Spring Break Service p. 2 | Transplanting Organs p. 26 | Plan for Homecoming 2010! p. 29
Spring 2010
Endings and Beginnings Students graduate, Flowers bloom, and Christ beckons
College of Arts & Sciences | College of Adult & Professional Studies | Graduate School | Bethel Seminary
From the President Spring 2010 Volume 1 Number 3
God-Sized Dreams and Accomplishments Spring is the season of recognitions on Bethel’s campuses from coast to coast. A host of year-end events marks special achievements. We recognize faculty excellence, university professorships, distinguished service by staff and administration, community ministry leadership, honors program achievement, and excellence in the arts and athletics. Departing colleagues who have served Bethel well are saluted, and emeriti are named by the Board of Trustees. Now is also the season of commencement. Ceremonies at Bethel’s various schools are unique based on the graduates and the location of the campus, but there is always joy! And although they’re called commencements, which means ending, they are more about beginnings as graduates go out beyond campus to new levels of service in the name of Christ. In a chapel talk this spring in the College of Arts & Sciences, I challenged our students to develop a “God-sized” dream for their lives. As examples, I told them about V. Elving Anderson, professor emeritus of genetics, cell biology, and development at the University of Minnesota, and Katie Toop, who works in central Asia doing water projects in rural villages. Both are Bethel alumni from very different generations who were driven by a vision to serve God faithfully. A Bethel education gives students a bigger picture of who God is, what He’s doing in the world, and how to serve Him with excellence. This issue of Bethel Magazine provides a window on how that education is also helping students find a “God-sized” dream for their lives. In “It’s a Small Business World, After All” (p. 14), you’ll read how we are preparing students in business, our largest area of study, to go into the marketplace equipped with the best knowledge, biblical ethics, and intercultural competency. Sometimes that dream is expressed more locally through incredible acts of service such as donating organs in “Sharing Life” (p. 26) and living intentionally in “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (p. 12). I know that some of the best teaching is done not with content but with character. You’ll see that in the profile of Dottie Haugen (p. 19), physical education professor who is retiring after many years of service. Dottie and I were in a prayer group together in 1995, my first year at Bethel. She could outrun me then and she can outrun me now! What I appreciate most about Dottie is her effervescent love for Jesus, which overflows her life and blesses others. We have much to celebrate! Read on to learn about Bethel’s recent accomplishments as the 2009-2010 academic year ends, and join me in praying for our graduates as they pursue Godsized dreams!
President Jay Barnes
Senior Vice President for Communications and Marketing Sherie J. Lindvall ’70 Editor Heather Johnson
Senior Consulting Editor for Bethel Seminary Scott Wible S’02 Contributors
Barb Carlson Dale Eng ’00 Hannah Gruber ’10 Steffanie Lindgren ’10 Cindy Pfingsten Scott Streble Jennifer Swanson ’10 Amanda Wanke ’99 Michelle Westlund ’83 Nicolle Westlund ’09 Joyce Venida ’13 Suzanne Yonker
Design Darin Jones ’97 Staff Photographer Woody Dahlberg ’69 Cover Photographer Dean Riggott President James (Jay) H. Barnes III Vice President for Constituent Relations Ralph Gustafson ’74, S’78
Editorial Offices
3900 Bethel Drive St. Paul, MN 55112-6999 651.638.6233 651.638.6003 (fax) bethel-magazine@bethel.edu
Address Corrections
Office of Alumni and Parent Services 651.638.6462 alumni@bethel.edu
Bethel Magazine is published three times a year by Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul, MN 55112-6999. Postage paid at St. Paul, Minnesota, and additional mailing offices. Printed in the USA. Copyright © 2010 Bethel University. All Rights Reserved. Bethel University is sponsored by the churches of Converge Worldwide, formerly known as the Baptist General Conference. It is the policy of Bethel not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, or disability in its educational programs, admissions, or employment policies as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments. Inquiries regarding compliance may be directed to: Compliance Officer, Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul, MN 55112-6999.
19
Game Set Match
photo by Scott Streble
At half court, Physical Education Professor Dottie Haugen and her students end tennis class by coming together to thank God in prayer.
Departments
2
12 Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
10
14 It’s a Small Business World,
19
How globalization is changing the way Bethel business students learn
Campus News
Spring break service, Bethel at the Capitol, $1 million gift, Sermon competition
Bookmarked
Recently published books by Bethel faculty members
Profile
Dottie Haugen, assistant professor of physical education Bethel, St. Paul
PlaceMeant
24
A tour of a significant space at Bethel, this issue—the Loft
Alum News
Features
29
A unique anthropology class teaches students how to live intentionally
After All
20 Behind the Books
What’s next for all of Bethel’s libraries
26 Sharing Life
Bethel community members donate and receive organs
Look for this icon to find Bethel Magazine exclusives on the web! Head to bethel.edu/magazine for more. Bethel University
1
Campus News
Spring Service For 120 Bethel students, spring break was a time to serve. Working on nine different teams—four of which traveled internationally to Belize, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Mexico—they learned from and served alongside local ministries by reaching out to their communities through medical clinics, agribusiness, education, construction, children’s ministries, and simply building relationships with the people they met and worked with along the way. “The Lord proved Himself to be the God who cares deeply about people and seeks to draw them to Himself, often through building close relationships with other Christ-followers!” says Michael Lindsey, Solidarity mission project intern in the Office of Campus Ministries, who helped organize the trips. “What a privilege to be a part of His reconciling ministry throughout the world!” Bethel students interact with community members at a neighborhood barbecue put on by New Orleans partner organization Urban Impact.
Fetching What’s Forgotten
Embarking on a journey through the United States’ race history, 36 Bethel University students, staff, and faculty participated in the annual Sankofa (meaning “it is not taboo to go back and fetch what’s forgotten” in the Akan language of Ghana, West Africa) trip over spring break trip. They toured the U.S. South and visited numerous landmarks pertaining to the Civil Rights Movement, including the Rosa Parks Museum and Library and the National Voting Rights Museum. “Sankofa is a deeply spiritual experience where we look
2
Spring 2010
back and deal with some of the unfinished business of the past and using biblical examples, we seek to engage with each other in an authentic way,” says the Sankofa leadership team. “The experience encourages cross-racial engagement and relationship building by acknowledging how innocent people have suffered at the hands of authorities and citizens of our country. It allows us to grieve together and seek to live in the way God expects.” For more information on Sankofa, visit cas.bethel.edu/campusministries/outreach/sankofa.
Campus News
Heard on Campus Llama, llama red pajama, waiting, waiting for his mama. Mama isn’t coming yet. Baby llama starts to fret… President Jay and Barb Barnes
This is the third spring break that a bethel team has partnered with Pastor Juan Campa and Templo Divino Maestro in the outskirts of Chihuahua, Mexico. Through working side-by-side on building a community-focused church ministry, friendships have been built between Bethel students and their host families. The trip was cancelled in 2009 due to cartel violence in the area.
read the book Llama, Lhama, Red Pajama, by Anna Dewdney, to children at the King Child Development Center on April 13 to help celebrate “Week of the Young Child.”
Look Up …to see why Brushaber Commons’ Monson Dining Center has earned a North-Central Wood Design Award! For its warm appeal and timeless aesthetic, the interior wood roof was recognized by MBJ Consulting Engineers, the structural engineer firm for Brushaber Commons. “This award recognizes the value of natural materials and the role they can play in creating unique venues,” says Vice President for Campus Services Bruce Kunkel. “The wood beams and ceiling also help create a warm glow when viewed from the campus or across Lake Valentine.”
photo by Scott Streble
Pre-med student Zach Dynes ’11 tends to patients at one of the medical clinics that Bethel students helped set up and run in a rural village in Northern Belize.
Bethel University
3
Campus News
At the Capitol
Grants Granted
For Funding More than 50 students and staff headed to the State Capitol in early March to talk to legislators about their college experience and the importance of the Minnesota State Grant program to Bethel students. Approximately one in four Bethel students receive the $3,600 grant, but the program is facing large deficits because of the current economic reality—more adults are going back to school due to job loss and more families have higher financial need. These deficits could be compounded if the legislature chooses to cut the program to balance the budget. Students had individual meetings with
Physics
legislators to share the importance of the State Grant to them and/or their fellow students. They also had the opportunity to visit with Bethel alumni working at the Capitol, learn about the legislative process, and watch state senators and representatives considering legislation on the floor and in committee.
For Research To help legislators understand the important research happening at private colleges, three Bethel University students presented their work at the recent “Private College Scholars at the Capitol” event. Junior Jami Johnson and sophomore
Lauren Otto, who worked with Associate Professor of Physics Chad Hoyt, presented their research on a lithium spectroscopy project in which they built and optimized lasers. Senior Megan Hawley, who worked with Professor of Math and Computer Science Eric Gossett, presented research on multiplying two generating functions and some of the outcomes that follow. 4
Spring 2010
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently awarded Bethel $16,000 to support student research. With the highly competitive grant, junior physics majors Adam Banfield and Sarah Kaiser have been offered the chance to work in NIST labs in Boulder, Colo., during the summer of 2010 as part of NIST’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program. The two will work on different research teams—Banfield in an optical atomic clocks group and Kaiser in one that focuses on how atoms interact—among some of the nation’s most highly qualified physicists. They are both considering graduate school and agree that this opportunity will be helpful in their future endeavors.
Humanities Bethel’s Humanities program received a $24,000, three-year grant to assist faculty development from 2011 through 2013 and bring nationally known scholars to Bethel to lecture on Shakespeare, U.S. constitutional history, and other topics. “Students will see that the material we study in humanities is important to thoughtful people all over the country,” says Dan Ritchie, humanities professor, who helped Bethel receive the grant from The Apgar Foundation. “The lectures will tie historical and literary ideas from the past to concerns in the present.”
Campus News
Nursing Scholarship Connection Registered nurse Marilyn Gustafson and her husband created a nursing scholarship for students at Bethel University in 1988. Throughout those 22 years, they have made an effort to meet with the students they help. This year it was junior Anna Becker. Recently, with help from senior Bethel development officer Rick Berggren, the Gustafsons and Becker met and connected in Brushaber Commons. Becker even had the chance to show the Gustafsons the new nursing labs. “Anna is a very warm, caring person who is really interested in nursing,” says Marilyn. The Gustafsons enjoyed their meeting so much that they have already made plans to meet again. Becker, a nursing major, received the $4,000 Charles and Marilyn Gustafson Nursing Scholarship, evenly dispersed to help with tuition each semester. She has had an interest in nursing since she was little. “My mom is a nurse. I grew up seeing the passion she had for other people, and I really want that in my own life,” Becker says. Even before Bethel, Becker was working hard on gaining helpful experience in the field. She has been a certified nursing assistant since she was 16, as well as a personal care assistant for the last year and a half. She is considering becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist, but for now is keeping her options open. The Gustafsons consider helping students a true blessing and hope to continue for years to come. “We have had the opportunity to meet with many of the students over the years, and have always loved it,” says Marilyn. “Anna is a special girl. She will be a wonderful nurse someday.” Interested in supporting Bethel’s mission? Visit bethel.edu/development.
