In the News

College to Highlight Creativity at Homecoming Weekend 2024

From indoor and outdoor art exhibits and a theatre production, to playtime for kids and play calling during Lark sporting events, Homecoming Weekend 2024 is sure to see imaginations on display September 26 to 29. Several new activities have been added to this year’s lineup including the aforementioned art exhibits and theatre production, as well as a golf simulator long drive tournament. Events and entertainment are open to alumni, friends, fans and the entire community.

“In a world of staying in contact via social media, it’s fun to see friends connecting in person!” shares Lisa Longacher, acting vice president of advancement. “It is also an opportunity for the Hesston College community to come together to celebrate – for our students to meet people who came before them, as well as for alumni and friends to see that while there are changes and improvements to campus, the current HC students still get the Hesston experience.”

Kicking off the festivities Thursday, September 26, are two fine arts options. The Roots and Branches art auction and exhibit is open daily 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free. It is also opening night for theatre’s fall production, “Antigone,” which begins at 7 p.m. in the Black Box Theater in Keim Center.

On Friday, September 27, Professor of Art Joshua Cross will highlight the Roots and Branches art exhibit and the unique pieces created by artists using wood from the Hesston College campus during formation at 11 a.m. The Golden Gables Luncheon for alumni celebrating 50-year or greater reunions will include a presentation on the History of Theatre at Hesston College. Registration for the Golden Gables Luncheon is required.

Friday afternoon presentations will take place in Kropf Center and include an information session at 2 p.m. where Director of Engineering Education Joel Krehbiel will share about the college’s mechatronics engineering program, followed at 3 p.m. by a campus update with Interim President Dr. Ross Peterson-Veatch. At 4 p.m., Bible faculty members Michele Hershberger and Nick Ladd will present “Biblical Literature in a Modern World,” highlighting the impact Hesston College’s staple course has on students in today’s world.

An international dinner from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Bontrager Student Center will start the evening’s activities with a menu featuring campus favorite tikka masala, as well as options for the whole family. Payment will be accepted at the door. Other evening activities will be a Larks volleyball game at 6 p.m. in Yost Center followed by a meet and greet with the 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees.

Activities on Saturday, September 28, include class reunions, a disc golf tournament, Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, outdoor art exhibit, T-shirt painting, receptions at newly renovated buildings and more. In the evening, HC will host the first community day of the academic year with the annual Homecoming Family Festival. Highlights of this event include food trucks, kids’ activities and Lark flag football.

The weekend will culminate on Sunday, September 29, with a 10:30 a.m. service at Hesston Mennonite Church. A complete list of activities and details can be found on our homecoming page.

Nursing Scholarship Established for Hesston College Students

Hesston College announces the establishment of the Gloria Yue-Fong Chan Scholarship, an endowed scholarship estimated at $1.6 million, making it the largest scholarship donation to Hesston College.

Geared toward students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Hesston’s nursing program, this scholarship gives preference to students from Asian countries. Dr. Geraldine Y. Chan established the scholarship in honor of her sister, Dr. Gloria Yue-Fong Chan, who graduated from Hesston College in 1963.

“We are honored that Geraldine established this scholarship honoring her sister, Gloria, whose dedication to Christian education will continue to make an impact for generations thanks to Geraldine’s generous estate gift,” says acting Vice President of Advancement Lisa Longacher. “Geraldine spoke of her sister’s generous and gracious nature, and together, the Chan sisters have created a lasting legacy that embodies this spirit. We are deeply grateful for their commitment and generosity.”

After growing up in Hong Kong, Yue-Fong Chan made the long journey to America in 1961 to pursue a career in the medical field. After being declined admission to another college because of her young age, she was grateful for the education opportunity granted her through acceptance to Hesston College. She then received a bachelor’s degree in medical terminology and went on to Temple University where she completed her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology. An accomplished educator and research scientist, she published 128 peer-reviewed articles and five patents. In addition to a distinguished career, Yue-Fong Chan was a dedicated wife and mother who loved the Lord and served her community with a generous and gracious spirit.

