In the News

College Announces Spring 2022 Dean’s List and Honor Roll

Hesston College Registrar Megan Leary announced the names of full-time students whose Spring 2022 semester grades earned them a place on the Dean’s List (3.90 to 4.00 GPA) and Honor Roll (3.50 to 3.89 GPA).

Dean’s List – first-year students

Kezia Angeline, Semarang, Indonesia
Olivier Cruz Camilo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Mahdi Essawi, Jaljulia, Israel
Derick Fonseca, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Suzannah Karako, Galena, Missouri
Madelyn Mullet, Milford, Nebraska
Reese Peterson, Omaha, Nebraska
Samra Tuzi, Tirana, Albania

Dean’s List – sophomores

Katie Alaniz, Longmont, Colorado
David Beachy, San Nicolas, FIN, Philippines
Sara Bianchi Muschio, Trento, Italy
Shelby Bontrager, McPherson, Kansas
Alexis Driscoll, Sedgwick, Kansas
Mariah Gilmartin, Wichita, Kansas
Ethan Hildebrand, Stafford, Kansas
Jesse Kanagy, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Emily Kelley, Wylie, Texas
Kelly Miller, Archbold, Ohio
Alyssa Nolt, Dalton, Ohio
Sadie Oesch, Caldwell, Idaho
Samuel Otto, Orrville, Ohio
James Peters, Hesston, Kansas
Jessica Raharjo, Semarang, Indonesia
Lisa Schmidt, Moundridge, Kansas
Aiden Swartzendruber, Henderson, Nebraska
Rachel Teeter, Hesston, Kansas
Porclein Unruh, Newton, Kansas

Dean’s List – juniors

Bella Dietrich, Wichita, Kansas
Kassandra Garza, Edinburg, Texas
Jennifer Komarek, Sedgwick, Kansas
Samantha Moss, Hillsboro, Kansas
Tobie Plett, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Dean’s List – seniors

Anna Bergner, Sedgwick, Kansas
Kaydi Copple, Salina, Kansas
Keiara Evancho, Newton, Kansas
Austin Kunert, North Aurora, Illinois
Delaney Lawrence, Augusta, Kansas
Kara Longenecker, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Dara Ness, Goddard, Kansas
Alexis Silvey, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Jara Strickland, El Dorado, Kansas
Isabelle Wortz, Hutchinson, Kansas
Randi York, Wichita, Kansas

Honor Roll – first-year students

Rebecca Biuma Tshidimu, Commune De Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
Brody Burnette, Kansas City, Missouri
Trenton Canaan, Cheney, Kansas
Alexa Coburn, Harrisonburg, Virginia
David Duncan, Wichita, Kansas
Candace Durney, Loyalton, California
Andrew Foltz, Grottoes, Virginia
Samuel Groff, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Isaiah Jones, Cleburne, Texas
Alice Lovren, McKinney, Texas
Haydon Mead, Eureka, Kansas
Virginia Miller, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Van Tha Par, Htaukkyant, Myanmar
Dylan Petersen, Kingman, Arizona
Fikir Yemane, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Honor Roll – sophomores

Shinju Baxter, Sedgwick, Kansas
Alyssa Burkholder, Hillsboro, Kansas
Mohammed Bushra, Tiffin, Iowa
Maria Gerber, Dallas, Texas
Star Her Many Horses, Lawrence, Kansas
Nicholas Hopkins, McKinney, Texas
Fortesa Hysenaj, Istog, Kosovo
Joshua Kamara, Burnsville, Minnesota
Kylan Lacaze, Edmond, Oklahoma
McKayla Long, Highland, California
Hebron Mamo, Lenexa, Kansas
Bethany Masters, Dundee, Ohio
Madyson McCage, Lindsay, Texas
Loribeth Miller, Chouteau, Oklahoma
Shunsuke Otonashi, Tenri, Japan
Katherine Robeck, Sweet Home, Oregon
Adriana Rodriguez, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Lacy Spaulding, Moundridge, Kansas
Samantha Stiles, Bentley, Kansas
Jovan Suarez, Salina, Kansas
Chyandra Teague, Claremore, Oklahoma
Isaac Troyer, Millersburg, Ohio
Paige Weber, Freeport, Illinois
Ryan Wilder, San Marcos, Texas

Honor Roll – juniors

Matthew Manickam, Hesston, Kansas
Andrea Ramos, Haysville, Kansas
Valeri Santana, Wichita, Kansas
Heather Smith, Bel Aire, Kansas
Romina Xhari, Lezhe, Albania

Honor Roll – seniors

Carolyn Culp, Wichita, Kansas
Jessie Miranda, Turlock, California
Ellie Willinger, St John, Kansas

Europe Tour Blog

Tuesday, May 17

Itinerary: Fly to Amsterdam

Wednesday, May 18

Itinerary: After a flight lasting 8 to 9 hours, we arrive at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, several meters below sea level. After clearing customs, we will meet our bus from Emile Weber, our home for the next three weeks. We will start our day touring an open-air museum, the Zaanse Schans. Here we will see how wooden shoes are made, how windmills work, how cheese is made, and see what village life in the 1920s would have looked like. After finding some lunch, we will go into Amsterdam and check into our hotel. Sleeping will be tempting, but we will try to stay up as long as possible to adjust to the new time.

