In the News

Haydn’s classical oratorio The Creation part of Thanksgiving celebration

A Hesston Thanksgiving tradition, the Hesston College Music Department will present its annual masterworks concert at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 26, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus. The performance will feature The Creation, a Classical period oratorio by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn.

The oratorio, under the direction of Hesston College music faculty member Dr. Russell Adrian, tells the Genesis story and features soloists Holly Swartzendruber, soprano, Matthew Schloneger, tenor, and Doyle Preheim, bass, as well as an 85-voice chorus comprised of Hesston College’s vocal ensembles Bel Canto Singers and Chorale and community members. An orchestra, including members of the Hesston College Chamber Orchestra as well as local musicians, rounds out the performance.

Tickets for the 75-minute concert are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the Hesston College Bookstore by calling 620-327-8104.

Adrian will give a pre-concert talk about the piece at 6:45 p.m., along with special guests, Hesston College President Howard Keim and Michele Hershberger, Bible Department Chair.

The Creation, was written late in Haydn’s life, between 1796 and 1798, following trips to London where he was introduced to, and inspired by, the performances of Handel oratorios – notably Israel in Egypt and Messiah. The grand scale of his writing is evident, as the soloists, chorus and orchestra each play an important role in the dramatic narration of the story. Written in three parts, the soprano, tenor and bass soloists take on the roles of three angels – Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael. The chorus functions as a multitude of angels that supports and recaps the narration of the main characters, and highlights each day of creation.

The soloists all have extensive music and performance backgrounds.

Holly Swartzendruber, D.M.A., (Hillsboro, Kan.) is an adjunct voice instructor at Hesston College and Tabor College (Hillsboro). She also works as coordinator of music in worship at First Mennonite Church in Hillsboro. Swartzendruber has performed a number of operatic roles including Lucia from Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, Susanna from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, and the soprano solos for Handel’s Messiah and Brahms’ Requiem among others.

Matthew Schloneger, Ph.D., (Newton, Kan.) is on the Hesston College music faculty teaching private voice. He is an active performer in opera and oratorio. In summer 2015, he served Wichita Grand Opera as chorus master and faculty for the opera’s Opera Academy of the Midwest. Schloneger has also performed principal roles with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Operafestival di Roma, Wichita Grand Opera, Opera Kansas, Whitewater Opera, Song Opera, Opera for the Young, Opera Theatre of Lucca and others.

Doyle Preheim, D.M.A., (Santa Fe, N.M.), is professor emeritus of music at Goshen (Ind.) College where he taught music for 30 years. Preheim earned his undergraduate degree locally at Bethel College (North Newton). He has performed as a bass soloist for many oratorios and operas, including Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, and the Mozart roles of Don Giovanni, Guglielmo and the Count, as well as Marcello in Puccini’s La Boheme.

Director, Dr. Russell Adrian, is in his first year of teaching at Hesston College. He holds an undergraduate degree from Bethel College (North Newton), a master of music degree in choral conducting from the University of Wisconsin (Madison) and a doctor of musical arts degree in conducting from the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis).

Gerry Sieber to be inducted into NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame

Former Hesston College men’s soccer coach Gerry Sieber will soon enter elite company, as the longtime mentor of the Larks’ winningest program is set to enter the NJCAA Hall of Fame during the NJCAA Division I Soccer Banquet, Sunday, Nov. 15 in Martinsville, Virginia. Sieber joins 91 other coaches, contributors and players already named to the NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame.

Sieber coached the Hesston men’s program for 23 years, reaching double digit wins in 17 seasons while compiling a staggering 247 wins and leading the Larks to twelve Region VI titles. Sieber coached twenty-two NJCAA All-Americans and was named Coach of The Year eight times. His 1972 team advanced to the NJCAA National Tournament and his 1979 squad (pictured below) finished 16-1-1.

“It’s a pretty significant honor,” Sieber said. “It’s exciting. It’s rewarding. It’s humbling. It’s totally unexpected. I’d figured everything in my soccer career was in my past. I’m most appreciative of it.”

Despite the many on-the-field accolades, Sieber’s fondest memories of his time leading the program were centered around the relationships formed with the many players, coaches, faculty and staff members, and friends that he interacted with.

