New Strategic Vision and Goals p. 12
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The Changing Role of Chaplains p. 18
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A Safe Haven from Abuse p. 22
PRAYER
Winter/Spring 2015
S S E N FIT
REDEFINING WELL-BEING
REST
DIET
BALANCE FAITH
What does it mean to be
WELL? p. 26
College of Arts & Sciences
| College of Adult & Professional Studies | Graduate School | Bethel Seminary
FROM THE PRESIDENT Winter/Spring 2015 Volume 6 Number 2
A Living Orthodoxy It’s no secret that American higher education is in a period of dramatic change. Recent issues of Bethel Magazine have documented the challenges and opportunities before us, and last spring Bethel’s trustees launched the Strategic Coalition, a process within the university to chart a path to the future. While strategic planning is nothing new to Bethel, this process went deeper, involved more people, and committed to challenging targets. But the Strategic Coalition wanted to identify “over the horizon” opportunities to advance our mission to our 150 th year and beyond. A key part of our process was to examine Bethel’s roots and historical change points. At each key point in Bethel’s history, certain things were true: the world was changing, higher education was changing, the church was changing, and Bethel lacked resources! It was also true that in each era Bethel committed to personal and spiritual transformation, increased the quality of education, trusted God to provide, and saw amazing answers to prayer. One of the most encouraging outcomes of our current process was the affirmation and elevation of our place in the Christian family. As we considered the challenge of becoming “the Christ-centered university of choice for this century,” we dug deeply into our Pietist roots and worked hard to describe what it means for Bethel to be Christ-centered. In the words of the coalition, “Jesus Christ stands at the center of all that we think, feel, and do at Bethel…Ours is a living orthodoxy that engages the world’s most challenging problems to God’s glory and for our neighbors’ good.” May it ever be so! One member of our own Bethel family merits mention here. Sherie Lindvall, senior vice president for communications and marketing, is retiring after helping to tell the story of Bethel University for more than 30 years. She was the editor of an earlier version of this magazine, the Bethel Focus, and supervised the production of the current Bethel Magazine. An alumna who served Bethel under the tenures of three presidents, she crafted the visible presence of Bethel to the world and made the university and its people look their best. She led Bethel through significant growth and change, from Campus Life ads to the age of search engine optimization. As she moves into retirement, we will miss her name on the masthead of Bethel Magazine and her wisdom as an exemplar of Bethel’s mission.
Editor Michelle Westlund ’83 Design Darin Jones ’97 Contributors Tim Beasley Barbara Wright Carlson Erik Gruber ’06, GS’14 Timothy Hammer ’08, S’12 Jared Johnson Nathan Klok ’17 Suzanne McInroy Lauren Pareigat ’08 Cindy Pfingsten Scott Streble Tricia Theurer Suzanne Yonker GS’09 President James (Jay) H. Barnes III 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 University Relations 651.635.8050 university-relations-updates@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 © 2015 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.
Jay Barnes Cover image: ©istock.com/neyro2008
A Continuing Tradition
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
Bethel’s Department of Theatre Arts recently staged another audience-pleasing production, this time the classic musical Fiddler on the Roof. Developed as part of a January interim course, the performance included a 40-member cast of actors and dancers and a full pit orchestra.
DEPARTMENTS Campus News
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12 Moving Forward
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18 The New Chaplains
Autism graduate program accredited; social work program is Top 10; Bethel receives $3 million gift
Bookmarked
Recently published books by Bethel faculty members
Sports News
FEATURES
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Standout winter athletes; men’s hockey coach Charlie Burggraf; women’s basketball player Rachel Parupsky
16 Profile 30 Alum News 31
PlaceMeant
Bethel University Arena
Professional snocross racer Andrew Carlson ’16
An intense strategic process leads to a new vision for Bethel’s future—and five goals to help propel us toward it.
Chaplains are salt and light in increasingly diverse settings. What new challenges do they face, and how are their opportunities for influence expanding?
22 Safe Haven
The Christian community is in a unique position to provide help and hope to women in abusive relationships. Here’s how.
26 Redefining Well-being
Aided by the new Wellness Center now under construction, Bethel is working to expand the scope of health and wellness in our community.
Bethel University
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CAMPUS News
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
“Center of Excellence” for Treating Concussions Bethel recently received recognition as a “Center of Excellence” provider for treatment of head trauma and concussions in professional baseball umpires, and also hosted a recent Concussion Health conference, which provided training across the continuum of care in concussion management. The Concussion Health company originally contacted Justin Byers, associate Justin Byers, professor of human kinetics associate and applied health science professor
of human kinetics and applied health science and assistant athletic trainer, because of his background in athletic training, history of professional baseball experience, and academic work focused on motor learning. Concussion Health and Major League Baseball (MLB) were interested in training clinical sites in cities like Minneapolis-St. Paul that are home to MLB teams as well as professional baseball umpires. As a training clinical site, Bethel’s biokinetics program will provide post-injury neurocognitive and neurophysical testing for umpires using the Professional Baseball Umpires’ concussion management testing protocol included in the Biodex BioSway, a portable balance system that brings testing and training technology directly to patients.
Bethel may also provide concussion rehabilitation for the umpires. “The addition of the Biodex BioSway has strengthened Bethel’s already dynamic undergraduate research,” says Byers. “This state-of-the-art equipment allows us to study a vast array of phenomena associated with balance and coordination.” He notes that with the biokinetics program’s move into the dynamic learning space of the new Wellness Center now under construction, the department will also be able to expand services to faculty and other members of the Bethel community while exploring other partnerships. Read more about the biokinetics program and the new Wellness Center on p. 26.
Seminary Dedicates Stained Glass Windows Friends and family of the late Virgil Olson gathered at Bethel Seminary St. Paul to dedicate two century-old
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stained glass windows that originally hung in the Bethel Seminary chapel on Bethel’s previous campus. The windows had been in the archives of the History Center—which houses documents significant to Swedish Baptist history, the Baptist General Conference (BGC), Converge Worldwide, and Bethel University—for several years, and when Olson died in 2013, his family donated funds for the windows’ cleaning, restoration, and framing. They were installed in the rotunda area outside the seminary chapel. Olson had a long history
with Bethel University and the BGC, serving as professor of church history and missions at the seminary for 17 years, dean of Bethel College, and director of BGC World Missions. He was a charter member of the Friends of the History Center committee as well as a prolific writer. The windows honor Olson’s legacy, says Diana Magnuson, professor of history and director of the archives: “Hung in this space, God’s light shines through the glass…Virgil’s life was like that, too.”
CAMPUS News
BUILD Gains Momentum The newly created BUILD (Bethel University Inclusive Learning and Development) program is on track for its fall launch date, and has already drawn more applicants than the 12 available program spots. Dawn Allen was named as the program’s director and started her role in December. She received a Master of Education in Special Education from Bethel’s Graduate School in 2005, and her career and education have been focused in the special education field, working with students, parents, and instructors to foster student success. “My mission is to build students’ skills and help them reach independence,” she says. The program is also receiving interest from organizations eager to provide internship opportunities for students.
Director Celebrates Final Festival
Lauren is one of the first students accepted into the BUILD program launching this fall.
Visit bethel.edu/academics/ build for more information on BUILD.
More than 6,000 guests enjoyed Bethel’s 58th Festival of Christmas, themed “Our Sacrifice of Thanksgiving: A Service of Lessons and Carols.” Festival of Christmas is a Bethel holiday tradition featuring more than 300 student musicians in several vocal and instrumental ensembles. This year—Professor of Music and Artistic Director Dennis Port’s 20 th and final Festival of Christmas—more than 60 Bethel Choir alumni returned to campus to sing in the program. A highlight was a piece written by Professor of Music Jonathan Veenker in honor of Dennis and Doris Johnson, celebrating 50 years of marriage and their lifelong support of Bethel University.
Photo by Scott Streble
This year, Bethel worked with ReNew Partnerships—an organization that supports leaders of universities, churches, and ministries in their efforts to build healthy, biblical,
multicultural organizations—to help Bethel further grow toward becoming a Christ-centered multicultural community. In the fall, students, faculty, and staff participated in several on-campus sessions that covered such topics as engaging cultural differences; cultivating a biblical, multicultural campus; and ethnic unity and the gospel. “Bethel is at a pivotal time of change,” says President Jay Barnes, “and has an opportunity to actively pursue our calling and commitment to be Christfollowing reconcilers committed to being salt and light in the world.”
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
ReNew Partnerships Foster Diverse Community
Bethel University
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Students interested in journalism have a new opportunity for off-campus study in New York City beginning this spring. Bethel recently launched a partnership with the Phillips Journalism Institute at The King’s College in New York City to create a semester-long program specifically designed for students interested in journalism and mass media communications. Students will stay in Manhattan apartments through The King’s College and take classes on campus in Lower Manhattan’s Financial District. Course offerings include options to study sports, business, magazine, and opinion journalism, and media and culture. Students will also gain real-world experience during an internship that matches their desired career goals. Other special opportunities include participating in a retreat for Christian writers and journalists in the city, and tours of the United Nations and a major newsroom. A Christian institution with a rich history, The King’s College embraces a mission and values parallel to Bethel’s, with a curriculum that integrates faith and rigorous academics to develop and nurture student leaders. Paul Glader, director of the Phillips Journalism Institute, visited Bethel to promote the new partnership. He underscored The King’s College mission, saying the primary focus is “to develop students with an excellence in their craft and a devotion in faith,” and spoke about the institute’s namesake, John McCandlish Phillips, who was a renowned reporter for the New York Times and an outspoken, devoted Christian. Bethel is one of eight faith-based schools in the country partnering with The King’s College. This partnership opens the door to possible opportunities with other areas of King’s programming in business, communication, and political science.
Distinguished Educator. Doctor of
Education professor Mike Lindstrom received a 2014 Distinguished Technology Educator award from the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association. The award was presented to 13 recipients from across the U.S. to recognize excellent performance and accomplishments in the professional technical education field.
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The Museum of the Bible named Michael Holmes, university professor of biblical studies and early Christianity, as the new executive director of the Green Scholars Initiative, a branch of the museum focused on research of biblical artifacts from the Green Collection. The Green family, founders of Hobby Lobby, Inc., started the collection in 2009, and it has grown to more than 40,000 pieces, portions of which will continue as traveling exhibitions around the world. The rest will be housed in the museum, scheduled to open in fall 2017 in Washington, D.C., just blocks from the Capitol and Mall. As executive director, Holmes will provide oversight and direction to the program. Using a network of scholars and institutions, he will connect researchers with pieces from the Green Collection needing further study. The initiative is “the only effort of its kind to involve undergrad and graduate students in firsthand, primary research of biblical artifacts,” says Holmes. He has accepted this position in addition to his teaching load at Bethel.
