Friesen kicks off Beyond BC series in Leisy House
On Tuesday night, the new speaker series that highlights Bethel alumni got underway.
On Tuesday night in Leisy House on the campus of Bethel College, the new speaker series created by senior Logan DeMond to highlight Bethel alumni, Beyond BC, held its first session. The opening meeting featured Dr. Lauren Friesen, who discussed how his education at Bethel created job and academic opportunities and experiences he “never would’ve had” had he not gone to Bethel.
He also spoke about how Bethel is so much more than an institution — and how it shaped who he is as a person and created bonds with people he still speaks with to this day. “Bethel College is a family,” Friesen said.
The Beyond BC debut took place in the comfort of Leisy House, which serves as the school’s welcome center. Students, faculty, staff, and fellow Bethel alumni gathered together to hear Friesen’s journey from his own perspective and ask questions about the preparation Bethel provides to students that want to pursue a postgraduate education.
During his first year at Bethel, Friesen dealt with the daunting decision of selection a major — something that countless students still deal with. He took courses in almost every subject that he could, including his favorite, theater. Of course, theater wasn’t an option for a major at Bethel, but he stressed to attendees that “even when you don’t have a pathway chosen, there are options and opportunities that will take you places you never would’ve imagined.”
After earning his bachelor’s from Bethel, Friesen took his skills learned from Bethel theater and, through connections, accepted a job at an opera house in San Francisco, Calif. His journey didn’t stop there. He received his master’s and an M.A. from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif. Then, he graduated with honors and earned his PhD from the Graduate Theological Union and University of California-Berkeley.
After his schooling, he became the David M. Professor Emeritus of Theatre at the University of Michigan. When asked about the preparation that Bethel provides, Friesen’s answer was simple: The work he did at Bethel was hard, but made it a breeze when he entered his graduate studies.
Throughout the meeting, Friesen shared wisdom when he could: “Bethel is what you make it,” “You can decide what role it will play in your life,” “Bethel is where you’ll meet your best friends.” Friesen spoke highly of Bethel, calling it an institution that teaches more than skills; it’s a college that creates relationships and prepares its students for the real world. Friesen had recommendations and connections everywhere he went — even in Chicago, Ill. — because of his years spent at Bethel.
He also highlights that Bethel may be small in its size, but its name is widely known. Later in his career, Friesen was honored with the “Gold Medallion for Excellence in University Theatre” at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. And a decade later, received the “Distinguished Alumni Award” from the Pacific School of Religion.
He has also been a Certified Docent at the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute. Friesen credits his time in North Newton for these accomplishments, all because he learned how to set the stage for a Bethel play.