winter 2008-09 bethany report

WINTER 2008-09 the magazine of bethany lutheran college

6Harstad displays historical books

8Show brings together BLC art culture

10Distinguished Alumni Award recipent chosen

Bethanyreport

Our alumni understand the value of a Bethany education. When we speak of “The One Thing Needful” or “Education That Lasts

Beyond A Lifetime,” there is an immediate connection to the motto, tagline, and mission of BLC. When we talk of friendships formed at Beth-any as some of the most enduring, we understand the impact they have on our lives. When we think of the academic quality of Bethany, alumni routinely give the College high marks. It is true that many alumni cherish their days on campus. That lasting impression and understanding of the College’s value is manifested every year when so many sons and daughters of former students choose to enroll at Bethany for their college education.

All these attributes are certainly important, but there is another impor-tant aspect of a Bethany education that we don’t speak about often enough. Since its founding, we have been committed to providing our students with an outstand-ing educational experience at an affordable price. While educational costs have risen over the years, we continue to make sure that a Bethany education is accessible for those who enroll. We recently announced tuition costs for 2009-10 at $19,350. Our comprehensive cost next year, which includes room, board, and fees, is $25,980. For those of you who attended Bethany some years ago, these may seem like eye-popping amounts, but both figures maintain Bethany’s position as the lowest of all the private liberal arts colleges in Minnesota and demonstrate

our ongoing commitment to providing an exceptional educational experi-ence at an affordable price. Couple this with a financial aid program that awards 98% of our students with financial assistance, averaging nearly $19,000, and the value of a Bethany education becomes immediately evident.

How is this affordable pricing accomplished at a small college like Beth-any? It is in large part due to the generosity of hundreds of alumni and friends of the college who contribute annually to endowed scholarships. More than 200 of these funds are in place at Bethany. These scholar-ships annually provide the College with nearly three quarters of a million dollars in financial assistance for our students.

It’s not surprising we feel so strongly that Bethany is one of the best educational values in Minnesota and beyond. Regardless of the economic climate, we believe that Bethany has more to offer students. Excellent aid packages, quality academic programs, outstanding facilities, and an atmosphere that fosters lifelong connections and friendships in a Christian environment, all contribute to make Bethany a special institution.

Thank you, alumni and friends, for helping to make Bethany that special place through your generous support and prayers.

editor, writer | Lance Schwartz design, photography | David Norris proofreader, writer | Emma Bauer

Please direct all correspondence, letters, news, corrections, and comments to: Bethany Lutheran College Bethany report 700 Luther Drive Mankato, MN 56001-6163Email: [email protected] | www.blc.edu507.344.7000 | 800.944.3066FAX: 507.344.7417

ISSUE: CXV

The Report is published quarterly by the Bethany Lutheran College public relations office and distributed free of charge to the college’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.

All contents © COPYRIGHT 2009 Bethany Lutheran College. Articles, images or photographs may not be reproduced without written permission.

Mission: Bethany Lutheran College, owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, is a private, residential, liberal arts college committed to the teachings of the Bible as set forth in the Lutheran Confessions. Bethany provides studies culminating in a Bachelor of Arts degree. The college serves Lutherans and others by offering a challenging, student-centered approach to education that fosters spiritual development, intellectual and creative growth, self-understanding, and responsible citizenship. In keeping with its heritage, Bethany aspires to produce students with a clear understanding of Christian vocation, which encourages students to make the most of their God-given talents.

Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents:Harold A. Theiste, Vice ChairRev. Kenneth V. Schmidt, SecretaryWillis Anthony, Ph.D.Rev. Mark BartelsPaul T. ChamberlinLyle FahningRev. Herbert C. HuhnerkochJames MinorRoland ReinholtzRev. J. Kincaid Smith, D.Min.Rev. Joel Willitz Advisory Members: Pres. Dan R. Bruss, Ph.D.Rev. Lawrence A. BurgdorfRev. John A. Moldstad, ELS PresidentWilliam Overn

On the cover: A stained-glass window in Trinity Chapel provided a unique frame for a student passing by.

President Dan Bruss

A valuable educationBethanyreport

from the president

2 report | winter 2008-09

March 3, 20092 Corinthians 11:3-4 (NKJV)—“But I fear, lest

somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a differ-ent spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!”

A letter from a former pastor of your congrega-tion: “You fools! Who has pulled the wool over

your eyes so that you no longer accept the truth I preached to you? I’m amazed that you’ve moved away so soon from Christ to a different gospel….But even if I, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what I have preached to you, let him be damned.” That was St. Paul writing to the Christians in Galatia.

He wrote another one like that. On the first page he wrote: “When I came to you I did not come with excel-lence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.” He refers to criticism from some in the congrega-tion: “‘For his letters,’ they say, ‘are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible.’” That was his letter to the church at Corinth.

Paul has endured carping criticism about his preaching and his writing—it’s lacking in rhetori-cal skill; it doesn’t really relate to people and their life situations; it’s too hard to understand; and one can imagine what other trivia was the object of their dissatisfaction, including some remarks about his stuttering and other mannerisms.

But now there have come along some who have preached a different message, probably more eloquently, and people have fallen for it—a differ-ent Jesus and a different gospel. They may speak of Jesus of Nazareth, but their gospel, even if filled with talk about Jesus, points believers away from Jesus’ righteous life and obedience, and points the hear-ers to themselves, to their own obedient lives and to their feelings, either of sorrow or of dependence on a vague power. They are pointed to the law, to things

that they must do in order to have a relationship with God. That is the different Jesus, and the differ-ent gospel. And they accept it very readily.

In Galatia, it was the so-called “Judaizers” who wanted to compel Christian, Jew, and Gentile to observance of the Old Testament ceremonies and rituals—the ones which had been nailed to the cross with Jesus. For the Corinthians, it was to mix their Christian worship with the rituals of the heathen, including the heathen practice of speaking in gibber-ish and calling it the “tongues of angels.”

Jesus warned against such people when he said: “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Jesus attributed false teaching to the work of the devil himself.

A few weeks ago, the chaplain assigned me to preach on the first three commandments—all at once. Today he has asked me to preach on them again!—because that’s what this text is about—teaching what does not conform to the pure gospel of Jesus Christ is forbidden by the first table of the law: Have no other gods; Do not take God’s name in vain; and keep the day of rest holy—i.e. “Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”

The same Satan who tempted Adam and Eve to be as gods, who tempted Jesus in the wilderness, is the author of all that opposes the simple gospel of the forgiveness of sins in Christ. St. Paul likens this to the Devil’s temptation of Eve—he tried to persuade her away from the simplicity of God’s command. The serpent said: “You shall not surely die; your eyes will be opened and you will be like God.” And Paul points out that by Satan’s craftiness, “your minds will be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

What is the temptation Satan sets before us? It is to deny the simple truth that Jesus is our Savior from sin, wholly and completely, that his righteousness is ours through faith alone, that God promises to make us his children, not because of what we do, but by his grace through his powerful word and sacraments. When you suppose that you are the one who invites Jesus into your life, or that your works or good inten-tions move God to love you, then you have a differ-ent Jesus and a different gospel—and a different god.

