In the News

Organist and Baritone Duo to Present Concert for Sunflower Performing Arts Series

In collaboration with the Andover Organ Series, organist Kevin Vaughn and baritone Stephen Lancaster will close the 2021-22 Sunflower Performing Arts season with a program of sacred songs on Sunday, March 27 at 3 p.m. at Hesston Mennonite Church.

The program will feature music from the married duo’s 2018 album “Sacred Song,” which centers on composer Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Five Mystical Songs.” Vaughn and Lancaster will be joined by Hesston College’s Bel Canto Singers.

“This collaboration between Sunflower Performing Arts and the Andover Organ Series is a unique opportunity to hear the organ with a solo singer,” said Ken Rodgers, music professor at Hesston College. “The approach that Kevin Vaughn and Stephen Lancaster take to finding a balance between organ and voice is exhilarating.”

“The Andover organ is a magnificent instrument, and we are thrilled to hear artists as talented as Vaughn and Lancaster making music with it,” Rodgers said.

Vaughn is Director of Music and Organist at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in South Bend, Ind., and performs nationally and internationally as a solo concert artist. Vaughn teaches organ literature in the Graduate Program in Sacred Music and is the assistant director for doctoral studies at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame.

Lancaster is an accomplished concert baritone and has been featured as a soloist in venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall, Chicago Cultural Center, Chiang-Kai Shek Memorial Hall, and Centro Cultural de Belém, as well as performing with ensembles such as EXIGENCE and Conspirare. He is associate professor and head of the Graduate Voice Studio at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.

Single ticket prices for the final Sunflower Performing Arts concert of the 2021-22 season range from $23 to $27, depending on seating section, with discounts available to students and senior citizens. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 620-327-8158. Audience members will be required to wear a mask, according to current Hesston College guidelines.

Hesston College Management and Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Programs Get Boost With Incentives

A generous donation from an anonymous donor makes it possible for management and engineering students at Hesston College to save money while pursuing their degrees.

The one-time gift will benefit up to twenty junior students apiece in Hesston College’s Schools of Engineering and Management during the 2022-23 school year.

For the first twenty junior students enrolling in the newly created School of Engineering, the donor-backed incentive will cover room and board expenses during the upcoming school year, a nearly $10,000 value per student. The room and board incentive is designed to further incentivize enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program that boasts a unique focus on mechatronics, a field of engineering that combines mechanics, electronics and computers to create simpler and smarter systems.

For the first twenty juniors enrolled in Hesston College’s School of Management during the 2022-23 school year, the donated funds will cover travel expenses for domestic and international trips. Members of the 2021-22 junior class in the School of Management will also have their previous travel expenses covered. As with the School of Engineering incentive, the value of this incentive comes to roughly $10,000.

“With these incentives, Hesston College students can pursue their interests and passions for less,” said Dr. Rachel Swartzendruber Miller, vice president of advancement at Hesston College. “Because of the incredible generosity of this anonymous donor, engineering and management students will have one more compelling reason to pursue their bachelor’s degree at Hesston College.”

Bel Canto Singers Spring Break Tour Includes Concerts in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kansas

Hesston College Bel Canto Singers will travel east for a spring break tour March 13 to 22 with performances in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

The 18-voice mixed chamber choir, under the direction of Dr. Russell Adrian, will present a program entitled “Deep Peace.” The program is inspired by this year’s theme verse at Hesston College, Ephesians 4:2-3, in which Paul calls Christians to lift each other up in community: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” The concert features a cappella and accompanied works with special music by soloists and small ensembles.

In some locations, the Bel Canto concert will be a collaboration with choirs from local Mennonite high schools.

The tour itinerary includes:

• 
  Sunday, March 13, 10:30 a.m., Lindale Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Va.
• Sunday, March 13, 4 p.m., Park View Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Va.
• Monday, March 14, Shalom Christian Academy, Chambersburg, Pa.
• Monday, March 14, 7 p.m. Landisville Mennonite Church, Landisville, Pa.
• Tuesday, March 15, Lancaster Mennonite School, Lancaster, Pa.
• Tuesday, March 15, 7 p.m Ridgeview Mennonite Church, Lancaster, Pa., with Lancaster Mennonite School Chorale
• Wednesday, March 16, Dock Mennonite Academy, Lansdale, Pa.
• Wednesday, March 16, 7 p.m. Franconia Mennonite Church, Telford, Pa.
• Thursday, March 17, 7 p.m., Sonnenberg Mennonite Church, Kidron, Ohio, with Central Christian Varsity Singers
• Friday, March 18, Central Christian High School, Kidron, Ohio
• Friday, March 18, 7 p.m., Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold, Ohio
• Tuesday, March 22, 7 p.m., Hesston Mennonite Church, Hesston, Kan. Audience members may also join via livestream

The 2021-22 academic year marks the 38th season for the Bel Canto Singers, Hesston College’s premiere choral ensemble. Bel Canto Singers allows students from a broad spectrum of majors to make music an important part of their college experience. The group carries out ambitious concert and touring schedules annually. These performance opportunities cultivate leadership skills that serve students well in their next steps of life. Recent juried appearances have included performances for VOCES8, Chanticleer, the King’s Singers, Charles Bruffy and the Rose Ensemble.