We are in Amsterdam! After getting lunch at the airport and spending our first euros, we toured the Zaanse Schans. Delicious cheese and chocolate to taste and beautiful old architecture to admire. We then arrived at our hotel in downtown Amsterdam and spent the afternoon finding restaurants and exploring. A great first day but we were very grateful for our hotel beds that night. -Luke Huyard

Thursday, May 19

Itinerary: After a wonderful breakfast at the hotel, we will tour the Anne Frank house. This is where Anne, her family, and several family acquaintances hid during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Their hiding place was finally found out and her father was the only person to survive the war. After visiting the museum, we will go to the Singelkerk, at one time the largest Mennonite Church in the world. It is also a hidden church, built to look like the surrounding buildings. At the time, Mennonites were not allowed to build churches which would draw attention as a church. After some free time to find lunch, we will head to Aalsmeer and prepare for our first concert! After our final bows, we will return to our hotel in Amsterdam.

Friday, May 20

Itinerary: The Rijksmuseum is the Netherland’s National Art Museum. Works by Rembrandt and Vermeer are just a few of the pieces we will see. Lunch in the park outside of the museum is a great place to relax. We will head to the town of Haarlem for the afternoon, first touring the Bavokerk (Cathedral of St. Bavo) and seeing one of the most famous organs in the world. W. A. Mozart played on it when he was a child! Then a short walk will lead us to the location of our next concert, the Doopsgezindekerk (Mennonite Church). This is also a hidden church with amazing acoustics. Professional recordings are often made in this space. We will return to our hotel in Amsterdam after the concert.

Amsterdam day two was just as amazing as the first! After another great breakfast at the hotel we walked through the town to the Rijksmuseam. The artwork displayed was beautiful, with famous paintings such as The Nights Watch and The Milkmaid on display. After finding lunch at the small shops, we left for the city of Haarlem. In Haarlem we toured the Cathedral of St. Bavo. This cathedral was extremely large and contained a world renowned organ. We were able to experience this building’s acoustics by singing two songs from our concert set for present touring groups. After wandering around this town known for its great shopping we had dinner at the mennonite church known as Doopsgezinde, and gave our second concert that evening. Now we are heading back to our hotel for our last night in Amsterdam, tired but ready for what’s next! -Aidan Swartzendruber

Saturday, May 21

Itinerary: After a final breakfast at our hotel, we will head from the province of North Holland, to the province of Friesland. To get there we will travel over the Afsluitdijk (cutting off dike), a 32 kilometer (20 miles) dike built between 1927 and 1932. Then on to Joure, a town which has been on every Hesston College choir tour of Europe since 1982! After a rehearsal we will provide a concert for these enthusiastic hosts. Tonight will be the first of three nights in our first home stay!

This morning we ate breakfast and had a morning of free time in Amsterdam. A group of friends and I went to a big park where we sat by a pond and watched the ducks in the water. They were very tame and came right up to us, especially the Mallards. We also walked around the pond and watched people play with their pets. I thought it was interesting that so many dog owners just let their dogs run around off-leash. We rated each dog from 1-10, 10 being the cutest dog.
  After the park, we stopped at a grocery store on the way back to the hotel to buy some lunch. They had really good smoothies and I enjoyed one that had yogurt, avocado, pear, strawberry, and raspberry. We ate our lunches in the hotel courtyard. -Kelly Miller

The drive from Amsterdam to Friesland was absolutely gorgeous. After seeing quite a bit of city, it was refreshing to get a glimpse into an area with more spacious land. We drove over the Afsluitdijk and saw boats and windmills in the water. Those in the Netherlands are big advocates for protecting world from Climate Change because they are very affected; they are very far ahead in terms of environmental practices. We arrived at the church and met our host families. Rachel Teeter and I are being hosted by Theo and Wiepkie. Theo is a pastor of some of the surrounding small churches. We got to meet their cat and Guinea pigs, though, all of them were very shy and kept hiding from us. We had a wonderful supper and time to talk with our hosts before going back to the church for the concert. The church building that we sang in is absolutely beautiful. The ceiling is green and there are flowers on all the pews, left over from a recent wedding. We then headed back to our host homes for the night. -Alyssa Nolt

Sunday, May 22

Itinerary: We will enjoy a relaxing morning with hosts families, and then a brunch at the church and an afternoon concert. The rest of the day will be planned by the host families. Details to come, but the hosts in Joure always have some fun surprises for the choir!