Rev. Erling Teigen

from the chapeL

Chapel continued on page 5

education that lasts beyond a lifetime 3

Photo by David Norris

Faculty and staff anniversariesThe Board of Regents of Bethany Lutheran College and Theological Seminary met in Mankato on February 9 and 10, 2009, at which time the Board recognized Bethany employees observing anniversaries of employment. The recognition event occurred after the College’s daily chapel service on Monday, February 9.

The Rev. Herb Huhnerkoch, a member of the Board, was the guest speaker for the chapel service and special recognition event. In addition to the chapel event, a reception for the honorees, their families, and well wishers took place in the Gallery of the Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center.

Back row from left: Jon Geistfeld, Housekeeping-10 years; Jonas Nissen, Communication-10 years; Jeffrey Younge, Financial Aid-10 years; Mike Fletcher, Maintenance-15 years; Matthew Riehl, Chemistry-10 years; Dennis Marzolf, Music-25 years; Rick Jeddeloh, Men’s Basketball/Golf-15 years; Art Westphal, Advancement-25 years

Middle row from left: Andrew Overn, Art-15 years; Eric Wangsness, Maintenance-10 years; Todd Marzinzke, Information Technology-15 years; Ramona Czer, English/Communication-15 years; Brian Strom, Housekeeping-15 years; Kathy Forsberg, Library-20 years; Lisa Shubert, Information Technology-10 years; Lars Johnson, English/Communication-10 years

Front row from left: Matthew Kuster, Biology/Physical Education-10 years; Angela Murilla, Communication-10 years; John Boubel, History-10 years; Dan Johnson, Groundskeeping-15 years; Joni Bode, Asst. to Registrar-10 years; Julie Stelter, Business Office-15 years; Paulette Tonn Booker, Employee Relations-10 years; John Winch, Maintenance-10 years — Not pictured: Gregory Costello, Controller-30 years

By Emma BauerCommunication Specialist

Bethany’s faculty and staff strive to make the most of their talents and

abilities in serving the College and its students. This often includes furthering their education through higher learn-ing degrees. Two Bethany employees, Dean of Student Services Ted Manthe and faculty member Jennifer Wosmek, were recently honored for the successful defense of their dissertations and comple-tion of their Ph.D.s.

Dr. Manthe has served as the Dean

of Student Services at Bethany since 2002. He also teaches freshman semi-nar courses. Manthe recently earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His dissertation topic was “Effects of Communication with Family on Adap-tation to College of First-Year Students” which was a study that utilized a large national data set from UCLA that analyzed freshman college students from across the United States.

Dr. Wosmek has been a faculty

member in Bethany’s psychology depart-ment since 2005. She earned her Ph.D. in Developmental and Child Psychol-ogy from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. Wosmek’s dissertation was titled “The Effect of Public Postings on Early Childcare Providers’ Behavior in an Infant Room.”

Bethany Lutheran College congratu-lates Drs. Manthe and Wosmek on their recent accomplishments and thanks them for their dedicated service to the College.

Doctorate degrees earned by Manthe, Wosmek

faculty news


Most of you students have read, in your first-year religion class, the collection of stories Hammer of God by Bo Giertz. Giertz shows people, under the spirit of different times, being tempted away from the simplicity of the pure gospel. He points out to young pastor Fridfeldt that there are two different religions: “it is one thing to choose Jesus as one’s Lord and Savior and commit oneself to him; it is a very different thing to believe in him

as a redeemer of sinners of whom one is chief.” In each of the three young pastors in Hammer of God, human work, will, desire, good intentions, or something else was being added to the gospel, so that it proclaimed a different Jesus, another gospel.

The gospel for last Sunday, the first Sunday in Lent, described Satan’s temp-tation of Jesus. He withstands the temp-tation—for us. But Satan continues his assault against the body of Christ, now against the brothers and sisters of Christ.

We give in to those temptations exactly when we think that we have the spiritual strength to stand up to them. But in faith we believe the promise that he holds us up in the face of temptation, and contin-ues to forgive our sins, as he has said: “My strength is made perfect in your weak-ness.” He has promised: “[I] shall give [my] angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Amen.

Chapel continued from page 3

President Dan Bruss was part of a Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) delegation that visited both Hong Kong and United International College (UIC) in Zhuhai during Novem-ber 2008.

While at UIC, Bruss presented an address at the second annual Presidential Lecture Series. The theme of this year’s series was “Liberal Education and Talent of the New Century.” While on the UIC campus, he had the opportunity to talk with several UIC students who had spent time on the Bethany campus over the past year. They spoke glowingly about their experience at Bethany.

As part of the MPCC delegation, Presi-dent Bruss also served on a panel at UIC with Fulbright scholars who are discuss-ing general education reform at leading Hong Kong universities.

William Bukowski (art) painted an altarpiece for Reformation Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, Oregon. The altar-piece is a triptych depicting the Sermon on the Mount, Martin Luther, and Moses (see bukowskipainting.blogspot.com).

Bukowski went to the dedication of the altarpiece and presented an art lecture to the congregation on November 2, 2008.

A Bukowski painting of Mankato’s

Sibley Park was chosen to decorate the Governor’s official residence in St. Paul, Minnesota. Also, two Bukowski land-scape paintings of Sibley Park recently became part of the public collection of St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Bukowski, Andrew Overn, and Eric Ouren (art) were featured in the Ylvisaker Drawing Invitational that was held February 18 through March 29 at Bethany (see related article on page eight).

On December 31, 2008, Chad Heins (biology) completed an attempt to identify as many bird species in Blue Earth County in a single calendar year as possible. His final total was 240 species, including three new records for Blue Earth County: Trumpeter Swan, Black Scoter, and Clark’s Grebe. Addi-tional out-of-range species documented included: Townsend’s Solitaire, Summer Tanager, Thayer’s Gull, Common Moor-hen, Northern Mockingbird, and Golden Eagle.

Heins led a fieldtrip for the Mankato Bird Club on January 10 to search for winter birds in the Mankato area. On January 20, he documented the first record of a Northern Hawk Owl in Nicol-let County as it was in North Mankato for just that day.

Ben Inniger (theatre adjunct) has once again taken first place in the regional chapter of Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) for his sound design for a Minnesota State

University production of Hamlet. He will be attending the National Festival in Washington, D.C. in April 2009.

