Prez Ed's Blog

Engage the Future: Visions for 2031

2011-10-08T17:04:00.002-05:00

(Friday evening, October 7, 2011, as part of Bethany's 130th anniversary celebration, I shared the following visions for 2031 - the occasion of Bethany's sesquicentennial.)

Imagine with me it's October 1881. Imagine the buzz around Lindsborg. "Did you hear Swensson's starting his school?" "Impossible! This air castle of his will never last a year!"

Fast forward to today where we are celebrating the college's 130th anniversary. More importantly, we honor the boldness and compelling qualities of our founder, the Rev. Dr. Carl Aaron Swensson. Singlehandedly his dream became a vision and then a reality. Swensson did the difficult, if not the impossible. We are here to honor and celebrate Swensson's "air castle," as his naysayers called it. We are here because it's time to envision our next air castle, our next bold and transformational vision.

Bethany is at a defining moment in its history. These past four years we have done the difficult, if not the impossible. On my first day on the job, I declared, "With God's grace, a good plan and hard work, there will be a Bethany renaissance." And to make that happen, I started asking, "What's next? What’s the path forward?"

Over the last four years, as we developed and are now executing our renaissance plan, our Call to Action, enrollment has grown each year from 537 in 2007 to 632 this fall. That represents an almost 18% growth in enrollment and is only the third time since 1970 that Bethany has had four consecutive years of enrollment growth. Furthermore, it represents the biggest four-year growth since 1970. Regarding enrollment, I am not here to declare victory, though we have done the difficult. Quite to the contrary, I stand here to ask, "What's next? What’s the path forward?"

Helping drive enrollment growth is our progress on freshman-to-sophomore retention, which has challenged Bethany for at least four decades. Over the last four years our retention has improved from 53% to 59% to 62% to this year's 64%. On retention, I am not here to declare victory, though we have done the difficult. Quite to the contrary, I stand here to ask, "What's next? What’s the path forward?"

Four years ago I arrived at Bethany challenged by a deficit budget. In fact, for many years over the last 20 years, Bethany found itself trying to compete and survive with deficit budgets. We all know that is not sustainable. This year however we have and are expecting a balanced operating budget. I am not here to declare victory, though we have done the difficult. Quite to the contrary, I stand here to ask, "What's next? What’s the path forward?"

I share these bits of information because many of you were critical to Bethany's survival these last 20 years. To each of you, from my heart, I say, "Thank you!"

But we also invited you to help us celebrate because our future isn't just about surviving – it's about thriving. And we want you to be part of that bright future as well. I want to share with you what the Board of Directors, the faculty and staff, the college's leadership and I envision as that future.

Inspired by Swensson, as we look toward Bethany's 150th anniversary in 2031, we must continue to expect from ourselves the difficult, if not the impossible. We must boldly engage the future and audaciously blaze a path to 2031.

As we look to Bethany's sesquicentennial, a mere 20 years from now, we envision a Bethany that will soar bigger, bolder and stronger, guiding student success and co-creating the best total experience. Specifically, we envision a Bethany with 1,500 students from 50 states and 50 countries where 25% are international students; 84% of freshmen continue to the sophomore year; and 30% of alumni financially support the college.

We further aspire for an endowment of $100 million that gives Bethany a competitive advantage in scholarship support for students and discovery support for faculty, staff and students. We also see a campus that is totally accessible physically and economically; facilities and technology that are state of practice to prepare our graduates for a career of consequence; and a Bethany that embraces and lives with equity and equality throughout the college, most especially in gender and race.

Lastly, we envision a Bethany that is a strategic partner with the city of Lindsborg and together we are a national model of town-gown best practices.

The psalmist wrote, "Show me your ways, O Lord; Teach me your paths." At Bethany, as a college of the Lutheran church, we ask our students, "What does this mean and what path will you take?" As we gulped at this bold, audacious vision, we too asked ourselves, "What does this mean for Bethany's future and what strategic paths will we take to get there?"

Like the bold and audacious Swedish-Lutheran pioneers who journeyed here to found this city and this college, our future students' journey through Bethany will require a pathway to follow to success, a compass to provide direction, a map to track progress and one or more guides.

This new, college-defining initiative, which we are calling Bethany Pathway, will launch next fall in 2012 for freshmen and then expand each year until it touches every freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior. The map will be the Pathway Portfolio and their guide will be faculty and staff serving as discovery partners or mentors.

As students grow in the success skills of critical thinking, effective communication, information literacy and intellectual curiosity, learning is tracked by a Pathway Portfolio. This portfolio maps academic work and progress, co-curricular activities and achievements, and professional experiences. Taken together, the portfolio enables students to reflect and find meaning on the intersection of their paths and passions to demonstrate to prospective employers or graduate schools growth and mastery of these success skills.

To assist students in navigating their pathway is the compass and its four directions of excellence.

The first direction of excellence is discovery, reflection and vocation. It drives students’ learning where success will be marked at graduation by critical thinking, effective communication, information literacy, intellectual curiosity and employment or graduate school entry within six months.

The second direction of excellence is servant leadership and follows the example of Jesus of Nazareth who led and served, spanning boundaries in service of a larger vision. Our graduates will go out spanning boundaries to create new visions as educational, business, entrepreneurial or missional leaders.

Global citizenship is our third direction of excellence and prepares our graduates to function successfully in a “flattening world," enabling each graduate to appreciate a world view and to develop the ability and desire to become engaged in global issues.

The final direction is sustainable living and defines success as actively integrating social responsibility, economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and spiritual renewal – people, profit, planet and prayer – meaning our graduates successfully understand how to live a sustainable life and how to lead a sustainable organization.

To achieve this 20 year vision and transform the Bethany experience, we will embark on a series of fundraising campaigns to levels previously unimagined. For this vision to be realized, Bethany alumni, friends, churches and organizations must answer the call to levels previously unimagined. Accordingly, we will pursue in this first campaign a stretch goal of $25 million.

This campaign actually began when our renaissance began more than four years ago, and we've been successful in securing many gifts and pledges toward our goal. Tonight is the public announcement and I am pleased to share that with the gifts and pledges made in the early phase of the campaign, significant progress has already been made toward our goal. Gifts and pledges received by the college as of today (10/7/2011) total $13,071,223.

Beyond just the dollars, however, this campaign also presents an opportunity for everyone to participate. That is why we are calling it a “comprehensive campaign.” Comprehensive because the campaign includes gifts to brick and mortar, endowment and current operations. Comprehensive because any gift made during the campaign will be counted toward the stretch goal of $25 million. Comprehensive because we need high levels of participation to achieve success.

What does this mean for you? Simply answered, what path will you take to support Bethany? Which area of the college has the greatest meaning for you? If you are thankful for your educational, co-curricular or spiritual experience, please consider giving to facilities enhancements or bringing the chapel and welcome center to completion? If you are thankful for the scholarships you received to help make your education affordable, please consider giving to the general scholarship fund or establishing your own endowed scholarship? If you are excited about Bethany Pathway, please consider giving to the Bethany Fund? This campaign has a place for everyone to help and we need everyone to help.

Imagine with me it's a few years from now. Imagine a graduating senior writing the following final Pathway Portfolio entry:

“Tomorrow is graduation! I can’t believe it’s been four years already. My last assignment at Bethany is to make my final portfolio entry: a self-reflection piece capturing my four years and how I changed and grew.

“When I arrived to begin my Bethany education, I was overwhelmed with how friendly everyone was. I immediately felt I had found my new home. Yet, while I felt at home, I also began to be challenged and knew I was going to be a different person at graduation than I was at orientation. There were so many things to consider.

“My academic advisor was incredible – always around when I needed her and always full of good counsel. She was a real mentor to me as she guided my class selections and asked challenging questions as I explored different career paths. I’m starting to understand this vocation idea that Bethany talks about a lot. Inside each of us is a small voice trying to guide our choices on what path to take. We just need to stop and listen.

“What I really enjoyed about my first year was the common freshmen courses. There are four of them and each focuses on a Bethany “direction of excellence.” I recall it being a pretty fancy term to grasp at first, but simply it’s just how Bethany guides us to find success.

“The first course is all about a new way to learn that was very different from high school, but awesome. Instead of the professor talking to us, the professor worked alongside us, like a teaching partner. Bethany actually calls them a discovery partner. Because the class was so active and engaging, I never missed and couldn’t wait for more. My roommate felt the same way.

“What made the course especially difficult – but intriguing – was trying to figure out what things meant. Through all four years my professors kept asking, “What does this mean?” At first, I didn’t get it, but after a while it finally clicked and I figured out they just wanted me to learn from what was happening in my classes, on my team, and in my life. All the time. How different!

“The other courses my freshmen year, after the first one on discovery, reflection and vocation, focused on servant leadership, global citizenship and sustainable living. These ideas are everywhere at Bethany.

“I had the opportunity to do a mission trip to Tanzania as part of global citizenship and Bethany gave me a scholarship to help cover the costs. While I was in Tanzania I recognized something important about how small scale capitalism can empower people. Part of my experience included working with an organization that gave out micro-grants in a quickly urbanizing area. This was a powerful experience for me and helped me decide the kind of company I wanted to work for after graduation and it helped me get my first job.

“In fact, the man who hired me told me that my resume stood out because of the broad experiences I had in college, like my time in Tanzania and my other EBEs (Experience-Based Education). He also told me that even though I was interviewing for a sales job the portfolio I brought with me showing what I did and learned at Bethany was unique and impressive. He said he wished more colleges would teach students how to think and how to learn the way Bethany has.

“Finally, the faculty and staff at Bethany always believed in me and that there was a successful person inside. I just needed to find that success and bring it out. With their help, I believe I did!”

Thank you again for all you have done and will do for dear ol' Bethany. Because of those who love Bethany like you, we can celebrate 130 years of changing lives. More importantly, however, because of those who love Bethany like you, we will soar to our sesquicentennial bigger, better and stronger, guiding student success and co-creating the best total experience. This vision and first campaign most certainly represent a defining moment in our history. They also most certainly represent a clarion call to the many who love Bethany to respond to the ancient Hebrew call to action, "If not me, who? If not now, when?"

Born in the church, Serving the church

2011-06-06T08:17:00.000-05:00

(On June 3, I had the honor of presenting the following remarks to the Central States Synod Assembly.)

“Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all the things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” (Luke 24:13-16, The Road to Emmaus)

In the brief time I have this afternoon, I would like to share with you an emerging re-imagining of what it means for Bethany to be a college of the church and what it means for the church to have a college. (For today's discussion by the church I mean the Central States Synod.) This is not yet a complete thought, by no means, but I share it with the hope that it may pique the curiosity of some of you to help me make it a complete thought and eventually a plan.

Let me frame this with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus having left Jerusalem for Emmaus. Along the way, they meet the resurrected Jesus, though they do not recognize him.

For me, Jerusalem represents the past, what and how it used to be. On the other hand, Emmaus represents the future to which God is calling us and the Road is where we are today in an unprecedented environment of discontinuous change.

For example, in our church setting, Jerusalem represents what some nostalgically call, "the good old days" ... you remember ... a relatively stable environment with predictable, incremental change; the pastor was found every where - sola pastora; North American churches were denomination-centric; the congregation existed to maintain the flock; and ministry revolved around hatching, matching, and dispatching. .

For Bethany, our Jerusalem as a college of the church was about 50 years ago when Bethany received 20% of its revenues from the church. The mission and ministry of Bethany and the mission and ministry of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church were unquestionably intertwined. This year, however, Bethany received from congregations, synods, and churchwide about $80,000. By contrast, that represents less than 1% of Bethany’s total revenues. On the other hand, in this year's budget, Bethany College awarded slightly more than $1.2 million in scholarships to our Lutheran students.

So as we walk the road to Emmaus, at what point does the hard question get asked, “Are we still a college of the church and does the church still have a college?”

Let me digress momentarily to explain that question in the context of public higher education. That is, a similar conversation is occurring in several states and at those states’ flagship universities. For example, the University of Michigan receives less than 5% of its total revenues from the state of Michigan. Similarly, the University of Colorado receives less than 6%. In both states, and others like Ohio and Arizona, there are calls to admit the reality these are no longer publicly-supported universities and should in fact be privatized. This is a conversation centered on state money for higher education.

So, if it’s all about money, then let’s admit it and let our church-college relationship follow the path of other denominations. Bethany College can easily become historically Lutheran.

While I hear the voices to admit reality and move past being a college of the church, I’d prefer instead to believe our relationship is about more than money. I’d prefer to lead Bethany and our church partners into a conversation that discerns a new model where Bethany and the church re-imagine a shared mission and ministry. To that end, I’m part of an ELCA task force with six other ELCA college and university presidents who are committed to doing just that.

Put another way, instead of the church just putting a check in the offering plate, which had become the norm, I’d like to see a greater commitment. Please don’t misunderstand me, we appreciate the financial gifts, but there must be more to our shared mission and ministry than money.

As a former stewardship chair, you may be familiar with the frequently used stewardship metaphor of an eggs & bacon breakfast: the chicken makes the contribution and the pig makes the commitment. At least as far back as I can see, the church has been the chicken making a contribution, and certainly some very nice contributions. But what Bethany needs, just like what each congregation needs from its members, is commitment.

To begin our discernment, let me start and share some possibilities for greater commitment that others have suggested. These are based on Bethany's gifts of intellectual capital and human capital.

· Bethany and the church could partner in global ministry through our companion synods – sending mission teams of alumni, students, faculty, and staff alongside church volunteers; or partner to provide scholarship support for students from those companion synods to study at Bethany.

· Or, we could partner in social ministry through Lutheran Social Services that might include internships or experience-based education for students.

· Or, we could work together in youth ministry to develop our middle school, high school, and college youth in missional leadership for a missional church.

