In the News

Andover Organ Series to feature Polish organist

The first concert in the 2017-18 Andover Organ Series will feature Polish organist Karol Mossakowski. Born in 1990 into a family of musicians, he started studying piano and organ with his father at the age of three. After study at the Music Academy of Poznań, he was accepted into the National Music Conservatory in Paris where he studied with Olivier Latry and Michel Bouvard. He has won numerous competitions, including the prestigious 2016 Chartres International Organ Competition in improvisation.

The program will be Tuesday, November 7, at 7 p.m. at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus. Mr. Mossakowski will perform works by Bach, Mozart, Franck and Mendelssohn as well as an improvisation. This concert will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the installation of the Andover Organ at Hesston Mennonite Church. The concert is free and open to the public.

Andover organs are built by the Andover Organ Company of Methuen, Mass. The company builds and restores mechanical action pipe organs, and since its founding in 1948, has restored more than 500 organs across the United States, as well as building new instruments, including the Opus 116 pipe organ, installed at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus in 2007.

Vienna Boys Choir to perform “Bella Italia” at Hesston Mennonite Church

The Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts series welcomes the internationally-acclaimed Vienna Boys Choir Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Hesston Mennonite Church in the second performance of this season’s concert series.

The Vienna Boys Choir consists of 100 boys between the ages of 10 and 14 from all over the world, 24 of whom will perform the “Bella Italia” concert on Nov. 9. The program will feature compositions from Italy, including classical pieces by Vivaldi, Rossini, Verdi, Mascagni and other Italian composers, along with such popular favorites as “Santa Lucia,” “O sole mio,” “Volare” and more.

Directing this group of Vienna Boys Choir members is Manolo Cagnin. Cagnin, born Treviso, Italy, entered this position in 2008 and prepares the boys for sound and video recordings, masses and the Vienna State Opera. “They possess character and spirit,” Cagnin said. “This is reflected in the way they make music. The children learn from me, and I learn from them.”

The choir has toured to many places such as Vietnam, China, Singapore, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, North and South America.

The Vienna Boys Choir is a private, not-for-profit organization that has been recording music since the 1930s. In close association with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Boys Choir provides the music for the Sunday Mass in Vienna’s Imperial Chapel.

Reserved seating and general admission tickets for Vienna Boys Choir are available at hesstonbethel.org or by calling 620-327-8105. Single tickets are for sale at Bethel College’s Thresher Shop in Schultz Student Center and in the Hesston College Bookstore during regular business hours. Ticket prices range from $25 to $29 with discounts for students and senior citizens.

The Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts series is a collaborative effort of Hesston College and Bethel College, presenting five performances by world-renowned or regionally acclaimed artists each year. HBPA is funded in part by the cities of Hesston and North Newton, Excel Industries and Hustler Turf Equipment, the Hesston Community Foundation and area patrons.

Hesston College Theatre to open season with look at responding to disabilities

Hesston College Theatre will present five performances of “And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson” by Jim Leonard, Jr., as the fall play Oct. 25 to 29, in the Keim Center Black Box Theater on the Hesston College campus.

Showtimes are 7 p.m., Oct. 25 to 28, as well as a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Oct. 29. The play is rated PG13 for language and difficult themes. Children are not recommended to attend.

Based in Jackson, Ind., “And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson” centers on a young woman named Elizabeth Willow who, due to her exposure to polio as an infant, uses a wheelchair and wears leg braces and feels bound by those elements of her life. She is a wonderfully bright and capable girl, but that potential is unseen by many. Adults pity her, children fear her and the few people who are willing to allow Elizabeth in their lives keep her at arm’s length, anxious at what others may think.

“The story is a familiar struggle, but our world still can’t seem to get it right,” said director Rachel Jantzi. “This show wrestles with how we treat those we don’t fully understand and the consequences for one young woman when that understanding isn’t offered.”

The Hesston College production stars 7 students, but 4 of the 7 portray 28 characters between them. “The script is not an easy one,” Jantzi said. But she hopes to provide a new experience for both actors and audience members after last year’s theme: “A season of laughter.”

Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students and children. Tickets can be purchased through the Hesston College Bookstore in person, by phone at 620-327-8104 or online. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended. Tickets will be available at the door 30 minutes prior to show time and are subject to availability.

Coach Gerry Sieber to retire at end of cross country season

Runner’s World magazines dating back to the 1970s are piled high around his office. Team photos hang on the wall. And there, in the middle of all the memories, sits Gerry Sieber, reminiscing on his lifelong love for athletics and his 30 years at Hesston College, now coming to an end.

Sieber will retire after this year’s cross country season, but his coaching career at Hesston College goes far beyond that sport. Sieber has coached soccer, basketball, track and field and cross country. He has even taught wellness classes and served as athletic director for the college. The race has been long, but not without reward.

