winter 2007-08 bethany report

WINTER 2007-08 the magazine of bethany lutheran college

5Communication students move north

6Bethany hosts world hunger event

16Alumnae twins race for cancer research

Bethanyreport

I have the opportunity and privilege to visit with many Bethany alumni on a regular basis. Some of these visits take place at events where a large

number of alumni are gathered, like “Christmas at Bethany,” while others occur with a single graduate in their home, at a restaurant, or through a coincidental meeting. The conversations are often wide-ranging, uplift-ing, and energizing, but no matter the size of the venue or how many alumni are part of the conversation, there always seems to be a few recur-ring themes about days spent on the Bethany campus.

Quite often, an alumnus/a will tell me about the tremendous dedica-tion of our faculty and staff. Whether it was the extra time a professor spent with a student after class, a conversation about a concern or spiritual

matter, or simply a friendly lunch shared in the cafeteria, it is apparent that Bethany faculty and staff do leave a lasting, positive impression on students.

Another recurrent theme of my conversations with alumni centers on how Bethany “changed my life.” Certainly this can take on a variety of meanings. For some, life-changing meant receiving an educational foun-dation to build upon. Whether you earned a high school diploma, associate’s degree, or your bachelor’s degree from Bethany many of you attribute where you are today to be a result of the lessons learned on the BLC campus. Perhaps you met your spouse at Bethany? At least twenty percent of our alumni experienced this life-changing

event as a result of time spent at BLC. Many alumni mention the spiritual lessons learned at Bethany—the meaning of the “One Thing Needful,” the gospel of Christ, as the most important aspect of a Bethany educa-tion.

By far the most frequently mentioned characteristic of Bethany days didn’t occur as a result of long conversations or as a consequence of the culmination of years of study. The life-changing experience I hear about most often is the result of fifteen minutes a day spent in worship with other Bethany classmates, faculty, and staff. The impact of the clear preaching of God’s Word through daily chapel services is by far the most frequently mentioned aspect of Bethany days. It is indeed a privilege to worship each day in Trinity Chapel and to hear the message of God’s plan for our salvation.

I invite you to visit and revisit your Bethany days. Join us for daily chapel. Enjoy conversation with friends, and remain connected to this special institution. I appreciate your support and prayers for Bethany Lutheran College.

editor, writer | Lance Schwartz design, photography | David Norris proofreader, writer | Emma Baumann

Please direct all correspondence, letters, news, corrections, and comments to: Bethany Lutheran College Bethany report 700 Luther Drive Mankato, MN 56001-6163Email: [email protected] | www.blc.edu507.344.7000 | 800.944.3066FAX: 507.344.7417

ISSUE: CXI

The Report is published quarterly by the Bethany Lutheran College public relations office and distributed free of charge to the college’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.

All contents © COPYRIGHT 2008 Bethany Lutheran College. Articles, images or photographs may not be reproduced without written permission.

Mission: Bethany Lutheran College, owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, is a private, residential, liberal arts college committed to the teachings of the Bible as set forth in the Lutheran Confessions. Bethany provides studies culminating in a Bachelor of Arts degree. The college serves Lutherans and others by offering a challenging, student-centered approach to education that fosters spiritual development, intellectual and creative growth, self-understanding, and responsible citizenship. In keeping with its heritage, Bethany aspires to produce students with a clear understanding of Christian vocation, which encourages students to make the most of their God-given talents.

Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents:Rev. John A. Moldstad, Sr., ChairHarold A. Theiste, Vice ChairRev. Kenneth V. Schmidt, SecretaryWillis Anthony, Ph.D.Rev. Mark BartelsPaul T. ChamberlinLyle FahningRev. Herbert C. HuhnerkochJames MinorRoland ReinholtzRev. J. Kincaid Smith, D.Min.Rev. Joel Willitz Advisory Members: Pres. Dan R. Bruss, Ph.D.Rev. Lawrence A. BurgdorfRev. John A. Moldstad, ELS PresidentWilliam Overn

On the cover: Bethany hosted Lutheran grade school students as they participated in a Kids Against Hunger meal-packing event on March 4, 2008. Read about the event on page 6.

President Dan Bruss

ImpressionsBethanyreport

from the president

2 report | Winter 2007-08

February 7, 2008Galatians 5:22-23 —“22But the fruit of the Spirit is

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithful-ness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

This morning we’re continuing our look at the “fruits of the Spirit” as Paul lists them in Gala-

tians chapter five. I don’t know if it’s because Chap-lain Moldstad really knows me well, or that he had some sort of divine revelation concerning why I should be assigned to preach on this particular fruit, but this is one sermon that I am definitely preaching to myself first!

What I mean is this: I’m…uh…PC (that’s “patience-challenged” for you uninitiated). Take me to Wal-Mart and show me long lines at the check-out if you want to hear me grumble. Take me to the airport and show me long lines waiting to get through security if you want to hear me gripe. Patience is not necessarily one of my virtues.

So it’s a good thing it’s a fruit of the Spirit. God, you see, is the source of patience. Most importantly, he demonstrates patience toward us.

That God is patient toward us, especially toward his people, is clear from Old Testament times. In Exodus 34:6 God says about himself that he is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness….” It’s the “slow to anger” part that is of huge benefit to us. Consider how God was “patient” and “slow to anger” with his Old Testament people. How many times did God show his patience by bringing his people back to him after they had chased after false gods? God even gave a good object lesson about his patience when he commanded one of his prophets, Hosea, to marry an adulterous woman that ran off. And God told Hosea to go after her and bring her back, to show how he was always treating his precious people of Israel.

Indeed, the history of God’s Old Testament people is filled with the tragic news of them abandoning their loving God. But by God’s grace, that history is also filled with the good news of God chasing after his wayward sons and daughters to bring them back

to himself! So many times God could have left his people to die as they pursued pleasure, turning their backs on him. So many times God showed patience instead!

And doesn’t that describe our own experience as part of God’s people? How many times have you turned your back on God and run after what makes you happy? Every time we willfully sin that’s exactly what we do. Every time we sin we shove God’s law back in his face and say, “I can make my own deci-sions about what’s best for me. Your rules are ruining my life. I’ll do what I want to do!”

Every time we sin God would be well within his rights to tell us, “Fine. Have it your way. But my rules still trump yours. Take that, you ungrateful creature!”…as he lets loose a lightning bolt in our not-so-general-direction.

None of us would be here if God reacted that way toward us when we sin. Remember that he is “slow to anger”—he is patient toward us. Instead of punish-ing us for our sin, he punished his one and only Son. While Jesus hung on the cross, God poured out his anger and wrath on him for every sin that we ever committed or will commit, and for every sin that all people of all time committed or will commit. God forgave the sins of the whole world through Jesus! And he gives you that forgiveness through faith, the hand that reaches out toward God and pleads for mercy. When God comes to you through his Word, he takes you by your hand and lifts you up off your knees. He tells you, “I am patient; I forgive you.”

And because God is the source of patience, he also empowers us to show patience toward others! This is really the “fruit of the Spirit” that Paul lists in the text. Our patience toward others has its source in God.

Previous preachers have spoken already about how the things Paul lists here are fruits, that they are produced naturally in us as Christians. That’s pretty evident when it comes to patience, right? On our own, apart from the Holy Spirit, what would be our reaction when a friend wrongs us? When a “friend” lies about us or gossips about us to someone, our gut reaction is right in line with the “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” idea. We want to strike back with a “lie for a lie, untruth for untruth!”

Rev. Michael Smith

from the chapeL

Chapel continued on page 5

education that lasts beyond a lifetime 3

Bill Bukowski (art) exhibited paintings at Spiritone Gallery in Wayzata, Minne-sota, during the months of November and December 2007 and January 2008.

Professor Bukowski’s large commission, called Sibley Summer Morning (a 6' x 18' oil on canvas landscape view of Manka-to’s Sibley Park), for Pathstone Living (formerly Mankato Lutheran Home) has been installed in the newly opened addi-tion.

