In the News

Hesston College to offer student DECA opportunity

Hesston College will launch a collegiate DECA chapter known as the Hesston College Emerging Leadership Team with the well-known leadership organization as an extracurricular option for students with the start of the 2020-21 year in August.

DECA is a global organization focused on preparing high school- and college-age leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management, as well as equipping them to lead throughout any career path.

“The DECA Emerging Leadership Team is a great opportunity for any entrepreneurial-minded student who wants to improve their leadership skills through experiential learning opportunities, including business-related competitive events,” said Debbie McAlister, Hesston College director of business education. “We’re excited to be able to offer another avenue for students pursuing all majors to build up their marketable skills in this way.”

DECA is well known for its competitions that allow students to test their experience, skill and knowledge in simulated real-life situations. In addition to the competition team, Hesston students participating in DECA will have a variety of other resume-building benefits and be eligible for the Hesston College Emerging Leaders Scholarship that can cover from 45 to 65 percent of tuition. Other opportunities for DECA students include credits toward the college’s honors program for high achieving students, leadership coaching, experiential opportunities in campus leadership projects and event organization and hosting experience.

Students do not need to be involved in DECA at the high school level to be eligible for collegiate participation or the scholarship.

“The DECA organization is committed to providing students at its member institutions with academic preparation, the importance of service to the community, professional responsibility and leadership skills,” said McAlister. “These same values are paramount to the Hesston College community and will be enhanced through DECA events.”

With a traditional focus on the first two years of a four-year college experience, Hesston College has long been known for providing hands-on experiential learning opportunities such as internships and other leadership experiences for students as early as the freshman and sophomore years. The DECA Emerging Leadership Team will add even more enhanced experiential learning opportunities.

As a DECA institution, students participating through Hesston College’s affiliation will be eligible for honors and recognition for their work and success on a wider scale. They will also gain further learning through participation in forums and conferences hosted by the organization and its institutional members.

Prospective students interested in the DECA experience at Hesston College can contact McAlister for further information and action steps at debbie.mcalister@hesston.edu.

Community and relationships live on despite COVID-19 distancing

A day in the life of a Hesston College student during the second half of the spring 2020 semester looks much different than it did during the first half.

For a campus community focused on interpersonal relationships and hands-on learning, the coronavirus pandemic has morphed the student experience into something completely unexpected. But that doesn’t mean it has eradicated the Hesston Experience.

“It’s not just the place that makes up Hesston College,” said sophomore Rachel Miller (Freeman, S.D.). “It’s also the students, faculty and staff. Having moved off campus, I miss the feeling of being in a tight knit group and always having someone there for me when I need them, but we’re still finding ways to connect and I appreciate that.”

Thursday, March 12 – two days before spring break – was the day life changed for the Hesston College community. Early in the afternoon, administration called meetings for both students and employees to inform them of a COVID-19 action plan that would be implemented immediately.

Colleges and universities across the country had been temporarily suspending in-person classes for several days already and Hesston College had decided that was the right decision for its community as well.

College-sponsored spring break trips were canceled, and students with other planned spring break travel were also encouraged to reconsider. Instead of closing the dorms as is typically done for the week of spring break, they would remain open for students who wanted to stay on campus. Faculty and staff also canceled spring break plans in order to prepare courses to be held online when classes resumed on March 23. The online learning period would last for at least three weeks until April 13.

As the pandemic continued to snowball, so too did Hesston’s plan. By March 18 the decision had been made to move classes online for the remainder of the academic year. The dorms would remain open for students who had legitimate reason to stay – international students who couldn’t go home, aviation students who needed to continue flight training, and others who might not have access to essential learning resources.

“We take seriously the health and well-being of our students and community members,” said President Joseph Manickam. “We also know that part of our responsibility is to act in the best interest of all. For us, that means considering the impact on the communities our students are from, the impact on our students and employees themselves and our own campus community.”