In 2015, Sieber was inducted into the NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame as the longtime mentor of the Larks’ winningest program. in 23 seasons his teams tallied 247 wins and ten region titles, 22 players earned NJCAA All-American honors and Sieber was named Coach of the Year eight times. He says he draws on much more than strategy in the game.

“We had success, we won a lot of games, a lot of championships. But the thrill of getting a lot of students together was this idea of 11 becoming one. Winning was pretty important, but there are a lot of other things that make it meaningful: The growth of the players and the development of the whole person.”

Sadie Winter, a sophomore cross country runner, witnesses this daily.

“Gerry works very hard to build community and accountability within the team,” she says. “He wants the team to be connected and supportive. He doesn’t just work on improving our running, he also stresses the importance of academics, overall physical health and spiritual growth.”

Sieber has always stayed true to the idea of growth on and off the field, taking teams on service trips to Argentina and Puerto Rico and leading some of Hesston’s experiential learning trips to Arkansas and Colorado.

After graduating from Hesston College (‘64) and then Goshen College (‘66), Sieber headed to Tabor College (Hillsboro) to teach physical education and to coach. But after two years as a Tabor Bluejay, positions opened at Hesston College for a head soccer, basketball, and track coach. Sieber returned to his old stomping grounds to be a Lark.

“Because of my love for sports and playing, I was drawn into the vocation of coaching and teaching,” Sieber said. “The fact that I went to Hesston and had played sports at Hesston made this a natural progression.”

He dabbled in many sports while at Hesston, but Sieber calls soccer “his main sport.”

Coaching at Bethel College (North Newton) in between his time at Hesston College (1994 to 2009), Sieber continued to coach men’s soccer, started the women’s soccer program, coached track and field and launched the cross country team for the Threshers.

And that is where Sieber finds himself in his last coaching season: with the Hesston College men’s and women’s cross country team.

The Larks cross country team boasts a women’s group Sieber says is the strongest he’s ever had the privilege of coaching.

“This is my last coaching ‘dance,’” he said. “I haven’t told the team this, but I really want it to be a good dance. And I think it will be.”

When the season ends, Sieber will continue to stay active through racquetball, biking and swimming. He plans to spend time with family, travel and volunteer.

Summarizing 30 years of coaching at Hesston College and 49 years of coaching is not easily done, but Sieber continues to express his gratitude and humbleness to have had the opportunities to teach, coach and mentor young adults.

“I feel truly privileged, stretched, humbled and grateful for the opportunity to teach, coach, mentor and serve as a role model to young adults,” Sieber said.

“I am blessed to be the recipient of so many wonderful experiences with so many wonderful people. And to have been surrounded, supported and mentored with the communities I have been a part of. Thank you to my family, church, friends, the town of Hesston, the school’s alumni and faculty, staff and administrators.”

by Mackenzie Miller ’18, Matthew Gerlach contributing writer

New programs lead to enrollment boost

New academic and athletic programs added to Hesston College’s offerings over the last several years have culminated with an enrollment boost for fall 2017 according to the college’s official reporting numbers. Total student headcount reached 442 in 2017, a 10 percent boost from a headcount of 401 a year prior, and the highest reported enrollment for the college since 2013.

“We’re excited to see some of our recruitment and enrollment efforts paying off,” said Rachel Swartzendruber Miller, vice president of admissions and financial aid. “By making an effort to learn about what today’s students are looking for in terms of programs as well as what employers want and exploring how those programs fit into Hesston’s culture and environment, we’ve been able to make positive changes to our curriculum and extracurricular offerings that have resulted in significant growth.”

Over the last three years, the college has added or expanded offerings in at least 13 academic and athletic programs. Some of the changes include shifting from a two-year to a four-year baccalaureate nursing program and adding an RN to BSN component, adding new programs including golf, emergency management, sports management and criminal and restorative justice, and expanding curriculum in aviation, engineering, theatre, biology and graphic design.

Of total enrollment, 207 students are new and 403 students – 91 percent – are enrolled at a full-time status. The college continues to build on its global community as 56 students – 13 percent as compared to 10 percent a year ago – are international students representing 17 countries. Domestic students represent 29 states in 2017, including 49 percent from Kansas and 38 percent from out of state. Students of color are 34 percent of the population.

Following trends for the college over the last several years, retention of students from fall 2016 to fall 2017 remains high at 77 percent for the new year.

Hesston College homecoming events set for next weekend Sept. 22 to 24

Hesston College’s monumental homecoming celebration Sept. 22 to 24, is just around the corner. The weekend will be filled with numerous events for those on campus and the surrounding community as well as college alumni and friends from near and far.

