CONTACT: Colene Lind, (785) 227-3311, ext. 8122

May 8, 2006

BETHANY COLLEGE TO HONOR ALUMNI WITH AWARD OF MERIT

LINDSBORG, KAN.— May 20 Bethany College will honor three graduates—William Swenson, Donald Trued and Verlyn Lindell—with its highest alumni honor: the Award of Merit.

The awards will be presented during the annual Bethany College Alumni Recognition Banquet. The banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Pihlblad Memorial Union. Tickets are $12 per person. Please contact the Bethany alumni office at (785) 227-3380, ext. 8270, to make a reservation.

Swenson, Longmont, Colo., is a member of the Bethany College class of 1954. Swenson, an electrical engineer, worked for IBM for many years. He was elected to the Longmont City Council in 1977 and served as mayor and a city council member for 12 years. He was elected to the Colorado State Legislature in 1994 and served for eight years. Presently, he serves as an appointee of the governor on the Transportation Commission of the State of Colorado. He has served First Lutheran Church in Longmont as a member of the church council, the call committee and treasurer. He is now using his skills in woodworking to make wooden chests for all the newly baptized children of his congregation.

Trued, Lindsborg, is a member of the Bethany College class of 1952. Trued graduated from the Lutheran Bible Institute in Seattle, Wash., and served with the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1944 until 1946. Following his graduation from Bethany College, Trued graduated from Augustana Lutheran Seminary. He was ordained in 1955 and, along with his wife, Ruth Trued, served as a missionary to Tanzania from 1955 until 1962. He has worked in positions with the National Lutheran Council, The Lutheran Council, and the Lutheran Church in America. After moving to Lindsborg, Trued served as the director of planned giving at Bethany College, and has been an ongoing volunteer with the Bethany in Kansas campaign. He also has served interim roles throughout the community as a pastor.

Lindell, Sioux Falls, S.D., is a member of the Bethany College class of 1955. Lindell’s life and career have been lived in Christian higher education. A mathematician, Lindell taught at Luther Junior College, Wahoo, Neb.; Carthage College, Carthage, Ill.; Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, Iowa; and Augustana College, Sioux Falls. Lindell is a member of the Mathematical Association of America and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He is an active member of St. Marks’ Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, where he and his family have participated in and provided leadership to several committees, fundraising efforts, pastoral calls, and synodical and national efforts.

Each year, the Bethany College Alumni Association selects alumni who graduated more than 20 years ago to receive the Award of Merit. Recipients are chosen based on noteworthy achievements, service through church and public life, creativity in the arts or sciences, or outstanding leadership and participation in a recognized organization. Recipients also must show continuing interest in Bethany College.

Bethany College, established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881, is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The mission of Bethany College is to nurture and challenge individuals in their search for truth and meaning as they lead lives of faith, learning and service.

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CONTACT: Colene Lind, (785) 227-3380, ext. 8122