“Staying on campus was my best option for academic reasons,” said first-year student Kaytlen Keough (Albany, Ore.). “It’s a lot easier for me to continue learning in the place I’ve been used to learning all year. I chose Hesston College because I knew it would be a place I could find a comfortable space to grow and experience new things within myself. That’s still the case even though it looks different.”

Keough is one of about 50 students remaining on campus – about 18 percent of the year’s full dorm count. According to Deb Roth, vice president of student life, the dorm makeup includes about 50 percent international students, 25 percent aviation students and 25 percent students who demonstrated other legitimate reasons to stay.

On-campus students were relocated to one dorm facility for conservation purposes. In order to comply with social distancing standards, each student also has their own room. Like their off-campus classmates, they still do their learning online. Dining Services continues to prepare and serve meals, though not with the traditional buffet format, and the Campus Activities Board (CAB) continues to organize on-campus student activities for a little entertainment.

“The college has been doing the best job, in my eyes, to take care of my needs as a student as well as my personal needs,” said Keough. “Everyone has had to give up something to either help ourselves or others around us. I feel the Hesston faculty and staff have gone above and beyond.”

“Having CAB events has provided a welcome break from the daily routine of homework and Netflix,” said junior Chris Lichti (Shickley, Neb.), who has remained on campus. “It’s nice to have other students around so we can still find some things to do for fun.”

Lichti, who is an aviation student, is also pleased with the accommodations that have been made to be able for students to continue flight training.

“If there is a silver lining to the situation, it’s the increased flexibility of my schedule to get more flight hours,” Lichti said. “We get to continue flight training, just with some added steps to avoid spreading illness to one another. Planes get sanitized after every flight and we are trying to stagger scheduling times to avoid having too many people in the hangar at one time. As much as I dislike online classes, I do recognize that professors are trying their best to adapt and it is difficult for them too. They are willing to meet with us virtually and answer questions, and are being flexible with the students.”

Even for the students who returned home, the community aspect and relationships have not been lost.

“I’ve been connecting with my professors through Google Meet, which is better than only having email all the time,” said sophomore Ian Lecki (Overland Park, Kan.). “As for staying in contact with my friends, we talk every day and try to have time once a week to have a colossal Facetime call with 15 to 20 people.”

As expected, the switch to online learning has affected students differently.

“So far, online learning is going great for me,” said Miller. “Professors have been very open to suggestions for ways to make the transition easier for everyone. I meet with two of my classes via Google Meet, and that has been a good experience. My homework load has been the same or less. I know that some people are struggling with more homework but that has not been the case for me. It can be difficult at times though because I find myself getting distracted at home.”

“Online learning is a challenge for me as most of my classes require labs to gain a better grasp of what we are learning, and no longer having those labs is tough,” Lecki said. “I feel like I am still learning the right amount of material since I have more time to look over everything before and after class, but all I do is look at a computer screen for the majority of the day.”

By many professor reports, students seem to be in good spirits and finding ways to adjust to the temporary normal. Yet underlying the positive attitudes is disappointment in an experience cut short.

“Although I would much rather have life go back normal, I have found a positive within all of this,” said Lecki. “The world has come to a complete halt. Everyone can have a reset or a time to reprioritize themselves. We can either drag ourselves around sad during this time or use it to our advantage and make the best of it. For me, dealing with the changes and maintaining a positive mindset is important through this tough time. I would much rather have hands-on and social interaction rather than a computer screen, but it’s the best we can do right now.”

In-person May graduation canceled; alternative plans in the works

As the global coronavirus pandemic continues to upend events, Hesston College made the decision to cancel its in-person Commencement Weekend activities, including graduation ceremonies that were scheduled for May 16.

“I know that this is yet another disappointing turn of events for all of our graduation candidates who are not returning to Hesston College in the fall,” said Brent Yoder, vice president of academics, in a communication with students. “You already had to say abrupt goodbyes to your classmates and many others if you even had the chance to say goodbye at all, and now we won’t have the opportunity to celebrate your accomplishments together just as you are finishing up your remaining courses.”