Photo by Scott Streble
Journalism Partnership
Professor to Direct Museum of the Bible Initiative
CAMPUS News
Bookmarked Recently published books by Bethel University faculty The Pietist Vision of Christian Higher Education: Forming Whole and Holy Persons
edited by Christopher Gehrz, Associate Professor of History; contributors include numerous Bethel faculty and alumni (InterVarsity Press) In this groundbreaking volume, scholars associated with the Pietist tradition reflect on the Pietist approach to education. Key themes include holistic formation, humility and openmindedness, the love of neighbor, concern for the common good, and spiritual maturity. Pietism values the Christian college as a place that forms whole and holy persons. In a pluralistic and polarized society, such a vision is needed now more than ever.
Karl Barth and the Future of Evangelical Theology
edited by Christian T. Collins Winn, Professor of Biblical Studies, and John L. Drury (Cascade Books) This volume brings together seasoned Barth scholars, evangelical theologians, and some younger voices,
united by a common desire to rethink both Karl Barth and evangelical theology. By offering an alternative to the dominant constraints, the book opens up new avenues for fruitful conversation on Barth and the future of evangelical theology.
Population-Based Public Health Clinical Manual, Second Edition
by Carolyn M. Garcia, Marjorie A. Schaffer, University Professor of Nursing, and Patricia M. Schoon; contributions by Bethel nursing faculty Linda Anderson, Carol Hargate, and Bernita Missal (Sigma Theta Tau International) Winner of the 2014 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year award, this core text focuses on developing a competent public health nursing practice in diverse settings and builds on the Henry Street Consortium’s framework of 11 competencies for populationbased, entry-level public health nursing. This second edition has fully revised and updated coverage, including implementation of Healthy People 2020; intensive, evidencebased home visiting models and cultural identity assessment tools; virtual tools and resources for e-collaboration strategies and health promotion; and pathways to become a public health nurse.
Interpreting the Prophetic Books: An Exegetical Handbook (Handbooks for Old Testament Exegesis)
by Gary Smith, Adjunct Professor of Biblical and Theological Foundations, Bethel Seminary St. Paul; edited by David M. Howard Jr., Professor of Old Testament, Bethel Seminary St. Paul (Kregel Academic) This handbook offers an organized method of approaching a prophecy and preparing a persuasive, biblically based sermon that will draw modern application from the theological principle embedded in the prophetic text.
The Daring Heart of David Livingstone: Exile, African Slavery, and the Publicity Stunt That Saved Millions
by Jay Milbrandt, Assistant Professor of Business and Economics (HarperCollins Publishers) “I came across Livingstone’s story during one of my trips to Africa,” says author Milbrandt. “What captivated me was his passion to end the slave trade—which he would eventually give his life to see continued on pg. 6
Bethel University
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BETHEL UNIVERSITY SUMMER 2015 SPORTS CAMPS Bethel Volleyball Camps
Grades 5-8 • July 27-28 or July 29-30 Grades 8-9 • July 17-18 Grades 9-12 • July 20-23
Bethel Boys Basketball Camps Grades 3-9 • June 15-18 Grades 5-10 • July 6-9 Grades 7-12 • July 13-16
Bethel Girls Basketball Camps Grades 3-9 • June 15-18 Grades 5-12 • June 22-25
Bethel Cross Country Camp Grades 9-12 • June 21-26
Bethel Soccer Camp Ages 3-12 • June 15-18
Visit bethelroyals.com for more information and registration.
Bethel Tennis Camp
Ages 5-12 • weekly: June 8-August 14
Bookmarked (continued) Recently published books by Bethel University faculty accomplished. I went looking for a book on this aspect of his life…and found none. I’m thrilled to share the lost story of a man who might stand as one of our heroes of faith and humanity.”
Wingspread: A Memoir of Faith and Flying
by James P. Hurd, Professor of Anthropology Emeritus (Booklocker, Inc.) When James Hurd spread his wings— attending Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute and later flying airplanes in rural South America—he attempted to leave his childhood’s fundamentalist Christian faith behind. Later, he realized how much the grace of God had operated in those childhood years.
Learning Leadership in a Changing World: Virtue and Effective Leadership in the 21st Century
by Mark W. McCloskey, Professor of Ministry Leadership; Lead Faculty, Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership, Bethel Seminary St. Paul (Palgrave Macmillan) In the second decade of the 21st century, it is increasingly apparent that personality power and technicalmanagerial competence are no longer the primary qualifiers for developing effective leadership. As problems continue to defy technical solution and obstacles to progress no longer bow to charisma, students, professors, and practitioners of leadership find themselves in uncharted territory.
Reclaiming Pietism: Retrieving an Evangelical Tradition
by Christian T. Collins Winn, Professor of Biblical Studies, and Roger E. Olson (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company) The authors argue that classical, historical Pietism is an influential stream in evangelical Christianity and that it must be recovered as a resource for evangelical renewal. They challenge misconceptions of Pietism by describing the origins, development, and main themes of the historical movement and the spiritualtheological ethos stemming from it. The book also explores Pietism’s influence on contemporary Christian theologians and spiritual leaders.
All books, as well as many others by Bethel faculty, are available at the Campus Store. Visit bookstore.bethel.edu to shop online; shop in person; or shop by phone at 651.638.6202. 6
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Fifth and sixth graders at Rose Park Elementary School in Holland, Michigan, celebrated their contribution to a Bible translation update project by receiving their own free copies from Zonderkidz, the children’s division of Zondervan. As third graders, the students helped the New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) translation team—which includes Bethel Seminary San Diego faculty Jeannine Brown, professor of New Testament, and the late Ronald Youngblood, professor emeritus of Old Testament and Hebrew—by providing input on word choice and readability for a revised and updated version. The NIrV is based on the widely used New International Version of the Bible, translated for a third grade reading level. The goal of the revision was to make the edition as clear and accurate as possible, resulting in an excellent Bible for children, those learning English as a second language, or anyone who wants an easier-tounderstand version of the Bible. Now that the Bible is in print, the students are celebrating their part in the achievement. Says Annette Bourland, senior vice president and group publisher at Zonderkidz, “It was a delight to see their faces as we handed them their own copy of the Bible that they helped make happen.”
Autism Program Accredited The license in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) offered by Bethel University’s Graduate School recently received final accreditation, making it one of just a handful of accredited ASD license programs in the state. The license is in high demand in Minnesota due to a legislative change, effective next summer, mandating that all public schools in the state have at least one ASD-licensed teacher. Katie Bonawitz, program director of Bethel’s special education graduate programs and associate professor of education, says the timing of the accreditation is crucial for strategic, consistent training of teachers in this area, as ASD is the largest-growing field in special education. She describes Bethel’s offering as an initial ASD license or an add-on to other special education licenses a teacher may already have. The license allows teachers to work with children from birth to age 21 who have been identified as having mild to severe cases of autism. Teachers with the license can also help identify students they believe should be further evaluated. “Almost everyone knows someone who has autism,” says Bonawitz. “At the graduate level, this is our way of serving a significant need in the field of special education.” Geared toward working adults looking to add the license to an existing special education degree, the program offers a hybrid delivery format that can be completed in six to nine months. Cohorts of approximately 25 students start twice a year, but in light of the new legislation, this year Bethel will offer a
third cohort and, if demand warrants, a fourth. The ASD license isn’t the only route for teachers seeking training to work with students with special needs. Bonawitz points out that Bethel also offers an Academic Behavioral Strategist (ABS) license. This license, in addition to training teachers to work with students in grades K-12 who have autism, also covers four other special education categories: Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (DCD), Emotional/Behavioral
Photo by Scott Streble
Young Students Help with Bible Translation
Katie Bonawitz, program director of Bethel’s special education graduate programs and associate professor of education
Disorders (EBD), Learning Disabilities (LD), and Other Health Disabilities (OHD). Teachers with the ABS license can work with children who have been identified as having mild to moderate needs in any of these five categories. In addition, Bethel is working on the launch of a new licensure that will train educators to teach children with mild to severe cases of EBD and DCD, bringing to three the total of Bethel’s in-depth special education options. “It’s exciting to see all the things God is doing through special education at Bethel,” says Bonawitz.
Visit bethel.edu/graduate/special-education to find out more about the ASD license. Bethel University
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CAMPUS News
is less costly than graduating from a public college in six years.” This is illustrated by the “opportunity cost,” or lost earnings from what could be two years of employment, which is factored in to the total expenses of a six-year college experience. “We’re pleased with Bethel’s performance in these ratings,” says Andy Denton, vice president for enrollment management. “It can be hard to quantify the value of a private college education. But these numbers clearly show that Bethel is experienced in graduating students in four years or less, so that they’re ready to begin their careers and earn a paycheck.”
Photo by Scott Streble
Bethel’s four-year graduation rate— an important indicator of the value of a private college education—is 63%, higher than most Minnesota colleges. That’s according to the Minnesota Private College Council’s recently released “Four-Year Graduation Rate Report” for students who entered college in 2007. Bethel and the other 16 institutions that make up the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) have long been leaders in graduating students in four years. Their combined four-year graduation rate is 65%, higher than the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (54%), the University of Minnesota (all campuses 47%), and Minnesota state four-year universities (23%). It’s also significantly higher than other private, nonprofit four-year colleges (42%), as well as private, for-profit colleges (30%). Together, the MPCC members’ 65% four-year graduation rate ranked fourth in the U.S. The MPCC report concluded that “graduating from a private nonprofit college in four years
Bethel’s social work program was featured on the High-Value Bachelor of Social Work list published by Social Work Degree Guide. To identify the value of undergraduate programs, the guide began with programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education in areas with the highest average social work salaries. They then assessed the program’s reputation to offer high return on investment according to Payscale.com, a reputable source on employment compensation across the nation. Bethel’s social work program was named number 10 on the list of Top 20, the highest ranking among Midwest schools. Bethel was the only Twin Cities school on the list.