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

Sunflower Performing Arts Series to Host British Vocal Ensemble Voces8

Sunflower Performing Arts at Hesston College will host acclaimed British vocal ensemble Voces8 on February 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Hesston Mennonite Church.

Based in the United Kingdom, this world-famous vocal octet will present a program titled “Choral Dances” which explores the interweaving of dance and music through the ages. The program will adeptly entwine various styles, refusing to follow the standard chronological ordering of music within a concert.

“Voces8 is in high demand as one of the most well-respected vocal ensembles in the world,” said Dr. Holly Swartzendruber, Hesston College music professor and director of Sunflower Performing Arts. “They last performed here in 2016 and we are thrilled to have them back. The program we will hear highlights the group’s masterful ability to span time and genre, and we look forward to a wonderful evening of music with this virtuosic ensemble.”

The members of Voces8 will also conduct a Vocal Leadership Workshop at Hesston College for area high school students. Schools are invited to bring up to eight students. Following the workshop, all students will rehearse the song “Underneath the Stars” and then break into small groups to rehearse and present an informal mini-performances. Voces8 will also conduct a masterclass with Bel Canto Singers, the top choir at Hesston College, as part of the afternoon’s educational outreach.

Tickets may be purchased in person at the door or at the Hesston College bookstore. Masks are required for this event.
 

Hesston College to Present the Well-Loved Musical, James and the Giant Peach, March 2 to 6

Hesston College Performing Arts will present five performances of James and the Giant Peach, March 2 through 6. Music and lyrics are by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and the book is by Timothy Allen McDonald, based on Roald Dahl’s story of quirky characters.

The musical follows Dahl’s 1961 children’s book, which traces the life of the orphan, James Trotter. After leaving the orphanage to live with his two horrible aunts, he discovers a peach growing outside. As the peach grows, he soon ventures inside it, befriending five interesting insects. Through a series of odd adventures, James gains an unexpected, unconventional understanding of what it means to be a family.

“The idea of creating a loving home is a wonderful thing, but for some, who you call family can also be by choice and that resonates with many people, including our cast and production team,” said director Rachel Jantzi. “This story is about surrounding yourself with those you love and who love you back…through pain and joy, they stay by your side.

“This musical has an incredible score that was written by the same men who wrote the music and lyrics for The Greatest Showman, La La Land and Dear Evan Hanson,” Jantzi continued. “The music is challenging, but we have strong performers who have been working hard to bring this show to life.

“A fun aspect of this show is the massive peach that can comfortably hold six singing and dancing actors, including one small James. Our James is a guest performer, a 10-year-old named Hannah, who has been incredible to work with and has really held her own among these college students. It’s been special watching the kind and encouraging interactions in our rehearsals.”

Cast

Hannah Adrian. . . . .James
Meg Byer. . . . .Ladahlord
Kayla Gunn. . . . .Spiker
Isaac Tice. . . . .Sponge
Kelly Miller. . . . .Spider
Luke Huyard. . . . .Centipede
Josh Fleming. . . . .Grasshopper
Anna Banman. . . . .Ladybug
Bethany Masters. . . . .Earthworm
Phoebe Kolb. . . . .ensemble
Ginny Miller. . . . .ensemble
Minori Fujioka. . . . .ensemble
Madison Higdon. . . . .ensemble

James and the Giant Peach will be shown in the Black Box Theater in Keim Center. Shows are scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, through Saturday, March 5, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 6. Tickets ($12 adults, $5 students) are available at the Hesston College Bookstore, 620-327-8104.

Audience will be required to wear masks. Performers who are fully vaccinated and tested will perform without masks.

“Freedom Riders” to Examine Social Justice Issues Through Stories of the Past at Jan. 28 Sunflower Performing Arts Performance

Mad River Theater Works will present the play “Freedom Riders” as part of the 2021-22 Sunflower Performing Arts season on Friday, January 28, at 7:30 p.m. at Hesston Mennonite Church.