Yoder said that Hesston College administrators are still working on alternative plans and hope to find in-person ways to present degrees and perform the other honors for graduates. Yet at the same time he noted the challenge presented with Hesston College students coming from across the nation and around the world and arranging for everyone to return to campus at a later date.

“We do still hope to find a way to celebrate years of hard work by the class of 2020, although we do not know exactly how or when that will happen,” said Brent Yoder, vice president of academics.

With current estimates, experts are predicting that cases of COVID-19 will peak in Kansas in mid- to late April and may continue for about four weeks before they begin to diminish.

“Even if new cases begin to diminish in May, the reality is that we will not be able to immediately return to meeting in large groups like commencement would bring,” said Yoder.

Hesston College’s COVID-19 action plan was launched on March 12, two days before the start of spring break, when the college made the decision to shift to online classes beginning when classes resumed on March 23 through at least April 12. On March 18, the plan was adjusted for online classes for the remainder of the academic year.

The college’s COVID-19 action plan, including changes as the plan has evolved, can be seen online.

Hesston College Aviation granted approval for satellite pilot school

Aspiring pilots in northern Indiana will have a new way to jumpstart their flight training beginning in August 2020.

Hesston College Aviation in Hesston, Kansas, was granted FAA approval to establish a satellite pilot school at the Goshen Municipal Airport. The satellite location will be operated in a direct partnership venture with New Horizons Aviation, which is co-owned by a Hesston College Aviation alumnus and American Airlines captain, Roger Yoder.

“This initiative will authorize New Horizons Aviation to teach Hesston College Aviation’s FAA-approved Private Pilot certificate course to individuals interested in completing their FAA Private Pilot certificate before beginning Hesston’s associate or bachelor’s degree program on campus,” said Mike Baker, director of Hesston College Aviation.

Hesston College’s Aviation program has been a popular destination for student pilots from the Goshen and Elkhart areas for all of the program’s 49 years of existence, and many in more recent years started their early flight training with Yoder at New Horizons. The new partnership maximizes student benefits for what was already a strong connection between Hesston and New Horizons.

“As an alumnus who got my start at Hesston College and launched my now 40-year-career with Hesston College Aviation, I can attest to the high quality of the college and the aviation program,” said Yoder. “Hesston College graduates are well prepared for the challenges of life and careers because of the attention to growth of the whole person they receive at Hesston. You just don’t find that level of individual care at larger schools.”

Students enrolled in Hesston College Aviation’s Private Pilot Course with New Horizons will have the option of receiving up to seven hours of equivalent college credit or transfer credit for Hesston College’s Introduction to Aviation, Private Pilot I and Private Pilot II courses.

Hesston College offers both a two-year associate degree in aviation-professional pilot and four-year Bachelor of Science degree with a major in aviation-professional pilot. The program also operates a two-year associate degree for air traffic control. Hesston College Aviation is one of only two FAA-approved flight schools in the state of Kansas, and the only FAA-approved Collegiate Training Initiative programs for air traffic control in the state.

“All students participating in this venture will receive the identical ground and flight training as if they were attending the same course here in Hesston,” said Baker. “Students will have the benefit of understanding Hesston College Aviation’s training processes and procedures prior to their enrollment as a college freshman.”

Said Yoder: “I’m excited about the opportunity to teach the Hesston curriculum so students will not only get their private license but will be able to transition smoothly to Hesston’s courses already familiar with procedures, checklist usage and more.”

Hesston College COVID-19 action plan summary

On Thursday, March 12, as organizations and institutions across the United States began to ramp up responses to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, Hesston College put into motion it’s own action plan as a way to protect students, employees, visitors and the greater community against the mounting threats of mass illness.

