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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.

Golf benefit to honor lasting legacies and feature Hustler’s newest product

For the last five years, Hesston College has teed off to open Homecoming Weekend with the Homecoming Golf Benefit. Thanks to the generosity of Excel Industries, Inc., longtime friend and partner of the college, in sponsoring the event, and organizer Floyd Sowers, each year’s efforts greatly benefit the Hesston student experience and the college’s operations.

The 2017 benefit on Sept. 21, will honor three longtime Hesston College athletic department coaches and administrators – Joel Kauffman, Art Mullet, and Gerry Sieber.

Kauffman served at Hesston for 27 years in a variety of roles including women’s basketball coach, athletic director, softball coach, instructor, Vice President of Admissions and Financial Aid and Vice President of Student Life. He left the college in 2015.

Mullet served at Hesston for 31 years as baseball coach and athletic director before retiring in 2011.

To date, Sieber has served at Hesston for 30 years over two different stints in roles including men’s soccer coach, track coach, men’s basketball coach and, most recently, as cross country coach since 2010. Sieber was inducted into the NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame in 2015.

Registration for the event is $125 per person. The deadline to register is Sept. 18. Hole sponsorships are also available. Homecoming Golf Benefit information and registration.

The fifth year for the event will also be marked with some changes as it will be the last year of sponsorship for Excel and for Sowers’ efforts. It will also feature the company’s newest product as an auction item – The Hustler MDV utility vehicle.

The MDV, which retails for $15,000 to $20,000, will be auctioned off at the dinner following the afternoon of golf with a starting bid of $10,000. Bidders do not have to golf in order to bid, and absentee bidding will be accepted. To arrange absentee bidding, contact sheri.esau@hesston.edu or call 620-327-8147. See specs on the MDV.

The history between Hesston College and Excel dates back to the company’s earliest days in the 1960s when men associated with Hesston College, alumni Roy Mullet and Doug Stutzman and social sciences instructor Cal Redekop, became involved with the company as owners and employees. The Mullet family bought a partial interest in the company in 1961, and members of the family who are also Hesston College alumni continue to be involved as owners and senior management, including Paul Mullet, president and CEO; Bob Mullet, senior vice-president and COO; and Luke Roth-Mullet, vice president of operations and continuous improvement.

Over the last 58 years, Excel has supported the Hesston Experience, including giving lead gifts on recent capital renovation projects. In gratitude for the company’s faithful support, Hesston College named the campus entry, constructed in 2015, Mullet Drive in honor of the family and the company.

“We are grateful to Excel and the Mullet family for their commitment to the Hesston Experience and the college’s mission over several decades,” said Mike Zucconi, Hesston College director of Development. “Their support encourages us in our work. We are also grateful to Floyd for his work in organizing a successful event every year.”

The golf benefit is part of Hesston College’s Home Sweet Hesston homecoming, Sept. 21 to 24. See full Homecoming Weekend schedule and registration information.

Homecoming 2017 to be historic event with inauguration of ninth president

Hesston College’s annual Homecoming celebration Sept. 22 to 24, will be one for the history books as it will also mark the inauguration of the college’s ninth president, Dr. Joseph A. Manickam.

The special weekend for alumni, friends and the wider community will carry the theme “Grounded in Community, Globally Engaged,” which speaks to the tradition of a strong campus community, the college’s role in the larger Hesston community, and the global perspectives and connections Dr. Manickam brings to the role of president.

Manickam understands the need for global vision well as his work and life have taken him across the world and into different cultures and traditions. Most recently, he served as director of the Institute of Religion, Culture and Peace and faculty member for peace studies at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It’s a perspective that serves as a strong guide as he leads the college into a context that reaches beyond local boundaries.

“Community is an important part of what we do here,” said Manickam. “But it’s also a concept that goes beyond what is local. It’s beyond campus, beyond the city limits and stretches to all parts of the world. We want our students to be global citizens who are able to understand others’ points of view, have respectful dialogue with those whom they disagree, and develop their own informed opinions and ideas.”

Manickam’s inauguration will be at 3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 23, at Hesston Mennonite Church.

Guests from across the country and around the world, including all four living former presidents, Laban Peachey (1968-80), Kirk Alliman (1981-92), Loren Swartzendruber (1993-03) and Howard Keim (2005-16), are expected on campus for the weekend’s events and to help celebrate the college’s community and international reach.

Lark Athletics collecting items to support those in need around the world

For the length of the 2017-18 Hesston College athletic seasons, when fans attend a Lark athletic event, they can also help provide assistance to those in need around the world. At home games throughout the school year, Lark Athletics will collect donated items for hygiene kits that will be sent worldwide.

Working with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) through the Central States office in North Newton, Kan., the kits will be sent to places throughout the world to help individuals and families who have fled their homes because of disaster or war and are struggling to afford necessary supplies, and to schools and orphanages to encourage healthy habits in children.

