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Campus News: News of the Bethel Community
Welcome Week
U.S. News & World Report Ranking
Two New Spiritual Leaders Join Campus Ministries
Growing, Growing, Growing...
Second Year for Sociology Award
New Faculty
Residence Hall Web Cam
Homecoming Celebrates a "Brand New U"
Alum, Coach Named as Finalist for Technology and Innovation Award
Luckman Restores Tree through Sculpture
Students Live and Serve
Traffic Deaths Touch Community
Gallery Opens in Downtown St. Paul
Nursing Dept. Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Johnson Joins Alumni and Parent Services
Bethel to Offer Art Program in NYC
Edgren Scholars Present Research
Wassink Named to 2004 Good Works Team
Five New Trustees Join Board
Mural Unveiled at King CDC
Music Dept. Adds Symphony Orchestra
Art Dept. Offers Post-baccalaureate Program
Growth Continues in Graduate and Adult Education Programs
Nursing Dept. Hosts Students from South Korea
Math Class Helps Bethel Plan for More Students
Music in World Cultures
Japanese Students Here for Tenth Annual Summer Program
BU Festival of Christmas
Sophomore Takes First Place in Voice Competition
Schultz to Guide Coast-to-Coast Prayer Support for Bethel
Growing Number of Students Study Abroad
Welcome Week
In keeping with Bethel tradition, approximately 850 new students were welcomed to campus with fun and fanfare during Welcome Week 2004. Of those new students, 27 states and 10 foreign countries are represented; 54 are valedictorians or salutatorians; four students were recently released from active duty with the Army.
U.S. News & World Report ranks Bethel in Top 20 Midwest Universities and there are five sets of twins.
Bethel was ranked 19th among Midwestern Universities in the annual rankings of the U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" issue released in August. The Midwestern Universities category includes Midwest colleges and universities that offer master's degree programs. Bethel was ranked in the report as "Bethel College" because its name change to "Bethel University" took place after U.S. News & World Report submissions were due.
"Bethel's consistent ranking in the top 20 Midwestern Universities category is a tribute to Bethel's commitment to small classes, individual student attention, and an atmosphere where students can excel," says Bethel Provost Jay Barnes.
In several of the statistics used to assess the colleges and universities, Bethel is near the top. In the Midwestern Universities category, Bethel had among the highest retention rates at 68 percent, and only four percent of classes have more than 50 students in them.
Two New Spiritual Leaders Join Campus Ministries
The Office of Campus Ministries added two new staff members last fall. Noted worship leader Dan Adler is pastor of worship for Bethel chapel services, and Donna Johnson is pastor of outreach, leading students in community involvement projects.
Adler is best known for founding and directing Heart of the City, a multicultural worship celebration in the
Twin Cities area. He brings the goals of that ministry—to break down ethnic, cultural, and societal barriers, and unify believers in prayer and worship—to his role at Bethel. Adler has also served as worship leader for the Church of the Open Door and PRomise Keepers, written more than 100 songs, and leads seminars on worship.
Donna Johnson is a former dean of diversity at Bethel and, after a year away, has returned in a new capacity. As pastor of outreach, Johnson heads Twin Cities Outreach, a campus organization that coordinates the volunteerism efforts of Bethel students in nursing homes, homeless shelters, crisis nurseries, after-school tutoring centers, and other agencies. Johnson acts as liaison with the sites being served, mentors student leaders, and helps them recruit other volunteers.
"Donna has a great heart for the urban community and will strengthen the leadership skills of our students while modeling servant leadership," says Fry.
Growing, Growing, Growing…
The 2003-04 school year statistics show what everyone on campus already senses—Bethel is growing! More than 5,000 students registered for classes at Bethel University (then Bethel College & Seminary). Enrollment by school is reflected on the accompanying pie graph.
Bethel enrolled students from 48 states and 15 foreign countries. Nearly 10 percent of Bethel's enrollment comprised students of color or international students, with Bethel Seminary of the East and Bethel Seminary San Diego having the largest proportions (approximately 40 percent ) of students of color.
For students reporting a denominational af-461 filiation, about one-third of the students were Baptist (of any conference), with Lutheran affiliations having the next largest representation among students.