“While there are no confirmed or suspected cases within the Hesston College community, public health experts have encouraged more stringent preventative measures,” Hesston College President Joseph A. Manickam said on March 12.

Hesston College representatives had been keeping updated on the situation over the previous weeks through regular county-wide meetings with the Harvey County Health Department and monitoring of recommendations by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The March 12 decision to implement the response plan came just two days before the start of the college’s spring break. At that time, the following plan was implemented:

• All classes moved to a distance learning format beginning Monday, March 23 through, at minimum, April 12.
• Classes for Friday, March 13 cancelled in order to allow faculty and staff planning time to transition to distance learning.
• All college-sponsored spring break travel cancelled.
• Students given options for remaining on campus during spring break as well as for the distance learning period.
• All public Hesston College events both on- and off-campus cancelled through, at minimum, April 12.
• Athletic team competitions canceled through, at minimum, April 1, as mandated by the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC).

Friday, March 13 update

• Athletic team competitions cancelled through, at minimum, April 3, as mandated by the KJCCC.

Monday, March 16 update

• Athletic team competitions cancelled for the remainder of the academic year, as mandated by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Wednesday, March 18 update

• All classes moved to an online distance learning format for the remainder of the academic year.

In a communication to students and parents, President Manickam noted some of the reasons for decision: “First, in moving to this policy, our international students now have the option to return home and finish their semester with their families without a negative impact on their ability to receive full credit for their courses this semester. This shift in policy will also allow them to maintain their current student visa status and return to the U.S. for their fall semester. The second factor behind this decision is so we as a campus have some sense of stability in direction on our campus through this time of much uncertainty.”

Thursday, March 19 update

• As possible, dorming students encouraged to return to their permanent homes for the remainder of the academic year. Dorms to remain open for the remainder of the academic year for students with legitimate reasons to be on campus to finish coursework as well as those unable to travel home.

Nursing program to benefit transfer students from Sterling College

Hesston College has signed an articulation agreement with another Kansas college, Sterling College, that guarantees admission and seamless transition for qualified Sterling students into Hesston’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The agreement is effective immediately

“We are excited to partner with Hesston College, and specifically its nursing program, to provide our Sterling students with another path to a rewarding profession where they can demonstrate servant leadership. We look forward to Sterling students utilizing this new opportunity to pursue careers in nursing,” said Ken Brown, Sterling College vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College.

The agreement demonstrates Sterling’s commitment to training students for in-demand careers and areas of societal impact, and is a reflection on the confidence Sterling places in the high reputation of Hesston College and its nursing program to serve Sterling transfers well.

Sterling students with a 3.0 or higher GPA on required coursework and two positive reference from Sterling faculty and/or staff will be guaranteed admission to the program. Hesston College encourages the application of pre-nursing students who have completed 45 credit hours of study through Sterling College. Interested students should apply to the Hesston College Admissions Office by March 1 of the year prior to their enrollment at Hesston.

Hesston College Director of Nursing Education Becky Bartell looks forward to welcoming the first Sterling College students to the program.

“A transfer student’s path to a B.S.N. degree is streamlined by relationships like this,” said Bartell. “We are excited to develop students who had an excellent start at Sterling College into skilled, knowledgeable and caring nurses.”

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Hesston College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Additionally, Hesston’s B.S.N. nursing program is also approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing.

“I am excited about this agreement with Hesston because it provides a clear and Christian-focused avenue for our students interested in the nursing field to pursue their calling,” said said Randi Wise ’13, Sterling College assistant professor of chemistry. “Hesston College has a long tradition of excellence in nursing and preparing students to enter this demanding field with a strong foundation, both academically and spiritually.”

Release by Sterling College. Used with permission.

Lark Athletics to launch powerlifting program; search for coach underway

Hesston College is expanding its varsity sports offerings with the addition of a powerlifting team that will begin in August of 2020 with the start of the new academic year.