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New Chief Diversity Officer Ruben Rivera, associate professor of history, has been appointed as Bethel University’s chief diversity officer. His teaching skills will continue to be put to good use, as he will teach two courses per year as well as implement Bethel’s employee education through the Shalom curriculum. “I am confident that Ruben will lead our community to a better place,” says President Jay Barnes, “where we will honor Christ through our love and care for one another, remembering that we are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Photo by Scott Streble
Four-Year Grad Rate Remains High
CAMPUS News
K-12 Bethel Receives Education $3 Million Gift Administrative Bethel University recently received its largest single estate gift, a $3 million gift from the estate of Eunice Singfeldt, who died in June at the age License of 91. Singfeldt directed the majority of the gift to an endowed scholarship to benefit “worthy and needy students” in the College of Arts & Sciences. Program “The scholarship should generate about $100,000 in student aid the first says Dan Wiersum, associate vice president for planned giving, “and Re-accredited year,” we hope it continues to grow.” The remainder of the funds will support Bethel’s K-12 Education Administrative License Program received re-accreditation from the Minnesota Board of School Administrators for the next five years. “The rigor of the accreditation process was a healthy endeavor for our program,” says Craig Paulson, program director of Bethel’s Doctor of Education in Higher Education and doctoral and licensing programs in Leadership in K-12 Administration. “We were required to review our course objective alignment with administrative license competencies as well as the practices we have in place for internships and continued program improvement.” Paulson explains that Bethel’s K-12 Education Administrative License Program is part of the doctoral major, Leadership in K-12 Administration. While some students earn only the license or doctoral degree, most earn both, he says. Visit bethel.edu/graduate/ education-doctorate to learn more about Bethel’s doctor of education and licensing program.
building projects. Singfeldt was the only child of parents of Swedish ancestry and grew up in the Chicago area, where the family attended Central Avenue Baptist Church, which has a strong connection to Bethel University. More recently, Singfeldt worshipped at Calvary Memorial Church, Oak Park, Illinois, where, she wrote, “I have found inspiration, fellowship, comfort, and encouragement.” It was also there that she met an attorney friend, whose daughter, Colleen (Hoy) Sahlas, also an attorney, is a 1993 Bethel graduate. All of these connections played a part in Singfeldt designating Bethel as a beneficiary in her will. A graduate of Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, Singfeldt held various secretarial positions before starting a teaching career in Chicago public elementary schools in 1950, where she served for 43 years before retiring in 1993. She served as a classroom teacher, librarian, counselor, and girls’ choir director. During this time, she earned a master’s degree from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. Singfeldt’s neighbor and close friend Lynda Ficca calls her “a good example of someone who saved and wanted her gifts to help others when she had passed.” Wiersum describes the former teacher’s gift as “the kind of gift that anyone could give through their will, because it doesn’t cost anything during their lifetime.” Ficca, an elementary teacher herself, says, “Knowing how important teaching and education were to Eunice, I think she would be thrilled that this gift to Bethel would come to fruition and that so many students would benefit from the scholarship. A bit of Eunice will live on through these students.”
Bethel University
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SPORTS News
From the Locker Room
Meet standout Bethel winter athletes
Men’s Basketball Kyle von Schmidt-Pauli • Jr. Business Major, Oakdale, Minn.
Von Schmidt-Pauli has averaged nearly nine points and four rebounds per game as a starting forward for the Royals. “VSP” is known for his shooting and classroom success, as he received MIAC Academic AllConference honors in his first year eligible. He’s helped Bethel reach its 14th postseason in the last 16 years.
Women’s Basketball Lindy Parker • Sr. Accounting and Finance Major, Rosemount, Minn.
A rebounding workhorse in the post, Parker has demonstrated continual improvement over her four-year career with the Royals. This year she’s averaged 7.3 boards per game, including a 16-rebound performance in January. She’s been a key contributor to Bethel’s resurgence in the MIAC over the past two years.
Men’s Hockey Mitch Hughes • Jr. Business Major,
Laguna Niguel, Calif. An explosive forward, Hughes has consistently put up points over his three-year career. In his freshman season, he led the team and the league in scoring, with 26 points on 15 goals and 11 assists. He again led the squad in scoring this year thanks to 10 goals and 12 assists.
Women’s Hockey Lindsay Asmus • Sr. Communication Arts and Literature Education 5-12 Major, Stanchfield, Minn. A four-time MIAC Player of the Week recipient and two-time MIAC All-Conference honoree, Asmus helped the Royals reach a 17-7-2 record last season—the best in program history—by scoring 34 points on 12 goals and 22 assists. She’s also helped Bethel reach three MIAC playoff appearances. Men’s Indoor Track and Field
Bryce DeBoer • Jr. Business Major, Albert Lea, Minn. In just his second year with the program, DeBoer not only broke an eight-year record in the men’s indoor weight throw, but also a 20year record in the men’s indoor shot put. He’s among the nation’s best in both events.
Women’s Indoor Track and Field
Alyssa Solberg • Sr. Mathematics with Education 5-12 Licensure Major, Bloomington, Minn. Solberg, a field participant, has continuously broken her own school records year after year. She did it again this winter when she bettered her mark in the women’s weight throw by throwing 16.51 meters indoor. Last spring she also set a new standard in the outdoor hammer throw at 44.31 meters.
Extra Points Championship Tenure. Bethel’s
women’s hockey team, as well as both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, reached the championship game of the 2015 MIAC playoffs, marking the fifth time since May that the Royals have played in a championship contest.
Hall of Famer. The Wisconsin
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference recently announced the members of its 2015 Hall of Fame class, including Bethel’s head track and field coach Andrew Rock, an 11-time champion and 17-time All-American as a student-athlete at UW-La Crosse from 2001-2004. 1,000 Points. Two Bethel
University basketball players recently scored their 1,000 th career point. Junior forward Rachel Parupsky reached the milestone on January 28, becoming the secondfastest player in program history to reach this point total. Senior forward Kyle Zimmermann then scored his 1,000 th point three days later.
Follow the Royals: bethelroyals.com | youtube.com/bethelroyals | facebook.com/bethelroyals | twitter.com/bethelroyals
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SPORTS News
“NCAA men’s hockey is fast, skilled, and physical, and challenges players physically, cognitively, emotionally, and spiritually. It is in this stretching that we apply biblical truth. Our staff teaches photo by Nathan Klok ’17
young men to take ownership of their faith and to consider challenges as opportunities for positive personal growth.” Charlie Burggraf men’s hockey coach fifth season Read the full interview with Coach Burggraf at www.bethelroyals.com
ROYAL PROFILE Name: Rachel Parupsky Hometown: Arden Hills, Minn. Year: Junior Major: Biochemistry and Sport: Women’s Basketball Molecular Biology How do you hope to use your degree after college? I’d like to attend medical school and become a doctor, ideally using my skills in overseas ministry. What was it like to score your 1,000th career point recently? At first I was just relieved that the pressure was off, but it became exciting when I saw the crowd’s reaction—they broke into a standing ovation and held up signs that said “1,000.” That game was also fun because many players had a careerhigh game in points and rebounds. Bethel broke an NCAA record last year for largest turnaround in one season. What was the key to your success? We had some great freshmen who filled key roles and provided depth—both on offense and defense. We also had one more year of experience that taught us poise and confidence in close situations. And finally, we had players return from injuries that had kept them from playing the previous year. All that and much better team chemistry led to a fabulous turnaround for our program. In 2013-14 you were honored with multiple academic awards. How are you able to successfully balance the demands of school and basketball? Basketball actually helps with my time management. When not in season, I end up procrastinating. During the season, I only have limited times when I am free so schoolwork becomes a greater priority. You were the D3hoops.com Rookie of the Year two years ago and twice an All-District player. Are there any other goals you still hope to attain? The biggest accomplishment at this point in our season would be making it into the NCAA tournament. We were one team out of the running last year, and have had that as a goal for the entirety of this season. I feel blessed to have received the recognition that I have over the past two years, but our team success and love for one another is what I will appreciate for the rest of my life.
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
CoachQuote
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MOVING FORWARD
AN INTENSE STRATEGIC PROCESS LEADS TO A NEW VISION FOR BETHEL’S FUTURE— AND FIVE GOALS THAT PROPEL US TOWARD IT. by Suzanne McInroy, Director of Communications
In June 2014, a group of 16 Bethel University trustees, faculty, and administrators gathered in Benson Great Hall, Bethel’s premier performing arts center. They represented all areas of the university, and most were meeting each other for the first time. They moved around the space to take in different views—from the stage, from an audience member’s seat, even from the rafters overhead. The room looked different depending on each perspective. The group had been asked to serve on a board-initiated project called the Strategic Coalition. Their task was to develop a vision and set of strategic objectives to guide the university through the next 10 years. Just as each person saw Benson Great Hall differently depending on where they stood, each one brought a different view of the university. And all of those perspectives were needed to propel Bethel toward achieving a new vision of becoming the Christcentered university of choice for this century.
A year-long journey
During the 2013-14 academic year, the Bethel community faced the challenge of increasing financial aid and decreasing enrollment, which made balancing the budget difficult. Staffing and academic programs experienced some cuts, leading to numerous changes on campus.* But the university’s struggles were not over. Bethel leaders knew that if they continued to do what had always been done, the community would have more challenging years ahead. Something significant needed to change to move Bethel forward. Leaders needed to address affordability, changing demographics for traditional high school students, and a national downward trend in seminary enrollment, as well as the fact that 96% of Bethel’s revenue came from tuition, room and board, and fees. “The average family income has remained the same since 2008, but the cost of a Bethel education continues to rise,” says Bethel University President Jay Barnes. “To bridge the gap, we
* See “Challenges & Changes,” Bethel Magazine, Winter/Spring 2014, p. 26, available online at bethel.edu/news/publications
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knew we needed to identify innovative strategies to help the university thrive in the years ahead.” As the academic year ended, there was new hope. Chair of the Board of Trustees Jim Green, former CEO of Kemps LLC based in St. Paul, Minnesota, launched the Strategic Coalition. Nine months, six coalition meetings, and countless sub-group and community meetings later, Green has been impressed with the process and commitment from those involved. “It has been amazing to me, listening to all the thought and effort that have gone into this planning process,” he says. “I’ve never seen so many people get so involved and be so committed for such a long period of time.”
A case for change
The 16-member Strategic Coalition had its first meeting in June, facilitated by Ted Harro, a leadership coach and founder of Noonday Ventures, a management consulting firm. In a fast-paced two days, the group examined history, trends, and impacts for Bethel, for Minnesota, and for higher education in general. Each member’s first task was to digest 100 pages of articles and data that looked at Bethel’s enrollment history, competing schools, and alumni surveys; population trends; and job projections. The goal was to gain a shared perspective on Bethel’s current situation as well as a clear picture of the future of higher education. What the group discovered was an urgent case for change. They examined declining enrollment numbers for Bethel Seminary—and seminaries in general—as well as declining enrollment in the adult degree-completion market. They examined the ever-widening gap between the average middle-class family income and the cost of a traditional undergraduate education. Predictions show that a demographic shift is occurring in the Midwest, which means that the undergraduate student Bethel typically attracts—white, evangelical, upper-middle class—will decline in number, while overall high school graduation numbers will remain stagnant. This means that Bethel will need to reach new student groups to continue to enroll a freshman class of 800.