Dr. Tom Kuster (communication) was a judge for the regional American Legion high school oratorial contest held at Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School in New Ulm, Minnesota, on December 6, 2008.

Dr. Jonas Nissen (communication) completed his fourth year in the leader-ship of the National Communication Association’s Theatre Division. Under his leadership, the division has experienced significant growth in attendance and in the volume of submitted panels and papers. Dr. Nissen has also been asked, and has agreed, to serve a fifth year in the leadership of this national organization.

Dr. Steve Reagles, (religious studies and communication) delivered a paper in November 2008 at the National Communication Association Convention in San Diego, California. The research study, “McLuhan: The Comet of Media Ecology & Hemisphericity Returns to Enlighten Scholarship,” revisited claims made by prominent media scholar Marshall McLuhan thirty years ago, which critics, then, dismissed. Among the key ideas, his paper demonstrated that McLuhan’s notion of the “Medium is the Message,” properly understood, was prescient, being vindicated by recent studies in neuroscience which show the effects of technology upon brain plastic-ity and human cognition.

Faculty & Staff News


By Lance SchwartzDirector of Marking and Public Relations

BLC alumnus and historian Dr. Peter Harstad visited the Bethany

campus on Wednesday, February 11 and Thursday, February 12, 2009, when he exhibited his collection of rare books relating to the life of Abraham Lincoln. While he was working as the executive director of the Indiana Historical Soci-ety, Harstad began collecting the same editions of books Lincoln is known to have read prior to age twenty-one. The impetus for the collection came partly as a personal interest in Lincoln and also as a function of research about Lincoln’s formative years living in the state of Indiana. Harstad noted, “Many Ameri-cans forget, if they ever knew, that Lincoln spent the years 1816 to 1830 in Indiana; he grew from age seven to twenty-one in the Hoosier state. It seemed appropriate to focus upon this often-neglected part of his life.”

When asked what he hopes the collec-tion will convey to viewers and young historians, Harstad said, “Using Lincoln as an example, I hope to convey that what we read and become familiar with has consequences. Lincoln spent little more than one year in school, but he read and studied good books. His early readings influenced him. Years later, the ideas they contain and the style in which they were written helped him guide our nation through its greatest crisis.”

Harstad made some interest-ing discoveries as a result of putting together the collection. “I had a hunch that I could understand Lincoln better if I could find and read the very editions he read during his most formative years. This indeed has been the case. Who might have expected that a Swiss reform theologian wrote the notes

accompanying the text of the Lincoln family’s King James version of the Bible or that their edition contains the books of the Apocrypha between the Old and New Testaments?”

The collection now numbers about twenty-four volumes but Harstad continues to look for books to add to the collection. “I am still looking for some of the more rare books young Lincoln is known to have read, includ-ing a joke book that I may never be able to purchase.”

The books were put on display during the week of Lincoln’s 200th birth-day. The BLC campus and Mankato community were invited to view the collection and talk with Harstad. Dr. Harstad also presented about the collec-tion in several classes.

Dr. Harstad currently lives in retire-ment in Lakeville, Minn. He spent a forty-year career in the field of history as a teacher, writer, and administrator.

By Emma BauerCommunication Specialist

Rev. John A. Moldstad, who had served on Bethany’s Board of

Regents for thirty years, resigned from the board in early February after suffer-ing a heart attack. Rev. Moldstad was currently serving as board chair, a posi-tion he had held for nineteen years.

Rev. Moldstad received his associ-ate’s degree from Bethany Lutheran College in 1945 and went on to graduate from Bethany Lutheran Theological Semi-nary in 1950. From 1950-51, he served as Bethany Lutheran College’s dean of men, as well as teaching history and Norwegian. Rev. Moldstad then began his pastoral career at parishes in northern Minnesota before returning to Bethany in 1966. He was Bethany’s dean of students and a faculty member for nine years, teaching several classes including religion, Latin, and Hebrew. From 1975 to 1978, he was the director of development at the College, before again leaving for the ministry. Throughout his career Rev. Moldstad served parishes in Lengby, Minnesota; Thornton, Iowa; River Heights and Crookston, Minne-sota; Vero Beach, Florida; Cottage Grove, Wisconsin; and Audubon, Minnesota.

Mr. Harold Theiste, the current vice chair of the Board of Regents, will serve as chair until the board elects its offi-cers at the regular August meeting. Rev. Moldstad is home, in good spirits and doing well. Our prayers are with him as he continues his recovery.


Dr. Peter Harstad answered questions about his collection of rare books relating to the life of Abraham Lincoln. Harstad brought the books display to campus in honor of the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth.Rev. John

Moldstad, Sr.

Moldstad Sr. retires from BLC regents

Harstad shows love for history with collection

campus news


campus news

Honsey Hall on schedule for completion in 2010

By Lance SchwartzDirector of Marketing and Public Relations

As was noted in the last issue of the Bethany Report magazine,

in November 2008 the Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents passed a unanimous resolution to name the new academic building in honor of retired Professor Rudolph Honsey.

The new Rudolph E. Honsey Hall is currently scheduled for completion by March 31, 2010. The various depart-ments that will call the building home will use the summer months to move into the new space so that classes can be held in Honsey Hall beginning with the fall semester 2010.

While the Minnesota winter of 2008-09 has been especially harsh, construction crews have been making progress with the recent nicer weather. Much of the steel for the 66,000 square-foot structure has been erected and roof and floor decking is currently being put into place. The striking building will mark the new entrance to the Bethany campus and is visible from several blocks away as you approach the campus from the east.

You may watch the construction progress live on Bethany’s Web site by logging on to www.blc.edu/facilities/ newacademicbuilding.

Photos by David Norris

Above: Construction continues as workers weld and bolt steel together to give shape to the new building.

Right: Once completed, the south lantern area will be visible for several blocks when traveling to campus from the east on Marsh Street.


By Lance SchwartzDirector of Marketing and Public Relations

A unique and ambitious art show recently hung on the gallery walls of

the Ylviasker Fine Arts center. The show, called In The Details —The Ylvisaker Drawing Invitational, featured artists with connections to Bethany’s art depart-ment.

Art department chair, William Bukowski, first organized an invitational show when the Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center opened in 1990. Then, the show featured just four invited artists from the Mankato area.

Today, the Ylvisaker Invitational features twenty-seven artists—some are Bethany alumni, some are professors from other institutions, and some have a connection to the College through the art circles Bukowski travels within. But all of the artists have one thing in common according to Bukowski, they are part of the “culture of Bethany art” that he wanted to bring together with this show.

Rather than a show featuring artists from a limited geographical area, this show highlights work from artists throughout the United States and from across the world for that matter.