College Announces Spring Term Academic Honors

Hesston College Registrar Heidi Hochstetler announced the names of full-time students whose spring 2024 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

Michele Cimino, Pineto, Italy
Ana Espinoza, Ocotepeque, Honduras
Jacob Fransson, Djursholm, Sweden
Futakuchi Sakuya, Shibuya, Japan
Mariah Hall, Lawton, Okla.
Elsa Rayneau, Malang, Indonesia
Mrikejda Zogu, Lezhe, Albania

Dean’s List – sophomores

Savannah Jackson, Marlow, Okla.
Emma Killingsworth, Liberty Hill, Texas
Kira Kumada, Hadano, Japan
Daniel Miller, Arlington, Kan.
Devin Miller, Hesston, Kan.
Evangelina Perry, Rocky Ford, Colo.
Rylee Weishaupt, Goshen, Ind.
Eyael Woldeyes, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Dean’s List – juniors

Holly Cummins, Potwin, Kan.
Tana Hayworth, Lincoln, Kan.

Dean’s List – seniors and unclassified

Amy Birkey, Wichita, Kan.
Alisha Dorsing, Hesston, Kan.
Aydan Everett, Clovis, N.M.
Emily Kelley, Wylie, Texas
Melvin Lasseter, III, Valley Center, Kan.
Matthew Manickam, Hesston, Kan.
James Peters, Hesston, Kan.
Jessica Raharjo, Semarang, Indonesia
Raquel Reece, Wichita, Kan.
Katherine Robeck, Sweet Home, Ore.
Madison Rosales, Lakeside, Calif.
Jeremy Schmidt, Wichita, Kan.
Jayda Spiller, Wichita, Kan.
Aidan Swartzendruber, Henderson, Neb.
Madison Thompson, Newton, Kan.
Isaac Troyer, Millersburg, Ohio

Honor Roll – first-year students

Brooke Barr, Surry, B.C., Canada
Alexandria Hicks, Bryan, Texas
Ibuki Honda, Nagoya-shi, Japan
Braxton Linden, Sterling, Kan.
Lucas Peel, Caldwell, Texas
Colin Pitzer, Omaha, Neb.

Honor Roll – sophomores

Kaleb Cain, Dallas Center, Iowa
Anna Friesen, Halstead, Kan.
Hadassa Friesen, Neuland, Paraguay
Nicolee Friesen, Halstead, Kan.
Sydney Jackson, Marlow, Okla.
Jaden Johannesen, Owasso, Okla.
Haley Kangas, Harper, Kan.
Luke McGinnis, Andover, Kan.
Junto Murata, Kitanagoya-shi, Japan
Bethany Peters, Cottonwood Falls, Kan.
Dylan Rich, Viola, Kan.
Larry Ruffin, Choctaw, Okla.
Catryna Winzer, Augusta, Kan.

Honor Roll – juniors

Carson Elonich, Goshen, Ind.

Honor Roll – seniors

Maria Gerber, Garland, Texas
Yoshimune Goto, Tokyo, Japan
Hebron Mamo, Lenexa, Kan.
Kirah Steps, Wichita, Kan.

Nursing Students Show Support for Local Youth

Hesston College Nursing Club delivers the raffle proceeds to USD 460. Pictured from left to right: Blythe Adkins, Teddi Weninger, Lauren Linscott, Trinity Fox, Superintendent Kevin Logan, Madison Thompson, Michelle Werner, Austina Bouahome, Angelina Garcia-Blex and Lacy Davis.

The Hesston College Nursing Club demonstrated the greater Hesston community’s generosity through a fundraising effort benefiting Hesston public schools. A yearly fundraiser to support local organizations, this year’s funds are directed toward settling unpaid student lunch balances, enrollment fees and other miscellaneous fees.

Madison Thompson, 2024 nursing graduate and president of the HC Nursing Club, is very excited to give back to the Hesston community.

