In the News

Hesston College to present a fall performance filled with laughter

The Hesston College Theatre Department will present four public performances of the fable “Fools,” directed by Rachel Jantzi, Oct. 27 to 30, in the Helmuth Studio Theatre in Keim Center on the Hesston College campus.

“Fools,” by Neil Simon, set in the small village of Kulyenchikov, Ukraine, during the late 19th century, tells the story of schoolteacher Leon Tolchinsky who accepted an assignment to instruct the village doctor’s daughter. He quickly discovers Kulyenchikov is a village noted primarily for the stupidity of its residents, due to a curse placed on the villagers generations earlier.

The village has grown accustomed to the unintelligent events, like not knowing how to open a door, but change is imminent when the young Leon arrives at the Zubritsky home and carries out his first lesson with Sophia.

The 2016-17 theatre lineup is centered on “a season of laughter,” and the cast of 11 students, with a tech crew of eight additional students, will be sure to have the audience full of laughter.

“The best comedy is taken very seriously,” says director Rachel Jantzi. “I want our student-actors to experience the challenge of pulling off a comedic show, and not just comedic, completely ridiculous. We are all witnessing a different breed of ridiculousness right now as we watch this current political circus. I thought it would be nice to engage in some foolishness without risk or the maliciousness that we have been exposed to recently. I want the audience to feel free to laugh together and enjoy a show with no real agenda, other than to entertain.”

Show times are at 7 p.m. Oct. 27, 28 and 29, and 2 p.m. Oct. 30. The play is rated G, running 90 minutes excluding intermission, and is suitable for the whole family.

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 620-327-8105 or online. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended. Tickets will also be available at the door 45 minutes prior to show time and are subject to availability.

Photo release - Campus comes together for Cultures Fair 2016

Hesston College sophomore Kaho Yanagidaira (Chino-shi, Japan) (right) and English faculty member Donovan Tann (left) give a lesson on using chopsticks to sophomores Morgan Leavy (Telford, Pa.) and Emily Griffioen (Belmond, Iowa) at the college’s annual Culture’s Fair Oct. 10. After learning to use chopsticks, participants test their new skills by moving peas from one bowl to another. The Culture’s Fair is a chance for international students to share their customs, culture, music and food with the campus community. This fall, 39 international students representing 16 countries are part of the Hesston College community.

Photo release - Author of 2016 community read speaks at Hesston Mennonite Church

Joshua Davis, author of the fall 2016 community read “Spare Parts,” shared with about 500 people the process of writing his book and immigration in the United States.

Photo release - Home Sweet Hesston homecoming 2016

Adele Hofer (sophomore, Greenwood Village, Colo.), performs a soprano solo from Mozart’s “Regina Coeli, KV 108,” along with the Hesston High Singers, the Hesston College Bel Canto Singers and the Gala Concert Orchestra Saturday evening.

(left) Troy Jantz (Hesston), Hesston High 1999, Hesston College 2001 and 2002. Jantz, a pilot with Executive Airshare, spoke along with two other aviation presenters Sept. 30; (right) Former Bible faculty member Marion Bontrager and current faculty members John Sharp (Bible and history) and Michele Hershberger (Bible) sign a copy of their book “The Bible as Story” for alumnus Andrew Horst (1997).

(left) Lonnie Voth, Jane Litwiller, Karen Terry and Beth Hostetler review a yearbook at their Hesston College class of 1976 gathering; (right) Noted conflict transformation author and international conflict negotiator, Notre Dame professor and peace practitioner John Paul Lederach ’75 presents the keynote address on the topic “Compassion and integrity in an age of fragmentation.” Lederach arrived to homecoming weekend off a plane from Colombia where he oversaw the peace deal between Colombia and FARC rebels.

(left) Several inflatables and face painting was available to community members for entertainment as part of Kids Fest on Saturday evening, Oct. 1. Kids Fest was part of a full evening of free activities that included a picnic dinner for alumni and Hesston community members, men’s and women’s soccer games and a Gala Concert featuring musicians from Hesston High School and Hesston College as well as community members; (center) Dr. Andrea (Weaver) Herrera responds to an audience member’s question during a Go Everywhere seminar. Herrera, a family practice physician at Great Plains Family Medicine (HHS 1995, HC 1997) presented along with Dr. Greg Sawin (right), program director for the Tufts University Family Medicine Residency at Cambridge (Mass.) Health Alliance (HHS 1991, HC 1993) and Dr. Josh Suderman (center), private clinic pain management specialist (HHS 2001, HC 2003); (right) Goalkeeper Luke Hertzler (freshman, Harrisonburg, Va.) warms up for the Larks match with Garden City Community College.

