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Volume 56 / Number 1 / Fall 2005

Bethel Focus

A Magazine for Alumni & Friends of Bethel University

Campus News: News of the Bethel Community

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Lissner Hall Opens

Berglund Returns to Lead Bethel Choir

Bethel 13th in U.S. News Rankings

Bethel Student Missions Earns Excellence Designation

Urban Youth Learn Sportmanship and Faith at Basketball Camp

Grant Received to Measure Value of Education

Stretch Internet to Broadcast Select Royals Games

Missions Trip Brings Christ to Tsunami Survivors

Bethel Receives $2.1 Million Grant from Scripture Press

Bethel Students Make China Connections

Porta Named Second Team Pre-season All-American by D3Football.com

Ona Orth Complex Earns Award for Design and Construction

Bethel Earns "Best Christian Places to Work" Award

New Reconciliation Studies Program Noted in National Magazine

Excellent Faculty Members Added

Golfing for Scholar

Jane Eyre was Summer Theatre Production

Timp Named Interim Coach

Softball Team Worked in Thailand

Lissner Hall Opens: New Residence Named to Honor Campus Planner

By Cindy Pfingsten

Bethel University's newest residence hall has opened, and it is named for the late David A. Lissner, who for more than 30 years worked as director of campus planning and president of the Bethel Foundation. Lissner Hall, on Bethel Drive near the seminary, is now home to 288 sophomores in 48 three-bedroom suites.

A Presidential Pajama Party christened the new residence before the first students arrived. On Friday, August 5, more than 60 contributors to the project and other friends of Bethel joined George Brushaber and his wife Darleen in an overnight gathering to pray for the dorm's future residents and enjoy fellowship, great food, and typical student activities. A formal dedication of Lissner Hall is planned for October 6.

Beginning in 1972, Lissner was responsible for supervising all major campus building projects during a time of great growth, culminating with the completion of the Lundquist Community Life Center. In more recent years as president of the Bethel Foundation, he was responsible for growing the Foundation as well as administering trusts, endowments, and the general fund. After his retirement in 2002 Lissner continued to serve Bethel in significant ways until his unexpected death in 2004.

"This honor is very fitting, as David was a first-class professional in his dealings with the complexities of both financing and construction. He was totally committed to Bethel's mission and often talked about how pleased he was to be able to contribute to it in this way," says President George K. Brushaber.

"Many meaningful opportunities are provided through residence life that nurture students in their belief, provide discipleship activities, and challenge them to live out a vital faith that is well integrated into their behavior," says Vice President of Student Life Judy Moseman.

Berglund Returns to Lead Bethel Choir

Robert Berglund, former chair of the Department of Music and conductor of the Bethel Choir and Festival Choir, has returned to Bethel this fall to lead the Bethel Choir and Festival Choir while current conductor Dennis Port is on sabbatical. This will include leading the choirs through the popular Festival of Christmas. Berglund retired in 1995 after 36 years of service to Bethel.

Bethel Advances to 13th in U.S. News Rankings

Bethel University advanced to 13th among Midwestern Universities in U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" guide—up from 19th in the 2004 rankings. The Midwestern Universities category includes Midwest colleges and universities that offer master's programs.

"This ranking is a reflection on our faculty and staff's passion for quality education and our commitment to prepare men and women for lives of excellence in leadership, scholarship, and service," says Bethel President George Brushaber.

Bethel has an 87 percent average freshman retention rate, a 71 percent average graduation rate, and 60 percent of freshmen are in the top 25 percent of their high school class.

Bethel Student Missions Earns Excellence Designation

by Melissa King

The Student Missions Project at Bethel University was recently named a Covenant Member of the Standards of Excellence in Short-term Missions. The designation is the highest merit a missions program can earn.

Started in 1999 by leaders in agencies, churches, and Christian schools, the Standards of Excellence program encourages mission projects to be God-centered, empower partnerships, be mutually designed, have competent administration, secure qualified leaders, demonstrate appropriate training, and include thorough follow-up.

"Being a member will provide accountability, encouragement, and resources to do our missions outreach better," said Matt Runion, assistant campus pastor.