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The group contended with the high cost of the traditional undergraduate model of education. The challenge is daunting. How can the cost of a Bethel education be reduced without detracting from the student experience and qualities Bethel is known for? At Bethel, students experience a transformative and holistic education that integrates faith, learning, and living. The university is known for its pietistic heritage that often calls our students and faculty to engage the world while living out their faith at the same time. “Bethel is always in the middle, the bridge, the reconciler,” explains coalition member Christopher Gehrz, professor of history and chair of the history department in the College of Arts & Sciences. “We are often in the borderland as we seek to bring faith and reason, church and state, together. We train our students to speak the language of faith and of reason.” The coalition began to cast a new vision for the future: Bethel will be the Christ-centered university of choice for this century. That means Bethel will “equip people— students, employees, alumni—to discover their gifts, follow their calling, and activate their potential to levels beyond what they previously thought possible.” It means Bethel will “serve neighbors near and far through partnerships with businesses, schools, churches, and other organizations.” It means Bethel will “seek the truth with courage and humility in an irenic spirit that builds communities and strengthens relationships” (see complete vision statement on p. 14).
Five strategic goals
There was still much work to be done. President Barnes and Board Chair Green—along with Julie White, Bethel trustee, former Wells Fargo executive, and current president of Tapestry Solutions, LLC; and Joe LaLuzerne, Bethel’s senior vice president for strategic planning and operational effectiveness—held weekly phone meetings with Harro to keep the process moving. In July and August, the coalition began identifying strategic options that would help Bethel chart a course for sustainable success in fulfilling our mission in the future. The group focused on three strategic imperatives: 1) dramatically improve the real and perceived value of a Bethel education; 2) expand our reach geographically, programmatically, and demographically; and 3) reinvent how we provide higher education in order to make it more affordable. The coalition then presented the ideas to Bethel faculty and administrators, and their honest feedback led to questions like: Are the options bold enough? Are we taking enough risks? Will this be enough to generate
new revenue for the university? The coalition met again in September and settled on five bold and compelling strategic goals (see p. 15). During their October meeting, the Board of Trustees endorsed these five strategic goals for further development. Then the 16-member Strategic Coalition team was joined by 45 additional community members from all areas of the university, and the entire group was tasked with developing initiatives to accomplish the five goals. A first sub-group of 15 trustees, administrators, and faculty members from all schools, led by Executive Vice President and Provost Deb Harless, explored Goals 1 and 2, which are both studentcentric and address student pathways, partnerships, and structure at Bethel. The group discussed the value of a liberal arts education, the value of seminary education, and the importance of serving adult learners. “We need a richer story to tell prospective students,” says Harless, “one that says, ‘When you come to Bethel, this is what we’re prepared to do to help you move through Bethel and beyond Bethel to a place of meaningful service.’” A second group explored Goal 3: improving and expanding Bethel’s service to underrepresented and underserved student groups. Chief Diversity Officer Ruben Rivera and Associate Dean of Professional Programs in the College of Arts & Sciences Pamela Erwin co-led a team of nine trustees, administrators, and faculty members who started by defining what “underrepresented and underserved student groups” meant. They decided the term referred to any student or employee groups that have been historically missing from, or who represented only a small part of, the Bethel community. The discussion included considering ways of expanding Bethel’s diversity in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, socio-economic status, and geography. It also identified new programs that would attract a more diverse student body. A third group, led by Randy Bergen, executive assistant to the president, addressed Goal 4: expanding online education with excellence. The group focused on three goals: increasing enrollment, with a cumulative 5,000 students online by 2020; increasing the affordability of a Bethel education; and ensuring that online programs fit with Bethel’s mission. The last group, led by Pat Brooke, chief financial officer, examined Goal 5: creating a sustainable financial model for the university. Their discussion focused on initiatives to offset the fact that 96% of Bethel’s revenue comes from tuition, room and board, and fees, and 56% of expenses are
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> related to personnel. The most significant recommendation was to grow the university’s endowment from $35 million to $250 million. “We have a small endowment compared to other schools in the Minnesota Private College Council, but we’re the only one that moved campuses in the last 50 years,” says Brooke. “We’ve spent time building this campus. Now it’s time to start saving again.”
A strong future
After Strategic Coalition members heard the recommendations from all four groups, they considered which initiatives to launch immediately, which to begin in the future, and which to cross off the list completely. The immediate initiatives were presented to the Board of Trustees at the end of February, and after much discussion, the board authorized President Barnes to move forward
with the new vision for Bethel and 15 strategic initiatives supporting the five strategic goals. The intense strategic process was exhausting, challenging, and ultimately unifying. “We all view Bethel through a different lens,” says Green, “but the future of our university and our mission are dependent upon a strong sense that we’re in this together.” And together, we celebrate our past and move forward toward a strong future. “Throughout our history,” says President Barnes, “we’ve faced challenges that called for us to reinvent how we educate students. With each change in our approach we’ve reaffirmed our commitment to Christ-centered, quality education. The Strategic Coalition process celebrates our commitment to tranformative, holistic education in each of our schools, while also moving us forward to the next generation of effective service.” BU
BETHEL UNIVERSITY VISION BETHEL WILL BE THE CHRIST-CENTERED UNIVERSITY OF CHOICE FOR THIS CENTURY. Rooted in faith. Committed to excellence. Bethel will become the leader in Christian higher education by building stronger communities, equipping confident leaders and gracious servants, and preparing passionate world-changers. Through our thoughts, words, and actions, we’ll demonstrate what it means for a university to be centered on Jesus Christ.
What “Christ-centered” means for Bethel
Jesus Christ stands at the center of all that we think, feel, and do at Bethel. As Carl Lundquist, our longestserving president, once wrote of our community, Jesus “has become the supreme affection in our lives.” Like Lundquist, we believe that Christianity is “more than a creed”: it is life in Christ. Ours is a living orthodoxy that engages the world’s most challenging problems, to God’s glory and for our neighbors’ good.
What we’ll be known for and how we’ll reach our vision
We’ll model for the world that a university centered on Jesus Christ: • equips people—students, employees, alumni—to discover their gifts, follow their calling, and activate their potential to levels beyond what they previously 14
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thought possible. • serves neighbors near and far through partnerships with alumni, businesses, schools, churches, and other organizations. • seeks truth with courage and humility in an irenic spirit that builds communities and strengthens relationships. In order to fulfill this vision, we’ll build on our longstanding strengths and draw on our historic roots in the Pietist tradition. But we must also continue to grow and change. In particular: • Our community must better reflect the diversity that exists in the body of Christ. • Our reach must extend far beyond the Twin Cities and San Diego and spur significant growth. • Our culture must become more innovative, nimble, and connected. • Our people must be more faithful stewards of our resources, pursuing our mission in a way that is affordable, sustainable, and fruitful. • Our campus must be known as a great Christian workplace, attracting gifted employees and giving them appropriate compensation, benefits, and opportunities for personal growth.
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Strategic Goals and Initiatives During the February Board of Trustees meeting, the following strategic goals and initiatives were approved. From here, timelines and plans will be set to implement the initiatives, and the Board of Trustees Strategic Planning Committee will track the initiatives’ implementation and oversight.
Goal 1
Strategically connect with the external environment in which we operate (e.g., employers, churches, graduate schools, communities) to foster innovation and increase nimbleness, and to build stronger internal and external partnerships for the benefit of our students. • Foster a “University to Career” culture— including a university-wide redesign of the Office of Career Development and Calling. • Create marketplacefocused centers for partnerships with businesses and healthcare.
Goal 2
Reposition Bethel Seminary within the overall university structure in order to ensure long-term sustainability and to build stronger internal and external partnerships that benefit our students and the church. • Reposition the College of Adult & Professional Studies (CAPS), Bethel Seminary, and the Graduate School (GS) into a single organizational structure.*
* The Seminary Advisory Committee of the Board of Trustees recommended, and the board later approved, forming an implementation team to develop a plan for this single unit recommendation that fully assesses the risks and benefits of this proposal before any changes take place.
Goal 3
Significantly improve and expand our service to previously underrepresented and under-served student groups at Bethel in order to expand our reach and to improve the educational experience for our entire community. • Grow ActSix—a new program aimed to increase enrollment of underserved populations— including expanding scope beyond the College of Arts & Sciences. • Grow BUILD (Bethel University Inclusive Learning and Development)— students with intellectual disabilities. • Launch LaVoca (Liberal Arts and Vocation). • Build a pathway with Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) programs for high school students. • Revise hiring practices to enhance diversity among faculty and staff.
Goal 4
Expand online programs with excellence in order to extend our reach, grow enrollment, and enhance affordability. • Build up the university’s online infrastructure. • Go big online in the adult market (CAPS, seminary, GS). • Grow summer enrollment/ revenue online (College of Arts & Sciences). • Offer online PSEO (Postsecondary Enrollment Options) for high school juniors and seniors (College of Arts & Sciences).
Goal 5
Develop and implement operational and financial models that lead to increased collaboration, sound stewardship, and financial sustainability. • Build endowment to $250 million. • Increase Bethel Fund to $5 million annually. • Reimagine and redesign administrative/ instructional operating models.
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PlaceMeant– BETHEL UNIVERSITY ARENA 2
On January 19, 2007, Bethel University Arena at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota, officially became the new home to Bethel Royals hockey. Then-Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and former governor Wendell Anderson were on hand to dedicate the rink in a ribbon-cutting ceremony. In the rink’s inaugural season, the Bethel men’s hockey team went on to win the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Championship on their new home ice.
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y Tim Beasley
1. The Schwan’s Super Rink at the National Sports Center, which houses Bethel University Arena, is the largest arena of its kind in the world. This state-of-the-art, $21 million facility features eight sheets of ice under one roof, totaling more than 300,000 square feet. In 2014, the facility hosted the annual MIAC Hockey Showcase, a three-day season kickoff event in which all nine MIAC men’s teams play two games against each other.
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2. Arena signage. In 2010, Phase One of the Bethel University banners and signage around the rink was installed. Also included was the center ice, Bethel University logo. 3. All-American wall. Phase Two, completed in summer 2014, includes the All-American wall, which highlights the 10 male and female Bethel student-athletes who have earned All-American honors.
photo by Nathan Klok ’17
4. Royal success. The men’s team won the rink’s inaugural game in 2007, and since then, fans have witnessed 89 Bethel men’s and women’s hockey victories. In addition to the men’s MIAC championship in 2007, the women’s team has reached the MIAC playoffs in six of the last seven seasons and was ranked in the Top 10 in the nation each of the last two years.
