printer-friendly

2009 Alumni Banquet Address

May 23, 2009

Good evening. Aren’t reunions great! We have the privilege of hosting several of the earlier classes at Goerz House, which was once Goerz Hall, and is where many from the earlier classes lived when Goerz Hall provided student housing. I can personally attest that these reunions are a time for reminiscing, a time for storytelling, and even a time for confession!

It is good to see you all here for this special occasion. Congratulations to Gregg Schroeder, Howard Brenneman, and Harold Moyer and thank you for the significant contributions you have made in your respective professions, and beyond. Thank you to Dave Linscheid and Diana Graber in the alumni office and to Carol Peters and the Alumni Association for all that you do for Bethel. And congratulations to the class of 2009!

We gather this evening exactly 122 years since Bethel College was incorporated as a college on May 23, 1887. You know that means that we will celebrate our 125-year anniversary in 2012. I know that means that none of you were present at the beginning, and so let me read some passages from The Story of Bethel College (1950, pages 46, 48, and 53), the 1954 history written by Peter J. Wedel and edited by E.G. Kaufman, to set a bit of the context:

During the eighties of the last century the “boom” in Kansas affected every town and hamlet. It struck with a violence that threw some cities completely off balance. Some of its more obvious manifestations were: additions to town sites laid out sometimes miles beyond the limits of the city; soaring of prices of city lots to fabulous heights; highly attractive offers, especially by larger cities, to secure state institutions, colleges or industrial establishments.

The competition among cities to secure colleges seems to have been especially severe…. Newton was no exception to the rule. … Finally a “Newton College Association” was formed, which adopted as its aim the establishment of a “nonsectarian, but religious college”….

* * * * *

The School Committee met on April 20, 1887, to consider the offer more fully and to decide upon a course of action. . . . The real estate, consisting of approximately 120 acres, was to be deeded to Bethel College as soon as building operations began. . . . [It was also agreed that] a building costing not less than $50,000 must be erected; a first class college was to be maintained….

* * * * *

With the filing of the charter [on May 23, 1887], Bethel College assumed a definite legal status. . . . Its courses were to be sufficiently comprehensive to attract students from great distances; . . .its work was to carry an appeal not only to Mennonite youth, but seek to “pay the debt of gratitude to other denominations by opening wide the doors of the institution.”

And so began Bethel College, pushed forward by the community of Newton that wanted its own “first class college,” with a mission to open wide the doors from the beginning. We want to demonstrate our appreciation to the community of Newton for its role in starting Bethel College, and are launching an institutional scholarship to any student who lives or goes to school in Newton or North Newton. Most of those students bypass Bethel, but harking back to the origin of the college, Newton has the “first class college” that the School Committee dreamed of in 1887, and we want to demonstrate our appreciation to students of the community as we move toward our 125-year anniversary.

A new history of Bethel College is being prepared by Dr. Keith Sprunger, and we already have a committee in place to plan the celebration in 2012, including celebrations leading up to that milestone. For example, in January, on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking in this room, Dr. Vincent Harding will return to our campus for a keynote address. Dr. Harding worked alongside Dr. King, has been on our campus numerous times, and currently is professor emeritus at Iliff School of Theology in Denver.

The strength of an institution can be measured in many ways. Our strength comes partly from our long legacy and tradition of nearly 125 years. 2008 marked 70 years since Bethel first achieved accredited status. It was a significant advance, a quantum leap, when President E.G. Kaufman led Bethel College to its first accreditation in 1938. That outside recognition further legitimized the education Bethel offered and opened doors for our graduates. Accreditation continues to provide a level of validation that can only be achieved when persons outside the institution study us with care. We have just come through another round of that process. It began with an in-depth self study process, and concluded with a visit by a four-person team in February. We received the final report from that team on May 8. We are very pleased the team recommended another 10-year accreditation for the college.

This weekend is the culmination of another school year and demonstrates the strength of the institution in many ways. I would like to provide some information about the graduating class that the office of academic affairs has compiled:

The graduating class of 2009 is comprised of 59 women and 60 men, who come from 14 states and 10 foreign countries. 87 of the graduates are from Kansas, 4 from Texas, 3 from Indiana and Nebraska, 2 from Florida and South Dakota, 1 from Arizona, California, Iowa, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah and Washington. 7 graduates are from Kenya, 2 from East Africa Tanzania, 2 from Nepal, 2 from Nigeria, 1 from Canada, 1 from the Democratic Republic of Congo, 1 from China, 1 from Ghana, 1 from Mexico, 1 from Rwanda. 39 of our graduates are 25 years of age or older; the eldest is 54, the 9 youngest are 21.