“The art expresses Bethany’s connec-tion to the world with artists from various

parts of the U.S.—St. Louis, Nebraska, New York City, and from around the world—China and France,” Bukowski explains.

Three of the artists are members of the art faculty at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“Bethany and WLC are institutions with similar goals,” said Bukowski.

In fact, one of the WLC faculty members in the show is a former student of Bukowski’s—Chad Lindemann. Other former students of Bukowski’s in the show include three who are currently enrolled in graduate programs and one who recently completed a graduate program—Charis Braun.

Not only was the show of interest

because of its depth of material, but it also provides current Bethany students with a wealth of experience and information.

“The Invitational is probably one of the most significant shows in its ability to explain the art,” said Bukowski.

Each of the artists submitted informa-tion about their inspiration and process of creation. The explanations allow current art students the opportunity to read and discuss the works. This was enforced in a greater way when at least sixteen of the show’s artists visited the campus on March 26 and 27, 2009.

Additionally, a special gallery talk featured artist James Shugrue, Bukows-ki’s collaborator on the Creation Fresco which adorns the lobby of Meyer Hall on the campus.

While it has taken nearly twenty years to host the second Ylvisaker Invi-tational, Bukowski is certain the next one will come together more quickly. In fact, Bukowski welcomes information from former students about their profes-sional art careers and would like to make contact with art alumni who might be interested in presenting or mentoring current art students as well as receiving news about exhibits and travel opportu-nities. He can be reached at Bethany by e-mailing [email protected].

Artist James Shugrue spoke about his experiences and body of work at the event.


The gallery talk and reception for the Ylvisaker Drawing Invitational show In The Details was held on Thursday, March 26, 2009.

fine arts

Invitational hosts work from 27 artists



Back row from left: Elyce Jaeger-bassoon, Josiah Willitz-trombone, Ethan Schulz-double bass, Cody Hardin-trumpet. Front row from left: Kristin Matzke-clarinet, Anna Rysavy-clarinet, Amy Anderson-bass clarinet.

Music students receive honor

Bethany Lutheran College Choirs Tour May 2009

Monday, May 18 - 6:30 p.m.

Peace Lutheran Church

Cottonwood, Arizona

Tuesday, May 19 - 9:40 a.m.

Arizona Lutheran Academy

Phoenix, Arizona

Tuesday, May 19 - 7 p.m.

Emmanuel Lutheran Church

Tempe, Arizona

Wednesday, May 20 - 7 p.m.

Grace Lutheran Church

Glendale, Arizona

Thursday, May 21 - 7 p.m.

Redeemer Lutheran Church

Scottsdale, Arizona

Sunday, May 24 - 9 a.m.

Our Saviour Lutheran Church

Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Sunday, May 24 - 4 p.m.

Green Valley Lutheran Church

Henderson, Nevada

Tuesday, May 26 - 7 p.m.

Trinity Lutheran Church – Sponsored

by Bethany Alumni and Friends

Denver, Colorado

Thursday, May 28 - 7 p.m.

Trinity Chapel

Bethany Lutheran College

y

y

Seven Bethany Lutheran College students were nominated and selected

to participate at the Minnesota Chap-ter of the 2009 College Band Directors National Association’s Intercollegiate Honor Band (CBDNA).

Each year, the Minnesota Chapter of the CBDNA organizes the opportunity for Minnesota’s most talented collegiate music students to assemble. The selection

is quite an honor as the event is highly competitive.

The event took place Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, February 12–14, 2009, at the Minneapolis Hilton and the Minneapolis Convention Center and culminated in a festival-closing performance on February 14. Rafa San-Espirt from Bilbao, Spain, was the guest conductor for the performance.


A life’s passion

By Sarah HarstadDirector of Alumni Relations and Annual Fund

It’s a story of conviction, belief, goals, advice, laughter, and the love of a lifetime. When you sit down with a person selected to receive the Distinguished Alumni

Award from Bethany Lutheran College, you can be assured of a good story. George Orvick, class of 1948 and the 2009 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, is no excep-tion.

Orvick was born in 1929 near Thornton, Iowa, two years after the Evangelical Lutheran Synod purchased Bethany. Orvick’s boyhood pastor, Rev. Arthur Ranzau, saw potential in this young farm boy and urged him to attend Bethany, stating, “I want you to be a minister.” With support from his parents, Orvick traveled to Mankato for experiences that would change his life.

“I fell in love with the place, it felt like home,” Orvick reflected. After just three days at Bethany, Orvick met a group of young ladies by the oak tree in the middle of campus. He sat down next to one of them and in his words, “has been sitting by her ever since.” Ruth (Hoel) taught Christian day school while Orvick continued his schooling at Northwestern College in Watertown, Wisconsin. After graduation, he returned to attend Bethany Lutheran Theo-logical Seminary and the couple married. Sixty-three years later, the Orvick’s have four children, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, many of whom have enjoyed years at Bethany themselves.

But remember, this isn’t only about the love of a life-time and laughter. This is also the story of a man of convictions, belief, and goals. Orvick’s resolve to serve in the ministry demonstrates his steadfast nature: “After deciding


The Rev. George Orvick has served the Evangelical Lutheran Synod in a number of capacities during his years as a member,

pastor, and synodical leader.

2009 Distinguished Alumni Award recipent


to become a minister in high school, I never looked back, and I never changed my mind. I like working with people and I like preaching the gospel.”

Not only did the chapel services and larger-than-life professors such as Ylvisaker, Madson, and Fremder leave an impression on Orvick’s school days, but he was also involved in baseball, choir, and operettas. A quick glimpse of yearbooks during these years show his face sprinkled throughout in the sports pages, choir, and in various theatrical roles including H.M.S. Pinafore, Pirates of Penzance, and the role of Lord High Executioner in Mikado.

As Orvick began full-time service in the ministry, the Lord continued to bless him. After serving for one year at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Amherst Junction, Wisconsin, Orvick accepted a call to Holy Cross in Madison, Wisconsin. Little did he know that he would spend thirty-two years with this congre-gation and have the opportunity to watch the Holy Spirit’s bless-ing on his service as the congregation grew. The Lord blessed the congregation with a period of tremendous expansion and they saw a new sanctuary, school, and gymnasium, as well as numer-ous vicars of the synod pass through their doors. While serv-ing as pastor of Holy Cross, he also took courses in Greek and Hebrew at the University of Wisconsin, which culminated in a six-week study tour in Israel. Orvick humbly comments, “I am happy the Lord provided the opportunity to serve in different ways. I loved working with the wonderful congregation.”

In addition to shepherding this rapidly growing congregation, Orvick served the synod and school that he loved so. He was a member of the Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents from 1957-1969 and was elected president of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod in 1970. At that time, the office of the president was part-time with two-year term limits and only three consecu-tive terms allowed. In 1976, Orvick finished his service but this break was short-lived. In 1980, Orvick was again elected to be president and this service would be different. In 1986, the synod decided to make this a full-time position so the Orvicks moved to the synod headquarters in Mankato, Minnesota.