1 Friend, $1 Million Bethel University is pleased to announce the receipt of a $1 million gift from friend and donor Karin Larson, supporting the expansion of learning spaces freed up by the construction of Brushaber Commons. The funds will allow further development of the nursing facilities with labs, classrooms, and faculty areas, and replacement of the temporary modular classrooms with permanent classrooms. The additions and renovations support Bethel’s priorities of strengthening instruction and supporting learning. Larson makes this new gift in support of Bethel’s Christ-centered educational mission. She hopes to encourage others to step forward following the Taking the Next Step campaign in order to help complete several pressing, high-priority capital projects. Due to current budget constraints, capital projects are carefully being completed only when specific donor
gifts or funding has been identified. This generous gift will allow work to begin on these new areas before the end of the school year. Bethel University
5
Campus News
Returning from deployment in Iraq was difficult for Eric Peffley ’10. He felt disconnected from people and struggled to talk about his experiences. He discovered that music—something he had always enjoyed—could bridge the gap. For his recent senior recital and honors project, he demonstrated how. Several musicians from across campus played his compositions—all reflections of his feelings about deployment. “I was wrestling with different types of emotions, and my music really gave me an excuse to dig into them more and to process things,” says the music compositions major and war veteran. “I wanted to connect the theme to provide encouragement. I put myself out there to help people understand my experience.” Peffley had planned on starting school at Bethel in the fall of 2003, but was activated around the same time. He spent a year in Baghdad, returning in time to start school in 2004. He then volunteered for another deployment in 2008, returning to Bethel in January 2009. Although this was only Peffley’s second recital, he started casually writing songs for the guitar when he was in high school as a hobby, and began composing during his first deployment.
6
Spring 2010
Dance Moves No, it’s not a Jane Austen movie. It’s 150 Western Humanities students learning the English Country dance in the Robertson Center Gym. A teacher from the Tapestry Folkdance Center in Minneapolis, along with a few musicians, taught students the dance, often seen in and associated with popular Jane Austen movies. Although similar to square dancing, the dance progresses up and down a long line. Costumes were not required at the May 6 event, but many students dressed up as characters from Austen’s Pride and Prejudice to participate in a costume contest prior to dancing. “We hope students get an appreciation for social interactions within these types of dance settings,” explains Paul Reasoner, professor of humanities. “It should help them understand better the role this type of dancing played in Jane Austen’s world.”
Converge Worldwide: “Gospel Declaration” David Howard, Bethel Seminary professor of Old Testament, and Paul Eddy, professor of biblical and theological studies at the College of Arts & Sciences, played key roles in a task force charged with developing Converge Worldwide’s “Gospel Declaration,” a call beckoning the people of Bethel’s sponsoring denomination (formerly known as the Baptist General Conference) to gospel-informed ministry. Howard and Eddy worked alongside seven other task force members, chosen to represent a cross-section of the organization, to fashion the document. “The gospel of Jesus Christ is our message, and proclaiming His message is our shared mission,” says Converge Worldwide President and Bethel Board of Trustees member Jerry Sheveland, explaining why he appointed the task force. “This means we must keep His good news message clear and central to all we do.” Two years in the making, the declaration affirms the foundational concepts that always have driven the ministry of Converge Worldwide but repackages them for the early 21st century. “One of the major benefits of this document to the Converge family, including the Bethel community, is that it restates our core historic convictions about the gospel in terms that speak to some of the major challenges we face in living out this gospel in our diverse contemporary cultures,” says Eddy. To read the Converge Worldwide “Gospel Declaration” in its entirety, visit www.scene3.org.
photo by Priceless Photo Memories
Music Out of War
Campus News
Sermon Notes
Reading, Writing, and Bethel
This spring, Bethel Seminary held its 43rd annual competition for excellence in preaching. Named after Edwin J. Omark, a former seminary professor, the award aims to identify the most promising student communicators. From 25 entrants, faculty judges selected three finalists for the live preaching of a 20- to 25-minute sermon themed “The Difference Jesus Makes.” The judges’ votes were then combined with a “Bethel Community” vote to determine the winner. Rob Jacobson won with his firstperson narrative of Zaccheus meeting Jesus. He will receive a $1,200 scholarship through the Alta and Gordon Johnson Scholarship in Expository Preaching. “We look for how well the meaning of the text is handled, and Rob definitely handled it well,” says Michael Binder, one of the event’s organizers and the director of preaching at Bethel Seminary. “We also look for overall presentation and how well the speaker engaged the audience.” Jacobson entered the competition with a nudge from one of his professors. “I felt a strong sense of a biblical text to preach on and that truly fueled my excitement to share this little chunk of the Bible God pointed me towards,” says Jacobson. “This was about really getting to share in a creative way what God had taught and was continuing to teach me.” The other finalists, Derek Johnson and Jason DeVries, will receive scholarships as well. Jacobson preached his winning sermon at a College of Arts & Sciences chapel in April.
Thanks to a new collaboration with Bethel University, K-12 students in the Centennial School District are reaching new heights in their reading and writing. Since November 2009, Bethel has offered its Certificate in Literacy Education to teachers in the Centennial district, which serves Blaine, Centerville, Circle Pines, Lexington, and Lino Lakes, Minn. As a pilot program, a group of 15 learners meet in the school district headquarters for four hours each Tuesday evening to learn the skills necessary to help their students succeed in various aspects of literacy. “Knowing more about reading development helps them make better instructional decisions. Having a stronger background in reading instruction and assessment gives teachers a large toolbox to use in supporting their students’ reading development,” says Gail Jordan, associate professor of education at Bethel. The program is influencing learners in the Literacy Education cohort. “I am more in tune with what my students are struggling with and am better able to respond in an effective way to help them,” states Sue Nvratil, a reading teacher at Centennial Elementary School. Bethel and Dan Bittman, the district’s director of elementary and secondary schools, were recently commended by the Minnesota Department of Education staff for the partnership, recognizing the positive impact it has had and will continue to have on teachers and students. “I am always learning new ideas and have a better understanding of the patterns of errors that a student makes. This is important to help the student progress through the stages of writing,” says Monica McDonald, a Golden Lake Elementary teacher. Because of the success of the program, Bethel is looking into providing the literacy certificate program in other school districts. “I think this partnership has been a winwin for everyone,” says Jordan. “We have worked seamlessly to further the district goals and keep the high standards we set for our graduate programs. We can make more of an impact as we build a base of knowledge that will be shared across the schools.”
For the Students, By the Students Bethel students elected Tyler Sura, a sophomore from Chanhassen, Minn., majoring in chemistry, as their student body president and Amber Oslin, a sophomore from Woodbury, Minn., majoring in business, as vice president. Along with representing students to administration, the two will oversee the different branches of the Bethel Student Association (BSA), including intercultural programs, student activities, and student ministries as well as more than 30 student clubs. BSA’s mission is to develop students’ Godgiven gifts and inspire them to be used in kingdombuilding ways by connecting students with events, opportunities, and solutions within Bethel and beyond. Bethel University
7
Campus News
New University Prof Marjorie Schaffer has been named University Professor of Nursing at Bethel University. Schaffer is the third faculty member to earn the honored distinction of University Professor. While teaching nursing courses at Bethel’s College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School, Schaffer has produced many examples of scholarship, authoring a book titled Being Present: A Nurse’s Resource for End-of-Life Communication, and writing multiple articles, editorials, and book chapters. She has presented papers at numerous national and international professional conferences. Schaffer is currently the recipient of a Fulbright Specialist Award for consultation with Diakonova University College in Norway, where she is assisting their development of a master’s degree for public health nurses. In the past, Schaffer was a Fulbright Senior Scholar for Research and Lecturing in Norway and received an End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium Award for her curriculum development work. In addition, Bethel has honored her with the Bethel University Faculty Excellence Award in Scholarship and two Edgren Scholar Awards. Schaffer joined the Bethel faculty as assistant professor of nursing in 1984. More faculty accomplishments
8
Spring 2010
Telling Mother Lies Longtime Bethel English professor Dan Taylor wrote an essay reflecting on his aging mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. “I Tell My Mother Lies” was recently published in Image: A Journal of the Arts and Religion (number 64). Here is an excerpt:
I tell my mother lies. Sometimes three or four times a day. I lie mostly about money. That I’ve sent it or that I’m just about to send it. Or that surely I will send it tomorrow. My mother waits for money like the bums waited for Godot. One day she called seventeen times. So said the long-distance bill. But I admit I stopped answering after seven or eight. That’s not as cruel as it sounds because each call was new for her. She didn’t think, “My son refuses to answer my calls.” She thought, “I need money. I’ll call Danny.” Seventeen times. That’s what most every call is about these days—money. It starts with, “Well, what are you doing up there?” “Up there” means Minnesota, where I live. She lived for twenty years in Memphis and “up there” made sense. Now she’s further north than I am, but she sticks to the old mental map. Good for her. “Is that wife of yours still running up and down the steps?” She doesn’t risk using my wife’s name—Jayne. Names are booby traps these days. Try a name and you may reveal the secret—the secret that everyone knows but you. But eventually—very quickly actually—she gets to the point. “Listen, honey. I am desperate for some money.” And she is desperate. That’s the stabbing part. She is desperate. You can hear it in her voice. It’s full of anxiety and appeal. And you want to do something about it. Your mother is desperate and you want her not to be. You want her to be okay. You want her to be peaceful—full of peace. Because you know that she has earned it, and because she is your mother. Read the essay in its entirety.
Campus News
Bookmarked Recently published books by Bethel University’s faculty Encyclopedia of Christian Literature Scarecrow Press edited by George Thomas Kurian; coedited by James D. Smith III, Associate Professor of Church History, Bethel Seminary San Diego Spanning 2,000 years of Christian writings, this is the first encyclopedia devoted to Christian writers and books. In addition to an overview of Christian literature, the two-volume set also includes 40 essays on the principal genres of Christian literature alongside hundreds of essays describing the writers and their works. The companion volume features bibliographies, an index, a timeline of Christian literature, and a list of the greatest Christian authors.
Bonhoeffer: A Guide for the Perplexed T&T Clark by Joel Lawrence, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology, Bethel Seminary St. Paul Lawrence’s work explores the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer as part of T&T Clark’s series “Guides for the Perplexed,” which aims at guiding readers through the difficult and challenging material in the subject’s thought and writings. The book serves
as an introduction, but also moves beyond basic introductory material to a deeper engagement with Bonhoeffer’s theology.