Urban Youth Learn Sportmanship and Faith at Basketball Camp

In July, six youth from the Frogtown/Summit - University (FSU) neighborhood of St. Paul participated in the Christian Leadership Basketball Camp at Bethel University. This is the first time inner city youth from the FSU community attended the camp. The students, who were in grades 5-10, were given scholarships through the Bethel/FSU Collaborative, a partnership that benefits the FSU community and Bethel University with mutual learning and service experiences.

"It is the first time we have offered this opportunity to young potential leaders in the FSU communities, and we hope to continue this as a yearly event," said Vincent Peters, associate dean for off-campus programs. "This is part of our conscious efforts to reach out to young people in the FSU community."

After the one-week camp, "Some of the youth expressed the desire to construct a oneday leadership basketball camp in their own FSU community to share what they learned at Bethel," said Verona Mitchell-Agbemadi, program coordinator of the Bethel-FSU Collaborative Partnership. "By offering this opportunity, Bethel is executing its goal to become a reconciled community crossing racial and socio-economic borders."

Grant Received to Measure Value of Education

How do you measure and improve the faith development, character education, and critical thinking gained in a private college such as Bethel? The College of Arts & Sciences at Bethel, partnering with six other evangelical colleges, has received a one-year, $25,000 planning grant from The Teagle Foundation in New York to consider that question.

Richard Sherry, Bethel's dean of faculty growth and assessment, will direct the project, which draws Asbury, Gordon, Greenville, Houghton, Mount Vernon Nazarene, and Northwestern (Minn.) into a collaboration.

The grant will fund forums and research to quantify what general education gives students beyond essential skills and knowledge, and propose ways to improve that value. Faculty in the collaboration will then apply for another grant from The Teagle Foundation to implement their recommendations for value improvements over a three-year period.

The Teagle Foundation helps higher education institutions clarify their educational goals and track progress toward them.

Stretch Internet to Broadcast Select Royals Games

Bethel has teamed up with Stretch Internet to provide broadcasts of five home football games as well as 27 home women's and men's basketball games over the web. The schedule of sporting events planned for broadcast can be found at http://cas.bethel.edu/athletics/ audiowebcast.html.

"We are excited about the opportunity to provide our alumni and fans from around the country with a new way to keep up with athletics here at Bethel," said Sports Information Director Dan Berglund.

Founded by a former college sports information director, Stretch Internet is in its third year of business and provides audio streaming to more than 60 colleges, universities, professional teams, and radio stations while reaching an audience of more than 25,000 listeners per month.

Bethel football alumni John Holgrimson and Dave Thomas have been hired to do the play-by-play for the football games, while a search is on for the announcing crew of basketball games. "We are excited to be the voice of Royals Football," said Holgrimson and Thomas. "As a team we look forward to bringing the action of the games to fans' computers."

Missions Trip Brings Christ to Tsunami Survivors

From July 11-16, a team of five students, three from Bethel University, assisted tsunami survivors in Chennai, South India. They included College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) education major Olivia Alber, second-year seminary student Julie Faltinson, and third-year seminary student Sammy Wanyonyi, who led the group.

Collaborating with a U.N.-recognized organization called ADEPT, the team visited with villagers who had lost loved ones and opened some offices needed for long-term recovery work.

Alber encouraged the team through leading prayer and devotionals, and was in charge of a children's puppet ministry. "My education classes and practicum experiences at Bethel gave me confidence for planning the puppet ministry and working with kids," she says. "I was able to show the people of India that they are not forgotten but that there are still people who care for them and their recovery."

In another leg of the trip, the team also held a youth festival and session of ministry to students at the Gospel Association of India school of ministry and conducted evangelistic meetings in Vijayawada, Hyderabad, and Madras. Overall, Wanyonyi says about 1,200 people responded to the message of salvation.

Bethel Receives $2.1 Million Grant from Scripture Press

Scripture Press Ministries has given Bethel University a $2.1 million grant to support the launch of innovative, high-impact initiatives for those engaged in ministry to children and families.