The 2004-05 school is projected to bring an even larger student body. Enrollment builds throughout the year as new semesters and courses begin. The following facts and figures are for fall 2004 enrollment only:
2004 Fall Enrollment
- College of Adult & Professional Studies:
- Graduate School: 567
- Bethel Seminary St. Paul: 810
- Bethel Seminary San Diego: 179
- Bethel Seminary of the East: 112
It is a record year for applications and overall fall enrollment in the College of Arts & Sciences. With 1,907 students continuing from last year, it is the highest retention rate in Bethel's history.
Second Year for Sociology Award
Lindsey Johnson '04, a sociocultural studies major, was awarded first place in the undergraduate paper competition of the Sociologists of Minnesota. Lindsey presented her paper, "Informal social networks within a Latino church: meeting physical, emotional, and social needs of immigrant church members, and implications for Anglos in cross-cultural ministry," at the Sociologists of Minnesota conference in Red Wing, Minn., on October 8, 2004. It is the second consecutive win for Bethel. In 2003, the senior seminar project of another Bethel student, Lindsay Norman, took first place.
Faculty new to the College of Arts & Sciences in the 2004-05 school year are (from left to right):
Rachel Schwaller, B.S., M.F.A., Assistant Professor of Art
Joy Doan, B.A., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology
Lyndi Finifrock, B.A., M.L.S., Reference Librarian
Justin Byers, B.S., M.S., Assistant Professor of Health and Physical Education and Assistant Athletic Trainer
Angela DeCubas, B.A., M.S., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology
Mary Reuland, B.S.N., M.S., Ed.D., Associate Professor of Nursing
Wade Neiwert, B.A., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Nancy Eckstein, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Communication
Mary Lindell, B.S., M.A., Assistant Professor of Education
Peter Jankowski, B.A., M.A., M.S., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology
Ruslana Westerlund, B.A., M.A., Instructor in Modern World Languages
Not Pictured:
Bynthia Anose, B.S. B.A., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Robin Hasslen, B.A., M.S., Ph.D., Professor of Education and Director of Early Childhood Services
Shawn Hofer, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology
Judith Landrum, B.S., M.A., Ph.D., Professor of Education
Dennis Morrow, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., Professor of Education
Kelli Oborn, B.A., M.A., Instructor in Modern World Languages
Mary Whitman, B.A., M.S., D.B.A., Associate Professor of Business Management
Residence Hall Web Cam
Watch construction of the new sophomore residence hall, to be completed in fall 2005, by going to http://www.bethel.edu/special-events/newsrel/2004articles
/08-04dorm-construction.html.
Homecoming Celebrates "A Brand New U"
From top to bottom:
Academic reunions were well
attended: fans kept warm at
the football game; the Royals
battled St. Thomas; all
returning alumni gathered for
a dinner.
Homecoming weekend, October 15-17, 2004, brought hundreds of alumni, parents, and friends back to campus for a full weekend of class reunions, athletic events, an alumni baseball game, academic reunions, and much more.
Alumni began arriving Friday morning for Homecoming chapel, where Dr. Robert Love was honored as 2004 Alumnus of the Year (see profile article on page 20). On Friday evening, alumni and students enjoyed a concert by Watermark, Wayne Watson, and Michael Passons in Benson Great Hall.
Saturday was packed with activities. The morning kicked off with a new feature, the "Class without a Quiz," by Professor Jim Beilby, who spoke on "Lord of the Rings—Is it a Christian Novel?" Afterwards, numerous academic departments held reunions for graduates in their fields, including physics, chemistry, and nursing. Students, friends of Bethel, and parents also joined some of these gatherings, which offered a variety of presentations, open discussions, and demonstrations. It was a great time for alumni to reconnect with former professors and catch up with those of similar backgrounds and interests.
Golden and Platinum alumni from the classes of '34, '39, '44, '49, and '54 enjoyed an organ recital in the morning, followed by a luncheon. For those who were up to the chilly weather, brats and chili were served picnic-style before the Homecoming football game.
The game was well attended despite the brisk wind. Even though Bethel lost to St. Thomas in a close matchup—28 to 21—Royal spirit was alive and well in the stands! Families appreciated the Kids Zone, which provided lots of activities to keep warm.
Reunions for class years ending in a 4 or a 9 were well attended, and more than 500 alumni from all eras of Bethel's history gathered for dinner Saturday evening in the Robertson Center Gym. Afterwards, reunion programs took place all around Bethel.
