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• The Bethel College forensics squad took one of its largest groups of qualifiers in recent years, with a total of seven, to nationals April 3-6 at the University of Akron. Julia Huxman, freshman from Wichita, qualified in three different events. Dana Daugharthy, junior from Iola, qualified in two separate Duo Interpretation events (with Sarah Unruh and Taylor McCabe-Juhnke) plus one other event. Matthew N. Stucky, Alex Stucky and Sarah Pohl – all from Moundridge – qualified in one event each.


• Miriam Friesen, senior history, German and secondary education major from Paoli, Ind., took first place in a statewide history teacher-sponsored writing competition. She was the second Bethel student in a row, and the 22nd since the competition began, to take the top prize from the Kansas Association of Historians.


• For the second year in a row, a Bethel student finished first in the Anabaptist research paper competition sponsored by the Sider Institute at Messiah College, Grantham, Pa. The first-place award went to Allison Boehm ’09, Prairie Village, a biology major with a minor in Bible and religion.


• Adrian Howie ’04, fourth-grade teacher at South Breeze Elementary School, Newton, and Bethel assistant women’s basketball coach, was the only Kansan chosen to attend the 2009 Phil Mickelson ExxonMobile Science Academy in Jersey City, N.J., just outside New York City, this summer.


• Ada Schmidt-Tieszen ’74, professor of social work, was presented with the Ralph P. Schrag Distinguished Teaching Award at this year’s commencement May 24, based on recommendations and evaluations from peers and students. Karl Friesen ’86, assistant professor of computer science, received the 2009 J.O. and Esther Schrag Helping Hand Award, for which students nominate the recipient.


• The Bethel women’s tennis team won the KCAC tournament, earning a trip to the NAIA national tournament in Mobile, Ala. Paige McKinney, senior from Newton, was named Most Valuable Player, and Katie Malotte, freshman from Marysville, Newcomer of the Year, for the KCAC.


• Bethel qualified eight competitors for the NAIA National Track & Field Championships in Edwardsville, Ill. Garrett Hiebert, sophomore from Goessel, finished fourth in javelin. Track coach Tracy Tuttle was named Coach of the Year in the KCAC.


• Bethel has two students participating in the Ministry Inquiry Program this summer: Mayeken Kehr, junior from Goshen, Ind., at Belmont Mennonite Church in Elkhart, Ind., and Daniel Klaassen, sophomore from Whitewater, at Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church in Wichita. Bethel College has had at least one student in MIP every year since the program’s inception – at Bethel – in 1987.


• In March, six Bethel students, along with Professor of Chemistry Richard Zerger ’69, attended the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, or Pittcon, held this year in Chicago. Starting in 1989, Bethel students have attended Pittcon every other year, due in a large part to encouragement and funding from Orvin ’64 and Janet ’63 Voth, Newton.

Pictured above: Thresher Award winners for 2009 are in the front row: Michael Unruh, Peabody, for biology; Jennifer Regier, Elbing, for biology; Joel Linscheid, North Newton, for music; and Andrew Toews, North Newton, for music. Faculty who presented the awards are in the back row: Jon Piper, professor of biology; Timothy Shade, instructor of instrumental music; and James Pisano, assistant professor of music.