· Or, we could partner with Lutheran Disaster Response to offer alternative spring breaks or fall breaks.

· Or, Bethany could provide staff and/or chaperone’s for high school or middle school youth gatherings or even the ELCA’s National Youth Gathering.

· Or, between the Synod, individual congregations, and Bethany, we could offer scholarships to students attending Bethany.

· Or, Bethany and the church could seize the evangelical opportunity presented by Bethany’s 31% of students who self-identify as “no preference” in denominational affiliation.

The possibilities and opportunities are endless, if we are willing to make a commitment to the future together – to share the road to Emmaus.

In the end, like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, I don’t think it’s as important or really matters as much where we were or where we’re going. What is absolutely important for the journey is that we meet Jesus – and recognize him – on the road.

For me, in the context of Bethany College as a college of the church, we are leaving behind the way it was – the church stewarded Bethany – and heading toward the future – Bethany stewards the church. However, only when we meet Jesus together on the road to our shared future will we finally know what that means.

Amen.

Farewell to the Class of 2011

2011-05-23T15:28:00.000-05:00

What an incredible adventure you've had these last four years.

When you arrived in August 2007 I had only been on campus a few weeks. (In fact, some of you have informed me I’m a member of the class of 2011.) If you remember that Sunday morning when you arrived, you had to park on the field between Alma Swensson and Ana Marm because the Hahn parking lot was being repaved and transformed. A week later, as part of your new student orientation, this class traveled to Greensburg, Kansas following their devastating F-5 tornado to help with the clean-up and to begin their transformation.

In hindsight, these events were a foreshadowing of your future adventure at Bethany. Some have even suggested that the class of 2011 has seen the greatest transformation of Bethany College since the early 1970's.

Your adventure and the over $7 million campus transformation you have seen include:

· The Campus Green project which gave Bethany a new south entrance grounded by the statue of our founder Carl Aaron Swensson, new cobblestone walkways to replace old sections of First and Swensson Streets, a limestone amphitheater in the former Wallerstedt Court, a welcome pavilion and new east entrance, emergency lights across the campus, and renewed landscaping and lawns;

· In 2007, internet connectivity in the residence halls was a DSL line; that was upgraded later that fall to a T-1 line and this spring the residence halls became totally wireless and connected with a T-3 line;

· In 2007, there was one smart classroom on campus; today there are 12;

· When you arrived football was played on dirt, mud, and grass at Anderson Stadium and the soccer team practiced and played on the same grass field; today both play, and at times practice, on artificial turf;

· In fall 2008 we opened our first apartment-style residence hall, Swede Suites;

· In 2007, the college’s weight room was about 1,500 square feet, then in winter 2009, the new 10,000 square feet weight room opened;

· In fall 2009, we finished the three new labs added to Nelson Science; and

· improvements to Presser Hall and auditorium that included a new elevator and renovated balcony seating.

Some of you will remember that in September of your first year, I lived with you in the residence halls and got to know many of you. In fact, one of my roommates graduates today.

When you arrived in 2007 Bethany had no formal international study opportunities. As you graduate we have six: Harlaxton College in England; University of Karlstad and Linnaeus University in Sweden; American Institute of Foreign Studies; Study Abroad Italy; and Studio Art Centers International. And one of the first Bethany students to study at Harlaxton College graduates with you today.

Several of you were on the choir tour in summer 2008. One of today's graduates took Quade on his first rollercoaster ride on that tour and several of today’s graduates have babysat for Quade and Thomas.

Another member of the class of 2011 scolded me in an email about the physical plant staff killing a snake.

For the last four years you have grounded me and inspired me. Thank you.

During your adventure at Bethany, the college was challenged to raise $1 million for a new chapel and welcome center. We met that challenge and are now two-thirds toward completing the fundraising for that project.

Sadly, during your adventure, you endured the painful loss of three classmates, who we have honored today. You were in college as the Great Recession began and bottomed out and as the US elected its first African-American president.

Also, during your Bethany adventure, the Pixar movie, Up, was released. If you saw the movie, or if you didn’t, the movie begins with the love story of Carl and Ellie and how they met as kindred spirits when they were young. They share a passion for adventure. After a full life together, Ellie dies and leaves Carl her Adventure Book. Carl thinks the book ends on the page titled, “Stuff I am going to do.” However, Carl learns Ellie had in fact lived out her adventure in full. While she never made it to Paradise Falls - that was the plan - life got in the way and she loved her life-long adventure with Carl nonetheless. Ellie leaves Carl with one final gift when she writes at the end of her Adventure Book, “Thanks for the adventure. Now go have a new one.”

To the Class of 2011, I echo Ellie’s words. Thanks for the adventure. Now go have a new one!

Bethany as a college of the church in 2011

2011-05-10T15:54:00.000-05:00

(This is a Temple Talk shared at Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lindsborg, Kansas on Sunday, May 8, 2011 as they celebrated Bethany Sunday.)

On behalf of the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Bethany College, thank you for the invitation to be with you today.

Normally, when I have the opportunity to visit a church I spend time talking about Bethany College, who we are, and who our students are. However, given the deep and broad relationship between Bethany and Messiah, you all probably know more about Bethany than I do.

Frequently, I also spend time talking about the connections between Bethany and the church I’m visiting.

I could probably spend the entire service this morning talking about the rich connections that exist, and have existed, between Bethany and Messiah. The alumni, current and former board members, faculty, staff, and students each have strengthened and continue to strengthen our bond.

In the brief time I have this morning, I would rather like to share with you an emerging re-imagining of what it means for Bethany to be a college of the church. This is not yet a complete thought, by no means, but I share it with the hope that it may pique the curiosity of some of you to help me make it a complete thought and eventually a plan.

Let me frame this with today’s Gospel about the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. As you will hear later in the Gospel reading, the two disciples have left Jerusalem for Emmaus. Along the way, they meet the resurrected Jesus, though they do not recognize him.

For me, Jerusalem represents the past, what and how it used to be. For example, just 50 years ago, Bethany received 20% of its revenues from the church. The mission and ministry of Bethany and the mission and ministry of the Augustana Church were unquestionably intertwined.

Next, the road to Emmaus represents the future, the path we are traveling, or where we are headed. Last year, Bethany received from congregations, synods, and church-wide about $200,000. By contrast, that represents less than 2% of Bethany’s total revenues. However, in that same budget, Bethany College awarded slightly more than $950,000 in scholarships to our Lutheran students.

So as we walk the road to Emmaus, at what point does the hard question get asked, “Are we still a college of the church?”

Let me digress momentarily to explain that tough question in the context of public higher education. That is, a similar conversation is occurring in several states and at those states’ flagship universities. For example, the University of Michigan in 2004 received less than 8% of its total revenues from the state of Michigan. Similarly, last year the University of Colorado received less than 6%. In both states, and others like California and Washington, there are calls to admit the reality these are not public, state-supported universities and should in fact be privatized.

Along the same lines, there are some in the Bethany community who are calling on me to help the Board of Directors admit reality and “secularize.” Or at least admit reality and remove the restrictions that currently exist as a church-related college.

Wow! There’s a heavy question to ponder.

While I hear those calls, I’d prefer instead to lead Bethany and our church partners into a conversation that discerns a new model. I’d like to suggest that Bethany and the church re-imagine our shared mission and ministry. To that end, I’m part of an ELCA task force with six other ELCA college and university presidents who are committed to doing just that.

As a former church stewardship chair, you may be familiar with the frequently used stewardship metaphor of breakfast. The chicken makes a contribution and the hog makes a commitment. At least as far back as I can see, the church has been the chicken making a contribution, and certainly some very nice contributions.

But what Bethany needs, just like what each congregation needs from its members, is commitment.

Some opportunities for greater commitment that others have shared include

· Bethany and the church partnering in global mission through our companion synods – sending mission teams of alumni, students, faculty, and staff alongside church volunteers or scholarship support for students to study at Bethany from those companion synods.

· Or, we could partner in local mission that might include internships in social ministry organizations for students.

· Or, we could work together to develop our youth – middle school, high school, and college – in missional leadership for a missional church.

· Or, Bethany, with our 24% racial and cultural diversity, could “teach” the ELCA how to move toward a more diverse membership.

· Or, Bethany and the church could seize the opportunity presented by Bethany’s 31% who self-identify as “no preference.”

· Or, Bethany could provide staff and/or chaperone’s for the ELCA’s National Youth Gathering and its 34,000 high school attendees.

The possibilities and opportunities are endless, if we are willing to make a commitment to the future – to getting to Emmaus.

Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, we are figuratively on the road most days moving from point A to point B. But frankly in the end I don’t think it’s as important or really matters as much where we were or where we’re going. What is absolutely important for the journey is that we meet Jesus – and recognize him – on the road.

For me, in the context of Bethany College as a college of the church, we are leaving behind the way it was – the church stewarded Bethany – and heading toward the future – Bethany stewards the church. However, only when we meet Jesus on the road to our future will we finally know what that means.

Amen.

Chapel Message - 2 February 2011 - Presentation of Our Lord

2011-02-10T08:56:00.000-06:00

³See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. ²But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; ³he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. ⁴Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

“Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Today is the second day of the spring semester, but most of us know February 2^nd as Groundhog Day. I’m sure all of us woke up early this morning and rushed to get the news on Punxsutawney Phil and whether or not he saw his shadow and whether winter will end soon or continue for six more weeks. Or, as in the 1993 film, Groundhog Day, perhaps we find ourselves repeating the same day over and over.

While Groundhog Day, and especially the movie of the same name, would be a fun topic on which to share a chapel message, I’ll pass on that this year.

In fact, February 2^nd is an important date in the Christian liturgical calendar. Today is the 40^th day since the birth of Jesus, December 25, and the day, according to Jewish law and the New Testament, where Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple.

The reading we just heard is the Old Testament lesson for today, Malachi 3: 1-4. This is a favorite passage of mine, especially, “for he is like a refiner’s fire.”

What is a refiner’s fire? Simply, it is the process that a silver- or gold-smith uses to refine the metal, removing impurities. The end-result is a purer, cleaner metal … a better metal.

Because I love education and the college-setting, I believe that college presents many opportunities to find a refiner’s fire. That is, I believe college offers you the chance to become a better student and a better person. During your time at Bethany, if you allow us to be your refiner’s fire, you will become better for it.

This morning, let me share two experiences from my college days that I believe were refiner’s fire for me – making me a better student and a better person.

As I have reflected back on my college days, I believe my first refiner’s fire moment occurred during the second semester of my freshman year. That semester, I was invited by the chair of the philosophy department to take the philosophy seminar, a 300-level course, comprised of almost all philosophy majors and upperclass students. As I recall, there were about a dozen students in the seminar – several were seniors and I remember one was headed to Harvard Law School and another to Yale Divinity School. The topic of that spring’s seminar was the existence of God. We studied and discussed the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, and the teleological argument. The primary textbook was Philosophers Speak of God by Charles Hartshorne and William Reese. A textbook I learned later that is frequently used in graduate schools. I also learned years later that I was one of only a few freshmen the department chair ever invited to take the philosophy seminar.

This may sound exciting and quite an honor, but I can assure you that this cocky, 18-year old college freshman frequently asked himself, “What am I doing here?” But I trusted Dr. Trotter and pressed on. He saw something in me I was determined to find for myself.

That class was my first refiner’s fire because I stepped outside of my comfort zone. I could have taken an “easier” philosophy course that semester, but I chose to challenge myself and let the class and Dr. Trotter be like a refiner’s fire. This is not easy as many of us find comfort “inside the box,” but as a result, I believe I emerged as a better student and better person.

The second refiner’s fire I’d like to share this morning came when I made the decision to spend a semester studying at Harlaxton College in England. Originally, several of us planned on going to Harlaxton, to go as a group. As is frequently the case, before I knew it, I was the only one still planning on going.

Instead of changing my mind and not going, I persisted and spent a semester studying in England and traveling to the Highlands of Scotland, Edinburgh, London, Canterbury, Athens, Rome, Paris, and Moscow. To say that experience changed my life would be an understatement. I could have taken an “easier” path and spent all four years in Liberty, Missouri, but I chose to challenge myself and let Harlaxton be like a refiner’s fire. This is not easy as many of us find comfort “inside the box,” but as a result, I believe I emerged as a better student and better person.

Returning full-circle to our liturgical celebration of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, as this spring semester begins, let us present ourselves to God by challenging each of us to get outside of our comfort zone, to find a refiner’s fire, and to make ourselves better intellectually, socially, spiritually, physically, where ever and how ever.

Let us pray.

Almighty and ever-living God, your only-begotten Son was presented this day in the temple. May we be presented to you with clean and pure hearts by the same Jesus Christ, our great high priest, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

AMEN.

Further evidence ... center of everywhere

2010-11-22T21:18:00.001-06:00

Last week, culminating last weekend, was an exciting time in Lindsborg and for Bethany College. Good Morning America came to town. The Ol Stuga’s Brent Nelson sandwich made the Top 4 in the country in GMA’s Best Bites College Edition competition. Below are links to the Wichita ABC affiliate’s news report and GMA’s segment from Saturday and Sunday.

KAKE TV, Wichita, KS
GMA Saturday, November 20
GMA Sunday, November 21

This is further evidence that Lindsborg is in the center of everywhere ... how else did Good Morning America find us? Go Swedes!

Day by Day ...

2010-09-19T19:55:00.002-05:00

(On Friday, September 17 I delivered the chapel message. That message follows.)

For me, this past summer was especially difficult. In May, I dealt with my first student death since becoming Bethany’s president. Calling Leah’s parents to extend the campus’ condolences is the most difficult thing I’ve done as president. I knew Leah and enjoyed watching her compete as a member of our volleyball team.