During his years as President, Orvick had a special affinity for mission work and enjoyed maintaining contact with overseas churches, assisting in the formation of the Confessional Evan-

gelical Lutheran Conference. Orvick served as president for twenty-eight years and retired in 2002. “The Lord blessed us by allowing the Synod to remain faithful to the doctrine of Holy Scripture and the forefathers while maintaining an especially evangelical spirit.”

And just like that, it’s back to Orvick’s sense of humor. “Old preachers never die, they just put them in museums,” he quipped as we sat together and chatted. And as such, Orvick was appointed the director of museum and archives in the Ottesen Museum on the Bethany campus. Here he works with artifacts and history of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod and Lutheranism. As the Museum mission states, President Orvick has worked for several years “Preserving the past so that we may have direction for the future.”

President Orvick is an example of what Bethany hopes for our alumni. He has made significant contributions to his commu-nity and church, his profession, and shown service and support for Bethany Lutheran College.

“There is a spirit there [Bethany] of family that is meaningful and I wouldn’t trade my years at Bethany for anything,” noted Orvick.

Bethany will present the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award to George Orvick on May 15 during the 2009 commencement service.

A montage of photos and text was given to Orvick as a thank you from one of the members after leaving Holy Cross in Madison, Wisconsin.

Photo courtesy of George Orvick

George’s family (from left) includes sons Mark, Daniel, his wife Ruth, and daughters Kirsten, and Emily (Goetzke). They also have eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.


By Joseph BaerStudent Writer

Men’s basketballThe Bethany men’s basketball team had

many ups and downs during their 2008-09 season. The Vikings closed the season with a modest 13-15 record and 5-9 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Confer-ence (UMAC). The team reached the UMAC tournament as the sixth seed and completed road upsets of Northwestern (third seed) and Martin Luther (second seed). In the championship, the Vikings were on the losing end of a dramatic game and subsequently finished as the runner-up to the College of St. Scholas-tica. The Vikings also won the Trinity Tournament held in Connecticut during the Christmas break.

Senior Andy Wills (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West) and junior Tommy Saffert (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West) led the way for Bethany and received First Team All-Conference honors for their productive seasons. Wills led the Vikings with 17.6 points and 7.4 rebounds a game and Saffert led the team in minutes, assists, steals, and free throw percentage. Saffert also averaged 15.3 points per game. Junior Jeff Zimmer-man (Nicollet, Minn./Nicollet) added 14 points per game and had a season and team high of 39 points against Martin Luther in the UMAC semi-finals where he hit 11 three-pointers. Freshman Shimi Colbert established himself as one of the UMAC’s feared defenders and received UMAC All-Defensive Team honors for his strong play.

Coach Rick Jeddeloh looked back at the challenges of coaching a young team this season and said, “Whenever you have 12 freshmen on a team, it presents chal-lenges for the veteran players, the coach-ing staff, and the freshmen. I thought we all grew together as the season went on in the areas that we think are most

important: trust, respect, communica-tion, and pride in our program.”

Women’s basketballThe Bethany women’s basketball

team finished the 2008-09 season with a 10-15 record overall and 4-10 in the UMAC. The Vikings just missed out on the UMAC postseason tournament, but finished the season strong. In February, the team went on a three-game confer-ence winning streak where they upset then-conference-leading Minnesota-Morris on the road.

Seniors Eva Voss (North Mankato, Minn./Minnesota Valley Lutheran) and Lindsey Kahle (Gaylord, Minn./Sibley East) made a lasting impression on the season. Voss earned First Team All-

Conference honors and the UMAC All-Defensive Team. Voss also reached 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds by season’s end. On the 2008-09 season, Voss led the team with 15.1 points and 11.9 rebounds a game. Kahle was also named to the UMAC All-Defensive Team and earned Honorable Mention All-Conference. Kahle reached 1,000 career points in her senior season, aver-aged 13 points per game, and finished the year with a team-leading 84 steals.

Voss and Kahle will be the lone depar-tures going into next year’s season. The Vikings will look on a combination of a new class of recruits and the current developing team to fill the gap left by the team leaders.

athletics

Basketball teams finish strong

VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS VIKINGS

Photos by Sport PiX

Above left: Senior Andy Wills (33) led the men’s team with a season average 17.6 points per game.

Above right: Seniors Lindsey Kahle (12) and Eva Voss (top) were both selected for postseason honors. Voss led the women’s team scoring an average 15.1 points per game.


By Christopher KindDirector of Development

“So, how is Bethany Lutheran College coping with the reces-sion?” As you might imagine, that’s one of the most asked

questions I get these days. Depending on whom you listen to, our economy is in a recession, a depression or just going through a typical downturn amongst the hills and valleys of our economic cycle. Like many other colleges and universi-ties, Bethany is preparing for the 2009-10 school year by taking steps now to address the challenges to come. After graduating the largest senior class ever last spring and enrolling a record high number of students this fall, the bar has been set high. The leadership, hard work, and prayers that got us to this point are needed now more than ever. As the saying goes: “Dig your well before you’re thirsty.”

The overall economic reality is that everyone is thinking more about the difference between “need” and “want” and getting back to basics. Charitable giving is no exception. Predict-ably, charitable donations are one of the first cuts for family and company budgets. Orga-nizations from disaster relief to higher education are having to demonstrate real and practical need along with how, when, and where donations and gifts will be applied. Demonstrating who stands to benefit and the philosophy of the organization distrib-uting support is becoming a requirement for charitable consid-eration. Fortunately for Bethany Lutheran College, everyone from administration, staff, faculty, and students, has the ability to represent our campus and witness our Christian mission by example.

Over the last 15 months, I have had the opportunity to person-ally visit and talk with hundreds of alumni, family, friends, and community supporters of Bethany Lutheran College. Some are new supporters while others have been giving faithfully for decades. Many times I ask what it is about Bethany that causes them to support our school. The typical answers to that question would include a high quality of education, excellent professors and staff, a wide array of majors and minors, diverse activities and extra-curricular activities, a beautiful campus, or simply a willingness to “give back.” Some of the more personal responses are that “you can trust Bethany” or “I met my best

friends there” and “I credit my education at Bethany for the success I enjoy today.” Everyday I get to hear new insights into what makes Bethany special. The common denominator that makes Bethany a unique place to its supporters is our unwav-ering dedication to our Christian mission while continuing to meet the needs of our students as they realize their potential.

