Faculty & Staff News – Fall 2014
Bethel Celebrates GREAT Employees
In July, President Gregg Chenoweth, Ph.D., recognized several Bethel faculty and staff members who have done an exemplary job in living out the GREATer priorities. Awards were given to Alex Daniel ’15, men’s basketball graduate assistant; Jessie Lacay ’10, admission counselor; Sandra Lesko ’06, senior advisor/recruitment manager; Ryne Lightfoot ’10, men’s basketball assistant coach; Chad Meister, Ph.D., professor of philosophy; Tony Natali, head track coach, on behalf of the entire track coaching staff; and the entire physical plant staff. For more information about their accomplishments, visit BethelCollege.edu/GreatJob.
John Haas, Ph.D.
Haas Appointed as Research Associate at Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute
John Haas, Ph.D., associate professor of history, has been appointed as a research associate at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, one of the world’s leading centers for the study of the causes of violent conflict and strategies for sustainable peace. Haas’ research will focus on a book he is writing, “Does War Work? America and Its Wars Since 1945.” He will also have the opportunity to present his research and share ideas with scholars from all over the world who are working on related topics.
Terry Linhart, Ph.D.
Linhart to Speak at Forum for Association of Youth Ministry Educators
Terry Linhart, Ph.D., professor of youth ministry and chair of the department of religion and philosophy, will be a plenary session speaker at the Association of Youth Ministry Educators’ 21st Annual Forum in Washington, D.C., and continues to be sought after across the globe for his youth ministry expertise. In April, he was one of only three American authors asked to write a chapter for the book “Christian Youth Work in Theory and Practice,” the first book ever to be published on Christian youth work from a U.K. perspective. He will also release two more books in 2015 and is an ongoing contributor to the work of Youth Specialties, an organization that serves more than 100,000 youth workers worldwide. He is the director of the Youth Specialties Academic Support Network and hosts YS Roundtable, an online video series for youth ministers. See more at YouthSpecialties.com.
Adam Hammett, Ph.D.
Hammett Published in Electronic Journal of Combinatorics
Assistant Professor of Mathematics Adam Hammett, Ph.D., and his co-author, John Engbers, Ph.D., assistant professor at Marquette University, were published in the Electronic Journal of Combinatorics, one of the top peer-reviewed journals in the area of combinatorial probability. This area of mathematics involves finding patterns in large collections of data, where one typically selects a data point from a collection at random and then determines likely properties for the random outcome. Hammett works with students on this type of research in the classroom, preparing them for a wide range of careers in areas such as data science and computer programming.
Holland Hired as Controller
Don Holland ’07 recently began as controller for Bethel. He is responsible for day-to-day management of the business office and optimizing internal and external compliance and administrative performance. He most recently served with Pathfinders Advisory Group and has previous higher education experience at the University of Kansas and Indiana University. Holland earned his MBA from Bethel in 2007.
Tom Visker, P.E.D.
Visker Named Athletic Director
Tom Visker, P.E.D., began his tenure in July as athletic director for the Bethel College Pilots, transitioning from his previous role as professor of kinesiology and dean of humanities and education. He replaced Jody Martinez ’90, ’06, who recently left Bethel for a coaching position at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla. Visker comes to the position with 22 years of experience as the head baseball coach at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, in addition to his 11 years of experience as a dean and professor at Bethel.
Bob Laurent, Ph.D.
Beloved Bethel Professor Retires
Bob Laurent, Ph.D., affectionately known as “Dr. Bob” or “DB,” retired at the end of the 2013-’14 school year. For 17 years he served as vice president for college relations and professor of Bible and religion, gaining a reputation as a sought-after professor and mentor. At commencement in May, he was given the Professor of the Year Award, a testament to his impact on Bethel students, alumni, faculty and staff. He plans to enjoy spending time with his family, writing his first fiction book, and will continue to serve as teaching pastor at Granger Community Church.
Kristie Cerling, Ph.D.
Lisa Greco, Ph.D.
Greco and Cerling Earn Doctoral Degrees
Two Bethel employees recently earned doctoral degrees. Director of Conferences and Community Engagement Lisa Greco ’04, ’05 earned a Ph.D. and her dissertation was, “The Influence of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People During a Merger of a Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services in a Midwestern State: A Single Case Study from 2007 to 2013.” AGS Program Director for Education Kristie Cerling ’96 earned an Ed.D. and her dissertation was, “Reading Between the Lines: Long-term Impact of Secondary Reading Programs.”
Kevin Blowers
Blowers Attends Event Commemorating Survivors of Armenian Genocide
Kevin Blowers ’96, technical services librarian and curator of the Missionary Church archives, was a special guest at an event at the Ararat Eskijian Museum in Los Angeles, Calif., honoring survivors of the Armenian genocide of 1915-1923. The museum is displaying two pieces that once belonged to missionary Dorinda Bowman and are now a part of the Missionary Church archives — a dress belonging to an Armenian orphan and a rug made by children at an orphanage in Hadjin, Turkey. At the event, Blowers accepted the prestigious Fridtjof Nansen Gold Medal, an award named in honor of the Nobel Prize Laureate and given to those who have helped bring about worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Clyde Root
Mark Root
Retirement, New Leadership in Library Services
Mark Root ’95 has been appointed as the new director of library services, replacing his father, Clyde Root, who announced plans to transition into retirement. Clyde, who held his position for 25 years while serving as associate professor of history, will remain on staff as a librarian. Under his leadership, the library made the transition from a card catalog to an online catalog; the collection grew from 72,000 items to more than 150,000; Bethel joined the Michiana Libraries Consortium, giving students access to libraries including Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross; the Missionary Church archives were relocated to Bethel; and the education resource center and Mae’s Corner were added to the library.
Religion and Philosophy Professors to Take Sabbaticals
Cristian Mihut, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy, has been granted a scholarly sabbatical for the spring of 2015, funded in part by a Templeton Grant. Chad Meister, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, has been invited to spend Trinity (summer) term 2015 at the University of Oxford, England, as a visiting research scholar. He will be on sabbatical during the fall 2015 semester, serving as the William Paton Fellow at the John Hick Center for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Birmingham, England.
NEW FACULTY BACK ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Toni Klatt-Ellis, M.S.N., Assistant Professor of Nursing; Brian Ellis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology; Chable Johnson, M.S.N., Assistant Professor of Nursing. FRONT ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Janna McLean, Ph.D., Dean of Arts and Sciences; Hannah Stutzman, M.S.N., Assistant Professor of Nursing; Katharine Schmidt, M.F.A., Assistant Professor of Art. NOT PICTURED: Noah Bucholtz, M.Div., Assistant Professor of American Sign Language; Lisa Ericson, M.S.N., Assistant Professor of Nursing; and Marcella Miller, M.S.N., Instructor of Nursing.
Ham Releases New Book of Piano Arrangements
Associate Professor of Music and Artist-in-Residence Marilynn Ham released “Praise Him! Praise Him!” a book of duet arrangements, which can be purchased online at Amazon.com, JWPepper.com or at a variety of other retailers. Filled with joyful praise, the moderately advanced arrangements span the church year and are designed for congregations to use again and again. Ham has published more than 20 books, including “Ivory Exaltation,” which is Lillenas Publishing Co.’s all-time best-selling piano book.
