Grandparents Day 2016

There is a special connection between a grandparent and a grandchild, no matter their age. Bethel University's 4th annual Grandparents Day is an opportunity for Bethel students and their grandparents to celebrate that special connection and enjoy a day together on campus.

Grandparents, you will have the opportunity to attend Chapel, tour campus, hear from university administrators, eat lunch in Bethel's beautiful Monson Dining Center, take in classes from Bethel professors, and have a wonderful time engaging with your grandchild as you experience their home away from home.

Schedule for the Day

8-9 a.m. | Check-In
Community Life Center Lobby, level 1

Check in and receive your Grandparents Day materials.

8-9 a.m. | Coffee Reception
Community Life Center Loggia, level 1

Once you've checked in, mingle with other grandparents and enjoy some coffee and pastries before the opening session.

9-9:45 a.m. | Opening Session
Benson Great Hall (Community Life Center, level 1)

Gather with other grandparents to hear from President Jay Barnes and other members of the Bethel community. Your grandchild is also welcome to attend this session as their schedule allows.

10:15-11 a.m. | Chapel
Benson Great Hall (Community Life Center, level 1)

Attend Chapel with your student and hear a message from Assistant Campus Pastor and Bethel alum Jason Steffenhagen '04, who leads discipleship initiatives across our campus. Jason likes to say, "all students are on a journey toward God." His passion is to come alongside students in that journey to help them become fully committed disciples of Christ.

11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Lunch
Monson Dining Center (Brushaber Commons, level 3)

Experience lunch on campus with your grandchild (as their schedule allows) and enjoy the variety and appeal of Bethel's buffet-style dining. Your Grandparents Day registration includes a ticket for lunch. Students may use their meal plan or flex dollars. If your student doesn't have a meal plan or flex, they may purchase lunch at the entrance to Monson Dining Center for the special Grandparents Day price of $8.50.

11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Hospitality Center and Photo Booth
The Underground (Brushaber Commons, level 2)

Looking for a place to spend some time connecting with your grandchild or to unwind while they're in class? Visit the Grandparents Day Hospitality Center, where you can enjoy refreshments, read the newspaper, get to know other grandparents, or simply relax. Also, be sure to have your picture taken with your grandchild and take home a complimentary photo memento!

11:15 a.m.-Noon | The Alpha and Omega of Wellbeing
Olson Board Room (Brushaber Commons, level 4)

Every day, an average of 10,000 baby boomers turn 65. As the cost of health care becomes unsustainable, the conversation of preventative health and wellbeing self-care has entered the mix of functional medicine. In this "Class without a Quiz," we will examine the extent to which the dimensions of wellbeing play an important role in our acute and chronic health. Bethel Professor of Biokinetics Seth Paradis and his students will guide you in an interactive self-discovery of how to take intentional steps in personal health and wellbeing advocacy. 

12:30-1:30 p.m. | Campus Tour
Community Life Center Lobby, level 1

Join student hosts from Bethel's Office of Admissions for a one-hour indoor walking tour of campus.

1-1:45 p.m. | What Good Is Leisure? Living the Rest of Your Life
Olson Board Room (Brushaber Commons, level 4)

"Leisure is the basis of culture," wrote German Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper in 1947. With the ruins of World War II still smoking on the ground, that was an astonishing claim—and still is. This "Class without a Quiz" is based on a semester-long course that asks Bethel seniors to consider leisure as providing the "architecture of time"—the division between "sacred" and "ordinary" time, as anthropologists explain it, and the different between "Sabbath" and the work week in Jewish and Christian practice. In this session, Bethel Professor of English Daniel Ritchie will explore how our leisure practices reveal the meaning—or the emptiness—of our lives and culture.  

Other Options

9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Campus Store Hours
Closed during Chapel

Be sure to check out all the great merchandise at the Campus Store (next to the Grandparents Day Hospitality Center). You'll receive a special Grandparents Day 20% discount so you can show your Bethel pride!

10 a.m.-Midnight | Residence Hall Visiting Hours
The Office of Student Life has extended visiting hours for residence halls. Accompany your grandchild and experience their living community.

Hotels near Bethel University

Looking for a placed to stay during your visit? Bethel has worked with a number of area hotels to secure good rates for our campus guests. View a list of hotels and request their Bethel rate when you call for reservations.

Request an Invitation

Grandparents Day invitations are mailed to grandparents for whom we have contact information. To request an invitation, please complete the Grandparent Information Form.