In July we lost Emeka. I knew Emeka and enjoyed watching him compete on our men’s soccer team. I especially enjoyed visiting with him when we would meet on campus.

In August, we lost Max. While I never had the pleasure to see Max perform, he will nevertheless be missed.

In addition to three student deaths, this past summer we lost Dana College, a sister Lutheran college, and whose president I knew well.

As if this was not enough, this summer I also lost one of my favorite professors from college. I knew Dick from my earliest days as a student and Dick was someone I visited with almost every time I returned to campus.

I don’t mean to be somber and I don’t intend to eulogize this morning. My goal is to find God’s teaching in all of this. What message is there for you and especially for me?

When I returned to my alma mater for Dick’s memorial service, sitting with friends I’ve known since college, I was reminded that 35 years ago – the fall of 1975 – I was a freshman in college. During the memorial service I also remembered a conversation I had with Dick during my sophomore year. He and I were visiting and I shared with him my life’s plan. It was a thorough and detailed plan that took me from college to retirement – covering about 40 years.

What I remember is Dick smiling at me and quoting Corrie ten Boom, a strong, Christian-woman born and raised in The Netherlands who during World War II helped many Jews escape the Nazis. She wrote, “I do not ask to see the distant scene, one step's enough for me."

“I do not ask to see the distant scene, one step's enough for me."

The earliest prayer I can remember that I learned as a young child is … Day by day, dear Lord, of thee three things I pray: to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, to follow thee more nearly, day by day. Amen.

This prayer has been with me for as long as I can remember and for most days of my life, I’ve prayed, “Day by day …”

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminded them, and us, “Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.”

Yet, with all the reminders … all the day by day … we find ourselves rushing to the future. We rush to our next class … we rush to our next meeting … we rush to our next practice … we rush to answer that call … we rush to respond to that email … we rush to update our Facebook status. Perhaps instead of rushing we should start focusing, start living … day by day.

I suspect almost everyone here is familiar with the Latin phrase, “Carpe diem – seize the day.” What I further suspect is almost no one here knows the rest of the line from Horace’s poem: “carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.” That is, “seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future.”

This summer reminded me that none of us knows what the future holds, though many of us rush to get to the future, which I guess is why Horace wrote, “trust as little as possible in the future, seize today.”

For me this is extremely difficult. I’m a planner and a future thinker. In many ways, I’ve not lived following that advice. I’ve lived for the future. Even if the future I dreamed didn’t happen. I’ve rushed to get there, where ever there is.

Now as a parent, I tell my son, in whom I see much of me, to slow down and enjoy TODAY. As a college president, I tell you as students, to slow down and enjoy today. At Opening Convocation, our speaker Marcus Newsom got it right. We need to live each day with passion.

That is why I chose today’s hymn, “Day by Day.” (ELW 790) Listen to the words …

Day by day, your mercies, Lord, attend me, bringing comfort to my anxious soul.
Day by day, the blessings, Lord, you send me draw me nearer to my heav’nly goal.
Love divine, beyond all mortal measure, brings to naught the burdens of my quest;
Savior, lead me to the home I treasure, where at last I’ll find eternal rest.

Day by day, I know you will provide me strength to serve and wisdom to obey;
I will seek your loving will to guide me o’er the paths I struggle day by day.
I will fear no evil of the morrow, I will trust in your enduring grace.
Savior, help me bear life’s pain and sorrow till in glory I behold your face.

Oh, what joy to know that you are near me when my burdens grow too great to bear;
Oh, what joy to know that you will hear me when I come, O Lord, to you in prayer.
Day by day, no matter what betide me, you will hold me ever in your hand.
Savior, with your presence here to guide me, I will reach at last the promised land.

In closing, let us pray for me, for Bethany, for all of us a new Day by Day … let us pray …

Day by day, dear Lord, of thee three things I pray:
to see the gift of each day more clearly,
to love each day my family and friends more dearly,
to follow each day the path you’ve shown me more nearly,
Day by day. Amen.

Opening Message 2010-2011

2010-08-30T09:33:00.000-05:00

(Last week, we began the 2010-2011 academic year. Here is my opening message to the campus.)

”Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Thank you for taking time out of your day to join us this morning to welcome our new colleagues and to allow me to share my message as we begin the 2010-11 academic year.

As is the case in previous years, today’s message is not intended to be my State of the College. I intend to do that in October when we have received the final draft of our financial audit and the 20th day numbers are in. At that time, I will provide, in fuller detail, where we are.

Let me begin by answering the recurring question on campus and around town, “How’s enrollment looking?”

As of 11:00 this morning, we have enrolled 609 students. This represents a 3% increase over last fall’s enrollment and a 13% increase over the last three years. More importantly, this is the first time since fall 2003 that Bethany’s enrollment has exceeded 600. Certainly, “up” is better than “down,” but we must grow faster than 2-3% a year.

On the good news side of the 608, we enrolled 365 returning students from last spring – on a goal of 350 – and it appears our freshmen-to-sophomore retention (that is, last year’s freshmen to this year’s sophomores) is at 64%, up from last year’s 59%.

On the “we have to do better” side of the 609, we have 173 first-time freshmen, which is 9 fewer than last year, and 58 transfer students for a total of 231 new students, which is 12 fewer than last year.

Let me now shift to our agenda for 2010-11. Over the next year, I see our focus on six major items.

First, have fun together and strengthen our community!

Over the last two years, the Good Times Gang has done an outstanding job in bringing us together to have fun and to build community. I look to them to continue and to build on that good work this year. As we work through our shared challenges and our shared opportunities, we need to do so as One Bethany.

Since we were together last in May, our community suffered the loss of three of our students: Leah, Emeka, and Max. We celebrate their lives and pray for God’s strength and comfort for their families and friends.

Additionally, our Lutheran college community suffered the loss of our sister institution Dana College. We celebrate its Danish Lutheran heritage and mission; and pray for God’s strength and comfort for Dana’s alumni and friends.

In 1992, the year many of this year’s incoming freshmen were born, Queen Elizabeth II would describe the year as “annus horribilis” meaning "horrible year.” Would I be too bold to describe this summer as “aestivus horribilis” – “horrible summer?”

Regardless, I believe with Pastor Noni that “adversity has a way of bringing out the true nature of a community, and the deep strength and character of Bethany and her people is evidenced by your work, your compassion, and your faithfulness.”

In my three years at Bethany, I’ve come to respect and admire Bethany’s community. As we move forward, I’d like to challenge us to work harder on strengthening our community. I truly believe that if we come together to do our shared work as one Bethany, we can achieve anything. I truly believe that if we work as if we believe Bethany is Our Community, we can and will control our destiny.

For this reason, our theme for the upcoming academic year will be: One Bethany, Our Community.

Second, prepare for and deliver a successful comprehensive site visit November 15-17, 2010 for our reaffirmation of accreditation.

Over the last two plus years, under the outstanding leadership of Carolyn & Bruce Kahler, the Self-Study Steering Committee and the five criteria-based committees have been hard at work. The self-study is done and the five-person site visit team has been selected. I would like to acknowledge and thank those directly involved in the great work they have done.

Would those members of the steering committee and the five criteria committees please stand so that we can recognize and thank you?

Thank you!

As we approach the site visit in mid-November, we can be proud of the work that has been done across campus. This has been a community project.

More information will be shared as we approach the site visit in November.

Third, conduct a year of discovery and complete by mid-May a plan to improve Bethany’s first college year.

As many of you are aware, during the upcoming academic year, Bethany College was selected to participate in a national higher education project known as “Foundations of Excellence® in the First College Year.” This project, sponsored by the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, utilizes a model of excellence for the first year of college. The model will enable us to confirm our strengths and recognize our opportunities for improvement.

Perhaps the tag line of the program is the best explanation: The first year matters! The first college year is central to the achievement of our mission. The first college year lays the foundation on which the Bethany experience is built. Foundations of Excellence® in the First College Year presents us with an opportunity for improving not only the first college year, but also the entire student experience.

Yes, if we are successful, and we must be, a beneficial by-product will be increased retention and graduation rates. In fact, a recent study of previous participants who implemented their plan to “a high degree” had an average increase in retention of 6 percentage points in the first four years. That result would have a huge impact on Bethany, but I believe we must and will do better!

Most of all, the success of our self-discovery and implementation will be based on our success as a community. Consequently, I am persuaded that another beneficial by-product of this undertaking will include moving us farther, faster to becoming One Bethany.

The official launch of this process will be September 2. There will be two meetings that day so that the largest possible number of faculty and staff can become familiar with the self-discovery process over the year ahead. More information will follow in an upcoming Bethany Insight.

The next three items really are a package of three inter-related actions.

Fourth, continue to execute and make progress on A Call to Action.

As you are aware, last May the Board of Directors vigorously discussed and approved a short-term, three-year plan called A Call to Action. That plan was updated in June and again this month. My goal is to update the plan about every two to three months and to report on progress every month to the Board and to the campus.

To refresh your memory, A Call to Action has five goals, 28 initiatives, and a lot of action steps covering the next three years. The goals clearly communicate the desired outcomes. They are:

1. Grow enrollment to 700
2. Maximize net tuition revenue
3. Expand philanthropy
4. Align expenses to 600
5. Achieve financial stability

Perhaps a way of looking at A Call to Action is that it is focused to guide Bethany through today so that there is a tomorrow. But while focusing on today – and surviving today – is absolutely important, if however all of our efforts are focused on today, then we lose the opportunities we could create for tomorrow.

This segues nicely to our next agenda item.

Fifth, explore and Engage the Future.

Between February and July, the Imagineering the 21st Century Bethany College Work Group explored Bethany’s future and how we might define that future. I have accepted their final report and that report has become the foundation of a visioning document called Engage the Future. That document has been reviewed and improved by President’s Council, the Imagineering Work Group, and the Board of Directors. The next iteration, version 4, will be shared with the campus community during September for your responses and suggestions.

This is an emerging future for Bethany College. That future is still being explored and our community will have a chance to respond to it in small groups. More information will be forthcoming as soon as version 4 is ready.

As a side note, from the campus community’s input will come version 5 which will be shared with invited representatives of Bethany’s external constituents during Homecoming. Based on their feedback, version 6 will then go to the Board of Directors for their adoption.

Engage the Future is an important process and product because it will define the Bethany College we aspire to become in 2020 and 2031 at Bethany’s sesquicentennial. Engage the Future is what awaits us on the backside of the rough waters we are sailing through today. Engage the Future represents our tomorrow.

To ensure stability in leadership and in navigating the rough waters through today to the possibilities of tomorrow, the executive committee of the Board of Directors recently offered me a new five-year contract. Because I wholeheartedly love this community and firmly believe in Bethany’s future, I accepted.

Sixth, be the change.

Here we are, called to act today so that we can engage the future tomorrow. Here we are at the confluence of today and tomorrow. I’ve characterized this place as the brackish waters between today and tomorrow. It’s not clean; it’s unpleasant. I recognize that. But, more importantly, it represents we are entering – if we haven’t already entered – a period of change.

Some will be energized by change and some will fear change. As we enter this brackish or transition period, I find strength in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (5:17) 17So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see everything has become new!

The Lutheran Study Bible’s commentary on this passage is very interesting: “In the new creation, God and world share all things in complete, loving communion. … In Luther’s language, the ‘happy exchange’ between Christ and humans extends to the relationship between God and all of God’s creation. The perfect union of God and human in Jesus of Nazareth anticipates the world’s future and God’s.”

As each of you know, I firmly believe Bethany College is a called college, part of that “happy exchange.” If that is true, we should be energized as we enter this time of new creation. I know I am.

Many of you are aware, but for those who are not, a Bethany College graduation tradition that dates back to the early 90’s is, as I present the graduating senior with his or her diploma, I am presented with a small token. A year ago, the class of 2009 each gave me a crayon. This past May, the class of 2010 each gave me a penny. Not only was I given a penny, but many of them whispered something about change in my ear: “Keep the change … Be the change … Keep the change coming … You are the change … “

To remind us in the weeks and months ahead about the change that lies ahead, with the help of the Good Times Gang, I’m going to give to each of you one of the pennies given to me by the class of 2010. As a small reminder to be the change, I’m going to keep my penny on my desk.

Let’s have a great year, let’s work hard and have fun. Let’s answer the call to act today, so that we can engage the future tomorrow. Let’s be the change. Let’s constantly remind ourselves that we are “One Bethany, Our Community!”

Thanks be to God.

Summer is almost over

2010-08-18T15:42:00.000-05:00

The RA's have returned. The fall athletes are back on campus. Quade starts school tomorrow and the Orientation Leaders arrive tomorrow. The new students arrive on Saturday and classes begin a week from tomorrow.

As students begin to return to campus, the campus begins to come to life. Certainly, this marks the end of summer. What a summer it has been!

This has been a busy summer for me as my travels have taken me to Denver, Wichita, Rock Island (IL), South Bend (IN), Phoenix, Disneyland, Asheville, Kansas City, and the Lake of the Ozarks. Of course, some of the travel was for pleasure.

This has been a summer of sadness as Bethany lost three students to tragic deaths and sister-ELCA college, Dana College, closed.

Yet, in many ways, August is like spring. In August the students return and in spring the flowers begin to bloom - both marking new life and new beginnings.

Here's praying for a successful academic year as it begins next week!

Pennies & Memories

2010-06-02T21:55:00.000-05:00

Baccalaureate and Commencement were 10 days ago. This was my third and, again, the day was very moving. Since the mid-90's the graduating seniors have a tradition of giving the president something when each are handed their diploma. This year the tradition continued with pennies ... 100 pennies to be exact. But, in addition to the penny, many of the graduates also whispered something related to penny, like ... a penny for your thoughts ... here's some change ... can you make change ... and so on. I've already started thinking about how I'm going to use the pennies and the wisdom shared with me.