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5. Student section. Capacity for Bethel University Arena is near 1,100, and Royals fans have consistently packed the stands, creating a rousing home ice atmosphere. An above-head heater spanning the entire length of the stands keeps spectators warm. 6. Locker room. The Harvey DeVries Locker Rooms feature separate spaces for both the men’s and women’s teams, a players’ lounge, coaches’ offices, an athletic training room, laundry facilities, exercise equipment, and skate sharpening machines, making the space one of the premier hockey facilities in Minnesota. The Royals also have access to the 12,500-squarefoot Herb Brooks Training Center, offering weight training and speed and fitness machines.
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by Tricia Theurer
SALT LIGHT
IN A CHANGING WORLD
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AUGUST 1, 2007, was a typical
Wednesday for Nils Friberg ’57, S’61, then a police chaplain with the Ramsey County, Minnesota, sheriff’s department. At 6:30 p.m., he prayed at the opening of his church’s weekly prayer service. Twenty minutes later, he received a call that changed everything. By 8 p.m., Friberg was crossing police lines, ID in hand, to comfort families waiting for news about loved ones involved in the collapse of the 35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Chaplains are quiet heroes of pastoral care, frequently serving in scenes of emergency, chaos, and crisis. Often called to provide spiritual support in situations where people are unable to get immediate help from their own religious organization, chaplains are salt and light to victims of natural disasters, crime, violence, wars, and medical emergencies. But besides their steady presence in healthcare, law enforcement, and the military, chaplains work in corporations, the entertainment industry, sports teams, and even the U.S. Senate. As their role evolves in our increasingly complex and diverse society, chaplains are finding themselves with new challenges—and unprecedented opportunities.
TREND:
Expanding Opportunities Jeff Sanders S’95, associate dean of student development and support and adjunct professor of pastoral care at Bethel Seminary, says that Bethel-trained chaplains are finding a broad range of sometimes unexpected ministry opportunities in the field, allowing some of these new chaplains to blaze their own trails. “Some students have been entrepreneur-like, asking, ‘How do I serve, and what might that look like?’” he says. The holistic background they receive at Bethel helps prepare them for these opportunities. With training in pastoral care, theology, and counseling—all coordinated through the seminary’s Center for Spiritual and Personal Formation—students work toward becoming a fully formed person, with a fully formed theology, to bring to an occupation that will frequently challenge their faith. Jeff Stewart S’89,
former Minneapolis Police Department chaplain, values this approach, since, he says, “Everything we do is based on our theology.” He especially appreciates the discipleship and evangelism class he took, which opened his eyes to “how I could bring my theology to the world. It gave me a broad base and solid foundation to do the unexpected.”
TREND:
Diversity Expanding opportunities include a new diversity in the roles accessible to women. “In the last 15-20 years,” says Sanders, “women have had increasing accessibility in the military—due to changing roles—and also in law enforcement.” Charlotte Maxwell ’08 is an example. While she’s faced criticism as the first female chaplain of the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex, Meridan, Kansas, she considers her gender an advantage in the male-dominated prison system. “There’s a certain level of sharing that many of these youth feel more open to doing [with women],” she says. “Who is usually the primary caretaker in their homes? Their moms.” She has witnessed how her gentle, quiet demeanor and her habit of singing Sunday school songs have melted away a youth’s stubbornness and anger. “It’s the love and kindness of a ‘mom’ that John Morris S’86 woos them to Christ,” she says. Sanders points out another trend among Bethel Seminary students seeking to become chaplains: a diversity of denominations. “We have 39 denominations represented among Bethel Seminary students,” he says. And this diversity is increasingly embraced in hiring practices. Friberg—who, besides his work as a police chaplain, taught pastoral care and counseling at Bethel Seminary St. Paul and has served as a chaplain in a large healthcare organization— says that “chaplains from all orientations are now hired with an eye to diversity as well as pastoral competence.”
“Crisis...opens natural ways to minister to people and point them to God.”
TREND:
Inclusion It’s not just chaplains who reflect the diversity of today’s world. Those who need their help come from more diverse Bethel University
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“It’s important to mourn with those who mourn and celebrate with those rejoicing.” cultural, racial, and spiritual backgrounds, reflecting the ever-increasing globalization of our society. Chaplains must be aware of—and to some degree, accommodating of— the wide range of belief systems in those they serve. Joel Jueckstock ’05, S’08, Bethel Seminary adjunct professor of pastoral care and counseling and spiritual care director for Maple Grove Hospital in Maple Grove, Minnesota, describes it as a balancing act of walking alongside others “without compromising my own spiritual beliefs.” He sees his role as being “with others on their journey, to help them be more resilient in the face of adversity.” Roy Inzunza ’16, a Bethel Seminary San Diego student who works as a corporate chaplain for Hoehn Motors in Carlsbad, California, keeps in mind that many of the employees he works with are not Christians. So, he says, building relationships is at the heart of his work: “Corporate chaplaincy requires a lot of personal effort to initiate safe and trusting relationships,” he explains. The chief aim of Hoehn Motors’ chaplaincy program “is to provide personal presence and support from a spiritual/flourishing stance,” he continues. “Most employees know me by now and trust that I’m not there to push religion down their throats. They respect my Christian beliefs and they feel respected.” He advises that those considering the chaplaincy “need to be comfortable in a non-Christian setting and willing for their own beliefs to be shaken and tested.” Maxwell agrees, emphasizing the opportunities that come with inclusion. “Don’t shy away from providing spiritual support to others outside of your own beliefs,” she says. “Showing love and respect to all glorifies Christ. It also provides a platform to speak to others about Jesus when they ask.”
TREND:
The Bottom Line Especially within healthcare, chaplains are increasingly held to higher, more measurable standards than in the past, a result of tight budgets and federal mandates. According to Friberg, “Over the years, hospital chaplaincy has become more professionalized, and requirements for chaplaincy have become more demanding, especially in hospitals 20
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that seek accreditation with national standards.” In the three years since Roy Inzunza ’16 Jueckstock created thennew Maple Grove Hospital’s chaplaincy program, he’s seen tremendous change. Serving on the hospital’s leadership team, he manages not only the hospital’s pastoral/spiritual care, but efficiencies, quality, and costs as well. “The biggest change, aside from the operational,” he says, “is the patient experience.” Like all aspects of healthcare, patients’ and families’ satisfaction with their interactions with chaplains is now surveyed and measured. And hospitals can lose federal funding if chaplains aren’t meeting expectations, Jueckstock explains.
Organic Ministry Even as trends impact chaplains’ roles, each type of chaplaincy assignment offers unique challenges, as well as the chance to bring Jesus to situations in a natural, organic way. Military chaplains, for example, experience the physical dangers of living and working in the midst of the battlefield. John Morris S’86, staff chaplain of the Army National Guard, has been deployed to the Middle East several times, a physical separation that can strain even the strongest of family relationships. Yet, he says, “Combat creates many opportunities to share and explore faith with soldiers. Crisis caused by everything from death to divorce opens natural ways to minister to soldiers and point them to God.” Natural and human-made disasters present their own challenges. In times of crisis, chaplains must be available immediately and often work around the clock until the crisis has passed. When the 35W bridge collapsed in Minneapolis, for example, police chaplains like Friberg and Stewart worked tirelessly despite their own personal circumstances. In fact, at the time of the collapse, Stewart was at an area hospital visiting his wife, who was recovering from surgery. He was called to the accident scene and didn’t see her again for 10 days. Victims aren’t the only people chaplains are called to reach. Stewart also ministers to a particularly vulnerable population—police officers, fire fighters, and paramedics— who face high levels of stress, trauma, and anxiety on the job while under the scrutiny of a community that “secondguesses everything they do,” he says. Friberg agrees that chaplains play a much-needed role in law enforcement. “Police officers, in particular, often have an adversarial
relationship with a certain percentage of the public,” he says. “Chaplains who care for them and assist them represent Jesus in a way that helps officers to remain more in touch with their own faith communities and feel the support they deserve from the larger community.” But it’s not always life and death situations that open up discussions about faith. Stewart points out that his personal relationships with police officers resulted in frequent casual coffee meetings, a no-agenda chance to support the officers in such a way that “they didn’t even realize they were getting help.” Inzunza, too, takes advantage of natural opportunities for connection, such as celebrating employees’ joys as well as their losses. “It’s important to mourn with those who mourn and celebrate with those rejoicing,” he says.
What Hasn’t Changed While opportunities are ever evolving, chaplains face some of the same challenges they always have. As spiritual leaders often working in secular environments, chaplains provide prayer, counsel, and support with an awareness of the limits imposed by the separation of church and state. In his decades of chaplaincy experience, Friberg has often heard criticisms about governmental boundaries. But, he points out, most legal challenges to chaplaincies are defeated “because chaplains assist and support people in special situations… anywhere that people are not as able to get the usual, immediate support from their own religious organization or congregations.” Serving in a state facility, Maxwell too faces the church/state issue, as all of the prison’s Bibles and religious materials must be donated rather than purchased by the institution. In addition, chaplains must be prepared for any kind of situation—from death, injury, illness, and natural and human-made disasters, to helping others deal with relationship issues, stress, work/life balances, addiction, and mental health issues—all while selflessly representing the hands and feet of Christ. Most are on call 24/7, straining their personal lives and contributing to burnout. Like pastors, chaplains can find their work enormously taxing as they strive to care for others and still maintain personal boundaries. “It’s heavy work being involved in human lives,” says Inzunza. “It stretches me to do my own soul work and make an honest assessment of my own personal beliefs and challenges.” But while the work can be weighty and demanding, the rewards of chaplaincy often touch eternity. Stewart recalls an incident when a police officer “called me saying he was looking at his gun and his phone, trying to decide which one to use,” and God used Stewart to prevent a tragedy. For Maxwell, the reward is “seeing the light come on in a young person’s eyes as they come to understand the Good News through Jesus Christ…” And Inzunza—like most chaplains—sees the work as a passion, a calling, and a privilege. “I can’t wait until Monday morning when work starts,” he says. “I can’t wait to say prayers for the hurting, for those needing a breakthrough in their marriage, for those asking for wisdom to lead and manage well.” BU
INTERESTED IN BECOMING A CHAPLAIN? Students attending Bethel Seminary need a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree with a supervised ministry experience to become a board certified chaplain. Board certification usually requires a minimum of four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Service as a chaplain in the Veterans Administration requires a minimum of two units of CPE. Note that various denominations—and fields—may have further training/educational requirements.
BETHEL SEMINARY ST. PAUL Students are introduced to chaplaincy in pastoral care classes. Those interested in pursuing chaplaincy meet with the Director of Internship and Placement for a specific course track and internship opportunities. BETHEL SEMINARY SAN DIEGO Students can choose the chaplaincy concentration in the Master of Divinity degree. For more information about seminary degree programs, visit bethel.edu/seminary/ admissions or call 651.638.6288 (800.255.8706, ext. 6288) or email seminary-admissions@ bethel.edu.