I woke up at my host home with Kara, Bethany, Natalie in a cute pink themed tiny house in our hosts backyard and had a nice pre brunch breakfast. We had tea, yogurt, sugar bread, ham, and cheese. Natalie kept laughing at me for all the cheese I ate…Then we went to Doopsgezinde Geneente, a church in Joure and had a delicious brunch and got to know some people. It was a heartwarming experience. After we ate and fellowshipped, we performed our second concert at that church. Then our hosts surprised us with a two hour boat ride down the canals! It was gorgeous and a great time to talk to people not only in our choir but also those that live in Joure and learning about their culture.
  The canal was not through a city such as Amsterdam as you might think. It was through flat green farm land full of cows, sheep, swans, ducks, jack rabbits and sunshine. A memory that sticks out to me and will always keep with me is a thirteen year old boy named Jollo. Esmi and I sat next to each other on the boat and Jollo absolutely loved to mess with us. He would splash us with water, make silly faces at us, threaten to push us in, and make fun of us. It was like a little brother big sister interaction. His dad kept telling him to stop, but that didn’t stop him:). He was so fun! Afterwards, we all went home with our hosts. Bethany, Natalie, Kara, and I had tea with Rinnie (our host) and continued to talk about almost anything you can think of. It was such an amazing learning experience and will cherish these memories forever. -Madison Higdon

Monday, May 23

Itinerary: Today we will get back on the bus and travel to the small Friesian towns of Witmarsum and Pingjum. Outside of Witmarsum is where the Anabaptist reformer Menno Simons was born. In the Town of Pingjum we will see a small hidden church where there will be a presentation about Menno’s life, and we will see the church where he served as a priest before leaving the Catholic church to join the Anabaptist movement. Afternoon activities will most likely include a fishing village and a cold walk on the beach. We will return to our host families for the night.

Tuesday, May 24

Itinerary: We say goodbye to our Joure hosts and head into Germany. A late morning stop will be at Bergen-Belsen, a Nazi Concentration Camp which is now a museum. This is where Anne Frank and her sister died, a connection to our first days in Amsterdam when we saw their hiding place. After lunch, we will head to Hamburg, the second largest city in Germany. We will head directly to the Kreuzkirche (Church of the Cross), the location of our concert. After the program, we will meet our hosts for the next two nights.

The three big things that happened today were traveling in the bus, visiting former sight of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and giving a concert in Hamburg, Germany. We started off the day in the Netherlands and traveled most of the day to Germany. I enjoyed the bus ride because I am an introvert and I was able to just sit and read. It was nice to just have some time to rest. We stopped at the concentration camp on the way to Hamburg and it was not what I was expecting. There was a lot of green grass and trees and the area was very beautiful. The only sign of the camp were mass graves that stated how many people were buried there. It surprised me that a place that had so much death and struggle, not even a hundred years later, could be so beautiful. As we contemplated what we had seen, we headed into Hamburg. We gave our concert at a beautiful church that was truly a joy to sing in. The acoustics of the church were wonderful and the people were even more so. They were a small crowd but they were engaged and enthusiastic which helped us to sing our best. Today was filled with lots of rest and calm, as well as joy and contemplation. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. -Ginny Miller

Wednesday, May 25

Itinerary: We will have a brief time for activities in Hamburg before heading north to the town of Bad Oldesloe. We wil visit a small museum where Menno Simons died and is buried. Then on to the city of Lübeck, known as the principal city in the Hanseatic League, a powerful coalition of trading cities. The center of the city is Germany’s most extensive UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a wonderful city to explore. After visiting the Marienkirche, we will have time to explore this Medieval city. Concert tonight and then return to host families in Hamburg for the night.

This morning we woke up and were greeted by our host with an amazing breakfast. We ate out in her backyard garden and were joined by 4 other members of the choir. She had prepared a beautiful spread of coffee, bread, cheese, eggs, and fruit along with many types of jellies and jams. We then loaded our bus for the house where Menno Simons lived out his later years. We heard Aidan sing “Der Lindenbaum” under the Linden tree that Menno planted before heading to Lübeck for our concert. We visited the Marienkirche and Jacobienkirche churchs. Jacobienkirche was the home church of Distler, the composer of “Praise Ye the Lord,”one of the songs on our set. After that, we enjoyed dinner in the town before heading back to the Probsteikirche Herz JesubParade church for our concert. After the concert we headed back to our Hamburg host families for the night. -Matthew Manickam

Thursday, May 26

Itinerary: Saying goodbye to northern Germany, we head into what was formerly East Germany for much of the second half of the 20th century. In the town of Halle an der Salle, we will visit the house where G. F. Handel was born. This will also be a great spot for lunch. Then on the city of Leipzig, home of many famous composers including J. S. Bach and Felix Mendelssohn. We will be in a hotel for the next two nights.