The weekend was saddened when a senior died in an automobile accident - she would have graduated this December. But we were able to celebrate her life and our memories of her time with us.

The pennies and the memories of my third commencement weekend will stay with me for a long time. As will the fiery baccalaureate sermon and inspiring commencement address. Yeah, it was a wonderfully touching weekend!

Thanks for a great run!

2010-03-06T20:25:00.001-06:00

During January, February, and March, the men's basketball team went on a big run ... and that run ended in the KCAC tournament championship game. While Friends University won the game, our men's team won the hearts of the campus. They won several games showing incredible poise and character. It ignited student excitement and attendance at games I've not seen in my three years ... and some have said in several years.

There is nothing like Hahn gym packed with students - cheering both teams - and fans. The excitement is incredible and, in my opinion, the excitement in Hahn beats Allen Field House! Thank you Men's Basketball Swedes ... thank you Swede fans ... thank you Student Swedes!!!!!

Finding Bethany's Blue Ocean

2010-02-01T20:28:00.000-06:00

For the last day and a half, thirteen members of the campus community (faculty & staff) have gone through an imagineering workshop. The goal of the workshop was to get this group into the mindset of beginning to imagineer then engineer (thus, imagineer) the Bethany College of the 21st century.

The basis of the workshop was the business best-seller, Blue Ocean Strategy. The reality is that many organizations are having to confront new realities and Bethany can either follow GM's lead and hope the storm will pass or follow Ford's lead and confront our reality head on. We have chosen to confront and move forward boldly.

The two days, I think, were full of energy and possibilities. Of course, this workshop only launched the process which will take the full semester to complete. But I remain optimistic that this group can imagineer the 21st century Bethany College. We are in a bloody, red ocean of colleges and universities and we must find how to get heard in that noisy marketplace. We must find that uncontested market space that will allow us to not only survive, but thrive.

Wish us well on this important undertaking!

Q: What is truth? A: Isaiah 9:6

2009-12-16T22:00:00.009-06:00

OnSunday, November 22, I had the honor of preaching the sermon at BethanyLutheran Church, Lindsborg. As we enter the final week of the Christmasseason, let me share that message on my blog. As context, November 22 wasChrist the King Sunday and the Gospel reading was from John 18:33-37.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This Sunday marks the last Sunday in this year’s Christian calendar. Next Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent. In the Lutheran Church, instead of the “Last Sunday of Pentecost,” today is known as “Christ the King” Sunday. What a beautiful description of the Sunday that precedes the Advent season, when we prepare ourselves for the birth of our Lord and Savior … Christ the King Sunday!

Today’s Gospel reading, I thought, was an intriguing representation for Christ the King Sunday. Today’s Gospel is Jesus’ trial before Pilate and before his eventual crucifixion. What a curious, yet appropriate, choice to share the message of Christ the King.

For me, however, what is even curious-er, is the Gospel reading ends with verse 37, yet the paragraph and dialogue between Pilate and Jesus continue for one more verse. Verse 38 reads, “Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’”

Hmmm … why do you suppose those who determine the lectionary readings for each Sunday chose to not include verse 38? Does it not fit in? Does it start a new line of thought? I wonder, “Why?”

Let me share verses 37 and 38: Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”

You may recall that I majored in philosophy in college. And you may recall from your college philosophy courses that the question, “what is truth,” is a philosopher’s favorite question – going all the way back to even before Socrates.

Additionally, “the mission of Bethany College – who we honor today – is to educate, develop, and challenge individuals to reach for truth and excellence as they lead lives of faith, learning and service.” To reach for truth. But, what is truth?

Call me nuts or call me brave, but this morning, as president of Bethany College and as a philosopher, I would like to chase that question. What is truth?

First, let’s return to the Gospel lesson or, more specifically, the dialogue between Jesus and Pontius Pilate. In Mel Gibson’s 2004 movie, The Passion of the Christ, this was a powerful and moving scene. Jesus broke from speaking Aramaic and spoke to Pilate in Latin. For me, I felt as if I were in the room with them as an observer.

The Lutheran Study Bible’s comment on verse 38 reads, “Jesus is tried before Pilate, while Pilate is ‘on trial’ for whether or not he will believe in Jesus.”

Perhaps, this is an important lesson for us as we prepare for this year’s Advent Season. Are we, like Pilate, ‘on trial’ for whether or not we truly believe in Jesus? Is Christ the ruler of your life?

Next, let’s turn to the study of truth as a subject of philosophers for the last several thousand years. Aristotle defined truth as, “to say of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not, is true” (Metaphysics). Well, that’s no help!

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states, “The problem of truth is in a way easy to state: what truths are and what (if anything) makes them true.” That’s perhaps a little better, but still not much help.

Of course, philosophy really complicates the issue by, believe it or not, having theories of truth, such as, the Correspondence Theory, the Semantic Theory, the Deflationary Theory, the Coherence Theory, and the Pragmatic Theory. These, and philosophy, are really no help!

Next, the Gospel of John, if my count is correct, mentions truth more than any other book in the new or old testament. Apparently, “truth” is an important concept. In the first chapter, the Gospel of John reads, “The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (1:17).

The Gospel of John confuses us even more when Jesus describes himself as, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (14:6).

As I best recall from my philosophy major days, there is a strong influence of Plato in the Gospel of John. Perhaps, no better example is John’s use of truth. Truth was a question Plato himself tackled. In Plato’s work, The Republic, he gave us an interesting way of looking at truth. He approached truth with the allegory of the cave.

Inside a dark cave, imagine a group of individuals chained since birth. Additionally, their heads and their gaze are chained and fixed on one spot on the cave wall. Behind the group is a fire. Between the fire and the group, objects move and cast shadows on the wall. The group watches these shadows and believes this is their reality; this is truth. Even though, they are seeing only shadows.

Now, suppose someone from the group escapes or is released. That person would feel compelled to stand up and turn around. But, that person would be blinded by the sunlight coming into the cave from the entrance. The objects would appear less real than their shadows appeared. Leaving the cave, the person would be able to see the sun and would know what is real and what is not real; would know the truth.

Once enlightened, shall we say, the freed individual would feel compelled to return to the cave to free the group, with the truth, from their physical chains and their chains of ignorance. The group, however, believing they know the truth, would criticize and reject him.

While this allegory was written centuries before the life of Christ, it is a remarkable prophecy of Christ in the world. Perhaps Pilate should have paid more attention when he studied Plato’s Republic. He might have known the truth when he asked Christ, our King, “what is truth?”

So, after all this jibber-jabber, what is truth? For me, the truth comes down to this Sunday, Christ the King Sunday.

Last weekend, I drove to Denver, Colorado to attend a Bethany College event. Somewhere in western Kansas or eastern Colorado, I again listened to my CD of Handel’s Messiah. (Of course, that would be the Bethany Oratorio Society’s CD of Handel’s Messiah.) As I reflected on this sermon, Handel, for me, answered the question. More specifically, one of the early, beautiful chorus songs did. The song based on Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, unto to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders. And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty god, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

I guess, after all this, I’ll simply conclude by returning to where this mess began, the Gospel of John: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (8:32). And, for us as Christians, the truth is: “For to us a child is born, unto to us a son is given.”

AMEN.

A very special Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T08:49:00.005-06:00

For Quade, Sheila, and me, Thanksgiving 2009 will always be a special Thanksgiving as we welcomed a new member to our family.

Off and on, since 2005, Sheila & I have discussed and modestly pursued the possibility of adoption. We met with Lutheran Social Services when we lived in Ohio, but came away highly discouraged. We started and put aside, often, the paperwork to start the process. We kept experiencing changes in our lives that kept putting aside us actively pursuing adoption - like the move to Lindsborg.

Last summer, we started again and met with an attorney in Topeka who specializes in adoption. We started work on the "birthmother letter" and started to find someone to conduct the Home Study. Though, to be honest, we had our doubts about ever becoming adoptive parents.

In late October, we received a phone call from a counselor who asked us if we had completed the birthmother letter and Home Study. During the course of the conversation, we learned that she was counseling a young lady who was strongly considering adoption for her unborn child. The kicker was, she was 8 months pregnant and the baby was due in mid-November. We had to move fast.

We got the letter finished, the Home Study done, and met with the young lady. Then, in early November, the mother-to-be called Sheila and asked if we would be the adoptive family. Of course, we said, "Yes."

From early November until this week, we found ourselves on an emotional roller coaster. I won't go into the detail, other than to say we were never certain until this week.

The baby was born on Monday afternoon and we were called and told to be ready to go to the hospital. But that call never came. On Tuesday morning, as I was about to leave town to drive to Overland Park, Kansas for a memorial service, the adoption counselor called and no one was certain the adoption was going to happen. The mother had possibly changed her mind.

Again, God reminded me who is in-charge and that events happen for a purpose. As I was sitting in the memorial service celebrating the life - and saying goodbye - of an individual who was very important in the Bethany College family, Sheila left me a voice mail message that we were about to welcome a new member into our family and the Bethany College family. Ironic ... I think not! God's hand, again, acting in our lives, absolutely!

That afternoon, the District Judge signed the temporary custody order (and that's another story) and in late December - hopefully - we will meet with the Judge to be granted permanent custody.

We have named the new member of the family Thomas, after Sheila's grandfather. For me, however, Thomas will always be a living reminder of the importance of staying faithful to God's will.

October was a walk down memory lane

2009-11-12T13:28:00.008-06:00

During October, I had two experiences that brought back many fond memories. Early in the month, I visited the five Bethany College students who are attending Harlaxton College, Lincolnshire, England. I was a student at Harlaxton back in 1976. The experience was incredible and changed me forever. I began to realize that we live in a big world, which I now describe as a flat world, agreeing with Tom Friedman's book. When I became president at Bethany College, one of the first things I did was to begin conversations for Bethany to become a partner college with Harlaxton. Which we did in spring 2008.

I wanted to visit our first students to make sure the experience was as good or better than mine (it's better!) and to visit the College I haven't been to in 33 years.

While at Harlaxton, I took the Bethany 5 (as I call them) to dinner and then to the Blue Pig. The Blue Pig was the pub I frequented during my student days at Harlaxton. I can honestly say it had hardly changed in 33 years. Wow! The memories came rushing back and the great experience I had for those four months in the fall 1976.

The other experience was later in October when I returned to William Jewell College, my alma mater, to be inducted into the athletic hall of fame with the other members of the 1975-1976 Men's Swim Team. We are one of Jewell's few undefeated teams and we also won the Washington University Invitational that year. For me, not only were we a great team, but several on that team are now life-long friends of mine. In fact, one of them is my son's godfather. It was wonderful to spend a brief time with them and Coach Hamilton, who also has become a life-long friend and mentor.

To the Bethany Five and to the 75-76 WJC Swim Team, thanks for the memories!

Off and running ...

2009-09-03T21:21:00.002-05:00

Classes began this week and Wednesday was Opening Convocation. There is an energy and excitement that fills the air on a college campus that you don't find in Corporate America. There is also a feel of new birth and new starts. This time of the year is indeed an exciting time to be on a college campus - and Bethany is no exception.

While our numbers are not official until the 20th day of classes, our enrollment as of today is 608, with 187 freshmen. This represents our largest fall enrollment since fall 2003 - we are heading in the right direction. When I arrived two years ago, fall 2007 our enrollment was 537. Last fall our enrollment was 587. Now we are over 600. Certainly this is smaller than what we had hoped, but given the current economy, I'll take up in this environment.

More impressively, the 187 freshmen represent the largest freshmen class since fall 1997. And lays a solid foundation for us to build upon in the next few years. Especially if our efforts to significantly increase retention do their job.

Our challenges are still there ... but there is more good news to keep us energized to take on the hard tasks as we work to continue and to expand Bethany's renaissance.

Bright Future, One Bethany… Framåt!

2009-08-28T22:13:00.003-05:00

With the arrival of the new students and fall athletes, with faculty workshops coming to an end, and the first day of classes beginning in just a few days, this week we officially began the 2009-2010 academic year with our Opening Year Meeting.

Recognizing that the economy is still struggling to turn-around and, during a downturn, there is a tendency for organizations to hunker down and wait out the storm, I challenged the Bethany community to look forward. Which is the focus of our theme this year: "Bright Future, One Bethany… Framåt!" (which is Swedish for Forward)

During the month of August, I facilitated/participated in three retreats: President's Council, Advancement office, and the Board of Directors. The recurring agenda item in all three retreats was to get each group to look forward and to begin to prepare to move when the economy turns. My premise is that if we circle the wagons and wait it out, we will lose good opportunities when the economy turns ... and it will. Perhaps slowly, perhaps quickly, but it will turn.

The next few months will tell the story of how successful we've been at putting the challenge out there ... by how many on campus are willing to start thinking and planning for the future. Stay tune ... for more updates ...

ELCA Youth Gathering

2009-08-03T19:56:00.002-05:00

Wow! What an incredible experience. This year's ELCA Youth Gathering was July 22-26 in New Orleans, LA. About 37,000 high school youths and their adult chaperones overtook the city and the city fell in love with them.

My wife, Sheila, was born and raised in New Orleans. Most of her family is still there and several of them have been rebuilding since Katrina in 2005. We saw the destruction and watched the city's rebirth. During the entire Youth Gathering, the newspaper and nightly news reported many incredible stories of how our Lutheran youth touched the city. Talking with many of the youth, the city touched them too. The experience touched me as well.

Watching 37,000 youth come together to worship in the Superdome inspired me as much as it inspired the other attendees.

I'm already excited about the 2012 Youth Gathering.

Shot puts, Wrestling trunks & Bear hugs

2009-05-26T19:55:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, we graduated 98 members of the class of 2009. The day - Baccalaureate and Commencement - was incredible. Floyd Thompkins, class of 1984, preached at Baccalaureate and Vinton Cerf, chief internet evanglist with Google, spoke at Commencement. Both had powerful messages.

