Beacon Magazine

The Bushnell University Saga

Wisdom, Faith, and Service captures the essence of the institutional vocation and mission of Bushnell University from its founding in 1895. The Bushnell Saga­ – past, present, and future­ – is shaped and framed by the individual “wisdom, faith, and service sagas” of Bushnell People­ – women, men, professors, students, alumni, administrators, and countless friends­…

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Bushnell Student-Athletes Set High Academic Marks

The Tri-Athlete Model at Bushnell University reflects our desire to see student-athletes transformed in all facets of life: on the field of play as Champions of Character and in the classroom as Christ-centered scholars. Above all, we desire to give student-athletes the opportunity to pursue a maturing identity in Christ. Our student-athletes honor the gospel…

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Becoming Beloved Community

In early November, the University hosted “Becoming Beloved Community,” an initiative sponsored by the Bushnell Board of Trustees and the Office of the President to begin campus and community conversations about a Biblical perspective on racial reconciliation. Over a series of two days, a thoughtful and award-winning panel of guest speakers guided members of the…

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More Than a Job Board

Written by Whitney Shoun, M.S., Career Development Coordinator In 2023, potential college students and their parents alike are asking institutions, and themselves, a very important question: “Is higher education worth it?” Students and their parents want to know that they will see a return on their investment, measured by one crucial metric: a better life…

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Faculty Scholarship and Service

Research Publications and Presentations Jonathan Alfson, Ph.D. Dissertation (July, 2023). Supporting Learning and Thinking with Multiple Representations in Upper Division Physics Courses. Oregon State University. Angela Doty, M.A. Scholarly Review (2023). Cultivating mentors: Sharing wisdom in Christian higher education. Christian Higher Education. Agametochukwu Iheanyi-Igwe, Ph.D. Presented preliminary results from ongoing missionary re-entry and entrepreneurship study…

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Bushnell’s Thriving Culture for Women in STEM

Written by Meredith Goehring, M.A., Editorial Assistant It’s a common story in higher education that women are underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (commonly referred to as STEM). The story is true. In 2023, women made up 28% of the STEM workforce worldwide, and just 24% of the STEM workforce in…

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Undergraduate Research: An Anchor of Lifelong Learning

Written by Reed Mueller, Ph.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean of the Faculty Trained as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Mueller’s research interests include psychotherapy outcome measurement, community-level prevention programs, and recently, metacognition and information literacy. On campus, Dr. Mueller teaches Neurodiverse Psychology, Theories of Personality, and Psychology of Religion. One of the classic…

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Busting Three Myths of a Christian Liberal Arts Education

Written by Stephen Andes, D.Phil, Professor of History I’m a true believer in the ideals of the liberal arts – even, I admit, a believer in their real-world value for today’s college student. But I have a confession to make: defending the liberal arts these days feels exceedingly idealistic, unrealistic, and downright impractical. It can…

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The Home Stretch

We’re in the home stretch. At the time of this writing, the Venture Forward campaign has reached $17,700,000 toward our goal of $18,000,000. With six months left in this three-year effort, we’ve had 204 families, businesses, and granting agencies come together with gifts and pledges toward accomplishing six campaign objectives. Womack Residence Hall is completed…

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From My Point of View

Written by Glenda (McBride) Hopkins ’60 Dear Christian friends, I am a graduate of Northwest Christian College (now Bushnell University) and have been forever thankful for the foundation which was laid during my years spent there. Faculty and staff saw talents and gifts which I never recognized in myself and their encouragement enabled me to use…

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