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BETHEL'S CLASS OF 2007
Meet the Reasons that You Give
Nowhere is the value of a Bethel education expressed more earnestly than in the reflections of graduates honored to speak at commencement. Here are excerpts of reflection speeches that were given during the four college ceremonies on Saturday, May 26, and the regional seminary commencements in the week that followed:
College of Arts & Sciences
Kristin Top
B.S. in Nursing
“We have been taught how to better love the Lord with our hearts and souls as we have been shown by many Bethel faculty, staff, and chapel speakers how to surrender and live a radical life—a life that may seem illogical, but is filled with adventure, struggle, and ultimately peace as we are in the middle of God’s will.”
Jody Rodrigues
B.A in Social Work
“…my college experience was all about me. Now, I feel it’s time to give back to the community…When there is true community, when one of us wins, we all win. Community is about people. Community is about the kingdom. Bethel is a community that holds people at the heart, and the reconciling of all peoples to one another. Today as we reflect together, I urge you to take that with you.”
College of Adult & Professional Studies
Angela C. Myles*
B.A. Organizational Leadership and Minor in Human Resource Management
“As I reflect on the beginning of this journey, I look to why I chose to earn my degree at Bethel. The cohort model interested me, and the schedule allowed me to maintain my other life responsibilities. Additionally, I chose Bethel because it is a Christian-based university. I was excited that I finally found a school and a program that met my needs…”
Monique Gee*
B.A. in Organizational Leadership and Minor in Human Resource Management.
“As individuals, we all decided to fulfill a dream by earning our degrees. This may not have been feasible without our own determination and a commitment to ourselves as well as to our cohort. The friendships that were developed and the support of every member in the last 18 months are truly amazing…We became a family.”
*Angela and Monique were co-speakers representing the College of Adult & Professional Studies.
Graduate School
Matthew Kelly
M.A. Communication (course work completed, thesis project in progress)
“My classmates and instructors have shown me a clear picture of what it means to be Christians who serve others: people who serve God, family, and community. I’m honored to be numbered among these many graduates, a group of scholars who have shown me how to rise to any challenge while upholding my beliefs.”
Bethel Seminary St. Paul
Cindy Halvorson
M.Div. (Concentration: Pastoral Care)
“My prayer is that God will use me, that God will use us, to further God’s kingdom by turning our water—this deep and rich and nourishing education—into something extraordinary, something which only God can do.”
Bethel Seminary San Diego
David Diener
M.Div.
“Each of us has chosen to become servants in building the kingdom of God; it’s not about the degree. We must not look back. We have publicly made a statement and must look ahead to fulfill our commitment.”
Bethel Seminary of the East
Randall V. (Randy) Fowler
M.Div.
“About 60 years ago, G. K. Chesterton was asked by a reporter, ‘What’s wrong with the world?’ Now imagine how the televangelists of our generation would have answered that? In contrast, Chesterton simply responded, ‘I am.’ I think Bethel attempts to produce these types of people. I only hope I have cooperated with its mission.”
Peace Corps Director Challenges Graduates to Put Faith in Action
The keynote speaker for Commencement 2007 was Ron Tschetter '63, director of the Peace Corps and one of Bethel’s most prestigious alumni.
During his address, Tschetter talked about four Peace Corps volunteers who graduated from Bethel and are using their gifts in various ways, from working with AIDS prevention in the highlands of Madagascar and teaching English in Bulgaria, to environmental education and agricultural efforts in Gambia.
To the graduates of the Class of 2007, Tschetter extended this invitation:
“I hope that you will discover that helping others can be your greatest reward in life. It goes hand in hand with our Christian commitment. It is a visible outpouring of our faith and, as the Apostle James wrote, ‘faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.’
“So the question to you as graduates, as ambassadors of this new generation, as the new purveyors of salt and light, is this: What will you do to have an affect on this world? Just think about that for a moment. Life is calling—how far will you go?
“As you begin this new journey in your life, keep in mind that success in the eyes of the world is all fine and good, and I wish you all success. But at the end of the day, what really matters is the difference you’re going to make in the lives of others.”
 Ronald A. Tschetter ’63 is the 17th director of the Peace Corps, nominated by President George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 13, 2006. The former Bethel trustee is only the third director in the Peace Corps’ history to have served as a Peace Corps volunteer. |
 The Annual Fund benefits every Bethel student, every day. In addition, 1,438 students across all schools of Bethel last year received a total of $ 2,998,380 in aid from named scholarships (restricted awards - $338,215; endowed awards - $396,906; and $2,263,259 from third party scholarships/private gift aid)—non-government support directly from Bethel donors, friends, and organizations. |