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May 2, 2007
FORMER GOVERNOR AND BETHANY ALUMNI TO SPEAK AT BETHANY COMMENCEMENT EVENTS
LINDSBORG, Kan.—John Carlin, former governor of Kansas and former United States archivist, will speak at Bethany College’s commencement Sunday, May 20, at 3 p.m. in Presser Hall. His address will be titled “Your Future is Up to You.”
The Rev. Charlottte Strecker-Baseler, pastor of the Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oberlin, Kan, will speak the same day at 10:30 a.m. at the baccalaureate service in Presser Hall.
Carlin served as the 40th governor of Kansas. He was elected twice, serving from 1979 to 1987. He was first elected to public office in 1970 as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives. He became assistant minority leader of the House in 1975, was minority leader from 1976-1977 and was speaker of the House from 1977-1979.
He was U. S. archivist from 1995-2005, having been nominated to the post by President Bill Clinton. He was in charge of the National Archives and Records Administration, an independent federal agency that reserves and makes available the records of the federal government and the courts. The 33 facilities of the National Archive include the nation’s 11 presidential libraries.
Carlin is a visiting professor and executive-in-residence at Kansas State University and is a member of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, the National Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production and the National Digital Strategy Advisory Board to the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program.
Carlin grew up in Smolan, Kan., and earned a bachelor’s degree in dairy science from Kansas State University in 1962.
He will be given an honorary doctorate of laws by Bethany during the ceremonies.
Strecker-Baseler is a 1978 graduate of Bethany College with degrees in biology and chemistry and worked as a chemist for the city of Fayetteville, Ark., water treatment plant for eight years. She earned a Masters of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America—ELCA) in Columbia, S.C., and was ordained in 1992.
She served as pastor of the St. James Lutheran Church in Chilhowie, Va., from 1992-1996, and as pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Dodge City, Kan., from 1996-1997.
She has been at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church for nine years.
Strecker-Baseler is a member of the Great Plains Coalition for Rural Ministry Steering Committee and the ELCA Small Town and Rural Ministry Alliance. She has twice been elected to the Central State Synod Council representing area ministry one and was appointed Dean of the Central State Synod area ministry one in 2005.
She was born and raised in Galatia, Kan.
The College Choir and the Handbell Choir will perform during baccalaureate.
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 live lives of faith, learning and service.
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