In October 2007, Professor Bukowski took a student group to New York City. This was the art department’s fifteenth trip to New York City. Bukowski also led a group of thirty-two to London and Paris for the art department’s spring trip.

Bill Bukowski, Eric Ouren, and Denice Woller (art) participated in a special exhibition called “the Venue” at Mankato’s Bel Mar Mall on October 6, 2007.

John Boubel (history) has recently finished a project with Capstone Press. He was the historical consultant for an interactive history book for children in the middle grades. The book, Exploring the New World, covered explorers Colum-bus, Coronado, and La Salle. It is called an interactive book because a child may choose five different story paths leading to forty-three choices and eighteen endings. The endings all depend on the choices the child makes as a fictitious character within the stories of these explorers.

Mark DeGarmeaux (religion), and Peter (physics) and Julie Kjeer (math) attended The Collaboration conference in November 2007.

Mark Harstad (history, religion) informs us that a documentary DVD on Norwegian immigration, which involves many members of the BLC faculty, will be used at Vesterheim Norwegian-Amer-ican Museum for educating their staff members. Iowa Public Television (IPTV)

is also evaluating the documentary for a possible airing on IPTV. The docu-mentary was produced by recent BLC graduates Ben Rubenking and Nathan Harstad. It is based on a biography of Peder Larson Tjernagel written by BLC alumnus Dr. Peter T. Harstad.

Christopher Kind (advancement), attended the Association of Lutheran Development Executives (ALDE) International Education Conference in Chicago, Illinois, February 29-March 3, 2008. Kind also participated in a trip to the state of Washington during the Bethany band tour in March 2008 where he visited with alumni and friends of Bethany.

Dr. Tom Kuster (communication) has accepted an invitation from Minnesota State University, Mankato, to serve on their Advisory Board for the College of Allied Health and Nursing.

Jon Loging (communication) was invited to speak at the annual Minnesota Association of Government Communica-tors Conference on November 1, 2007. Loging’s presentation, “Improving Your

Presentations,” focused on public presen-tations, PowerPoint, and effective prac-tices to maintain audience interest. On November 17, 2007, Loging was the chair and a respondent on a panel at the annual National Communication Association convention held in Chicago, Illinois. On January 14, 2008, Loging gave another presentation on maintaining audience interest to the Leadership Institute of Greater Mankato.

Mike Smith (languages, religion) trav-eled to Hyderabad, India, the first week of January to teach a course on Paul’s letter to the Romans at the seminary of the Lutheran Mission of Salvation - India (LMSI), a sister church body of the Evan-gelical Lutheran Synod (ELS). Twenty students are currently enrolled in the seminary. The LMSI is approximately the same size as the ELS, but has only two ordained pastors.

Denice Woller showed her “Over Time” photography series at the Eide Bailly offices in Mankato during the month of March 2008.

Faculty & Staff News

Faculty and staff anniversariesBack row from left: Ted Manthe, Dean of Student Services-10 years; Jeff Haugen, Housekeeping-10 years; Don Westphal, Dean of Admissions/Director of Sports Information-15 years; William Kessel, Anthropology, Sociology, and Religious Studies-15 years; Peter Bloedel, Theatre-15 yearsFront row from left: Rob Pipal, Head Coach, Men’s Soccer and Physical Education-10 years; Kathy Petersen, Secretary, Admissions-10 years; Connie Gullixson, Payroll and Account Specialist-15 years; Joni Wiederhoeft, Assistant to the Director of Financial Aid-25 years; Steven Reagles, Religious Studies and Communication-25 years


Or how about when someone we don’t even know, or know that well, does some-thing to make us mad? Aren’t there times when you just want to slam on your brakes and send that guy that’s been tailgating you for miles into your trunk? Aren’t you tempted to curse someone who pushes his way in front of you as you stand in a line?

It’s a good thing that patience is a fruit of the Spirit! Since it’s a fruit, the Spirit will keep producing it in us. That fruit begins when God forgives us—even for all the times we want to strike back at someone in anger—when God forgives us our sins through Christ Jesus. That fruit grows in us as we are nourished by God’s Word—whether we’re listening to it in chapel or reading it before we go to bed. And then that fruit of patience shows itself when we react in love toward our neigh-bor instead of hate. It’s not a matter of

finding ourselves being kicked around by someone and then asking, “What would Jesus do?” The question for us Christians to ask ourselves as we’re contemplating our reaction to being wronged is, “What has Jesus done?!”

You see, there’s our power, our power for showing the fruit of patience in any situ-ation. We’re not to think of Jesus merely as a good example, someone who did not strike back when he was being beaten and spit upon and nailed to the tree of the cross. And we’re not even to think of all Jesus did for us—his perfect life and his atoning death—and be guilted into being patient as if he were watching over our shoulder like “big brother.” Every-thing Jesus did for us frees us from being impatient. Apart from what Jesus did for us we can only show cruelty and hate and revenge, because we’re slaves to sin. But Jesus freed us from that slavery! When we’re presented with the opportunity to

strike back at someone, we rely on the fact that we don’t have to show impatience, that we can show patience and be “slow to anger,” no matter how badly we’re hurt.

But it’s tough, isn’t it, tough to be patient and to show patience toward others? We are surrounded by “instant gratification” in so many ways: our computers and microwaves and fast food and our music played right into our ears when we want it and cars that talk to us and we to them and planes that take us around the world and…. Societally, perhaps even culturally, we are trained to be impatient.

So let’s take a collective breath and slow down for a moment. God has placed his Spirit in you, and that very Spirit produces all sorts of wonderful fruit in you. Today, rejoice in the fruit of patience, patience shown toward you by God, patience shown by you toward others.

Amen.

Chapel continued from page 3

communication

By Lance SchwartzDirector of Marketing and Public Relations

Bethany’s communication program and studio has moved a little farther

north—and it just might relocate again soon. No, the department hasn’t aban-doned its state-of-the-art facilities on the Bethany campus, but it has added a portable monitoring and editing trailer to complement its facilities in Mankato.

This new addition has allowed the communication department to branch out its coverage of Division I college hockey. And the addition of the trailer will allow the studio to explore additional production opportunities.

For several years, the Bethany commu-nication studio and its crew of 15-20 students has been the primary production and broadcast team for Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU) hockey broadcasts. Their work has even garnered some national awards. The reputation

of this program and its success with MSU hockey caught the eye of Charter Communications in Duluth, Minnesota. When the local broadcaster of Univer-sity of Minnesota–Duluth hockey didn’t renew its contract in 2007, studio director Chris Johnson put together a package to broadcast UMD hockey from the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. The

offer was accepted and the Bethany Studios teamed with Charter Communi-cations to broadcast six games in Duluth.

The work of the communication students is getting noticed. Bethany students and graduates have landed jobs and internships with ESPN, FOX News, FOX Sports Net, MediaCom, KEYC television, and WSAW television.

Studio adds trailer for mobile broadcasting

Photo courtesy of Diana Cheek

Students working on a broadcast can now call the shots from the portable monitoring and editing trailer.


community

Bring together members of the Bethany baseball and softball teams, elementary education students, student

leadership society members, and 580 Lutheran elementary students and their teachers in a college gymnasium, and what do you get? You get a lot of terrific volunteers helping to fight world hunger.

The effort was part of a Kids Against Hunger meal-pack-ing event held on the Bethany Lutheran College campus on Tuesday, March 4, 2008.

On that day, the Bethany gymnasium was temporarily converted into an assembly line as students packed nutri-tionally rich meals consisting of rice, soy, vitamins, and dehydrated vegetables for shipment to people suffering from starvation.

The students arrived as early as nine in the morning from

Members of the Bethany Baseball and Softball teams helped with setting up before

and cleaning up after the event.

Bethany hosts area meal-packing event to fight world hunger

FeedingHungry

the

Stor y by Lance Schwar tz | Photos by David Norr i s


twelve Lutheran elementary and high schools throughout southern Minnesota.

