In the News

Public invited to submit third-party comments for BSN accreditation

Hesston College Nursing will host an onsite accreditation visit by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Sept. 28 to 30, 2016. The purpose of this visit is to seek initial nursing accreditation of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.

In accordance with its Procedures for Accreditation of Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs, CCNE provides the opportunity for program constituents to submit, in writing, third-party comments concerning a program’s qualifications for accreditation status. Third-party comments must relate to the CCNE Standards for Accreditation of Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs (2013). Written and signed third-party comments regarding the Hesston College BSN program will be accepted by CCNE through Sept. 7.

Comments are shared only with the CCNE evaluation team appointed to review the Hesston College BSN program. At no time during the review process are these comments shared with the program the Accreditation Review Committee or the Board. During its review of the program, the evaluation team will consider third-party comments, if any, that relate to the accreditation standards.

Those with comments regarding the BSN program at Hesston College may send them to the CCNE at thirdpartycomments@aacn.nche.edu or:

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
ATTN: Third-party comments
One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530
Washington, DC 20036

Community read celebrates ingenuity and overcoming obstacles

For the fifth year, Hesston College invites individuals and groups in the local communities to join students, faculty and staff for a community read during the fall 2016 semester starting in August.

The book selection for the 2016 read is “Spare Parts” (2014, FSG Originals) by Joshua Davis. The book tells the true story of four undocumented teenagers, born in Mexico but living in Phoenix, who were inspired by their high school science teachers to build an underwater robot out of “spare parts” and compete against corporate-sponsored collegiate teams. The teens prevailed against underfunded public school programming, poverty and other struggles to find success and improve their futures.

Davis will visit the Hesston College campus and speak at Hesston Mennonite Church on the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 4. Through a grant from the Hesston Community Foundation, he will also make additional local presentations during the day on Wednesday, Oct. 5.

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. Individuals are invited to participate through these more public forums or on their own. HPL will have 22 copies of the book available for the public. It will also be uploaded to the eLibrary and an audio book will be available.

The book has also developed into a major motion picture released in 2015, with well-known actors George Lopez and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Explore Kansas! trip to attend Orchestra on the Oregon Trail

Hesston College alumni and friends are invited to take part in the college’s annual Explore Kansas! trip to northeast Kansas, Sunday, Sept. 4. The 2016 chartered bus excursion includes attending Orchestra on the Oregon Trail (OOOT) near Marysville in Marshall County, Kan.

The original plan for this trip was to attend the Orchestra on the Oregon Trail near Marysville in Marshall County, Kan. Due to low ticket sales, that event has been canceled, but Hesston College has put different activities in its place.

The day trip will start with taking part in Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church (St. Benedict, Kan.), an Eight Wonders of Kansas Overall Finalist and Top Eight Art Wonder of Kansas, with a presentation about the church to follow. Hesston College music faculty member Ken Rodgers will play a mini concert on the church’s 1916 Tracker pipe organ. The afternoon will include a stop at the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka, and culminate with a fried chicken dinner at Brookville Hotel in Abilene.

The cost for the trip is $75 per person. Reservations are encouraged as soon as possible as space is limited, and no later than Friday, Aug. 12. Call Alumni Relations at 620-327-8109 or toll free at 866-437-7866 to register. Tickets can be purchased by sending a check or via phone using credit card. Reservations are first come, first served and no refunds will be given.

Those who registered at a higher rate before the OOOT cancellation will receive a $20 refund.

Exterior and interior photos of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, St. Benedict, Kan.

Call for musicians for homecoming gala concert

Community and alumni musicians are invited to participate with Hesston College and Hesston High School students and alumni in the joint homecoming gala concert, The Promise of Living, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus.

Homecoming 2016: Home Sweet Hesston will be Sept. 29 to Oct. 2, and will be a shared celebration of Hesston College, Hesston High School and the greater Hesston community. HHS will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Dual alumni of HHS and Hesston College will serve as presenters and performers throughout the weekend.

The gala concert will feature a wide variety of genres and performance groups highlighting the vast range of musical gifts of HHS and Hesston College students and alumni.

Concert organizers, performing arts faculty member Russell Adrian and Alumni director Dallas Stutzman invite community and alumni choral singers and instrumentalists to perform at the concert as members of the gala chorus and orchestra. Music materials will be provided by the college and sent in advance for individual performance preparation.