Friday, May 27

Itinerary: After a hearty breakfast, we will have a walking tour of the city of Leipzig. This town has a rich heritage of music, art, and literature. As a university town, there is a youthful vibe which brings energy to this place. Free time in the afternoon, but we will return to the St. Thomas Church (Thomaskirche), where Bach was the music director. It is here we will listen to a late afternoon Cantata service, a Friday afternoon tradition in Leipzig.

Today was a loosely scheduled day of exploration of the historically musical town of Leipzig. We got up early to eat a delicious breakfast in our hotel, and then split up into several groups to explore the city. My group went to the Mendelssohn-haus, a museum commemorating the life and works of composer Felix Mendelssohn. It was a very cool museum with many interactive displays, such as a digital orchestra that we were able to conduct. After the museum we ate lunch in downtown Leipzig. Next we went to the Bach museum. The museum stands across the street from a school where Bach taught music. This museum had a very interactive audio tour. After this, Ken led a walking tour around the city, visiting some of the important places that were important for the reunification of Germany in 1990. The entire group then attended a Cantata sevice at St. Thomas’ church (Thomaskirche). It was a Liturgical service centered around music, with brief scripture readings. It was a great experience to attend a service in German and especially to hear a German choir sing two English songs. After that we ate dinner in the city before going to sleep in the hotel. -Sam Groff

Saturday, May 28

Itinerary: A morning bus ride will eventually bring us to the Bavarian town of Ingolstadt, the home of the car manufacturer Audi. At a local mall we will participate in the first-ever Hesston College flash mob in Europe! Then on to meet our host families for the evening.

Sunday, May 29

Itinerary: After participating in a worship service with our host families from the Mennonite church in Ingolstadt, we will have lunch at the church followed by activities with our host families. Then to a local Lutheran church for our full concert.

Monday, May 30

Itinerary: Today we leave Germany and head to Switzerland! Our destination is in the Emmental, the home to great cheese, chocolate, and apple juice – look for the Ramseier Apfelsaft label. Our concert tonight will be in the oldest continuous Mennonite church in the world, dating back to 1530. Host homes for one evening.

Tuesday, May 31

Itinerary: Today we head to Zurich and have a walking tour of the beginnings of the Anabaptist movement during the time of the Protestant Reformation. It was here that Ulrich Zwingli was starting his Swiss Reformation, while his young disciples such as Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz, argued he wasn’t moving quickly or radically enough. In 1525 they broke with Zwingli and started their own church, the Anabaptists, often known as the Radical Reformation. Our evening concert will be in Wattenwil, the home of a Swiss Reformed congregation, but one which has done a lot to heal the history between the Swiss Reformed Church and the Anabaptist Churches. Host families for the next two nights.

Wednesday, June 1

Itinerary: A tour of the area will bring us into contact with the history of the area as well as the beauty of this part of Switzerland. In the afternoon we will head to the location of our concert for the evening, a church dating back to the year 1000! The amazing acoustics make it a great place for us to do some recording before giving our concert in the evening. Return to Wattenwil and our hosts.

Thursday, June 2

Itinerary: Today we head into the mountains! After driving to Interlaken, we will head south to Lauterbrunnen where we will park the bus and take the train up into the village of Wengen. This ski village in winter and center of hiking in the summer, this is the starting point for all things outside! Our home for the next two nights will be the Hotel Falken, one of the historic hotels in town, dating back to 1895. It is old-world charm at its best.

Friday, June 3

Itinerary: FREE DAY! Some of us will get up early and go with Russell on SUPERHIKE for the full day or only part of the day. Others will sleep in and perhaps follow Ken to Kleine Scheidegg for a spectacular view of the Jungfrau Mountain. For ca. $150 for the ticket, one can take the train to the Jungfraujoch, the highest train station in Europe, with the last hour going through the mountain! An amazing feat of engineering! Whether we sit and read a book and take in the views or go on an adventure today is guaranteed to be a memorable experience.

Saturday, June 4

Itinerary: Today we must leave our mountain holiday and take the train back down to Lauterbrunnen where we will meet our bus again. Then on to the small village of Moron in the French-speaking part of Switzerland in the Jura Mountains. At just over 1,000 meter elevation, this is picturesque in a different way from Wengen, but still beautiful. The town has more cows than people, but the church will be full with people from the area coming to hear the Hesston College Choir once again. Like Joure in the Netherlands, this congregation has been on the itinerary of almost every HC Europe tour. Into the mountains for home stays tonight.

Sunday, June 5 – PENTECOST

Itinerary: This morning is Pentecost, the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit. In the Bible, everyone understood each other with the coming of the Holy Spirit, despite speaking different languages. How wonderful to be worshipping in a congregation that will be speaking French, German, and probably some English for us! After a noon meal at the church, we will head into France and the city of Mulhouse. Our final concert will be at a Mennonite Church which will host us for the evening. The concert will be at 5:00 p.m. with a meal following, so a different schedule than we have gotten used to.