“Hesston College has had a tremendous positive influence on my life,” Sieber said. “I was humbled by the responsibility to mentor, nurture and help shape young lives; and to be mentored, shaped, nurtured and empowered in this special community that I was privileged to be a part of.”

During an on-campus celebration held Nov. 11, several long-time colleagues representing many departments spoke of Sieber’s many contributions to the campus and the care he gave to his players. Nearly all conversation in the event had little or nothing to do with soccer. For Sieber, the Hesston Experience was, and remains, a shared one. It’s about the intimate life-changing experiences and intertwining interactions between students, faculty and staff.

“It remains very exciting for me to feel strong connections with the large family that is the extended Hesston College community, Sieber added. “The tie that binds is strong and empowering.”

Sieber helped to relaunch the Hesston College cross country men’s and women’s programs in 2010 and continues to coach the programs today.

College to use outdoor emergency alert system for upcoming campus lockdown drill

Hesston College will engage in a Campus Lockdown Drill as part of the college’s ongoing emergency preparedness efforts.

For this drill, the college’s carillon outdoor sound system will be utilized for the first time as an outdoor emergency alert. The carillon system will broadcast a verbal warning about the emergency situation instead of the usual bell chimes.

The Hesston College Campus Lockdown Drill will take place at 4:15 p.m., Friday, Nov. 20, 2015. The carillon outdoor emergency alert will sound simultaneously.

Hesston College’s Crisis Management team has authorized the drill, and Hesston Police are aware of the drill.

College gears up for annual Thanksgiving Weekend

Hesston College will host its 48th annual Thanksgiving Weekend celebration Nov. 26 to 28. The public is invited to attend several events for all ages that have become Hesston College traditions.

Hesston’s Thanksgiving Weekend allows students’ families and prospective students a glimpse of the Hesston Experience and community. Prospective students are welcome for a full campus visit weekend, including an academic and Student Development open house on Friday, Nov. 27, campus tour and spending the night in the dorms. Siblings of current students are especially invited to attend.

A complete weekend schedule and registration information can be found on the Hesston College website or by calling the Special Events office at 866-437-7866 or the Admissions Office at 800-995-2757.

Weekend event highlights include:

The annual Thanksgiving evening Masterworks concert will feature the Hesston College Bel Canto Singers, Chorale and Chamber Orchestra for Joseph Haydn’s The Creation at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 26 in the Hesston Mennonite Church Sanctuary on the Hesston College campus. The 75-minute concert tells the Genesis story with featured soloists Holly Swartzendruber, soprano; Matthew Schloneger, tenor; Doyle Preheim, bass; along with an orchestra and an 85-voice chorus of students and community members. The concert is $10 for adults, $5 for students and free for Hesston College students. Tickets are available at the door or in advance at the Hesston College Bookstore, 620-327-8104.

Students, faculty and staff will display their talents through song, skits and video at a 9:45 p.m., talent show Nov. 26, at Hesston Mennonite Church. Admission is free.

Seasoned and casual runners and walkers can work off their Thanksgiving feasts during the 24th annual Thanksgiving two-mile run/walk: The Howard Hustle at 11 a.m., Friday, Nov. 27. An early entry fee of $20 is being offered to registrants before Nov. 20. The fee after Nov. 19 is $25. Participants will receive long-sleeved tech shirts and a race number. Proceeds will be donated to the Hesston College Wellness Equipment Project. Individuals may donate a gift to the project without participating in the run. Medals will be given to overall and age group winners, and door prizes will be given to winners and participants as well. Registration information can be found online.

The college’s music ensembles, Bel Canto Singers, Chorale and Chamber Orchestra, will perform pieces from their fall repertoire in a 2:30 p.m., concert Nov. 27, in the Hesston Mennonite Church Sanctuary.

A book signing and readings will be held at 4 p.m., Nov. 27, in the lower level of Northlawn. Faculty members will read from their recent publications, including My Calling to Fulfill: The Orie O. Miller Story, a biography by John Sharp; Andre Swartley from his fiction The Wretched Afterlife of Odetta Koop and an essay “The Case for Mennonite Horror,” and Michele Hershberger’s theological essay from the book Fully Engaged.