Friday Forum to connect with 2017 Hesston community common read, 11 a.m. Friday

The Friday, Sept. 22 forum will kick off homecoming with Joel Kempf, class of 1997. Kempf will share a few of his Start Here, Go Everywhere experiences. Having worked with Mennonite Central Committee in Mozambique doing sustainable agriculture consulting, Joel will tie his presentation in with the 2017 Hesston community common read, Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis.

Friday afternoon activities will include an Interfaith Relationships conversation from 3 to 4 p.m. in Hesston Mennonite Church. The conversation will feature a few different perspectives from panel members on how interfaith relationships on- and off-campus have challenged and enriched their lives.

Global Voices Showcase, 7 p.m. Friday

A concert in Hesston Mennonite Church will feature music, drama and stories from students and alumni of Hesston College. The concert will include many languages from around the world and will recognize Dave Osborne (Hesston Academy class of 1964, college class of 1966) for his outstanding work directing the international student program since 1986.

Presidential inauguration, 3 p.m. Saturday

Dr. Joseph A. Manickam, Hesston College’s ninth president, will be inaugurated at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23, at Hesston Mennonite Church with a reception to follow in the church community center. The inauguration will take place after several morning events including alumni class reunions and the “Manickam Mosey” two-mile run/walk, named after the new president. (Register for the Manickam Mosey at hesston.edu/2mile).

Following the inauguration, Saturday evening’s activities will continue to connect with this year’s inaugural theme “Grounded in Community, Globally Engaged.”

Community wide Global Tastings meal, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday

A community children’s festival will take place on the lawn south of the college tennis courts with games, bouncy houses and face painting from 5 to 7 p.m.. During the same time 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., a “Global Tastings” meal in the Campus Activities Center will offer foods from around the world as well as an East Indian tea biscuit dessert and homemade ice cream. The cost of the meal is $5.

International music concert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday

The international music concert, featuring music from around the world, will wrap up the evening. Starting at 7:30 p.m. in Hesston Mennonite Church, the performers will include La República, A Terra Plana, Waswahili Band and the Regier Family Bluegrass Band.

La República, including Daniel Moya (Hesston College class of 2008), is a Colombian alternative rock band influenced by the Latin genres of rhythm, blues and classic rock. Currently touring throughout Colombia and the United States promoting their new album “Solitarios Soñadores (Lonely Dreamers),” La República has been featured on Latin television, has performed at the Metropolitan theatre and has made their way into the “Top 100 Colombian Songs” by Vive Colombia Media Group in 2017.

A Terra Plana is a quartet formed out of Wichita, Kan. and is known for their Brazilian Choro style, described as the “New Orleans jazz of Brazil.” The quartet instruments include flute, pandeiro (similar to a tambourine), soprano saxophone and guitar.

The Waswahili Band will offer an introduction to African culture, which they believe can only be shared through music. Each member of the band comes from a different culture and the music will represent this diversity as well as the diversity of Africa.

Lastly, the Regier Family Bluegrass Band from Newton, Kan., will perform. The six members of the family include father, Ken, on bass guitar, mother, Amy, on vocals, Erin on viola, Austin on banjo, Addie on guitar and Eli on mandolin.

Concert tickets can be purchased at the Hesston College Bookstore or at the door. The cost is $10. Youth and student admission is free.

Photo release – Special Olympics coaching clinics on campus Sept. 9

Hesston College played host to Special Olympics coaching clinics for basketball and soccer led by Andrew Stauffer, volunteer certified Special Olympics basketball and soccer coach, Saturday, Sept. 9. Stauffer made classroom presentations on philosophy, theory and practice drills for basketball and soccer, then worked with Larks men’s basketball players and women’s soccer players to demonstrate drills and modifications. More than 40 coaches from south central Kansas attended the clinics which were open to all Kansas coaches. All Special Olympics coaches must attend a face-to-face clinic in order to be certified. Hesston College photos by Larry Bartel

Below - Hesston College men’s basketball players demonstrate drills at a clinic for prospective Special Olympics coaches.

Community Read 2017 events

Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis

About the community read

For the sixth year, the community of Hesston, led by Hesston College, Hesston Public Library and Dyck Arboretum of the Plains, invite individuals and groups to take part in a community read during the fall semester. The book selection for the 2017 read is Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis (2012, Beacon Press) by Cynthia Barnett.

Barnett, an award-winning environmental journalist, teaches at the University of Florida (Gainsville), and proposes that America needs a “blue revolution” comparable to the “go green” movement to address the use and abuse of water in the U.S. and around the world. The book examines a variety of perspectives and makes an argument for a “water ethic” with a call to action that reconnects individuals to their water.