The event had been planned months in advance, but everyone involved was rela-tively new to the process of bringing this many people together into a gymnasium to work a large scale event such as this.

“We knew how the process worked,” said Elayne Luiken, Bethany’s event’s coordinator, “but we’d never done an event like this on the campus.”

“The process is pretty straightforward,” said Luiken. “You measure the ingredi-ents, place them in a funnel, and fill a plastic bag that will be heat sealed.”

It really isn’t the process that is diffi-cult, but precision is a must. With most shipments that are sent overseas (in this case the food was going to Rwanda) the shipments must be accurately packed and marked. If the weight on the box does not match the shipping information, the shipment would most likely be rejected at the port of entry. So after the bags are

filled and put in plastic tubs, they must be weighed for accuracy. After the bags are weighed, they are then heat-sealed and placed in boxes to be readied for ship-ment.

The students from these Lutheran schools not only offered their time for the event, but they also did a great deal of fundraising prior to the event. All of the food that is distributed must also be purchased. These young children spent a considerable amount of time collecting funds to buy the food that they eventu-ally packed. The ingredients for a meal to be shipped cost roughly ten cents. One of the schools participating (Mt. Olive Lutheran, Mankato) used the ten-cent amount as a theme for their fundraiser – Dimes for Dinners. The students from Mt. Olive collected dimes, held bake sales, and cooked dinners before Wednesday evening church services all in an effort to raise the money needed to make the event a success.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans helped to sponsor this first–ever event that was held during National Lutheran Schools week. The Redwood Falls, Minnesota,

Hunger continued on page 8

Lutheran grade school students, teachers, and other volunteers helped package meals from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Students also helped raise money to purchase the ingredients for the meals.

Event Facts 25 - Lutheran Schools

participating at three locations

420,987 - Total meals packed (three locations)

$51,400 - Total funds raised

Rwanda - Destination of food


Thrivent office provided much of the organizational help by contacting the schools and arranging schedules.

“It’s powerful to see a group of Lutheran students joining together here in Minne-sota to pack meals that will feed other children in a different part of the world,” said Nancy Hansen, of Thrivent Finan-cial.

“Thrivent Financial and our members are proud to work with local schools to provide this type of enriching and educa-tional opportunity for our youth. Know-ing that the efforts of everyone involved will bring much-needed nutritious meals to hungry children is very heartwarm-ing.”

Thrivent’s Care in Regions program provided $8300 for the event and Thrivent Financial Corporation also provided $25,000 for the event.

Not only was the event held at Bethany, but packing events were also held at Rochester Central Lutheran School and Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota.

Kids Against Hunger developed a food mixture that would be easy and safe to transport, simple to make with only boiling water, and culturally acceptable worldwide.

Kids Against Hunger is a nonprofit organization with the mission to signifi-cantly reduce the number of hungry children throughout the world. This is achieved through volunteers setting up

food packaging satellites in the United States and partnerships with humani-tarian organizations worldwide. This enables Kids Against Hunger to deliver its specially formulated rice-soy casserole

to starving children and their families. The Kids Against Hunger network

currently includes thirty food-packaging satellites in sixteen states. The meals are distributed in over forty countries.

Hunger continued from page 7

Bags were boxed, sealed and placed on crates to be loaded for shipping. The meals are distributed in over forty countries around the world.

July 14, 2008Madison, Wisconsin

Register online at: www.blc.edu/madisongolfclassic

June 20, 2008Lakeville, Minnesota

Register online at: www.blc.edu/joellaubegolf

August 4, 2008Mankato, Minnesota

Register online at: www.blc.edu/sportsclassic

MadisonGolf Classic

The 23rd Annual



fffall festivalSeptember 26–28, 2008

Join us for

Alumni Reunions

for all classes

ending in 3 or 8,

Family Weekend,

Arts on the Green,

Theatre Physics,

and much more!

EnglishBy Lars Johnson and Ramona CzerEnglish Department Faculty

We live in what has been called a “hyper-textual”

world—one in which texts of all kinds, including those that use language as their medium, inun-date our lives. According to the most recent figures from the U.S. Department of Labor—Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs which require skills with language—the creation and maintenance of texts—are growing and are only expected to expand. Now, more than ever, the world needs ethi-cal and responsible interpreters and creators of texts, those whose liberal arts education is firmly rooted in God’s Word, the “One Thing Needful.”

Students of English at Bethany are positioned to fill the growing need for effective communicators in today’s labor market, and will also come to a more complex and extensive view of the way texts reveal humankind’s nature and of the immense power of the gift of language God has blessed us with.

Bethany’s first English major gradu-ated in the spring of 2005. In the spring of 2008, Bethany will graduate six English majors and there are currently fifteen students who have declared English as their major. While we are growing, our literature and writing classes remain small enough to guaran-tee individual attention for students and offer the opportunity to dig deeply into the texts under consideration. Three of the primary goals of the English major

academics

Majoring in

Dr. Robert Hanna instructs in both the departments of education and English.

Lars Johnson during class.Ramona Czer answers a question.


A story is written to give life, and to maintain life, and perhaps to give closure to a reality that never ends. It is a way to tell the things people carry inside and out…a way to explain the ambiguous and subjective nature of reality and the ambivalence that accompanies it. Yet, it is also a way to explain the common reality that people experience, that ‘burden of being alive’ (O’Brien 19)…. Through stories we are better able to understand the world around us and all of its strange idiosyncrasies. Perhaps it is true that stories and dreams can save us. Perhaps they can make us focus on the sunlight in the end because really, it’s ‘about love and memory’ (85). Perhaps through stories we can join O’Brien and his brothers who ‘gave themselves over to lightness, they were carried, they were purely borne’ (23).”

– Peter Harstad, senior English ma jor (The citations used by Peter Harstad are from

Tim O’Brien’s ‘The Things they Carried.’)

are to become better readers, writers, and thinkers.

First, the English major is focused on the close reading and study of texts. This includes texts of a wide variety, including novels, short stories, poems, plays, films, and non-fiction essays. These works address the aesthetic, political, philo-sophical, and social issues explored by authors in their fictional works. Three essential steps are emphasized in the close reading and study that students undertake as English majors: textual, extra-textual, and contextual reading.

Through “textual” reading, students learn to pay close attention to and take note of the content and form of a text. This process gives students the abil-ity to dismantle texts and examine the ways in which they use language, before reassembling them and making an argument about what a text means based on its content and form.

The second essential step is “extra-textual” reading. Students learn to see how one text is related to and can be read and understood in light of other texts and to see the works of litera-ture they study as texts or “voices” in an on-going conversation.

Finally, English majors at Beth-any learn to read “contextually.” This entails situating a text within its historical, cultural, and social context, as well as within a contem-porary context.

Instructors in Bethany’s English department have always understood and professed that reading and writing are inextricably joined. English students read and then write to help themselves think through what they’ve just read, to solidify what they think and feel, and to communicate what they’ve learned to others. They also believe that students should be practitioners—authoring their own analytical and creative works—in order to understand how language can be used in artful ways.

English continued on page 13

I have always been the kind of person who thinks…What is the goal? How do I get there? How long will it take? Rarely would I enjoy the process of getting somewhere. This attitude undoubtedly applied to my writing. I didn’t enjoy editing or evaluating— I wanted to sit down, write something, and be done with it. I cannot overstate how my attitude toward writing has been changed this semester. Although I certainly struggled against it, I have come to appreciate the process of writing as much as (if not more than) the end result. As I slowed down my writing process and began to enjoy the process itself, I realized, perhaps for the first time, how much I love to write. I’ve always done well at it, but until this semester, I hadn’t realized how much I have to say.

–Lisa Buchs, senior English ma jor


Various stages in life each offer their own unique moments and challenges. The ages 18-22 (typical years of college) are often full of questions about life and the

future. In particular, young people who have been brought up in the Christian faith find themselves asking many important questions that test the foun-dation upon which their spiritual lives have been built.