Weekend guests are invited to the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains’ annual luminary walk from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Nov. 27 and 28, with the theme “Tis the Season for Giving.”

The women’s basketball team will host Colby Community College at 6 p.m., Nov. 27 and the men’s basketball team will host Bethel College JV (Bethel, Kan.) at 8 p.m. Both the women’s and men’s basketball teams will host Pratt Community College on Nov. 28 at 2 and 4 p.m.

Alumnus’ pottery featured in Regier Friesen Gallery

Artist Issac Shue, a 2007 Hesston College alumnus from Harper, Kan., shares what it looks like to combine two mediums of art in his midfire pottery featured in Hesston College’s Regier Friesen Gallery, located in the Friesen Center for Visual Arts, through Dec. 10.

A reception and chance to meet the artist will be from 3 to 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 28, in the gallery.

“My passion for drawing quickly came to a halt when clay guided through my hands the first time on a potter’s wheel,” said Shue.

His pottery ranges from large bowls and platters to luminaries and vases, all offering a glow upon entering the gallery.

“Through many test runs, broken tiles, cracked pots, horrible glazes and many hours, the contour lines, human figures and textures that often found themselves in my work, have made their way back in a new medium,” said Shue.

After graduating from Hesston College, Shue went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at Goshen (Ind.) College.

The Regier Freisen Gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Historic drama coming to Hesston College stage

Hesston College Theatre will present four performances of the fall drama These Shining Lives, directed by Rachel Jantzi, Nov. 12 to 15 in the Helmuth Studio Theatre in the Northlawn Center for Performing Arts Education on the Hesston College campus.

Set in the 1920s, These Shining Lives, by Melanie Marnich, is the true story of Catherine Donahue and her journey as an employee for the Radium Dial Company in Ottawa, Illinois. When Catherine can no longer walk due to radium poisoning, her family and friends support her as she physically takes a stand in a case that hit the Supreme Court.

“[This play] is about real women and actual events,” said Jantzi. “It tackles the theme of corporate greed at the expense of the workforce and the power of a few individuals to make a difference, in spite of the odds.”

Jantzi, in her first year as Hesston College theatre faculty, said she chose this show for many reasons, the main one being the students.

“As I stepped into this new position I was fortunate enough to already be familiar with the talent level of our students,” said Jantzi. “This is an extremely hard show: thematically, emotionally and technically. I knew this particular group of actors and tech crew would be challenged, but that they would handle the story beautifully and respectfully.”

The result is a gripping show that mirrors life.

“It’s hard and wonderful and tragic and funny and beautiful,” said Jantzi. “The snapshot style of storytelling in ‘These Shining Lives’ adds to the constant pace that family, friends, work and life in general expects from us.”

Show times are 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 through Saturday, Nov. 14 and 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 15. Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time. The show is rated PG.

Tickets are $10 for adults and seniors 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 due to limited seating. Tickets will also be available at the door 30 minutes prior to show time and are subject to availability.

Voice students compete at singing competition

Hesston College voice students competed among the best collegiate vocalists in a four-state region at the annual National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) West Central Region Vocal Competition Oct. 30 to 31, at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. Twelve students represented Hesston College during the weekend competition with four advancing to the semifinal round.

More than 400 student auditions were part of the competition in classical and musical theatre divisions. Students from colleges and universities of all sizes in Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming compete against one another in the same class level and gender.

Hesston students who advanced to the semifinal round were:

• Morgan Leavy, freshman, Freshman/Sophomore Women’s Musical Theatre Division, student of Matt Schloneger
• Anna Martin, sophomore, Harleysville, Pa., Freshman/Sophomore Women’s Musical Theatre Division, student of Holly Swartzendruber
• Emma Roth, sophomore, Goshen, Ind., Sophomore Women’s Classical Division and Freshman/Sophomore Women’s Musical Theatre Division, student of Holly Swartzendruber
• Caleb Schrock-Hurst, sophomore, Harrisonburg, Va., Freshman/Sophomore Men’s Musical Theatre Division, student of Matt Schloneger
• Sophomore Eleya Raim, Oxford, Iowa, was selected to sing at one of the convention’s master classes.