For me, the powerful messages of the day came in the form of a shot put, wrestling trunks, and a bear hug.

The day before Commencement, graduating senior "J Beck" won the shot put at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. "J Beck" is Bethany's first double national champion, having also won the shot put her junior year at the indoor nationals. Right before the Commencement ceremony, "J Beck" presented me with the shot put that she used to win the national championship.

Another member of the graduating class, Gabe, spent the last few years, off and on again, competing as a professional wrestler under the pseudonym "Payday Patterson." As Gabe crossed the stage to receive his diploma, he presented me with his trademark pink wrestling trunks appropriately framed.

Lastly, Fred, the first in his family to graduate from college and another one of the Sunday's 98 graduates, presented me with a bear hug - three feet off the ground.

Only at a college like Bethany, where presidents get to know the students personally, can you receive three such wonderful gifts from the graduating class.

Oh yes, each member of the graduating class also presented me with a Crayola crayon or marker when I presented them with their diploma. This is a long-standing Bethany tradition and one that adds a personal touch to Commencement, which culminates four years of Bethany's personal touch on her students.

Chapel Message: Peace. Be Still.

2009-02-07T21:40:00.002-06:00

(Reading: Mark 4: 35-41)
(Hymn: LBW 377, “Lift High the Cross”)

A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.

· Some 2.6 million Americans lost their jobs in 2008, the worst job loss since the end of World War II;
· The U.S. unemployment rate is forecasted to reach 8.9 percent by this summer;
· Industrial output plunged across Europe as the global economic crisis bit deeper;
· Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, saw its first ever operating loss due to a relentless global slide in car sales and a crippling rise in the yen;
· The U.S. budget deficit swelled to a record $1.2 trillion;
· The S&P 500 dropped 37.6 percent in 2008; the largest yearly decline since 1931;
· The bank bailouts, the US automakers’ bailout, and now a proposed $900 billion economic stimulus plan being debated in DC.

But (Jesus) was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

There is a Chinese proverb that states, “May you live in interesting times.” To state the obvious, “We are living in interesting times!” I don’t think I know anyone who has not been affected by the global economic meltdown.

We, as the Bethany community, declare we are a caring community in our promise statement. Furthermore, our core value of Hospitality describes Bethany as encompassing genuine care, grace, and generosity.

We all know the story of another great storm. This story can be found in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Genesis. Of course, I’m talking about the Great Flood and Noah.

Let me humbly remind all of us how that story ended:

(Noah) waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; 11and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more. (Genesis 8:10-12)

Yes, Noah sent a dove to see if the storm had ended and the waters had subsided. As we live in these interesting times – these stormy times – perhaps we at Bethany should remember Noah’s dove along with our dove. Our dove might also help us find dry land.

(Jesus) woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.

How simple a solution! “Peace! Be still!” Or, perhaps this morning’s hymn might suggest an alternative solution: Lift high the cross!

Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not trying to be Pollyanna. I understand the gravity of the world’s economic situation. But I also understand God’s grace and the strength to move through these times reassured by that grace. I hope that the Bethany community understands that grace as well. More importantly, I hope that the Bethany community understands the anchors we have in our community to ground us and to support us as we face these challenging times together.

Let me suggest that we all consider using Chapel as our home base. Let’s gather to re-center ourselves in God’s grace three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:30-10:50. As the storm rages, we need a safe place to go like we needed a safe place, or home base, when we were kids playing tag. We need a place to catch our breath before we start running again.

Let me suggest that we open our hearts to support each other. For students, if you need someone to listen – and you may – seek out a friend, a professor, our campus pastor, or one of your Peer Ministers. For faculty and staff, you may need someone to listen also. Please seek them out.

(Jesus) said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”

You will be telling your children and grandchildren about these times. But when they ask, “How did you handle it,” what will your answer be?

While there is some debate, there is an interpretation that the Chinese word for crisis contains the character for opportunity. Whether true or not, I’ve always embraced that reality because it helps me to focus on what’s important. I choose not to be overwhelmed by a crisis, but rather choose to seek out the opportunities that can be found within a crisis.

I love whitewater rafting. The rush of rafting class IV and class V rapids is exhilarating. But, for me, the great lesson of whitewater rafting is that life is permanent whitewater. I’ve also learned, the hard way, that to successfully navigate a class IV or class V rapid is not to focus on where you are, but instead to focus on where you want to be.

Times like these present us with wonderful opportunities to focus on where we want to be. Most of all, we have the opportunity to demonstrate to ourselves and to others who we are as Bethany College. Do we walk our talk? Do we live our mission and values? Do we deliver on our promise? Do we continue to chase our vision? Or, do we throw it all aside because times got tough, the waters got rough?

Peace! Be still! Do not be afraid. Keep the faith.

Amen.

The new academic year ...

2008-09-21T19:57:00.002-05:00

I received a polite email a week or so ago reminding me that it's been over a month since my last post. Wow! It sure has and a lot has happened. Here are the recaps of the last month:

The apartments are done! We are waiting for the furniture to arrive before we can move the students in. (There is an open house on Thursday, September 25 from 10 am - 2 pm.)
The new turf is down and the Stadium was re-dedicated the Philip Anderson Sports Complex and Stadium and the new field was dedicated the Clyde & Glen Lindstrom Field. With all the rain we've hate, the field has been a great addition. Unfortunately, we lost our home opener on the new field.
The weight room / locker room and lab addition to Nelson Science have begun (I'll try to start posting pictures of both.). The weight room / locker room should be done for the second semester and the lab addition should be ready for the 2009-2010 academic year.
The Board of Directors held their retreat in late August - a very productive day focusing on the future of Bethany - and then many helped move the new students in the next day.
On the first day of classes, there were 598 students - 252 new students. That number will melt until the official 20th day. For comparison, last fall's enrollment total was 537. We are anticipating an almost 10% increase in one year.
We invited Jason Opat '93 to give this year's address at the Opening Convocation. The feedback from around campus was this was a great idea and a great way to involve our successful young alumni.
Volleyball, mens soccer, and womens soccer all have winning records. Football is 0-2, losing to McPherson and Southwest Baptist (an NCAA Division II school).
The Alumni Council was on campus for the twice annual meeting. I visited with them for a short time in the morning. Several folks have commented that it was a good day.

I'm sure I've forgotten something. It's been a fast-paced and hectic 6 weeks. There is a good buzz on campus with the students, faculty, and staff. The new year is off to a great start!

Anderson Stadium update - 5 August

2008-08-05T21:02:00.011-05:00

What an amazing transformation this field has undergone this summer!!! This field, for football and soccer, must truly be one of the best, if not the best, in the Great Plains! And this is just the start ...

Apartment update - 5 August

2008-08-05T20:50:00.015-05:00

It's been over a month since my last blog entry. I was traveling a lot in July. As you can see, the apartments are starting to look incredible. The outside is classy! And the inside is even more amazing. I wish I could have lived in something this nice when I was in college 30 years ago!!!

Anderson Stadium update - 30 June

2008-06-29T17:29:00.003-05:00

As you can see in these update pictures, the work at Anderson Stadium continues to go slow and behind schedule. Some good news is the exterior siding of the Press Box is getting a face lift. Instead of vinyl siding, we're using hardy plank. This should be a significant improvement!

Apartment update - 30 June

2008-06-29T17:25:00.002-05:00

As you can see, the apartment construction still is going well and on schedule. As you can see, they are nearing completion of the outside work, but still have a long way to go on the inside. So, don't get too excited. We're still several months away from occupancy.

Bethany Choir Tour – retrospective

2008-06-15T15:06:00.009-05:00

How can I share our wonderful two weeks in Germany, Sweden, and Norway without droning on way too long? The Choir Tour was outstanding! Two weeks with Sheila and Quade was even more outstanding! Over the last year, we’ve been a split family as Sheila and Quade stayed in Ohio in a futile effort to sell our home while I’ve gone through my first year at Bethany College. To spend two weeks with both of them in close quarters was a wonderful “reunion.” To watch Quade interact with our choir members was even more fun. We have some wonderful students – but of course you already know that – and they were wonderful with Quade.

The first week was spent in Germany, actually what was East Germany prior to reunification. We arrived in Berlin, then our travels took us to Wittenberg, Leipzig, Eisleben, Erfurt, Eisenach, Bergen-Belsen concentration / POW camp, and finally to Rostock. From there, we took the ferry across the Baltic Sea to Sweden. In Sweden, we traveled to Kalmar, Kosta, Stockholm, Dalarö, and Munkfors. (We finished in Oslo where we flew back to the US.)

Our time in Germany was spent following many of Martin Luther’s footsteps: Wittenberg castle church where he posted the 95 theses, Wartburg Castle where he hid and translated the New Testament into German, Eisleben where he was born and died, and Erfurt where his early education took place.

Quade standing at "the door" of Wittenberg castle church.

All of us at Wartburg Castle.

(Of course, we also traveled to Leizig and Eisenach in the footsteps of Johan Seabastian Bach.)

Our German travels also took us to Bergen-Belsen concentration / POW camp. This is where Anne Frank died of typhus in spring 1945. Sheila and I did our best to explain to Quade what took place here. I guess we’ll know in a few years when he reads the Diary of Anne Frank whether he remembers or not.

In Sweden, we hit many of the tourist highlights at the Kalmar Castle, Kosta-Botha glass works, and Stockholm. We then finished our tour of Sweden in Värmland, specifically Munkfors, Sunnemo, and Torsby. We visited the church and parsonage in Sunnemo where Olof Olsson was pastor when he and 200 others prayed and decided to leave Sweden and immigrate to central Kansas.

Of course, the highlight of the trip for Quade was Gröna Lund amusement park in Stockholm. It was Quade's first amusement park and he was tall enough to ride his first roller coster!

Anderson Stadium update - June 15

2008-06-15T14:33:00.004-05:00

The progress on Anderson Stadium has had two set backs over the last three weeks. The first has been the weather. We've been in a rainy spell and the dirt is too wet to move forward. Not wanting to wait the 3-4 weeks it would take for the ground to dry naturally, we've added lime to the soil (at an additional cost of $20-30,000) to help speed up the drying and try to get back on schedule.

The second set back was we learned the natural gas pipeline that runs into Lindsborg and Marquette runs right under the football field. No one knew this and we had to call and get the pipe surveyed as to location and depth.

Apartment Update - June 15

2008-06-15T14:29:00.004-05:00

It's been 3 weeks since my last update (I've been out of the country) and a lot has happened! The apartments are moving along nicely and the outside work should be done soon. Once they move inside, the weather is no longer a factor.

Bethany Choir Tour to Germany & Sweden

2008-05-30T02:51:00.002-05:00

From May 27 to June 10, Sheila, Quade, and I will be escorting the Bethany Choir on their tour of Germany and Sweden. To follow our trip, you can check out the Tour blog at http://bethanychoirtour.blogspot.com/. When the trip is over, I'll add some pictures and commentary.

Anderson Stadium update - May 26

2008-05-26T19:29:00.003-05:00

Work began on Monday, May 19 and over the first week, they have demolished the track and football field. We're off and running ...

Apartment update - May 26

2008-05-26T19:24:00.006-05:00

Wow! The construction is picking up speed and the company is trying to make up for lost ground from the stormy week we had a couple of weeks ago. As you can see, they have framed the first floor and most of the second floor.

Apartment update - May 18

2008-05-18T15:58:00.004-05:00

The foundations were poured this week. Last week's rain got the work behind schedule. This week the construction crew put in long days, taking advantage of a beautiful weather week.

If This Is New York ...

2008-05-11T21:24:00.002-05:00

Saturday, May 10 was a special day for me and Bethany College as one of our favorite sons was honored. Bruce Montgomery ’50 spent his entire career following graduation from Bethany working at the University of Pennsylvania. He spent 46 years as the director of the world-renowned Penn Glee Club. Saturday evening, Penn honored Bruce by renaming the studio theater in the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in his honor. I was honored to represent Bruce’s alma mater at the dedication of the Bruce Montgomery Theater. The dedication recital, which was 90 minutes of Bruce’s work, included two pieces Bruce composed while a student at Bethany.

The music tradition of Bethany now reaches to Philadelphia and one of America’s great universities.

Apartment update - May 11

2008-05-11T20:57:00.002-05:00

This picture doesn't show the progress over the last week. There is plumbing and piping starting to come out of the ground. The weather was not very good this week, hopefully this upcoming week will be better.

Dirt starts to fly - New apartments

2008-05-05T21:55:00.004-05:00

I'm standing at the intersection of Kansas and Olsson Streets. On this corner, we are building the new apartments which will house 67 students in 16 apartments. If the weather holds this summer, the apartments should be done in 6 months.

I will try to weekly, or so, post progress pictures so that you can track the first new building at Bethany College since 1981.

What an incredible week!

2008-04-15T21:00:00.008-05:00

Over the last week, Bethany College celebrated big time! We celebrated learning, the arts, the church, athletics, students, and Lindsborg. I was officially inaugurated as the 13th president. It was a wonderful week and filled with many high points and memories. As pictures and stories become available, I’ll add them to this entry.

SUNDAY, APRIL 6
To begin the week, the Salina Journal did an Inauguration Preview article, which can be read at http://www.saljournal.com/rdnews/story/33008-bethany-prez-clone .

MONDAY, APRIL 7
Author James Bradley, Flags of Our Fathers and Flyboys, presented his story and the story of the flag-raising on Iwo Jima. It was a truly inspirational message.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8
Today, Bethany College celebrated the arts with the unveiling of a Birger Sandzen painting in the library and a concert that included both music and theater faculty / students. It was a fun evening and showed the long heritage of the College in music, art, and theater.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
This was a two-part day. In the morning and over lunch, Bethany College celebrated the church. We invited the local churches and church workers to join us in worship during chapel and then to allow us to honor them during lunch. Everyone seemed to have fun and it highlighted the strong relationship that Bethany has had with the Lutheran church and Lindsborg churches. Bishop Jerry Mansholt, Central States Synod, was able to join us and that made the event even more special.