The investment made in a Christian-based education at Beth-any Lutheran College ultimately makes a difference in students’ lives that is immeasurable. It’s all made possible by our support-ers who have a personal stake in improving the lives of students by giving them an “education that lasts beyond a lifetime.” Supporting the unlimited potential of students coming onto campus for freshman year and to those young men and women that are beginning their lives after graduation is a stimulus that is unsurpassed in benefit.

advancement

Investing in your future

‘The investment made in a Christian-based education at Bethany Lutheran College ultimately makes a difference in students’ lives that is immeasurable.’


Learning, love connections on campusBy Lance SchwartzDirector of Marketing and Public Relations

Saturday afternoon dorm room visits, walks down “the steps,” an evening

meeting in the Viking Village—perhaps these are some of the places you remem-ber meeting friends during your years on the BLC campus. For some, maybe those special places were part of the memorable times when you met your future spouse.

“Bethany Couples,” as they are referred to in the alumni relations office, are among the many special products of time spent at BLC. According to Bethany’s Alumni Director, Sarah Harstad, there are 557 Bethany couples that have tied the knot as a result of attending or meet-ing on the campus “atop the hill” in Mankato. That’s 1,114 people in a group of 7,770 alumni, or about 14% of Betha-ny’s total alumni base.

Harstad reminisced, “Going for a walk has always seemed to symbolize the beginning of an important relationship at Bethany. There are stories of alums finding their spouse within three days of moving to campus or naming a child after this place that was special in their lives. The connection that a shared faith brings to the relationship is a blessing and it’s wonderful to see students grow-ing in their education and personal life. It’s probably not a coincidence that we have so many students whose parents also attended Bethany.”

A special recognition is sent to these “alumni” couples each Valentine’s Day when the alumni office sends a Beth-any-themed Valentine’s Day card to our married alumni. Many recipients of the card have commented that it’s nice the College remembers the marriages that resulted from their meeting on campus. Notes of thanks have been sent from alumni around the country after receiv-ing the Valentine’s Day card in the mail.

Of special significance, unlike years past, many of these alumni weddings actually take place on the Bethany campus in the beautiful Trinity Chapel. We’ve done our best to keep track of all

the married Bethany couples, but if we’ve inadvertently missed you, please let us know and we’ll add your names to the list.

alumni news

Photo courtesy of JR Portrait Design LLC


1940Ada (Stokes) Jeppesen was once

again a facilitator of book discussion in the Liberal Arts Reading Program of Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, in the summer of 2008 when she was still only 87 years old. Since then, osteoporosis has ended her ability to participate in the program. Ada comments that “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

1942President Norman Holte and his

wife, Violet (Fevig), are enjoying their retirement at Keystone Community in Mankato, Minnesota. They regret that they cannot return to Bethany Lutheran College as much as they would like, however they are still very independent and are out and about in Mankato often.

1948Esther (Busch) Gartland and her

husband, Irv, are still living at Oakridge Retirement Apartments in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. They recently became great-grandparents for the first time. Their great-granddaughter’s name is Hannah Grace.

Virginia (Loberg) Goetzke and her husband, Bob, are now residing in Mankato, Minnesota, and spending three months yearly in Wisconsin. They are very family-oriented, having five children, fifteen grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Presently two of their grandchildren are attending Beth-any Lutheran College.

1951Joan (Teuchert) Closs is enjoying

watching the basketball games that her two granddaughters play for their school, Granada–Huntley–East Chain, in Granada, Minnesota.

1952Myrna (Beer) Mumme is the proud

grandmother of twenty grandchildren.

1955

Several members of the Bethany High School class of 1955 and their spouses gathered together at a Christmas at Bethany program last December and

assembled at the home of one alumnus for a celebration of Bethany. Included in the celebration were: Will Anthony, Rachel Anthony, Jim Olsen, Mary (Sullivan) Olsen (’62), Larry Matthews, Gloria (Meyer) Steinke, David Geisler, Norm Faugstad, and Adela (Halverson) Faugstad (’57).

1959Helen (Kuehl) and her husband Paul

Levorson (’60) went on a bus tour to

Arizona for Milwaukee Brewers spring training and other highlights in the area. They unexpectedly ran into Alan Kison (’60) at the first baseball game, and visited with him at two of the other games they went to as well. Later in the

trip, they met with Delores (Rambler) Cassadore (’56) in a special reunion Helen arranged prior to the trip. Paul and Helen live in Oakfield, Wisconsin. Helen

alumni news

Join us for these golf events!

Register online for any of these events at: www.blc.edu/events/registration

MadisonGolf ClassicJuly 2009

Madison, WisconsinJune 5, 2009

Lakeville, MinnesotaAugust 3, 2009

Mankato, Minnesota


alumni news

plans to attend her fiftieth junior college class reunion this year. If you are in the area, Paul and Helen invite you to stop in.

Dr. Karolyn (Klammer) Hanna, professor of nursing at Santa Barbara City College for twenty-nine years, was recently honored with the Association of Community College Trustees’ Pacific Region Faculty Award. The award represents the top community college faculty member in the region for the 2008-09 academic year.

1962Frankie Bly has been retired from

teaching for ten years. He is currently working at a greenhouse/nursery as their main planter and garden center manager. He also drives bus two days a week for his county bus system.

1970Charles Bode retired from the United

States Postal Service after thirty-nine years of service. He is now living in Pinon, New Mexico.

1972In December 2008, Rev. Ted Aaberg

marked twenty years working at Harvard University after completing a master’s degree in ethics there in 1988. Presently, he is an assistant director of development research at Harvard Law School. He wrote many of the fundraising reports for the law school’s Dean Elena Kagan for its campaign, which finished at $476 million in June 2008. Over the years, he has writ-ten reports for Presidents Derek Bok, Neil Rudenstine, Lawrence Summers; General Counsel Dan Steiner; Associate Provost Dennis Thompson; as well as countless administrators and faculty members. On the lighter side, Ted is still a Twins fan but also roots for the Red Sox. He especially enjoys watching Minnesota transplants David Ortiz and Kevin Garnett (Celtics).

1975Sue (Gouley) Wiggins is now the

proud grandmother of grandson Hunter King, who was born on November 29, 2008.

1976David Drager has been serving the

Lord’s ministry as a pastor for the last three years.

1980Lynda (Hill) Fernholz is enjoying

a new position at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin, as an assistant professor in the School of Education. She is working on a doctorate in literacy and language through Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Lynda is expecting her first grandchild in June of 2009.

1984Doug Eichhorst and his wife are proud

parents of Anna Kathleen Eichhorst. Anna was born on February 13, 2009, and weighed 5 lbs and 14 oz.