This original play with live music looks at the work of the Freedom Riders – people, both Black and white, who rode together on buses that crossed state lines in order to protest the illegal segregation practices still in use in the early 1960s. The play emphasizes the importance of working together and the value of non-violent protest.

“While we must remember the important work of the Freedom Riders year-round,” said Holly Swartzendruber, director of Sunflower Performing Arts, “we deliberately chose to present “Freedom Riders” to complement the other Hesston College campus programming around Martin Luther King Day and Black History Month. In the divisive political climate of today, the challenge that the Civil Rights leaders set before all of us to do better and be better continues to be vital work. We hope the audience members take that challenge seriously and find their own ways to make our country and our world a more just place for all.”

Mad River Theater Works is a professional touring theater company with roots deep in the Midwest. Their original plays are rooted in American history and examine the choices we face in a complex world. Through theater and music that uplifts characters from the past, they strive to challenge racism, xenophobia, sexism and intolerance. Mad River also conducts hands-on residencies in schools that connect students to the American roots storytelling and music that is the source material for their work.

In addition to the evening performance, the theater company is also slated to perform for area middle school students the morning of January 28.

Single ticket prices for Mad River Theater Works range from $23 to $27 with discounts available to students and senior citizens.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 620-327-8158.

Audience members will be required to wear a mask, according to current Hesston College guidelines.

Fall 2021 Academic Honors Announced

The Hesston College Registrar’s Office announced the names of full-time students whose fall 2021 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

Alex Blum, Topeka, Kan.
Trenton Canaan, Cheney, Kan.
David Duncan, Wichita, Kan.
Derick Fonseca, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Luke Huyard, Harrisonburg, Va.
Isaiah Jones, Cleburne, Texas
Suzannah Karako, Galena, Mo.
Haydon Mead, Eureka, Kan.
Ginny Miller, Rockingham, Va.
Madelyn Mullet, Milford, Neb.
Reese Peterson, Omaha, Neb.
Nicholas Roghair, Irvine, Calif.
Fikir Yemane, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Sophomores

Katie Alaniz, Longmont, Colo.
David Beachy, San Nicolas FIN, Philippines
Sara Bianchi Muschio, Trento, Italy
Shelby Bontrager, McPherson, Kan.
Alisha Dorsing, Othello, Wash.
Alexis Driscoll, Sedgwick, Kan.
Mariah Gilmartin, Wichita, Kan.
Ethan Hildebrand, Stafford, Kan.
Emily Kelley, Wylie, Texas
McKayla Long, Highland, Calif.
Hebron Mamo, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Bethany Masters, Dundee, Ohio
Kelly Miller, Archbold, Ohio
Alyssa Nolt, Dalton, Ohio
Sadie Oesch, Caldwell, Idaho
Samuel Otto, Orrville, Ohio
James Peters, Hesston Kan.
Jessica Raharjo, Semarang, Indonesia
Katherine Robeck, Sweet Home, Ore.
Jovan Suarez, Salina, Kan.
Samuel Wiese, Omaha, Neb.

Juniors

Jennifer Komarek, Sedgwick, Kan.
Tobie Plett, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Romina Xhari, Lezhe, Albania

Seniors

Leah Booton, Lehigh, Kan.
Olivia Hernandez, Hesston, Kan.
Berit Kelley, Lawrence, Kan.
Kara Longenecker, Harrisonburg, Va.
Anna Myers, Sedgwick, Kan.
Dara Ness, Goddard, Kan.
Alexis Silvey, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Jara Strickland, El Dorado, Kan.
Isabelle Wortz, Hutchinson, Kan.

Honor Roll

First-year students

Kezia Angeline, Semarang, Indonesia
Joshua Binau, Bartlesville, Okla.
Dalton Budzene, Buckner, Mo.
Olivier Cruz Camilo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Joshua Dodson, Enid, Okla.
Minori Fujioka, Yokohama-shi, Japan
Alvaro Hernandez, Horizon City, Texas
Kanaloa Kapololu, Kaneohe, Hawaii
David Lambert, Pueblo West, Colo.
Malachi Lind, Goshen, Ind.
Hayato Sato, Hachioji, Japan
Mason Schneider, Cheney, Kan.
Anseda Xhari, Lezhe, Albania
Rozario Zogu, Lezhe, Albania

