Commencement speaker J. Nelson Kraybill, president-elect of Mennonite World Conference, filled graduates with hope for a world filled with shalom as they departed Hesston College during the May 5 ceremony.
Kraybill referenced the apostle Paul’s words to the church in Ephesians 1:16-23 to encourage the graduates that there is hope in the world and God is not silent.
“I do not cease giving thanks to God for you as I remember you today in my prayers,” Kraybill said. “And I pray with Paul that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so you understand the hope to which God has called you, and the power of the gospel to transform lives and change the world.”
Kraybill, who serves as pastor of Prairie Street Mennonite Church in Elkhart, Ind., and is president emeritus of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, shared stories of forgiveness and love to show that, despite the pain and suffering in the world every day, there is hope in faith and within faith communities. He challenged the graduates to live for shalom community and serve others boldly.
“In this world of violence and poverty and need, what if Hesston College graduates were known around the world as the best trained shalom activists, who are so effective because they are not afraid to die for Jesus?” said Kraybill. “What if Hesston College alums were ready to risk everything for [selfless] reconciliation?”
The church of Paul’s day served selflessly because of the hope they found in Christ’s teachings – even risking their health, comfort and lives to help the church grow. Kraybill commissioned the class of 2013 to respond to a world in need in the same way.
“As terrorism again touches this nation, as warfare festers in other parts of the world, as environmental and natural disasters befall the world that God loves, it is timely for people trained in disaster response to go out and give your lives in living sacrifice for the healing of the nations,” Kraybill said. “It is time for teachers and nurses, scientists and pastors, pilots and artists, computer programmers and historians to infiltrate the structures of government and business and politics and the church and subvert them for hope.”
“Graduates, God is not silent in our suffering world,” Kraybill continued. “God is speaking and will speak through you and act through you for the healing of the nations. That is the hope to which you are called. Go out from here with joy and be led back with shalom.”
President Keim conferred 161 degrees for the class of 2013 – 59 associate of arts degrees, 20 associate of science degrees and 82 associate of applied arts and sciences degrees.
Individual student groups were recognized in special ceremonies May 4. Longtime Mennonite Disaster Service volunteer and member of the bi-national MDS Board of Directors, Paul Unruh, (Hesston) presented the message “Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things” to students completing the Disaster Management Program.
Shiloh Jiwanlal, MSN, APRN-BC, a clinical nurse specialist in behavioral health service at Via Christi Health Systems in Wichita, Kan., and wife of 1980 graduate Rich Jiwanlal, presented the message, “Knock of Jesus,” to nursing graduates during the nursing pinning ceremony. The nursing class of 2013 marked the largest class to date with 54 graduates.
Kurt Horst, lead pastor at Whitestone Mennonite Church (Hesston), and a 1973 graduate, brought the message “Sufficient in Christ” for the pastoral ministries commissioning.
Aviation and air traffic control graduates were honored during a reception and encouraged by a message from Jonathan Rudy (Manheim, Pa.), father of 2013 aviation graduate David Rudy and 2011 aviation graduate and current flight instructor Solomon Rudy. Rudy is professor of Peace and Conflict Studies and scholar in residence at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College.
Other weekend events included a voice recital by sophomore Emerencia Dudas, Walbridge, Ohio, student-directed one-act plays and a Bel Canto Singers concert as a precursor to their 30th anniversary tour to the east coast, including a performance at New York City’s Carnegie Hall.
To view a video of the full commencement exercise, go to hesston.edu/events/commencement.
Associate of arts:
Erin Albrecht, Sebewaing, Mich.
Atsushi Ambo, Niigata City, Japan
Ashley Beatty, Washington, Iowa
Seth Bitikofer, Saint George, Kan.
Timothy Bixler, Indianapolis, Ind.
Nathan Bray, Galva, Kan.
Neal Brubaker, Goessel, Kan.
Deni Brummer, Hutchinson, Kan.
Joshua Burkholder, Warden Wash.
Broxton Busenitz, North Newton, Kan.
Ian Croyle, Goshen, Ind.
Seth Davenport, McPherson, Kan.
Destavia Davis, Nacogdoches, Texas
Tate DeGraff, Runnells, Iowa
Joel Dick, Wichita, Kan.
Kaci Diener, Harrisonville, Mo.
Mallory Eicher, Berne, Ind.
Taylor Ermoian, Hays, Kan.
Bonita Garber, Bainbridge, Pa.
Hayley Gately, Roseville, Calif.
Sarah Gilman, Knoxville, Tennessee
Jordan Gray, Shreve, Ohio
Adam Heisey, Elizabethtown, Pa.
Jenae Hershberger, Goshen, Ind.
Preston Hornbeck, McKinney, Texas
Mahlon Jones, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Timothy Jordan, Hutchinson, Kan.
Yoshiki Kasai, Tokyo, Japan
Andrea Kelley, Archbold, Ohio
Cody King, Andale, Kan.
Justin King, Hillsboro, Kan.
Russell Klassen, Goshen, Ind.
Ashlyn Knepp, Millersburg, Ind.
Supassara Looboonkraingkrai, Bangkok, Thailand
Junau Louis-Jean, Les Cayes, Haiti
Mariah Martin, Glenwood Springs, Colo.
Alexander Miller, Beemer, Neb.
Michelle Moyer, Monticello, Ill.
Alisa Murray, Orriville, Ohio
Mollie Nebel, Hesston, Kan.
Keisei Ohta, Yokohama, Japan
Armond Patterson, Indianapolis, Ind.
Luke Ropp, Inman, Kan.
Alyssa Rychener, Hesston, Kan.
Alex Santiago, Burrton, Kan.
Marissa Schuett, Wichita, Kan.
Alec Stahly, Newton, Kan.