According to our survey of graduates’ plans for after college, 53 members of this class plan to be employed in Health and Social Services, 7 plan careers in education, and 15 will be entering positions in business-related fields. At least 4 people will continue a long-standing Bethel tradition by taking voluntary service assignments after graduation. 9 students have marriage plans between graduation and December 2009. 56% of the seniors responding to the survey have plans to enter graduate school programs next year or plan to apply to such programs within the next 5 years.

The graduates have been recognized for accomplishment and achievement in many areas over the last several weeks, and will officially graduate tomorrow. So much goes into a successful school year, and the accomplishment of the graduates walking across the stage on Sunday is really the accomplishment of all of the campus community. Some of this happens in the classroom, and much of what makes the year a success happens outside of the classroom. What feels like the relief of the end of the school year for some feels like the transition to a busy summer for others. All of us in public roles, from the president to the registrar to the faculty, owe an incredible debt of gratitude to the tireless efforts of persons working behind the scenes.

The commitment in the institution at all levels was noticed by the recent visitors for the accreditation process. At the end of their time here, they shared with the campus leadership team how impressed they were with the dedication and commitment of all of the persons they visited with. This was also reflected in their final report, and I would like to read the opening paragraph of one of the sections:

Bethel College community members – staff, administration, faculty, directors – demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to this institution. Alumni loyalty is evident in meetings the team had with a group, but the institution seems to generate a loyal following across its constituencies. This is an important resource for the college as it moves forward.

Indeed, this weekend brings together the commitment of the campus community, the sending off of another graduating class, and the welcoming back of a distinguished group of our alumni. The national political scene is full of talk of assessment and outcomes, from the Higher Education Act passed by congress that is now in the rulemaking stage, to the accreditation process that we have just gone through. While we have some follow up to do in terms of assessment and outcomes on our campus, it is also true that the most significant outcome is the group of graduates who apply the education they received at Bethel in so many different walks of life. These are the outcomes of which we are most proud! Thank you all for the commitment and dedication as graduates of this institution.

Another way to measure the strength of an institution is by the way in which it responds to difficult challenges. Bethel is not immune from the economic pressures affecting all institutions, and we face significant challenges. We have made difficult decisions, but have always tried to act in the best interest of the institution, being good stewards of the history and resources entrusted to us, building an operating model that is sustainable and allows Bethel to thrive for years to come. Administration, Board, faculty and staff are committed to that goal.

As you may know, our fiscal year ends on June 30. Last year we did not reach our budgeted amount for the annual Bethel College Fund. We did not increase the Bethel College Fund budget, and have received slightly more than last year, but are still below the budgeted amount. I recently sent out the regular June appeal letter. I thank each of you for your support, even while I encourage you to consider going above and beyond what you would normally contribute. We all have a part in ensuring that Bethel continues to thrive.

All of our efforts are in support of our strong mission. In fact, the accreditation team affirmed the strength and commitment to our mission:

Students, staff, faculty, administration, and other constituents have a strong commitment to and understanding of the mission. … The mission statement with the four central values or “ethics” serves as a living document for the members of the Bethel College Community and guides their decision making.

I have sometimes acknowledged that our mission is too long to memorize, but as the accreditation team emphasized, it is not too long to embrace and embody. We do it every day. For our mission is:

Bethel seeks to be a diverse community of learners, committed to the search for authentic faith and empirical understanding, and to provide (1) rigorous instruction in the liberal arts and selected career and professional areas; and (2) intellectual, cultural and spiritual leaders for the church and society. To those ends the College maintains a residential environment designed to foster integrative learning experiences, including student organizations, campus worship services, public lectures, symposia and cultural events. Bethel’s programs are informed by four central values:

• an ethic of discipleship, that recognizes Jesus Christ as Messiah and model for the Christian life and prizes a high level of commitment and free conviction;
• an ethic of scholarship, that believes academic achievement to be a logical outcome of intellectual stewardship and esteems both discipline and creativity;
• an ethic of service, that deems concern for the powerless to be intrinsic to the Christian gospel and stresses peacemaking and voluntary service;
• an ethic of integrity, that celebrates the fundamental connections between spirit and mind, faith and learning, individual and community and fosters personal development through participation in a range of activities.

Doesn’t that all sound like Bethel? Our mission is tried and true. We continue to work to implement it in effective ways, to plan strategically, to innovate, and to thrive. The accreditation team called our mission a “living document!” Each of you helps give it life! Thank you for your support of the College and for the way in which you embody this mission in your walks of life.