The rehearsal and performance schedule for the Gala Concert is as follows:

• Thursday, Sept. 29, 7 to 8 p.m. – Rehearsal for orchestra; 8 to 9 p.m. for choral
• Saturday, Oct. 1, 4 to 6 p.m. – Joint choral/orchestra rehearsal (Out of town alumni unable to make Thursday’s rehearsal can just attend the Saturday rehearsal.)
• Saturday, Oct. 1, 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Complimentary college and community picnic
• Saturday, Oct. 1, 8 p.m. – The Promise of Living Gala Concert

Register as a performer by calling the Hesston College Alumni office at 866-437-7866 or online.

Registration for the complete weekend and more information regarding homecoming can also be found online.

Board approves task force to strengthen sexual misconduct policies

In a May meeting of the Hesston College Board of Directors, college administrators proposed the formation of a task force to help the college establish policies and procedures to prevent and address all forms of sexual misconduct and to create a culture that seeks to support and empower victims. The board granted approval to continue moving the process forward.

“It is our desire to create a new and better culture that seeks to dismantle sexual misconduct,” said President Howard Keim. “We recognize that our own history and that of the Mennonite Church is not flawless in this regard. We want to create the best possible environment for the safety of our students and employees.”

The task force is expected to include a variety of internal and external members, including professionals outside of Mennonite Church USA organizations who can objectively evaluate the college’s policies, procedures and culture to help effect change.

The proposal to the board states that the hope is to create an environment where all members of the campus community feel safe and supported. “In this environment, measures are taken to educate and prevent sexual misconduct. In this environment, there is no shame or fear in reporting acts of abuse or misconduct. In this environment, victims’ safety, security and healing will be a top priority, which requires outside help. In this environment, our leaders will act swiftly when allegations arise.”

College administrators and board members have begun conversations with organizations that can provide insight and assistance, and are assembling a list of names of potential task force leaders and participants. The task force will begin meeting early in the fall 2016 semester.

“Much of our path forward will be determined after the group is formed and tasks are discerned,” said Mark Landes, vice president of Finance and Auxiliary Services, who oversees human resources. “The bottom line is that it’s time for Hesston College to move, simply because it’s the right thing to do and creating a desired environment is critical to the future we hope for all of Hesston College.”

RN to BSN program to launch in January 2017

Starting in January 2017, Hesston College will launch an RN to BSN program for registered nurses looking to complete a bachelor’s level degree.

For almost 50 years Hesston College has educated nurses in an associate degree program where academic success is nurtured in a supportive, student-centered environment. Throughout the program’s history, more than 98 percent of 1,600 graduates have achieved their goal of becoming registered nurses (RN) by passing the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination).

In August 2015, Hesston College launched a four-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program with approval from the Higher Learning Commission and the Kansas State Board of Nursing – the college’s first four-year degree program in more than 60 years. This program was designed for students preparing for initial RN licensure at the baccalaureate level.

As the next step, the BSN program will now be expanded to serve RNs who wish to return to college to earn a BSN degree. Hesston’s addition of both BSN programs stemmed from a 2010 report from the Institute of Medicine that set a national goal of 80 percent of the nursing workforce having a bachelor’s degree in nursing by 2020. Likewise, according to the American Association of Colleges in Nursing, Hesston alumni and other two-year graduates nationwide are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in increasing numbers.

“With the industry shift, Hesston needed new options to meet employer demands and industry standards,” said Bonnie Sowers, MSN, RN, Nursing Education Director. “The addition of the BSN and RN to BSN programs allows Hesston to continue providing nursing students with exceptional clinical learning opportunities, ensuring they are highly prepared and employable.”

Hesston’s RN to BSN program will be offered as both a full-time, one-year option or a part-time, two-year option. Courses will be offered in a hybrid format with both online and on-campus experiences.

“The RN to BSN courses are scheduled to promote a balance of work, school and family life for students,” said Sowers.

The program will also be offered at a special two-year RN to BSN tuition rate with the price locked for a student’s duration in the program.

“The nursing program has been a strength of Hesston College for decades, in terms of both the number of students served and the quality of instruction,” said Dr. Brent Yoder, vice president of Academics. “The expansion of degree options in this program is a natural growth opportunity. We are excited to meet the needs and desires of students who want to broaden their understanding of the nursing profession and obtain advanced credentials.”