Recently, members of the Bethany Student Senate talked with Bethany Chaplain Don Moldstad about the possibility of a new approach that would address issues of spiritual life on campus. Moldstad was excited about the opportunity to study the issues with students, and together the Senate and Chap-lain’s office have established a series entitled, “In Depth.” Two evenings a month, scheduled guest speakers give presentations on Biblical subjects that probe a little deeper than is typically done in a classroom or Bible class setting. The series plan is to study a variety of topics and issues, all of which help to increase our understanding of the truths in the Word of God.

The first In Depth presentation of 2008 was a fascinating talk on the Star of Bethlehem, led by Pastor Tony Pittenger, a Bethany Lutheran College and Seminary alumnus. Chaplain Moldstad also guided attendees through a presentation on the beginnings of the Papacy in the early centuries of the Christian church. Professor Mark Harstad presented on the ancient religions of the Canaanites, and how recent archaeological discoveries have shown the accuracy of the Biblical accounts. These presenta-

tions have been well attended, averaging between forty to seventy people, even on the coldest of nights. Both college and seminary students have been in attendance, as well as non-student guests from the local community.

In the coming months, speakers will present on the topics of abortion, contraception, the use of logic in refuting an atheist’s position, as well as how the present landscape of Lutheran church bodies in the United States developed. Future subjects planned for next fall include Islam, the Apocrypha, infant baptism, how to discuss our faith rightly with others, and how the Bible came to us.

Current plans are to offer these topical presenta-tions each semester. The presentations are open to all who wish to attend. Chaplain Moldstad invites those who wish to learn more about the In Depth series, have suggestions for topics, or know of possible guest speakers to contact his office by calling the College.

A series such as this is indeed a wonderful oppor-tunity to grow and learn about important topics in a Christian framework. The atmosphere and mission of Bethany affords students and others the opportunity to delve more deeply into many of these challenging issues, as we grow in the knowledge of Christ and His holy Word.

campus news

For more opportunities to hear God’s Word, visit www.blc.edu/worship to view ‘Evening Bells at Bethany’ videos and listen to our Chapel audio archives.


The English student’s experience at Bethany culminates in a senior seminar course, which enables students to bring their skills as readers, writers, and think-ers together in a substantive project or study. This capstone course provides an intimate setting where students work one-on-one with a faculty member and with each other to produce in-depth analyses of a single literary work, of a particular literary form, and/or of a significant idea or concept which can be traced through a number of literary works.

As we look to the future, the English department is excited about new

opportunities available to students. The College has recently attained state approval for licensure in secondary educa-tion; and the department plans to develop a writing track within the English major, which will provide even more opportuni-ties for students who want to pursue writ-ing or some aspect of writing as a career.

Whether students are interested in teaching or writing, or a professional life in the corporate or non-profit sectors, they will be able to skillfully interpret and create texts that are in demand in these areas, and think analytically and creatively, grounded by an education which stresses God’s truth and respon-sible and artful uses of language.

Students lobby for aid at annual ‘Day at the Capitol’By Lance SchwartzDirector of Marketing and Public Relations

For many years, elected officials from the state of Minnesota have seen

fit to assist Minnesota college students with their educational expenses through the State Grant Program. The program provides eligible resident students with grant assistance that follows them to any higher education institution in the State. Historically, many Bethany students are recipients of these funds. During the current academic year, nearly 200 Beth-any students receive funding through the State Grant Program.

On April 3, 2008, twenty-five Bethany students traveled to the State Capitol building in St. Paul to discuss the State Grant Program with members of the Minnesota House of Represen-tatives and Senate. It was an exciting day for the students to see democracy in action. Both legislative branches were in session, so the students actu-ally witnessed lawmaking in action and were able to call legislators out of the

chambers to briefly discuss the State Grant Program.

Information about Day at the Capitol can be obtained by visiting the Minne-sota Private College Council Web site at www.mnprivatecolleges.org/events/day.

For more photos from the event, please log on to: gallery.blc.edu and click on ‘student life.’

To Prepare a Place for You” is the title of a painting that now hangs

in the narthex of Trinity Chapel. The piece, an original work by Beth-

any alumnus Jonathan Mayer (’07), was a purchase award at the Spring 2007 Bethany Senior Art Show. The painting depicts Christ arisen showing the nail markings and pierced side.

Bethany’s Trinity Chapel holds daily worship services at 10 a.m. When you are in the area, please feel free to join us for worship in Trinity Chapel.

A place prepared for chapel painting

campus news

Photo by David Norris

Dustin Lange (right) talked with Minnesota State Representative Terry Morrow at the Capitol about supporting the State Grant Program.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Mayer

According to artist Jonathan Mayer, the painting ‘To Prepare A Place For You’ took 240 hours to complete and is eight feet tall. It was installed in Trinity Chapel on March 19, 2008.

English continued from page 11


By Joe BaerSophomore, Business Administation

Men’s BasketballThe Bethany men’s basketball team

finished the season with an overall record of 11-17, including a 9-5 record in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC).

At the end of the UMAC season, the Vikings found themselves in a four-way tie for second place. They lost the draw and were forced to win a play-in game to enter the UMAC post-season tourney. They did so and ultimately lost a thrilling game to Northwestern (St. Paul) to end their year.

The Bethany men had three players receive honors. Both Tommy Saffert (North Mankato, Minn., Mankato West) and Andy Wills (North Mankato, Minn., Mankato West) were named to the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division I North Central All-Region Team. The duo also earned UMAC All-Conference First Team honors.

Saffert, the Vikings point guard, was also named a member of the UMAC All-Defensive Team. He led the team in minutes, steals, assists, three-point shoot-ing, and averaged fourteen points per game.

Wills, named the UMAC’s 2007-08 Newcomer of the Year, added inside offense, leading the Vikings with sixteen points and seven rebounds per game. He also had a season and team high, thirty-nine points against Northland College connecting on sixteen of his seventeen attempts.

The Vikings also found an offensive threat from senior Travis Priem (Janes-ville, Minn., Janesville-Waldorf-Pember-ton), who added thirteen points a game, and finished the year strong leading the Vikings in scoring for four of their last five games. Priem received a UMAC All-

Conference Honorable Mention award for his efforts.

The Vikings will look to build upon the promising year they had, but will have to deal with the departures of guards Travis Priem and Jimmy Tarcon (Marshfield, Wis., Marshfield), three-point threat Mike Rosin (Nicollet, Minn., Nicollet), and big men Joe McFarland (Fairmont, Minn., Fairmont) and Amun Bordain (Milwaukee, Wis., Nicolet).

Coach Rick Jeddeloh noted, “We lose five seniors, and that will be tough, but we do have two all-conference, all-region players (Wills and Saffert) coming back. We will also look to younger players who we expect to be very valuable next year.”

Women’s BasketballThe Bethany women’s basketball team

finished the season with a 14-10 record (8-6 UMAC). The Vikings just missed out on the UMAC post-season, tying for fourth in the conference with Presenta-tion and losing out on a tie-breaker.

Coach Tiffany Young Klockziem said, “We played through all sorts of injuries, and were a living example of ‘Success is measured not only by what you have achieved, but also by the obstacles you overcame to get there.’”

Bethany’s strong offensive attack was led by two post players, who both earned honors for their great seasons. Both Eva Voss (North Mankato, Minn., Minne-sota Valley Lutheran) and Leslie Bremer (Northrop, Minn., Martin Luther) were named First Team All-Conference, and NCCAA All-Region. In addition, Bremer was named to the UMAC All-Defensive Team. Voss and Bremer both finished the year averaging double-doubles in scoring and rebounding. Voss led the Vikings with just over fourteen points and eleven rebounds a game, while Bremer added twelve points and eleven rebounds on average.

The Bethany women will play next

season with many familiar faces, including regular starters and four players who averaged over eight points a contest. The team will lose two graduating seniors: Rachel Olsen (New Ulm, Minn., Minne-sota Valley Lutheran) and Bremer.

