August 2010

Bethel College will inaugurate Dr. Perry D. White as its 14th president in a service of worship at 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 10, during the 40th annual Fall Festival weekend. The worship and inauguration event will take place in Jolliffe Auditorium in Memorial Hall. White began at the college July 19.

The extended Fall Fest weekend will also include times for Perry and Dalene White to meet the public. On Thursday, Oct. 7, at Taste of Newton downtown, the couple will be at a Bethel College booth at Broadway and Main from 6-9 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 9, during the Fall Fest fair on campus, they will be available on Centennial Plaza in front of Memorial Hall from 1:30-3 p.m. (Cafeteria in Schultz Student Center if rain).

Alumni, friends of the college, the broader community and representatives from other colleges and universities are invited not only to the service of worship and inauguration but to any or all Fall Fest activities.

Look for more Fall Fest highlights in the September issue of “Thresher E-View.”

Remember the academic environment across the nation in the late 60s and early 70s? Bethel was among the colleges and universities that offered innovative programs, including the Bethel Experimental Learning Laboratory or BELL program, part of the curriculum from 1970-72.

BELL was promoted as “a learning program for changing times” that was “1. Interdisciplinary -- a more complete integration in a liberal arts program, 2. Interpersonal -- to focus on the individual and his growth in community, 3. Experiential -- greater skill development, methods of communications, and independence of learning, 4. Intercultural -- to encounter the problems and values of other cultures.”

Everyone who was in BELL is invited to a 40th anniversary reunion at Fall Fest, from 10-11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, in the Lemonade Stand just west of the Administration Building. Former BELL co-coordinator Duane Friesen, now Edmund G. Kaufman professor emeritus of Bible and religion, and former BELL participant Patty Shelly, now Bethel professor of Bible and religion, will host the gathering.

All BELL participants -- whether at the Fall Fest reunion or not -- are asked to share their recollections using an online form by Friday, Oct. 1. The entries will be shared at the reunion.

Those not in BELL are welcome to attend, too, to hear stories about the original if not quirky topics that Bethel students explored in the early 70s.

The contribution of Bethel musicians to a documentary on the Russian Mennonite “Great Trek” to Central Asia in the late 19th century has resulted in a regional Emmy^® award.

“Through the desert goes our journey,” the title song for the 2008 documentary co-produced by Walter Ratliff of Herndon, Va., and 2005 Bethel graduate Jesse Nathan of San Francisco, took the award for “Musical Composition/Arrangement” at the Heartland Chapter Emmy^® award ceremonies held July 18 in Denver and Oklahoma City.

In “Through the Desert Goes Our Journey,” the Bethel College Concert Choir sings the hymn. Andy Gingerich, a 2005 Bethel graduate from Albuquerque, also plays the tune on guitar. Named in the award, in addition to Ratliff, Gingerich and Concert Choir director and Bethel professor of music William Eash, is 2008 Bethel graduate Dan Graber of Sioux Falls, S.D., who arranged the music for both choir and solo guitar.

Bethel’s Summer Science Institute celebrated its 11th birthday in June with its highest enrollment ever.

The 2010 group numbered 34, double the highest previous enrollment, said Dwight Krehbiel, professor of psychology and institute co-director.

Krehbiel cited a number of reasons for the jump in enrollment. “This was the second year of a fee of only $50 [per student] because of subsidies from STEM [science, technology, pre-engineering, mathematics] alumni,” he said. “There’s word of mouth getting out about what a good value this is. Our Office of Admissions has been more systematic in promoting Summer Science Institute. It’s hard to say for sure what’s tipping the balance.”

One thing that contributed to the good numbers was the participation of 13 Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) students from the program at Wichita State University.

“Our UBMS program [made] a campus visit at Bethel College in 2008 with a few of our local students,” said Julie Scott, curriculum coordinator for the UBMS Regional Center at WSU. “We were so impressed by the experience that we brought all 50 of them back that summer for a second visit.”

Athletic director Diane Flickner has announced the hiring of Bethel graduate Stacy Koontz Middleton ’95 to lead the softball program for the Threshers. Bethel announced the addition of softball to its intercollegiate lineup this past spring and will begin competing in fall 2011.

“I am extremely pleased to announce that Stacy Koontz Middleton has accepted the position as the inaugural head softball coach at Bethel College,” stated Flickner. “She has a significant understanding of the challenges in developing a successful softball program at Bethel because of her familiarity with the college coupled with her previous coaching experiences. She is very loyal to Bethel and will energetically promote the college to any prospective student and parents.”

The Bethel College Alumni Association Awards Committee invites nominations for alumni awards: Young Alumnus, Outstanding Alumnus and Distinguished Achievement. Awards have been given to Bethel graduates annually since 1960.

The Young Alumnus Award recognizes character and citizenship, achievement or service rendered, honor and recognition received; the recipient should be age 39 or under. The Outstanding Alumnus Award is given on the basis of character and citizenship, service to church/community or college, or other outstanding achievements, honors and recognition. The Distinguished Achievement Award acknowledges character and citizenship, achievement in a chosen profession or vocation, and work of benefit to humanity.

The committee welcomes a broad range of nominees who reflect Bethel’s many programs, college experiences and diversity as well as achievement or service in a variety of areas. Send names with accompanying comments to Awards Committee, c/o Office of Alumni Relations, Bethel College, 300 East 27th Street, North Newton, KS 67117, alumni@bethelks.edu.

Alumni and friends of Bethel are invited to the 17th annual Summer Thresher Golf Classic and Barbecue Saturday, Aug. 14, at Galaway Creek Golf Course, Henderson, Neb. The four-person scramble tournament, sponsored by the Alumni Association, supports the college. All golfers are welcome.

Check-in is at 7:15 a.m. and shotgun start is at 8 a.m. At 1 p.m., golfers, alumni and friends are invited to a barbecue lunch near the course. The meal is hosted by local Bethel supporters.

For a brochure, contact the alumni office at (316) 284-5251 or alumni@bethelks.edu, or print one from the website. Players who register by Aug. 5 receive a discount.

The Alumni Association Golf Committee will also host the Fall Thresher Golf Classic Saturday, Sept. 18, at Sand Creek Station golf course, Newton. Look for more information in the September issue of “Thresher E-View” and on the website.

Bethel alumnus and pastor Weldon Martens ’77, Henderson, Neb., will host a trip to Greece and Italy in June 2011. The tour is an activity of the Bethel College Alumni Association. The trip is offered in cooperation with MTS Travel, Ephrata, Pa.

“Footsteps of Paul” is an opportunity for alumni and friends of Bethel to travel together, learn and have fun at locations recorded in the Bible in Acts 17-18. The itinerary includes visits to Athens, Corinth, Delphi, Meteora, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Phillippi and Veria, plus a three-night Mediterranean cruise to the islands of Mykonos, Patmos, Crete and Santorini. The trip will conclude with three days in Rome, including a free day for participants to explore the city on their own.

Martens is a pastor at Bethesda Mennonite Church, Henderson, Neb. He hosted a similar tour in the past and can be reached at (402) 723-4565 or by e-mail to answer questions about the 2011 trip.

Download a brochure and registration form in PDF format using Adobe Reader. Printed copies are also available from the Bethel alumni office by calling (316) 284-5251 or e-mailing alumni@bethelks.edua.