Bel Canto singers to perform at Hesston Mennonite Church

A 21-voice mixed chamber choir, Bel Canto Singers, under the direction of Dr. Russell Adrian, will perform at 4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 9, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus.

The group’s fall tour program, “Mend the Sky,” is inspired by the college’s 2016-17 theme verse from Jeremiah 29:11-13: “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord…” and the Hesston community read Spare Parts by Joshua Davis.

Bel Canto, Hesston College’s premier choral ensemble, is part of a rich tradition of performing arts at Hesston College where students access an assortment of venues including biennial tours to Europe. The 2016-17 academic year marks the group’s 33rd season. While combining high artistic standards with unique performance opportunities, Bel Canto Singers provide first and second-year college musicians an experience typically reserved for third and fourth-year students.

The group’s home concert is a prelude to a fall break tour to Colorado Oct. 14 to 17. Tour stops include:

• Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. – Rocky Mountain Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale, Rocky Ford, Colo.
• Oct. 16, 10:30 a.m. – Peace Mennonite Community Church, 13601 E. Alameda Ave., Aurora Colo.
• Oct. 16, 4 p.m. – Beloved Community Mennonite Church (at Columbine Unitarian Universalist Church, 6724 S. Webster St., Littleton, Colo.)
• Oct. 17, 9:30 a.m. – Liberty High School, 8720 Scarborough Dr., Colorado Springs
• Oct. 17, 7 p.m. – Beth-El Mennonite Church, 3625 Ranch Dr., Colorado, Springs

Community read author to visit Hesston College and Hesston Public Library

The author of the fall 2016 community read, Joshua Davis, will share with the community about his work in a 7:30 p.m., presentation, Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus. Another opportunity for interested people to connect with him will be at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Hesston Public Library. The presentations are free and open to the public.

Davis’s “Spare Parts,” this year’s community read, was named one of the best new books by Amazon and the BBC in 2014. It is the true story of four undocumented teenagers from Mexico and living in Phoenix who were inspired by their high school science teachers to be greater than their adversity and be successful in building an underwater robot to compete against corporate-sponsored collegiate teams. The book was developed into a major motion picture by Lionsgate and released in 2015 with well-known actors George Lopez and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Although “Spare Parts” has been a major hit for Davis, he has many other accomplishments. Davis is the co-founder of Epic Magazine and has been a contributing editor at Wired for a decade. He has also written for The New Yorker, GQ, Outside, Men’s Journal, Men’s Health, Maxim and Food & Wine. He was a finalist for the 2014 National Magazine Award in feature writing and he has numerous works in the 2012 edition of “The Best American Science and Nature Writing, as well as the 2006, 2007 and 2009 editions of “The Best Technology Writing,” Davis also makes documentary films and television projects.

The 2016 community read is again engaging the wider community as well as Hesston High School, Hesston Middle School, Hesston Public Library (HPL) patrons and a Newton Public Library book club. Anyone interested in reading the book prior to the presentations can find it at Hesston Public Library in hard copy, as an audio book and in the eLibrary.

Home Sweet Hesston Homecoming gala to feature students, alumni and community musicians

The music programs at Hesston High School (HHS) and Hesston College (HC) as well as guest performers – many of whom are dual alumni of both HHS and HC – will present “The Promise of Living” Gala Concert at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus. Pre-concert entertainment will feature the Hesston High School Jazz Band beginning at 7:40 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

The concert features a wide variety of genres and performances groups in both vocal and instrumental mediums. Other featured ensembles from Hesston High School include the Singers, Chorale and Concert Choir. Hesston College’s featured ensembles include Bel Canto Singers, Orchestra and the Men’s and Women’s Choruses.

Alumni and community member musicians are invited to perform “The Promise of Living” piece by Aaron Copland along with the college and high school student performers. Chorus members and instrumentalists will rehearse from 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 29, and Saturday, Oct. 1. Go to hesston.edu/promiseofliving to register to perform, or contact director Russell Adrian at russell.adrian@hesston.edu.