The final event of Homecoming weekend was a worship service in Benson Great Hall,featuring the alumni male chorus, with members ranging from the class of '39 to current students. Jay Barnes, provost of the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Adult & Professional Studies, and the Graduate School, was the featured speaker.
Thanks to all alumni and friends who returned for the first-ever homecoming of Bethel University!
Alum, Coach Named as Finalist for Technology and Innovation Award
Kim Carlson, a 1995 physics education graduate and current Bethel assistant women's basketball coach, has been named as a finalist for a 2004 Tekne award—Minnesota's annual awards program that recognizes companies and individuals who have shown superior technology innovation and leadership.
Carlson was nominated in the category "Innovation in Teaching," which recognizes educators who create exciting learning opportunities for students through the use of technology.
Luckman Restores Tree through Sculpture
During construction of the Community Life Center approximately 10 years ago, a large tree, probably a white oak, estimated to have sprouted just prior to Minnesota statehood in 1858, had to be removed. At the time, Bethel's biology department took part of the tree for further study, and Stu Luckman, professor of art emeritus, acquired the remainder of the tree.
Now, after much time and work, the tree comes back to Bethel as a set of sculptures on Seminary 
Hill due to Luckman's desire to return the pieces to the woods. There are four different sculptures from the tree: "Voices," "The Prophet," "Taursus Cross," and "Jonah Log." Philip Potyondy, studio associate, has collaborated with Luckman on the sculptures.
Luckman's goal was that the sculptures would serve as contemplative pieces and reminders of the traditions of the Christian faith. Ken Steinbach, associate professor of art, has plans to involve students in creating an appropriate firepit for the area.
Students Live and Serve in Frogtown
Five Bethel students are living as urban residents of the Frogtown/Summit-University area of St. Paul during the 2004-05 year. In a unique commitment that blends an urban studies course with practical service and ministry, the students live in a duplex owned by Urban Homeworks, a Christian organization that converts dilapidated houses into livable duplexes, providing one unit to low-income families and the other to young Christian adults who work or volunteer in the city.
The students enrolled in the course, titled the Frogtown Urban Experience, take the majority of classes on the Bethel campus. But going home to Frogtown each day makes for holistic learning with important benefits.
"The students have been given a guided study research assignment and are involved in volunteer work in the neighborhood," says lead instructor Harley Schreck, Bethel professor of anthropology and sociology. "In the spring, they will choose a semester-long research project and work with a mentor within the neighborhood."
Examples of projects include volunteering with older adults, tutoring children, and conducting research to help neighborhood restoration. In May, students will join mentors to present results of their efforts to a community forum.
A diverse teaching team reflects the collaborative nature of the Frogtown Urban Experience. The team includes Schreck, Bethel professor of anthropology and sociology, Cody Schimelpfenig from Urban Homeworks, and Frogtown residents Melvin Giles and poet Bertha Givens.
As in earlier programs that involved Bethel students and staff, Schreck points out that the goal is not to "bring God to the neighborhood," but rather to "come along aside the presence of God."
"My hope is that, by living in an urban setting, I will be an example of Christ's love to all people and in turn grow from the lessons that these neighbors have to teach me," says Bethel junior Brianna Kunkel, who lives in the Frogtown home.
Traffic Deaths Touch Community
Tim Morgan of Eagan, Minn., was killed in a car accident on Sunday, August 1. He was approaching his senior year in the College of Arts & Sciences where he was a business major and a member of the football team. Many Bethel students and employees attended the funeral service at Woodcrest Church in Eagan, Minn.
The Bethel community also mourned with College of Arts & Sciences senior Melissa (Erbach) Just when her husband, Jon Just, was killed in a motorcycle accident on September 29. He was on his way to work with the youth group at The River Church at the Mall of America. Students, staff, and faculty have come around Melissa through prayer and participation in a memorial fund in Jon's memory.
Gallery Opens in Downtown St. Paul
On Friday, October 8, Bethel opened the 9th Street Entry Gallery for the visual arts in downtown St. Paul. The inaugural exhibition, featuring the Bethel University art faculty, was part of the St. Paul Art Crawl, an annual arts festival.
The gallery, located in the Rossmor Building at the corner of Roberts and 9th Street, is dedicated to exhibiting high-quality fine arts in a variety of media and styles. The gallery's mission is to be community oriented, giving visibility to the work of many Twin Cities artists, but also offering inter-arts programming to residents of the surrounding community. During the next year, the gallery will develop programming in the form of artist talks, readings by area writers and poets, and performances by area musicians. These events will be titled Thursday Evenings at 9th Street.