In the evening, Bethany College celebrated athletics. Dating to the late 19th century, Bethany has a rich heritage in athletics, including defeating the University of Oklahoma twice in football at the turn of the 20th century. This evening, we invited Jack Parr, former Kansas State and NBA basketball player to speak to our student-athletes. I was motivated after Jack’s speech – I’m sure our student-athletes were too.

FRIDAY, APRIL 11
I shared the message in Chapel as Bethany celebrated students (http://www.bethanylb.edu/contentm/gen/bethany_college_generated_bin/documents/basic_module/Chapel%20Homily%204-11-2008.pdf).

Then, during lunch, I announced that Bethany College had officially become a partner college of Harlaxton College, Grantham, England (http://web.harlaxton.ac.uk/). I also pulled the winning ticket for the student who won “President for a Day.” Kristin Palmer, junior, was the winner.

During the afternoon, we had a Root Beer Float Social, where students got to watch the music videos they had made earlier in the day.

To begin the Inauguration Weekend, the Inauguration Committee sponsored a good, ol’ fashioned Swedish Smorgasbord for Friday’s dinner. What a feast!

The day ended with a Toga Party and Dance. I went to costumeshop.com and bought a Roman Senator Toga. There was no way I was going to wear a bed sheet and no way I wasn’t going to attend and have some fun with the students.

SATURDAY, APRIL 12

The day began with worship at Bethany Lutheran Church, where the College was founded and began on October 15, 1881. For me, the highlight of the service was when my former pastor from Ohio, Pastor June Fryman, preached the sermon. I felt that my family and I were being handed-off from Wilmington to Lindsborg. What a great feeling.

The Dignitary Brunch followed and several of my lifetime friends, and of course my family, were there to join in the celebration. I was truly touched by the distance that several of them traveled to be with me on this day. I am truly rich with wonderful friends.

The Ceremony followed and it was more beautiful than I could have imagined. The words of encouragement that were shared by the campus, the broader Bethany family, and by family and friends touched my heart and soul. We were able to involve Quade by having him bring the Presidential Medallion to the stage during the Rite of Inauguration. He stayed on stage and helped me conclude my Inaugural Address (http://www.bethanylb.edu/contentm/gen/bethany_college_generated_bin/documents/basic_module/Inaugural%20Address%204-12-08.pdf).

The Celebration Ball was incredible! Stroble-Gibson was transformed – and I do mean transformed. The dinner and dance was truly the exclamation point on a wonderful day. During the Ball, Dr. Carl Issacson’s shared a video he had put together to highlight the Inaugural Theme – To Strive. To Seek. To Soar. It is posted on You Tube and can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efny4EnFbRA .

SUNDAY, APRIL 13
To conclude the week, Salina Journal ran an Inauguration article - http://www.saljournal.com/rdnews/story/bethany-4-12-08 and an Editorial - http://www.saljournal.com/rdnews/story/Sun-bethany-edit .

Quade, Sheila, and I hosted a “Sundae Stroll” from Bethany Lutheran Church to the Valkomen Trail to Bethany College for an ice cream social – with clowns and all the kid fun you would expect. We then dedicated a new daisy patch on the campus to reach back into our heritage and to connect the past with our future.

The hard work of the Inauguration Committee, under the leadership of co-chairs Dave and Sharyl Admire, was evident throughout the week and weekend. They left no detail uncovered and pulled off a wonderful celebration of Bethany College. To them, I say, “Thank you!”

Past Meets Present

2008-03-30T21:36:00.003-05:00

This week is the last week of my "Meet the President" Tour and Future Forums. Since mid-January, I have been around Kansas and the U.S. to meet with alumni, parents, and friends to update them on campus happenings and to get their input as we work through developing the College's Guiding Principles that will form the base of our strategic planning.

A few weeks ago, I had the great pleasure to meet Bethany College's 6th President - Dr. Dale Lund, who served from 1958-1965. While I have talked with several former presidents by telephone, President Lund is the first former president I have met face-to-face.

I enjoyed visting with President Lund and learning, in the first person, what life was like at Bethany 50 years ago. Both President Lund and his wife, Ruth, looked great and had a definite bounce in their walk. I hope I'm doing as well 50 years from now!

My First Messiah Festival / Holy Week

2008-03-24T09:08:00.000-05:00

I have just completed my first Messiah Festival – even though Bethany College just completed its 127th. (Incredible to think this tradition has existed since 1882.)

To give context to this blog entry, you must first understand that I was raised as a “High Church” Episcopalian. As such, the Triduum has always been of significant importance to me in my spiritual growth each Holy Week. I have come to value the “Three Days” from Maundy Thursday to Easter.

As a young child, I remember going to church on Palm Sunday and then again on Easter Sunday. Of course, both are “celebratory,” uplifting services. It was not until I was in high school that I attended my first services of the Triduum: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.

That is where I realized that you cannot fully comprehend or appreciate Easter unless you’ve also journeyed from Palm Sunday through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday to Easter.

Over the years, I’ve always found great comfort in the Maundy Thursday services and God’s new covenant. But, at the same time, I’ve always struggled with finding the Good Friday service that gave me the empathy I sought in Christ’s suffering and death for me. Over the years, I’ve attended, on Good Friday, the Stations of the Cross, Tenebrae, and even Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. None of them fully gave me what I sought.

This year, however, I found what I had been seeking. Since 1925, the Messiah Festival has included – in addition to the Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday performance of Handel’s Messiah – Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. I was moved and touched by the performance and the beauty of the music. As it ended, I wanted to sit there in silence and pray – but I do understand it is a performance and the chorus, orchestra, and soloists must be thanked for their beautiful gifts with applause. Nonetheless, following the St. Matthew Passion, I knew I was ready and prepared for Easter.

As you consider how you spend your time during Holy Week 2009, let me suggest that you consider spending some of it, or all of it, on the Bethany College campus where, I assure you, the music and performances will help prepare you spiritually so that you can fully comprehend and appreciate the gift of Easter.

Alleluia. Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.

Campus under construction

2008-02-06T20:10:00.000-06:00

My son will be five next week. His birthday and all that is happening on campus reminds me of my son’s ongoing fascination with construction – Bob The Builder TV show, helping fix things around the house, his play work tools, etc.

With everything happening at Bethany right now, I’m starting to feel like Ed the Erector. We are moving into three construction projects: laboratory addition to Nelson Science, weight room / locker room addition to Stroble-Gibson, and a new apartment-style residence hall.

We are also in the process of building a strategic plan. Presently, four task forces are working to develop the Guiding Principles which will frame the strategic plan, and also provide its foundation. Those are mission, values, promise, and vision. When those are built we will start the construction project of building the plan itself with its strategies and goals.

As part of that building project, we are also re-building the College’s connection with alumni and friends. This winter / spring, the alumni office and I will be hosting over 20 Future Forums to engage and involve key stakeholders of Bethany College in building the College’s future.

We are building, and executing, a fundraising strategy to raise $1 million to meet Bud Pearson’s challenge. When that is accomplished, we will then move into the construction of a new chapel and welcome center at the heart of the campus.

Lastly, we are working with students to identify how we can build a better Bethany experience with the expectation that will be key to building enrollment. At the same time, we are researching why students leave Bethany early to learn from them how to build a better experience. We do this with the expectation that research will be key to retention and building enrollment also.

Can someone pass me their hardhat, please?

Off and running

2008-01-20T19:59:00.000-06:00

I’ve been delinquent in keeping up with my blog the last month. For those who have been faithfully reading this and keeping up with my first year, I apologize.

You should not interpret the lack of entries as a message the last month has been quiet. In fact, it has been quite the opposite.

Since my last entry in mid-December, Lindsborg was dealt a snow storm and an ice storm. The ice storm occurred during finals week and that made the week quite interesting. We did not close the college, but we did move two finals to other days. We must have done ok as I heard very little “second guessing.”

Also, we interviewed four finalists for the Vice President for Advancement position. That search came to a successful close shortly after the New Year - MEREDITH TO LEAD ADVANCEMENT FOR BETHANY COLLEGE.

The best part of the last month was I got to spend almost three weeks with my wife and son. We made our annual Christmas trips to visit my family in St. Louis and Sheila’s family in New Orleans. We also attended our first Council of Independent College’s Presidents Institute – where there is also a very strong presidential spousal program. This year’s institute was at the Marriott Marco Island, FL Resort. We all had a great time and Quade got to play on the sand for the first time. Though I think our favorite activity was when we had some free time, Quade spent an hour going down the slide at the pool and I got to catch him. He had a blast! And so did I!!

After a very busy travel schedule this fall – see my earlier blog entry Road Warrior – where I was off-campus 30 days, my winter / spring schedule will be even busier. As we move quickly, one of my main goals for this academic year is to complete a strategic plan, or get as close to one as we can get. Much of my fall travel was centered on accomplishing that goal, as well as the several retreats we held.

Right now, four task forces are working under the direction of the College’s Strategic Planning Council to develop, strengthen, or re-commit ourselves to our mission statement, core values, promise statement, and vision. We're calling these four statements our Guiding Principles, which will serve as our "north star" to keep us on-target, focused, and centered as we develop, then execute, a new strategic plan.

To continue to engage our alumni, parents, and friends, I will be hosting 20+ Future Forums where I will have the opportunity to learn more about Bethany College through the stories of those who know her best and to listen to the dreams our stakeholders have for Bethany.

The scheduled Future Forums are:

DATE LOCATION
14-Jan Salina, KS
15-Jan Bethany Home
15-Jan McPherson, KS
7-Feb Lawrence, KS
12-Feb Topeka, KS
13-Feb Manhattan, KS
19-Feb Dallas/Ft Worth
24-Feb Washington, DC
26-Feb Omaha, NE
3-Mar Wichita, KS
4-Mar Minneapolis/St Paul
5-Mar Seattle, WA
11-Mar Tampa, FL
12-Mar Miami, FL
13-Mar Orlando, FL
30-Mar Longmont, CO
31-Mar Denver, CO
1-Apr Colorado Springs, CO
2-Apr Los Angeles, CA
3-Apr Oakland/San Francisco, CA
TBD Great Bend, KS

As you can see, there is a lot happening! And it’s very exciting!!

Jultide at Bethany

2007-12-12T13:41:00.000-06:00

The Christmas season at Bethany is rapidly coming to a close. The month and season began the first weekend in December with Jultide, a wonderfully moving Christmas production by our various choirs and orchestra. Jultide is not a traditional-Jingle Bells Christmas pageant, but a solemn Christmas tribute. Personally, I found that I came away more centered on Advent than I have in the past. Of course, my continued amazement at the talent of our students and community made the event even more inspiring.

Last weekend was our first Christmas theater production in many years. Dr. Carl Isaacson directed a reader’s theater performance of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. As I have always been a huge fan of reader’s theater and of A Christmas Carol, I was thrilled. What I enjoyed even more was, of the 15 students who participated, only 1 is a theater major. They did a great job and should be very proud of themselves!

As December also marks the end of the semester, we had several semester-end recitals and honor performances. Incredible! Now comes the challenge of filling the seats so even more can enjoy and appreciate our students’ talents.

Students are just about finished with finals. The weather, an ice storm, has wreaked havoc on finals and trying to judge what are the best decisions. I think we've limped through just fine.

This month has been made even busier as we have completed and should complete next week two cabinet-level positions. The campus interviews of six different candidates has added a bit of stress to an already stress-filled month. But I'm excited about the pool and the first hire.

As you finish up your Christmas shopping - which I haven't even started - let me wish you a very Merry Christmas!

God Jul!

First 100 Days

2007-11-17T17:55:00.000-06:00

One-hundred days ago, I began my journey as the 13th President of Bethany College. When I began that journey, I set out to accomplish several goals in the first 18 months. So a report of my first 100 days is a report that’s not even at the end of the first quarter of those 18 months. To assist me in these first days and months, I appointed a Presidential Transition Committee. They were key in laying out the transition plan that is now being executed. That plan called for me to
+ LEARN about the history, traditions, values, and people of Bethany College.
+ LISTEN to Bethany’s stakeholders, individually and collectively, to learn their aspirations for Bethany’s future and their assessment of the barriers to that future.
+ FOCUS on defining Bethany’s distinctiveness to differentiate Bethany and to allow Bethany to be heard in a noisy marketplace.
+ Develop the plan for Bethany’s FUTURE of smart, sustainable innovation and growth.
+ SHARE that plan with the Bethany community and stakeholders.
+ Begin to SHOW results.

Technically, November 8 represented my 100th day as President. However, I have symbolically chosen to report on my first 100 days today, November 17. I have done this for two reasons.

First, this past Friday and Saturday, 70 alumni, friends, faculty, and students of Bethany College convened on campus for the Bethany College Community Retreat. Virtually all of my activities this fall have been focused and directed toward this retreat. Some of those activities included a President’s Council retreat, a Board of Directors’ retreat (http://swedesprez.blogspot.com/2007/08/retreats-retreats-retreats.html), a campus leadership retreat (http://swedesprez.blogspot.com/2007/09/campus-leadership-retreat.html), and listening sessions with almost all of the administrative offices, faculty, and student leaders on campus, and with most of the Board of Directors (17 of the 24), Endowment Trustees (5 of the 6), and President’s Advisory Council (14 of the 16) (http://swedesprez.blogspot.com/2007/10/road-warrior.html). While my goal was to visit and listen to everybody on campus and to those off-campus leaders closest to Bethany, I just ran out of time.