Monday, June 6

Itinerary: This is our biggest travel day. We will load our bus, bid adieu to our hosts and head to Amsterdam arriving early evening. Time to repack and prepare for flying to our various destinations. What a great trip!

Tuesday, June 7

Itinerary: Today we all depart on different flights taking us back to the various places we are from. A few students will extend their trip and travel on their own. Thanks for tuning in to our tour updates!

Roster

Soprano

Anna Banman, So. – Lenexa, Kan.
Bethany Masters, So. – Mount Eaton, Ohio
Kelly Miller, So. – Archbold, Ohio
Alyssa Nolt, So. – Dalton, Ohio
Rachel Teeter, So. – Hesston, Kan.

Alto

Meg Beyer, So.- Harrisonburg, Va.
Alyssa Burkholder, So. – Goessel, Kan.
Esmi Hernandez, Alumni – Newton, Kan.
Madison Higdon, Jr. – Kalona, Iowa
Natalie Ladd, Alumni – Hesston, Kan.
Kara Longenecker, Jr. – Harrisonburg, Va.
Sadie Oesch, Fr. – Caldwell, Idaho
Ginny Miller, Fr. – Harrisonburg, Va.
Rachel Weaver, Jr. – Harrisonburg, Va.

Tenor

Luke Allison, Jr. – Freeman, S.D.
Luke Huyard, Fr. – Harrisonburg, Va.
Isaac Tice, So. – Buhler, Kan.
Jack Shingler, Jr. – Kidron, Ohio

Bass

Sam Groff, Fr. – Harrisonburg, Va.
Jesse Kanagy, Fr. – Lancaster, Pa.
Matthew Manickam, So. – Hesston, Kan.
Caleb Oesch, Alumni – Caldwell, Idaho
Aidan Swartzendruber. So. – Henderson, Neb.
Toby Yoder, Jr. – Harrisonburg, Va.

Graduates Encouraged to Embrace “Double Vision” at 112th Commencement Ceremony

Hesston College graduates once again received their diplomas and took pictures with Hesston College president Dr. Joseph A. Manickam in Yost Center on Hesston College campus in a commencement ceremony held at 6 p.m on May 14. This year’s graduation activities were held fully in person for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Hesston College’s 112th commencement featured an address titled “It Takes All of Us,” delivered by Rev. Sue Park-Hur, denominational minister for transformative peacemaking at Mennonite Church USA. President Manickam and Vice President of Academics Dr. Carren Moham also briefly addressed the class of 2022.

“Where is God showing you in the long vision of your life,” Park-Hur asked the graduates, playing on the metaphor of bifocal lenses and double vision. “And what do you see in the tangible now that will help you to get there? How do we zoom in to see and build interpersonal skills and zoom out to see how systems and structures limit or free us to do the work we are called to do?”

The prayer of invocation was delivered by Shawn ’09 and Suzanne Nolt, Dalton, Ohio, parents of graduate Alyssa Nolt. The prayer of dedication was delivered by Paul and Julie Miranda, parents of nursing graduate Jessie Miranda. Two students, David Beachy, San Nicolas, Phillipines, and Sara Bianchi Muschio, Trento, Italy, were nominated by faculty and staff and voted by their classmates as the graduate speakers to reflect on the Hesston Experience.

President Dr. Joseph A. Manickam, Ph.D., conferred 38 bachelor of science in nursing degrees, one bachelor of science degrees to students majoring in Aviation Professional Pilot and 74 associate degrees. The graduating class of 2022 includes members from 16 different countries, U.S. territories and sovereign nations.

The 38 nursing program graduates were honored at a Nursing Pinning ceremony in the sanctuary of Hesston Mennonite Church on the morning of May 14. Graduates received their nursing pins as well as the traditional blessing of hands from Hesston College nursing faculty.

Other commencement weekend events included several music recitals and a theatre showcase. On the evening of May 13, the International Chorale presented a sendoff concert in the sactuary of Hesston Mennonite Church. The concert kicked off a European choir tour schedule that includes concerts in Germany, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands.

Nursing Students Raise Over $4,500 For New Hope Shelter

Along with high job placement and licensure exam pass rates, one feature that sets Hesston College’s School of Nursing apart is a culture of support for students. Now junior and senior nursing students are extending that same support and care to the unhoused population of Harvey County, raising over $4,500 for New Hope Shelter in Newton.

The idea began during a meeting of the Hesston College nursing club. “During a nursing club meeting, we learned that Wichita was having a fundraiser called Sleep Out ICT that encouraged people to give up their bed for one night as an act of solidarity and fundraiser for the homeless community there,” said Michelle Ramos-Carreno, a junior nursing student from Salina and class leader in the nursing club. “We discussed doing something similar. To try to raise as much money as we could, we turned into a friendly competition between the junior and senior nursing classes.”