The gallery has a dual function, serving both an academic and commercial dimension. Commercially, the gallery will develop a virtual gallery in addition to its exhibition schedule in order to represent a wide range of artists in diverse media. Academically, the gallery is linked to two academic programs at Bethel—the Post-Baccalaureate Fellowships and the Senior Thesis Seminar. These programs operate in the studio spaces next door to the 9th Street Entry Gallery. Art by these groups, as well as by the faculty, will also be exhibited.
Nursing Department Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Top State Ranking Also Achieved
by Elizabeth Houk '05
During Homecoming 2004, the Bethel University Department of Nursing celebrated its 20th anniversary. More than 60 people attended the reunion, including 20 alumni from the first graduating class of 1984.
While many things have changed over the years, the important foundations of the department have not. In fact, its reputation has strengthened.
To date in 2004, 98 percent of Bethel's nursing program graduates have passed the licensure exam (NCLEX)—the highest rate in Minnesota. This top state ranking was also achieved in 2002. Nationwide in 2004, Bethel's passing rate so far is 29th of 501 nursing programs.
Nancy Olen, professor of nursing and a member of the faculty since the department's first years, says that the curriculum has remained quite stable. "It was a forward-look-ing, innovative program from the beginning," Olen says. For instance, it was the first program in Minnesota to offer a January term abroad.
According to Debra Solomon, an adjunct instructor and a graduate of the first nursing class, the department has always prepared for outside forces such as changing duties for nurses.
Changes in the nursing field include a heightened awareness of legislation in health care, more students earning advanced degrees, and a transfer of more direct care to nursing assistants, putting RNs in leadership positions. Technology has also has enabled shorter hospital stays and increased demand for home care.
The nursing department's reputation has grown over the years. Elizabeth Miller, a 1984 nursing graduate and current director of Health Services for Bethel, says that she receives positive feedback when employers learn she holds a degree from Bethel. Solomon sees the same responses, adding that employers see the Bethel name as credible, especially for higher-level positions.
Johnson Joins Alumni and Alumni and Parent Services
Kevin Johnson '94 is Bethel University's new director of alumni and parent services programming. His new position is designed to help the Office of Alumni and Parent Services and Vice President Joe LaLuzerne to build a strong network of alumni and parents.
Johnson comes from eFunds Corporation, and prior to that, Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting), where he worked in technical project management. As a physics and mathematics major at Bethel, Johnson held student leadership roles including coordinator of Welcome Week, membership in Campus Coordinators (currently known as BSA) and Bethel chapter officer in the Sigma Pi Sigma Physics honor society.
"It is great to be back at Bethel—right on the heels of my 10-year reunion as well!" says Johnson, who was a colleague of LaLuzerne at Accenture. "I loved Bethel as a student and am already enjoying my time working at Bethel. There is so much energy, and it is clear that God is present and doing great things at Bethel University!"
Bethel to Offer Art Program in NYC
istockphoto.com -
Andrea Gingrich
Beginning in spring 2005, Bethel will begin the New York Center for Art & Media Studies (NYCAMS), a new off-campus program. With more than 600 galleries and a large number of the world's most important art collections, New York City will serve as an ideal learning environment for students with a passion for the arts.
"The program is important because it introduces students to the art world in New York, which really is one of the art capitals of the world," says Wayne Roosa, chair of the art department. "They will begin to build a network of people in the profession through firsthand experience as interns, and they will become comfortable in a major metropolitan area that is extremely rich in art and culture."
Students attending NYCAMS will have an internship with an artist, gallery, or museum, as well as take the courses Contemporary Art History; Art, Faith, and Culture; and a studio course. NYCAMS will be administered entirely by Bethel, with John Silvis serving as program director. The program will be open to the students of CCCU schools and other Christian colleges as well as Bethel students for who have art as a major or minor, a GPA of 2.7 or higher, and have completed their freshman year.
Students "will also encounter faculty and artists who are persons of faith, and get to know several area churches that strongly su port the arts," says Roosa.
The NYCAMS studios are located a few blocks east of the Chelsea gallery district, and offer a contemporary lecture and critique space, a darkroom, a digital lab, and a large open studio area. Students will live at the historic Hotel St. George in Brooklyn Heights, which is owned and operated by Educational Housing Services. Bethel is seeking approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer a full program of classes.
