BethelParent A newsletter for parents of Bethel University students
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Issue 49/Fall 2010
Parent Services Office Serves YOU! Bethel Parent spoke to Ralph Gustafson, vice president for constituent relations, about his role in serving Bethel parents, as well as the many resources his team offers. Q: Tell us about yourself and your connection to Bethel. A: The Bethel family has played a significant role in my life for 40 years. I graduated from the college in 1974 and the seminary in 1978, and my wife Lyn (C’74) and I served as residence directors for Arden Village West. All four of my children have studied at the college and two of my sons have continued on at the seminary. Currently, I’m a student in the seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program, hoping to graduate in 2012. When God opened the door in 1994 for me to return to Bethel as an employee, I was thrilled and blessed to be back at my alma mater. I am deeply loyal to BU, and I fully embrace and identify with Bethel’s core values and mission. Q: What is your role at the university, and what is your team’s mission? A: As vice president for constituent relations, I lead a team of talented and energetic people who feel called to serve Bethel’s alumni, parents, and churches. We seek to clearly and passionately communicate with our alumni, churches, and parents about the life-changing work God is doing at Bethel, and to provide them with services that help strengthen their connection to the university. We hope to inspire all of our BU family and friends to support Bethel in prayer, service, and giving. Q: How does your office serve parents specifically? A: There are three specific ways we serve parents. First, we seek to clearly communicate what they need to know to help their student maximize their Bethel experience. This happens through the Bethel Parent newsletter, Welcome Week parent sessions, and phone calls and emails in response to parents’ questions and concerns. Second, we host events like Family Weekend, when parents are invited to campus to visit their students and experience a little taste of college life. Parents are also encouraged to attend concerts, sporting events, theatre productions, chapel, and a variety of other campus events. Third, we represent our parents to the administration and faculty, consistently voicing parents’ concerns, praises, questions, and suggestions to the Bethel community. Q: How can parents use your office as a resource? A: Call 651.638.6462 or email parents@bethel.edu if you have a question, concern, or even a positive experience you would like to share with us. Or stop by our office when you’re on campus. I invite parents to call me directly at 651.638.6122 if they have a particular concern they want to discuss. I’m willing to meet with parents on or off campus for any reason. Q: What are some resources for parents that you’d like to highlight? A: One would be this newsletter, the Bethel Parent. It’s our most comprehensive and focused resource for BU parents, and is available in print or online. I also encourage parents to regularly check out the Bethel University website, particularly the parents page, for updates, events, and news pertinent to parents. And we would love to see all of our parents, grandparents, and siblings on campus for Family Weekend, October 29-31. They can experience campus life and reconnect with their student through a variety of events and activities.
Q: What’s your favorite part of working with parents? A: Praying with a parent for a son or daughter who is struggling with a roommate, a class, or a relationship, and then waiting to see what God will do, is pretty high on my list of favorite activities. I am thankful that I serve at a place that believes in and deeply values the life-changing power of prayer. Q: What’s one piece of advice or information that you want to pass on to parents? A: Stay in touch with us. Let us know what frustrates you and what delights you about the Bethel experience. Please consider the parent services staff to be your advocates and friends. Most of us have had children in college, so we understand what it means to be a college parent. We want to walk with you on this amazing journey! n
Check Out Chapel Chapel is held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Check out this semester’s speakers and topics at cas.bethel.edu/campusministries/chapel/info.
Mark Your Calendar Homecoming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 15-17 Theatre Production: Blithe Spirit . . . . . . . . . . October 28-31 November 3-6 Family Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 29-31 (for parents and extended family of students) Thanksgiving Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 24-26 Festival of Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 2-4 Final Exams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 13-17 (Please do not schedule family vacations on these days.)
R U 4 BU? Proudly display your BU connection whenever you hit the road! Minnesota residents can now apply for a special Bethel University license plate, available only through the state of Minnesota. A Bethel license plate can be purchased for the regular annual registration fee plus a minimum $25 yearly donation, which goes toward scholarships for Bethel students; a one-time $10 plate fee; and a one-time $8.50 filing fee. To begin the process, complete the application for special plates found on the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services website at dps.state.mn.us/ dvs. Return the form to your local Driver and Vehicle Services office or mail it to the address on the form. n
New for Nurses Thanks to a $1 million gift by Bethel friend Karin Larson, new nursing labs, classrooms, and faculty areas have been added to the rapidly expanding nursing department. The new facilities opened at the start of this school year. n
Welcome Week Every year, the start of school is a time of beginnings for faculty, staff, and students. But for the approximately 800 freshmen and transfer students, the beginning of college life is especially “new.” And Welcome Week is an important tradition to launch them into the Bethel community. Did you miss the Welcome Week experience? View the photo gallery at www.bethel.edu (click on News & Events for August) or go to facebook.com/betheluniversity to experience it for yourself. n
Family Weekend Seems like just yesterday that you packed up your student for a year at Bethel. In the days and weeks that followed, he or she has met new friends, started new classes, and enjoyed many new experiences. Now it’s time for you to catch up! Join us for Family Weekend, October 29-31, when you can reconnect with your student and experience campus life alongside them. Bring the whole family— parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and siblings are welcome. There is something for everyone on the agenda. You should have received a Family Weekend brochure recently in the mail, or go to bethel.edu/parents for more information and to register. n
Bethel Education: An Investment in the Future A recent national study indicates that U.S. families are sacrificing to invest in a college degree as economic uncertainty continues. “How America Pays for College 2010,” the third annual study of college students and parents conducted by Gallup and Sallie Mae, reports that more than two-thirds of parents and students strongly agree that a college degree is more important than ever, and most are taking practical steps to reduce living costs in order to pay for college. Eighty-two percent strongly agreed that college is an investment in the future, and 71 percent strongly agreed that a college degree is more important now than it used to be. n
Bethel Receives High Scores in Parent Satisfaction In spring 2010, Bethel participated in the pilot study of the Noel-Levitz Parent Satisfaction Survey along with 14 other institutions. Nearly 850 parents completed the survey, and results indicated a high level of satisfaction in several key areas. Parents were highly satisfied with areas relating to student-centeredness, especially the item “Our family is made to feel welcome on campus.” Campus life was also a strong scale for Bethel, with living conditions and food selection rated very high. And parents gave high rankings to campus staff for being caring and helpful. n
There’s an App for That Your student is plugged into the Bethel community—are you? Read “Just Jay,” President Jay Barnes’ blog, at bethel. edu/president/blog, connect with us on facebook.com/ betheluniversity, and follow us on twitter.com/bethelu. n
Want News? Get regular updates on Bethel news and events via email! Subscribe to Bethel eNews at bethel.edu/news-events/e-news. n
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