Campus News – Spring 2016
Career Fair 2016
ReFuel Conference – Paul Baloche
Nonprofit Fundraising Workshop
Service Day 2015
Bethel Hosts 100 Employers at Career Fair
The Bethel College Office of Career Development and Experiential Learning hosted a career and internship fair in the Wiekamp Athletic Center on March 9. Representatives from more than 100 area employers were present at the event and were able to talk with participants about potential jobs and internships.
ReFuel Conference Draws 800 to Campus
On Jan. 16, more than 800 people packed the Everest-Rohrer Auditorium for the third annual ReFuel Conference. The conference provided a day for worship teams and their leaders to be together, be refreshed and be equipped to continue their effective leadership in the church and the world. Keynote speaker Paul Baloche (pictured), a Dove award-winning singer and songwriter, focused on inspiring leaders to refresh their relationship with Christ while embracing their pastoral role in their churches. More than 100 churches from different denominations were represented at the event.
Fundraising Expert Jerold Panas Featured at Nonprofit Workshop
Jerold Panas, author of “Asking,” the highest-selling book in the history of fundraising, spoke at a nonprofit fundraising workshop at Bethel on Jan. 14. About 100 leaders from area nonprofit organizations attended. Panas offered insights into strategic planning and suggested other tools to equip the audience for fundraising success.
Students Help 60 Area Organizations During Annual Service Day
In September, Bethel students, faculty and staff participated in the 27th annual service day. Students donated 2,091 hours to help at approximately 60 different locations in Michiana. Locations included the Food Bank of Northern Indiana, Potawatomi Zoo, Unity Gardens, Ronald McDonald House Charities, St. Joseph County Parks, Feed the Children and the American Red Cross.
Corporate Prayer Conference Held on Campus
On Feb. 19-20, Pastor Corey Jones of Crossroads Tabernacle in Fort Worth, Texas, led “Unleashed,” a four-session prayer conference that offered coaching in the practice of prayer that changes things. The conference, which was free and open to the public, was held in the Everest-Rohrer Auditorium.
Bethel Ranked No. 1 for Exceeding Expectations
Bethel College was ranked No. 1 on the list of “Top 50 Christian Colleges and Universities Exceeding Expectations.” The list was compiled by Christian Universities Online and highlights schools that enhance their students’ academic careers from acceptance through graduation. The ranking came by comparing each school’s predicted graduation rate, as determined by U.S. News & World Report analysis, with their actual graduation rate. Bethel’s predicted graduation rate was 48 percent, with an actual rate of 68 percent. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, this actual rate is nine percent higher than the national average for all colleges and universities.
Bethel Receives Best Value School Award
Bethel College was selected out of nearly 8,000 postsecondary schools as the recipient of a Best Value School award. The award was issued by University Research and Review, a company dedicated to improving the process of how a student selects a postsecondary school.
The committee that reviewed more than 100 nominees out of the thousands of eligible schools is made up of former university presidents, CEOs, provosts and professors. Schools cannot pay to receive the award; it has to be earned through the nomination and committee evaluation process. Bethel was chosen by the committee because it passed rigorous standards, including a combination of cost, accreditation, variety and quality of school programs, and student satisfaction with the institution.
Bethel Provides STEM Training for Teachers
In February, Bethel was one of six colleges to partner with the Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) to offer graduate classes for local teachers as part of ICI’s STEM Teach II program. The program was funded by a $2.14 million grant from the state, with the focus on helping secondary teachers meet the Higher Learning Commission’s guidelines for dual-credit credentialing.
SMART Hospitality Program Launches
Last fall, Bethel’s Center for Professional Development partnered with WorkOne, Visit South Bend Mishawaka and local
employers to offer the SMART Hospitality and Tourism Program. The program is designed to help more people prepare to enter the lucrative and growing field of hospitality and tourism in the South Bend region. The pilot program was funded through a grant from the City of South Bend, and 90 percent of the participants received a job offer by the end of the training. The success of the pilot program led to a second session, which began in February. Visit South Bend Mishawaka, WorkOne and Bethel plan to offer the course quarterly with hopes that the model can be replicated statewide.
New Financial Services Professional Major Available in the Fall
Bethel announces the new Financial Services Professional major, to begin in the fall of 2016. The program was created in response to the projected job growth in financial planning careers, expected to have a 27 percent increase by 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The degree will prepare students for jobs in areas such as tax planning, credit analysis and financial planning.
Students will complete three internships as part of the program, made possible by Bethel’s proximity to 16,000 Michiana
businesses and organizations. According to Associate Professor of Economics Aaron Schavey, Ph.D., the experience students will gain through these internships will set them apart and provide more access to job opportunities.
Bethel Introduces Programs for Sports Ministry and Children’s Ministry
Bethel now has study opportunities in the areas of sports ministry and children’s ministry. Both are tracks available in the
newly redesigned Christian Ministries major, which has been retooled to offer students more options in high-demand ministry areas.
According to Professor Terry Linhart, Ph.D., chair of the Religion & Philosophy Department, the two new programs
meet recognized needs in the local church and in parachurch organizations.
In addition to sports ministry and children’s ministry, students in the Christian Ministries major can choose study tracks in Biblical Studies, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or Youth Ministry. All students will have the same strong theological core of classes.
“This new structure for Christian Ministries gives more students the opportunity to be better prepared for ministry in their interest area, whether that is in one of the newer tracks or in one of the more traditional ministry paths that lead to a pastora position or to an advanced seminary degree,” says Linhart.
