In the News

Heinzekehr starts as registrar

The Hesston College community welcomed Justin Heinzekehr to the role of registrar June 8.

Heinzekehr completed a Ph.D. in religion through the Claremont (Calif.) School of Theology in May. Most recently, he worked as an adjunct instructor of Bible and religion at Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.) while working on his dissertation.

“Justin brings to Hesston College a unique perspective that combines college classroom experience with a broad background in the gathering, analysis and communication of enrollment data,” said Brent Yoder, vice president of Academics. “His focus on systems thinking as it relates to higher education will be valuable to a number of academic areas he serves.”

Heinzekehr also earned a bachelor’s degree in Bible, religion and philosophy from Goshen (Ind.) College and a master’s degree in theology and ethics from Claremont. His past work experience includes coordinator of institutional research at Goshen College, a consulting analyst for Mennonite Education Agency (Elkhart, Ind.) and an admissions assistant at Claremont.

His vast work and research has earned Heinzekehr multiple published pieces and conference presentations across various disciplines and subjects. He’s also received several academic honors, including Lilly Graduate Fellowship from the Lilly Program in Humanities and the Arts at Valparaiso (Ind.) University from 2011 to 2014.

Heinzekehr fills a role that was managed by Gerry Selzer in an interim period during the 2014-15 year. Selzer concluded 35 years of service to Hesston College in May. He served in various capacities during his tenure, including faculty member, Admissions assistant and registrar from 1994-2008.

Prior to the interim period, the registrar role was held by Yoder, who served in that capacity from 2011 to 2014 when he was named interim vice president of Academics before being named to the permanent role in December 2014.

College’s Mennonite Church USA convention presence to be greater than ever

Hesston College may be shifting its traditional convention approach, but it’s not walking away from its commitment to creativity and fun.

Those responsible for planning Hesston’s presence at the Mennonite Church USA Convention Kansas City 2015 say the heart of the effort is rooted in a desire to be a resource to youth and youth leaders as well as speak a message of hope to a church that’s experiencing conflict.

“Our convention planning team was looking for a way to change the tone and conversation we have at convention,” said Marathana Prothro, director of Marketing and Communication. “We want to shift the focus to empowering youth to deepen their faith and recognize the potential within themselves.”

Youth who visit the Hesston College booth at Kansas City 2015 will be encouraged to “be greater than” – greater than their struggles, greater than society’s standards and greater than their current context – through expanding their faith and discovering who they are meant to be through Christ.

“Convention is about faith formation,” said Rachel Swartzendruber Miller, vice president of Admissions. “We as exhibitors need to support that mission and help students go beyond the free stuff and open themselves up to the ways the entire convention experience may be deepening their faith.”

Working at faith formation at convention is just an extension of Hesston College’s student experience, mission statement and the daily work on campus. College staff realized that the question they needed to ask was not, “How can we do things better than our counterparts?” but “How can we be more faithful to the church and its mission?”

The church’s mission of stewardship extends into Hesston’s booth where nearly all of the materials are repurposed, making part of Hesston’s convention presence to be “greater than” spending.

Even as Hesston moves away from an inward promotion focus, the ever popular Hesston College match game, a convention staple and favorite among youth since Atlanta 2003, will remain part of the college’s convention activities, and will also encourage faith practices.

A new element to the Hesston convention experience will be booth activities focused on spiritual practices and a special event featuring Bible Quizzing. Teams of four to six youth can sign up to test their knowledge of Luke 23 and 24 starting Wednesday night, July 1. The winning team will receive a youth retreat led by Hesston College Bible instructor and convention youth worship speaker Michele Hershberger.

To see more about Hesston’s convention activities, start here. Visit the Hesston College booth at Kansas City 2015 to share your “greater than” story.

Fall 2015 community read selection to focus on hope and change despite pain

For the fourth year, Hesston College invites individuals and groups in the Hesston and surrounding communities to join students, faculty and staff for a community read during the fall 2015 semester starting in August.

The book selection for the 2015 read is Etched in Sand (2013, William Morrow Paperbacks) by Regina Calcaterra. The New York Times bestseller is the author’s memoir tracing her and her four siblings’ childhood experiences with abandonment, physical abuse and a fear of the foster system that was put in place to protect them. The book will support the theme “Be the Change: Caring that Matters.”