Johann Christoph Blumhardt: An Account of His Life Cascade Books by Friedrich Zundel. Edited by Christian T. Collins Winn, Assistant Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, and Charles E. Moore Blumhardt (1805-1880) is relatively unknown in America, but is widely recognized in his native Germany, in part because of this landmark biography, now available in English for the first time. Blumhardt’s parish was thrust into the public eye during an epic battle between the forces of good and evil described in Zundel’s work, and the awakening that followed continues to draw seekers. This biography is compelling on a historical level, but is also infused with enduring pastoral insights and spiritual wisdom. For many other books by Bethel faculty, visit the Campus Store at bookstore.bethel.edu and click on “Bethel Authors.”
Retired, Revered The end of the 2009-2010 school year is also the end of an era for numerous longtime Bethel faculty members who are retiring. Many will continue to teach on an adjunct basis.
Adele Greenlee
James Lewis
Mary Hammond
Dick Peterson
Dottie Haugen
Dan Taylor
Lucie Johnson
For the past 30 years, Dick Peterson has served as a professor of physics and ridden his bike to work. “In spite of recent efforts to tidy up our continually evolving physics/engineering hallway, I still reflect on the fun and pride of continuing to ride in and park my bike within one of the coolest departments in the U.S.,” says Peterson. “Incidentally, the bike has only been stolen once—and was found parked over the hill at the Seminary.” And Snoopy? He says the dog represented the new friendly, more human side of physics that he tried to champion in his first years at Bethel.
Bethel University
9
Sports News
This spring has been exciting for Bethel athletics. Weather conditions have been favorable more often than not, which has meant less time lamenting the meteorological tendencies of Minnesota, and more fun in the sun. The Royals have given fans plenty to cheer about both on a team and individual level. Here by Dale Eng ’00 are some of the highlights.
Baseball As the Twin Cities held festivities surrounding the opening of Target Field, the new Minnesota Twins stadium, the Bethel Royals celebrated the 10th anniversary of baseball’s return to campus. The Royals played nine home games in a row and outscored their opponents 74-50 during that span. Jay Slick (So., River Falls, Wis.) earned National College Baseball Writers Association Hitter of the Week honors for April 19-25, and Head Coach Greg Indlecoffer earned his 150th career win on April 13, with a victory over Saint Mary’s. Bethel is 18-16 (6-10) heading into the last four games of the season.
Softball On the other side of Old Snelling at the Ona Orth Athletic Complex, Bethel’s softball team made their mark in the MIAC by earning their second consecutive trip to the conference playoffs. Kelly Berg (Jr., South Haven, Minn.) and Becky Akerson (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.) have been leading the team at the plate and on the mound. Berg set a new school record for doubles in a season with 17, and has been named the MIAC Hitter of the Week twice. Meanwhile, Akerson became the first Royal in more than 10 years to pitch more than three complete-game shutouts. The Royals finished the regular season with a 22-18 record overall, and 14-8 in conference play.
Jay Quick ’11
The men’s and women’s tennis teams also call the Orth Complex home, and thanks to the great weather this spring, both teams were able to take advantage of their home court facilities more than in past seasons. A young women’s team showed definite signs of improving by recording more wins than in 2009. The #1 and #2 singles spots were filled by freshmen Lisa Scheevel (Fr., St. Cloud,
photo by Andy Kenutis
10
Tennis
Spring 2010
Sports News
Becky Akerson ’11
championship in the indoor mile run, Marie Borner (Sr., Cottage Grove, Minn.) has broken her own record in the outdoor 1500-meter run and will look to defend her title at the national championship meet at the end of May. She will be joined at the meet by several other men’s track and field athletes, including Taylor Ferda (Sr., Whitefish, Mont.) who set a new school record in the 110-meter hurdles this season. Ferda is part of the 4 x 400 meter relay team that is trying to make its third consecutive appearance at the national meet. Dan Greeno (Sr., St. Michael, Minn.) will make his first trip to the national meet as he broke the school record in the 10,000-meter run, and has also performed well in the 5,000-meter run. Other hopefuls include Jay Quick (Jr., Johnston, Iowa), who set a new school record in the indoor high jump, as well as Bucky Dixon (Fr., Hayward, Wis.), who is currently second among MIAC discus throwers.
photo by Brad Person
photo by Carl Schmuland
Toby Robinson ’12
photo by Andy Kenutis
Tom Ronning ’10
Marie Borner ’10
photo by David McIver
Golf
Minn.) and Steph Brown (Fr., Lake City, Minn.), who faced a steep learning curve, but will be looked upon to anchor the team in the coming years. Meanwhile, a senior-led men’s team earned their fourth consecutive trip to the MIAC playoffs with a 5-4 record in conference play. Tom Ronning (Sr., Alexandria, Minn.) and Joel Cassens (Sr., Owatonna, Minn.) led the way as #1 and #2 singles, but the team also has some up-and-coming underclassmen ready to take the reins. Kent Nichols (So., Zimmerman, Minn.) has been outstanding at #3 singles, while #4 singles player Tucker Morris (Fr., Arden Hills, Minn.) posted a 13-2 record this season after winning the Midwest Invitational Tennis Tournament in the fall.
In golf news, both the men’s and women’s teams were able to hit the links and play in a handful of tournaments this spring. Paige Lemieux (So., Fargo, N.D.) was consistently Bethel’s best golfer and shot a low of 81 in the second round of the St. Thomas Invitational to finish in a tie for 20th place. On the men’s side, Toby Robinson (So., Mankato, Minn.) was recently named the MIAC Golfer of the Week as he shot a 75 and 72 in challenging course conditions to become the medalist in the four-team St. Olaf Invitational. The Royals won the tournament by three strokes after overcoming an 11-stroke deficit after the first round.
Track and Field Finally, the men’s and women’s track and field teams have both been busy re-writing the school’s record books. In addition to winning her second national
Let us know how we’re doing! Complete a survey at athletics.bethel.edu about Bethel sports coverage, and be eligible for one of four $25 gift cards to the Bethel campus store.
Follow the Royals: athletics.bethel.edu youtube.com/user/bethelroyals facebook.com/bethelroyals twitter.com/bethelroyals
Bethel University
11
Won’t You Be
My Neighbor? by Hannah Gruber ’10
Through a unique anthropology course, Bethel students get to know their community in meaningful ways. Matt Wenell’s diverse South Minneapolis duplex looks much different than the homogenous neighborhood where he grew up in Fargo, N.D. The senior business major now has Somali, Latino, and African-American neighbors, and the relationships he builds with them are learning experiences for his Bethel anthropology class—Intentional Urban Living. Students in this two-credit course are required to live in an urban context to explore and analyze the social and political structures as well as the theological issues of the area. Challenging and involving significant commitment, the courses Intentional Urban Living I and II have drawn only three to five students each year since they were started in 1997. But the students who have taken the class—and represent many majors—put into action one of Bethel’s core values—to be salt and light, relating to the world in relevant ways.
12
Spring 2010
photo by Anna Husted ’10
As a Christian, what are my responsibilities regarding social issues and social justice in the community I’m living in?”
Breaking the mold In 1992, five Bethel students moved into the Phillips neighborhood just south of downtown Minneapolis to live together in intentional community and to love their neighbors. “We helped out with existing neighborhood organizations and projects, but we wanted our presence in the house to be organic and neighborly,” says Jenell Williams Paris ’94, one of the five students who started the urban house. She is now a professor of sociology and anthropology at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa. Seeing their impact, Bethel bought the house and began renting it out to other students wanting to serve the neighborhood. “It was a group of students whose only goal was to learn how to be a neighbor. They didn’t have any ministry plan; in fact, we didn’t want them to have a ministry plan,” says Harley Schreck, department chair of anthropology and a professor of Intentional Urban Living. “We just wanted them to learn how to be a neighbor and to learn about their neighbors.” With time, more and more students wanted to live in the house, but it became less about living intentionally in the neighborhood. Instead, it was just an off-campus living option. “Students and I really insisted it become a credit-bearing experience because some of the students who entered the house didn’t have the same vision as the students who started it,” Schreck explains. So Intentional Urban Living I and II were created. Now students in the classes are no longer required to live in a designated, Bethel-owned house; they can live wherever they choose within Minneapolis or St. Paul. “Students get to deeply explore their neighborhoods, meet key leaders in the cities, and identify and participate in many aspects of urban life,” Schreck says. “It is also one of the most enjoyable courses to teach or take because of the deep friendships that develop with other students, professors, and community residents and leaders.”
Following God’s lead
—Kelsey Manfred ’11
intentional community. So when the opportunity arose for him to take Intentional Urban Living, he knew exactly where he wanted to live—an Urban Homeworks duplex. “The door just kind of opened, and it lined up really well with where God was leading my heart at the time,” Wenell says. “I just followed what seemed to be the Spirit’s leading.” And that led him into new environments. “I had very limited experience with different socioeconomic groups and perspectives and different racial groups,” Wenell explains. “So as my eyes started opening to the depth and complexity of racial issues and poverty, my desire was to experience that and make it more personal than just statistics and concepts.” To that end, he has befriended his neighbor Marilyn Brooks, who has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years and says interacting with Wenell and his roommates is refreshing. “They are very good people. He is respectful,” Brooks says. Like Wenell, Kelsey Manfred ’11 has come to know her neighbors in part because of the Intentional Urban Living course. Her interactions with those living close to her often happen in the laundry room of her north St. Paul apartment complex. “My purpose [in taking the class] was to learn the needs of a community, and then figure out what’s being done to address them,” Manfred explains. “And also as a Christian, what are my responsibilities regarding social issues and social justice in the community I’m living in?” As salt and light, Wenell, Manfred, and many others are learning how to better answer that question. BU
Wenell had heard of Urban Homeworks, which rehabs homes and converts them into duplexes to be used for building
My eyes started opening to the depth and complexity of racial issues and poverty… —Matt Wenell ’10
Bethel University
13
s s e n i s u B
A Small World, After All
by Suzanne Yonker
14
Spring 2010
Bethel’s business courses prepare students for global success On February 27, 2010, the Chilean countryside ruptured in an 8.8-magnitude earthquake, dropping buildings and killing 400 people. While the ground in Chile soon stilled, the economic aftershocks were quickly felt as far away as Cloquet, Minn., where Robert Fulghum, Bethel MBA learner, works as a maintenance manager at Sappi Fine Paper. “Our pulp and paper mills compete head-tohead with mills in every part of the world,” he explains. “The earthquake damaged the Chilean infrastructure, including three pulp mills, which has contributed to a shortage of pulp on the world market. This has significantly increased the price of pulp creating a challenge for paper manufacturers around the world.” How seismic activity in Chile has affected the paper industry trans-globally is just one example of the world economy’s interrelatedness. Learning the intricacies of this complex system has profound implications for business students today. Bethel is helping unravel the issues of globalization to help business women and men succeed and respond effectively to global aftershocks.