As Scripture Press merged into Cook Communications Ministries, the Scripture Press board voted unanimously to honor the legacy of founders Victor and Bernice Cory and to perpetuate their evangelistic vision by establishing an endowment at Bethel. Annual revenue from The Scripture Press Endowment for the Advancement of Children's Ministries will be used to advance the Corys' passion for communicating the Word of God effectively to children and young people.

"The strong track record of Bethel Seminary's exceptional Children's and Family Ministry Program was key in the Scripture Press board's decision to make this award," Bethel President George K. Brushaber said.

The programs of the Scripture Press Endowment will be administered through Bethel Seminary with the cooperation and assistance of a representative advisory council for planning and assessment. Initiatives will begin in 2006.

Bethel Students Make China Connections

Because of the critical role China increasingly plays in the world market, Associate Professor of Business Karen Tangen is making concerted efforts to connect Bethel students with Chinese students in America. This spring, students in her International Marketing class and Chinese students from the University of Minnesota gathered at her house for a dinner of pizza and noodles.

"Some of the students made new friendships," says Tangen. "The Chinese students will return to China in leadership positions after their education at the U of M is complete. What a wonderful way to help with diplomatic relations."

Tangen led Bethel's first International Business course to China during interim last January. Over a 10-day period, nine students visited cities including Beijing, Xi'an, and Hong Kong. Students visited the Trade Development Council and Convention Center, and got a glimpse of the China Stock Exchange, as well as many companies.

An important stop was Xi'zn Jiaotong University—the No. 1 ranked business school in China. "China's future leaders are going to come out of its business schools," says Tangen. For two hours, she and her students met with officials of the school of management about building a partnership between Bethel and Jiaotong that might include future student exchange programs.

Porta Named Second Team Pre-season All-American by D3Football.com

D3Football.com, an authoritative website on MIAC teams, announced that Bethel University junior running back Phil Porta (Cambridge, Minn.) was named to the Pre-season All-American second team.

Porta was voted to the D3football.com All-American third team last season, and earned All-MIAC honors both his freshman and sophomore seasons. Porta, who is fifth on Bethel's all-time rushing list, rushed for 1,736 yards, 14 touchdowns, 5.7 yards/carry, and 173.6 yards/game in 2004. His 1,736 rushing yards were good for third in the nation. He led the MIAC in rushing yards (1,456), touchdowns (11), all purpose yards (1,532), and scoring (66 points).

Ona Orth Complex Earns Award for Design and Construction

The American Sports Builders Association has awarded Bethel and Anderson-Johnson Associates, Inc. the Outstanding Tennis Facility Award for the Ona Orth Athletic Complex. The award was given in recognition of excellence in design and construction.

The complex is named after the late Ona Orth, who was a significant donor to the $1.8 million facility.

Bethel Earns "Best Christian Places to Work" Award

Bethel University was the recipient of the "Best Christian Places to Work" award in the "Higher Education—300 or more employees" category. Christianity Today magazine announced the award winners in its May issue. Approximately 66 percent of Bethel staff and faculty participated in a survey conducted by Best Christian Workplaces Institute, rating Bethel in areas including trust, management, commitment, and ethics.

Bill Goodman, human resources director, accepted the award on behalf of Bethel University at the Christian Management Association Annual Conference in California. "This award is really a reflection of the people at Bethel," said Goodman. 

New Reconciliation Studies Program Noted in National Magazine

Bethel's new reconciliation studies major is highlighted in the September-October issue of Sojourners magazine in an article titled "Peace by Degree."

"While sharing a similar interdisciplinary approach with other peace and conflict studies programs, [Bethel] describes the major as being built on a Christian and biblical understanding of reconciliation using the life of Jesus as a model. This specific evangelical orientation— combined with a focus on issues of race, gender, class, culture, and religion—sets Bethel apart," the article says.

"Today's world is divided by race, culture, gender, social class, religion, and in a host of other ways. Unfortunately, the church mirrors the same division," says Bethel associate professor Curtiss DeYoung, who has long experience in church racial reconciliation work. "We are attempting to equip students to be agents of healing in the world and in the church."