The search for a coach is underway to lead the new program. As part of the role, the coach will also oversee sport performance for the whole of the athletic department, which with the addition of powerlifting will operate 14 varsity teams.

“High school participation in powerlifting is growing in Kansas, and with the addition of our new weight training facility this past fall, Hesston College is well suited for a powerlifting team,” said Athletic Director Chris Nachtigall.

During the fall 2019 semester, Hesston College completed construction on a nearly 3,000 square foot weight training facility and fitness center that was part of a $3 million athletic facility campaign.

Nachtigall said Hesston’s program will be only the third varsity collegiate program in the state of Kansas at all levels of institutions. Both men and women are eligible to compete, and scholarships are available for student-athletes.

“The new space and set up means we have the ability to provide a great experience for student-athletes in powerlifting,” said Nachtigall. “As an athletic department, we are focused on developing the whole person, not just the athlete, and powerlifting fits into that mission.”

Hesston College competes in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and as part of the regional Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.

From an academic standpoint, as a college that offers both four-year bachelor’s degree programs and two-year programs of study for transfer, Hesston College is classified as a mixed baccalaureate/associate’s college by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and the Higher Learning Commission accrediting organization. As part of the NJCAA, Lark athletic programs offer two years of eligibility. Powerlifting will be the exception to two-year eligibility, as the program is not sanctioned by the NJCAA. Student-athletes who plan to be at Hesston for either of its four-year degree programs will be eligible to compete in the sport for all four years of their academic study.

Lark Powerlifting will attend four to five meets throughout the academic year both in-state and in surrounding states that are hosted by USA Powerlifting and other powerlifting organizations.

Concert featuring diverse voices meant to unite through commonalities

A new Hesston College program is using the unifying mediums of storytelling and music to carry a message of peace, justice and the unity of common humanity to communities in south central Kansas.

“Seeing Each Other’s Light,” features Hesston College students, internationally-acclaimed baritone Tony Brown, professional concert and opera singer Carren Moham, and members of the community in which the program is performed sharing the stories and songs that have made them who they are.

The program’s premier will be on Sunday, March 1, at 4 p.m., at the Emanu-El Congregation Reform Synagogue, 7011 East Central Ave., Wichita, Kan. In addition to Hesston College performers, the concert will feature the Emanu-El Congregation choir and a klezmer band, a musical tradition of Jewish communities.

The concert is free and open to the public.

“Seeing Each Other’s Light” acknowledges the validity of interfaith groups and the diverse people that are part of the Wichita community and other surrounding communities and show how we’re all part of something bigger,” said Brown, who is the program’s organizer.

Global Faith in Action, a Wichita non-profit that works to help people of different ideologies and faith practices focus on commonly held beliefs through respectful dialogue and learning, is co-sponsoring the event.

Each of the performers brings a diverse and unique experience to share with the audience. Hesston College student performers come from as nearby as Newton, Kan., to as far away as Japan, Indonesia, Kenya, South Korea and Albania.

Sophomore Esmi Hernandez notes that even though her story takes place more locally in Newton, it’s a story of being in a minority population and how her family’s culture has changed over time.

For Brown, uniting people through story and song has been part of his professional work for decades. As founder of the Peacing It Together Foundation, Brown served the global community as a resource for peace and social justice and bringing people together across the divides of race, culture and religion. He saw music transform and heal in countries such as Bosnia, Moldova, Northern Ireland, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Philippines, China, Japan, South Korea, Colombia, Indonesia and more.

Peacing It Together recently began a new venture as a program of Hesston College that offers several performance-based shows – of which “Seeing Each Other’s Light” is a part – as a resource in peace and social justice for communities of every kind.

As a diverse campus community with students representing 32 U.S. states and territories, 25 international countries and 27 Christian denominations and world religions, Hesston College students are well-suited to sharing the struggles and joys of being part of a diverse global community.