Global Knowledge Needed For undergraduates in the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS), the business major continues to be the most popular with nearly 500 students during spring semester 2010. In the College of Adult & Professional Studies (CAPS), 157 adults are business management learners, and 235 are currently enrolled in the MBA program in the Graduate School (GS). At every level, instructors strive to keep these students informed about the most current global issues. In CAS, students taking courses such as International Business, Global Marketing, and International Trade and Finance become more culturally aware and learn about the global economy, gaining a solid foundation on issues they’ll face in the working world. And the MBA program has increased the global content of its courses every year since it began in 2005, says Duke Fuehrer, MBA program co-director. “Our instructors with past international assignments are continually adding global business practices content,” he says. Fulghum, who decided to go back to school to increase his business skills, is reaping the benefits of this. Halfway through his MBA program, he’s become more familiar with concepts that apply both in Cloquet and abroad. “The core principles taught at Bethel are applicable across borders and around the world,” he says. Globalization particularly affects the financial arena, says Harold Wiens, Bethel trustee and former executive vice president of industrial markets for 3M Company. “All of us depend greatly upon the degree to which countries manage common interests to maintain our stable lifestyle,” he says. The strength of the Chinese yuan versus the dollar, for example, directly influences job gains or losses in the United States. The explosion of technology, especially wireless communication systems and access to the internet, is another factor that has forever changed how business is conducted around the world, says Chuck Hannema, chair of the
Bethel University
15
photo by Scott Streble
Top left: At the business and economics department’s annual golf event, Brian Holland, associate professor, fellowships with students Valerie Therrien ’08, Jessica Howley ’08, and Liz Glesne ’08. Bottom left: Karen Tangen, associate professor of business and economics, connects with senior business major Carolyn Pletscher ’09 at the department’s Homecoming tent. Right: In the College of Adult & Professional Studies and Graduate School, nearly 400 adults learners are currently enrolled in business programs.
Department of Business and Economics (CAS). He would know; he’s been teaching at Bethel since 2002. “The flow of capital happens instantaneously in today’s market,” he explains. “This makes markets more efficient but also accelerates panic because of the instantaneous flow of information.” Hannema has seen an increasing need to address these issues in his classes.
Valuing Diversity One key to conducting business globally is cultural competence—becoming aware of one’s own attitudes toward other cultures and building skills in working with other peoples. “The workplace is becoming increasingly diverse, and global engagement is imperative,” explains Leon Rodrigues, Bethel’s 16
Spring 2010
chief diversity officer. “It is no longer possible to be a competent leader without cultural competence.” This means learning about specific cultural mores and practices and getting to know individuals. Holding the same values isn’t necessary, but respecting different values is. “Respect the culture, even if you don’t embrace it: you can be in the culture but not of it,” says Tom Judson, program director for the CAPS Business Management program and MBA co-director. In strengthening their cultural competence, Bethel business women and men learn to behave appropriately in certain environments and avoid cultural taboos. “Today’s leaders must have extensive knowledge of different population needs, worldviews, and conflict,” says Rodrigues. “When managers practice culturally competent leadership, they will ensure much more responsive work environments and improved human relations. This increases productivity and enhances worker and customer satisfaction. We must be proactive rather than reactive.” For Bethel, part of being proactive means holding reconciliation—the honoring of everyone’s worth and dignity— as a core value.
photo by Sarah Peterson ’10
4 Cs Anthony Pekarek, who graduated from Bethel in 2009 with a bachelor of arts in business, now works as a human resources professional at Cargill in Texas. He’s brought the reconciling skills he learned at Bethel into his workplace. “If you are in business, it is imperative not to allow one’s self to be ignorant to diversity,” he says. “Bethel allows its students to develop as leaders with integrity.”
Breaking Down Language Barriers Knowing a second language is another critical skill for global business success. “Communication is key,” says Carol Chang, associate dean of international students and programming. “In the next 10 years, if you want to do business in China, you will need to learn Mandarin, China’s national language. Bethel will equip students better if we teach them the language.” And Bethel is. Starting in fall of 2004, Bethel began offering Introductory Chinese (Mandarin) along with five other modern world languages. Bethel also offers a spring semester in Guatemala, where students in any major can improve their Spanish language skills and become familiar with the culture. Students work with a tutor, studying Spanish for Business I and II or other Spanish language courses. Throughout the semester, participants serve in a community-based ministry in Antigua and nearby villages, integrating learning experiences with formal study. Business people also need to know the “language” of industry jargon. “Both the national language and industry jargon are important,” Judson relates. “If you are doing business in the textile industry, you need to have the common language of those in that industry.” Many faculty members in the adult undergraduate business program work in international business corporations and speak the common language of their trades while offering real-life
“Whatever we do, we need to keep Christ first as Christian global leaders,” says Karen Tangen, associate professor of business and economics. To that end, she organizes her trips for business students, such as the interim trip Globalization in India (left), around four particular values. Christ honoring: making Christ the priority from student selection to post-trip follow-up Culturally connecting: learning to interrelate with the cultures and businesses in the visiting nation Cognitively enriching: Going beyond the academics—do, not just see Community building: Encouraging supportive and purposeful student-student and professor-student relationships
experiences to the classroom and teaching principles that students can immediately apply to their own work situations. “Our instructors are able to bring relevant variables to life because they have experienced it,” Judson says.
Across the Miles While course work incorporating both cultural competence and language skills helps develop a framework for understanding the intricacies of global economics, traveling internationally has become an increasingly important—and popular—way for Bethel to offer hands-on experience to business students. Some trips require students to prepare for their overseas travel by learning about the country they will visit—its culture, history, politics, and level of technology. The 19 MBA learners who traveled to Hong Kong in 2008 for the Leading in a Global Environment: International Travel course attended lectures and completed reading assignments to better understand Chinese culture before traveling. Undergraduate business students have several opportunities for international travel. In fall 2009, Tom Johnson, business Bethel University
17
and economics professor (CAS), took 26 students to Europe for a semester. Among other locales, they studied at the German Goethe Institute, a famous language-learning institution. The group also spent a week in France in the homes of families connected to a private business school in Brittany. In all, the group visited 15 businesses across Europe, including Skoda Automobile in the Czech Republic and Deloitte Touche in London, where they went on a tour hosted by Susan Johnson Corcoran ’04. She is now a manager in the company’s Global IFRS & Offering Services area, employing the very skills she learned as a Bethel business major. January interim trips are also offered. In January 2010, a group of 29 students spent 22 days traveling in Amsterdam, London, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy, visiting BMW, Cargill, and other international corporations. Europe provides a unique opportunity to see many diverse cultures in a small geographical area, explains Bethany Opsata, business and economics professor (CAS) who helps chaperone interim trips to Europe. It can also be an eye-opening first step in understanding foreign travel for those used to a more homogeneous culture. “What is revealing for students is how businesses operate under different standards,” Opsata says. “They begin to realize a wider perspective on what to value in business operations, viewing business from a faith lens and not only a business lens.” While traveling in India for the course Globalization in India in January 2009, Pekarek felt his ability to embrace diversity increase, a life-long change that still affects his work. “Traveling to India impacted not only the skills I need in approaching different cultures, but it also gave me the ability to merge business and social levels of differing lifestyles,” he explains. “It made me somewhat more marketable to the companies to which I applied upon graduation.”
Nineteen MBA and Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership students and graduates traveled to Hong Kong in August 2008. Over 10 days, they toured businesses and attended seminars on globalization and how to conduct business in China.
One Person at a Time While understanding business and economies on a comprehensive scale is important, ultimately businesses are managed by women and men. Deals are made or broken based partly on the quality of interpersonal relationships. “Handling more relationships on individual and regional bases is key,” says Wiens. In China, successful business is conducted because of “guanxi”—interpersonal relationships, or connection. “Chinese cultures emphasize harmony,” Chang explains. “People in business and in life can connect when they have a relationship.” And this belief is incorporated into the mission of the Department of Business & Economics: to increase the well-being of humankind by serving, by being creatively involved with God and His creation, and by pursuing the principles of love and justice in a diverse and complex world. BU Read how one of professor Karen Tangen’s business trips to Romania incorporated community service.
18
Spring 2010
ProFile – Dottie Haugen
by Michelle Westlund ’83
Dottie Haugen sets you straight from the beginning. “When you talk about me at Bethel, you really need to talk about God,” she insists. “He engineered the whole thing.” Haugen, assistant professor of physical education, will retire this spring after 25 years at Bethel. The “whole thing” she refers to is her life, all 72 years of it, including a teaching career of 41 years. “I’m old enough now to look back and see God’s design for my life,” she confides. “And I feel like I have been led from one place to another. I opened my hands to the Lord and said, ‘Help Yourself to my life,’ and He has totally and completely directed me.” In 1985, He directed her to Bethel, where she has been able to combine her three greatest passions—God, people, and physical fitness—into a meaningful job and ministry. “This job lets me operate within the parameters of my gifts and interests,” she enthuses. “I just love it here!” Haugen has given her heart to Bethel’s ministry year after year. Her motivation comes from John 21. While reading Scripture in her office one day, Jesus’ words to Peter suddenly seemed to speak directly to her. “Feed my sheep,” she muses. “That’s my calling: nurturing and building people up physically and spiritually. It’s my mandate from the Lord.” Physical and spiritual fitness have some remarkable parallels, Haugen says. Both require an act of the will and must be pursued with intentionality. This awareness helps explain her unquenchable passion for teaching skills classes each year with renewed vigor. “I am inspired to make physical education fun, so that young people will want to weave physical activity into their lives for a lifetime,” she says. “It’s not just about golf or tennis. It’s about people!” She insists that Bethel has also given back to her. “This environment encourages and affirms me,” she says. “My colleagues are smart, professional, and love kids, and I have support from every area of the institution to do my job the best I can.”
photo by Scott Streble
“It’s not just about golf or tennis. It’s about people!”