Excellent Faculty Members Added

Bethel welcomes new faculty, all with excellent credentials. In addition to a vital personal faith, here is something else of note about each one:

• *Mark Bruce, instructor in English, is a Bethel alumnus (1991) who "combines rigor with imagination," according to his graduate instructors at the University of Iowa.
• *Alexandra Caucutt, instructor in modern world languages, was born and raised in France, taught as an adjunct last year, and says being at Bethel is her "dream job."
• *Ricardo Cunningham, assistant professor of business, is in a doctor of business administration program at Anderson University with Bethel professor Leo Gabriel.
• Duke Fuehrer, associate professor of business management, has been a president or vice president in six corporate settings, including a vocational higher ed. institution.
• Mary Ann Harris, associate professor of business, taught at the University of Minnesota and has corporate experience in marketing research and marketing communications.
• Anne Marie Kooistra, assistant professor of history, taught at Waldorf College and Colorado State University, earning an "Excellence in Teaching" nomination at the latter.
• Lex Thompson, assistant professor of art, has an M.F.A. in photography, taught at Yale, and is proficient in photo lab work and multimedia software.
• Ray VanArragon, assistant professor of philosophy, joins Bethel from Asbury College and is reputed to be among the best in his Ph.D. class at the University of Notre Dame.
• Christian Collins Winn, instructor in biblical and theological studies, brings a strong background in historical theology, particularly Pietism (Bethel's theological tradition).
• *Tim Yenter, instructor in philosophy, is a stellar 2001 graduate of Bethel who is teaching for one year before resuming his full fellowship in philosophy at Yale.

In addition, the following faculty have been hired on a full-time, permanent basis following one-year appointments or associated (adjunct) status:

• Judi Landrum, professor of education
• Kim Meyer, associate professor of nursing
• Sam Mulberry, instructor in general studies
• Mary Rueland, associate professor of
  nursing
• Rebecca Seaberg, assistant professor
  in math

*denotes one-year appointment

For a complete list of faculty promotions, retirements, and sabbaticals click on "News."

Golfing for Scholars

The 11th Annual Bethel Golf Classic was held June 21 at Troy Burne Golf Club in Hudson, Wis. Golfers enjoyed a challenging course, tips from golf instructor Peter Krause, great food and fellowship, and the opportunity to support Bethel University students.

Golfer Darrell Stanko won a four-day, four-night vacation to a Westin Resort in Puerto Rico after shooting a hole-in-one on hole 11.

"This is the third hole-in-one prize that has been received in the last four years—and on a challenging, difficult course," said Doug Samuelson, co-coordinator of the event.

Jane Eyre was Summer Theatre Production

The Bethel Theatre Department tapped current students, alumni, and members of the Bethel community for its annual summer production. The musical version of Jane Eyre was presented July 21-24 and 28-31 in the Bethel Theatre. "It's a classic story of the power of forgiveness and love," said theatre department chair Meg Zauner. Zauner was director and choreographer, theatre professor Rick Rees was costume and set designer, and voice instructor RubyAnn Poulson was music director.

Timp Named Interim Coach

Jim Timp has been named interim head women's cross country and track and field coach.

Timp already serves as Bethel's head men's cross country coach and will continue with those duties for his ninth season. With the men's team, Timp has already decreased average team times by 2:37.6 per runner and increased roster size by an average of 200 percent since his first year on campus.

Timp brings 26 years of coaching knowledge and experience to the women's programs, having coached at all levels from middle and high school to collegiate and post collegiate. He is also USATF certified in the distances, hurdles, jumps, relays, sprints, and throws.

Softball Team Worked in Thailand

This summer Rod Radcliffe, head softball coach, along with seven members of the Bethel softball team and Assistant Coach Brian Franklin, had the opportunity to go to Thailand with Competitive Edge International. There, the Bethel team worked side-by-side in clinics with the Thai National team and also competed against them. Team members shared their testimonies, engaged with the Thai people, and became a witness to more than 700 high school students who had never seen a softball. Using softball games and clinics, the nine-member team was able to open the doors and share the story of Jesus Christ. Despite the language barrier, the Thai people touched the hearts of the team through their constant smiles.

The team also conducted clinics at the University of Papaya, a sister school to Bethel for international studies. Through this life-changing experience the players were able to go on elephant rides, experience the shores of a tropical island beach near Pattaya, and take in the Thai culture.