Bethel University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located primarily in Arden Hills, Minnesota. Founded in 1871 as a Baptist seminary, Bethel currently enrolls more than 6,000 students in its undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs. It is affiliated with Converge, formerly known as the Baptist General Conference, and is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
Video Bethel University (Minnesota)
History
Bethel University began in Chicago, Illinois, as a seminary for Baptist immigrants from Sweden. In 1871, John Alexis Edgren opened a school for Swedish Baptist immigrants in the basement of First Swedish Baptist Church in Chicago. In 1914, now under the support of Baptist General Conference, the seminary merged with Bethel Academy and relocated its campus to Saint Paul, Minnesota. In 1931, the Academy became Bethel Junior College. The addition of a four-year liberal arts college program created Bethel College and Seminary in 1947. The school relocated from St. Paul to Arden Hills, Minnesota in 1972. Beginning in 2004, the institution changed its name to Bethel University.
Maps Bethel University (Minnesota)
Academics
Schools
The university offers degree programs through four different schools. The College of Arts and Sciences is its traditional undergraduate program, Bethel offers bachelor's degrees in 88 majors and 43 minors, as well as 11 pre-professional programs. The College of Adults & Professional Studies offers associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and a number of certificate programs. Through its graduate school, Bethel offers ten master's degrees, including a physician assistant program, as well as a doctorate in educational leadership. Bethel also offers a number of graduate certificate programs and licenses.
The school's seminary, called Bethel Seminary, is located primarily on the Arden Hills campus. It also has a location in San Diego and offers a number of fully online programs. It offers Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees, along with several Master of Arts and certificate programs.
Accreditations
Bethel has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1959. Its nursing and education programs are approved through the respective Minnesota professional boards.
Arden Hills campus
Academic buildings
There are six main academic buildings located at the center of Bethel University's main campus in Arden Hills, Minnesota. They run Southwest/Northeast and are connected on the first three floors by weather-protected skyways and tunnels.
Starting from the Southwest and running to the Northeast, the buildings are as follows (with abbreviations in parentheses): Benson Great Hall and Lundquist Community Life Center (CLC), Academic Center (AC), Brushaber Commons (BC), Clauson Fine Arts Center (CC), Hagstrom Student Services Center (HC), and Robertson Physical Education Center (RC).
On-campus housing
Freshman residences
There are four freshman residence halls on campus. Three--Bodien Hall, Getsch Hall, and Edgren Hall--encircle a cul-de-sac just south of the academic buildings, informally known as Freshman Hill. The fourth, Nelson Hall, is the largest of the freshman residences, and located nearby on the north side of the academic buildings. It is the oldest building on Bethel University's current campus in Arden Hills.
Residences for returning students
Two residence halls, Arden Village and Lissner Hall, mostly house returning students. North Village, a collection of five buildings formerly used as housing for seminary students, houses returning students and offers a full kitchen in every suite. It is located at the far north end of the campus. Heritage Hall, opened in 1999, is a suite-style residence hall, housing juniors and seniors. Juniors and seniors are also allowed to live off-campus.
Brushaber Commons
The Brushaber Commons, a $30 million, 106,000-square foot student commons area, opened in 2009. The Brushaber Commons is named after retired Bethel President George K. Brushaber. In addition to serving as a gathering point for students, the commons includes a dining center, coffee shop, restaurant, campus store, office space, public meeting areas, and an admissions center.
Benson Great Hall
Benson Great Hall, a 1,700-seat concert hall with a 4,000-pipe Blackinton organ is Bethel's performing arts center.
Student life
Covenant for Life Together
All full-time students in the College of Arts and Sciences are expected to abide by the Covenant for Life Together. The Covenant is a lifestyle agreement that focuses on living a life of faith and personal morality. The Covenant emphasizes a respect for all persons and ethnic traditions and requires students to refrain from any sort of extramarital sex, homosexuality, pornography, gambling, illegal drugs, and tobacco in any form.
Under the Covenant for Life Together, students in the College of Arts and Sciences were initially prohibited from consuming alcohol year-round, but the rules were eventually relaxed to allow alcohol consumption when classes are not in session. Alcohol consumption by full-time students in the College of Arts and Sciences is still prohibited during the academic year.
Publications
Bethel University has a student news publication, The Clarion, which is printed during the school year and distributed on campus as well as online.
Athletics
The Bethel University athletic teams are known as the Royals. The university competes at the NCAA Division III level in 18 intercollegiate sports and is a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).
Facilities
- Bethel University Arena is located at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota and has been the home of men's and women's hockey teams since 2007.
- Hargis Park, the home field of the Bethel University baseball team, opened in the spring of 2000. It features an entirely turf field, an outdoor turf batting cage, two clay bullpen mounds, major league length dugouts, press box, and inning-by-inning scoreboard in left field and capacity to over 500 spectators.
- Ona Orth Athletic Complex opened for play in the fall of 2003 and is home to Bethel's tennis, softball, and soccer teams. The facility includes a fast-pitch softball park, six tennis courts, and a soccer practice/game field with branded team building.
- Robertson Center Gymnasium has been the home of Bethel basketball and volleyball since 1972.
- Royal Stadium, the home of Bethel's football team, was built in 1995 and renovated in 2001.
Notable alumni
Undergraduate
- Chad Anderson, former Republican member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
- Jeff Hayden, Democratic-Farmer-Labor member of the Minnesota Senate; former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
- Abigail and Brittany Hensel, dicephalic parapagus twins, stars of TLC's Abby & Brittany
- Joel Hodgson, creator of (and main character in) Mystery Science Theater 3000
- Randy Hultgren, Republican member of Congress from Illinois
- Randy Jessup, Republican member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
- Mark Johnson, Republican member of the Minnesota Senate
- Sheldon Johnson, Democratic-Farmer-Labor member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
- Peter Ludlow, a professor of philosophy at Northwestern University
- Dawson McAllister, talk-radio host of Dawson McAllister Live
- Chris Meidt, Washington Redskins staff, 2007-2009
- Bob Merritt, Eagle Brook Church pastor and author
- Jeff Nelson, Major League Baseball umpire
- Doug Ohlson, abstract artist.
- Doug Pagitt, influential figure in the emergent discussion
- Mary Pawlenty, former district court judge and wife of former Minnesota governor and presidential candidate, Tim Pawlenty
- Linda Runbeck, Republican member of the Minnesota House of Representatives; former member of the Minnesota Senate
- Kirk Stensrud, former Republican member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
- Ron Tschetter, former director of the Peace Corps
- Pam Wolf, former Republican member of the Minnesota Senate
- Harvey L. Wollman, former Democratic Governor of South Dakota
- Steven R. Jensen (1985), current Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court
Seminary
- Dr. Gary Smalley, prominent author, family counselor, and motivational speaker
Notable current and former faculty
- Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals
- Greg Boyd, theologian and pastor
- E. Earle Ellis, professor of theology
- Michael W. Holmes, professor of New Testament
- Steven Keillor, adjunct professor of history
- Alvera Mickelsen,former professor of journalism
- John Piper, theologian and pastor
See also
- List of colleges and universities in Minnesota
- Higher education in Minnesota
References
External links
- Official website
- Bethel University Athletics
- Bethel Seminary
Source of article : Wikipedia
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