“We take a poll at club meetings to get ideas and then vote to decide where or who to donate the proceeds to,” says Thompson. “We wanted to give back to the direct Hesston community, and when this idea was thrown out there, we all loved it.”

The club collected donations from local businesses and assembled three baskets to be offered by raffle. Through raffle ticket sales, the club was able to meet their $1,000 goal which will resolve the majority of overdue accounts for USD 460.

“Delivering the funds to the school was easily my favorite part of the fundraiser,” says Thompson. “It feels so good to be able to give back to others.”

The raffle was made possible by items donated from A Cut Above, “Steele At It,” El Cerrito Mexican Restaurant, Hesston Pharmacy, Lincoln Perk, Studio 400 and Mr. Appliance.

Students Showcase Creative Writing Skills

A new tradition began this year at Hesston College with the launch of the Acuity Creative Writing Contest. The contest encourages creative writing submissions from students as poetry or prose. The winning submissions were compiled into a magazine along with illustrations created by Joshua Cross, Hesston College art professor.

“A writing contest and publication adds to the prestige of the institution,” says English Professor Miriam Barton. “Our community needs to foster and develop every opportunity to increase the depth and exposure of culture and diversity of thought that are displayed in opportunities like this.”

The contest was divided into four categories: poetry, narrative, short fiction and miscellaneous. Elsa Rayneau (Malang, Indonesia) took home first place in the poetry division with “Burnt Toast” while Bre Hatch (Las Vegas, Nev.) earned an honorable mention in the category with her poem, “Struggles of Pain.” Joy Widjaja (Bintaro, Indonesia) won first place in the short fiction category with “Nicotine & Ethanol” with Garrison Cobb (Archibald, Ohio) earning honorable mention with “A Blacksmith’s Work.” Lucas Peel (Caldwell, Texas) won the miscellaneous category with “Defining a Valuable Teammate” and Drew Gumbs’ (Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines) work, “Results Day,” won the narrative division.

“I am very pleased with the outcome of the writing contest this year,” says Barton. “There were enough contestants to have a competitive selection and the submissions were meaningful and displayed significant talent. I am very hopeful that this contest will continue to grow in the coming years”

College Holds 114th Annual Commencement Ceremonies

Heaven Trapp of Lufkin, Texas, receives her diploma from Interim President Ross Peterson-Veatch.

Hesston College students and their families celebrated with faculty and staff during the 114th annual Commencement ceremony held Saturday, May 11, in the sanctuary of Hesston Mennonite Church.

This year’s commencement featured an address titled “Walking with the Spirit in Service to Others” delivered by Dr. Rebecca Hernandez, director of organizational development and racial equity with the Mennonite Central Committee. Hernandez encouraged the graduates to act as agents of liberation in their daily lives and in their future careers. She concluded her address with a lesson she learned from a college chapel service.

“It is important to not just pray for faith for the big miracles to happen, but to also pray for endurance because there are many ordinary days,” recalled Hernandez. “It is in these ordinary days that, moment by moment, change happens.”

Dr. Ross Peterson-Veatch, interim president, conferred 36 Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees, 10 Bachelor of Arts in business management degrees, one Bachelor of Science in aviation – professional pilot degree and 61 associate degrees. The graduating class of 2024 includes members from 12 different countries, U.S. territories and sovereign nations.

One of those graduates is Shelby Bontrager, a senior in the business management program and a native of McPherson, Kan.

“My education from Hesston College will help me in my career path by making me knowledgeable and experienced in handling people, whether that be as coworkers, employees, superiors or stakeholders,” says Bontrager.

After graduation, Bontrager hopes to earn a full-time position working for CHS Inc. in McPherson in the process safety management department, where she began on a part-time basis last summer.

Another graduate with big plans ahead of them is James Peters, a senior in the nursing program. A native of Hesston, Kan., Peters has also served as a firefighter and an EMT in Hesston since 2019.

“A successful career requires more than a degree alone,” says Peters. “Networking and building relationships are critical to success. Hesston College has been a great place to build those relationships and make connections in the community.”

