In the News

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.

Presidential Search Committee Members Announced

The search for the next president of Hesston College will now commence with search committee members identified and affirmed by the Hesston College Board of Directors. The 10-person committee is comprised of the following individuals:

• Luanne (Yoder) ’81 Southern, MSW, Hesston College board member, committee chair
  A native of Yoder, Kan., and Hesston College board member since 2023, Southern has national, state and local experience in health and human services in the governmental, academic, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.
• Roger Yoder ’79, Hesston College board member
  A Hesston College board member since 2013, Yoder is a retired captain from American Airlines and co-owner of New Horizons Aviation in Goshen, Ind.
• Ken Rodgers ’85, MA,  Hesston College faculty member
  A native of central Kansas and member of Hesston College music faculty since 1988, Rodgers conducts Hesston College Global Voices and teaches piano, organ and music appreciation classes.
• Ben Miller,  Hesston College staff member
  A previous three-year member of the facilities team, Miller returned as director of campus facilities last spring. Originally from Kalona, Iowa, Miller and his family have called Hesston home since 2017.
• Jessica Clopton-Robinson, MBA, Mennonite Education Agency (MEA) member
  Since joining College Hill Mennonite Church in Tampa, Fla., in 2009, Clopton-Robinson has served on several local and broader boards and committees including multiple past and present roles with MEA.
• Jeff Gingerich ’88, PhD, at-large member
  Dr. Gingerich began his career as a faculty member at Bluffton (Ohio) University and has held multiple other advancing roles in higher education over the years. He currently serves as president of St. Bonaventure University, a Catholic university located in Olean, N.Y.
• Pastor Stanley W. Green, at-large member
  Green has served the Mennonite church in multiple capacities nationally and abroad over the years including as a pastor and as president and executive director with the Mennonite mission agencies. He is currently the executive conference minister for the Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference.
• Reverend Kathy (Goering) Reid, at-large member
  Since retiring in 2021 as executive director of the Family Abuse Center in Waco, Texas, Reid now provides interim executive leadership to Waco area nonprofits. In addition to a long history of service within the church, she also has experience training on the issues of child protection and domestic violence.
• Yvonne Sieber ’71, MBA, at-large member
  Sieber previously served the college as vice president of advancement as well as on the board of directors. She continues to give back to the Hesston community and Mennonite church through serving on various boards and committees.
• Pastor Grace Tijerina ’16, at-large member
  Tijerina currently helps preach at Buenas Nuevas Iglesia Menonita in San Juan, Texas. She has served on the Hesston College board and now serves on the Mennonite Central Committee executive board as the coordinator for Hispanic women.

The search committee will work with Academic Search to conduct a comprehensive and broad search for Hesston College’s next president. Academic Search specializes in recruiting executives in higher education.

The Hesston College board accepted the resignation of former president Joseph A. Manickam effective Dec. 31, 2023. Vice President of Academics Dr. Ross Peterson-Veatch was appointed to serve as interim president at that time.

Announcing the Milo C. Albrecht Nursing Scholarship

Hesston College announces the establishment of a new endowed scholarship available for the 2024-25 school year: the Milo C. Albrecht Nursing Scholarship.

Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Hesston’s nursing program will have first preference for this new scholarship. Established with funds from the Milo C. Albrecht estate, this scholarship honors Albrecht’s support of Hesston College and its nursing program.

“Endowed scholarships have a direct impact on helping our students to afford Hesston College,” says acting Vice President of Advancement Lisa Longacher. “We are grateful to Milo Albrecht and his family for including us in their estate planning. Milo’s legacy will live on for years to come.”

Albrecht, who passed away in 2016, was a farmer near Morton, Ill., and a faithful supporter of Hesston College. He was one of the charter members of the Hesston College Partner Program, which was established in 1976. Milo Albrecht’s connection to Hesston College began through a relationship with Milo Kauffman, who served as interim pastor at Albrecht’s church, First Mennonite Church of Morton. Kauffman later served as the Hesston College president, but maintained a connection with Albrecht.

Student Art Exhibit to Return in April

The Hesston College visual arts program will present their annual juried student art exhibit from April 19 to 30. All students are invited to submit pieces created in a medium of their choice for evaluation by guest juror Katie Petersen, an art professor from Sterling College. The winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony on April 24, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Hesston College Art Professor Joshua Cross sees this exhibition as a great opportunity for students to harness their artistic gifts.

“Our art program is intimate and based around the idea that all of us are called to, and capable of, creative things,” says Cross. “We see this in action with our annual student show.”

Student projects will be on display in the Regier-Friesen Gallery in the newly renovated Laban Peachey Center at 325 S College Dr in Hesston.

“The art department is so blessed to have our new space in the Peachey Center,” Cross shares. “Our new gallery space gives the work a proper setting, lighting, feel and emphasis which allows the exhibitors and the viewers to look at and think about the works in their best light.”