Reverend Daniel Schroeder (Sem. ’88) resides in Lincoln, Nebraska, and is currently the pastor of Mighty Fortress Evangelical Lutheran Church in Seward, Nebraska. For current informa-tion about Dan and the congregation, go to the website: www.mightyfortress.us. Dan serves as police and fire chap-lain in Lincoln, being commissioned in May of 1999. He is also a full-time member of the Lancaster County Mental Health Board. His family also owns a rental property business in which Dan is actively involved.

1985Kay (Guse) Gottschalk has begun a

new adventure of becoming a Pampered Chef consultant. She has had an excit-ing month and is really enjoying it. Kay is happily married to Gary and has a twenty-three-year-old stepson, Jeff. She would love to hear from any Bethany friends.

1986Kjersti (Benson) Gelling would like

to say “hi” to all of her friends from Beth-any.

Roxie (Terhell) Winter and her husband Bill enjoy living in northern Minnesota with their two daughters. Roxie is a special education teacher at Hinckley High School.

1988James Pluym has been the general

manager of Superior Concrete Block Co.

for three years. His wife Amy has worked as a social services supervisor for nine-teen years for Watonwan County in St. James, Minnesota. They have two chil-dren, JoAnna (13) and Aaron (10), who both attend school at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in St. James. The family is doing well and has been truly blessed.

Jackie Tiegs has moved from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, to Brookfield, Wisconsin, and is now enjoying being a homeowner. She continues to work as a proposal writer for a software logistics company, RedPrairie, at their corporate headquarters in Waukesha, Wisconsin. She enjoys keeping in touch with class-mates and fondly remembers the days she spent at Bethany.

Jane (Zimmerman) Duesterhoeft was married to Dean Duesterhoeft in September of 2008.

Dale Kelm was recently promoted to SFC (Sergeant First Class) while serv-ing his twenty-second year in the Army Reserves. Dale is currently mobilized and serving at Al Asad, Iraq. He hopes to return home to his wife, Jesi, and two children, Claire (3) and Gabriel (2), early this spring.


alumni news

1990Brad and Susan (Mills ’91) Morse

along with their two children, Anthony (13) and Steven (7), are happy to

announce that they recently moved to Zimmerman, Minnesota. Brad is currently employed at BAE systems in Fridley, Minnesota, as an IT Security Analyst and has been there for two years. He will be completing his bachelor’s degree in IT security this March through the University of Phoenix. Sue contin-ues to stay busy being a full-time stay-at-home mother. Sue would like to hear from former classmates.

1991Julaine Rearden is living in Tomah,

Wisconsin, and working as a medical laboratory technician. She has a daughter named Kayla.

Tammy (Nickel) Schellpfeffer and her husband Greg now have four chil-dren.

1992Eric and Micki (Knutson) Breitspre-

cher reside in Preston, Minnesota, where Micki is the director of special educa-tion for two school districts and Eric is a bridge inspector for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Eric has spent the last fourteen months as a lead inspector in Minneapolis on the new Interstate 35W bridge. His three children and wife are happy to have him home.

1994Gwen (Hill) Dinius is now working

for Schwan’s Contact Services within the e-commerce division. She has three children: Cody (14), Travis (11), and Natalie (10). Gwen and her family live

in Marshall, Minnesota. She invites her Bethany friends to look her up on face-book.

Scott Schaefer and his wife Jamie are happy to announce the birth of their

third child. Elliot Jon was born on March 6, 2008, and had a great time celebrating his first Christmas with his sister, Emma (7), and brother, Ian (4). Scott contin-ues to work for the city of New Ulm, Minnesota, as the assistant finance direc-tor, while Jamie is the human resources manager at 3M in New Ulm.

Kelly (Behnke) Schleper recently celebrated her four-year wedding anniver-

sary with her husband, Gary, on a trip to Cancun, Mexico. Gary is a sporting goods salesman for Innovative Graph-ics in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Kelly teaches health and physical education to grades 6-10 at Jordan Public Schools in Jordan, Minnesota. She is going on her twelfth year of teaching and will gradu-ate with her master’s degree in classroom instruction from Concordia St. Paul this May. Gary and Kelly have a dog named Wuxie and live in Jordan, Minnesota.

1996Shad and Crystal (Anderson)

VanDyken are still residing in Bozeman, Montana. Shad continues to work in

construction but plans on farming with his father-in-law this summer. Crystal is a stay-at-home mom and hopes to teach someday. They welcomed a fourth child, Isaac Peter, in March of 2007.

1997Nicole (Schmugge) Wencl and her

husband recently bought a house in Cleveland, Minnesota, and are enjoy-ing the peace and quiet of small-town living. Nicole is employed as the church secretary at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in North Mankato, while her husband, Bill, works in manufacturing in Mankato, Minnesota. Nicole and Bill have two chil-dren: Alexis (10) is in fourth grade, and Billy (7) is in second grade at Mt. Olive Lutheran School in Mankato. Nicole would love to hear from old classmates at [email protected].

Olena Dmytrenko currently works for the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. She is married and has one son, Nykyta, who is seven years old. Olena would like to keep in touch with Bethany classmates.

Christopher and Victoria (Hayes) Garding announce the birth of their first child, Amelia Marie Garding. Mia was born on July 7, 2008, and was 6 lbs, 6 oz., and 20 inches long. The family resides in Minnea-polis, Minnesota.


alumni news

Tina (Borgmeier) Peterson is married to Captain Douglas Peterson of the United States Marine Corps. She works at Mary Washington Hospital as an RN on the cardiac floor. Tina and Douglas have two daughters: Laura (6) and Susan (19 months). The family currently lives in Quantico, Virginia, and will be moving to Camp Pendleton, California, in May.

1998Chris Meyers was married to Amy in

2006. The couple purchased their first home together in the Como Park area of St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2007. Their first child, Linnea April Meyers, was born on December 21, 2008.

1999Travis and Trisha

(Bartelt) Hinze welcomed their first child, Payton Emma Hinze, on August 25, 2008. She weighed 9 lbs, 10 oz., and was 22 inches long.

Rebecca (Justman) Buttke is a physi-cal therapist at an outpatient clinic in Elk River, Minnesota. Her husband Jack is a

police officer in Minnetonka, Minnesota. They had their first child, Alayna Chris-tine, on June 10, 2006. Their second child, Will, joined the family this past Labor Day, September 1, 2008.

2000Jason and Melissa (Ribbe) Neeb

welcomed their first child, Griffin

Donald, on June 6, 2003, and their second child, Kira Kimella, on March 29, 2006. The family resides outside of Lake Crystal, Minnesota. Melissa teaches preschool at the Jesus Loves Me Learning Center in North Mankato, Minnesota, and just started a photography/design business with her sister, Laura Ribbe (’02), called Mella Memories. Melissa invites friends to visit their website: www.mellamemories.com. Melissa’s husband Jason is co-owner of Scott’s Lawn Service and Snow Removal in Mankato.