That support came during some of her darkest days when her husband Jim passed away in 2005. It has included her brightest moments too, like the graduations of sons Tom and Peter —and their wives, Wendy and Brenda, respectively—from Bethel, and the births of five grandchildren. Haugen speaks with her customary candor when asked about retirement. “Don’t ask me what I’m going to do!” she chides. “I’ve already done everything I wanted to do, so I don’t see the big deal about retirement. My hands are open: I want to be faithful, I want to be obedient! What’s next?” Then she grows pensive. “My claim for my last year of teaching comes from Deuteronomy 33:25, which says, ‘…as thy days, so shall thy strength be.’ I want to finish like a runner—with a kick!” Bethel University
19
What’s ahead for Bethel’s libraries by Heather Johnson
20
Spring 2010
F
or libraries, gone are the days of private study carrels and wooden card catalogs filled with dog-eared paper indexes. Now—thanks to technology—a large number of library-goers never even walk through the library doors for the resources or help they need. And if they do, it’s often to meet up with fellow classmates to work on group projects or presentations, not to study alone in peace and quiet. Libraries, and their patrons, have changed drastically over the past 25 years, and Bethel’s own are no different. When Bethel’s main library opened in 1972, seven staff members served some 1,300 students. Now—although their space has not expanded—17 staff members serve nearly 5,000 students. Last year alone, more than 1 million people passed through the University Library’s doors. Find out how all of Bethel’s libraries are coming together, accommodating new technology and checking out books—or not—to today’s students.
Come Together Longtime Bethel librarian Bob Suderman saw the card catalog move from paper to microfiche to online. “Our technology was constantly shuffling,” explains Suderman. “When things slowed, inevitably something would pop up and keep me going.” The constant change kept him busy for 33 years until his retirement in 2009, but he didn’t leave before better coordinating all of Bethel’s libraries (the College of Arts & Sciences, Bethel Seminary St. Paul, and Bethel Seminary San Diego). Under President Emeritus George Brushaber, Suderman led the effort to incorporate them all into the automated CLICnet system back in the 1980s, which allows individuals to look up books and request transfers in other CLICnet member libraries—found at other private colleges and universities. Some 20 years later, the implementation of Blink, Bethel’s online portal, forced all of Bethel’s libraries to put their electronic databases and links to journals in the same place. Now, Suderman’s successor David Stewart will continue this synergy by overseeing all of Bethel’s libraries, a new
Bethel University
21
Top: In the 1950s, patrons of Bethel’s library on the old Snelling Avenue campus relied on card catalogs and paper indexes. photo courtesy of the Baptist General Conference History Center
Bottom: In San Diego, Bethel Seminary’s library serves students ranging in age from 22 to 70 years old and representing 30 different denominations.
What Bethel’s library offers are answers, and they may not be found in books, believes Erica Myers ’11, who has worked at the library for three years as both a reference and technology assistant. “I have learned that there is always a solution or answer,” says Myers. “When students have research questions, there are always different places to look, whether it’s on the bookshelves, other databases, or alternate libraries.” With her psychology major and Spanish minor, she hopes to go on to graduate school for library and information science to become a reference librarian.
photo by Greg Schneider
Wait up, Technology!
responsibility of Bethel’s library director position. Stewart joined the university in January 2010, having previously held positions at Luther Seminary in St. Paul and Princeton Seminary in New Jersey. “Integration of our library systems is a big change,” he says. “But it’s a good challenge to have. Across the university, we need to move toward integration and less duplication.” Sandra Oslund, Bethel Seminary St. Paul’s library director, is looking forward to the change in organizational structure, even though it’s uncharted territory. “By working closely together, I think we can provide more unified resources and services for Bethel students. We will gain by cooperation with the university library, and the university can gain by the uniqueness of the seminary library collections.” Each of Bethel’s libraries has distinctions, but finding elements of continuity is crucial. And so is marketing. “Libraries used to be seen as sacred places that could take care of themselves. They were valuable to people without any effort from a library staff,” says Suderman. “But that has changed drastically. It’s a whole different world. Bethel’s library will have to help people discover what it is and what it offers. Simply building the space does not mean students will come.”
Books are no longer the only deciding factor in a library’s success. “You really have to be more imaginative in how to provide service,” explains Stewart. “If a library’s services are set up on the assumption that you’re going to deal face-to-face with all your customers, you’d be missing a lot of opportunities in an environment like Bethel.” To continue offering the best in services, Bethel constantly anticipates and adapts. “Electronic revolution is probably the best way to describe it,” says Carole Cragg, associate director of libraries, who’s served at Bethel for 25 years. “And it’s happened a couple times over.” This revolution means not only that learners can access the library’s card catalog online, but also that they can access and print e-books and journal articles, and narrow their search through sophisticated online databases such as EBSCO. Following the most recent revolution, Bethel hired Kent Gerber in August 2009 as the library’s first-ever digital library manager. Gerber helps make internal resources more searchable and reusable. One of his current projects is digitizing Bethel’s entire collection of the Clarion, the student newspaper, so people can look up past articles online from their computers rather than having to sift through fragile hard copies in the library. Future projects of his—all of which will increase Bethel’s reach and influence—include digitizing Bethel’s art collections and graduate learners’ capstones and dissertations. Reference librarians have also changed in recent years. In the past, they provided help via phone or in person. Now it’s phone, email, chat, or text. “A reference librarian could, hypothetically, be helping five people at one time,” explains Stewart. “You might have someone at the desk, one person on chat, one on email, another texting, and then the phone rings.”
“If there’s one thing we’re about, it’s lifelong learning.”
22
Spring 2010
—Carole Cragg, associate director of libraries
Top: In addition to its own students, the library for Bethel Seminary St. Paul has served an increasing number of College of Arts & Sciences students (16 percent more) as well as College of Adult & Professional Studies and Graduate School students (39 percent) over the past year.
photo by Scott Streble
Bottom left: Karen Johnson is one of Bethel’s reference librarians who constantly adapts to technology to better serve students.
Senior Taylor Ferda praises Bethel’s reference help. “Within five minutes of asking Bethel’s reference librarians about something, chances are they’ll be more interested in your subject than you will be,” jokes Ferda. A history major, Ferda will return in the fall to complete his student teaching and then graduate in December with a B.A. in Social Studies Education (5-12). “Bethel’s skilled librarians always do an excellent job helping me obtain the more difficult sources that I have trouble tracking down,” he says. The library has also carved out more space for group study rooms, a need that has grown both in the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of Adult & Professional Studies and Graduate School. Additionally, the library reduced its printed reference collection to make room for more computers. “People thought that everyone would have their own laptop, and they might, but they’re still showing up in our labs,” explains Cragg. “We have the biggest lab on campus.” And they also have a hefty collection of multimedia equipment, including DVD players, CD players, Kindles®, digital cameras, specific cords, and more—all of which students, faculty, and staff alike can check out.
The Library’s Friends “If there’s one thing we’re about, it’s lifelong learning.” says Cragg. Supporting this learning is the Friends of the Bethel University Library. Started in 1997, this group of nearly 60 people has a mission to enhance the quality of the library’s collections, facilities, and services by encouraging gifts and estate planning and awareness of library resources. The Friends cosponsor the library’s Primetime Series events,
photo by Scott Streble
Bottom right: Senior Taylor Ferda presents his research on Alcuin of York at a Primetime Series event in April.
which afford faculty and students time to present their research and celebrate recent publications of dissertations or articles in their respective fields. These events used to be held 10 times a semester, drawing between five and 10 people. Now they occur 20 times a semester, with some 25 to 40 attendees. Ferda recently received the first-ever Friends of the Bethel University Library’s $250 research prize awarded to a student for his or her significant use of library resources. He presented his research on Alcuin of York’s theology of election, chastisement, and exaltation at a recent Primetime Series event. Friends also hosts forums and other events open to the public. These opportunities to congregate and learn from each other’s ideas as well as build relationships is exactly what all of Bethel’s libraries are striving to provide. They also support Bethel’s mission to equip adventurous Christ-followers. “I see my job as a ministry,” says Oslund. “The library plays an important role in the lives of women and men as they prepare for the work God has called them to do.” BU For more information on Friends of Bethel University Library, visit library.bethel.edu/about/friends. To listen to past Primetime Series events, visit library.bethel.edu/presentations.
Bethel University
23
PlaceMeant
By Scott Wible S’02
5
4 6 2 3
7
1
24
Spring 2010
The Loft on Bethel’s St. Paul campus is a little like that kids-only tree house you hammered together high in the oak overlooking the vegetable garden and fish pond— except nicer. The fourth-floor suite atop Brushaber Commons overlooks an ecologyfriendly green roof and shimmering Lake Valentine. This is a students-only hangout with a periphery of offices, conference rooms, and staging areas for the Bethel Student Association, the Clarion student newspaper, Welcome Week staff, World Challenge, and other student groups needing a place to gather and strategize. Open on weekdays from mid-morning to 2 a.m., as well as on weekend evenings, The Loft hosts recreational pursuits ranging from board games and commuter coffee breaks to Wii contests and “Scrubs” marathons on the big-screen TV. Spaces like the Lounge, Workroom, and Garage can be reserved for student-led meetings and special events, and if you’re planning a movie night, you can even arrange for fresh popcorn—$1 a bag. The Loft’s only nonstudent resident is Heather Richards, who offices there as staff advisor for student activities and new student orientation. Even if you’re not a student, rumor has it that she may lower the rope ladder so you can climb up and sneak a peek…
9
10
8
12
photo by Scott Streble
11
1 Tornado Table Soccer, site of fast and furious foosball fests. It’s first-come, first-served. Just bring your student ID to check out games and equipment. 2 Air Hockey, another action-packed table sport. Also available are board games (including good old-fashioned chess and checkers), racquetball gear, and outdoor paraphernalia like Frisbees and disc golf sets. 3 The Garage, a large meeting and work space so named because it’s separated from the Loft Lounge by a genuine double garage door of glass and aluminum that opens and closes via remote control. 4 Bethel Student Association (BSA) staff flowchart, featuring photos of students who fill key BSA leadership positions. BSA’s mission is to “develop students’ God-given gifts and inspire them to be used in kingdom-building ways by connecting students with events, opportunities, and solutions within Bethel and beyond.” 5 BSA Executive Office. Business marketing senior Stephen Glancey (left inset, on right), BSA’s executive director of communications and marketing, observes as fellow students work on a project. While approximately 100 students serve on BSA’s staff, the organization’s membership comprises the entire student body of Bethel’s College of Arts & Sciences. 6 Commuter Break Station, where commuting students congregate for coffee and donuts between 10 and 11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Loft’s busiest times tend to be on weekdays before and after lunch and between classes. 7 Circle Couch, hub of relaxation and conversation. 8 Pool Table. The brass plate mounted on the table’s south end is inscribed “A gift for the students of Bethel University from M.A. Mortenson, General Contractor, Brushaber Commons.” 9 Clarion office, home of Bethel University’s award-winning student newspaper. As editor in chief, journalism senior Hannah Gruber heads a staff of 13 students who ably put to bed each issue of the biweekly publication. 10 Guitar Hero action on what reportedly is the only TV residing in any of Bethel’s academic buildings. Big-picture, flat-screen technology facilitates game playing, sports spectating, and movie watching during study breaks. 11 Nathan Freeburg, associate dean for leadership development/ community development, and advisor to Bethel’s 80-student-strong Welcome Week staff. Their passion each fall: welcoming students into Bethel with the love of Jesus Christ. 12 Reception Desk, manned by student workers well into the wee hours to serve the never-ending parade of peers who enjoy The Loft morning, noon, and night. Bethel University
25
Through the transplanting of organs, Bethel community members learn what it means to give and receive Christ’s love by Nicolle Westlund ’09
M
ore than 106,000 people in the United States are waiting for life.