Hesston College music faculty member Ken Rodgers and staff member Karen Unruh provided accompaniment for competing students.

Hesston College named to NJCAA Preseason Top 25

Hesston College Men’s Basketball Team, coming off a NJCAA Region VI title and national tournament appearance, was named to the NJCAA Pre-Season Top 25 with the Larks coming in at #13.

The Larks are coached by Dustin Galyon and return key contributors Jake Hansen, Cody Halverson, Michael Lindauer, and Ty Jordan. Redshirt Freshman Jontray Harris is also expected to provide meaningful minutes. The team looks to defend last year’s Region VI title and hopes to make a deeper run in the national tournament.

The Larks open their regular season against Bethany College JV, Friday, October 30, 2015, at Yost Center on the campus of Hesston College.

For more information about #13 ranked Hesston Larks Men’s basketball.

President Keim announces transition

Hesston College President Howard Keim announced to the college community today, that he will transition away from his role at the college at the end of the 2015-16 academic year, concluding 11 years of leadership as the college’s eighth president. Keim will conclude his service in June.

“I am grateful for the trust that has been placed in me the last decade as I have served Hesston College,” said Keim. “I have always viewed myself as a steward, not an owner of the office of president, and it has been my goal to ensure students are well-served and the mission of the college was advanced and strengthened and for the future.”

“Howard has served the college well,” said Kelvin Friesen, Hesston College Board of Directors Chairman. “He has given tirelessly of himself to advance this institution. It is evident that he has viewed his role here as a steward, and that he has seen his work here not as a job, but as a mission. He has served with distinction and the Board is deeply appreciative of his work.”

During Keim’s tenure, the college has made great strides in many areas that affect the student experience including academics, facilities, financial stability and more. In a September meeting, the Hesston College Board of Directors approved a new set of strategic priorities for the campus community to continue making improvements as it moves into the future.

In the academic realm, since January 2005 when Keim began his role as president, Hesston College has made important changes to its general education curriculum and course transferability as well as adding several high-demand programs of study and extracurricular activities to meet student needs and workforce demands. Program additions include the recent launch of a bachelor of science in nursing degree (BSN) – the first four-year degree program for the college in almost 60 years.

Likewise, the college began measuring, evaluating and improving course standards, academic challenge and faculty instruction as seen in Hesston’s outstanding results from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) and Individual Development and Education Assessment (IDEA) survey. In 2010, Hesston College was ranked the number 2 two-year college in the country by Washington Monthly magazine based on 2009 CCSSE data and showed markedly improved scores on the survey in 2012. Student satisfaction rates continue to climb as faculty respond to feedback in student learning.

Under Keim’s careful and visionary leadership, the campus has undergone several transformations. Keim helped the college recover from budget deficits, gain financial stability and increase the endowment. According to Friesen, under Keim’s leadership, Hesston has always been in the upper zone on the Financial Responsibility Index as evaluated by the Federal Department of Education – a difficult task for a small college.

The past 10 years have also seen an increase in student diversity emphasized by a formal Inclusion and Diversity Council charged with evaluating the college’s inclusionary practices for students from all backgrounds. Physical changes to campus include the addition of one new building and a new campus entry, as well as renovations to four others to increase efficiency and better meet student needs.

Starting with the 2015-16 year, Keim implemented a reorganized Student Development department which includes Residence and Campus Life, Campus Ministries, Student Success and Athletics. Student retention has increased over the last several years and the new structure is a response to maintain and further increasing those efforts.

“Howard’s commitment to Hesston College, Mennonite education and the broader Mennonite church have been a valuable gift,” said Carlos Romero, executive director of the Mennonite Education Agency (MEA). “He is a servant leader, and on behalf of Mennonite Education Agency, we are grateful for his significant contributions that will last far into the future.”

A search for the college’s next president will begin as a search committee is finalized. Ken Kabira, Board of Directors member, will chair the search committee. Other members will include members of the Board of Directors and the MEA Board, faculty, staff and representatives from the wider Mennonite church and local community.

Photo caption: President Howard Keim visits with sophomores who serve as First-Year Experience Scholars Luis Marinez Veloz, Daisy Correa, Jessica Farenthold, Karli Rodriguez and Jermani Thompson.