Jeff and Jodi (Fahrenkamp) Foster were married on May 12, 2007. Bethany alumni in the wedding party included Amy (Schroeder) Veenhof (’00), Sheila Hanson (’99), and Tina Hopp (’98). Jeff and Jodi welcomed their first child, Kendall Reynee, on Febru-ary 28, 2008. Jodi works for Airborne Athletics in Belle Plaine, Minnesota, as a sales representative and office manager. Jeff owns and operates his own excavating and landscaping business. The family resides in Cologne, Minnesota.

2001Jason and

Miranda (Umphrey) Ditt-mer welcomed a son, Isaac Benjamin, on June 11, 2008.

2003 John Bakou hopes to bring the Gospel

to Sudanese families in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Crystal De Sloover recently became an aunt of twins, Madelynn and Amelia. They were born July 14, 2008. The parents are Ashley (De Sloover) Shrock, who attended Bethany in the fall of 2001, and Jeremy Schrock.

Samuel Gullix-son and his wife Anna (Norman ’06) welcomed their first child, Abel John, on November 30, 2008. Samuel is finishing up his last semester at semi-nary before his vicarage. Anna is enjoying staying home with Abel.

Andrew Palmquist is blessed with a three-year-old daughter, Lydia, and a nine-month-old son, Nicholas.

Megan (Czer) Schable and her husband Jacob had their second son,

Gideon Joseph, on October 20, 2008. Gideon weighed 8 lbs, 7 oz. and was 20 inches long. His older brother, Solomon, turned two at the end of January. The Schables are currently living in Milwau-kee, Wisconsin, where Jacob is teaching at The Hope School, an inner city WELS high school. Megan is enjoying her time staying at home with the boys and teach-ing Solomon how to draw.


alumni news

We need your personal and professional updates to include in our alumni news. You may also submit alumni news and photos by emailing them to [email protected], or through our Web site at www.blc.edu/submitnews.

Name __________________________________________________________________________ Class year _________________

Address ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

City ___________________________________________ State __________________________ Zip _______________________

Phone ( _________ ) ___________________________ Email _____________________________________________________

Spouse’s name _________________________________________________________________ Class year ________________ (first name/maiden or birth/current last name)

news (attach additional information and photos as necessary)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

birth/adoption announcement

Parents’ names ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Name __________________________________________________________________________ Class year _________________ (first name/maiden or birth/current last name)


[ ] Daughter’s name [ ] Son’s name ___________________________________________________________________________ First Middle Last

Date of Birth/Adoption __________________________ Place of Birth ______________________________________________

marriage announcement

Name __________________________________________________________________________ Class year _________________ (first name/maiden or birth/current last name)


Date of Marriage _______________________________ Current Residence _________________________________________

Cut out (or photocopy) and send to: Alumni News, Bethany Lutheran College, 700 Luther Drive, Mankato, MN 56001

We want to hear from you

alumni news

#

2005Bethany graduates Eliza Koch and

Chelsie Feser (’07) are both employed by Lime Valley Advertising, Inc., an agency that has received Service Industry Advertising Awards for communication excellence.

2007David Luiken married Kim on June 9,

2007. They welcomed their first daugh-ter, Breena Rose, on October 28, 2008.

They have a home in Mankato, Minne-sota, and David is working as a quality assurance auditor at Minnesota Valley Testing Labs in New Ulm, Minnesota. Kim works part-time at Indulge Salon in North Mankato, but most of all enjoys being home with Breena.

2008Becky Breitbarth recently took a job

in Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill working for Congresswoman Michele Bachmann as a staff assistant. Becky now resides in Washington, D.C.

In Memoriam

1950Joseph T. Erickson passed away on

January 27, 2009, at Princeton, Minne-sota. The pastor at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Princeton focused his message on the theme “One thing is needful” at Joseph’s funeral service.

1964Steve P. Wenger passed away on June

26, 2008, of colon cancer.


alumni news

700 Luther DriveMankato, Minnesota56001-6163

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Non ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDMinneapolis, MNPERMIT No. 4656

ADDReSS SeRvIce RequeSteD

Key: SFC – Sports and Fitness Center; YFAC – Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center. Dates and times are subject to possible changes. Please call in advance to confirm dates and times of events before traveling: 800.944.3066 or 507.344.7000.

Printed on recycled paper

Calendar of Events

april20 Science Symposium speaker, Dr. John Sanford Trinity Chapel, 8 p.m.22 Science Symposium speaker, Ron Buelow Meyer Hall 101, 7:30 p.m.23 String Ensemble Performance Trinity Chapel, 7 p.m.24 Jam Jar Sonnets YFAC, Theater, 7:30 p.m.25 Jam Jar Sonnets YFAC, Theater, 2 p.m & 7:30 p.m.27 Red Cross Blood Drive SFC, South Gym, 12 p.m.28 Spring Semester Honors Recital Trinity Chapel, 7 p.m. 30 Spring Semester Student Art Show and Reception, YFAC Gallery, 7 p.m.

may 2 Luthapalooza music festival Campus Green3 Student Composition Recital Trinity Chapel, 4 p.m.4 Concert Band Performance Trinity Chapel, 7 p.m. 14 Commencement Vespers service and Graduate Reception Trinity Chapel, 7 p.m.15 Commencement, South Gym, 10:30 a.m.28 Choir Homecoming Concert Trinity Chapel, 7 p.m.

june 5 Laube Golf Tournament Lakeville, Minn.21-25 ELS Convention, SFC, South Gym

august 3 Bethany Sports Classic Golf Tournament

Athletic event dates can be found at:www.blc.edu/athletics

For more calendar events, visit: www.blc.edu

Think a private college

is too expensive?

Think again.

A Bethany education is an exceptional value. A small college where students thrive in an atmosphere of high academic integrity with a commitment

to individualized instruction, study abroad opportunities, and excellent preparation for rewarding careers. At Bethany you’ll find accessible, dedicated professors, state of-the-art facilities, and a values-based Christian focus. But even with these tremendous benefits, families of prospective students express concern about the cost of attending a private college.

We believe that earning a college degree does not need to put your financial future in jeopardy. And we are certain that enrolling at Bethany is a worthwhile investment. It all starts with the fact that Bethany annually has the lowest tuition cost of any private liberal arts college in Minnesota.

Other financial considerations include:•Over 98% of Bethany students receive some type of financial aid •The average aid package for a full-time student in

2007-08 was $18,773•Bethany awards over $9 million in financial aid to students •The average loan debt for a 2008 Bethany graduate was $21,876

compared to an average of $25,200 at all other Minnesota private colleges. (MN Office of Higher Education, March 2006)

•Bethany scholarships are annually renewable

Think Bethany.

winter 2008-09 bethany report

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