Hesston Public Library is partnering with Hesston College by offering the read to the community as part of its programming. A Newton Public Library book club is planning to participate as well. High school classes, churches and individuals are also encouraged to participate.

The book was selected and is led by Hesston College First-year Experience course organizers. At the college, the theme and book’s content will be the focal point of discussions, presentations, service opportunities, chapels and forums – all of which the community is welcome to participate in throughout the 2015-16 year.

“Etched in Sand offers the community an opportunity to explore the ways that academics, faith and careers help us find ways to make change, whether the slightest act of care or a powerful and systematic adjustment,” said Marissa King, Hesston College faculty member and community read coordinator.

Calcaterra will visit the Hesston College campus October 5 to present on her book and work as a successful lawyer, New York State official and advocate for children in foster care. Calcaterra will also make a presentation at the Hesston Public Library October 6.

Calcaterra’s story is emotionally charged with accounts of homelessness, violence and constant neglect. The siblings learn to fend for themselves and lie about their mother’s whereabouts to avoid attention from the authorities.

Small acts of caring laced in among the children’s pain makes their fearful existence survivable and acts as a stepping stone for each of them to boost his or her way out of the precarious cycle to become well-adjusted and successful adults.

“We hope this community read will be an inspiration to see how small and sometimes unnoticed actions can make a big change,” said King.

Graduates encouraged to make meaningful connections

Based on Hesston College’s 2014-15 theme verse from John 15:4-5, the class of 2015 was encouraged to find strength and inspiration through a relationship with Christ during a Commencement service May 10.

Kevin King, executive director of Mennonite Disaster Service, delivered the Commencement address “Abide In Me,” encouraging graduates to look past the society’s messages of materialism and self-worth and into deeper connection with Christ, self and others.

“I hope my words can help deliver you through this system and society of shame and into a deep, unshakeable sense of your own worthiness, beauty and value,” said King. “As you step forward, receive your diploma and enter into the next chapter of your lives, I pray that you will abide in Christ; remain connected to the source of all life.”

King (Lititz, Pa.) has served with MDS since 2004. He was instrumental in the formation of Hesston College’s Disaster Management Program, started in conjunction with MDS in 2005, and has remained involved in the program’s operation since that time.

Student speakers were Malcolm Mann (Plano, Texas) and Jordan Waidelich (Stryker, Ohio) who were nominated by faculty and staff and chosen by their classmates to deliver the student address.

President Howard Keim conferred 148 degrees for the Class of 2015 – 50 associate of arts degrees, 11 associate of science degrees, 65 associate of applied arts and sciences degrees and 22 associate of general studies degrees.

Individual student groups were recognized in special ceremonies May 8 and 9.

Pastoral Ministries graduate Tom Wedel was commissioned for ministry in a May 8 service. Ron Moyo, Saturday night worship pastor at Whitestone Mennonite Church (Hesston) and a 2012 Pastoral Ministries graduate, presented the message “What the Lord requires of Tom.”

Longtime Mennonite Disaster Service volunteer and member of the bi-national MDS Board of Directors, Paul Unruh (Hesston), a 1958 Hesston Academy and 1960 Hesston College graduate, presented the message “Fear and Anxiety – Friend or Foe” at a recognition ceremony for ten students completing the Disaster Management Program May 9.

A May 9 nursing pinning ceremony recognized 50 nursing graduates. The message “My Greatest Hope for the Nursing Class of 2015” was delivered from the nursing faculty perspective by Joyce Huber (Hesston) and from the graduate perspective by Makayla Ladwig (Wichita, Kan.)

The Aviation department honored eight professional pilot graduates and one air traffic control graduate during a May 9 reception. Troy Jantz (Hesston) a 2001 aviation graduate, brought the message.

Students, faculty and staff commissioned for service at late April chapel

During an April 29, Hesston College chapel, 52 students, faculty and staff members were commissioned for Christian ministry and service for summer and fall placements.

“These individuals are going to make a difference in someone’s life because they are willing to join with and participate in Jesus’ ministry that is already taking place in all of these different settings,” said Todd Lehman, Hesston College campus pastor.

The students will serve around the world in positions from camp counselor to supervisors at disaster sites.

