Columbia graduates 143

Abbotsford, B.C.

April 19,1997 marked Columbia Bible College's sixty-first graduation. Rudy Baerg, who is retiring after 29 years of service at Columbia was honoured, receiving a standing ovation (as he did the evening before at the College's Spring Concert). In his tribute to Baerg, academic dean George Schmidt highlighted the generous hospitality Rudy and his wife Hildegarde had always shown to students. In part of his response Baerg said, "I loved the students and have learned much from them."

For the third year in a row, the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year was a musician. Pianist Betty Suderman, now completing her doctoral program at University of British Columbia, is well-known for the beauty and skill of her accompanying. In his tribute to her, colleague Tony Funk said, " . . . great musicians never advertise their achievements. Their achievements do the advertising for them. So it has always been with Betty . . . this is refreshing in an industry often plagued by big egos." Suderman will continue on at Columbia in the position of Musician in Residence.

Columbia graduated a record number of students--143. This came on the heels of a record enrollment. Myron Penner, on of the B.A. grads, was the valedictorian. Lorin Bergen, pastor of Living Hope Christian Fellowship, addressed the grads on the need to have correct focal points as they move on from Columbia.

With Rudy Baerg's retirement, and the continuing development of the Worship Ministries major, the College has appointed Nelson Boschman to a half-time position in Contemporary Worship for the 1997-98 college year. Boschman is a 1993 graduate of Columbia and is currently completing a degree in music at Capilano College. He is also worship leader at Fraser Heights Community Church in Surrey. Carey Penner has been appointed to a one-year contract in psychology and career development beginning in August 1997. Penner has a Master of Science degree in Psychology, has worked at Trinity Western University and counsels with Columbia Christian Counselling Group.

The College is also looking forward to the arrival of its new Academic Dean, Ron Penner, whose duties also begin in August 1997.

CBC

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