Water events schedule

Thursday, Sept. 14, 7 p.m. – Film presentation and discussion on Last Call at the Oasis, Hesston Public Library

Last Call at the Oasis (105-minute film), a documentary on the world’s water crisis.

Thursday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m. – Book discussion on , Newton Public Library

The Water Knife, a novel set in the near-future, drought-devastated southwestern United States.

Friday, Sept. 22, 11 a.m. – Hesston College forum presentation by Joel Kempf, Hesston Mennonite Church

Kempf is a 1997 Hesston College alumnus who served in Mozambique with Mennonite Central Committee as a sustainable agriculture consultant.

Thursday, Sept. 28, 7 p.m. – Film presentation and discussion on Blue Gold: World Water Wars, Hesston Public Library

Blue Gold: World Water Wars (90-minute film), a documentary that discusses how future wars may be fought over water as they are over oil today.

Sunday, Oct. 8, 2 p.m. – Hesston College Bel Canto Singers concert: “Living Water,” Hesston Mennonite Church

Thursday, Oct. 12, 7 p.m. – Film presentation and discussion on Flow: For Love of Water, Hesston Public Library

Flow: For Love of Water (93-minute film), a documentary that examines the facts of dwindling water supplies around the world and the possibility that greed may be the cause.

Friday, Oct. 13, 11 a.m. – Hesston College forum presentation by Jared Morrison, Hesston Mennonite Church

Morrison works for Westar Energy’s Waste and Water Division.

Friday, Oct. 20, 11 a.m. – Hesston College forum presentation by the Kansas Water Office, Hesston Mennonite Church

Sunday, Oct. 22, 7 p.m. – The Netherlands and water panel presentation, Hesston Mennonite Church

Sunday, Oct. 29, 4 p.m. – Presentation on land ethics and water resources by Heidi Mehl, Dyck Arboretum of the Plains

Mehl works for the Kansas Healthy Streams Initiative.

Monday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. – Book discussion on Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis, Newton Public Library

Led by Dyck Arboretum staff member Brad Guhr, a discussion on the community read title.

Thursday, Nov. 2, 2 p.m. – Hesston College Melva Kauffman Lecture Series presentation by community read author Cynthia Barnett, Dyck Arboretum of the Plains

Barnett will speak on local water sources like the Great Plains and Ogallala aquifers in relation to the philosophies of famous conservationist and environmentalist Aldo Leopold.

Thursday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m. – Hesston College Melva Kauffman Lecture Series by Cynthia Barnett, Hesston Mennonite Church

Barnett will discuss her book, Blue Revolution, as well as the effects of the global water crisis, including conflict over water, territorial issues and how it affects faith communities and others.

Friday, Nov. 3, 11 a.m. – Hesston College forum on flooding by the Disaster Management Program, Hesston Mennonite Church

Saturday, Nov. 18 to Sunday, Dec. 31 – The Smithsonian’s Water/Ways exhibit, Hesston Public Library

See the exclusive Kansas tour of a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition brought to you by the Kansas Humanities Council.

Thursday, Dec. 7, 12:30 p.m. – First-Year Experience symposium on water, Hesston College

Hesston College students present their findings from research done on water-related issues.

Manickam Mosey run/walk is a local favorite with a new date

Hesston College is preparing to host a 26-year tradition on Saturday, Sept. 23, as part of Homecoming and Inauguration Weekend – a two-mile run walk that has become a favorite for the campus, the local community and visiting alumni and friends of the college.

The run/walk has always been named in honor of the Hesston College president in office, and in 2017 will be known for the first time as “The Manickam Mosey” in honor of President Dr. Joseph A. Manickam who will be inaugurated later in the afternoon. To date, the event has lasted through three interim presidents and Manickam marks the third permanent president to inspire the name.

The Manickam Mosey participants will leave the starting gate at 9 a.m. on a route that takes them on a scenic tour of both Hesston College and nearby Dyck Arboretum of the Plains. Early registration for the event runs through Sept. 15 and costs $16. After Sept. 15, registration is $20. Registration can be completed prior to race day online. Race day registrations will run from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m., outside of the Bontrager Student Center on the Hesston College campus.

For the past 25 years, the race had been held during the college’s Thanksgiving Weekend celebration, but due to shifts in student demographics and the college’s carefully targeted recruitment strategies, the college made the decision to no longer host a Thanksgiving Weekend in 2017, so the run found a new home during Homecoming.

Each race participant will receive a number and a race shirt. Medals will be given to overall and age group winners, and all participants will have a chance to win a number of door prizes.

Race proceeds will go toward the college’s Exercise Science Equipment Project.

Contact Clay Stauffer with questions at clays@hesston.edu or 620-327-8260.