One of Cross’s favorite aspects of this annual exhibit is encouraging all students, including those not majoring in art, to explore their creative side.

“By inviting all students to submit works we get a wider range of subjects, techniques and materials that go beyond traditional,” explains Cross. “This allows viewers the opportunity to think about art as a range of things and possibilities, and it shows that even though someone’s interests or gifts might be in business or nursing or soccer, they can still express themselves and use their creative gifts, too.”

Bel Canto Singers Travel East on Common Ground Spring Tour

Hesston College Bel Canto Singers will travel east for a spring break tour March 8 to 19 with performances in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kansas.

The 19-voice mixed chamber choir, under the direction of Dr. Russell Adrian and accompanied by Ken Rodgers, will present a program titled “Common Ground.” The program is inspired by the composition “On the Common Ground” written by Alice Parker out of concern for the many walls that have appeared to separate society. The concert features a cappella and accompanied works with special music by soloists and small ensembles.

The 2023-24 members of Bel Canto include Meg Beyer, Harrisonburg, Va.; Gabriel Clark, Goshen, Ind.; Alyssa Coonce, Buhler, Kan.; Lily Corkill, Olsburg, Kan.; Hadassa Friesen, Neuland, Paraguay; Joanna Gomez Ramirez, Hesston, Kan.; Joy Jones, Lockhart, Texas; Jamie Krehbiel, Hesston, Kan.; Jakob Lehmann, Ingolstadt, Germany; Caroline Miller, Arlington, Kan.; Charles Miller, Arlington, Kan.; Daniel Miller, Arlington, Kan.; Devin Miller, Hesston, Kan.; Eva Perry, Rocky Ford, Colo.; Sadie Robinson, Hesston, Kan.; Desirae Rodriguez, Whittier, Calif.; Larry Ruffin, Choctaw, Okla.; Rylee Weishaupt, Goshen, Ind.; and Ashleigh Williams, Eaton, Colo.

The tour itinerary includes:

• Sunday, March 10, 10:30 a.m., Lindale Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Va.
• Sunday, March 10, 4 p.m., Park View Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Va.
• Monday, March 11, Lancaster Mennonite School, Lancaster, Pa.
• Monday, March 11, 7 p.m., Stumptown Mennonite Church, Bird-In-Hand, Pa., with Lancaster Mennonite School Chorale
• Tuesday, March 12, Shalom Christian Academy, Chambersburg, Pa.
• Tuesday, March 12, 7 p.m., Zion Mennonite Church, Souderton, Pa.
• Wednesday, March 13, Dock Mennonite Academy, Lansdale, Pa.
• Wednesday, March 13, 7 p.m., Salem Mennonite Church, Dalton, Ohio, with Central Christian Varsity Singers
• Thursday, March 14, Central Christian High School, Kidron, Ohio
• Thursday, March 14, 7 p.m., Silverwood Mennonite Church, Goshen, Ind.
• Friday, March 15, Greencroft Goshen Community Center, Goshen, Ind.
• Friday, March 15, Bethany Christian School, Goshen, Ind.
• Sunday, March 17, 9:30 a.m., Roanoke Mennonite Church, Eureka, Ill.
• Tuesday, March 19, 7 p.m., Hesston Mennonite Church, Hesston, Kan. Audience members may also join via livestream at hesston.edu/livestream.

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

The 2023-24 academic year marks the 40th season for the Bel Canto Singers, Hesston College’s premier choral ensemble. An alumni choir gathered to celebrate this milestone during Homecoming, and Bel Canto alumni are encouraged to perform with the choir on tour in Harrisonburg and Goshen.

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.

Alice Parker was an American composer, arranger and conductor who founded Melodious Accord, a professional choir with whom she released 14 albums. Late in her life, Parker shared meaningful conversations with prominent musicians focused on bringing people together. These conversations can be viewed at her Melodious Accord website. Her work is dedicated to All Those Who Long for Peace and includes the text:

Lord, guide us to that meeting place where we can see each other, Hear each other, care for each other. Where we can sing together, work together, We can play together on the common ground.

Common Ground tour program

“Little Shop of Horrors” Performance Highlights Romance and Tragedy

Hesston College Theatre will demonstrate why you should be careful what you wish for with their spring musical production of “Little Shop of Horrors” from Feb. 28 through March 3. The show is suggested for ages 10 and up. Performances will be held in the Keim Center Black Box Theater at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

The show centers around a small flower shop on Skid Row that gets taken over by a bloodthirsty alien plant. This award-winning musical will discuss themes of greed and survival while showcasing fun choreography, wicked humor and beloved songs by Alan Menken. Director Celaine Worden is ecstatic to bring this off-broadway hit to the Hesston community.