Edgren Scholars Present Research
From left to right: Erik Dahlman,
Physics Professor and Department
Chair Brian Beecken, Deanna McGuire,
Psychology Professor Andy Johnson,
Kari Brodeen, Biology Professor and
Department Chair, Teresa DeGolier,
Sara Gibbs.
On November 4, three faculty and four students presented on their collaborative research projects as part of the Edgren Scholars Program. Physics Professor and Department Chair Brian Beecken and student Erik Dahlman discussed "Modeling the Changing of Spacecraft Dielectrics under High-Energy Electron Bombardment." Biology Professor and Department Chair Teresa DeGolier and student Sara Gibbs presented on "The Worth of a Wiggle: A First Look at the Enterogastric Effect of Neurotensin on Lumbricus terrestris Smooth Muscle in vitro." DeGolier and student Kari Brodeen unveiled findings on "Small Mammal Abundance as a Function of Structural Diversity in Adjacent Prairie Restorations: What Have We Learned after Three Years?" Psychology Professor Andy Johnson and student Deanna McGuire presented on "Korean American Perceptions of Wisdom." The Edgren Scholars Program provides time
Wassink Named to 2004 Good Works Team
The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has announced that Bethel University senior linebacker Matt Wassink of Alton, Iowa, has been named to the 2004 AFCA Good Works Team.
There are two 11-man teams, a Division I-A team and a combined team from Divisions I-AA, II, III, and the NAIA, that honor players for their dedication and commitment to community service.
During the past four years, Wassink has worked on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for a and support for research by faculty-student summer, volunteered at a soup kitchen for homeless people in Minneapolis, assisted a Somali teams and encourages students to consider a immigrant in learning the English language on Sunday afternoons, and volunteered with Bethel's future in research Speak Out organization, which serves the homeless of the Twin Cities.
Wassink is the third Bethel football player in the last seven years to receive this honor.
Five New Trustees Join Board
Bethel last summer welcomed five new members to its board of trustees. They are James Green, president and CEO of Kemps/ Marigold Foods, Inc.; John K. Jenkins Sr., senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Glenarden, Md.; Patrick A. Mazorol, of Securian Trust Company in Minneapolis, Minn.; Cher Moua, founder and executive director of Family & Youth Advancement Services and senior pastor of CrossCultural Evangelical Free Church in St. Paul; and John Roise, president of Lindsay Windows, North Mankato, Minn.
Jenkins and Moua have special ties to Bethel Seminary. Jenkins' church, one the fastest-growing African-American churches in the United States, hosts the newest teaching center of Bethel Seminary of the East; Moua earned his M.A. in theological studies from Bethel Seminar, St. Paul.
The 38 member Board of Trustees is the governing body of Bethel University.
Mural Unveiled at King CDC
On Thursday, October 21, artist and Bethel University Professor Dale Johnson unveiled a mural at Bethel University's King Family Foundation Child Development Center in the Frogtown/Summit-University neighborhood of St. Paul. The mural, which focuses on a "theology of play," is meant to encourage the children in their play.
"I created the mural with two goals in mind: First, to create a playful, peaceful visual environment for the preschoolers to play in. The mural wraps around them on a six-foot-high 
fence," says Johnson. "The second goal was on the outside I wanted to encourage the parents and staff as they bring their children to the day care." The mural also incorporates the Martin Luther King Jr. quote: "With Him we are able to rise from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of joy!"
The mural, which was sadly vandalized on Halloween and later restored, was designed by Johnson and painted with the help of Bethel alumna Molly Irwin, freshman Blake Keith, and Wayne Allison, who has painted other murals with Johnson.
Music Department Adds Symphony Orchestra
This fall, Bethel's Department of Music added a symphony orchestra to its cadre of outstanding performance organizations. The orchestra is the brainchild of conductor Lynda Bradley-Vacco, who wanted to provide more opportunities for brass, wind, and percussion players. The 45-member symphony orchestra is larger than the chamber orchestra, which is composed of 12 violins, four violas, four cellos, and two basses.
In a recent Clarion article, Bradley-Vacco discussed her excitement about the orchestra, which held its first concert on November 1. "This is the first time we've really gotten to dig in to a major romantic piece," she said about Dvorak's "Symphony No. 8 in G," performed at the concert.