Student applications for the RN to BSN program are being accepted immediately. For priority admission, applicants must submit all information and documentation by October 1.

See more information and program requirements.

Hesston College’s BSN program is a new applicant pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), One Dupont Circle, NW Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 887-6791. New applicant status is neither a status of accreditation nor a guarantee that accreditation will be granted. The CCNE site visit is planned for the fall of 2016.

College mourns Phyllis Yoder

The campus community grieves the unexpected death of Phyllis Yoder, wife of long-time chemistry faculty member Jim Yoder, Monday evening. Our prayers go with Jim and family in the days and weeks to come.

Memorial plans
Visitation from 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, June 2
Miller-Ott Funeral Home, 107 S Lancaster, Hesston

Memorial Service at 5 p.m., Friday, June 3
Hesston Mennonite Church
meal to follow

Obituary

Where college meets preschool

Hesston College Preschool is a classroom that serves a broad age range. It’s a classroom for children three- to five-years-old and college students studying early childhood education.

“Our program is unique because students are given hands-on learning opportunities at a freshman and sophomore level, whereas in many colleges and universities, students must wait until their junior year to receive such extensive teaching opportunities,” said Larisa Lawrence, Hesston College preschool director.

It’s not just the children who are learning, the student assistants also get an education. The college students take the things they learn in their Early Childhood courses and apply them directly in the preschool, which is a lab component of the coursework. Freshmen students take introductory early education courses and spend one time a week at the preschool. They then have the option to do field experience in the preschool during their sophomore year, where they serve as assistant teachers two to four mornings a week.

Student assistants have many opportunities to plan and lead children’s learning experiences. Students use the Kansas Early Learning Standards as a guide for making preschool both an enjoyable and an educational experience. These activities are designed to develop literacy, motor skill, memory skills, social skills and other necessary things to learn before kindergarten.

This early exposure to a classroom setting allows students like 2016 graduate Meredith Spicher (Belleville, Pa.) to take what she’s learned in the classroom and apply it directly in the preschool.

“Hesston’s program focuses on nurturing curiosity,” said Spicher. “We want them to learn on their own and at their own pace.”

“We are here working to help these kids reach milestones that are necessary in order to move on to kindergarten, and every skill they learn, no matter how small, helps”, said Spicher.

Spicher’s future plans include working in child development, so the experience she gained in the preschool lab were greatly beneficial. Many students who start in Hesston’s Early Childhood Education program continue their education to become certified to teach early or elementary education, while others pursue careers in social work, psychology, child care or home daycare, para professionals in elementary classrooms and much more.

“My favorite thing about working in the preschool is seeing things ‘click’ in the kids’ minds,” said Spicher. “When a child who is struggling with learning to cut finally gets the proper hold and is able to stay on the line, that gives me so much pride and satisfaction because it shows that what we’re doing isn’t just ‘glorified babysitting’ like so many people think.”

As Spicher’s Hesston College career ends, she looks back fondly at her experience at the preschool.

“I bonded with these kids this semester and I hope they never lose the spark of curiosity that I have seen in them,” said Spicher. “I will miss seeing what they’ll learn next year. A lot of people underestimate kids’ abilities, knowledge or ability to have real conversations, but I loved talking with them and hearing all of their stories. I think that’s what I’ll miss most – just being able to interact with them.”

Hesston College Preschool is now enrolling for the fall. Contact Larisa Lawrence at 620-327-8161 or larisa.lawrence@hesston.edu for more information. See more about the preschool on the Hesston College Preschool blog.

Nebraska golf event to benefit student financial aid

Golf enthusiasts are invited to join Hesston College for the 27th annual Nebraska Golf Benefit, Monday, June 20, at Thornridge Golf Course in Milford, Neb.

Organized by 2008 alumnus Ryan Stauffer and friend of the college Nick Glanzer, Nebraska businesses Crop Insurance Solutions and Stauffer Farms are underwriting the event, allowing 100 percent of proceeds to benefit student financial aid at Hesston College.

The golf benefit is a four-person team best ball scramble. Registration is $80 per person and includes green fees, cart, continental breakfast, lunch and one prize drawing ticket. Registration and payment must be made by June 13, and can be completed online .

Hole sponsorships are also welcome for $100 per hole.

For the previous 26 years, the Nebraska Golf Benefit was underwritten by the Austin Company.