OTHER RESOURCES Association for Clinical Pastoral Education www.acpe.edu Association of Professional Chaplains www.professionalchaplains.org American Chaplains Association www.americanchaplainsassociation.org National Association for Catholic Chaplains www.nacc.org The Work of the Chaplain by Naomi Paget and Janet McCormack
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SAFE HAVEN
Helping women in abusive relationships find hope and healing
by Suzanne Yonker GS’09
Acts of interpersonal violence make the news nearly On January 6, 2013, Steven every day. And the issue has gotten even more attention Roger Johnson of St. Paul, recently because of violence perpetrated by prominent athletes, prompting a series of televised “No More” Minnesota, shot his wife commercials featuring NFL players and celebrities. But most abuse—like Manya’s murder—takes place in the Manya at close range in privacy of people’s homes, far away from a reporter’s their home. To conceal the notebook or a public service announcement. Domestic evidence, he dismembered her violence happens to people in our neighborhoods and churches and yes, even in the Bethel community—to people body and placed the pieces in we may know. It cuts across economic, cultural, racial, and religious lines, disproportionately affecting women. several plastic bags and bins, A few statistics shed light on the severity of the problem. which he stored in the garage According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused of a former prison mate. by an intimate partner in the U.S. During one year, this equals more than 10 million women and men. Domestic It was an unthinkable violence hotlines receive 20,000 calls on a typical day. crime. And one with a While the Department of Justice reports that incidents of intimate partner violence (IPV) have fallen 60% in the Bethel connection— past 20 years, “numbers are unreliable because many incidents go unreported,” says Bethel Associate Professor Manya Johnson of Psychology Peter Jankowski. graduated from Why she can’t leave Bethel in 2009 So why not simply leave the relationship? Because of the effects of repeated trauma, a victim “begins to with a master’s doubt herself,” Jankowski says, “and often feels she’s degree in unable to effect change or make a difference, which is often complicated by a belief that she can control the counseling perpetrator’s behavior or that she is somehow responsible psychology. for what happens.” A woman may fear retribution or further violence and
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victimization. She may lack resources of her own or not have a safe place to go, or want to stay with the perpetrator because of her kids. For many women, their whole identity is tied to the relationship. And many times, leaving or threatening to leave puts a woman at increased risk. Manya Johnson was one of those women. On the night of her death, she told her husband she was leaving him and taking their son.
A safe haven
Though many would expect the Christian community to be the safest place for abuse victims, it has often failed to respond in appropriate ways. Some churches may not have the resources to respond well, or may unwittingly make the situation worse by misusing Scripture or misunderstanding the severity of the problem. By acknowledging IPV and learning more about it, Christ-followers can learn how to offer a safe haven of support, help, and hope. Churches can begin to address the sensitive issues of IPV by offering premarital counseling and marriage enrichment classes, says Ben Lim, professor of marital and family therapy at Bethel Seminary San Diego. “Secondary prevention involves those in spiritual leadership having their eyes open to members who may be undergoing difficulties in their relationships,” he explains. “They can help families at risk by nipping the bud of domestic violence before it gets worse.” When IPV is reported or discovered, believers need to respond with strength and justice. “It is important and healing whenever a Christian community responds with collective moral outrage,” says Glen Scorgie, professor of theology and ethics at Bethel Seminary San Diego. “Such a strong, unequivocal response can go a long way toward validating the victim’s personal dignity, acknowledging the
horror of her experience, and making her feel safe.” And we can provide practical help. “Tangible help that works toward establishing physical and emotional safety is of primary importance,” says Sande Traudt, associate professor of social work and a licensed social worker who has worked in the field of domestic violence for many years. “This means supporting, in every possible way, a woman’s choice to leave an abusive relationship. It also means helping her think through her choices and supporting her decisions about when and how to leave a relationship, as she knows the real dangers and issues she faces.” We can also offer temporary shelter, material and financial assistance, and referrals to local experts and resources. At the most basic level, though, serving as a haven for victims of IPV starts with a change in perspective. Associate Professor of Psychology Andy Johnson (who is not related to Manya Johnson or Steven Johnson) suggests that we can respond by offering three simple but powerful statements that validate a woman’s experience and help lead her to a path of healing: “I believe you,” “You don’t deserve this,” and “Are you safe?”
“I believe you.”
“It’s very difficult for a woman in an abusive relationship with someone who is known as an ‘outstanding Christian, business leader, or father’ to be believed,” says Traudt. “Due to this unbelief, she sees that her support system will most likely be of little personal support and begins to think she must endure in silence, at all costs.” Research shows that violence occurs as often among self-professing Christian families as non-Christians, says Jankowski, and “no denomination seems immune from having incidents of violence take place within its families and congregations.”
BETHEL AUTHORS CONTRIBUTE TO NEW RESOURCE Religion and Men’s Violence Against Women, out in April, includes 29 chapters focusing on abuse factors within specific religious and cultural communities. Edited by Bethel Associate Professor of Psychology Andy Johnson, who also cowrote the introductory and summary chapters, the book features some chapters that are the first in the world on their particular topics. Several Bethel community members contributed to this new resource, including Professor of Anthropology Emeritus James Hurd, who wrote a chapter on interpersonal violence in the Amish community; Associate Professor of Psychology Peter Jankowski, who provided a chapter on Anabaptist-Mennonite perspectives and its ideals of non-violent peacemaking, forgiveness, and reconciliation; and Jill Damron GS’11, who helped Johnson write the introductory chapter. 24
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“You don’t deserve this.”
Sometimes women in abusive situations believe they can stop the abuse if they do what their partners tell them or just “submit more.” But power and control are at the root of IPV, says Andy Johnson. It’s more than the occasional spousal disagreement; it’s a pattern of abusive behavior that includes manipulation, coercion, and force. Men who abuse set unrealistic expectations and continue to raise the bar. “Men in this frame of mind will find any excuse to batter their wife or girlfriend,” Johnson says. Women in abusive relationships are repeatedly told they are causing the abuse. “A woman is told that she is ‘damaged’ or that the violent words and actions are because of her failure to ‘fulfill her duties as a woman and partner,’” Traudt says. “To hold onto hope for the relationship, she begins to believe that if she works hard enough at the relationship, the abuse will stop. As she works at ‘being a better person,’ the abusive messages often increase, countering her efforts, and her ability to see that it’s not her fault continues to diminish.”
“Are you safe?”
Ensuring the victim’s safety is the most urgent need the Christian community can fulfill. If churches do not have the resources for such situations, leaders can reach out to local mental health and social service agencies. This collaboration has not always happened, since the two groups sometimes distrust one another because of differing perspectives on abuse, Jankowski says. Mental health providers sometimes believe a woman’s life may be put in danger by clergy who tell her to forgive and reconcile. In the same way, church leaders may distrust mental health providers whom they believe may hastily encourage divorce. But churches, local shelters, and domestic violence advocates need to work together so women and children stay safe.
The role of forgiveness
Believers sometimes encourage victims to forgive their abusive partners prematurely, while the abuse is still happening. “But to tell a woman to forgive is just not helpful when she is being beaten repeatedly,” Andy Johnson says. “Forgiveness is not going to end the abuse. The man’s behavior has to stop.” Once the victim gets free from her abusive partner, she may want to forgive eventually for her own healing. But she gets to decide the timing of her forgiveness, Jankowski says. If she feels expected to forgive, she may feel she has
lost control, like in her abusive relationship. “The oft-cited petition in the Lord’s Prayer calling all of us to forgive as we have been forgiven must never be used to guilt-manipulate a victim into premature or superficial forgiveness, much less to respond in a manner that could increase her vulnerability to added abuse,” says Scorgie. And forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean reconciliation. “It’s more about the victim letting go of the negative emotions of hurt, anger, and frustration,” says Jankowski. “Forgiveness can actually help alleviate some of the victim’s negative emotional experience.”
Healing for the perpetrator
While the initial focus needs to be on getting help for the victim and providing safety, the offender also needs to find hope for change. Men who abuse often feel remorse for their actions but can’t easily stop their behavior, says Andy Johnson. Many were raised in abusive homes and have difficulty expressing their feelings. They often hold on to gender stereotypes that place the man as the head of the home, and carry out their role in unhealthy ways. Others have a deep need to hide weaknesses and insecurities, depend highly on their wives, and blame their wives for the abusive behavior. And treatment is frequently complicated by other factors. “More recently, we’re becoming aware that perpetrators and victims often deal with other issues like anxiety, depression, substance abuse, or personality disorders,” Jankowski says. “Treatment has to involve attention to these other issues.” In Steven Roger Johnson’s case, for example, alcohol was a factor in the murder.
A positive resource
Even with recent renewed public interest, intimate partner violence remains, by its very nature, a silent epidemic. Its victims are our friends, neighbors, sisters, daughters. They are women we live near, work with, or sit beside in class, women like Manya Johnson. By responding in appropriate ways, we can be a positive resource for women like Manya and their children, and help victims of abuse find hope and healing. BU
IF YOU NEED HELP If you’re facing abuse, contact the national Domestic Violence Hotline at 800.799.SAFE (7233) or www.thehotline.org for help and resources in your community. Bethel University
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m t i e s a e n o d to be well? t a h W by Erik Gruber ’06, GS’14
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©istock.com/neyro2008
W G E N L I L N I B F E E I N D E G R
I
s wellness a reflection of health? A level of physical performance? The absence of disease? When we think about health and wellness, these are the factors that first come to mind. We measure “health” in terms of illnesses, doctor visits, and physical features like weight and muscle tone. More advanced health metrics might look at body mass index, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. But some key people at Bethel are working to change the conversation and expand the scope of health and wellness in the Bethel community.
Seth Paradis, professor of human kinetics and applied health science, understands the importance of physical health indicators better than anyone. He thinks they’re so important that his advocacy and energy have nurtured one of Bethel’s fastest-growing programs. The biokinetics program prepares students to work in a variety of health fields that explore human biological systems and their reaction to stressors on the body. Paradis has also established the Exercise Medicine and Prevention Center,
an advanced lab where biokinetics majors perform health screenings on every Bethel student through a Physical Wellness class. All of this growth has occurred despite the reality of limited space and “We want people in resources. But that reality will change our community to see themselves as whole with the construction of Bethel University’s new persons. We have Wellness Center. The fourth a spiritual side, an level of the facility will emotional side, a social feature 5,500 square feet side.” of new lab space housing state-of-the-art hardware Matt Runion and software to perform full Associate Dean of health assessments. That Campus Ministries space will give biokinetics students opportunities to gain indispensable hands-on clinical experience while providing the Bethel community with a valuable resource for understanding and improving overall health. But Paradis’ work isn’t done. He believes that true wellbeing is bigger than physical health. “When you start looking at a patient,” he explains, “and you do health histories, risk stratifications, body compositions, height, weight, body mass index, all these things, you’re really just looking at symptoms, and not the source.”