They are candidates on the organ donor list, needing everything from kidneys and lungs to bone marrow and hearts. Even more people are in need of various types of tissue and blood because of injuries or disease. In 1 John 3:16, we’re reminded that Jesus Christ gave His blood for all of us waiting for and needing His redemption. He died on the cross demonstrating what true love is—the laying down of one’s life for another. In following His example, we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters, says John. As adventurous Christ-followers, numerous Bethel community members are taking John’s words to heart. They are giving up parts of themselves—quite literally—for each other, neighbors, and even perfect strangers who need organs. Find out how the transplanting is transforming both the giver and receiver, and learn how you, too, can give to demonstrate the love of Christ.
clusters of cysts form within the kidneys. It’s one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States and affects about 600,000 people. As the diseased tissue grows, it crowds out the healthy tissue, eventually leaving the patient with complications ranging from high blood pressure to kidney failure. At first, Swanson kept her illness to herself, only telling her husband Randy, her parents, and Jahnke and her parents. Little did she know that when Jahnke found out about Swanson’s possible need for a kidney, she decided she would give hers up. “I didn’t tell Holly because I knew how stubborn she was, and Holly (Wenzel) Swanson ’89 center, Cheryl Jahnke ’89 right.
For a Friend College roommates share almost everything, from TVs and iPod docks to cereal and cold germs. But kidneys? In April 2010, Cheryl Jahnke ’89 gave one of her kidneys to her freshman roommate from Bethel, Holly (Wenzel) Swanson ’89. In 1993, four years after graduation “I know I’d miss having you and only three months after Swanson had gotten around a lot more than I’ll miss married (with Jahnke as her maid of honor, far right photo), doctors diagnosed Swanson with having a kidney.” polycystic kidney disease, a disorder in which
—Cheryl Jahnke ’89
26
Spring 2010
figured there was no point in arguing then,” says Jahnke. Fast-forward 16 years to spring 2009. Swanson’s kidneys were failing, and she began looking at options. “I’d already made the decision not to seek a living donor from a registry of strangers,” she says. “I strongly feel that when it comes to adult transplant recipients, parents of minor children should have priority for organs.” Finding a deceased donor usually takes about five years, so Swanson anticipated “It’s a little more involved to give someone a kidney a “downward slide into dialysis and continuing than to give someone $5 to stay in a shelter for the degeneration.” Jahnke knew it was time to approach Swanson. night, but that’s the way I want to live.” “[Cheryl] told me, ‘I knew you’d say no at first, so —Dan Hunt ’95 I figured I’d just wait until things got really ugly,’” recalls Swanson. “Then she said, ‘I know I’d miss having you around a lot more than I’ll miss having a kidney.’” Not completely convinced, Swanson spent the next few days Hunt knew that one of his tenants, Sherry Hanson, mother researching living donors, asking questions of doctors, and of four (and in the process of adopting two more children), was talking to Jahnke’s family. She eventually accepted her former having kidney problems, and that she was on dialysis three days roommate’s offer. Jahnke was declared a match, and preparations a week for six hours at a time. He was no stranger to dialysis, for transplant surgery in April 2010 began. as his father died from cancer-related kidney failure in 1992. “People tell me it is a selfless act, but really, I’m doing what I So Hunt offered to get tested. Hanson brushed it off, but Hunt can to keep my friend around and healthy,” says Jahnke. was serious, proceeding through three levels of testing that Swanson is thankful her donor is her best friend. “Do I think ultimately revealed that he was a match. God put Cheryl in my life to save it?” she said. “That would be “She was really surprised that I’d actually gone through with selfish and simplistic. But did I meet her in order to learn from it,” Hunt says. “And after she found out, she dragged her feet. I her patience, generosity, gentleness, cheerfulness, and all the told her I was committed, that I wasn’t going anywhere.” other blessings I could tell you about for hours? Certainly!” While Hanson wavered, Hunt’s family embraced the idea. “I came home one night and over dinner I said to Erica, ‘I offered The transplant was performed successfully, and at the time of Sherry my kidney,’” he says. “And she replied with something publication, both Swanson and Jahnke were well into recovery. like, ‘Okay. Would you please pass the peas?’ It was that simple.” Follow their journey at Holly’s blog: hollys2ndlife.blogspot.com. Part of Hunt’s motivation was having seen his dad suffer. “I never wavered on whether or not to go forward,” he says, “because I knew the impact the transplant would have on Sherry’s life.” For a Tenant In January 2010, Hanson finally made the appointment, and Dan Hunt ’95 and his wife Erica have made service a part of the two-hour surgery took place on February 23. Hunt was in their life together. When they first got married, they decided the hospital for two days and only missed five days of work. Just to move to West Virginia to live in a low socioeconomic area. seven weeks after the surgery, he says he’s back to 100 percent. They again chose a low-income area when they moved back to Hanson’s recovery also went well, and doctors predict that it’s Minnesota, settling in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood. Says Hunt, “We try to be aware of needs in our neighborhood—needs likely she’ll never have to be on dialysis again. Hunt is as thankful for Hanson as she is for his kidney. “It’s for food, for a place to sleep, etc. And our nightly prayer is, ‘God, a little more involved to give someone a kidney than to give if there’s a way we can participate in providing those needs, someone $5 to stay in a shelter for the night,” he says, “but that’s show us.’” the way I want to live.” One of those needs came through Hunt’s work as the director of housing for Urban Homeworks, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that rehabilitates small, multi-unit and single-family For a Stranger homes in the Twin Cities with the help of local volunteers. Hunt In 2004 when current Bethel seminarian Sarah Burton began places tenants in the renovated homes and builds relationships her freshman year at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, with the families who reside in the communities. “Part of my donating a piece of herself wasn’t on her college “bucket list.” official job is knowing the families’ needs,” he says. But, when the men’s basketball team held a drive to join the Bethel University
27
“This is the biggest commitment I’ve made to serve someone else.” —Sarah Burton
You Give
Interested in becoming a donor? Give blood. Check for blood drives. Visit memorialbloodcenters.org for Minnesota blood drives or redcrossblood.org for drives in your area. Also sign up to host a blood drive or schedule a personal appointment. photo by Scott Streble
Check your license. If the “donor” box isn’t checked on your driver’s license, visit donatelifemidwest.org to become an organ and tissue donor. Do it now. Visit livingdonorsonline.org for information on how to be a living donor.
National Bone Marrow Registry, Burton thought, “why not?” “They took a tiny vial of blood and swiped my cheek with some cotton swabs to get my DNA,” she recalls. “It was very easy.” Five years passed. In July 2009, the registry called to say she was a 9-out-of-10 match for a patient, and thus, at the top of their list. A few weeks later, the day after Burton turned 23, they called to confirm and officially ask her to be a bone marrow donor. At this point, Burton had moved to the Twin Cities and was working at a church and pursuing a master of divinity degree at Bethel Seminary. She spent the next several weeks at information meetings about being a bone marrow donor, signing necessary paperwork, and completing medical tests. With a clean bill of health, she began taking iron pills three times a day and spent the next few weeks praying. During her surgery, doctors removed bone marrow from two spots on her pelvic bone. “The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the OR, and everyone was asking how I was doing, and chuckling because I was as smiley after the procedure as I was before. (I’m really always smiley unless I have too much homework!)” Burton had two large bruises where the marrow had been harvested and she was a little sore, but she returned to her
“I was able to put my short-term because I knew I was doing this better purpose.”
28
Spring 2010
seminary classes the next week. “I don’t feel brave; I was terrified. I don’t love needles. I had never spent the night in a hospital,” she explains. “However, I love service. This is the biggest commitment I’ve made to serve someone else. A stranger. And, really, I think this is a little bit of what it means to be a human being, to be a follower of Christ.” Fellow donor Joel Carlson ’93 agrees. He had discovered that more than 80,000 people without organ matches were waiting for a kidney and felt God leading him to become a donor. So, the testing process began at the University of Minnesota. In a daylong session, Carlson was given physical and mental assessments to determine if he was qualified to donate. He was also briefed on post-operative pain and told that he could no longer play contact sports. Then, on February 25, 2009, Carlson began the five-hour procedure to have a kidney removed and donated to an anonymous recipient who will have the opportunity to contact Carlson in the future, if he or she chooses. “I feel connected to the recipient only from our common bond now,” Carlson says. “But I have never met him or her, so it’s kind of a different connection.” Even though the process was long and he had his share of stitches and recovery, Carlson says that once he understood that the surgery wasn’t about him, nothing was painful. “I was able to put my short-term pains aside because I pains aside knew I was doing this for a much better purpose,” he for a much says. “Life is not meant to be lived just for the sake of yourself. We are called to go out and show love, and that can take so many forms. I feel like this was my —Joel Carlson ’93 way to do that.” BU
Bethel University
28
Alum News Bethel Magazine incorporates Alum News from all schools of Bethel University. (S) indicates news from Bethel Seminary alumni, (CAPS) indicates news from College of Adult & Professional Studies, and (GS) indicates news from Graduate School alumni. No indication is news from College of Arts & Sciences alumni.
1938 Vivyonne Eloise (Ekstrum) Ahlquist, 93, died February 25. She was a graduate of Mounds-Midway School of Nursing and married Gerald Robert Ahlquist, who passed away in 2003 after 59 years together. Vivyonne was a registered nurse at Mounds Park Hospital, St. Paul; director of nursing at the St. Cloud VA Hospital; and the college nurse at Aurora College and Mercyville in Aurora, Ill. She is survived by her daughters Judy (Gregory) Mayer and Jan (David) Beagley; grandchildren; and greatgrandchildren.
1940 Francis Robert “Bob” Otto (S’47), 89, died February 16. He received a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Minnesota and a Th.D. from the Southern Baptist Theological Divinity School. He retired in 1987 from Mercer University, where he was a member of the philosophy and Christianity departments and served as dean of chapel. He was predeceased by his wife of 60 years, Helen Carlson Otto. Survivors include his sons Bruce R. (Linda) and Karl (Elizabeth Kronlage); daughter Julie (Christopher) Shaw; grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
1947 Thelma (Dewitt) Olds has been retired for 22 years after being employed by the State of Minnesota Department of Revenue. Her hobbies include art, particularly calligraphy, and she has 14 great-grandchildren.