Vacco has been instrumental in building Bethel's music department. She first proposed the idea for Bethel's chamber orchestra in 1996 and that spring began rehearsing regularly with 10 string players. The program has continued to grow, and the chamber orchestra has performed around the Midwest and with well-known Christian musicians Twila Paris and Selah.
Art Department Offers Post-baccalaureate Program
by Melissa King
Bethel’s art department is now offering a postbaccalaureate program for Bethel graduates who need a bridge between undergraduate and graduate education. The goal of this new program is to give graduates the opportunity to create a body of work—essential for graduate school application—under the guidance of a Bethel faculty member. Program fellows will receive a certificate upon completion, and participation in the program will likely give them an advantage in the graduate school application process.
While most universities charge high tuition for such an opportunity, Bethel’s approach is designed as more of a bartering system. For example, fellows work six or seven hours a week assisting at a faculty member’s studio. They also help at Bethel’s new gallery downtown St. Paul—the 9th Street Entry Gallery. Fellows will receive opportunities to showcase their own art, and in December they have a mid-term critique, a group critique, and a show to conclude the class.
The application process starts in March, and fellows are announced in April. The program runs from the middle of the summer through December. For more information, contact Professor Wayne Roosa, chair of the art department, at 651.638.6377.
Growth Continues in Graduate and Adult Education Programs
Programs tailored to adults continue to grow in variety and enrollment at Bethel University. In 2003-04, more than 1,100 students took advantage of Bethel's evening or weekend courses, offered across the Twin Cities in eight locations as well as on the main campus.
In July, the Graduate School began its new Ed.D. program, focused on developing ethical and competent school administrators. Currently 18 students are enrolled in the program, under the direction of Dennis Morrow.
In the College of Adult & Professional Studies, a Foundational Studies program was full a month before its start in September. This program is designed to help students with no previous college experience complete their first two years toward a baccalaureate degree, or earn an associate of arts degree.
Other new programs for the two schools include a B.A. degree in Communication Studies, and another in Human Resource Management. Below is a listing of available programs for adults at Bethel University:
The Graduate School
Doctoral Degree
Ed.D. in Educational Administration
Graduate Degrees
M.A. in Communication
M.A. in Counseling Psychology
M.A. in Ethnomusicology
M.A. in Gerontology
M.A. in Nursing
M.A. in Organizational Leadership
M.A. in Teaching M.Ed. in four fields
Certificates are also offered in applied ethnomusicology, child and adolescent mental health, nursing education, post-secondary teaching, and K-12 reading. Other programs include the Health Educator's Academy, parish nursing courses, K-12 reading licensure, K-12 teaching licensure, licensure in teaching learning disabled students, licensure in teaching emotionally and behaviorally disturbed students, secondary teaching licensure, and Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI: ME) courses.
College of Adult & Professional Studies
Baccalaureate Degrees
B.A. in Business Management
B.A. in Organizational Leadership
B.A. in Christian Ministries
B.A. in Communication Studies
B.A. in Human Resource Management
B.S. in Nursing
Associate Degree
A.A. in Foundational Studies
Certificates in applied organizational leadership, academic preparedness, and Christian liberal arts appreciation are also offered.
The College of Adult and Professional Studies also serves churches, school districts, and other organizations with seminars and professional development workshops in topics such as teaching methods, communication, and conflict resolution.
For more information on these programs at Bethel University, call 651.635.8000. For the Graduate School, email gs@bethel.edu or visit http://gs.bethel.edu on the Web. For the College of Adult & Professional Studies, email caps@bethel.edu or visit the Web site http://caps.bethel.edu.
Nursing Department Hosts Students from South Korea
by Lisa Stauter '06
Bethel University's nursing department last summer hosted 20 students and two professors from the College of Nursing at Keimyung University in Daegu, South Korea. This is the second year for the exchange program in which Bethel also sent nursing students to study in Korea during January interim.
During the two-week program Korean students experienced various health care systems in America, from community-based clinics, such as the Native American Health Clinic, to hospital-based programs, such as the famous Mayo Clinic. The exchange program also promotes a cultural understanding of the United States.
Jeong Sook Park, Ph.D., dean of nursing at Keimyung University, explained, "It is important to study American health care and apply its strengths to the Korean health care system." Park observed that, compared to the United States, South Korea has less technology for modern health care, but is still looking to learn about underlying strategies and procedures.
