December 2007/ January 2008
Since I last wrote you we have graduated 101 as a senior class, brought in a whole new class of freshman and transfer students, a new president, 3 new alumni council members, laid many new walkways across campus, and much much more. Here are some highlights!
· Enrollment:
o Fall 2007 as 537 students, including 512 full-time students
o 49 percent female and 21 percent U.S. ethnic minority
o 23 percent of first-time freshmen are U.S. ethnic minorities
o 26 percent of this year’s transfer students are U.S. ethnic minorities
o Students on campus this fall are from 15 foreign countries and 29 states
o Bethany retained 75 percent of its non-graduating students from last spring to this fall, up from 71 percent spring to fall retention in the previous year
· Admissions:
o Trisha (Hartshorn) Hawk ’84 A Bethany College alumna with more than 14 years of experience in higher education, including nine in admissions, will lead the admissions effort at Bethany College. She will begin Jan. 4 as dean of admissions and financial aid.
· Alumni Council
o Three new council members were added to the ranks
-
Jaime Nickel ‘89
-
Ron Olson ‘65'
-
Kevin Peterson ‘73
o Two special initiatives of the alumni council
-
Minority Support – a project in it’s infancy stages to involve alumni across the nation to develop relationships with our current minority students
-
New Student Contacts – all alumni council members have been in contact with our new students this year through email connections
· The Alumni Referral Scholarship
o Awarded to students who are referred to the college by a Bethany alumnus or alumna and who meet Bethany’s admissions standards and complete Bethany’s application for admission by February 15.
o Opportunity for alumni to introduce students in their schools, congregations and communities to the benefits of a Bethany education
o Students awarded the Alumni Referral Scholarship will receive $2,000 over four years as a part of their Bethany financial aid package. The award can be stacked on top of merit scholarships and performance awards for music, art, theatre, and sports participation.
o Alumni may refer as many students as they wish. Certain limitations apply, including: alumni who are employees of Bethany College are not eligible to refer students; and parents who are alumni may not refer their own children for the Alumni Referral Scholarship. Instead, children of alumni are eligible for the Legacy Scholarship.
· Campus Green continues – support of this project will be appreciated and ongoing through the Fall of 2008
· Chapel Challenge from Bud Pearson
Gerald “Bud” Pearson, a long-time friend of the college, has challenged the college to raise $1 million for the construction of a new Swedish chapel and welcome center on campus.
If the college raises $1 million towards the project by June 30, 2008, Pearson will complete the challenge by donating a matching gift of $1 million. When fulfilled, the Pearson challenge grant will be the largest gift from a living donor in the college’s 126 year history.
The new Swedish chapel and welcome center will serve as a place of worship and house the admissions office.
Pearson, a former member of the board of directors and current member of the president’s advisory council at Bethany, underwrote a campus master plan for the college in the 1990s. Part of that plan – which helped drive the current Campus Green project – was Pearson’s original idea for a chapel.
In a letter to Bethany College and the Lindsborg community, Pearson wrote, “I fell in love with you both over 20 years ago. There were dark times and bright times. I believe you are now in the brightest times I have seen and the best of all is on the way. “
Thank you for your active role as supporters of the college. First and foremost if you are
reading this – you have some connection to the college. Your active role of being connected to what is happening now at the college is a connection to the future of Bethany.
How do you want to further her mission? Refer a student? Support Bud’s challenge? Volunteer to help with Messiah or some other event? Help with admissions activities? Reconnect a lost alumni? Support the annual fund? There are so many ways each one of us can and do take an active role in the ‘bright future of Dear ‘Ol Bethany’.
Join me in becoming a part President Leonard’s One Body, One Bethany. Be sure to attend one of the Future Forum’s scheduled at a location near you.
