Year 2: The Beginning

August 23, 2011 by in Academics | Comments Off

And so it begins. We’re all back at Bethel now and classes have started.

It’s my second year here, and my second year of blogging, but for those of you who don’t know I am Megan Leary, sophomore math major and blogger extraordinaire. Just kidding. I really am a math major though.

I grew up right here in North Newton and wasn’t an official “campus kid” but sure spent a lot of my childhood at Bethel. There were summer camps, plays, sporting events, church events and all other sorts of reasons to be on campus.

Signing Off…

May 19, 2011 by in Academics | Comments Off

I’m done with my semester!!!! I’m so relieved. What with taking physics, biochemistry, and organic chemistry, plus studying for the MCAT, and working at the hospital, it has not been an easy past 3 months. But it’s over now and my life is so much better! The atmosphere at the college over finals week is always sort of eclectic… there are people who only have one final (or none!) and people who have four; there are people who finish all of their finals by Wednesday evening, and others who have one last final on Friday; and there are people who are trying to study while their friends are celebrating the end of their year (bummer). Read More

Open Road, finals, and lots of coffee

May 16, 2011 by in Academics | Comments Off

Well, today is officially the last Monday of the school year. I have a final every day for the next three days then have to pack and go home. It’s sad to see everyone getting ready to leave, but it’s also going to be nice to not have to do schoolwork.

Last night was the home concert for the men’s acapella group Open Road. They’re the best of the best and I’m really sad that I didn’t record any of it to put up here. They pick members from Concert Choir at the beginning of the year and then sing at various events, including the KMEA convention this year. My brother was in it for the first time this year, which is a big deal because he didn’t do choral groups in high school or anything. He even had a solo and did great! I’m so proud of him.

MCAT

May 11, 2011 by in Academics | Comments Off

This past weekend, I wrapped up 3 solid months of studying by taking the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test). It’s similar to the ACT except about a hundred times harder. There are four sections – Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and a writing sample. Physical Sciences covers physics and general chemistry; Biological Sciences includes general human and organismal biology as well as organic chemistry; and Verbal Reasoning involves reading a passage and answering detailed questions that test comprehension and ability to think critically. These three exams are timed and take between 60 and 70 minutes. The writing sample is two 30 minute essays on a given topic.

All Good Things Must End

May 7, 2011 by in Campus Life | Comments Off

It’s come to an end. This is the week that Bethel celebrates the seniors amongst its ranks. So prepare to get a little teary-eyed, because the journey is coming to an end. As you walk through the hallowed halls of academic grandeur, this is a week to remember and appreciate the students that will no longer be there next year.Bethel commemorated its Senior Week this year with a variety of events, one every day for the full week. On Monday there was a pizza party with a free pizza, pop and prizes. Tuesday saw a “Thresher Pride” day as students were encouraged to wear Bethel gear and received a special lunch, made up of always-delicious bread bowls and homemade desserts (Mennonites know how to bake, if you know what I mean). On Wednesday night there was an event at Drubers; $2 dollars off on donuts at this traditional college student hangout. Thursday and Friday saw discounts at the bookstore and a Senior gift. One more week of classes remains, followed by finals week–but this isn’t the end of the journey. Read More

This is simply EPIC

May 5, 2011 by in Fine Arts | Comments Off

You may have heard the word “Masterworks” thrown around during your interactions with Bethel students. So what is Masterworks? Masterworks is a showcase concert that we will be putting on at Bethel on the 8th of May, this Sunday. If you’re interested, it’s still not too late to come. The concert will be held at 4:00 PM in Memorial Hall, and the work to be performed is Schubert’s “Mass in E flat major”. Masterworks is a Bethel tradition that began under the tenure of former Band director Don Kerberg. He decided that it would be a good idea to hold a concert on Mother’s Day as a celebration for the fine job that all of our mothers have done in raising us. From this origin the pieces gradually became more complicated until it evolved into a full two hour production of classical works. Now Masterworks is more than just Bethel; the Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra plays the part of the backing orchestra to the Concert Choir’s stunning vocal lines. In addition, there will be supporting a flue concerto. Read More

Wind Ensemble goes out with a bang

May 4, 2011 by in Fine Arts | Comments Off

It’s coming closer and closer to the end of the year, which means the music department has concerts galore in the next two weeks. The final Wind Ensemble concert was last night, Sunday is the Masterworks Choral concert, next Tuesday is Chamber Orchestra, and next Wednesday is Jazz on the Green.

All of those are looking to be amazing performances, but I’m going to do a plug for the concert that it’s too late to see. I’m actually a member of the Wind Ensemble, but that has nothing to do with how amazed I was at the concert last night. The pieces we played made the concert…just…amazing. There’s not really any other way to put it.

What do Colons and Comedy have in common?

April 30, 2011 by in Academics | Comments Off

Why, they’re both some of the topics in the URICA symposium. This year’s URICA symposium took place today, Saturday, April 30, and it was a rousing success. What is URICA? URICA is an organization that promotes undergraduate research, and at the symposium many students’ research was presented to the general public. This was more than simply a seminar presentation, as most of the research done on campus over the past year was presented and open to the general public. It’s a fantastic mingling of students, family, faculty, and community members. Read More

Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!

April 24, 2011 by in Events | Comments Off

This past weekend, a group of Bethel students had the opportunity to attend the Pascha (Easter) service at St. George’s Orthodox Christian Cathedral. St. George’s is part of the Eastern Orthodox tradition, which includes Russian, Greek, Armenian, Antiochan, and several other Orthodox churches. The service began at 11pm and concluded at about 2am and was a marathon of liturgy, standing up, and incense.

It began with the choir singing an opening hymn after which all the lights were shut off and the bishop began chanting liturgy. He then lit a candle from the candelabra at the front of the church and passed it to the priests and friars, who went down the aisle and lit the candles of the parishioners. It was really beautiful, getting to watch the church slowly light up and being able to see the elaborate paintings on the ceiling and walls.

Service Day

April 18, 2011 by in Service | Comments Off

Last week classes were cancelled on Wednesday for the annual Service Day. Students could sign up for a variety of projects on campus as well as a trip to Camp Mennoscah that I was lucky enough to be on.

The biggest project was the cleanup of the Kidron Canal, which runs through campus in between the athletic and academic buildings. President White was really excited about this project because it would help tear down the physical barrier between the athletic and academic sides of campus. The football team and many other students worked on it, and it’s an impressive change.

There's more to life at Bethel than classes & seminars

Concert Choir Tour 2015

Bethel in bloom

Spring Fling 2015

The end of another school year