Doing an eight-week field experience in Crisfield, Md., are Disaster Management Program students Austin Braddock, Baldwin City, Kan.; Jeremy Delly, Francklin, N.J.; Jonathon Gonzalez, Goshen, Ind.; Uriah Sauder, Lititz, Pa.; Lane Schrock, Parnell, Iowa; Quintin Selzer, Thomas, Okla.; and Garrett Woelk, Goessel, Kan. Program director Russ Gaeddert, Hutchinson, Kan.; and volunteers Don and Rachel Horst, Newton, Kan., will serve alongside the students.

Several students, faculty and staff will serve at the Mennonite Church USA convention in Kansas City June 30 to July 5:

• Students Christy Swartzendruber, Shickley, Neb.; and Ali Zuercher, Phoenix, Ariz., will serve as service project leaders.
• Faculty member Gary Oyer, Hesston, Kan.; staff member Russ Neufeld, Newton, Kan.; and students Spencer Miller, Milford, Neb.; and Michael Kilmer, Glendale, Ariz., will work with audio visual support.
• Staff member Phyllis Weaver, Hesston, Kan., will work in the information booth.
• Staff members Brent Brockmueller, Stephanie Swartzendruber and Kevin Wilder, all of Hesston, will serve with Community Life.
• Staff member Simon Zehr, Tiskilwa, Ill., will be serving throughout the week.
• Faculty member Laura Kraybill, Hesston, Kan., will serve as Adult Worship Coordinator, as well as serve on the writing team at Mennonite World Conference in Harrisburg, Pa., July 21 to 26.
• Student Laura Blosser, Hesston, Kan., will serve as a nursery worker.

Several students will serve at church camps:

• Laura Blosser will serve at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp, Divide, Colo., as Cook Staff for two weeks.
• Faculty member Rita Peters, Hesston, Kan. will volunteer at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp for two weeks.
• Molly Cherveny, Topeka, Kan., and Robin Morris, Hutchinson, Kan., will serve at Camp Mennoscah, Murdock, Kan. Morris will also serve at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp.
• Megan Baumgartner, Hesston, Kan., will serve at Camp Friedenswald, Cassopolis, Mich.
• Colton Eby, Fisher, Ill., and Catie Kauffman, Goshen, Ind., will serve at Camp Amigo, Sturgis, Mich.
• Mary Bender and Andry Stutzman, both of Harrisonburg, Va., will serve at Choral Camp at Rosedale Bible College, Irwin, Ohio.
• Hannah Hostetter, Nairoibi, Kenya, and Rachel Shenk, Waynesboro, Va., will serve at Highland Retreat, Bergton, Va.
• Caroline Kauffman, Sarasota, Fla., and Cyannandra Luttrell, Tiskilwa, Ill., will serve at Camp Menno Haven, Tiskilwa.
• Christina Hershey, Mechanicsburg, Pa., will serve at Camp Hebron.
• Johanna Burkholder, Warden, Wash., will serve at Camp Camrec, Leavenworth, Wash.
• Bree Flowers, Pinto, Md., will serve at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, Mt. Pleasant, Pa.
• Steven Yoder, McVeytown, Pa., will serve at Gator Wilderness Camp, Punta Gorda, Fla.
• Emma Roth, Goshen, Ind., will serve at Crooked Creek Christian Camp, Washington, Iowa.
• Travis Splechter, Coffeyville, Kan., and Phillip Horning, Ephrata, Pa., will serve at the Mennonite Disaster Service youth project site at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp. Horning will also serve at Wilderness Wind Camp, Ely, Minn.
• Elisabeth Wilder, Hesston, Kan., will serve at Wilderness Wind Camp and will also teach at a school in Honduras through Bilingual Education for Central America.
• Sarah Hoover, Elbing, Kan., will serve at Camp Hiawatha, Wichita, Kan.

