While searching for a college to attend, Jeremy Becker (’18) was intent on finding a school that would be the best place for his interests. He attended Coon Rapids High School (Coon Rapids, Minnesota) with an enrollment of nearly 2,800 students. However, with a student population of about 600, Jeremy was slightly concerned that Bethany might not have some of the opportunities he hoped for.
“Even though I’d heard good things about Bethany, I initially didn’t pay too much attention, and while I wanted to attend a small school, I felt that Bethany might be too small.
“I wanted to study business and also gain as much experience in business as possible, but honestly, I was concerned about leaving the Twin Cities with all of its opportunity and heading to Mankato. Little did I know, I would have more opportunity in Mankato than any of the other options I was considering.”
One of those opportunities was a recently completed internship with the Mankato Moon Dogs Baseball Club. The Moon Dogs are members of the Northwoods League where some of the nation’s top collegiate players spend their summers. Jeremy gained knowledge in both operations and sales while working for the Moon Dogs. In addition to working with the Moon Dogs, he also was a marketing intern at the Minnesota Vikings Training Camp in 2016.
At Bethany, Jeremy is a campus tour guide, a member of the men’s basketball team (he’s been named to the academic all-conference team three times), a three-year member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (currently serving as President in 2017-18), and also a member and on the board of the Business Club.
He’s also worked on campus with the athletic department as a sports information intern (2016-17) and is currently working with Bethany’s award winning production studio as a media intern adding video software to his marketable skills.
“Entering my senior year, the many experiences I’ve had and activities I’ve been involved with have proven to be valuable in any job interview and are also excellent points for my resume. And these opportunities at Bethany are available to any student.
“I’ve been a part of so many situations that allowed me to explore any possibility that I’ve considered, whether it be related to my future career, academically, socially, and even athletically. It turns out that Bethany’s size was actually a strength because here I’m not a number, but rather a name. All of my professors help me with both expert knowledge and useful resources. They have become immediate references for me, and they have helped not just in the classroom, but also outside of the classroom.
“I’d encourage prospective students to experience Bethany for themselves. I like to tell the story about how most people walk right past you on a street and don’t even look up. This is never the case on Bethany’s campus. Whether you’re on a tour, a freshman, a senior, or just passing by, you will not make it through the campus without someone waving to you or saying ‘hi.’
“As a result of the Christian environment and the people that I’ve met, Bethany has not only helped me feel very confident about my future, but it has supplied me with an opportunity to strengthen my faith as well.
“You’re important at Bethany. And when you are at a school where you feel important—where the professors want to be there for you—you can do some pretty special things.”