Bethany College (ELS) and Red China

Mankato Free Press

Published October 04, 2007 12:38 am - A deal signed Wednesday between Bethany Lutheran College and United International College in China will set up an exchange program for faculty and students.

Bethany Lutheran inks exchange deal
Student, faculty exchange program set up with United International College in China

By Robb Murray
Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO —
Let the learning begin.


For months Bethany Lutheran College and United International College in China officials have been working toward a student and faculty exchange program.

With a few strokes of the pens of Bethany President Dan Bruss and UIC Executive Vice President Kwok Siu Tong, the deal was sealed.

UIC is a college that is trying to launch the first liberal arts college in China since the 1950s. The school, while probably not fully resembling a Minnesota private college, will emphasize education of the “whole person” instead of teaching skills applicable to a specific occupation.

All that’s left now is the learnin’.

That’s where students such as Eric Anderson and Daniel Tyrrell come in.

For the inaugural run of the exchange program, they’ll — most likely — be heading to China in February along with business instructor Janet Moldstad.

Anderson says he’s excited about the trip.

“I’d love to study abroad,” he said. He hopes that spending several months in China in an academic setting will give him the best perspective possible for learning all he can about China and its people.

He also likes the idea of this trip abroad not being in a “safe” place. He’s been to Europe and Mexico, but those trips, especially the Europe trip, don’t exactly offer an experience that’s far beyond what you can find in the U.S.

He says a trip to China, however, will get him out of his “comfort zone” and help him learn and grow as a person.

“I’m a little nervous, of course,” he said. “It’ll take courage and it’ll take faith.”

Tyrrell has also traveled abroad before, and he also says he’s a little nervous about the China trip.

Over the summer he traveled to Ukraine and western Europe. He used some of his time abroad to teach Bible classes to children.

He said he was approached by the college and asked whether he’d be interested in making the trip to China. He said he’s not 100 percent sure he’ll be going, but said it is likely that he’ll be on a plane to China come February.

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GJ - There may be some things different in moving from the People's Republic of Minnesota to the People's Republic of China: relentless persecution of religion and a savage campaign against the unborn.

The PRC is clever in getting people to come back to America singing the praises of their enlightened land.

I wonder if Marvin Schwan, for all his faults, wanted Bethany College students to have their brains washed in the PRC.

One dividend - Pope John the Malefactor will have another exotic outpost to visit. I never saw a tinier sect with so much world travel. How the natives must marvel when Pope John raises his predestined and predestinating arms in blessing.