What is well-being?
WORDS FOR WELLNESS 1. Our bodies are a blessing. We have a responsibility to take care of them. 2. Start small. Walk a quarter mile every day for a week, then jog a quarter mile the next week. Increase to a half mile and keep going. Apply this concept to other areas of well-being too. 3. Believe. You can achieve your goals. Don’t believe the lie that you can’t. 4. Be accountable. Seek out a trustworthy friend to help you. 5. Keep growing. In all things, be better today than yesterday. Josh Treimer ’14 Biokinetics major
That’s the question Paradis and others—including Director of Counseling Services Jim Koch, Director of Health Services Liz Miller, and Associate Dean of Campus Ministries Matt Runion—have been asking. Their recent conversations are focused on the many different factors that go into true health and wellness, and ways to improve health and wellness on campus. “I actually prefer the term well-being, rather than wellness,” says Koch. “Wellness has been the catchphrase, but well-being has a more holistic connotation. The word ‘being’ has an identity quality, as opposed to just a behavior quality. Wellness is ‘you do these things.’ Well-being incorporates an approach to life and integration. It’s an umbrella concept.” Runion adds, “We want people in our community to see themselves as whole persons. We’re not just physical bodies walking around this earth. We have a spiritual side, an emotional side, a social side. It’s a multi-dimensional idea of who we are as people created in God’s image. Well-being is peaceful, right relationship with God, myself, with others.” Bethel University
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FIVE WAYS TO BE WELL
And Miller says the concept includes balance. “Wellbeing implies that you have balance in your life,” she says. “It can be distilled down to mind, body, and spirit. You need to be intentional about keeping balance in those three areas.” In the busy lives of Bethel community members, that balance can be lost.
Too Busy to Pray?
1. Exercise. Research indicates the positive effects of exercise on many illnesses. Regular exercise also provides a sense of well-being and improves confidence. 2. Diet. Eating well leads to higher energy levels and improved brain function. 3. Relationships. Positive relationships with God, family, friends, and peers impact well-being. 4. Relaxation. Leisure time and sleep are essential to enjoying life and living well. 5. Stress management. Plan constructive activities that help manage your stress levels.
Paradis sees this busyness as the primary obstacle to overall well-being, particularly in the area of faith. “We’ve lost the concept of Lectio Divina [a form of meditative Tommy Tusa ’15 scripture reading] and silence with Christ,” he says. “That Biokinetics major (Human Bioenergetics sort of prayer is scary to people now because we’re in this and Exercise Science emphases) culture of talking and never listening. In this busy world of phones vibrating in our pockets—waking up checking the phone and going to bed checking the phone—we’re not Leading a Cultural Shift taking intentional moments of silence. We forget that a Paradis, Koch, Miller, and Runion see the need for a relationship with God needs to come first and last, and also cultural shift on campus to raise awareness, mindfulness, needs to be intentional. When we get busy, that relationship and intentionality around the issue of well-being. They is usually the first thing to go.” agree that much of the foundation is already there, so the “Sometimes we think that because we go to Bethel or first steps involve building on Bethel’s strengths. “We have work at Bethel, that means we’re paying attention to our 30 or 40 juniors and 30 seniors in biokinetics,” says Paradis, faith journey,” he continues. “But I think God wants more of “and a focus on faith and its connection to well-being is us. Faith isn’t just knowing the Bible or talking about your built into their classes. And looking at the resources we relationship with God. It’s intentionally looking at your faith have through student life, through campus ministries— it’s journey and how that affects all dimensions of well-being.” about finding the people who we can bring together to build Paradis has examined the scientific basis for the this metaphorical tent of resources.” importance of faith in our lives, and has found a clear Runion agrees that it’s important to draw from the work relationship between faith, stress, and overall well-being, already being done. “I don’t think we’re creating something including the physical aspects of well-being. “I truly believe that’s totally brand new,” he says. “That may be the power that stress and perceived stress relative to our faith journey of this. It’s about building awareness of what’s already are 70-80% of the cause of many chronic diseases and happening at Bethel. The results will be new, but that’s genetic deformities,” he says. because it’ll get everybody moving in the same direction. Paradis’ viewpoint regarding faith and stress already We already have good things going. We have assets that are has a strong foundation outside of Bethel. “The value of strong and relationships that are strong.” spirituality and meditation to overall well-being is widely Paradis’ vision for a metaphorical tent of resources accepted in the wellness community,” he says. “Research calls for increased collaboration between faculty, staff, has shown that these practices increase quality of life and students surrounding the issue of well-being. But he during medical treatments.” He cites the Center for emphasizes that it won’t require large-scale initiatives or Spirituality & Healing at the University of Minnesota and the Center for Spirituality, “Be more mindful about what you’re eating. Make Theology, and Health at Duke University the connection between what you eat and how you as primary examples of major universities feel. Balance your meals throughout the day. And eat where this type of research is being more vegetables. We don’t eat enough plants.” conducted. Now Paradis wants to bring those ideas back to Christian circles. Christina Swigart Campus Nutritionist
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resources, at least to start. “We try to overcomplicate God’s plans, or even science,” he says. “A lot of times it comes down to our intentionality with building up relationships.” The group is starting with conversations to connect the existing resources that represent mind, body, and spirit on campus. Paradis is working to form a well-being advisory committee made up of students, faculty, and staff that will lead the effort by organizing seminars and activities and bringing internationally known speakers to campus. He also wants to significantly raise Bethel’s reputation regionally, nationally, and internationally in the areas of well-being and health. Bethel’s Wellness Center is a major step in the right direction. With 6,000 square feet of strength training equipment, another 6,000 square feet of cardio training equipment, and an entire level dedicated to state-of-theart biokinetics facilities, the new space will give more members of the Bethel community access to the equipment and facilities they need to get and stay physically healthy. Physical health is a key component of overall well-being, says Neal Dutton, associate professor of human kinetics and applied health science. “I just read about a study of 600 freshmen at Michigan State University. There, you pay for a membership to the fitness center. Students who bought a membership had higher GPAs, a higher percentage made the transition to sophomore status at the end of their first year, and fewer of them dropped out of school. Every year we’re telling new Bethel students that they need to be physically active, and the Wellness Center will give them an opportunity to do that. That will be an important component for the Bethel community.” Paradis says the value of the Wellness Center will go far beyond the building itself. “Any time you build something, it’s not just about the structure,” he says. “It’s an opportunity. It’s an opportunity for an intentional cultural shift at Bethel, and a redefinition of what well-being looks like on campus.” Miller, too, sees this opportunity as a significant step in the future of well-being at Bethel. “This is a new paradigm and a new way to view our community,” she says. “We’re committed to well-being in all areas, and we’re committed to helping people thrive. We’re a community, and community well-being is important to us.” BU
BETHEL UNIVERSITY WELLNESS CENTER Bethel strives to develop whole and holy persons—not just mentally, socially, and spiritually—but also physically. The state-of-theart Wellness Center will help our community do just that. Construction has begun near the north side of the Robertson Center (gymnasium area) and is expected to finish in fall 2015. The new center will include: • 22,500 square feet on three levels • a 6,000 square-foot weight facility • 5,500 square feet of biokinetics testing and lab space • 45 cardio machines • 30 yards of indoor turf
Photo by Nathan Klok ’17
The Wellness Center
Follow the progress! Visit bethel.edu/ president/projects/wellness-center for construction updates, or follow @BethelUmn on Instagram.
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by Jared Johnson
Winter. Snow. Two topics most of us complain about are two of Andrew Carlson’s favorite words. The Elk River, Minnesota, native has been riding a snowmobile since he was three, and is now entering his fourth season as a professional snocross racer. He’s finished in the top five of his racing class the past three years, and in 2014 received one of the sport’s highest honors when he was one of 25 riders invited to the Winter X Games, an elite extreme sports competition in Aspen, Colorado. A junior marketing major, Carlson has excelled in snocross while pursuing a college degree, a highly unusual feat for a professional rider. “Once I graduate,” he says, “I’ll be the only current professional rider with a four-year degree earned while racing.” And Carlson says he’s gaining more at Bethel than a degree. “When I came to Bethel I knew that faith was a big part of the equation,” he explains. “But I didn’t anticipate how much my faith would become my own here.” Although Christianity is rare in the racing world, Carlson says his faith has shaped his character both on and off the track. “The way I race is a powerful testimony to those I compete against because they see that I want to finish first in every event, but I will not jeopardize other riders along the way,” he says. While racing makes his schedule incredibly challenging, Carlson revels in the entire college experience, living on campus and making lifelong memories with friends. His passion, he says, is to “do everything with excellence, 100% effort for school first and 100% effort for racing second.” At Bethel, he’s found a way to do both. “This has been a perfect blend,” he says. “I’m able to do what I love and be at a place that motivates and shapes me.” 30
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Photo by Nathan Klok ’17
ProFile–ANDREW CARLSON
ALUM News “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
60s
70s
Verna (Christenson) Orme ’60 shares that her son, Leland Christenson ’86 married Melanie Orme ’94. In December 2013, Verna married Melanie’s father Jim, who also has a son, Kevin Orme ’92. Ashland, Wis.
Tom Billigmeier ’72 and his wife Karen are grandparents to five grandchildren. He works as a senior case manager at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, specializing in child and adolescent behavioral health care needs.
Richard Lawrence ’66 graduated from the University of Dubuque Iowa-Theological Seminary with an M.Div. in 2014. Stephen Craig Anderson ’67, S’71 co-authored a 600-page trilingual Ngiemboon-FrenchEnglish dictionary, just published after 40 years of work in central Africa. He and his wife Julie now spend alternate years in Barmenda, Cameroon, and Burnsville, Minn. Their son, Luke Elliot Anderson ’10, and his wife Ishael work in Jinja, Uganda , doing communit y development, evangelism, and discipleship. Kathy (Swanson) Nelson ’67, a former librarian, recently wrote More than Football: George Flippin’s Stromsburg Years. Flippin was the first African American to play football at the University of Nebraska in the 1890s. The son of freed slaves, he became a medical doctor and built the first hospital in Stromsburg, Neb.