In the end, that “friendly competition” raised $4,618 for New Hope Shelter, which serves unhoused people from Harvey, Butler, Marion and McPherson counties. Brian Bisbee, executive director at New Hope, was surprised and delighted to receive the check.

“We greatly appreciate the efforts of the junior and senior nursing students at Hesston College,” said Bisbee. “What an amazing fundraiser and an amazing group of students.”

For these future nurses, the fundraiser was a natural extension of their calling to care.

“This fundraiser connects with what we learn in the classroom,” said Delaney Lawrence, senior from Wichita and class leader in the nursing club. “Nursing care is not just focused on the hospital. There are people all over that could use some help.”

Bisbee plans to put the donation straight to work. The money will support operations at New Hope Shelter, aiding in the end goal of “providing hope and a new start to homeless people in the name of Christ,” Bisbee said.

“We appreciate Hesston’s nursing students helping us with that work,” Bisbee added. “We look forward to working with them again.”

Students Recognized for Academic and Leadership Achievements at LarkFest

Hesston College students and faculty were recognized for their achievements in academics and leadership during LarkFest Awards ceremony, held in the Hesston Mennonite Church sanctuary on April 29.

The top student award—Lark of the Year—went to sophomore Alisha Dorsing, Othello, Wash., for excellence in leadership, academics and service. Students are nominated for Lark of the Year by the Hesston Experience team and the recipient is chosen by a faculty vote.

Other student award winners include:

• Admissions Outstanding Ambassador Award: Paton Buller (Mountain Lake, Minn.), Alisha Dorsing, and Phoebe Kolb (Milford, Neb.).
• Bill Mason Business Scholarship (Receive a $2,500 scholarship for their sophomore year of business study at Hesston): David Duncan (Wichita, Kan.), Derick Fonseca (San Pedro Sula, Honduras), Jovan Suarez (Salina, Kan.) and Fikir Yemane (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia).
• Student Development Officer Awards (For students who call alumni during Phonathon): Rrok Topalli (Lezhe, Albania) and Rozario Zogu (Lezhe, Albania) for the most money brought in.
• Clayton V. Beyler Award for Bible and Ministry students: Bethany Masters (Dundee, Ohio).
• Daniel Gerber Peace and Service Award: Sara Bianchi (Trento, Italy) and Rrok Topalli.
• Art Department Ceramics Excellence Award: Lys Nolt (Dalton, Ohio).
• Art Department Ceramics Heart & Soul Award: Mari Gerber (Dallas, Texas).
• Art Department Drawing Excellence Award: AnDena Collins (Hutchinson, Kan).
• Art Department Overall Excellence Award: Kezia Angeline (Semarang, Indonesia).
• Honors Program Graduates: Alisha Dorsing and Lys Nolt.
• Musician of the Year Award: Kelly Miller (Archbold, Ohio).
• Peer Educator Award: Dara Ness (Goddard, Kan.).
• Physical Education Award: Ethan Hildebrand (Stafford, Kan.).
• Nursing Resilience Award: The Graduating Class of 2022.
• Yoder/Zaid Scholarship (Awarded to a chemistry student who shows promise): Sadie Oesch (Caldwell, Idaho).
• Outstanding Academic Achievement Award (Given to graduating international students with a 4.0 GPA): Jessica Raharjo (Semarang, Indonesia).
• Resident Assistants of the Year: Fortesa Hysenaj (Istog, Kosovo) and Camden Knight (Garden City, Kan.).

Hesston College also gave awards to faculty during LarkFest.

• Teaching Rookie of the Year: Johann Reimer, professor of engineering.
• Award for Teaching Excellence: Marelby Mosquera Jensen, professor of biology and chemistry.

Hesston College will celebrate an in-person commencement weekend on May 13 to 15. 

Hesston College Partnering With Bluestem Communities in Lifelong Learning Program

Hesston College is joining with community partner Bluestem Communities and higher education partner Bethel College in a new lifelong learning venture for residents in the region and beyond. The program, Bluestem U, will launch its inaugural semester in September 2022 hosted by Hesston College and Bluestem Communities’ Schowalter Villa campus.

Bluestem U seeks to provide lifelong learning opportunities for those 55 and better. Some courses will also be available via Zoom so participants outside the area can participate. Bluestem U will launch its inaugural semester in September 2022.

Bluestem U will offer enhanced quality of life through the joy of learning and social interaction. Courses will vary each semester and be taught by former and current instructors from Hesston College and Bethel College and community experts. Course topics will include subjects such as history, creation care, spirituality, psychology, arts, wellness and technology.