1952 Doraine (Anderson) Peterson, 77, died March 17. She taught at Nelson Elementary School in Columbia Heights, Minn., for several years. She and her husband were members of Grace Point (Salem Baptist) Church where they were involved in many ministries for more than 40 years. She also served at Trout Lake Camp and Bethel in many capacities. She is
survived by her husband of 56 years, Robert “Bob” Peterson Sr.; children Janet (Steve Fischer), Rob (Suzanne), and Lisa Peterson-Kinnunen (Kevin Kinnunen); and grandson. J. Gordon Platt (S), 84, died January 31. He married Dolores Borgstrom in June 1947, and they pastored BGC churches in Maynard, Minn.; Kenosha, Wis.; Seattle; and Pasadena, Kingsburg, and Spring Valley, Calif. He also served as chaplain of Casa de Verdugo retirement home, Hemet, Calif. He is survived by his wife and two sons.
1955 Marilyne Backlund Gustafson was one of the 100 distinguished nursing alumni honored in November at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. Held to celebrate the Centennial Year of the School of Nursing, the event recognized her commitment to transcultural nursing in regions such as Haiti by providing health education for non-literate women. An early proponent of spirituality in nursing, she has lectured extensively on the subject. The Gustafson Visual Literacy Pictorial Tool that she developed has been used worldwide. Marilyne taught three decades in the University School of Nursing, and has written for several Christian Fellowship publications. She still serves in an advisory capacity to Christian nurses’ publications.
1958 Joseph Biller passed away January 17. He is survived by his wife Jean; sons Bryan and John; and three grandchildren. Joe retired in 1992 after 23 years as a social worker in Family and Children’s Services in Niagara, Ontario, Canada. Glenn Iver Nordquist (S), 86, of Spring Hill, Tenn., passed away on March 6. A former chaplain at
“Measure our performance by what God accomplishes through our graduates after they have been prepared at Bethel to go out into the world to serve.” —John Alexis Edgren, Founder Florida State Prison, he was also a minister to Opstead Baptist and Isle Baptist churches in Minnesota, and ministered to many churches across the United States with the BGC and the Southern Baptists. He was the founder of Galloway Youth Camp and Galloway Boys Ranch in Wahkon, Minn. Glenn and his wife of 64 years, Shirley, fostered more than 75 children together. He’s survived by Shirley; son Gary Nordquist; daughter Judith Marie (Bill) Rudderham ’70; sisters Verna Ganstrom and Elna West; two grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
1960 Dennis W. Johnson is president of the Stockholm Inn. He is the founder and chairman of Kids Around the World; a board member of the Bible League, David C. Cook Publishing, and Swedish American Health System; and a trustee for Rockford College. He and his wife Evie live in Rockford, Ill.
1961 Carol (Ericks o n) Pe n n e r passed away from ovarian cancer in Kenora, Ontario, Canada, on January 5. She is survived by her husband Alan Penner ’61; son and daughter-in-law Todd ’84 and Bev (Henning) ’84, and son and daughter-in-law Kurt and Rose; granddaughters Melissa ’10 and Rebecca Penner ’12; and grandsons Drew and Terry Penner.
1963 Ernest Beetner, 74, passed away at home in Altoona, Iowa, after a four-year battle with thyroid cancer. He attended graduate school at the University of Chicago, spent nearly 20 years as circulation director for Wallace-Homestead Farm Progress Publications in Des Moines, and retired from the U.S. Postal Service. He’s survived by his wife, Ann, of 30 years; children Doug ’90 (Keri) and Brenda (Jon) Edwards ’92; two granddaughters; and a grandson.
1965 After 13 years in Brazil and 10 in Africa with Wycliffe, Jan (Bowman) Crowell is beginning her fifth year as the Wycliffe international prayer coordinator. Her husband Tom teaches at Texas Christian University. They live in Ft. Worth, Texas.
1966 Hugh and Martie (Gemmel) Tracy are serving with Wycliffe in Peru. They write: “Thank you for praying for us, our family, the Quechua people, and others as God brings them to your attention. You are an important part of the team, and we appreciate you very much!”
1970 Ferne and Dick Hunter (S) celebrated 50 years of marriage. Now retired, the Hunters live in Arlington, Tenn.
1975 David Essells (S’85) retired in December after more than 30 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, where
Bethel University
29
Alum News In Memoriam
Albert Armstrong Keim, 94, died on March 7. He worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps before serving in the U.S. Navy from 1935-1939. After working for Electric Wheel Co., he was a flight service specialist with the Federal Aviation Administration. He married Martha Ann Baumgartner in 1942, and they resided in Springfield, Kan., Grantsburg, Kan., and Des Moines, Iowa, where he retired in 1970 as chief of the FAA Flight Service Station. Keim then worked for Bethel College & Seminary until 1979 when he and Ann moved to Quincy, Ill. For more than 15 years, they served as volunteers through RSVP and Blessing Hospital. Keim was predeceased by his wife in 2003, and is survived by son James (Barbara); daughters Patricia (Frank) Foley and Judith Muck; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. he served as a helicopter pilot for seven years and as a chaplain for the remaining time. He has served five years on active duty since 9/11. He and his wife Lois (Dahlstrom) live in Ft. Worth, Texas.
1976 Daniel V.A. Olson teaches and does research in sociology of religion at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. He is married to Shirley Buchele Olson and has two adult children.
1978 Cindy and James Boyer are with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Rucallpa, Peru. Susan Hollrah earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University in 1999 and lives in Solvang, Calif., where she is director of resident service at Atterdag Village of Solvang. She’s active with the Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club, where she’s been a member for the past 13 years, and has served on a project with Medical Teams International that took her to Oaxaca, Mexico, in 2008. In recognition of her efforts on behalf of others, she has been named the Valley Foundation’s volunteer of the year for health and human services.
1979 Jody Dietel is chief compliance officer for WageWorks, Inc., in Vista, Calif.
30
Spring 2010
1980 Rick McKinniss (S) has been senior leader at Wellspring Church in Kensington, Conn., for the past 24 years. He recently published Equally Yoked, a biblical theology on God’s ideal for the genders as full and equal partners.
1982 Jeanne (Carlson) and Pat Draper ’80 are proud grandparents. Their daughter Janell Draper ’05 gave birth to Rory in October.
1983 Mary Moore Nance was named to Cambridge Who’s Who 2009. She’s been a literacy coordinator for the Colorado Baptist General Convention in Canada and Japan since graduating from Bethel.
1985 Cecelia Grace was born in October to Brent and Katie (Voza) Bowers. She joins Tony, 21, Max, 20, Gina, 17, Lydia, 16, Sophia, 14, Dominic, 10, and Jesse, 7. Michael William Richmond (S), 70, passed away at home in Stanchfield, Minn., on February 25. He married Gail Lundquist in 1958 and spent most of his working years in sales and service. At age 55 he started a new journey and earned an M.Div. degree. Mike worked as a pastor in several Minnesota churches and mentored
other pastors in leadership and conflict management. He is survived by his wife Gail; children Michael (Sue), Patricia, Scott (Kayla), and Charles (Ruth); and six grandchildren.
1987 Robert Tratz illustrated a children’s book on adoption, You Grew in our Hearts, available at storyforalifetime. com. The book can be personalized to fit your specific adoption story.
1989 Leonard Martini (S) has written two books: The Confident Christian: A Theology of Confidence for Overcoming Economic/Spiritual Crisis and Living In His Name: Applying John’s Gospel, published by Holy Fire Publishing. He has a Th.D. in Christian Counseling from Christian Seminary and is an itinerant teacher at several schools in San Diego. In addition to teaching, his ministries include Home Fellowship Bible Studies and Christian counseling.
1993 Elisha Kathryn was born to Debbie (Bell) and David Harrison ’94. She joins Mikayla, 10, Rebecca, 7, and Alyssa, 3. David works as a database developer for Scottrade, and Debbie stays at home with the girls.
1994 Margaret (Williams) Strom’s husband Joel passed away on March 15 at the age of 41. He left behind four children: Alyssa, Mitchell, Maxwell, and Gavin. Margaret requests prayers for them.
1995 Linnea was born to Katie (Lindberg) and Jason Lind ’96 in June. She joined Kaleb, 7, and Micah, 5.
1996 Philip Friesen (S) published Old Testament Roots of Nonviolence with Wipf and Stock publishers. He is the director and international outreach pastor at Connexions International and lives in Minneapolis. Lisa Rensenbrink married Victor Valdez in St. Louis Park, Minn., in December. Victor is employed by Aerosim technologies, and Lisa is a teacher in the Richfield public schools. They live in St. Louis Park.
1997 Luke Andrew was b orn in August to Cory ’99 and Pam (Dierenfeld) Emberland. He joins Drew, 7, and Alec, 4. Cory is self-employed as a chiropractor, and Pam is a stay-at-home mom. They live in Bloomington, Minn. Rachel Green married Aaron Tollefsrud at Willmar Evangelical Free Church in June. Aaron is a graduate of South Dakota State University in Brookings. He works at CNH in Benson, Minn., as an agricultural engineer. Rachel is a physician at the Family Practice Medical Center in Willmar, Minn. Elijah S amuel was born to Darin and Alicia (Crosbie) Jones in February. He joins Katlyn, 8, and Natalie, 7. Natalie Rebecca was born to Spencer and Danika (Tiller) Larson in December. The Larsons, including Cameron, 1, live in Fridley, Minn. Evalyn Karin recently turned one year old. She is the daughter of Emily (Nunn) and Christoph Pitkin. They live in Minnetonka, Minn.
Alum News Twin girls, Gianna Mari and Emme Louise, were born in February to Mikkel and Melanie (McVicar) Thompson. They join brothers Carter, 7, Collin, 5, and Keni, 3. They live in Pittsboro, N.C., near where Mikkel works in construction operations and Melanie is a stay-at-home mom.
1998 Abigail Sue was born in March to Greg and Michelle (Skifstad) Heider. Her siblings are Caleb, 10, Lylah, 8, Gracie, 6, and Joshua, 4. Michelle is a stay-at-home mom and is homeschooling. Greg is a trooper for the Washington State Patrol.
1999 Kaya Grace was born in January to JJ and Kelly (Sewick) Johnson. She joins Caleb, 2. They live at Lake Beauty Bible Camp where JJ is the program director. After 10 years of teaching, Kelly loves being a stayat-home mom.
iGarageSale
Juliana Rose was born in April to Ryan and Jenna (Sincell) Mahlberg. She joins brother Noah. The Mahlbergs live in Plainfield, Ill. We s l e y J a c o b was born in May to Michael and K r i s t i n (S o m mars) Ruetten. He joins sister Sonja, 3. They reside in Maplewood, Minn.
