Academic team gives scholarly presentation
General
A team of Hesston College academics presented on direct assessment at the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Network for Academic Renewal Conference in Kansas City, Mo., Feb. 19 to 21. The team was comprised of Dr. Brent Yoder of Hesston, vice president of Academics, education instructor Marissa King of Newton and business instructor David LeVan of Newton.
Using experience as a guide, the Hesston College presentation, “Getting Started: Implementing Direct Assessment through a Summer Assessment Workshop,” highlighted the conference theme of “From Mission to Evidence: Empowering and Inclusive General Education Programs.” The presentation described Hesston’s experience with assessing student work in classes and how to use the data to make improvements.
Inspired in part by a challenge from the Higher Learning Commission accrediting agency following full reaccreditation in 2010, the college began researching and incorporating direct assessment tools to assess student learning outcomes. After revising institutional learning outcomes, the college revised the general education curriculum to closely align with those outcomes. Each general education class created an assessment assignment focused on institutional outcomes which serve as artifacts for the summer assessment workshop. The college has now completed two annual assessment cycles, and the data from the annual workshops informs teaching and learning in several ways.
“We have begun to use the results from summer assessment and the CLA+, an exam that directly assesses student work in a number of our learning outcome areas, to inform our work during faculty in-service days prior to the start of each semester, especially as it relates to working with students to improve their written communication skills,” said Yoder.
The presentation offered advice in implementing similar programs and processes for effectively obtaining and using data and make continuous improvements.
Instructor presents at Japanese conference
English
André Swartley, English as a Second Language program director at Hesston College, presented at the After JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) conference in Chiba, Japan, Feb. 9 and 10.
JET is a one-and-a-half-year teaching fellowship through the Japanese government where native speakers of other languages, especially English, teach in Japanese public schools. The After JET conference seeks to expose JET teachers in their last year to options in education after their term expires. This year, the conference hosted about 450 attendees. Swartley was an assistant language teacher in the JET program from 2012 to 2014, preceding his work at Hesston College.
Swartley’s presentation focused on paths of study that could lead to various teaching careers in English-speaking countries. Covering areas including teaching certification, teaching fellowships and non-teaching education jobs, the presentation outlined career options and how assistant language teachers can pursue them.
Swartley was one of about 15 speakers and consultants selected to speak at the conference from several countries and fields of expertise.
In addition to presenting, Swartley, who is also an editor and fiction author, provided one-on-one consultations to conference attendees who wished to discuss careers in education, writing or publishing.
Swartley is the author of The Island of Misfit Toys (2005, Bound to Excel), Americanus Rex (2009, Workplay Publishing) and Leon Martin and the Fantasy Girl (2012, Workplay Publishing). His fourth novel will be released in October 2015.
AVDS conference motivates nonviolent action
Bible and Ministry
General
How do followers of Jesus Christ pursue nonviolence in a world full of violence? That was the question explored by the 170 participants at Hesston College’s Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Series weekend Feb. 13 to 15.
The weekend’s theme, “Overcoming Evil: Ordinary People Making a Difference,” featured Father John Dear, a peace activist and 2008 and 2015 Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
Dear emphasized nonviolence as the “vision of the heart that sees every human being as your brother and sister.” Dear, an active peacemaker himself, shared stories of the numerous times he publicly acted for nonviolence, including more than 75 arrests for acts of civil disobedience.
“In a country and world filled with evil, the conference provided an opportunity for participants to name their fears and seek tangible ways to fulfill Christ’s command to love our enemies and return love for hate,” said organizer Dallas Stutzman, director of Alumni and Church Relations. “This is the only response that will actually change life’s difficult circumstances, both in our neighborhoods or across the globe in international conflicts.”
Participants were invited to take action towards nonviolence in several ways, including writing letters to elected officials and/or local media outlets and taking a Vow of Nonviolence.
“The invitation is to be nonviolent to ourselves, to all others and creation, and to be part of the global movement of nonviolence,” said Dear. “This is an on-going journey towards the fullness of life, where every outcome can be healing and transformative.”
