester 2015. “We are lowering our tuition because we are committed to making Bethel Seminary more affordable for everyone,” says David Clark, vice president and dean of Bethel Seminary. Clark and other university leaders hope this change will allow students to better anticipate the costs associated with seminary education. Find out more about the change.
Biblical Artifact Collection Names Mike Holmes Executive Director The Green Scholars Initiative, a branch of the Museum of the Bible focused on research of biblical artifacts from the Green Collection, recently named Bethel University Professor Mike Holmes its new executive director. Find out more.
Two Royals Reach 1,000-Point Club Show Your Bethel Pride With Each Sip
Join the Bethel Coffee Club with a gift of $120/year or $10+/month, and support Bethel students. And, as our gift to you, you’ll enjoy fresh coffee and a specially designed mug, hand-thrown by Bethel alumni. Raise your mug for Bethel! Get started today.
Two Bethel University basketball players scored their 1,000th career point earlier this season. Junior post player Rachel Parupsky netted her 1,000th in January against St. Catherine University, while senior forward Kyle Zimmermann reached the milestone a few days later at home versus Saint Mary’s University. Parupsky reached this prestigious landmark in just 68 games played, which made her the second fastest player in program history to reach the 1,000-point mark.
Bethel University recently received its largest single estate gift, a $3 million gift from the estate of Eunice Singfeldt. Singfeldt, who died last June at the age of 91, directed the majority of her gift to an endowed scholarship to benefit “worthy and needy students” in the College of Arts & Sciences. Dan Wiersum, associate vice president for planned giving, says, “This scholarship should generate about $100,000 in student aid the first year, and we hope it continues to grow.” The remainder of the funds will support building projects. Singfeldt was a school teacher connected to Bethel through her Swedish Baptist roots. Wiersum describes her gift as “the kind of gift that anyone could give through their will, because it doesn’t cost anything during their lifetime.” Read more about this gift.
Find out about planned giving options. “It’s the kind of gift that anyone could give through their will, because it doesn’t cost anything during their lifetime.” —Dan Wiersum, associate vice president for planned giving
Royals’ Spring Sports The Bethel University spring sports teams have entered the upcoming season enthusiastically. Both the baseball and softball teams reached the MIAC Championship game in 2014 and were crowned conference runners-up after experiencing one of their most memorable seasons. The Royals had lots to celebrate on the tennis courts as well, as the Bethel men reached the postseason after winning four of their final five regular season matches. The track and field teams also have a great deal of momentum after witnessing several athletes excel throughout the indoor and outdoor campaigns last year. Most notably, Zach Haskins earned his third and fourth All-American award as he finished seventh nationwide at the men’s indoor 1-mile event and third at the men’s outdoor 1500-meter race. Courtney Fregeau also received her first All-American honor after finishing among the top eight in the indoor 400-meter dash at the NCAA Division III Championships. Keep up with the latest athletics news.