“With a long history of being a welcoming place for international students and other diverse groups, Hesston College students naturally bring stories and songs that span divides and help us recognize our common humanity,” said Brown. “With Peacing It Together being part of Hesston College, the institution can extend its unique community and approach to connection with others who also desire a world with more understanding and compassion for all.”

Transformed through the gospel

The fulfillment of the Hesston College mission and vision statements – to serve others in the church and the world – looks different for each graduate as they live into the calling on their life.

For Scott Swartzentruber ’91, the vision that “Hesston College graduates change the world as they serve through their vocations, churches, families and individual communities to follow Christ,” has taken him to the to the kind of literal service where hope replaces despair, the poor are clothed and fed, justice replaces oppression, creation is renewed and the gospel is proclaimed.

Swartzentruber is co-founder of i6eight, a ministry that addresses physical, educational, spiritual, economic, social and emotional needs in Puerto Penasco, Mexico.

“The heartbeat of i6eight is that God has a message for his people,” said Swartzentruber. “We work to meet physical needs, but our real desire is to meet emotional needs – to build relationships and see people become reconciled with God.”

The seed for i6eight was planted in 2009. Swartzentruber was serving with the youth at his church in Phoenix, Ariz., but he felt a call to full-time ministry inspired by Isaiah 6:8, of which i6eight gets its name – “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’” Swartzentruber recognized that his call was not to remain comfortably at his Phoenix home and church, but to serve the poor and marginal.

“I have always had a heart for ministry, but I never really saw myself in it,” said Swartzentruber. “One of our high school youth in Phoenix challenged my wife to read the Bible with me every day, and that reading transformed us. The Bible is not about me; it’s about God’s heart to reach the lost. God was leading us to go do something.”

Swartzentruber and his wife, Shannon, moved their family four hours south – just about an hour over the Mexico border – to an economically poor area, where they started the i6eight ministry with a local family.

The organization started by building houses for families. In providing a significant need in a very tangible way, the ministry of i6eight was able to demonstrate God’s love by serving together and build the relationships that were at the heart of the ministry.

As i6eight has continued to grow roots in the community, it has expanded its reach and impact. Today, in addition to building homes, i6eight provides other physical needs, including a meal program and a clothing donation and distribution center. On the education front, it sponsors youth to attend high school as Mexico does not have free education, and operates a tutoring and mentoring center. It provides employment opportunities in operating a coffee shop that employs neighborhood high school-age youth who are working to enroll in school, and the organization is working to launch the same model with a bakery, t-shirt printing company and mechanic shop.

Besides being a resource for some employment and physical needs, the organization’s outreach programs, like the coffee shop, have also become a safe after-school hangout for kids and the wider community.

“We started with two families, and now we’ve grown to 40 people who do this full-time every day,” said Swartzentruber. “More importantly, the at-risk youth that we served are now giving back and serving other at-risk youth. It’s not our ambition to just help the poor. We want to see lives transformed. When needs are met and dignity is restored, people step up. You can see it in the way the present themselves and carry themselves that they have pride and dignity.”

The organization’s ministry also reaches beyond the immediate community. Service options are available that include short-term mission trips to help with house construction, year-long internships for college students, and opportunities for anyone anywhere to offer financial support in sending students to school.

Back in Phoenix, a board of elders provide support for those on the ground in Mexico while also making occasional trips to Puerto Penasco to help with projects and other needs.

The i6eight board gave Swartzentruber a chance to bring more Hesston College contacts into the organization when he asked Mark Yoder ’80, ’13, his former Lark basketball coach, to give leadership through a board role.

“The thing that really caught my interest about i6eight was the leadership’s desire to not only build houses and make life better for those suffering in poverty, but to also share Christ and meet their spiritual needs,” said Yoder. “Anyone can meet the physical needs of others, but Christ calls us to share the gospel with the world, and lives are being changed because of the gospel in Puerto Penasco.”