Coach Young-Klockziem said of her departing seniors, “Rachel gave her whole heart in everything she did... Leslie was a captain and floor leader and finished an impressive three-year career at Bethany with over 700 points and 700 rebounds. We’ll miss both seniors, and at the same time, we look forward to the future and intend to keep building off the strong foundation they left behind.”

athletics

Teams narrowly miss UMAC post-season

Photo by Sport PiX

Tommy Saffert was among three men’s team players receiving post-play honors.

VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS


By Lance SchwartzDirector of Marketing and Public Relations

It would seem that one of the rites of passage for a college student is the

obligatory visit to a tavern on the occa-sion of a twenty-first birthday. Have a few beers with friends and mark the ceremo-nial passage into adulthood.

Sharing a few beers in moderation with friends is nothing that most college students would find to be unusual—until the unthinkable happens and someone goes over the edge with alco-hol. That scenario has played out across college campuses throughout the United States and, according to statistics, more frequently in the upper Midwest. The topic of high-risk drinking was the focus of a community-wide summit held at Mankato’s Alltel Center on February 27, 2008.

Representatives from the Mankato community planned the event in the wake of recent high-risk drinking deaths of college-aged students in Mankato. Nearly 400 people were in attendance including bar owners, beer and liquor distributors, law enforcement officials, parents, students, and high school guid-ance counselors. All of the local higher

education institutions were represented in the planning process—Bethany’s Dean of Students, Ted Manthe, served on the plan-ning committee. Former Bethany student body president and current student Nate Abrahamson was a member of a student panel that discussed high-risk drinking. Abrahamson talked about how faith-based organizations can offer safe alterna-tives to the dangers of excessive drinking. The summit was just the beginning of what will be an ongoing community effort to find solutions for this important topic.

Photo by David Norris

Bethany senior Nate Abrahamson was one of seven Mankato college students who made up a panel that discussed high-risk drinking.

Community discusses high-risk drinking at forum

In the last issue of the Report it was mentioned that Bethany business

professor, Dr. Janet Moldstad, was leaving with her family in early 2008 to spend a semester teaching at United International College in China. Moldstad, her husband Jon, and their family arrived safely in China in early February. They, along with four Bethany students, are in China

for the spring semester. Tales of their experiences can be read on the Bethany Web site’s blog pages. Log on to www.blc.edu/blog to read the journals of their days in China.

Blogging from China

Several Bethany music students have competed and excelled at

recent competitions.Sophomore Jacob Weber and fresh-

man Chelsea Dietsche participated in the annual All-Student Organ Recital, sponsored by the Sioux Trails Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. This event took place February 3, 2008, at Union Presbyterian Church, St. Peter, Minnesota. Students of Bethany organ instructor Judith Kresnicka have participated in the event each of the past three years.

Weber will also compete for an organ scholarship in the American Guild of Organists/Twin Cities Chapter, Student Scholarship Compe-tition, scheduled for April 5. Weber is the second student from Bethany to compete for this award. In 2006, alumnus Tim Frank won first place in the competition.

Senior music major, Matthew Sulzle, competed on March 1, 2008, in the Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA) College Young Artist Competition at Bethel Univer-sity. Sulzle’s performance, a thirty-minute program, earned him a third place finish in the competition. As a result of the accomplishment, Sulzle was awarded a scholarship.

Sulzle, along with other prizewin-ners, performed March 8, 2008, in the Honors Recital held at St. Anthony Park United Church of Christ. This contest is open to all college-level piano students in Minnesota. Sulzle’s piano instructor is Bethany adjunct faculty member Bethel Balge.

fine arts community

Music students participate in competitions


By Sarah HarstadDirector of Alumni Relations

Coming to Bethany in the fall of 1999, twin sisters Karlene and

Nicole Apelt, were similar in many ways. The Apelt’s both attended Bethany for two years earning their associate in arts degrees. They enjoyed their years at Bethany and credit their time on campus as the foundation that led them on their separate paths as adults.

Recently, when a close relative was diagnosed with Lymphoma, otherwise known as blood cancer, the twins were drawn back together as they faced one of the most challenging times of their lives. Not being ones to get discouraged, the sisters decided to take action. They joined Team In Training (TNT) to raise funds and awareness for a cure for the disease.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Soci-ety’s Team In Training® raises funds for blood cancer research. When joining a team, participants may choose to train for outstanding physical competitions such as half-marathons, marathons, triathlons, or hundred–mile bike rides. According to the Team in Training website, “Since 1988, more than 360,000 volunteer participants have helped raise more than $850 million dollars.”

Recently I had the opportunity to visit with the Apelt twins about their training and fundraising efforts.

Tell me about life after Bethany.Karlene: After earning my A.A. at

Bethany, I went to Minnesota State University, Mankato, and earned a degree in Law Enforcement/Spanish. I worked at the Hennepin County Juvenile Deten-tion Center and at Macy’s Loss Preven-tion before getting my current job as an investigator for the Anoka County Attor-ney’s Office. I was married in September 2006 to Derek Griggs and currently live in Plymouth.

Nicole: After Bethany, I also continued at Minnesota State University, Mankato, in the aviation program. Currently, I manage Woody’s Grille in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and teach flight lessons in Mankato. On March 24, 2008, I will be starting a new job as an air crew training instructor for Northwest Airlines.

Tell me how you got involved in competing in triathlons.

Karlene: My sister-in-law, Jaime, had participated with the Leukemia & Lymphoma TNT program in the past and knew that one of my goals someday was to complete a triathlon. She called me and asked if I wanted to join TNT and train for a triathlon in Maui. I signed up immediately and then called my sister and asked if she also wanted to join.

Nicole: When Karlene called, I knew I wanted to do this as well. We wanted to take action in honor of our relative. It’s such a good physical challenge and fun

meeting new friends and traveling.What is a typical training schedule

like?Nicole: We start in February and train

three times a week with the team until race day, which is in June or July, depend-ing on the event. One night we have cycling and core classes, the next swim-ming, and another day we run. Outside of team trainings, we usually try and train two or three days on our own. It is pretty intense, but the reward is worth the pain!

Karlene: I think the hardest part about the training is maintaing healthy eating habits—which I am still working on!

How do you stay motivated during the event?

The mission of TNT is to raise money to fund blood cancer research and provide education and patient services, specifi-cally targeting leukemia, lymphoma, and

alumni profile: Karlene (Apelt) Griggs and Nicole Apelt, Class of ’01

Going the distance for cancer research

Photo courtesy of Karlene Griggs

Twin sisters Nicole Apelt (left) and Karlene (Apelt) Griggs and recently joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training® which helps raise funds for blood cancer research.

Profile continued on page 17


By Sarah HarstadDirector of Alumni Relations

Reunion 2008Did you graduate in a year that ended

in 3 or 8 (ex. 1993, 1988)? If you can answer that question with a yes, it is time to celebrate your class reunion!

Reunions will be celebrated during Fall Festival, which runs from September 26-28, 2008. Now is your chance to get involved and make this reunion special. Contact me with your suggestions, requests, or willingness to contact other classmates.

Email or call Sarah Harstad at [email protected] 507-344-7519 for more information.

Florida Alumni EventBethany representatives traveled south

this winter to beat the chill with friends and alumni of Bethany in Naples, Florida. President Bruss and others joined alumni, friends, current and prospective students for a sunset cruise on the Gulf of Mexico.

After an overcast day, the clouds parted and the group enjoyed a perfect sunset over the Gulf, a cruise past magnificent homes, great food, and conversation. It was a wonderful evening, giving everyone a chance to reconnect with old friends

and meet some new ones.As Bethany continues to grow, we are

dedicated to our friends and alumni who have been a part of our past. We look forward to seeing you at an event in your area!

alumni

Photos by Sarah Harstad

Many alumni and friends joined representatives from Bethany at the event in Naples, Florida, on January 5, 2008.

myeloma. Each season the team competes in honor of a patient who is battling with one of these diseases. During each event we focus on the determination that each patient has while fighting their specific disease and the difference we are making by fundraising. We also have personal goals for each event and try and push ourselves to meet those goals. The excite-ment of a race day is indescribable and the support of everyone cheering pushes you forward.

