Pray for Bethel! All across the country, Bethel friends pray for the university through the Nation­al Prayer Initiative (NPI). The NPI has 40 prayer teams comprised of grandparents and parents of current students, alumni, and friends who believe in the power of prayer and strongly affirm Bethel’s mission. To keep in touch with the current prayer concerns, team leaders receive Prayer Points, a monthly com­munication that lists items of praise and requests for prayer from Bethel’s leaders and faculty. Each team determines when and how often they pray. Says Judy Moseman, NPI coordinator, “We realize that you pray for your children and that many of you already pray faith­fully for Bethel. Becoming a prayer partner gives you access to specific prayer requests and praises that are substantive and timely for Bethel. No guilt. No pressure. Just pray as you have opportu nity. Hope you’ll consider it!” Interested in praying for Bethel University? Please contact Judy Moseman at j­moseman@bethel.edu or Julie Tutt at j­tutt@bethel.edu. n

Parent Volunteers Wanted for Spring Banquet One of Bethel’s enduring traditions is the Spring Banquet, which takes place right before final exams. The student body dresses up and heads to the Sports and Recreation Center (SRC) to enjoy a meal and program together. Parents play a significant role, and we need your help! This year’s banquet will be held on Saturday, May 18. We ask parent volunteers to help with set­up, serving, and clean­up, all while enjoying the company of other parents and socializing with

the students who are celebrating a successful year. Once the students are served, we invite you to sit down and en­joy dinner as our guests. Interested in vol­unteering at the 2013 Spring Banquet? Visit bethel.edu/parents/events/spring-banquet to register and learn more. n

BethelParentA newsletter for parents of Bethel University students n Issue 57/Spring 2013

National Prayer Initiative

Jared Hehn ’13 took this photo outside the Louvre while studying in Europe during interim.

Reminders Is your student graduating this spring? Congratulations! Bethel has several meaningful events planned for graduat­ing seniors and their families over commencement weekend, including a Senior/Parent Banquet, the Baccalaureate Service, and more. Visit bethel.edu/events/commencement to learn more about what’s planned for commencement weekend. n

First Grandparents Day More than 200 grandparents from 11 U.S. states – and one from the Netherlands – enjoyed a special day connecting with their grandchil dren at Bethel’s first Grandparents Day on April 5. Together, the generations worshipped in Chapel, enjoyed a recep­tion and the opportunity to meet Bethel leaders and other guests, had their photos taken, connected over lunch, heard from Bethel alum and current Bethel grandparent Dick Varberg (’55, S ’58), and took tours of the campus. They also heard from President Jay Barnes, who shared about Bethel’s mission and acknowledged the significant role that grandparents play in the lives of their grand­children. Corrie Majolee, who travelled from the Netherlands to connect with her grandson Jesse Hill (’16), says of the event, “This day means a lot. It’s a blessing that my grandson can study here. It gives me a feeling for how he studies and lives. It’s a won­derful way to connect.” n

Bethel Ranks 7th for Study Abroad U.S. News & World Report recently released its “Short List” of schools with the most students studying abroad. Bethel University ranked seventh, with 75% of the 2011 graduating class spending at least one term abroad. Read about the U.S. News ranking at www.usnews.com. “Bethel’s commitment to preparing students to be world­changers is why we offer young men and women these invalu­able opportunities to be global participants, to step out of their comfort zones, and to make a difference in the world,” says Ralph Gustafson, vice president for constituent relations. One such student is Jared Hehn. A senior majoring in finance, Jared took the interim course Introduction to International Busi­ness in Europe. He says, “It was really cool experiencing church services in Europe. . . it was awesome to see the impact God is having globally! As a result of this trip, I feel God pushing me to work internationally and spread His Word.” Bethel offers more than 30 semester, summer, and interim study abroad opportunities to undergraduates in the College of Arts & Sciences. Visit cas.bethel.edu/academics/study-abroad to learn more about Bethel’s study abroad program. n

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BethelParentBethel University3900 Bethel DriveSt. Paul, MN 55112-6999

Address Service Requested

NonprofitOrganizationUS Postage

PAIDTwin Cities MNPermit No 899

Parent Volunteers

Needed

for Spring Banquet–Details

Inside

Mark Your Calendar! Symposium on Faith and Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 3

Last Day of Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 17

Spring Banquet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 18

Bethel Choir Bon Voyage Concert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 19

Final Exams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 20­May 24 (Please don’t schedule family vacations on these days.)

Study Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 22

CAS Baccalaureate Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 24

Senior/Parent Commencement Banquet . . . . . . . . . . May 24

CAS Commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 25

1st Session of Summer Classes Begins . . . . . . . . . . . May 28

Bethel Golf Classic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 17

Visit bethel.edu/events/calendar for more information about events.

Office of Alumni and Parent Services651.638.6462 (800.255.8706, ext. 6462)

parents@bethel.edubethel.edu/parents

Help Your Student Prepare for Their Career Want to help your child prepare well for a future career? A summer job or internship can be more than a paycheck. If these options are approached strategically, your student can maximize summer opportunities to build skills and explore career fields. While a college degree is important, employers also value an applicant’s experiences and skills. In a competitive economy, summer jobs and internships provide necessary experiences. Challenge your student to seek a summer position that will help prepare for his or her career.

Steps to Getting Started1) Start early. Encourage your student to carefully consider what he or she would like to do after graduation and develop a realistic plan to achieve those goals. Is your child heading to medical school? They should consider volunteering or shadow­ ing in the healthcare field.2) Build relationships. Informational interviews are an excellent opportunity for your student to learn and receive advice from professionals. 3) Visit the Office of Career Development and Calling. They assist with career counseling, résumé and cover letters, mock inter­ views, and more! Students can call 651.638.6460 to schedule an appointment. n

Debra Harless Named Executive Vice President and Provost of Bethel Bethel University President Jay Barnes has appointed Debra Harless as the executive vice president and provost of the university. Harless has served as vice president and dean of the College of Arts & Sciences since 2009. “Deb is a proven leader, team builder, administrator, and advocate for Bethel’s mission. She is an example of what we hope a Bethel grad­uate will be. She has the qualifications we need and the proven capacity to move Bethel forward,” Barnes says. Read more: bethel.edu/news (Click on “news archive” and choose January) n

Consider a Gift by May 31 Join the community of parents, alumni, and friends who invest in Bethel students through a donation to the Bethel Fund. The Bethel Fund helps bridge the gap between the actual cost of the life­transforming, Christ­centered education that students receive at Bethel and what tuition covers. When you donate to the Bethel Fund, you help make Bethel more affordable for all students by providing: •Spiritualformationopportunities •Innovativeacademicprogramsandresources •Facultyenrichmentopportunities •Servicescrucialtoavitalstudentlifeexperience Do you have a passion for supporting Bethel students and for coffee? Consider joining the Bethel Fund Coffee Club at a mini­mum of just $10/month or $120/year and receive a Bethel mug. Please visit bethel.edu/giving to learn more about the benefits of the Bethel Fund and to make a secure donation online. n