2000 Blake David was born in December 2009 to Kristin and Matt Sorensen. He joins Wyatt and Sadie. They live in Woodbury, Minn.
Abigail and Kevin Hendricks traveled to Ethiopia in the spring of 2009 to bring home their son, Milo Rahimeto. They finalized his adoption in October. Milo joins older sister Lexi, 4. They live in West St. Paul where Kevin is head monkey for Monkey Outta Nowhere. Annika Kaye was born to Megan (Erickson) and Eric Johnson ’00 in August. Eric is in finance at Tennant C o m p a n y, and Megan will soon return to work in finance at General Mills. They live in New Brighton, Minn.
2002
2001 Lila Nichole was born to Ty l e r a n d Tera (Hillenb r a n d ) Gregor y in November.
Theo Erich was born in December 2009 to Steve and Emily (Behr) Conrad (GS ’07). They live in Maple Grove, Minn.
Love finding deals, but don’t have the time to search for garage sales near you? The wait is over, thanks to Aaron Kardell ’02. Kardell and his wife, Kate (Harne) ’01, wanted to capitalize on garage sales to save money on baby items for their new son, Elijah, but would often arrive to advertised addresses too late for good deals. With the expertise for developing apps from his computer science studies at Bethel, Kardell created the solution: iGarageSale, an app for your iPhone or iPod touch that allows you to get a searchable map of local garage sales continually kept up to date through a software program linked to listings on Craigslist. It also gives you directions to the sale. “I wanted to search for garage sales in an easier way,” says Kardell. And apparently, so do many others. Since its July 2009 release, the app has been spotlighted in Apple’s iTunes store, nominated for two of Apple’s Best App Ever Awards, and received more than 11,000 downloads. “I have always enjoyed working with technology and pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors related to technology,” says Kardell. At Bethel, he enjoyed collaborating with mathematics and computer science professor Brian Turnquist in the development and research of advanced operating systems. Now, as a technological entrepreneur, Kardell loves “exploring things that haven’t yet been explored.” Keep a look out: Kardell’s currently working on new apps that could save you money as well as help you search for homes or realtors.
While Bethel strives for accuracy in all it does, we cannot be responsible for the content of news items submitted by alumni. The inclusion of news items here should not be construed as an endorsement of their content by Bethel Magazine or Bethel University. Jesse Frederick was born in September 2009 to Scott and Jamie (Brown) Hansen. They live in Minneapolis. Mark and Heather (Miner) Haseman adopted two boys: Mylique, 6, and Zayvion, 3. They live in Chapman, Kans. Michael McCandless (S) passed away in January. He was involved in Kairos Prison Ministry and was pursuing ordination. He is survived by his son, David; his mother; two brothers and a sister; extended family; and friends. Alexandra Jane, “Lexie,” was born in May to Mandy (Prazuch) and Paul Mueller ’03. They live in Maple Grove, Minn. Hanna Grace was born in May to Aaron and Amanda (Mickelson) Ramquist. They live in Lodi, Wis. Gregory Woodard (S) was ordained by Converge Worldwide (BGC) in March. He completed training as a Navy chaplain in November and is on active duty as the station protestant chaplain at Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz. He is married to Vicki Woodard (a former 12-year employee of Bethel), and they are the parents of Liahna, 11, and David, 7.
2003 Jerry Appelquist (S) is teaching at Lakeland College and is logistics supervisor for Rice Lake Weighing systems. His wife, Marsha, teaches special education in Haugen, Wis. They have four children: Mark, Jeff, Craig, and Taylor Marie.
Bethel University
31
Alum News ! fun r o f cast e r r fo You
Bethel
Laura Baker married Erik Wegener on a beach in Bonita Springs, Fla., in March. She writes for Living Word Christian Center and has contributed devotionals and marketing copy to books published by Barbour Books and Moody Publishers, respectively.
October 15-17
Terrence Barthel left Target Corporation to become a full-time small business owner. He owns uberfan.com, a fan-centric website that makes following sports and spectatorship even more exciting for sports fans.
Homecoming 2010 Class reunions for 1940, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 To find out more information about your reunion and other Homecoming events, visit bethel.edu/alumni. To RSVP call the Office of Alumni and Parents Services at 651.638.6462 (toll-free 800.255.8706, ext. 6462) or email alumni@bethel.edu.
Friday, October 15, 7:30 p.m. Benson Great Hall Triple Espresso—a highly caffeinated comedy—tells the rags-torags story of Hugh Butternut, Buzz Maxwell, and Bobby Bean, an aspiring comedy trio whose bid for showbiz fame and fortune ended in four minutes of magnificent failure on national television. It’s a high-energy, vaudevilleinspired comedy for all ages—packed with music, magic, and monkey business, and bursting with fun. To order tickets or for more information, call the Benson Great Hall Ticket Office at 651.638.6333 (toll-free 866.424.4849). 32
Spring 2010
Avery Kay was born in July to Josh ’01 and Kim (Carlson) Agrimson. Avery’s twin sister, Lauren Anne, was stillborn. Josh is a dentist, and Kim is a stay-at-home mom. They live in River Falls, Wis. Bethel Magazine regrets omitting Avery’s photo in the last issue.
Athanasius William was born in Seoul, South Korea, in June to Justin ’04 and Bretta (Vri e ze) Sp e ck. Shortly after, they moved to Milwaukee, Wis.
2004
Bethany Ericson married TK Scott in July 2009. They live in Riverside, Calif., and both work at California Baptist University. Pictured are all those who celebrated the wedding and have Bethel connections.
Lynn Van Lenten ’84 caught up with Carmen (Schaap) ’84 and Thor Hansen ’84 in Miami over Christmas. Their photo echoes one of them taken for a 1984 Bethel brochure.
2005 Elli o t t T h o ma s Pi e t y Browne was born in November 2009 to Kristopher and Bethany (Piety) Browne. He was welcomed by his brother Aidan, 2. They live in Minneapolis. Andrew James Jeremiah, “AJ,” was born in October 2009 to Andrew and Jennifer (Case) Johnson. They live in Lafayette, Ind. Raef Timothy was born in December to Evie (Prazuch) ’06 and Tim Larson. They live in Isanti, Minn.
2006 On July 24, 2009, Wycliffe translators Jennie and Paul Minter (S) dedicated the New Testament in the Iyo language of Papua New Guinea, the group they have been doing translation with for the last 19 years. They live in Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea.
Alum News
Owen Gar y was born in August to Lindsey (Mikke ls o n) an d Dave Thomas ’05. Lindsey and Dave are both teachers in the Centennial school district. They reside in Blaine, Minn.
2007 Chris t o p h e r Nordell and Laura Degendorfer were married in November 2009 at New Hope Church (formerly Crystal Free Church) in New Hope, Minn. The wedding party included Lauren Johnson ’07, Amber Stanek ’07, Amy Johnson ’06, Lisa Murphy ’06, Tom Degendorfer ’05, Judd McCormick ’07, Andrew Vennerstrom ’07, Nate Greene ’07, and Eric Peffley ’09.
2008 Heather Rae (Johnson) Northway and Katie Campana were in the Morris Park Players community theatre production of Cinderella in April. Heather was Cinderella, and Katie was in the ensemble. The show was performed at the Folwell Middle School in Minneapolis.
2009 Sarah Powell is a registered nurse at the Dayton VA Medical Center and lives in Kettering, Ohio. Anna Shepperd married Alex Coyne in October 2009 in St. Paul. Stephanie Thompson married Morgan Whiterabbit in June 2009. Morgan, a graduate of Augsburg College, is finishing his B.S. in physics at Azusa Pacific University. Stephanie is working towards a doctorate in psychology at Rosemead School of Psychology. They live in La Habra, Calif.
Stay connected to Bethel Facebook Twitter ITunes U Jay’s Blog
Upcoming Alumni Events July 24 Washington Park, Portland 10th Annual Bethel Gathering picnic July 25 Gas Works Park, Seattle Bethel Gathering picnic August 21
Science Museum of Minnesota Dead Sea Scrolls lecture and Q&A with Bethel Seminary Professors Paul Ferris and Dan Gurtner
November 13 Coon Rapids, Minn. Feed My Starving Children service project for young alumni For more information on these events, visit bethel.edu/alumni.
Out to the Ballgame!
Jeff Nelson ’87 (third from left) was thrilled at the opportunity to be behind home plate at the Twins home opener at their new stadium, Target Field, on April 12. “I have long roots in Minnesota baseball. I grew up watching games at Met Stadium and later at the Metrodome. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I went to another ballpark,” he remembered. Three of the four umpires on opening day had Minnesota connections. According to Nelson, Major League Baseball tries to accommodate umpires who have connections at stadiums that are closing or opening. Says Nelson, “I was excited because it was a fun crew and an exciting event for the Twin Cities, the Midwest, and baseball in Minnesota. It is cool to be a part of something like that.” So, what does he think of Target Field? “It’s one of the best stadiums we have,” he says. “From an umpire perspective it’s not overly gimmicky. It’s simple in design, but well thought out.” photo courtesy of the Minnesota Twins
Julia Nicholson and Kye Samuelson were married in July at House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, followed by an outdoor reception in North Oaks at the home of the bride’s parents, David and Barbara (Atkins) Nicholson ’71. B ethel alumni in the wedding included Ruthie C alvin Beahr s ’06, Rachel Fellman ’06, Jessica Dirks Lennartson ’06, Faith Norine Brue, Emma Atkins ’10, Meghan Slothoubar ’06 and Chris Casselman ’06. Bethel musicians included Emma Atkins ’10, Christie Calvin ’08, Aaron Bumann ’06, and Michael Bumann ’06. Julia works for Governor Tim Pawlenty on his communications team. The groom is an MBA graduate student at the University of St. Thomas. They live in Birchwood, Minn. Bethel Magazine regrets misspelling of bride’s name and photo omission in last issue.
Bethel University
33
Bethel Magazine
3900 Bethel Drive St. Paul, MN 55112-6999
Change Service Requested
Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID St. Paul MN Permit No 899
“Black and blue scarves flaunted proudly, pouring rain in an open air stadium, and absolutely no correlation between the seat number on your ticket and the chair you stand on: this is professional Italian soccer.”
Jami Johnson ’11 took this photo titled “First to Come, Last to Leave” while in Milan, Italy, in January 2010 for the course History of Science in Europe. She is a physics major and will be senior captain for the Royals’ soccer team for the 2010 season.