Breakout sessions gave participants the chance to hear about peace in different contexts and a variety of backgrounds and faith traditions. Among the breakout presenters was David Works, author of Gone in a Heartbeat, which chronicles his and his wife’s journey to finding forgiveness in the tragedy of losing their two teenage daughters to a gunman’s attack on their Colorado Springs Church. Jason Boone (Raleigh, North Car.), coordinating minister for the Peace and Justice Support Network (PJSN) of Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Network, presented on helping returning veterans from the wounds of war. Hesston College Mennonite John Murray joined Sohaib Mohiuddin (Wichita, Kan.), a member of the Islamic Society of Wichita, for reflection on how interfaith efforts can make a difference. Michelle Armster (North Newton, Kan.), transitional executive director of Mennonite Central Committee Central States, raised the question of what justice looks like. Mary Herr (Hesston, Kan.), co-founder of The Hermitage Retreat Community (Three Rivers, Mich.) led a time of silent reflection.
Hesston College faculty members Ken Rodgers and Tony Brown led worship in the Taizé tradition, a style created by a monastic community in Taizé, France. Participants were guided through a service of scripture reading, music, and times of silence and reflection.
Ted Swartz and Tim Ruebke of Ted & Company TheaterWorks (Harrisonburg, Va.) presented the satirical drama I’d Like to Buy an Enemy Feb. 14. The drama spoke of peace, conflict resolution and justice in a world focused on military presence.
The weekend conference doubled as the Intercollegiate Peace Fellowship meeting with 51 participants from Hesston College, Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.), Bluffton (Ohio University and Goshen (Ind.) College.
“Returning to Hesston College for the AVDS conference was a rejuvenating and gratifying experience,” said Timothy Bixler, Indianapolis, a 2013 Hesston graduate and Goshen (Ind.) College Student. “John Dear’s stimulating call towards an active approach to peacemaking is one that will hopefully remain forever embedded within the hearts and minds of the citizens of God’s eternal kingdom.”
Golfers invited to Arizona for sixth annual National Golf Benefit for Student Scholarships
General
Golfers and non-golfers alike are invited to participate in Hesston College’s sixth annual National Golf Benefit for Student Scholarships. Golfers can enjoy a break from the winter cold and golf in the four-person scramble at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, March 28 at The 500 Club in Glendale, Ariz. Non-golfers are invited to join the fun by purchasing raffle tickets for exciting prizes valued at more than $20,000.
Proceeds from the benefit go to the Hesston College Student Scholarship Fund, which provides financial aid in the form of institutional scholarships and grants. Each year, Hesston College awards more than $2.5 million in student tuition assistance.
Steve Yoder, a Phoenix businessman and benefit organizer, has collected an impressive selection of raffle items. Raffle tickets can be purchased for $5 a piece. Tickets for non-golfers must be purchased by March 27. You do not have to be present to win. Raffle prizes include:
- Two-day training at Bob Bondurant School of Driving (Chandler Ariz.). Training is based on the High Performance Driving Platform and gets you behind the wheel of the 460hp Corvette Z51 C7 Stingray for timed autocross, lead and follow, accident avoidance scenarios, skid car time and other maneuvers.
- Set of new golf clubs and bag
- Arizona Coyotes (professional ice hockey) 12-seat suite for April 4 game vs. San Jose Sharks
- Construction package consisting of a bag of cordless Dewalt power tools, including an Impact drill, Sawzall and flashlight
- Sonoran Desert Hot Air Balloon ride and full catered breakfast for two
- Coffee basket
- Date night package, including two tickets to the Aug. 29, performance of the musical “Wicked” at Arizona State University’s (Tempe) Gammage Auditorium and a $100 gift card to P.F. Chang’s for dinner before the show
- Picture/fine art package to have a favorite picture enlarged and printed on canvas or photo paper and mounted in a custom frame
- Kennedy Space Center Astronaut Training Experience (Florida), including a four-night stay and airfare for two
- Sports Pro Package including a baseball signed by Hank Aaron, Pittsburg Steeler’s football helmet signed by Terry Bradshaw, Arizona Coyotes jersey signed by the team and a Phoenix Suns signed Eric Bledsoe jersey
Registration to golf is $125 for single entries or $450 for a four-person team. The entry fee includes a golf cart with GPS, access to the driving range, a sleeve of golf balls, two drink tickets, the barbecue meal and door prizes.
Hole sponsorships are available for $250 and green sponsorships are available for $400.
See more information online and register. Contact Sheri Esau with questions at 620-327-8147 or sheri.esau@hesston.edu.
Friendship leads to collaborative concert
Music
Three college choirs – Hesston College Bel Canto Singers, Doane College Choir (Crete, Neb.) and McPherson (Kan.) College Choir will present a collaborative concert at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21 at Whitestone Mennonite Church in Hesston. The concert is free and open to the public.