Peters plans to enter the workforce as a nurse while he pursues his dream career of becoming a flight nurse, a specially trained nurse assigned to various aircraft that provide patient care during the flight.

“Flight nursing is a very competitive field, but I feel that my experience at Hesston College has given me a great foundation that has made me a well-rounded nurse,” says Peters.

The prayer of invocation was delivered by Mark ’98 and Denise ’97 Diller, Hesston, Kan., parents of graduate Kyle Diller. The prayer of dedication was delivered by Hugo Friesen and Siegried Pauls de Friesen of Neuland, Paraguay, parents of graduate Hadassa Friesen. Two students, Larry Ruffin, Choctaw, Okla., and Fortesa Hysenaj, Istog, Kosovo, were nominated by faculty and staff and voted by their classmates as the graduate speakers to reflect on the Hesston Experience.

“Hesston is a place that attempts to give everyone a voice,” said Ruffin. “It is a place where people of all different faith and cultural backgrounds can come together and share their beliefs and traditions. I am glad that I chose Hesston because it allowed me to strengthen my faith by broadening my horizons and building on the ideas that I grew up with.”

The 36 nursing program graduates were honored at a Nursing Pinning ceremony in the sanctuary of Hesston Mennonite Church on the morning of May 11. 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 10, the International Chorale presented a sendoff concert in the sanctuary. The concert kicks off a European choir tour schedule that includes concerts in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Tabor, Hesston to Sign Strategic Academic Partnership

Tabor College and Hesston College will officially sign an agreement to solidify a strategic partnership in offering classes to students at their respective institutions.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed by Tabor President David Janzen, Ph.D., and Hesston Interim President Ross Peterson-Veach, Ph.D., on Friday, May 17 at 4:30 p.m. in Bonnie Sowers Nursing Center on Hesston College’s campus (301 S. Main, Hesston). They will each make statements and be available for questions after the signing.

Hesston College Chorale Set to Tour Europe Over The Summer

The melodious sounds of the Hesston College Chorale will travel to Europe for their biennial international tour from May 14 to June 4. Under the direction of Dr. Russell Adrian and Ken Rodgers, the chorale will present a program titled “Veni, Sancte Spiritus” at churches in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. The tour will kick off with a farewell concert at 7 p.m., Friday, May 10, at Hesston Mennonite Church. An offering will be taken to help offset tour expenses.

The tour will occur during the season of Pentecost with a program based on Acts 2. Veni, Sancte Spiritus, meaning “come, Holy Spirit,” celebrates the disciples being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in many languages. 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.

The ensemble is composed of students in Bel Canto Singers and Global Voices who collaborate on biennial international tours. Holly Swartzendruber, music professor, and Karen Unruh, accompanist, along with Hesston College alumni, all combine to form this edition of the Hesston College Chorale. Students include Lily Corkill of Olsburg, Kan.; Ana Espinoza of Ocotepeque, Honduras; Hadassa Friesen of Neuland, Paraguay; Joy Jones of Lockhart, Texas.; Jamie Krehbiel and Devin Miller of Hesston, Kan.; Caroline Miller and Daniel Miller of Arlington, Kan.; Eva Perry of Rocky Ford, Colo.; Larry Ruffin of Choctaw, Okla.; Rylee Weishaupt of Goshen, Ind.; and Ashleigh Williams of Eaton, Colo.

The chorale will perform twelve concerts in various churches. Tour members will also take in the history and culture of cities such as Amsterdam, Cologne, Zurich and Rothenburg. The trip features visits to sites in Anabaptist history, exploring European cathedrals, several world-famous museums and 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.

This edition will mark the 20th Hesston College Chorale tour to Europe for trip leader Rodgers. To celebrate, Hesston College alumni have been invited to join the chorale for the first two weeks of the tour. A highlight will be performing at the Doopsgezinde Gemeente in Joure, Netherlands. This year marks the 200th year of their church building and equally impressive is the long standing relationship Hesston College has had with this congregation, hosting a performance on every one of Rodgers’ tours.