Students will serve in a variety of other settings as well:

• Cayla Bromlow, Winfield, Kan., will serve at Winfield First Presbyterian Church as a youth and nursery intern.
• Quinn Kathrineberg, Salina, Kan., will serve as a teacher at Memphis (Tenn.) Teacher Residency.
• Caroline Riggenbach, Lafayette, Ind., will intern at Shepard Community Center, Indianapolis, Ind.
• MaKenna Grow, Logan, Utah, will fulfill missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
• Jared Hague, Marion, Kan., will serve with Aulne United Methodist Church, Marion, to rebuild homes in San Marcos, Texas.
• Oliver Denlinger, Denver, Pa., and Karli Mast, Hubbard, Ore., will serve with Youth With a Mission in New Zealand.
• Taylor Zehr, Wauseon, Ohio, will serve with Youth With A Mission in Austin, Texas.
• Ben Rush, Quakertown, Pa., will serve with Eastern Mennonite Missions’ YES program in either Southeast Asia or Kenya.
• Nick Yoder, Wellman, Iowa, will serve with Mennonite Central Committee’s Serving and Learning Together (SALT) program in Bolivia.

Music students to be featured in sophomore recitals during Commencement Weekend

Hesston College music students will be featured in sophomore recitals as part of Commencement Weekend activities. Recitals will be at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus.

Havela Lehman, Keizer, Ore., will present a recital in violin and voice at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 7. Mary Bender, Harrisonburg, Va., and Taylor Zehr, Wauseon, Ohio, will present a joint vocal and piano recital at 4 p.m., Friday, May 8.

Lehman will showcase contrasting violin works including Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Spring, Allegro and D. Kabalewski’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Op. 48. Her vocal repertoire includes If Music be the Food of Love by Henry Purcell, as well as works by Caccini, Handel and Gilbert and Sullivan.

Vocalists Bender and Zehr will perform music that ranges from classical to modern. The classical end includes Domine Deus from Vivaldi’s Gloria and il pleure dans mon coeur by Claude Debussy. Modern selections include Broadway showtunes like I’ll Show Him from Plain and Fancy and Taylor the Latte Boy by Marcy Heiser and Zina Goldrich.

Bender and Zehr will also perform several duets: They Shall Hunger No More from The Holy City by Alfred Robert Gaul and The Call by singer/songwriter Regina Spektor. The I Love You Song from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee by William Finn will be performed as a trio with 2014 graduate and current Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.) student, tenor Cameron Ponce.

Bender will also perform piano pieces featuring Beethoven and Mendelssohn.

All three students study voice with Dr. Matthew Schloneger. Bender is a piano student of Patricia Neufeldt, and Lehman is a violin student of Rebecca Schloneger. The students have all been members of the Bel Canto Singers under the direction of Bradley Kauffman for two years. Lehman was concertmaster of the Hesston College Chamber Orchestra, directed by Rebecca Schloneger, during the 2014-15 year. Zehr was also involved with theatre at Hesston, and performed the lead role of Jo March in the March production of the musical “Little Women.”

Criminal and restorative justice being added as program of study

Criminal and restorative justice will join Hesston College’s list of more than 50 programs of study for transfer beginning with the 2015-16 academic year.

The program of study is designed to fulfill the first two years of a four-year degree in either criminal justice or restorative justice career fields. Course work will focus on the sociology of the field – the culture, history and philosophy of careers within the fields. Students will also have opportunities to observe and have hands-on experiences with professionals working in their areas of interest.

Career paths for students in the program could include human services for the criminal and the victim, law enforcement, corrections, paralegal, public safety and disaster preparedness, forensic science, security studies and technology and cyber crime.

The decision to add the program came after observing a clear increase in interest from students and prospective students.

Faculty members also note the program is being launched at a time when society is calling the efficiency of established systems into question.

“Recent incidents across the country show us that there are flaws within the system that could be changed,” said faculty member Dan Harrison. “We hope this program will help students recognize the ways in which they can positively and responsibly impact those systems and the people within them.”

Mann, Rimann honored as Hesston College’s top student athletes

Malcolm Mann, a sophomore men’s basketball player, and Samantha Rimann, a sophomore volleyball player, were named 2015 male and female Hesston College Student Athletes of the Year at the school’s annual Athletic Banquet April 28.

Mann, Plano, Texas, was one of the sophomore leaders to charge the way to a Region VI title and a berth to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament for the first time in 25 years. This two-year captain for the men’s basketball team now sits on the top ten list of career steals in Hesston College history. To add to all of the team’s success this year, Mann received Honorable Mention all-region.

