This week, the Bethel College social media accounts have been rolling out the promotion of the school’s newest program for students, The Thresher Way – which includes five ‘experiences’ that Bethel students will have during their time on campus: Faith, academic, employment, service, and shared. 

Some of these experiences have already been implemented at Bethel. However, the newest one that the institution’s administration is eager to see come to fruition is the employment experience.

“We want everybody to have experience with work and be ready for the workplace by the time they leave Bethel,” Megan Kershner, Dean of Employment Experiences, said.

Now, students are asking the same question: How is Bethel going to get this done? “With this employment experience program, we are going to strategically and methodically place students in meaningful employment,” Kershner said. “We’re going to be working with folks in the community to help employ our students and find positions that really help a student get to do what they want to do.”

Additionally, with this program, students will not only be getting experience for work when they graduate but financial assistance and work transcripts as well. With college tuition rising, Kershner and her team feel they’ve gotten out in front of the issue – as well as the competition. 

“Students will get a work grant that reduces the cost of education,” Kershner said. “You will now be getting employment transcripts – it’s just another added bonus for students to really show off what they can do.”

Parts of the Thresher Way Program, as previously mentioned, have already taken shape in campus life. But with the facet of employment experience still in its pilot years, there’s still groundwork to be made.

“What we have to do is present some of this information and timelines at the next upcoming board meeting to get approval from the board,” Kershner said. “But honestly, a lot of this stuff is already in place.” 

“We had 11 students last year in the program,” Kershner said of the program’s rapid growth. “This year we have 25. Next year, we’ll have up to 75 available slots.”