The special concert is part of Doane’s annual tour, and the 50-member choir under the direction of Dr. Kurt Runestad, will be featured for about half of the concert. The Hesston College and McPherson College choirs will perform individually as well, and the concert will conclude with two numbers by the combined singers.
The connection between Hesston College and Doane College stems from the friendship of Runestad and Bradley Kauffman, Bel Canto Singers’ conductor, that began while they were graduate students at the University of Iowa (Iowa City). Dr. Joshua Norris, director of the McPherson College Choir, was a colleague of Runestad’s in Nebraska. Close proximity of Hesston and McPherson made a collaboration between all three college’s possible.
This will not be the first meeting of the Hesston and Doane choirs. A year ago, the Bel Canto Singers visited the Doane campus while on tour where they enjoyed an exchange with Runestad’s choir.
While no explicit theme can be named for the concert, Kauffman notes the bond of friendship present.
“Implicitly, for me, it is about friendship and the power of music to connect people and forge friendship,” said Kauffman. “I look forward to offering a warm Hesston welcome to both of these great choirs.”
General
Music
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Jane Chu announced today that Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts (HBPA) is one of only 163 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Challenge America grant. HBPA is recommended for a $10,000 grant to support a presentation of male a-cappella vocal ensemble The King’s Singers.
The renowned vocal sextet will perform at Hesston College’s Yost Center on Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. The King’s Singers will also present a choral master class from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., Feb. 23, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus. The class will feature performances by the Hesston College Bel Canto Singers, the Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.) Concert Choir and the Goessel (Kan.) High School Elbiata Singers. The master class is free and open to the public.
NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, “I’m pleased to be able to share the news of our support through Challenge America including the award to Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts. The arts foster value, connection,creativity and innovation for the American people and these recommended grants demonstrate those attributes and affirm that the arts are part of our everyday lives.”
“We are so thrilled to have the support of the NEA for this project,” said HBPA Director Matthew Schloneger. “It is only with the combination of public and private support that we are able to bring world renowned artists such as the King’s Singers to rural Kansas. The master class in particular is only possible because of the grant, and will provide a unique opportunity for a large number of students to work directly with some of the finest choral artists in the world.”
The Challenge America category supports projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. The NEA received 347 eligible Challenge America applications and will award 163 grants for a total of $1.63 million.
For a complete listing of projects recommended for Challenge America support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov. Follow the conversation about this and other NEA‐funded projects on Twitter at #NEAFall2014.
Ticket prices for the King’s Singers range from $23 to $27 with discounts available for students and senior citizens; call 620-327-8158 or visit the Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts website for more information.
The Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts Series, now in its 33rd year, is a collaborative effort of Hesston College and Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.) presenting five performances by world-renowned or regionally acclaimed artists each year.
AVDS conference to explore becoming people of nonviolence
Bible and Ministry
General
Hesston College’s Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Series conference, Feb. 13 to 15, will focus on the theme “Overcoming Evil: Ordinary People Making a Difference.” Participants will explore ways to overcome evil with good in the face of the contemporary violence and conflicts in places such as Ferguson, Mo., or the Middle East.
The event will feature keynote speaker Father John Dear, peace activist and 2015 Nobel Peace Prize nominee. In addition to Father Dear, the conference includes presentations by people from a variety of backgrounds and faith traditions.
Dave Works, together with his wife Marie, authored Gone in a Heartbeat, the story of the loss of their daughters in a shooting at the Colorado Springs New Life Church in 2007 and the forgiveness that followed. Works’ session is entitled “Finding forgiveness in the face of family tragedy.”
Mary Herr will present a session entitled “Reflections on Achieving Internal Nonviolence.” Herr, and her husband founded The Hermitage, a spiritual retreat center in Three Rivers, Mich., in the 1980s. The Hermitage seeks to provide a place to escape day-to-day routines and focus on God.
Sohaib Mohiuddin, a radiologist at Kansas University Medical Center (Wichita, Kan.), comes to Hesston to present “A Muslim Perspective on International Faith Relations.” President of the Muslim Students’ Association of Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond) during the years after 9/11, Mohiuddin worked to set stereotypes and theological differences aside for a better humanity. Mohiuddin was awarded the Howard R. Swearer National Humanitarian Award for his work at VCU, where he graduated with a degree in medicine.