Jonathon Steele, Hesston, Kan.
Trevor Toews, Hesston, Kan.
Courtney Unruh, Hesston, Kan.
Leah Unruh, Walton, Kan.
Mason Unruh, Newton, Kan.
Matthew A. Weaver, Hesston, Kan.
Scott Weaver, Goshen, Ind.
Kaitlynn Wills, Kapolei, Hawaii
Jerry Yang, Fresno, Calif.
Melinda Yoder, Garden City, Mo.
Jacob Zehr, Peoria, Ariz.
Pierre Zook, McMinnville, Ore.
Associate of science:
Asbel Assefa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Cory Bowman, Millersburg, Ind.
Maureen Brenneman, Wellman, Iowa
Karl Buller, Hesston, Kan.
Faith Denwalt, Anthony, Kan.
Grant Fenton, Hesston, Kan.
Taylor Fritz, Atglen, Pa.
Herane Girma, Alexandria, Va.
Andreww Harris, Lititz, Pa.
Keenan Jensen, Hesston, Kan.
Jacob Landis, Sterling, Ill.
Jeptha Miller, Millersburg, Ohio
Zenawit Nerae, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Logan Orpin, Moundridge, Kan.
Michael Oyer, Hesston, Kan.
Ashish Pathak, Kathmandu, Nepal
Paul Schoenhals, Archbold, Ohio
Derek Swartzendruber, Shickley, Neb.
Redfa Titihalawa, Jakarta, Indonesia
Matthew R. Weaver, Goshen, Ind.
Ron Wenger, Adair, Okla.
Associate of applied arts and sciences:
Ashle Ashley, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Angela Azzarito, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Amber Baker, Newton, Kan., nursing
Alexander Bargerstock, Massillon, Ohio, general studies
Brooke Beckerman, Inman, Kan., nursing
Colleen Berger, Everest, Kan., nursing
Lori Bingham, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Logan Blackford, Orrville, Ohio, Bible and religion
Quinn Bowers, McPherson, Kan., aviation – professional pilot
Angela Brockmueller, Hesston, Kan., nursing
Heather Crawford, Newton, Kan., nursing
Angela Dickson, Hesston, Kan., nursing
Troy Dorrington, Hesston, Kan., general studies
Erika Dorsch, Whitewater, Kan., nursing
Jasmine Douangpraseuth, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Jill Eigsti, Goshen, Ind., nursing
Shelia Ford, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Samuel Foxvog, Tiskilwa, Ill., general studies
Sarah Fuller, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Jennifer Garcia, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Sarah Geiser, Kidron, Ohio, early childhood education
Ethan Gingerich, Kalona, Iowa, general studies
Khrystian Glover, Muskogee, Okla., general studies
James Godshall, Souderton, Pa., aviation – professional pilot
Traci Gronau, Newton, Kan., nursing
Alexander Hart, Derby, Kan., general studies
Martin Hernandez-Oviedo, Monterrey Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Whitney Hickert, Hays, Kan., nursing
Samuel Hinga, Nairobi, Kenya, general studies
Kathryn Ignowski, Derby, Kan., nursing
Rhett Imel, Olathe, Kan., aviation – air traffic control
Michelle Inman, Tustin, Calif., nursing
Kenzie Intemann, Bessie, Okla., pastoral ministries
Byron Jiles, Oklahoma City, Okla., general studies
Courtney Johnson, Walton, Kan., nursing
Esther King, Sturgis, Mich., nursing
Janae King, Gordonville, Pa., general studies
Ashley Kirkham, Marion, Kan., nursing
Chanel Knight, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Jacob Landis, Sterling, Ill., Bible and religion
Ezekiel Lazaro, Andover, Kan., aviation – air traffic control
Kaedi LeFevre, Hesston, Kan., nursing
Rebecca Lopez, Wichita, Kan. nursing
Louisa Martin, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Lisa McGuire, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Alissa Modlin, McPherson, Kan., nursing
Brandi Moore, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Gregory Nolt, Lancaster, Pa., nursing
Peyton Olden, Rose Hill, Kan., nursing
Brittani Peterson, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Alexis Porter, Newton, Kan., nursing
Josanna Raber, Wooster, Ohio, nursing
Courtney Reimer, Inman, Kan., nursing
Delmer Reyes, Hugoton, Kan., general studies
Tieyce Rhodes, Newton, Kan., nursing
Jennifer Rhoten, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Jason Robinson, Wichita, Kan., aviation – air traffic control
David Rudy, Manheim, Pa., aviation – professional pilot
Amanda Sandoval, Hutchinson, Kan., nursing
Ashley Sassi, Newton, Kan., nursing
Natalie Saypativath, Mountain Lake, Minn., general studies
Jennifer Shepherd, El Dorado, Kan., nursing
Amanda Smith, Partridge, Kan., nursing
Jason Stubby, Newton, Kan., nursing
Rachel Tippin, Newton, Kan., nursing
Carly Unruh, Wayland, Iowa, general studies
Felicia Unruh, Walton, Kan., nursing
Marissa Vermillion, Halstead, Kan., nursing
Anna Waddell, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Taylor Walsh, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Michelle Ward, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Rachelle Wenger, Adair, Okla., nursing
Lorena Weymouth, Subiaco, Ark., early childhood education
Victoria Wheeler, Wichita, Kan., general studies
Amber White, Inman, Kan., nursing
Carol Wingo, Oklahoma City, Okla., aviation – air traffic control
Mamiko Yamagata, Ebina Kanagawa, Japan – general studies
Kassidy Yeackley, Milford, Neb., nursing
Mark Yoder, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Natalie Young, Wichita, Kan., nursing
Michaela Zook, Hesston, Kan., nursing