“We talked as an athletic department last year about working with one organization throughout a school year to make a difference,” said Rob Ramseyer, Hesston College athletic director. “We have so many athletes and events each year, we felt that if we concentrated our efforts, we could make a significant impact.”

A hygiene kit includes the following:

• One adult toothbrush
• One large bar of soap
• One finger nail clipper
• One dark colored hand towel

All items must be new and in the original packaging.

Hesston College student-athletes will also help MCC pack the kits and prepare them for shipping.

Those attending Lark athletic events can bring their donated items to any home game.

Photo release - The start of something new – Opening Weekend 2017

caption - Hesston College resident assistants (clockwise from front) Garrett Roth (Hesston, Kan.), Angus Siemens (Newton, Kan.), Curtis Oesch (Caldwell, Idaho) and Keegan Cook (Whitewater, Kan.) help a new student move into the dorms during one of the move in times throughout the week leading up to Opening Weekend.

captions - (left photo) President Dr. Joseph Manickam runs the “official Mod Olympics torch” on its final leg to declare the opening of the 108th Mod Olympics; (right photo) A mod works to untangle themselves during the “Human Knot” game at Mod Olympics, the final kick-off event of Opening Weekend prior to the start of classes. Each mod’s uniquely themed style of dress and the nonsensical games allow students to have fun and get to know one another in a laid back setting.

Hesston College celebrates solar eclipse as a unifying event

Hesston, Kan., missed the path of totality of the 2017 solar eclipse on Aug. 21 by about 149 miles, but that didn’t stop Hesston College from giving students, faculty, staff and alumni a chance to experience the extraordinary event.

Even though it meant missing the first day of classes, 75 math, science, education and music students traveled 174 miles north to Shickley, Neb., where they were joined by about 90 Hesston College alumni and friends as well as students, faculty and staff of Shickley Public School, Shickley community members and members of Salem Mennonite Church (Shickley) for an eclipse presentation, lunch and eclipse viewing.

In total, about 450 people participated in the day’s activities hosted by Shickley Public School, a PreK-12 school with about 135 students in the small village that boasted a population of 337 in the 2016 census.

For the main eclipse presentation, Hesston College chemistry professor, Dr. Jim Yoder, collaborated with the Bel Canto Singers, under the direction of Dr. Russell Adrian, to explain the science of the eclipse while also celebrating the event through song.

Dr. Yoder explained how every person is connected to the cosmos through the atoms and minerals produced in stars, but also through observing the same sky, sun and moon.

“This total eclipse is a good time to remember how we are all united rather than how we are different,” Yoder said in his closing remarks.

The TED-style talk was followed by lunch and the eclipse viewing on the school’s football field, allowing the groups to intermingle and share with one another. Just as Yoder predicted in his presentation, cheers and expressions of awe erupted at totality as each person experienced the eclipse physically, spiritually and personally, but also in community with one another.

Other programming throughout the day allowed Hesston College education students to observe in classrooms, and Hesston students and faculty to present panel discussions to Shickley juniors and seniors about preparing for college, as well as careers in the STEM and music areas.

The idea for the event was spurred by Hesston College science, math and education faculty during the spring 2017 semester. Education professor Heidi Hochstetler, who grew up in Shickley, connected with the administration at her high school alma mater to arrange the day’s programming. The Hesston College Alumni department further extended the invitation for alumni and friends to join in the day, and 90 individuals from a radius of about 175 miles accepted the invitation.

caption - Hesston College chemistry professor Dr. Jim Yoder and the Bel Canto Singers present an eclipse program to a crowd of about 450 at Shickley (Neb.) Public School. Groups involved in the day included Hesston College science, math and education students, faculty and staff, Shickley Public School students in grades PreK-12, faculty and staff, Hesston College alumni and friends, and members of the community of Shickley and Salem Mennonite Church (Shickley).

New faculty and staff appointments announced for 2017-18

Hesston College announces the following new faculty and staff appointments for the 2017-18 year:

• Megan Baumgartner, female resident director, is a Hesston College graduate and completed a B.S. at Goshen (Ind.) College.
• Becky Bartell, M.S.N., R.N., C.N.E., director of Nursing Education, earned an M.S.N. from Fort Hays (Kan.) State University and a B.S.N. from Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.). She has served as a nursing professor at Hesston since 2010.
• Mark Diller, development officer for the western United States, is a Hesston College graduate and has a bachelor’s degree from George Fox University (Newberg, Ore.) and a master’s in business administration from Corban University (Salem, Ore.)
• Jaecy Friesen, flight instructor, is a Hesston College graduate.
• Jeff Giroux, assistant men’s soccer coach, earned a master’s degree in psychology of sports and exercise from Leeds (England) Beckett University and a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Oklahoma Wesleyan University (Bartlesville)
• Marissa Hochstetler, graphic designer and assistant female resident director, is a Hesston College graduate and has a B.A. in communication studies with a minor in graphic design from Goshen College.
• Sheryl Hodge, registrar and dean of assessment and accreditation, holds a Ph.D. in education with an emphasis in educational research and psychology and a M.A. in educational research and psychology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
• Christie Hoskisson, bookstore manager, holds a B.S. in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in business and accounting from Central Methodist University (Fayette, Mo.) and is an alumna of Butler County Community College (El Dorado, Kan.).
• Amy Hulse, R.N., adjunct nursing professor, holds a B.S.N. from Bethel College and plans to complete a M.S.N. in 2018.
• Thomas Kellner, baseball pitching coach, is a graduate of Oklahoma Wesleyan University.
• Jason Klanderud, multimedia projects manager, is completing a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Tabor College.
• James Komakech, men’s and women’s tennis coach, is an alum of Barton County Community College (Great Bend, Kan.) and Bethany College (Lindsborg, Kan.).
• Cindy Lapp, adjunct nursing professor, is a Hesston College graduate and is working on a M.S.N. through Tabor College-Wichita to be completed in 2018.
• Fritz Lehman, flight instructor, is a Hesston College graduate.
• Peter Lehman, history professor, holds a M.A. in American studies from Pennsylvania State University (Harrisburg), a B.A. in history from Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Va.) and is pursuing a Ph.D. in American studies from Pennsylvania State University. He has taught English courses at Hesston since 2015 and will continue in that role.
• Ben Miller, plumbing/facilities specialist.
• Jeptha Miller, flight instructor, is a graduate of Hesston College and Goshen College.
• Jessica Miller, food service director, holds a B.A. health and physical education from Tabor College (Hillsboro, Kan.) and a B.S. in dietetics from Kansas State University (Manhattan).
• Monica Miller, director of human resources, is a Hesston College graduate and holds a B.A. in business administration with a minor in psychology from Goshen College. She is completing a M.S. in employment law from Nova Southeastern University (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.).
• Paula Miller, nutrition professor, holds a M.S. from South Dakota State University (Brookings) and a B.S. from Kansas State University.
• Christy Miller Hesed, adjunct mathematics professor, holds a Ph.D. in environmental anthropology from the University of Maryland (College Park), a M.S. in sustainable development and conservation biology and an undergraduate degree from Goshen College.
• Austin Mitchell, intramural director, is a Hesston College graduate and holds a B.A. in business administration, management and marketing from Bethel College.
• Diana Mitzner, M.S.N., R.N., adjunct nursing professor, holds a M.S.N. in nursing education from the University of Phoenix (Tempe, Ariz.) and a B.S.N. from Southwestern College (Winfield, Kan.).
• Susan Mungecho, food service.
• John Murray, director of international admissions, is a Hesston College graduate, holds a master’s in theological studies from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (Elkhart, Ind.) and will complete a master’s in interfaith action from Claremont (Calif.) Lincoln University in September.
• Brandy Quinn, admissions visit coordinator, holds a B.A. in education from Emporia (Kan.) State University.
• Corey Regehr, special services manager with Campus Facilities, is a Hesston College alumnus.
• Mary Schanbacher, food service.
• Andrew Sharp, history professor, is a Hesston College graduate and holds a M.A. in sports administration from Wichita (Kan.) State University and a B.A. from Millersville (Pa.) University. He will continue his role as softball coach at Hesston.
• Bonnie Sowers, M.S.N., R.N., nursing professor, is a Hesston College graduate and holds a M.S.N. from Ohio State University (Columbus) and a B.S.N. from Goshen College. She served Hesston College as director of nursing education from 1980 to 2017.
• Holly Swartzendruber, music professor and vocal music coordinator, holds a D.M.A. in vocal performance from the University of Kansas (Lawrence), a M.M. in vocal performance from Ohio University (Athens) and a B.A. in music from Goshen College.

Science and music to mark total solar eclipse with special program

To mark the rare occurrence of the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse path over North America, the Hesston College music and science areas will team up for a special presentation at 6:45 p.m., Saturday, August 19, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus. The program is free and open to the public.

The special programming will feature eclipse-themed music by the Bel Canto Singers and a TED-style talk about the solar event by natural science professor Dr. Jim Yoder.

The last total eclipse viewed from the contiguous United States was on Feb. 26, 1979, passing through states in the northwest as far east as North Dakota. The next total eclipse will be on April 8, 2024, with totality visible from Texas to Maine.

On the day of the eclipse, more than 75 Hesston College science, math and music students will present the same program at Shickley (Neb.) Public School, which is located in the 70-mile wide path of eclipse totality, before viewing the eclipse with K-12 students, Hesston College alumni and community members.