Retiring Chemistry Professor Gives Matching Gift to Encourage Research

Event Reconnects Chemistry Alumni

Bethel Professor of Chemistry Dale Stephens and his wife, Sharon, want to show their continuing support for chemistry at Bethel by donating a $100,000 matching gift to fund a summer research endowment. The gift was announced at the May 2007 Chemistry Connection, an event aimed to bring chemistry alumni and friends together and also celebrate Stephens’ retirement after nearly 40 years teaching at Bethel.

More than 140 friends of the chemistry department, including alumni from as far away as California and the East Coast, gathered for a day of events that included a brunch, student poster presentations, news and updates from the chemistry department, and a retirement dinner. With a very young faculty—six out of nine professors in the department are 35 or younger—the event gave many alumni the opportunity to connect with faculty they had not met before.

Chemistry Connection is the beginning of an effort on the part of the chemistry department to connect more intentionally with alumni and other friends of the department. “We want to have more regular, serious communication with our alumni and other supporters of our department,” says Department Chair Ken Rohly. A second Chemistry Connection is already scheduled for May 10, 2008.

Stephens’ gift is a part of the President’s Sciences Initiative, a form of special program support under the Taking the Next Step comprehensive resource campaign.

Stephens has challenged alumni and friends to meet his $100,000 matching gift to fund summer research for chemistry and biochemistry students. More than 40 percent of the match has been contributed as of this time by two dedicated friends of Bethel chemistry.

The goal is for the chemistry department to have an endowment to fund the research of three faculty and six students every summer. “We want to provide an opportunity that hasn’t been there before. I’ve had students in the past ask about summer research opportunities at Bethel and have had to say ‘no,’” says Stephens. “This is an opportunity for the alumni to provide a research possibility for current students that was not available when the alumni were here.”

“All of our junior and senior students are involved in research during the school year, but in-depth summer research experiences are important differentiation points for students looking at graduate and medical school or at full-time employment directly after college,” says Rohly. “While several chemistry faculty and students have been involved in on-campus summer research through external grants, an endowed program will ensure ongoing opportunities for future.”