What has participating in these triathlons taught you?

Karlene: You can achieve a lot more than you think you can. With each event,

I continued to push myself a little harder. I learned it is completely about your own race and meeting your own goals and not comparing yourself to anyone else. It has given me the opportunity to meet great people and new friends.

Tell about your family’s support.Nicole: Our family has been great

through all of the trainings and events! They have been at races to cheer and have helped with all of the fundraising events.

Karlene: I was able to convince my father-in-law to participate in a sprint distance triathlon this past season and we are hoping to convince my dad to partici-pate in an event at some point. It becomes addicting and you want to everyone else to be addicted also.

What are your future plans?Nicole: This Team in Training season I

am a mentor for the King’s Trail Triath-lon in Maui. I plan on completing this event in June and I plan on doing a half Ironman this summer.

Karlene: I am also a mentor this season for Team in Training but for the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon in Minneapolis in July. After that event, I am considering train-ing for a marathon in Dublin, Ireland, in October.

If you are interested in joining TNT or would like to learn more visit www.teamintraining.org or you may contact or support either of the athletes at: [email protected] or [email protected].

Profile continued from page 16

Alumni notes...


1927Lenore (Yount) Hennig celebrated

her one-hundredth birthday on April 29,

2007, at The Country Club of Colorado. Among her seventeen guests were long-time acquaintances Gudrun (Teigen) Sack (’33) and Laura (Teigen) Johnson (’66). Lenore is still living in her own home in the Broadmoor neighborhood of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Although she is legally blind, she uses a Mansight device, which allows her to read, cook, watch television, and do other tasks around the house.

1940Although Florence Steffen is handi-

capped, she still lives in her own home at eighty-seven years of age. Her son, John, is her caregiver. Florence corrects tests for prison ministries, reads, and plays cards and games with her grandchildren as often as she can.

1941Esther (Luebke) Knack is still living

in her home in Burnsville, Minnesota. Her two sons, Loran (’69) and Jeffrey (’71) also attended Bethany Lutheran College.

1942Norman and Violet (Fevig) Holte

celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniver-sary in 2007.

1943Reverend Levine (Sem. ’48) and

Grace (Natzke) Hagen (’47) will cele-brate their sixtieth wedding anniversary this year. Levine is also observing sixty years as a Lutheran pastor.

1945Shirley (Larsen) Kasten and her

husband, August, went with their two sons and families on a Caribbean cruise to celebrate their sixtieth anniversary. With the addition of three new great-grandchil-dren in September, they now have a total of nine great-grandchildren.

Viola (Milbrath) Mueller still keeps in touch with eight of her friends from Bethany via a round robin. The group of friends includes: Shirley (Larsen) Kasten, Betty Swanson, Olga (Luebke) Krause, Mildred (Ulbricht) Wrucke, Caroline (Hellwinckel) Kohrs, Helen (Kohlmeyer) Keyes, Harriet (Kuske) Doepel (’46), and Orla (Anderson) Petersen (’47). All nine women thank God for the blessings of Bethany.

1948Alvin Cordes has been retired from

sales and self-employment since 1995. He is now ministering weekly in two nursing homes and a bible class. He currently has four books in print. Three of his four sons are in the ministry, and two of his three daughters married preachers. Alvin also has twenty-two grandchildren.

Esther (Busch) Gartland and her husband are enjoying retirement and doing several volunteer projects. They are living in an independent living apartment complex and enjoy the many friends they have made there. Esther invites Bethany friends to visit.

Patricia (Thalacker) Meier greets all of her former classmates and hopes every-one is doing well.

Bob and Lois (Gallman) Overn (’50) send greetings from Florida. Their house is for sale in Tavares, Florida, in hopes of moving to McKinney, Texas.

1949June (Whitham) Kendall and her

husband James now have five great-grand-children, ranging from two months to eleven years old. The couple enjoys living close to all of their family members.

1952Rev. Lyle H. Rasch (Sem.) continues

his active fifty-six year ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. He and his wife, Anne, celebrated their fifty-third wedding anniversary on Janu-ary 16, 2008.

1955David Lillegard retired from the

ministry on February 17, 2008. He and his wife, Ione (Sundbom), will continue to make their home in Sebastian, Florida. Their youngest daughter, Joanne (Lille-gard) Knott (’91), also lives in Sebastian with her husband Justin and their two children.

1961James Lillo will be moving from

Anchorage, Alaska, to Watertown, Wisconsin, this coming spring. He has created a website—www.andrewplan.net —which is a plan to reach every North American for Christ. He has now received participation from sixty-two different countries. His wife, JoAnn, is retiring in the spring.

1963Daniel Gartner is happily retired and

living in Florida.

1967Jim Olm has been retired from the

sheriff ’s department since 2004, and is now selling real estate.

alumni news


alumni news

Nancy Persigner moved to Florida last year. She would like to be contacted by fellow alumni at [email protected].

Frances Swanson married Earl Schmidt in June of 1999. They make their living farming corn, soybeans, wheat, and raising cattle.

1968Roger Nordaas married Dorothy in

June of 1971. They have two children, Kristi and Ben, and four grandsons, ages three to eight. Roger and Dorothy were missionaries to the Amazon Region of Brazil from 1975 to 1994. Roger sends greetings and God’s blessings to all of his former classmates.

1969Juel Merseth spent two years serving

in the United States Army in Vietnam after attending Bethany. He then earned a degree in law enforcement at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He served as the Deputy Sheriff of Blue Earth County for twenty-five years, before retiring in 1999. He spent eight years building houses, then retired again. He is now the director of facilities at Bethany Lutheran College, where his wife Lynette is the administrative assistant to the president.

Patty Jo Weseloh will marry Frank Wozniak on April 19, 2008. They ask for God’s blessings on their wedding.

1970Norman Holte has moved to a new

home but remains in Wyoming.Art and Terri (Severson) Westphal

(’71) recently visited classmate Michael

Schmidt in Naples, Florida, in January of 2008.

1972Gwen (Heldt) Bickley announces that

her daughter, Heather Guth, is marrying Carl Roehl. Heather is a registered nurse at Abbot Northwestern Hospital. Gwen also has a grandson, Noah Guth (7).

James Krause is a trainer with the Dart Container Corporation, which makes Dart foam coffee cups.

1974All four of Barbara (Bloedel) Becker’s

children have attended Bethany. The youngest, Kristin, is currently a fresh-man and played on the Bethany women’s volleyball team.

Connie (Hougan) Davis will cele-brate twenty-five years of teaching next year. She has spent most of those years as a kindergarten teacher. Connie is also delighted to have her first grandchild, a boy named Aedyn Earl Thomas.

1975Shawn Kauffeld reports that he is the

owner of Books of the Way Christian Publishing. The website can be viewed at www.booksoftheway.com.

Pastor Ronald Kruse announces that his daughter, Kim Kruse, who attended Bethany during the 2005-06 school year, married Doug Lavin on January 5, 2008.

1976Pastor Greg Haugen of Omro,

Wisconsin, reports that the congregation of Messiah Lutheran is hoping to build a new church in the coming year.

1978Christine Melcher is looking for old

Bethany friends. She can be contacted at [email protected].

1980K.C. and Georgiann (Jensen) Bohn

are happy that their daughter Jenna chose to attend Bethany Lutheran College, where she is currently a sophomore. They also have two other children, Ryan (17) and Megan (14). Georgiann works as an

optometrist, and K.C. owns a store that sells bikes and other outdoor items.

Pastor Robert Dick is happy to report that his son David is graduating from Marquette University with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy.

Daniel Erdman and his wife, Susan, have lived in Courtland, Minnesota, for nineteen years. Daniel is in his twenty-fifth year of teaching, currently at Immanuel Lutheran School of Courtland. The couple has three daughters and one son: Mandy, Molly (a junior at Bethany), Courtney, and Nick.