Specifically, the goals and activities for the Community Retreat were:
+ build and reinforce a sense of community among Bethany’s many and varied constituent leaders;
+ review the answers / data compiled from those listening sessions;
+ respond to the current mission and values of the College;
+ react to the market research (branding) data and draft market position statements, from which will emerge the College’s promise statement; and
+ begin to develop a shared strategic direction for the future of Bethany College, from which will emerge the College’s vision, that will serve, along with the mission, values, and promise, as the College’s guiding principles in formulating a strategic plan.

The participants at the community retreat were broad indeed in their representation of Bethany’s many and varied constituencies. In all, 70 participants attended representing 19 constituencies.
Alumni Council 7 (including spouses)
Athletic Association board 1
Board of Directors 10 (including spouses)
Central States Synod Council 2
Chamber of Commerce 2
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau 5
ELCA Churchwide 1
Endowment Trustees 2 (including spouse)
Faculty Senate / Faculty 4
Former board members 4 (including spouse)
Lindsborg City Council 2
Lindsborg Tomorrow 3
Mid-level administrators 3
Parents Council 2
President’s Advisory Council 3 (including spouse)
President’s cabinet 8
Special guests 5
Staff Senate 3
Student Congress 3

My second reason for choosing today to report on my first 100 days is because of an important town hall gathering that was held on campus on Friday, November 16 – just before the Community Retreat began. [The full program of the Bright Future Town Hall can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7314qbF-FN0]

Since my first day, August 1, I have, on several occasions, shared that I believe with God’s grace, a good plan, and hard work, there will be a Bethany renaissance. Over the last few weeks, God’s hand has touched Bethany College. [Here’s a link to the Salina Journal article - http://www.saljournal.com/rdnews/story/gift111707]

As many of you know, I don’t believe in coincidence. My faith and personal experience tell me things happen for a reason. I am convinced that God has worked through three couples as a way to make a transformational difference in Bethany, in Lindsborg, and in the lives of students for generations to come. Thanks be to God to an anonymous couple, Ronald & Tulsa Lea Green, and Bud & Beverly Pearson.

An anonymous couple, who met during the Messiah Festival in the early 1950’s, have made a verbal commitment to contribute over the next few years almost $500,000 to bring the Messiah Festival Endowment to $1 million dollars. The signature event of Bethany College now has a significant endowment from which to begin to build the Messiah of the 21st century.

The Green’s, who had a passion for music and music education, have bequeathed a gift of $400,000 to endow a scholarship in music education. Max Green received his bachelor’s in music education from Bethany in 1958. He and his wife worked for many years in the Olathe public school system, and operated a music store in Olathe that helped generations of students learn to play band instruments

Lastly, and most significantly, Bud Pearson has challenged the College – and enthusiastically accepted by the Board of Directors – to raise $1 million by June 30, 2008 to which he will contribute another one million dollars to construct a Swedish chapel and welcome center in the center of campus. Bud is a former member of the Board of Directors and a current member of the President’s Advisory Council. In the late 90’s, Bud underwrote a campus master plan for Bethany College. Part of that master plan, which, by the way, has driven much of the Campus Green project, was a chapel in the center of campus. That project enamored Bud and now, almost 10 years later, Bud’s dream has expanded to include a welcome center to house the admissions office.

We are excited by this challenge – truly a significant demonstration of faith in Bethany’s future – and the eventual Swedish chapel and welcome center that it will bring. The welcome center will most assuredly represent the exclamation point on the campus green project and the Swedish chapel will represent a re-centering of Bethany College on our Lutheran and Swedish heritages.

I guess I know what I’m doing for the next 100 days!

My first Board meeting

2007-10-28T15:14:00.000-05:00

This past week has been incredibly busy. On Monday and Tuesday, I attended the Board meetings of the Kansas Independent College Association, Kansas Independent College Fund, Kansas Independent College Financing Authority, and the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. These meetings consisted of most of the other presidents of the private colleges in Kansas (though all are invited) and was my first opportunity to interact with this group.

The range of experience is from me, the newcomer, to one who is in his 17th year as president. I found them to be an outstanding group of leaders ready to share and help. I’m looking forward to more opportunities to interact with this group and to learn more from them.

On Wednesday, two representatives from Edward Jones visited the campus to conduct a due diligence visit as we move closer to the College’s first bond issue. Last spring, Interim President Bob Vogel successfully persuaded the College’s Board of Directors to begin to use debt strategically to make the necessary campus facilities improvements that have been too long deferred. Early indications are that the visit went well.

Friday and Saturday were my first Board of Directors meeting. The orientation for the four new board members was all day Friday and went very well with some very positive comments. Saturday’s meetings went well also. The committees met in the morning, late morning and through lunch the board met with Lindsborg community representatives to discuss strengthening the ties that bind us, and the business meeting was Saturday afternoon.

I would describe this meeting as a typical fall board meeting, as we reviewed the audit and discussed next year’s tuition, fees, room, and board. Among the many action items that are typical of a fall board meeting, the board did approve the faculty’s recommendation to establish a forensic science major. The meeting went well and we concluded the day with an outstanding dinner at the Stockholm Restaurant in Lindsborg.

First Homecoming & Hyllningsfest

2007-10-14T22:12:00.000-05:00

Wow! Whew!!

This past weekend was my first Homecoming as President AND my first Svensk Hyllningsfest – the City of Lindsborg’s biennial celebration to its Swedish heritage (http://www.svenskhyllningsfest.org/).

I knew Homecoming would make for a crazy weekend. What I didn’t know was what to expect with the two stacked on each other.

While it made for a very busy weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and met a lot of alumni and was busy “working the crowd” in many venues. To give you an idea of my weekend, here’s a quick overview …

Friday
Willie/Cat Memorial Golf Outing
Hyllningsfest Opening Ceremony – bringing greetings from the College
1952 Class Reunion
1958 Class Reunion
Smorgasbord
Alumni Awards Dinner
Bethany Talent Show – Sheila and I agreed to bring back the tradition of the President and the First Lady presenting the Homecoming Court and then announcing the King, Queen, and attendants.

Figure 1: Quade congratulating one of the Queen candidates, while holding “THE envelope”

Saturday
Hyllningsfest VIP Brunch
Hyllningsfest Grand Parade – I was this year’s Grand Marshal
Welcome to football recruits – we had 20 on campus Saturday
Homecoming luncheon buffet
Football game – where I was interviewed on the radio at halftime and then assisted in honoring this year’s alumni award winners
Stoltz Circle dedication
5th Quarter alumni chili dinner
1982 Class Reunion
The Fab Four concert – bringing greetings from the College

I think my son, Quade, had the most fun. He got to ride and watch his first parade. Afterwards, I asked which he liked better. He responded, “Daddy I liked riding in the parade and watching the parade A LOT!”

Road Warrior

2007-10-06T17:40:00.000-05:00

Over the last few weeks, I have been spending several days each week on the road. My goal is to visit each member of the Board of Directors, Endowment Trustees, and President’s Advisory Council by mid-November. To date, my travels have taken me to western Kansas, Minneapolis, northern Iowa, Omaha, Wichita, Kansas City, Topeka, Denver, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. The next month will have me traveling back to Topeka, Wichita, western Kansas, and Kansas City, as well as Texas, Oklahoma, Chicago, and, hopefully, the west coast.

My early observations, about these alumni and friends of Bethany College, are incredibly positive. I have met some absolutely wonderful alumni and some equally impressive friends of Bethany College. I have heard wonderful stories about Bethany and sensed deep feelings about strong connections to Bethany. This College is truly blessed!

In addition to these priority visits, I have been also been taking the opportunity for other visits that will benefit Bethany College. While in Iowa, I took time to visit Waldorf College and its president, Dick Hanson, and Luther College and its president, Rick Torgerson. Last week, while in Washington, D.C., I took the opportunity to meet and to begin to build a relationship with Congressman Jerry Moran and the Swedish Ambassador, Jonas Hofstram.

Of course, these travels have kept me off campus much of the last month and will continue in the month ahead. In fact, the challenge of being president of a small, private college in today’s environment is that to build the relationships and to develop the resources necessary to advance the college requires a president to be off-campus more than on-campus. I hope the students, faculty, and staff come to understand that challenge.

A Week of BIG Wins

2007-09-26T11:59:00.000-05:00

This week has seen a number of BIG wins for Bethany College. First, our football team defeated Friends University Saturday night 26-21. The win was big because the Falcons are defending conference champs, were the preseason #1 pick, and were ranked#12 in the NAIA. As we work hard to rebuild a strong, football tradition, this win for our players, coaches, students, and fans begins to prove the Terrible Swedes are back!

Last night (Tuesday), our volleyball team defeated Kansas Wesleyan 3-0 to remain undefeated in conference play. Our volleyball team, like football, is in a rebuilding effort and they too are off to a great rebuilding effort.

Finally, this morning, I participated in the exit meeting of the Board of Examiners who are on campus as we seek re-accreditation of our teacher education program. Two years ago, the College was put on probation so this was a high stakes, all or nothing, visit. The team is recommending that Bethany College meets all six standards for re-accreditation. Academically, this win is as big as football's and volleyball's.

This week, I have seen One Body, One Bethany come alive as none of these wins would have been possible without everyone's support, engagement, and participation. In the end, we will all win together or lose together. These week, we are winners!!!! Go Swedes!

Alma Swensson 209

2007-09-20T07:49:00.000-05:00

This week - for four nights - I became a resident of Alma Swensson Hall (ASH) in room 209. This week, my roommate was Kenny, a freshman, music education major, and who grew up in Marquette and Lindsborg, KS - a local.

What a contrast my three weeks have been in roommates alone: Two freshmen and a junior; two from small town Kansas and one from the east coast of Florida; a music major, a criminal justice major, and a biology major.

In addition to the contrast in roommates, I also noticed a strong contrast between Warner/Gregory and ASH. Whereas Warner and Gregory are suite-style resident halls (two rooms sharing one bathroom), ASH is the traditional residence hall where there are two open bathrooms on each floor. In Warner and Gregory I found community among the suitemates and not much socializing on the floor - no open doors and no wondering around. On the other hand, in ASH I found a wonderful sense of community. Let me explain.

In ASH, I found open doors, hair cuts in the bathroom, the kitchenette being used for late night food or to bake up some cookies (which by the way the baker forgot to share with the President), and a new game which only reinforced the community in ASH. The new game, created a few days before I arrived, is called Hall Ball. It is actually a quite simple game (not a sport) - unlike Mario Party 5 or Guitar Hero II. You set up a plastic Gatorade bottle at each end of the basement (it has to be played in the basement, but don't ask me why) hallway on the north side. You roll a tennis ball, or throw, and want to knock down the bottle. You score points when you knock the bottle over: one point for a straight on hit, two points for a bounced hit, and three points if you bounce the ball off the back wall and knock down the bottle.

I was amazed at how many residents showed up to play Sunday night for the single elimination tournament and even more amazed at how that number grew at Tuesday night's double elimination tournament - which saw Aric defeat Anthony in the finals as Aric won two games having survived the losers bracket. (By the way, Aric was defeated by Anthony in an early round having been up 4-0 and losing in sudden death 5-4.)

I realize that college students today want to live in apartment-style student housing. But what I saw in ASH this week is what I remember from 30 years ago. The type of community a college strives to build among its students. As we move forward and invest in improved student housing and new student housing, we will have some interesting conversations around that dilemma.

My thanks go out to Kenny for letting me room with him and to the ASH residents who found a game I enjoyed playing and actually had a modicum of success with - though my four night record was only 3-3.

Gregory 118

2007-09-12T10:15:00.000-05:00

My three night stay in Gregory Hall ended this morning. Since I will be traveling to northern Iowa and Minnesota later today to visit with alumni and friends of Bethany, I only had the time for a three night visit, instead of the four nights I did in Warner or I will do in ASH.

My roommate was Gabe, a junior from Hiawatha, KS, majoring in biology, and the Senior Resident Assistant in Gregory. My suitemates were Zach, a junior from Smith Center, KS and majoring in elementary education; and Miguel, a junior from Phillipsburg, KS also majoring in elementary education.

As I expected, my observations of life in Gregory are quite different than what I observed in Warner. First of all, I noticed considerably more attention to coursework and studying. But the late nights were not any different. In fact, they went quite later and this time I found myself hanging with them quite late (1:00 a.m.; 12:00 a.m.; and 1:30 a.m.).

They made me feel very comfortable and our conversations were the kind of conversations I remember fondly from my own college days 30+ years ago. I can honestly say that what roommates/suitemates share and talk about hasn’t changed.

On Sunday, I was introduced by Gabe and his girlfriend, Meggan, to Mario Party 5: my first, and hopefully last, attempt at playing that videogame. I felt like the game was being made up as we went along. I was quite frustrated and ready to get back to the old-fashioned board games.

Monday night was Monday Night Football, which again was no different than when I was in college. The difference this time is that you play videogames or surf the internet, while you watch the game. Of course, the game is watched on a large, color TV or monitor rather than a small, black & white TV.

I did experience, with great frustration, the Gregory resident’s frustrations with the slow connection speed of the internet. I was wanting to show the group a web site of something I have been considering for Bethany to get their initial and candid response. I became quite frustrated when it was taking so long for the site to load, which on campus normally loads in seconds.

Last night, I was part of a scavenger hunt one of the RA’s sponsored for her wing. Actually, Gabe and I were both part of the hunt and as the participants ran into the room looking for Gabe some would recognize me and realize I was on the list. Others would get Gabe’s signature, run out, and then return quickly afterwards once they realized I was part of the hunt as well. It was quite fun.

After the scavenger hunt, I did my first Casey’s run. The traditional walk to the Casey’s near campus for late night food. This made me even more aware of the need for our students to have access to late night food, either on campus or near the campus.