“We are excited to offer this program that will open our campuses to the community and to those who want to learn more about specific areas of interest,” said Ariana Kauffman, Bluestem Communities vice president of marketing and communications. “We are looking forward to working in collaboration with our neighbors at Bethel College and Hesston College to create professional and meaningful programs and experiences for the participants.”

Bluestem U kicks off with a Fall 2022 semester hosted by Schowalter Villa and Hesston College, followed by a Spring 2023 semester with Kidron Bethel Village and Bethel College. Each semester will offer several four- to eight-week courses for $50 per semester course. Classes will be held on the Bluestem Communities campuses, and class times may be during the day or evening based on the instructors’ schedules.

For more information about Bluestem U and available courses, visit BluestemU.org or email Learning@BluestemU.org.

Theatergoers of All Ages Invited to Hesston College Production of “The House at Pooh Corner”

Hesston College’s Theatre for Young Audiences program returns to Dyck Arboretum of the Plains April 27 to May 1 to stage “The House at Pooh Corner,” adapted for the stage by Bettye Knappe from the book by A.A. Milne.

“The House at Pooh Corner” finds Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and the rest of the toys gathering in the Hundred Acre Wood. A “Mergency Meeting” has been called to order by the boy, Christopher Robin, who is being sent to a mysterious place called Education. Nobody knows what or where that is, and if the boy is sent there, what can his friends possibly do without him?

“This show is a wonderful mix of college students, Hesston College faculty and staff and community members all working together to create a sweet retelling of the classic Pooh story,” said Rachel Jantzi, director of theatre at Hesston College. “Audiences will experience a concept that is less Disney and truer to the era in which the story was written. Our costumer has done fantastic research to create looks specific to the late 1920s, while the cast is wonderfully capturing the qualities of Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood family.

“The simple message of friendship and the beautiful backdrop of Dyck Arboretum will be enjoyed by absolutely everyone,” Janzti said.

“The House at Pooh Corner” features a run time of approximately 60 minutes, and attendees are invited to bring their own seating arrangements for the arboretum lawn. Curtains for the April 27 to 29 shows open at 6 p.m. Two 2 p.m. matinees are scheduled for April 30 and May 1. The shows will be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Tickets are $5 for children and students and $10 for adults. Tickets can be reserved online in advance by calling 620-327-8105.

The cast, in order of appearance, includes:

• Rabbit – Phoebe Kolb, Milford, Neb.
• Kanga – Celaine Worden (Hesston College faculty)
• Roo – Rebecca Shuart (community member)
• Pooh – Malaree Hood (Hesston College staff)
• Piglet – Alexis Driscoll, Sedgwick, Kan.
• Eeyore – Smilla Burklin, Karlsruhle, Germany
• Christopher Robin – Destry Belshe (community member)
• Owl – Heidi Hochstetler (Hesston College faculty)
• Tigger – Josh Fleming, Raymore, Mo.
• Christopher Robin (understudy) – Sienna Belshe (community member)

Hesston College Chorale to “Shine the Light” in Europe and at Home Through Music

The Hesston College Chorale under the direction of Dr. Russell Adrian and Ken Rodgers will present a music program entitled “Shine the Light” at churches in the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and France May 17 to June 7, 2022. The choir will perform a send-off concert at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 13, at Hesston Mennonite Church. A free-will offering will be taken to help offset tour expenses.

The chorale will give twelve concerts in various churches. Tour members will also take in the history and culture of cities such as Amsterdam, Hamburg, Leipzig and Zurich. The trip features visits to important sites in Anabaptist history, as well as visits to important European cathedrals and several world-famous museums. One trip highlight will be a two-day stay in the Swiss Alps. Prior to the trip, chorale members will attend lectures on European history and fine arts by Rodgers. Students will complete written and oral presentations on topics related to the tour.

“We are keenly aware that we’re visiting these communities during times of acute stress,” said Dr. Adrian. “Between the ongoing Covid pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, people are exhausted, worried and fearful. Music can shine light in the midst of that darkness. That’s our hope for this tour.”

The 25-voice mixed ensemble is composed of members of Bel Canto Singers and Global Voices that combine on biennial international tours. The performance will include music from a variety of genres, including spirituals, folk songs and gospel music. Musical interludes will feature soloists and small groups from within the chorale. Tour itinerary, program and livestream link for the home concert can be found at hesston.edu/music.

Hesston College Chorale members include Anna Banman of Lenexa, Kan.; Bethany Masters of Mount Eaton, Ohio; Kelly Miller of Archbold, Ohio; Isaac Tice of Buhler, Kan.; Matthew Manickam and Rachel Teeter of Hesston, Kan.; Alyssa Burkholder of Goessel, Kan.; Meg Beyer, Sam Groff, Luke Huyard, Kara Longenecker, Ginny Miller, Rachel Weaver and Toby Yoder of Harrisonburg, Va.; Alyssa Nolt of Dalton, Ohio; Sadie Oesch of Caldwell, Idaho; Luke Allison of Freeman, S.D.; Jack Shingler of Kidron, Ohio; Jesse Kanagy of Lancaster, Pa.; and Aidan Swartzendruber of Henderson, Neb.