1981Debra (Klessig) Andersland reports

that her oldest son, Scott, passed away on Thanksgiving of 2007.

Christine Hansen Rickertsen has recently returned to the campus of the University of Minnesota to work at the Water Resource Center as an editor. Christine and her husband Leo have two children, Sarah (13) and Dane (9), who attend Trinity Lone Oak School in Eagan, Minnesota.

1982Jennifer (Hoepner) Dworak and her

husband Thomas are back in the United States. Tom retired from the military after serving twenty-two years. They have settled down in Colfax, Wisconsin. Jenni-fer works for an advertising company in Menomonie, Wisconsin. They have four daughters: Stephanie (a freshman at Bethany), Emily, a high school sopho-more, Natalie (11), and Caroline (8). The family is happy to be back home.

1983Daphne (Cassell) Goodman is

married, and raising and home school-ing her three children: Susannah (13), Samuel (10), and Sarah (5).

Ken and Susan (Geistfeld) Heidorn (’84) are celebrating their twenty-first wedding anniversary on February 21, 2008. The couple has three children: Stephanie (18) who is planning to attend


alumni news

Bethany in the fall, Noah (16), and Rachael (12). Ken has been working at the Lake Region Hospital as a physical therapist for almost twenty-one years. Susan has worked at Trinity Lutheran School for seventeen years as a fifth and sixth grade teacher.

1985Jill (Emery) Dunavan sends greetings

to the class of 1985. She is also hoping to hear from her friends Jean, Wendy, and Amy.

1986Loren and Sara (Golisch) Heintz and

their five children were named the 2007

Murray County Farm Family of the Year by the University of Minnesota. Sara is the youth leader for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Fulda and is employed as the church secretary there. She also works at the Fulda Elementary School during the school year.

1988Leroy and Cheryl (Lothert) Kiecker

(’89) welcomed a baby girl, Hannah Sophia-Rose Kiecker, on December 22, 2007. Hannah’s older siblings are Jacob (8) and Ethan (5).

1989Jill Blekestad-Ruehling is currently

working as a nurse for Immanuel St. Joseph’s Hospital in Mankato, Minne-sota. She and her husband, Rick, of seven-teen and one-half years have six children: Kaleb (17), Chantel (15), Chania (11), Kolten (8), Kaven (5), and Chakylyn (3).

1990Mike and Chandra (Schnell) Dale

announce the birth of their daughter, Claire Elizabeth, who was born on July 9, 2007.

Kevin Woller is currently a research investigator in the high-throughput organic synthesis department at Abbott Laboratories in Illinois. He and his wife, Joy, have two sons: Ethan (9) and Gabe (5).

1991Tito and Domineque (Prinzing)

Antonio were blessed with a second

child, Zipporah Christal. They also have another daughter, Zuriana Cherish (12). Tito and Domineque both enjoy doing mission work in Mexico and at migrant camps.

Lisa (Janssen) Bohler sends greetings to all of her Bethany friends.

1993Rachel (Roth) Erkkila, her husband

Jon, and daughter Lilly (4) have recently relocated to Des Moines, Iowa, after Rachel accepted a job as registrar at Des Moines Area Community College.

Rachel (Schneider) Lowrey has a new daughter, Annika Ruth, born on Septem-ber 11, 2007. Annika Ruth is Rachel’s fourth child.

1994John and Lisa

(Dierks) Risse welcomed their third child, a baby boy, on July 12, 2007. John (“Jack”) Isaac Risse was born at St. John’s

Hospital in Maplewood, Minnesota. Big sisters Karsen (6) and Jordyn (4) love their little brother.

Chad Janzen is currently the high school principal in Canistota, South Dakota. Chad and his wife have two sons, Evan (3) and Dylan (4 months).

Josh Schuch and his wife are expecting their fourth child in April.

1995Jerry Cascione married Mirjam Toep-

fer (’99) on August 18, 2005, in Tuusula,

Finland. God blessed them with a son, Michael Jack Cascione, born on May 14, 2007. Jerry serves as a pastor in Creigh-ton, Missouri.

Mark and Michelle (Lee) Hayes (’71) have two daughters, Madisyn (4) and Natalie (2), with another on the way.

Kim (Dollard) Langille and her husband, Jason, recently celebrated the

first birthday of their third child, Ruby Sonora. Jason continues to work for John Deere, Horicon, as a business analyst. Kim stays at home to be with their three little blessings: Sydney, Claire, and Ruby. The family currently lives in Columbus, Wisconsin.


alumni news

Andrew and Anne (Hansen) Mundt announce the birth of their daughter, Claire Anne, on August 11, 2007.

Cheri (Bottolfson) Sarland went on to graduate from MIM, and is currently

a graphic designer for New Richmond News, a division of Forum Commu-nications. She married Jeremy Sarland on October 14, 2006. Bethany alumna Crystal (Schuldt) Ruff participated in the wedding. Cheri and Jeremy have a son, Chad, who was born on August 8, 2005. Cheri invites her former classmates to email her at [email protected].

1996Jason and Tricia (Theiste) Evans

welcomed a new addition to their family,

Mackenzie Jean Evans, born on June 24, 2007. Mackenzie joins big brother Parker (6) and big sister Brookelyn (4). The Evans family is currently in the process of relocating to Des Moines, Iowa.

Paul and Rachel (Aderman) Lear-man were blessed with a baby girl on Tuesday, December 4, 2007. Their new daughter, Cadence Grace, was 6 lbs., 15 oz., and 20 inches long. She became a child of God through baptism on December 9, 2007, and was baptized by her father. Her

godparents are Rachel’s sister, Sarah (Aderman) Lambrecht (’00), and brother-in-law, Aaron Lambrecht (’03).

Angela (Harbarth) Gieseke gave birth to a baby girl, Gabriella Noelle Gieseke, on December 29, 2007. Proud big sisters are Madalyn (6) and Savannah (19 months).

Ben and Sara (Knudson) (’97) Olson report that their son Samuel Thomas Olson (4) lost his first tooth, and Will Benjamin Olson (2) is using the big boy potty.

1997Jason Henderson has been commis-

sioned to compose several musical pieces for churches and schools in the Appleton, Wisconsin, area.

Jason Jaspersen reports that he recently created a thirty-foot tall sculpture for a hospital in Iowa, as well as four sculptures for a library in Saint James, Minnesota. He still enjoys teaching art at Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School in New Ulm, Minnesota, where he lives with his wife Jennifer and their children Maida (6) and Teddy (4).

Tricia (Dale) Linn and her husband, Jeremy, welcomed their third child, Darin

Stephen Linn, into their family on Octo-ber 10, 2007. Darin joins older siblings Megan (7) and Jaden (2).

Shanna Niles married Darin Eastvold in 2001. They have two children: Derek, born in 2004, and Avery, born in 2007. Shanna works at North Iowa Community High School, and Darin is an estimator with Larson Contracting.

1998Amy Wurster was united in marriage

to Jason Snodie on July 28, 2007, at

Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Stillwater, Minnesota. Amy is employed as a school social worker in Prior Lake, Minnesota. They make their home in Hudson, Wisconsin.

1999Brandon and

Talitha (Hackett) Anderson announce the birth of their son, Justus Michael Anderson. He was born on September 27, 2007, weighing 8 lbs, 9.5 oz. Talitha and Brandon named their baby after a man in the Bible passage, Acts 18:7.

Rachel Dumke-Brooks announces the birth of her baby boy, Seth, who was born on January 3, 2008.

2000Patricia (Larabell) and Paul Mellon

(’01) are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Grace. She was born November 11, 2007, and weighed 8 lbs., 15 oz. The family resides in Madi-son, Wisconsin, where Paul is a software trainer and Patty is a registered dietician.

2001Kevin Peterson married Angela in May

of 2006 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota. The Rev. Monte Meyer was the officiant.

