Career and Internship Fair

Bethel Holds First Career and Internship Fair for All Majors
On Feb. 2, the Bethel College career services office held a career and internship fair in the Wiekamp Athletic Center. Open to all students and alumni, the fair boasted representatives from 55 companies and organizations. The purpose of the fair was to provide students with the opportunity to network with area employers and learn more about job and internship possibilities. Students were encouraged to dress for success and bring copies of their resumes. Of the employers who attended, 100 percent said they would return next year.

Bethel Expands Library Partnership with Notre Dame
Bethel students and faculty now have better access to more than 5 million library resources at the University of Notre Dame, thanks to an expansion of the 20-year library partnership between the two institutions. The program now offers delivery of materials directly to the Otis and Elizabeth Bowen Library within 48 hours. “This is much more convenient — with one click of a button students and faculty can request books from Notre Dame and have them delivered,” says Mark Root, associate director of library services.

Norwegian exchange students Anne Karen Myklebust (left) and Marit Gjaerde.

Bethel Hosts Norwegian Exchange Students
As part of an exchange program with the MF Norwegian School of Theology, Bethel is hosting two Norwegian students majoring in youth ministry for the spring semester — Anne Karen Myklebust and Marit Gjaerde. The partnership came about through Terry Linhart, Ph.D., professor of youth ministry and chair of the department of religion and philosophy, who has family in Norway. In March, Linhart traveled to Norway to speak about Bethel and get more students interested in the program. The youth ministry exchange will be ongoing, with two to three students expected each semester.

Learning Commons Implements New Loaner Art Program
The Katherine J. Gribbin Learning Commons is starting a loaner art program to provide students with an opportunity to showcase their artwork. According to Learning Commons Director Tim Williams, the goal is to improve the aesthetics of the space while providing an opportunity for current students to display their creative talent. Students whose art is chosen will receive $200 per semester for the use of their work.

Bethel Pilots Team Up Against Cancer
On Jan. 24 and 25, students, faculty and staff participated in several events to “Team Up Against Cancer.” Events included a campus-wide hat day, a fundraising contest and a special focus on cancer awareness at the men’s basketball game, which was played in honor of Leslie Greising and Kathy Gribbin. More than $1,800 was raised for Hello Gorgeous!, an organization that gives complimentary makeovers and cosmetic education to women battling cancer. Both Greising and Gribbin were recipients of Hello Gorgeous! makeovers before losing their battles to cancer in 2013.

Miracle Month Goal Exceeded
Bethel College received $500,000 from several generous donors for the purpose of underwriting a matching fund campaign in December 2013 with a goal of raising $1 million. The campaign was a success, exceeding the goal and raising a total of $1,063,492. “This was an exciting month for Bethel College,” says Terry Zeitlow, Ph.D., vice president for institutional advancement. “We are thankful for everyone who played a part in this effort. I am especially thankful for those who provided the funds for the challenge and those who responded in incredible generosity.” The campaign’s success allows advancement staff to focus their efforts on supporting the GREATer institutional priorities outlined by the president (LINK).

Von Gilbert, Javier Lopez and Justin Masterson

Athletic Hall of Famers Honored
Bethel recently hosted the 2013 Athletic Hall of Fame induction banquet in the Wiekamp Athletic Center lobby. This year’s Athletic Hall of Fame inductees, pictured above, included Von Gilbert ’97, a four-year letter winner in basketball; Javier Lopez ’01, a four-year letter winner in soccer; and Justin Masterson (attended ’03-’05), a two-year letter winner in baseball.

Bethel Receives $868,000 Grant
Lilly Endowment Inc. gave Bethel a grant of $868,000 for the purpose of improving job prospects for college graduates in the state of Indiana. This is part of Lilly’s Initiative to Promote Opportunities Through Educational Collaborations. According to Vice President for Institutional Advancement Terry Zeitlow, Ph.D., the funds will be used in several ways, including the development of two new programs within Bethel’s division of adult and graduate studies. The first is a one-year biotechnology program designed to allow people with a bachelor’s degree to transition to a career in biotechnology. The second is a program designed in collaboration with area businesses to offer training for local employees through Bethel’s new center for customized training. The grant will also provide funding to hire a full-time career services specialist for adult students and purchase new equipment for Bethel’s student media center.

New Textbook Partnership Saves Students Up to 60 Percent
Bethel College has partnered with a new textbook provider, Akademos/TextbookX.com, giving students more choices and access to lower prices when ordering course materials. Students who use the site will save an average of 60 percent off of the list price, which is comparable to purchasing from other online sources. In addition to options for new and used books, students can also select rentals or eBooks and can make their purchases from the open market, similar to the open market options on Amazon.com or Half.com.