Sophomores

Luke Allison, Hurley, S.D.
Margaret Beyer, Harrisonburg, Va.
Samantha Fatka, Warrensburg, Mo.
Maria Gerber, Dallas, Texas
Jeffrey Halstead, Topeka, Kan.
Fortesa Hysenaj, Istog, Kosovo
Joshua Kamara, Burnsville, Minn.
Jesse Kanagy, Lancaster, Pa.
Kylan Lacaze, Edmond, Okla.
Trent Mars, Corning, Kan.
Madyson McCage, Lindsay, Texas
Madison Michalek-Rosales, Lakeside, Calif.
Loribeth Miller, Chouteau, Okla.
Ryusei Ogawa, Yokohama, Japan
Lisa Schmidt, Moundridge, Kan.
Lacy Spaulding, Moundridge, Kan.
Samantha Stiles, Bentley, Kan.
Chyandra Teague, Claremore, Okla.
Rachel Teeter, Hesston, Kan.
Isaac Troyer, Millersburg, Ohio
Lance Walker, Ulysses, Kan.
Paige Weber, Freeport, Ill.

Juniors

Jordan Beal, Wichita, Kan.
Rachel Weaver, Broadway, Va.

Senior

Keiara Evancho, Newton, Kan.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering Program Approved

Hesston College’s Bachelor of Science in engineering, introduced as part of the college’s Vision 2025 four-year program expansion plan, was approved on Nov. 19. This approval is crucial to the program’s anticipated launch of its first junior class in August 2022.

“Having the Higher Learning Commission Institutional Action Council approve the Bachelor of Science in engineering with a mechatronics track is a big step,” said Carren Moham, vice president of academics. “The fact that the HLC Change Panel initially recommended approval so early was an extremely good sign, as it doesn’t usually happen so quickly. It is a testament to the very thorough and diligent work of the writers of the proposal.”

In October, a Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Change Panel reviewed the program application, which will allow Hesston College to offer a Bachelor of Science in engineering with a mechatronics track, totaling 126 credit hours.

Success of the approval is credited to a strong, pre-existing associate degree program in pre-engineering. The demand for an engineering program alongside increasing student inquiries pushed faculty to craft robust and varied associate-level pre-engineering tracks.

“The foundation has been in place, and the excitement of today is now we get to build on it,” said Johann Reimer, director of engineering education. “Our very first junior class will get to experience four brand new engineering courses in the fall, followed by four new engineering courses in the spring.”

In the 2023-24 academic year, Hesston College will launch nine additional courses for senior engineering students. Updated facilities will support the new program, as Friesen Center becomes the new home for engineering. The 7,500 square foot space will house three labs and faculty offices.

“Our community ties run deep and we have many connections with local industry here in Hesston, and the surrounding area with companies like Excel, AGCO and Harper Industries to name a few,” Reimer said. “These connections will be essential as we build out the program and look to connect our students with class projects, internships and ultimately jobs.”

Hesston College Announces Hiring of Dr. Carren Moham as Vice President of Academics

Hesston College President Joseph A. Manickam announced the appointment of Dr. Carren Moham as vice president of academics. Dr. Moham had served as Hesston’s academic dean, and most recently as the interim vice president of academics.

Moham’s role as vice president of academics includes serving as a liaison between the faculty and the college’s administrative council. Moham will also oversee hiring of new faculty and the implementation of academic initiatives across campus. She will continue to chair the college’s Faculty Development Committee and serve on the leadership team for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.

“During her time with us, Dr. Moham had instilled a culture of rigor,” said Dr. Manickam. “Dr. Moham’s gifts, talents and skills will be instrumental in moving the college forward into the future.”

Dr. Moham assumes this leadership role as Hesston College continues to grow its mixed model profile. Four bachelor’s degree programs have been added to an offering of more than 50 associate degree programs of study, the most recent being a bachelor of science degree in engineering with a mechatronics track, which was approved by Hesston’s accrediting body on Nov. 19, 2021.

“I am honored and excited to lead the academic program at Hesston College, especially at such a pivotal time,” said Moham. “I will work diligently to create a culture that values both rigor and support for our students. Faced with growing animosity and divisiveness at every turn, the world needs Hesston College graduates now more than ever.”

“Dr. Moham has the skills and experience to help us realize our vision of moving from being a ‘college for Mennonites’ to becoming a ‘Mennonite college for all,’” said Manickam. “Her energy, vision and passion for strong academics through strong mentorship has already changed our campus. Dr. Moham’s perspective, intellect and familiarity with executive-level administration will make us a stronger team.”

Dr. Moham earned a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University (Tahlequah, Okla.), a Master of Music from the University of Oklahoma (Norman), and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the Ohio State University (Columbus). A trained professional opera singer and seasoned performer, Dr. Moham lives in Hesston.