Gerard Sundberg ’73 is professor of music and pedagogy at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill., and is a regular performer with orchestras, including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Milwaukee and Rockford Symphonies, and the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra. Sundberg received Wheaton’s Senior Scholarship Achievement award in May, given to professors who have shown excellence in their field. Sundberg taught in Bethel’s music department from 1974-1988. Joy (Christensen) Kuby ’74 writes, “After living in Minnesota all our lives, we moved to Salem, South Carolina, in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. We are enjoying a lifestyle change in this very active community on Lake Keowee.” Warren Sevander ’77 has lived in Taiwan for five years. For four years he was an English lan-
Bethel Magazine includes Alum News from all schools of Bethel University. “S” indicates news from Bethel Seminary alumni, “CAPS” indicates news from the College of Adult & Professional Studies, and “GS” indicates news from Graduate School alumni. All other news is from College of Arts & Sciences alumni.
guage instructor at St. James’ Language Institute, part of the St. James Episcopal Church and preschool in Taichung. He is also a lay eucharistic minister for the English language congregation and preaches there twice monthly. Since January 2014, he’s been an English language consultant for Columbia Consultants.
80s David Mitroff ’83 is head baseball coach at Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, Mich. Their baseball team traveled to Cuba to play seven games in international competition and minister to the Cuban people. Alongside Major League Baseball players, Cornerstone players provided humanitarian aid and did construction projects for the thriving home church movement.
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Jane (Johnson) Stavem ’89 is associate superintendent for instruction at Lincoln, Neb., public schools. She wrote Student Mobility: Creating an Environment for Academic and Social Success.
90s Kenneth Moran CAPS’94 is dean, College of Business Administration, at Sullivan University, Louisville, Ky. He completed his Ph.D. in management in October.
00s Michael J. Flower ’05 is an associate attorney at Arthur Chapman Kettering Smetak & Pikala, P.A., Minneapolis. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minn., and focuses his practice in the area of workers’ compensation.
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BETHEL CONNECT Free lunch get-togethers for alumni who work at Twin Cities corporations. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with other Bethel alums working at:
UnitedHealth Group | April U.S. Bank | May Make sure we’ve got your current employment information so we can let you know if we’ll be at your office. Visit bethel.edu/alumni/stay-connected/update-info to update your info.
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ALUM News Andrew Wright ’05 is a Ph.D. candidate at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, Calif., where he received his M.Div. in 2008. He recently co-edited The Collected Works of James Wm. McClendon Jr., Volumes 1 and 2, through Baylor University Press. Charlotte Maxwell S’08 is a chaplain at Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex, Meridan, Kan. She works with young people ages 13-22. Read more about her in “The New Chaplains” on p. 18. Kate O’Brien ’09 recently received a Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology. Iowa City, Iowa.
10s Gretchen (Dischinger) Luedtke ’09, S’14 recently completed an internship at Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie, Minn., and now serves as interim worship pastor at GracePoint Church in New Brighton, Minn., where she and her husband Dan ’08 have a long history of working with youth. She is following in the footsteps of her grandfather, Robert Dischinger ’42, S’47, a longtime pastor, church planter, and executive secretary of the mid-Atlantic district, who was one of Converge Worldwide’s first youth pastors. More than 20 members of the Dischinger family attended Bethel.
Marriages ’88 LaDonna Williams married Todd Hoopman in August on Shipwrecks Beach in Kauai, Hawaii. Andover, Minn. A te c h n o l o g y p ro b l e m prevented us from receiving a number of submitted birth announcements before the deadline for this issue of Bethel Magazine. Please look for these in the summer edition.
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’09 L aura Neufeld married Bryce Duckett in October. Wedding party members included Kristen (Lindblad) Christenson ’09 and Jennifer Neufeld ’17. Laura is a pediatric nurse, and Bryce works for General Mills. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. ’10 Cody Holliday married Carrie Beck in November. Groomsmen included Jeremiah Johnson ’10 and Hart Olson ’09. Minneapolis. ’12 Laura Gaalswyk married Zachary Dahl ’11 in July. In the bridal party were Hannah Osborne ’12, Alecia Salo ’12, and Becky Cross ’12. Plymouth, Minn. ’13 Erin Lorentz married Chris Van Sickle ’14 in August. Roseville, Minn.
Deaths ’35 Eunice D. (Swanson) Billigmeier, age 96, died in April in Grass Valley, Calif. Her husband Milton died in January 2011. The fam-
ily moved to California in 1938, where she and Milton owned Christian book stores. She is survived by two sons , Tom (Karen) Billigmeier ’72 and Marc (Glenda). ’48 Garnet Jenkins died in November. He was a retired BGC Canada pastor and former BGC foreign missions office staff member. ’51 Robert E . Brunko S’54, age 86, died in November in Andover, Minn. He pastored many churches in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Chicago, with his last call at Elim Baptist Church in Anoka, Minn. Survived by his wife of 64 years, Donna (Wales) ’51; children, Greg (Nelia) ’73, Vicki (Mike) Andrews ’77, Jill (Hugo) Rodriguez, and Randy (Chris) ’83, S’89; 12 grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. ’52 Bernard “ Bern” Hogan S’55, age 86, died in October. He married Eileen Vander Ploeg in 1949 and served pastorates in Wis-
consin, New Jersey, Chicago, and South Dakota. In addition to his degrees from Bethel, he received a degree at Princeton Theological Seminar y. He is survived by his wife, Eileen; sons Harold ’72 (Connie [Gilbert] ’74), Daniel ’78 (Beverly ’77), and daughter Constance ’79 (Bob) Stahle; 19 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. ’53 Albert Windham S’55, age 85, died in September. He married Carol Bessey in 1952, and they partnered together in ministry for 62 years. He held a master’s degree in Christian education from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill., and served several churches, including Bethany Baptist Church in Roseville, Minn., and was a chaplain and director of pastoral care at Midway Hospital, St. Paul, Minn. He is survived by his wife Carol; daughter Christine Sheetz; son Mark (Dawn) Windham; a sister; and two grandchildren.
—SAVE THE DATE!—
BETHEL HOMECOMING
OCTOBER 9-11, 2015 Undergrad classes celebrating a reunion: 1965, ’75, ’85, ’95, ’05, and ’10 Platinum Alumni Dinner for 1940, ’45, ’50, ’55, and ’60 Visit bethel.edu/events/homecoming to learn more, update your contact information, and let us know if you’d like to help with your reunion.
ALUM News Flying High with the Ducks by Jared Johnson Jackson Smidt ’14, an athletic training graduate, is a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the University of Oregon football team, and he found himself in some high-flying moments as the Ducks played Ohio State in the first-ever College Football Playoff national championship game on January 12. In his season with the high-profile Ducks, Smidt worked with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota and could be spotted on TV on game days, but he retains a low-key perspective: “I quickly learned that this role is about more than big names and bright lights,” he says. “It’s about building relationships with talented individuals so that they will trust me to serve them on a daily basis.” He says he wouldn’t be where he is—or as effective at what he’s doing—without proper training from Bethel. “I am so thankful that I had clinical mentors at Bethel who cared about my growth,” he reflects. “They were the first to provide quality hands-on experience and a framework about how to interact with student athletes. That has been critical to my success here in Oregon.” ’54 C l i f f o r d Ve n n e r s t r o m , age 84, died in November. He married Shirlee Swan in 1954 and served as a missionary in Ethiopia, Philippines, and Cameroon. He is survived by his wife Shirlee; children Jonathan ’78 (Kim), Bob (Ginger), and Carol (Paul) Hiebert; his brother, Ernest; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. ’58 Donald Richard Crowther, age 82, died in November. He served a tour of duty in Korea and at tended Bethel College and the University of Minnesota, graduating from the University of Sioux Falls in 1961, and later earning a master’s of divinity degree from Central Baptist Seminary in Kansas City, Kan. He and Gloria Benson were married in 1963. They served in pastorates in Illinois and North Dakota, and Don later entered the Army chaplaincy, serving in Vietnam, Germany, and numerous U.S. bases. He finished his career as a prison chaplain in Jessup,
Md. He is survived by his wife Gloria; sons Doug and Rick; a daughter-in-law; and siblings. ’62 John W. Carlson S’67, age 74, died in October. He married Janet Aiton ’65 in 1963, and while at Bethel Seminary served as youth pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis. He went on to pastor Converge Worldwide (BGC) churches in Minnesota , California, and Illinois, and served as director of alumni affairs at Bethel from 1969-1974 and as director of public affairs at Bethel Seminary San Diego. He chaired the building committee of the BGC office in Arlington Heights, Ill., and served on the national board of communications, the BGC nominating committee, and Southwest District board of trustees. Janet died in 2010. ’62 Grace Ann (Larson) Swanson, age 73, died in October 2013. She attended Bethel College for two years before completing
an elementary education degree at St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minn. She married Lloyd Swanson in 1966 and pursued a teaching career in Minnesota, Michigan, and Oregon, influencing hundreds of preschoolers. She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Lloyd; daughter Andrea (Brad) Seavers; son Alan; a grandson; sister Joyce Killmer ’66; and a brother. ’73 Fra n k Eva n s S’ 77, ag e 70, died in November. He served in the U.S. Navy as an aviation antisubmarine warfare technician from 1962-1965. In 1965, he married Shannah Hallstrom; they were married for 31 years until she died in 1996. Frank received a master’s degree in education from the University of St. Thomas in 1974 and served in ministry at churches in Minnesota and Chicago, retiring in 2004. Frank married Nancy Salmonson in 1999. He is survived by Nancy; daughters LisaMarie ’92
W h il e B et h e l s t rive s fo r accuracy in all we do, 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. Due to limited space, Bethel Magazine reserves the right to exercise editorial discretion in the publication of alumni news and photos. (Nathan) Johnson and Ann ’94 (Brad) Cox; stepdaughters Jenna (Jeff) Holmseth and Keri Salmonson; and 12 grandchildren. ’80 David Strate, age 60, died in May. He studied at Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta, Canada, and after graduating from Bethel, worked in the trucking business and as a school bus driver. In 1981, he was in a motorcycle accident that changed his life and led him to Laurie Ekstrom, who became his wife in 1985. They moved to Arizona, where Dave received his master’s degree in counseling from the University of Phoenix in 1995 and worked for Maricopa County Adult Probation for 24 years. He is survived by Laurie, his wife of 28 years; two daughters, Joanna (Matthew) Bowes and Carolyn; son Samuel; and two brothers. ’85 Sharon Behrends, age 51, died in December. She lived in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., and is survived by her son Anton Novehrends, mother Betty, and sister Laurie. She was preceded in death by her father, Jack, in 2009.
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“During a forest hike around Lake Matheson on New Zealand’s west coast, I stopped as I noticed a small blue mushroom near my feet. While seemingly small and insignificant from above, I bent down to discover an incredible new perspective. As nature revealed a hidden beauty, I realized this forest gem was as significant as the trees towering above.” CHAD CYBORAN ’15, AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE MAJOR, TOOK THIS PHOTO IN NEW ZEALAND DURING THE CREATION CARE STUDY PROGRAM.