Itinerary for Hesston College Chorale’s trip to Europe

• 
  Friday, May 10, 7 p.m. – Hesston Mennonite Church, Hesston, Kansas
• Thursday, May 16, 8 p.m. – Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Aalsmeer, Netherlands
• Friday, May 17, 8 p.m. – Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Haarlem, Netherlands
• Sunday, May 19, 10 a.m. – Pentecost Festival at Park Heremastate, Joure, Netherlands
• Sunday, May 19, 5 p.m. – Garden Concert, Joure, Netherlands
• Monday, May 20, 7:30 p.m. – Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Joure, Netherlands
• Wednesday, May 22, 7:30 p.m. – Ev. Mennonitengemeinde Neuwied, Neuwied, Germany
• Thursday, May 23, 7:30 p.m. – Evangelische Mennonitengemeinde Schänzli, Basel, Switzerland
• Friday, May 24, 7:30 p.m. – Église Évangélique Mennonite du Petit-Val/Evangelische Mennonitengemeinde Kleintal, Moron, Switzerland
• Saturday, May 25, 7:30 p.m. – Alttäufergemeinde, Emmental, Switzerland
• Wednesday, May 29, 7 p.m. – Evang.-Luth. Kirchengemeinde St. Markus, Ingolstadt, Germany
• Sunday, June 2, 7 p.m. – Mennonitengemeinde Bechterdissen, Leopoldshöhe, Germany

Local Playwriting Festival Takes the Stage

For the first time since 2019, Hesston College will present their local playwriting showcase, Pen to Paper to Performance, on April 26 and 27 at 7 p.m. in the Keim Center Black Box Theater. Nine ten-minute plays were chosen from dozens of submissions to be produced and performed by the Hesston College Theatre Department.

“I love this event because it not only showcases the talent of our department and campus, but also the creativity in our communities,” says Rachel Jantzi, director of theater at Hesston College and creator of Pen to Paper to Performance.

The winning playwrights hail from communities like McPherson and Wichita to Hesston’s own campus. Jantzi created this festival as a way to encourage people who are curious about playwriting to give it a try. She enjoys seeing the different writing styles of the playwrights and how they translate to an onstage production.

“It’s fun to see how the playwrights react to seeing their ideas and dialogue spring to life,” explains Jantzi. “It takes a lot of courage to trust others to take what you wrote and move it from the page to the stage, but this process – one that promotes trust, vulnerability and collaboration – is what theatre allows and encourages.”

With a wide variety of genres and subject matter, here are this year’s winning submissions:

• Check by Cassie Balzer, Wichita, Kan.
• Bad Episode by Skye Colaw, McPherson, Kan.
• Tooter-Bug by Travis Duerksen, Goessel, Kan.
• Death by a Thousand Papercuts by Michele Hershberger, Hesston, Kan.
• Butter Woman by Patricia Middleton, Topeka, Kan.
• Trapped by Sam Setiawan ’24 (Hesston College student), Goshen, Ind.
• Writer’s Block by Mitch Stutzman, Hesston, Kan.
• A Fine Day for a Felony by Caitlin Waits, Winfield, Kan.
• The Menno Simons House for Wayward Christians by Matt Lehman Wiens, McPherson, Kan.

An ensemble of 16 actors will portray various roles in the performances with each actor appearing in at least two of the shows. The ensemble includes Hesston College students Meg Beyer, Josh Fleming, Hadassa Friesen, Joy Jones, Jamie Krehbiel, Caroline Miller, Charlie Miller, Desirae Rodriguez, Sam Setiawan, Rylee Weishaupt and Ashleigh Williams, faculty and staff members Jose Gloria, Michele Hershberger, Johann Reimer and Ken Rodgers, and community member Mitch Stutzman.

Admission is free for Hesston College students, $5 for outside students and $10 for adults and seniors. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door or in advance by calling 620-327-8104. Seating is limited, so early arrival is encouraged. Talkback sessions with the playwrights will follow the shows and each playwright will receive a portion of the box office earnings.