The 2016 Bethany Lutheran College fall semester commencement ceremony will be held on Friday, December 9, at 3:30 p.m., in Trinity Chapel. Thirty graduates will receive their bachelor of arts degrees.

Professor Peter Bloedel is the commencement speaker. Bloedel grew up in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, the youngest of five siblings. As a young man, Bloedel taught himself to juggle, do magic tricks, and play a variety of folk instruments, spurring a love for performance, song writing, script writing, and vaudeville. His love for the arts and performance led him to career as a professor of theatre. He is a graduate of Bethany Lutheran College, Gustavus Adolphus College, and earned his master of arts degree in theatre arts from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Bloedel began his teaching at Bethany in 1993 with the intent to nurture and develop the theatre department, building on the theatrical tradition that was fostered by his predecessor and mentor, Sigurd K. Lee.

The first full-time faculty member to work solely in the area of theatre, Bloedel was instrumental in developing the theatre curriculum and the theatre major/minor at Bethany. Currently he serves as the chair of the Bethany Lutheran College theatre department.

Joining Bloedel on the commencement stage will be Dr. Gene Pfeifer, President of Bethany Lutheran College, Dr. Eric Woller, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Rev. Donald Moldstad, College Chaplain.

The ceremony will be live streamed and available for viewing on the Bethany Lutheran College website.