“For over 30 years this delightful show has been making audiences laugh, scream and consider giving up gardening altogether,” says Worden. “We have a talented cast of students, faculty, staff and alumni excited to bring this story to life.”

The cast includes Hesston College students Caroline Miller, Meg Beyer, Hadassa Friesen, Desirae Rodriguez, Daniel Miller, Charlie Miller, Josh Fleming, Alyssa Coonce, Ashleigh Williams and Jamie Krehbiel; Hesston College employees Del Hershberger and Jose Gloria; and community member Mitchell Stutzman. The musical ensemble will consist of Fleming, Coonce, Williams, Krehbiel and Gloria as well as student Lily Corkill and faculty member Michele Hershberger. Faculty members Holly Swartzendruber and Ken Rodgers will assist with the production, as the music director and pit director respectively. Community member Scott Steinert will fill the technical director role for the show. As a special treat, the Bel Canto Singers will join the cast in the musical’s opening number.

Ticket prices are $5 for students and $12 for adults and seniors. Tickets can be purchased in advance through the Hesston College Bookstore or by phone at 620-327-8104.

Now Accepting Submissions for Hesston College’s Playwriting Festival

It’s back! After a four-year hiatus, it’s time again for south central Kansas playwrights – both amateur and experienced – to exercise their creativity and storytelling abilities with submissions to Hesston College Theatre’s “Pen to Paper to Performance” playwriting festival.

Submissions for the 10-minute play festival will be accepted through March 8. Eight winning submissions will be notified March 15 and will be produced in the final showcase event April 26 and 27. Playwrights of winning submissions will receive a percentage of the box office earnings.

Launched in 2017 by Hesston College Theatre Director Rachel Jantzi, the “Pen to Paper to Performance” (P3) playwriting festival has become a sought after experience both for local playwrights and audience members who get to see the stories come to life on stage. With the plays performed by Hesston College Theatre students, the event allows voices and talent from the community and across the region to be heard and shared.

“Audiences and past submitters asked if P3 would make a comeback – it’s nice, knowing it’s been missed,” Jantzi says. “I’m thrilled to get submissions from our returning playwrights, and I’m also excited to receive work from those new to the genre.”

In the past, P3 productions have featured nonfiction accounts based on historical or personal events, fictional works as commentary on important societal issues, fables, folktales, lighthearted humor and drama. Jantzi encourages all ages and skill levels to consider submitting a play on a topic that speaks to them.

“Don’t let a lack of experience or age stop you. Look over a play to see how it’s formatted and then start writing,” she recommends. “Everyone has a story in them, and we’d love to help tell yours.”

10-Minute Play Festival submission criteria:

Scripts are accepted until March 8. Eight selected submissions will be produced in the final showcase event, “Pen to Paper to Performance,” April 26 and 27 in the Keim Center Black Box Theater on the Hesston College campus. Winning submissions will be notified March 15 and will receive a percentage of the box office earnings. Rehearsals for the chosen shows will begin the following week.

Submission rules:

• No more than two plays per playwright.
• Scripts should fall between eight and 12 pages and run roughly 10 minutes.
• Suggested number of characters is three to five.
• Location and setting expectations should be minimal for the sake of logistics.
• No musicals.
• Original work only; no previously produced work.
• Submissions will be acknowledged via email, but no critiques will be offered.
• Please staple hard copies of scripts. Please no binders, covers or folders.
• Director reserves the right to edit for the sake of time or logistics in collaboration with the playwright.
• Work from outside of Kansas will not be considered.

How to submit:
Please submit both a hard copy and an emailed copy. Hard copies will not be returned. Plays should include a cover page with the following information:

• Play title
• Playwright’s name
• Playwright’s phone number
• Playwright’s email address

Deliver or mail submissions to:
Hesston College
c/o Rachel Jantzi, Keim Center
PO Box 3000
Hesston, KS 67062

Email an identical copy to rachelj@hesston.edu with “10-minute play” in the subject line.

Hesston College Community Day Planned Jan. 27

Amidst the cold and snowy weather, Hesston College looks forward to providing warmth to the community as they host their winter Community Day on Saturday, January 27. Yost Center is the hub for all activities which revolve around a pair of Lark basketball games.

Jen Lehman, alumni coordinator, organized the events.

“It is always so much fun getting to see the college and community come together on Community Day,” says Lehman. “We look forward to everyone joining us to cheer on the Larks and enjoy the afternoon on campus.”

At noon, the Lark women’s basketball team will take on Neosho County Community College, followed by the men’s game at 3 p.m. Hesston College alumna Christy (Berkey) ’03 Pickerill from CC’s Family Hair will provide free haircuts on a first come first serve basis. There will be a photo booth available for pictures with props and Hesston College mascot Clark the Lark. In addition, the Hesston High cheerleaders will perform with the Hesston College dance team and the Swather pep band.