Hesston College’s 167 graduates of the class of 2012 were encouraged to get back to the basics of life and faith during a May 6 commencement ceremony.
Joe Manickam, a 1987 Hesston College graduate and director for Asia programs with Mennonite Central Committee, presented the commencement address “Back to Basics,” based on the college’s 2011-12 theme verse from Micah 6:8. Manickam served as associate director of Admissions at Hesston from 1991 to 1996 and as associate director at the Center for Anabaptist Leadership in Pasadena, Calif., from 1996 to 2005. He lives in Lancaster, Pa., with his wife, Wanda, and children Faith and Matthew.
Manickam encouraged graduates to remember that genuine relationships with the people they encounter throughout life can serve as lessons in community, justice, mercy and humility.
“Rules serve as the glue that bonds communities together, but sometimes, the rules we surround ourselves with get in the way of being in relationship with others, and Micah is telling us to get back to the basics,” said Manicakam.
Manickam summed up “the basics” in three points: Do justice – “How does this decision impact the poor?” Love mercy – “Don’t let someone else tell you who your enemy should be,” and walk humbly with God – “Are our faith practices getting in the way of translating Christ’s love?”
“There will be times when God is going to place in front of you things that scare you, things that you don’t understand, but if what Micah is teaching is relevant today, you must step into that situation, because if there is something more important that Christian rituals, it’s relationships,” said Manicakam.
Graduates Hannah Bachman of Tiskilwa, Ill., and Zachary Baumgartner of Hesston, Kan., were nominated by their classmates to give the student address during commencement.
Individual student groups were recognized in special ceremonies May 5. Longtime Mennonite Disaster Service volunteer Paul Unruh addressed nine Disaster Management graduates in a pre-recorded message in which he encouraged them to be bridge builders for disaster survivors. The students will spend 10 weeks this summer working with various agencies at disaster sites around the country to complete their requirements.
Travis Pollock, a 2007 Hesston College graduate and first officer with Cutter Aviation in Phoenix, addressed 12 aviation and air traffic control graduates during a reception.
The college’s Nursing Department presented pins to the 50 members of the 45th class of graduating nursing students. Kristina (McMillen) Ibitayo, Ph.D., R.N., a 1985 Hesston College nursing graduate and clinical assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing gave the address “Doors of Opportunity.”
The Pastoral Ministries program commissioned three graduates for service in the church. Genise Stanford, lead pastor at Hesston United Methodist Church, gave the address “Be Strong and Courageous.”
Other weekend events included a Concert Band concert and sophomore recitals by Michael Darby (Iowa City, Iowa), Melody Marshall (Grottoes, Va.) and Libby Waltner (Hurley, S.D.). The European Chorale presented a concert as a precursor to its three-week tour through five European countries May 8 to 29.