Lastly, thank you to Gabe, Zach, and Miguel for letting me share your suite and for being a part of their group for a few days. Now, it’s on to ASH where I will be rooming with a freshman intending on majoring in music.

Hahn Parking Lot Party

2007-09-08T13:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we celebrated the almost completed, totally NEW parking lot by Hahn Gymnasium. This parking lot was in very bad condition and was rebuilt from the substructure up. The old asphalt lot was cleaned out and a new, concrete lot was built. The lot should be ready for use late next week.

This new lot has probably created more excited around campus than any of the other campus improvements currently underway. The returning students have been elated by the new lot and are anxiously awaiting using it.

To capitalize on this excitement, I wanted to take time to celebrate the new lot. However, since I will be traveling late next week, when the lot is ready for use, I wanted to find time this week for a parking lot party.

To build momentum and to add to the excitement, we also held a week-long raffle for students, faculty, staff, and any others to see who would have the honor of being the first person to park on the new Hahn parking lot.

During lunch on Friday, I picked the winner - Dr. Tom Claassen. Friday afternoon, Dr. Claasen drove his pick-up truck - loaded down with students - on to the new lot as the College's pep band, the Blue Dozen, played.

Dr. Carl Isaacson, from our communications faculty, videotaped the raffle and party, edited it down, and posted it on YouTube. Thanks to Dr. Isaacson, here is a link to that video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2K0QHiULLA

Warner 313

2007-09-06T08:06:00.000-05:00

The last four nights I have been a resident of Warner Hall, living in room 313. My roommate was Corey, a freshman from Melbourne, FL who is playing football and intending on majoring in criminal justice. My suitemates were Joe, also a freshman, and Jordan, a sophomore.

My stay in Warner did not bring with it any surprises. I expected that the lifestyle of a 50 year old would be in stark contrast to the lifestyle of an 18-19 year old, which it was. I go to bed early and get up early. They go to bed late and get up late, except for class and football meetings. (Of course, when I was in college, I was always one of the last to bed, so I anticipated that hadn't changed in 30+ years.)

My stay in Warner did bring with it some valuable insights into the students who are Bethany College - at least many of our freshmen. The stay also helped me see the student issues through their eyes.

As for the freshmen I have met so far, many of whom are on the football team, my first impression is very positive. I have found them to be engaging, well spoken, polite, young men. They, I believe, will represent Bethany well on the field and off. I have high expectations for them and I think they will succeed.

The student issues are not large, but it will take time and money to bring them to the level they need to be. The two big issues are internet connection and climate control (for lack of a better description).

Over the summer, the College invested in upgrading and enhancing the internet connection for the residence halls. The halls have gone from DSL to a 1.5 meg pipe. Currently, that 1.5 meg pipe is being upgraded to a 10 meg pipe. When I surfed the internet during my stay, I found the connection to be good, but not great. I'm told the real challenge occurs when you try to download from the internet, which gives me concern. As I understand it, even with a 10 meg pipe, if enough students are downloading at the same time, especially large files, there will be little, if any, noticeable change. Will have to monitor that and work with the students to find an acceptable solution.

The bigger issue is climate control. Warner is 30 years old and the air conditioning is not forced air but air that moves over cold water pipes to cool the air. Because of the hard water in Lindsborg, over the years the pipes have built up deposits in them and that results in some rooms not receiving cool air. Our maintenance staff is trying to fix what they can when they can, but this project is really a major capital budget item. As I learned, some of the rooms are quite cool, like where I stayed, and some rooms are quite hot. That is not acceptable and we will have to find a way to address the issue. I must now wonder what happens in winter?

Additionally, during my stay, I participated in some of the more traditional college student activities. I competed - and didn't embarass myself too much - in a Guitar Hero II tournament and attended Movie Night in one of the rooms to watch Men in Tights, the Mel Brooks classic.

I actually saw students in group study sessions, reading in the lobby, and a few politely excusing themselves to study or to read or to write. I must admit I had expected a bit more attention to academics than what I saw, but maybe what I saw wasn't representative.

All in all, my time in Warner was fun and educational. My roommate and suitemates made me feel welcome and Corey even let me have the top bunk. (He did offer to take it, but I was in the top bunk for 3 years in college and so I thought it would be fun to do it again. Beds must have gotten higher in 30 years. I don't remember being so far off the floor 30 years ago.)

I now have three nights to recover. I move into Gregory Sunday evening for next week's residence hall live-in. This time I will be in the middle of upperclass men. I'm looking forward to it.

Campus Leadership Retreat

2007-09-03T17:16:00.000-05:00

This past Friday, 23 campus leaders headed to Camp Tomah Shinga - the camp of Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Kansas - for a 24 hour retreat. The group consisted of senior administrative leaders, the faculty senate, the staff senate, and the Student Congress.

I enjoyed watching the retreat unfold and especially watching these campus constituent leaders begin to come together as One Body, One Bethany - the theme for the College this academic year. [You can see / hear more about One Body, One Bethany at http://www.podshow.com/video/?persona_id=97210&movie_id=97adf3b58c87307ddb2c847f211c106a ]

Besides team-building activities, of where there were plenty, we also spent time "setting the table" for the strategic planning process that will unfold over the next year. We began to get folks to think about Bethany's mission and values - and more importantly how we walk our talk. We focused on what our brand is and what it should be, and we also took time dreaming and visioning about the Bethany of the future.

These will form the four cornerstones of our guiding principles and frame our strategic plan.

Of course, there were also some light-hearted moments, which are part of any retreat. I'm happy to report that I resoundingly defeated our Student Congress President and Treasurer in Monopoly. And there were humourous moments about the lack of sleep for one professor because of the loud snoring of another professor.

I hope this event can become a new Bethany tradition. For me, I think it is important to begin each year by bringing together the campus' leaders to focus our thinking about the challenges ahead and to remind ourselves that no matter what our job or responsibilities are around campus we all want the best for Bethany. That certainly was true at this year's retreat.

Greensburg, Kansas

2007-08-26T14:16:00.001-05:00

On Saturday, August 25, as part of New Student Orientation, 60+ students, faculty, staff, and coaches traveled to Greensburg, KS for the day. (Greensburg was the site of last spring's F5 tornado in south, central Kansas that truly wiped out the city.)

We were split into several groups. One group, my group, continued to clean up debris from where homes once stood. Another group gave away donated bicycles to the local children whose parents are trying to rebuild their homes and jobs. Another group demolished a house.

For me it was a powerful day that words cannot fully express. I hope the students, faculty, staff, and coaches who also gave a day to serve also experienced a powerful day.

Dan Glamann from the Central States Synod joined us and took photographs of our day. They can be seen at http://picasaweb.google.com/dlglamann/GreensburgKansas

Carl Aaron Swensson at night

2007-08-21T17:27:00.000-05:00

This photo was taken by Lindsborg photographer Jim Turner and sent to me by Jim.

The picture was just too good not to share.

With all the campus improvements and positive energy happening on campus, Carl Aaron must be proud.

Go Swedes!

Retreats ... Retreats ... Retreats

2007-08-20T17:14:00.000-05:00

Last week we held two retreats to continue to build a sense of community.

The first retreat was with the President's Cabinet. We spent the day at Bethany Lutheran Church and took the day to think strategically - at 35,000 feet - about the near-term future of Bethany College. Of course, the focus was predominantly on the year ahead and the ambitious activities and planning we are undertaking. We reviewed the Presidential Transition Plan and the process we will use over the next year to build a strategic and operational plan. After lunch, we focused on our priorities and goals for the upcoming academic year. (As those are refined over the next few weeks, I will share them either on this blog or on the President's page on the Bethany College web site - http://www.bethanylb.edu/)

The second retreat was the College's Board of Directors. We spent the day, also, thinking strategically about the future, but, more importantly, the relationship that is critical for success between the President and the Board. Over the last few months, I have only had the chance to meet a handful of the board members, so the day was valuable to me in meeting and getting to know the rest of the board. They are, without a doubt, a passionate and loyal group, which cares deeply about Bethany College. At the end of the day, we took a breather from all the serious talk and enjoyed a meal together - with spouses joining us. (Social time is so valuable in these relationships. The board meets only a few times a year and they need to build a sense of community amongst themselves and with the College.)

[I should also mention that on Sunday, the day after the retreat, many of the board members helped move the freshmen and transfer students into their dorm rooms. That was a big hit!]

The final retreat, which actually is later this month, is with the campus leaders - administrators, faculty, students, and staff. This will be a 24 hour retreat at Camp Tomah Shinga and will be important as we move forward to build a stronger sense of community on campus and as we move forward to build a bold and audacious strategic plan for the future of Bethany College. Obviously, I will share more after this retreat, which is August 31-September 1.

It's starting to come together ...

2007-08-17T13:42:00.000-05:00

This is an exciting time on a college campus and Bethany's campus is not different. This week the RA's arrived and have been going through their training. In fact, an important part of their training was Wednesday night when I joined them for their annual bowling night. I'm happy to report that I did not embarass myself and in fact gave a few of them a scare that they might lose to "the old man."

The campus' peer ministers arrived yesterday and the Orientation Leaders check-in this afternoon. All this activity means that on Sunday the new students - freshmen and transfers - arrive. The remaining students can't be further behind.

This is a stressful and exciting time for a campus. For Bethany, this year, it is more than normal. This summer there has been A LOT of campus grounds improvements taking place. There is a lot of dirt flying and I'm trying to help some on the campus understand that is a good thing. (Dirt flying is a good thing because it is a powerful indicator of progress and success.)

Jim Turner, one of Lindsborg's outstanding photographers, has been taking pictures all summer of the progress. I'm not sure many know about this, so I wanted to share his web site so, if you can't see it in person, you can check out the pictures. It is ...
http://homepage.mac.com/jimturner3/BETHANY%20CAMPUS/index.html

Check it out! Better yet, make a trip to campus and see for yourself. I'll buy the first cup!

Churchwide Assembly

2007-08-12T14:17:00.000-05:00

This week - my first full week on the job - I attended the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Chicago to participate in orientation sessions and meetings with the other presidents of the ELCA's 28 colleges and universities.

I flew up on Tuesday afternoon and dined that evening with several of the other new presidents since the last assembly in 2005. The five of us had a relaxing opportunity to get to know each other and to begin to network with each other. I found an unusual candidness among my fellow neophytes about their insitutions and the challenges they are confronting.

Wednesday morning a few others joined us and we spent the morning learning about how the ELCA relates with its colleges and universities. Bethany is the third church-related college where I have worked, but the first Lutheran college. I must share that I am impressed with the camaraderie and sharing of information that exists in the ELCA. Surely, the ELCA is a best practice on how a church can best relate with its colleges and universities.

Furthermore, during lunch, Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, who was re-elected to a second six-year term the day before, stopped by for more than a meet and greet. He spent time briefly visiting with each president and then shared his thoughts about Lutheran higher education with the group. For me, I found his comments invigorating because it was obvious he too has a high regard for our mission and ministry as a part of the larger church community.

Wednesday finished with a reception honoring the 100th anniversary of Lutheran campus ministries. Seems a fitting way to end the day and to end my first churchwide assembly.

The First Day

2007-08-01T17:31:00.000-05:00

What a great first day! This is the first time I've been in my office since I arrived at 7:00 a.m. this morning. It's now 5:30 p.m. and I leave in a few minutes to be the guest of Rotary for dinner.

My day began with breakfast with 15 students. We had a good conversation and talked about their experiences, the challenges this year at Bethany, and what they expect from the new president. I continue to find the students to be an amazing group of young people - warm, honest, well grounded.

Following breakfast, we celebrated the Eucharist! I can think of no better way to start my presidency than by celebrating and sharing the body of Christ.

I then had a whirlwind tour of campus where I began to put names, faces, and places together. I've met so many on my previous visits, but they always came to receptions and I never got to meet them in their offices. I'm slowly learning my way around.

At lunch, I had an engaging conversation with faculty. As an early observer, they are an incredibly committed group of colleagues with good suggestions and great passion for Bethany.

I then was escorted by the Mayor of Lindsborg and the President of the Chamber of Commerce around Main Street Lindsborg to quickly meet the downtown business owners.

The day concluded, mostly, with an ice cream social where I had a chance to meet and greet members of the broader Bethany community. The bishop of the Central States Synod, Gerry Mansholt, was even able to attend as he was in town installing the new pastor at Bethany Home.
Wow! I wonder what I'm going to do for Day Two.

Let me conclude where my day began, with the refrain of the opening hymn at this morning's worship service: "Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim 'til all the world adore his sacred name."

Prologue

2007-07-30T07:12:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, August 1, I begin my new venture as the 13th President of Bethany College. I thought I would, from time to time, share my observations as my first year unfolds. My intention is for this blog to not be a daily diary but an occasional journaling of what's happening at Bethany, with me, or within the broader Bethany community. I hope this sharing is for the benefit of Bethany College and its many stakeholders.

Before I officially begin, I thought my first entry - the prologue - should be a bit of sharing who I am. There are various press releases available to learn about the hard facts of who I am. I thought I would share, instead, in this prologue, my guiding principles - my personal mission, vision, and values. I have used these for the last 15 years or so to guide my life in my various environments.

Mission: My life's purpose is -- first, to seek and serve Christ in all persons -- then, to make better those individuals and organizations who my life touches.

Vision: Reach the summit

Values:
1. "For where your treasure is, so to is your heart also." (Matt 6:21)
2. "If you don't do it excellently, don't do it at all." (Robert Townsend, Up The Organization)
3. Put first things first, but don't confuse activity with accomplishment.
4. "Ready, Fire, Aim." (Peters & Waterman, In Search of Excellence)
5. Under promise, Over deliver
6. Work hard. Have fun.