Tim Sielaff married Tricia on June 15, 2007.


alumni news

2002Antoinette

(Smith) Koelpin and her family recently moved to Littleton, Colorado, where her husband, Rev. Dave Koelpin, received a call to Living Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church. Two weeks after moving, they were blessed with a baby girl, McCall Adela, who weighed 7 lbs., 3 oz. Big brother Thomas (3) loves having a new sibling to play with.

Rachel (Ohlendorf) and Larry Kovaciny (’03) welcomed their first

child, Daniel Thomas, on October 9, 2007. Larry received his master’s degree in comparative politics just before their son’s birth. About a month later, Larry was hired by the United States Department of State to work as a passport specialist. The family moved to Danbury, Connecticut, in December.

2003Ben and Jill (Merseth) Merten (’05)

were blessed with the birth of their first child, Jacob William, on September 11, 2007. The couple was married in 2005 and has been living in Phoenix, Arizona, since then. Jill is a second grade teacher at Davidson Elementary, and Ben is an EMT for Southwest Ambulance.

Eric Wood is studying German at St. Cloud State University. He plans to spend a semester in Germany.

2004Angela (Thiesse) Rathman and her

husband, Bryan, are pleased to announce

the birth of their baby girl, Aviana Lynae Rathman, born on November 25, 2007.

2005

Kallie Sparby and Travis Dough-erty were married by Pastor Joseph Abrahamson on October 21, 2006. Kallie finished her bachelor’s degree in business manage-ment in May 2007. She currently works for Communication Consultants. Travis is employed at Cass Clay Creamery. Together they have a son, Payton Lloyd.

Emma Baumann graduated summa cum laude from Minnesota State Univer-sity, Mankato on December 15, 2007, with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in graphic design. Emma recently began a full-time staff position as a communication specialist at Bethany Lutheran College.

Josh and Candace Norton welcomed a new addition to their family, Gabriel James Norton, on April 17, 2006.

2007Chelsie Feser is engaged to Brandon

Lang.

CorrectionIn the Fall 2007 issue of the Bethany

Report, there was an error in a news announcement. Kris (Albrecht) Marriot was recently invited to go with a parish nurse mission team to Bethlehem, Pales-tine, where she spoke about nutrition in pregnancy and helped install a parish nurse at Christmas Lutheran Church.

Kris would like to be contacted by alumni at [email protected].

In Memoriam1930

Agnes Pauline Solli was called to her Savior on February 6, 2008, at the age of 99, at her home. Agnes was born on Octo-ber 18, 1908, to Amelia and Lewis Olson in Duncombe, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith. Agnes graduated from Bode Iowa High School in 1926 and Bethany Lutheran College in 1930, where she met and later married Gerhard “Gig” Solli in Liver-more, Iowa. She was a member of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Mankato for seventy-four years. Agnes is survived by four daughters, twelve grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, three sisters, and many nieces and nephews.

1935Beatrice Annie Mathilda Enter

passed away on Friday, March 21, 2008, at the Benedictine Living Community in St. Peter, Minnesota, at the age of 92. She was born on February 27, 1916, in Sibley County, Minnesota. Beatrice attended Gaylord Public School and then Bethany Lutheran College. She received her teach-ing certificate from the Teachers Training School in St. Peter, Minnesota. Beatrice taught in rural schools for over ten years. Beatrice married Leslie H. Enter on August 19, 1945. They shared forty-seven years of marriage until Leslie passed away on October 2, 1992. Beatrice taught Sunday school, was a church organist for over fifty years, directed the choir, and was a member of the Ladies Aid at Norwegian Grove Lutheran Church.

1941John E. Silber passed away on March

17, 2008. He was born on September 4, 1922, to Ernest and Anna John Silber. John graduated from Bethany in 1941, and then went on to Valparaiso University. He served in the 14th Armored Division during WWII, worked for twenty-five


alumni news

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years for Turnquist Paper Company, and then worked as a stock market analyst for Kinnard. John loved his Savior Jesus Christ, his family, and classical music. He is survived by his wife Betty of sixty-one years, five sons, eleven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, his sister Kathryn, and other relatives.

1942Eugene Luth of Rice Lake, Wiscon-

sin, passed away at the age of 88 on February 22, 2008, at Lakeview Medi-cal Center. Eugene was born on August 19, 1919, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attended high school and college at Bethany until his graduation in 1942. He then attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and later earned a bach-elor’s degree in education from Mankato State University. Eugene married Marlyce Landmann on March 31, 1949. He taught high school English, Latin, and history for thirty-one years. Eugene is survived by his wife Marlyce, two sons, two daughters, twelve grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and a sister.

1957Harley Erickson passed away at his

home in Satellite Beach, Florida, on February 23, 2008, at the age of 70. Harley was born on July 25, 1937, in Mankato, Minnesota. He played basket-ball and baseball for two years at Bethany. Upon his graduation from Bethany in 1957, Harley went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Luther College in Deco-rah, Iowa, and then a master of science for teachers degree from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He taught and coached for thirty-five years in Logan, Iowa, where he met his wife Donna. The two were married on November 26, 1966. After retiring to Florida in 1996, he enjoyed traveling with his wife and daily jogs on the beach when he was healthy. Harley is survived by his wife of forty-one years, Donna, as well as many siblings, nephews, and nieces.


alumni news

may1 Baseball vs. North Central, 2 p.m.1 Spring Semester Student Art Reception and Annual Awards, YFAC, 7 p.m.2 Softball UMAC Conference @ Crown St. Bonifacius, Minn., noon2 Baseball @ St. Scholastica Duluth, Minn., 6 p.m.3 Softball UMAC Conference @ Crown St. Bonifacius, Minn., 10 a.m.3 Baseball @ St. Scholastica Duluth, Minn., noon3 Luthapalooza VII Campus Green/South Gym, noon3 Baseball @ St. Scholastica Duluth, Minn., 2 p.m.4 Vocal Recital, Trinity Chapel, 2 p.m.5 Baseball vs. MSU, Mankato Franklin Rogers Park Mankato, Minn., 7 p.m.8 Directors’ Showcase, YFAC Theater, 7 p.m.15 Graduation Vespers service Trinity Chapel, 7:30 p.m. 16 Commencement, South Gym, 10:30 a.m.28 Bethany Choirs’ Homecoming Concert Trinity Chapel, 7:30 p.m.

june9–12 Summer Science Camp9–13 Basketball Camp15–19 ELS Synod Convention; Choral Music Camp/Honor Choir16–20 Young Michelangelo Art Camp23 Minnesota Private College Week23–27 Young Michelangelo Art Camp; Basketball Camp

july7–11 Volleyball Camp14–18 Basketball Camp; Soccer Camp 21–25 Volleyball Camp

For more calendar events, visit: www.blc.edu

Coming October 24–25, 2008 to Chanhassen, Minnesota

Bethany Lutheran CollegeWomen’s Retreat

Faith | Health/Well-being | Family | Work | Finance

Make plans to join us as we take time to relax and

focus on finding balance with the five most important topics facing women today.

Admissions Counselor (two positions)This full-time position is responsible for recruiting students who will develop and succeed in the Bethany Lutheran College environment.

Some essential functions:• Arrange visits with high school counselors; visit students and maintain follow-up

communication

• Attend scheduled college fairs; visit with students and answer questions

• Phone and/or e-mail prospective students and/or parents to counsel and answer questions regarding college admissions

• Travel by car and/or plane to destinations as required

• Schedule and facilitate campus visits and special events

• Prepare and make presentations representing admissions office to various groups

Application review will begin May 1, 2008, and continue until the position is filled.

Starting date is July 1, 2008.

For qualifications and application information, go to www.blc.edu/jobs.

700 Luther DriveMankato, Minnesota56001-6163

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

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PAIDMinneapolis, MNPERMIT No. 4656

ADDReSS SeRviCe RequeSTeD

Key: SFC – Sports and Fitness Center; YFAC – Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center. Dates and times are subject to possible changes. Please call in advance to confirm dates and times of events before traveling: 800.944.3066 or 507.344.7000.

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Calendar of Events

winter 2007-08 bethany report

Documents