“I learned the importance of solid relationships within the team and how that can translate to success on the court,” said Mann. “This award shows that who I’m striving to be is worth it.”

Mann is also involved in various ways on campus including activities like First-Year Experience Scholar, campus worship team, and the Hesston College Gospel Choir.

“I believe that Malcolm Mann is a model recipient for the athlete of the year honor,” said coach Dustin Galyon. “Malcolm is an incredible athlete and leader. His athletic accomplishments are historic, but small in measure to his impact and involvement on our campus and student body.”

Rimann, Liberty Hill, Texas, was a defensive phenomenon for the volleyball team, shattering numermous Hesston College records. The sophomore now sits first in three categories for the volleyball team. She holds the single season record for digs (550), single season record for digs per game (5.24) and career record for digs (899). Along with all these records, Rimann received a spot on the all-tournament team at the Vernon Community College (Texas) tournament.

“This year was all about redemption for our team,” said Rimann. “We had a good season with good teammates. It was satisfying and refreshing. Postseason participation was a highlight to this year. It represented a complete turnaround from last season.”

“Sam Rimann is well deserving of Hesston College female athlete of the year,” said coach Jessica Cleveland. “She was a major factor in our success this year. We changed our defense to give her more area of the court defensively and she stepped up to the challenge and excelled at it. She was consistent all year and was the foundation of our team. It was fun watching her grow as a student-athlete at Hesston College.”

Mann and Rimann succeed last year’s winners Makayla Ladwig, Wichita, Kansas, and Nick Yoder, Millersburg, Ohio.

The awards were revealed at the annual Hesston Athletics Banquet. The other major honor of the night was the highest team GPA which the women’s tennis team won with a 3.69.

Music and theatre performances part of Commencement Weekend 2015

Arts enthusiasts can enjoy several performances to close out the 2014-15 academic year during Hesston College’s Commencement Weekend May 8 to 10.

Students in the college’s Directing class will direct one-act plays in two performances during the weekend – at 7 p.m., Friday, May 8 and at 1 p.m., Saturday, May 9. Both performances will be at Dyck Arboretum of the Plains Prairie Pavilion. Admission is free. The performances are rated PG due to some language.

Freshman Erika Byler, Shipshewana, Ind., will direct The True Story of Cinderella by Richard Conlon, which looks at the familiar fairytale from a new perspective. Freshman RaeLee Hightower, Tulsa, Okla., will direct Sure Thing and English Made Simple by David Ives, which are commentaries on second chances and the complexity of human nature.

The Bel Canto Singers, under the direction of Bradley Kauffman, will present the “Asylum: worth, beauty and refuge” program at 4 p.m., Saturday, May 9, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus. The concert is a sendoff for their tour to the Northwestern United States following graduation, May 13 to 19.

The concert draws inspiration from Hesston College’s 2014 common read Escape from Camp 14, a New York Times bestseller by Blaine Harden. The program champions the cause of human rights and celebrates refuge in its many forms with music ranging from renaissance motet to South African and African-American freedom songs and recent works.

Bel Canto members are: Rachelle Adrian (Mt. Lake, Minn.), Erika Byler (Shipshewana, Ind.), Alaina Beatty (Washington, Iowa), Mary Bender (Harrisonburg, Va.), Brady Bilderback (Caldwell, Idaho), Kiara Boettger (Harrisonburg, Va.), Zachary Headings (Haven, Kan.), Ben Helmuth (Goshen, Ind.), Galed Krisjayanta (Surakarta, Indonesia), Havela Lehman (Keizer, Ore.), Elliott Leichty (Harrisonburg, Va.), Matt Lind (Harrisonburg, Va.), Jay Marston (Murpheysboro, Ill.), Anna Martin (Harleysville, Pa.), Karli Mast (Hubbard, Ore.), John Miller (Partridge, Kan.), Lorren Oesch (Caldwell, Idaho), Casey Perez (Kalona, Iowa), Eleya Raim (Oxford, Iowa), Emma Roth (Goshen, Ind.), Caleb Schrock-Hurst (Harrisonburg, Va.), Rachel Shenk (Waynesboro, Va.), Andry Stutzman (Harrisonburg, Va.) and Taylor Zehr (Archbold, Ohio).