Itinerary

• 
  Friday, May 13, 7 p.m. – Hesston Mennonite Church, Hesston, Kansas
• Thursday, May 19, 8 p.m. – Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Aalsmeer, Netherlands
• Friday, May 20, 8 p.m. – Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Haarlem, Netherlands
• Saturday, May 21, 7 p.m. – Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Joure, Netherlands
• Sunday, May 22, 1:30 p.m. – Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Joure, Netherlands
• Tuesday, May 24, 8 p.m. – Kreuzkirche Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany
• Wednesday, May 25, 8 p.m. – Probsteikirche Herz Jesu, Lübeck, Germany
• Sunday, May 29, 10 a.m. – Evang. Freikirche Mennonitengemeinde, Ingolstadt, Germany
• Sunday, May 29, 7 p.m. – Evang.-Luth. Kirchengemeinde St. Markus, Ingolstadt, Germany
• Monday, May 30, 8 p.m. – Alttäufergemeinde, Emmental, Switzerland
• Tuesday, May 31, 8 p.m. – Reformierte Kirche, Wattenwil, Switzerland
• Wednesday, June 1, 8 p.m. – Reformierte Kirche, Amsoldingen, Switzerland
• Saturday, June 4, 8 p.m. – Église Évangélique Mennonite du Petit-Val/Evangelische Mennonitengemeinde Kleintal, Moron, Switzerland
• Sunday, June 5, 5:00 p.m. – Église Évangélique Mennonite de Pfastatt, Mulhouse, France

Hesston College Summer Theatre Will Offer a Weeklong Residential Camp for 2022

Hesston College’s summer musical theatre camp will feature a new format in summer 2022. Aspiring actors and tech crew members ages 11 to 18 will stay in the dorms June 13 to 18 while participating in an immersive production schedule culminating in a Saturday matinee performance of the musical “The Addams Family.”

The weeklong overnight theatre camp replaces the two-week day camp with the goal to more fully immerse students in the theatre process. Mornings and afternoons will feature rehearsals and tech preparations. In the evenings campers will stay in the dorms and participate in activities including movie premiere night, variety show, a pool party, ultimate game night and more.

Over the last several years, Hesston College’s Summer Theatre Camp has become a popular summer event for high school and junior high students. In the year prior to the pandemic, the camp drew its largest enrollment with more than 40 participants who staged the musical, “School House Rock Live!”. During the summer of 2020, the camp was adapted for pandemic circumstances and staff worked with campers individually and produced a smaller showcase. Last year, much of the pre-pandemic camp format returned but with a smaller cast and crew staging “The Jungle Book” for an open air audience of more than 200.

This year the show selected is the family friendly musical comedy, “The Addams Family.” The show revisits the kooky characters from the classic TV show and exposes the “wackiness that can be found in every family.”

The 2022 summer theatre camp will start with 9 a.m. check in the morning of June 13 and end with a 2 p.m. matinee performance for family, friends and the community June 18. Rehearsals and meals will be in Keim Center with dorming campers staying in Kauffman Court on the Hesston College campus. Evening activities will occur on campus or within the town of Hesston. Camp staff and participants will follow appropriate health guidelines for Covid for the duration of the camp through the final performance.

Hesston College Director of Theatre Rachel Jantzi will direct and design the show, oversee staff and all camp programming. Director of Choral Activities Russell Adrian will lead voice and instrumental sessions, set up sound as well accompany for the final performance. Additional staff will choreograph, lead in areas of costuming and set building and supervise the campers overnight.

“This is sure to bring about a strong sense of collaboration and teamwork beyond anything we’ve seen,” said Jantzi. “I was a program director for a large camp in Connecticut for many years and it was incredible. There are friendships that can form so quickly in a week’s time and when you combine that with the shared interest of theatre, it makes a lifelong, positive impact.

“We are also hoping, with it being a sleep-away camp, we can bring in students from farther away who haven’t had the opportunity – for whatever reason- to drive back and forth for a traditional day camp,” Jantzi continued. “This will be an exciting test of interest. We hope to offer something bigger and better to the students who have been coming for years while also expanding our reach, and we will continue to offer those who are excited about acting, singing, dancing, building shows and running tech a serious chance to work and shine as a company member in musical theatre.”

Registration is $295 per person and $275 for each additional child from the immediate family. This includes room and daily meals for 6 days and 5 nights, all theatre materials – script and score, guide vocal tracks – and full evening programming and events. For those who only wish to participate during the morning and afternoon theatre sessions along with lunch, the cost is $245.

Questions? Contact Rachel Jantzi at rachelj@hesston.edu, 620-327-8142.