Guest performers include:

• Talashia Keim Yoder (Goshen, Ind.), a graduate of HHS in 2000 and HC in 2002, she is in her 13th year as theatre director at Bethany Christian High School (Goshen), and she is also pastor at College Mennonite Church (Goshen).
• Joel Garber (Norman, Okla.), a graduate of HHS in 2002 and HC in 2004, he is a D.M.A. candidate in choral conducting at the University of Oklahoma (Norman), and serves as administrative assistant for choral activities and conductor of the OU Chamber Singers.
• Jordan Brunk (Kansas City, Mo.), a graduate of HHS in 2004 and a member of the Hesston College class of 2006, excelled as a member of the Hesston High School Singers and Hesston College Bel Canto Singers, earning multiple scholarships at HC and the University of Kansas (Lawrence), and placing first in freshmen men’s classical division in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Central Regional Competition in 2005.
• Tara Hershberger (Portland, Ore.), a graduate of HHS in 2004 and HC in 2006, teaches acting classes at the Northwest Children’s Theatre and School (Portland).
• Ken Rodgers (Hesston), a graduate of HHS in 1983 and HC in 1985, he has been on the Hesston College music faculty since 1988 where he conducts the Men’s and Women’s Choruses and teaches organ and music appreciation classes.
• Anthony Brown (Pittsburgh, Pa.), is a former Hesston College social science faculty member and artist in residence. He is an internationally acclaimed baritone and promoter of peace and goodwill around the world.

Increase in new students and higher academic achievement ushers in the 2016-17 year

Hesston College’s official fall 2016 enrollment numbers following the 20th day of classes give a total student headcount enrollment of 401.

Included in total enrollment is a larger group of new students who started at Hesston in 2016 as compared to fall 2015. The number of domestic students increased to 198 from 185 in 2015, an increase of seven percent. With 17 new international students, the total number of new students in 2016 is 215, an increase from 206 in 2015.

“We are seeing the fruits of several growth initiatives launched last year including our bachelor’s in nursing program, athletic roster expansion, a new men’s golf program and an increase in staff for regional recruitment,” said Rachel Swartzendruber Miller, vice president of admissions and financial aid.

Retention of new students in 2015 to fall 2016 also experienced growth to 78 percent. In fall 2014, 65 percent of students returned, and 76 percent in 2015.

The total enrollment is comprised of students from 29 states and 16 countries. Total student FTE (full time equivalent) is 391.3, or 97 percent of total enrollment, which exceeded the college’s FTE budget for the first time in at least five years and is an increase of 4.6 from fall 2015. Students from Kansas make up about 45 percent of the total student population while another 45 percent come from other U.S. states and about 10 percent are international.

Following a recent trend, the new class of Hesston students also brought higher academic marks with an average new student GPA of 3.34, up from 3.30 in 2015 and 3.19 in 2014.

Fourth annual Hesston College Golf Benefit to honor Excel’s longtime commitment

A 57-year history of friendship and partnership between Excel Industries, Inc., and Hesston College will be celebrated at the fourth annual Hesston College Homecoming Golf Benefit Thursday, Sept. 29, at Hesston Golf Park. Excel and Midwest Professional Golf Association are sponsoring the event. All proceeds will benefit the Hesston College annual fund.

Registration for the event is $125 per person and includes green fees, cart, range balls and a prime rib dinner. The deadline to register is Monday, Sept. 26. Hole sponsorships are also available.

Golfers will have the opportunity to win two Excel-manufactured mowers, as well as other sponsor-donated prizes. The mowers up for grabs are a Hustler Raptor and a Big Dog Alpha, both valued at $3,000. One mower will be given as a prize to the golfer closest to the pin (within three feet). The second will be auctioned off the highest bidder, with a minimum starting bid of $2,000. One prize from Midwest PGA is a set of Callaway steel-head irons 4 through pitching wedge, valued at $700.

The history between Hesston College and Excel dates back to Excel’s earliest days. The company was founded by Jonathan Mast in 1959. In the early 60’s, Hesston College alumni Roy Mullet and Doug Stutzman as well as 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 Mullet family continue to be involved as owners and senior management, including Hesston College alumni Paul Mullet, president and CEO, Bob Mullet, senior vice president and COO, and Luke Roth-Mullet, vice president of operations and continuous improvement.

Since its founding and over the last 57 years, Excel has supported and been an advocate for the Hesston Experience, including giving lead gifts on recent capital renovation projects of Erb Hall dorm, Northlawn Center for Performing Arts Education and a new campus entry. In gratitude for Excel’s faithful support, Hesston College named the campus entry Mullet Drive in honor of the family and the company.