About Me

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Intro

Chances are, you haven't heard much about me. If you have heard about me, chances are you've heard that I'm a Christian university. And maybe that label's got you a little concerned. Well, hand me the dynamite, because it's time for some mythbusting.

Myth #1: "Christian universities are no fun." E-x-cuse me. Sure, maybe I'm not into drinking, but I definitely still know how to have fun. If you don't believe me, try living a week of Mission Impossible. It's some serious squirt gun espionage.

Myth #2: "Christian universities are where students go to be sheltered." Not. At. All. One of my core values is to send world-changers and -reconcilers into the work force. No sheltered student becomes a world-changer, I'll tell you that. I encourage my students to get off campus and be active with local communities every opportunity that I get.

Myth #3: "Christian universities only teach Christian perspectives." While it's true that my professors are Christian (and they're fantastic, if I do say so myself), that doesn't mean the material they teach is skewed to be all Christian, all the time. My nursing, business, and engineering programs are top-quality, and they're no more religious than anyone else's. 

I'm proud to be a liberal arts school, and the integration of faith is usually brought up in reflection upon class material. My students have their perspectives challenged here, not just reinforced.

So there, busted. If you're way into Christianity and you'd like to go here, great, but we welcome anybody who'd like some top-notch education while pretending to be a spy between classes.

Name

Roy the Lion

Hometown

A quick Google search will tell you that I'm based in Tennessee. There is a Bethel University in Tennessee, and I'm sure he's great, but..that's not me. I'm a loud and proud Minnesotan school. I'm located in a northern suburb of Minnesota's good ol' Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul.

From there, things get confusing. The word on the street is that I'm located in Roseville, but my mailing address is St. Paul and my official website lists me as Arden Hills. I usually just say that I'm from the Twin Cities and leave it at that.

Birthdate

1871

Body Type

I'm all about community. That's why my undergrad enrollment of just over 3,000 students works so well. My size helps my campus community to thrive, but I still offer room for diversity and individuality. I'm big enough to give you options, but small enough to guarantee that you'll bump into a friend or favorite professor every time you walk around campus.

Speaking of my campus, when it comes to my land, I prefer to go au naturel. Located on Lake Valentine, my campus is 245 acres of pure, natural beauty. The many walking paths around make me easy to navigate in ten minutes or less.

Yeah, you heard me. Ten minutes. That means if you engage your inner Usain Bolt, you can wake up ten minutes before class and be in your seat before the professor begins lecture. 

Plus, all of my academic buildings are connected either by skyway or underground. It would be cruel to make you brave the elements on the days that Minnesota decides to throw -25° F at us.

Current Living Situation

Remember what I said about having a really great community? My housing situation plays into that aspect. Big time. The majority of my students live on campus, and those who commute during their upperclassmen years generally live in houses or apartments within five miles of campus.

The epitome of "dorm life" on my campus can be found on Freshman Hill. Whether it's a pickup game of midnight sand volleyball, a movie marathon in the lounge, or a Nerf Gun war in the hallway, there's always someone doing something so typically "college freshman" there that it hurts. 

Nelson Hall is the only freshman dorm off the hill, which might be the reason why its residents are arguably the closest of any dorm on campus. One thing that can be said about freshman dorms is that no matter where you live, you're sure to make friends on your floor who'll stick for the rest of your college experience.

My upperclassmen dorms are way above average. That's why so many students live on campus through their senior year—well, that and the fact that I offer lots of options. 

Not quite ready to leave dorm life? Check out the Lissner Hall suites. Craving an apartment? The North Waters and North Woods apartments are more stocked and convenient than any apartment you'll find off campus. Got a lot of upperclassmen pride? Heritage Hall—that's Taj Mahal to you—is the place to be.

Relationship Status

I'm friendly, and like to think I make no enemies...except when it comes to sports. My students are known to get just a little rowdy during sporting events, but not against any other school in particular.

Religion

I'm a Christian school, and I'm proud of that. Technically, I'm a member of the Baptist General Conference, but I'm cool with Christian believers across the board. My student body is almost exclusively Christian because faith is a huge part of what I'm all about. I'm going to be honest: if you aren't looking for a Christian environment, I'm probably not the school for you.

All incoming students sign my Covenant for Life Together, which basically means that you can't drink, do drugs, or have sex before marriage while attending here. It's not meant to be torturous; it's just one of the ways that I work Christian beliefs into the overarching community on campus. 

Chapel is offered three times a week, but you can choose to attend or not. Don't get me wrong—I'm not trying to force religion onto my students, but I want to be supportive of the development of their faiths.

Politics

You guessed it: my Christian affiliation means that I am strongly conservative—though there are a surprising number of liberal pockets tucked into the humanities departments.

You should apply to me if...

ring by spring is so totally your thing.

Website

https://www.bethel.edu/