"This is a very good program," said Young-Ja Yang, assistant professor of nursing at Bethel. "It allows the Korean students to get a better understanding of the differences between Korea and the United States. It also motivates them to learn more about health care on a global level. They can then bring this widened perspective back [to South Korea] to help them be more effective nurses."
"This program also gives us a great opportunity to witness [about the Christian faith] to these students," concluded Yang. "Last year, three of the [Korean] students accepted the Lord as their personal Savior and this year two students said they are going to start attending church. We are teaching them more than just nursing."
Math Class Helps Bethel Plan for More Students
by Lisa Stauter '06
From a new sophomore residence hall to temporary classroom buildings, changes all around campus point to Bethel’s exciting growth. Students in Patrice Conrath’s Operations Research class have used this growth in a real-life analysis of the effect of increases in the student body on an already crowded Dining Center. “We used the Dining Center because it is interesting for students to model real-life applications in places they interact with each day at Bethel,” says Conrath, associate professor of mathematics.
The class worked with Bob Schuchardt, director of Sodexho, Bethel’s dining and catering service, who provided the students with a problem that would allow them to create a hypothetical before-and-after simulation model. The model would accurately portray the current capacity and then interpret the new demands brought about by the 100-200 additional students living on campus in fall 2005.
The class started by gathering data in the Dining Center. They counted students and tracked which serving line each student entered in order to estimate which line might develop the most congestion. Senior Allison Shoger, manager of the data team, explains the process: “We spent many hours collecting data, entering it into spreadsheets, and organizing it for use with the model.” The class then used “Arena,” a sophisticated simulation software, to analyze changes related to efficiency of serving students. After the model was finished and tested, students used it to predict the increase in traffic flow next year.
“I’ve already been able to cite the assignment in a number of job interviews, and it also looks good on my resume,” says senior Jake Donatelle, one of the general mangers for the project. “It was a great example of what can be accomplished through teamwork.”
According to Shoger, “[The class] used our individual strengths and knowledge to work toward one common goal. I know the project has had an impact on how I work with others, and I’m thankful to have had a part in the whole process.”
“The students did a great job,” Schuchardt concluded. “There was great communication, and they worked hard to create alternative solutions to our crowding problem. They came up with possible solutions that will be taken into consideration.”
Music in World Cultures: The World's Only Ethnomusicology Program
"There is so much I could share
about what God is doing
through Bethel's
ethnomusicology program. I
have traveled to Ukraine to
examine…strategies for setting
up schools of music in local
churches for
evangelistic
outreach and equipping the
church. The intended outcome
is developing a model for
implementation in other
cultures.”
Charles Dautermann
M.A. Student
Ethnomusicology by Lisa Stauter '06
Students in Bethel University's Graduate School who are both musical and mission-minded are grateful for a rare major: ethnomusicology: "Ethnomusicology helps people come to understand people of other cultures," says graduate student Sheila Miranda. "It gives them a window into the worlds of other people."
Of any Christian college or university, Bethel offers the country's only complete ethnomusicology program. Ethnomusicology is defined as the study of music in a sociocultural context and is used throughout the Christian community on mission fields and in foreign evangelistic opportunities.
Bethel's program is completing its third year and has 30 enrolled students, ages 21-78, in the Certificate in Applied Ethnomusicology (18-credit program) and a Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology (40-credit graduate degree program). Students currently work in 15 different countries, on every continent except Australia and Antarctica, with about half of these in countries of restricted access.
Bethel's ethnomusicology program provides students with both academic and practical components in every course that can be used on the mission field. Each student is required to do a one- to six-month internship in the country of his or her choice. Since most of the enrolled students are involved in some sort of mission field before entering the program, this allows them to get course credit for doing work or research in a country with which they are already familiar. Each student is given academic training, skill development, practical experience, and musical development continuously throughout the program. The students are also required to study one ethnic instrument sometime during their enrollment in the program.
"Ethnomusicology is a young field in missions," explains John Benham, director of the ethnomusicology program. "However, it is growing fast and is an exciting field for students to study. Bethel is on the cutting edge in this evangelistic mission to break through to other cultures."
"Ethnomusicology allows missionaries to use music for the growth of God's kingdom," says Robin Harris, current ethnomusicology student. "Music is not a universal language, so, without ethnomusicology, it is difficult to overcome cross-cultural boundaries."
Although the program is rigorous, student Jeremy Toliver finds it "flexible and rewarding, which makes it easy for anyone to enroll."
To further explore the ethnomusicology program, contact John Benham at j-benham@bethel.edu or 651.635.8015. To register, call the Graduate School at 651.635.8000 or email gs@bethel.edu.
Japanese Students Here for Tenth Annual Summer Program
More than 100 Japanese university students studied at Bethel over the summer, improving their English speaking skills and learning about American culture. They were here through the St. Paul Intercultural Institute, an annual program founded 10 years ago by Bethel Philosophy Professor Paul Reasoner, the son of missionaries to Japan.
The institute uses Bethel's facilities and involves many host families affiliated with Bethel and area churches, including co-direc-tors David Williams, a colleague of Reasoner's on the philosophy faculty, and former Bethel professors Mark and Sharon Norlander.
The students came from Rikkyo University in Tokyo, and from Kumamoto Gakuen University in Kyushu.
Combined with their English and intercultural classes on campus, home stays with local families integrated what the students learned and challenged their cultural perspectives.
"This is the cornerstone of the program," says Williams, who has hosted students in past years as well. "The students are thrown right into the midst of American culture, yet are surrounded by wonderful people who, in nearly all cases, come to care a great deal for their Japanese student."
Although the program is not overtly Christian, there is an underlying Christian influence that Reasoner says he hopes will leave a lasting impression.
Bethel University Festival of Christmas
On December 2-4, nearly 300 talented Bethel musicians performed in the 48th annual Festival of Christmas held in Benson Great Hall at Bethel University. The annual festival of music featured the Bethel Choir, Bethel Women's Chorale, Bethel Male Chorus, Bethel Wind Symphony, Bethel Chamber Orchestra, and Bethel Handbell Ensemble.
This year's theme for Festival of Christmas was "Silent Night, Holy Night." Sold-out crowds were treated to a musical celebration of the blessed birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on that silent night more than 2,000 years ago.
Sophomore Jessica Fredrickson Takes First Place in Voice 
Competition
On November 5-6, 18 Bethel voice students competed in the statewide National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) contest at St. John's University. Of these 18 students, five qualified for the semifinals held on November 6. Sophomore Jessica Fredrickson advanced to the finals and placed first in the upper division, lower level category. She won against all 19 year-old women from all the colleges and universities in Minnesota.
Schultz to Guide Coast-to-Coast Prayer
Support for Bethel
Former Director of Church Ministries Marie Schultz has returned to Bethel University to establish and lead a National Prayer Initiative in support of Bethel's ministry. Prayer teams will be established in areas across the country and will be comprised of individuals who have committed to meet on a regular basis to intercede for specific needs of the institution, as well as for students, faculty, and staff in general.
Schultz has a wide breadth of experience in the coordination of activities; a deep belief in the power of prayer; and knowledge of and commitment to the mission and ministry of Bethel. She has been a long-time member of the President's Prayer Council which was reenergized in the early 1990s to support fundraising and construction of the Carl H. Lundquist Community Life Center (CLC). In fact, the President's Prayer Council continues to meet faithfully every month, expanding the scope of prayers for Bethel beyond the CLC, which was completed and dedicated in 1996.
In her new part-time position, Schultz will work closely with Bethel's Institutional Advancement division, her widespread contacts within the Baptist General Conference, and friends of the university at affiliated churches to built a coast-to-coast prayer network on behalf of Bethel.
Growing Number of Students Study Abroad
Top to bottom (clockwise):
Betsy Dadabo captured a street artist at work in
Guatemala; Allison Midura shot this image of a boy
playing at a monument near Madrid; Vanessa Smook
played with children on the Rosebud Indian Reservation
in South Dakota; Peter Lande climbed 3,000 feet for
this shot of an unlikely outhouse in New Zealand.
With a wealth of programs and locations to choose from, Bethel students are increasingly interested in expanding their education through study abroad programs. Last fall, 70 students were in nearly 20 countries including Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Italy, Mozambique, and Lithuania.
"Bethel students studying abroad portray the American spirit and heart. These students can change the way the world views Americans,” says Vincent Peters, dean of off-campus programs.
More than 190 students have applied to travel to 17 different countries during January Interim, and more than 60 students have applied for spring semester study abroad programs.