Michelle Armster is transitional executive director at Mennonite Central Committee Central States (North Newton, Kan.) and will present a session on justice in difficult situations. Armster graduated from Lancaster (Pa.) Theological Seminary and has completed Eastern Mennonite University’s (Harrisonburg, Va.) Conflict Transformation graduate certification program. She has served in conflict resolution and peace building at MCC and pastored at Blossom Hill Mennonite Church (Lancaster).
Ted & Company TheatreWorks will present I’d like to buy an Enemy at 7 p.m., Feb. 14 at Hesston Mennonite Church. The drama speaks of peace, conflict resolution and justice in a world focused on military presence.
Ted Swartz, founder of Ted & Company TheatreWorks, is a seminary graduate, actor, writer and author of over a dozen plays. Swartz will present the play with partner Tim Ruebke, who offers conflict resolution experience. General admission is $12 at the door and free for AVDS participants.
AVDS registration is $100 per person or $35 for members of sponsoring congregations. For questions and more information, see AVDS online or call 866-437-7866.
General
Levi Zook stopped in his tracks when Tony Brown greeted him in Pennsylvania Dutch on a train bound for Albuquerque.
Zook, an Amish man from New Holland, Pa., likely never expected to hear the language spoken predominately in Amish communities so far from home and from a black man. Brown, an African-American Mennonite from Hesston, Kan., quickly revealed that the two men share religious historical Anabaptist ties. Though the simple greeting exhausted the extent of Brown’s Pennsylvania Dutch, it led to a friendship and sharing of worlds – that of the Amish, Mennonite and African-American cultures.
After Zook recovered from his initial surprise, the men struck up a conversation about their lives. Brown shared about his work as a sociology instructor and artist in residence at Hesston College, as well as his travels around the world as an internationally recognized baritone and peace advocate. He then told Zook about his friend Dwight Roth’s historical fiction book “Kinship Concealed: Amish Mennonite and African-American Family Connections,” co-authored with Sharon Cranford, that documents the historical multi-racial lineage of 18th century Amish brothers John and Jacob Mast.
The conversation piqued Zook’s interest, and he contacted Roth to purchase a copy of “Kinship Concealed,” which further fed his curiosity of enslaved Africans’ experience. Brown and Zook stayed in touch through phone calls, and knowing Brown often shares the African slave experience through spirituals, Zook invited him to present to his congregation sometime when Brown traveled to Pennsylvania. While on a trip representing Hesston College, Brown made time to accept Zook’s invitation, accompanied by Dallas Stutzman, Hesston College Director of Church Relations.
In October, about a year after their initial meeting, Brown was in Zook’s bishop’s home to share about the experiences of enslaved Africans with about 30 Amish people from the district congregation. The presentation was a meaningful growth experience for both groups.
“I was honored to be invited to share the African slave history in a culture that doesn’t generally open themselves to the outside,” said Brown.
Brown shared historical information and further illustrated the slave experience by singing spirituals. He also emphasized that both the enslaved Africans and the Amish have a common, binding link – an ancestry of suffering. In return, the Amish crowd sang two songs in low German.
Brown says many of the stories and experiences of African slaves are not well known to the Amish, which is reflective of their separateness and culture. But Brown wanted his presentation to be more than a history lesson. He wanted to emphasize that regardless of experiences, everyone can connect around a common humanity.
“The time I spent with these Amish friends was meaningful to me, and I was pleased when Levi commented that it was a night everyone would remember,” said Brown.
Brown has dedicated his life to education and building bridges across social and cultural divides. He connects with countless Hesston College students and meets with political and religious leaders in countries around the world as a peace advocate through music. He also travels for Hesston College with the “Common Threads” program, which he performs with Hesston history instructor John Sharp, that shows the intersection of stories of Anabaptist martyrs and African-American racial suffering. His one-man show “I Go On Singing: Paul Robeson’s Life in His Words and Songs,” is an original tribute to the popular African-American performer, and civil rights activist.
Though he has interacted with Amish people in the past, the experience allowed for relationships to form across barriers and for those present to learn from one another.
“Whenever I can get into a world not my own and make a profound connection, I’m blessed,” said Brown.
Editor’s note: In order to respect the privacy and convictions of the Amish congregation, no photos were taken during Brown’s visit.
General
Dean’s List freshmen
Molly Bruner – Wauseon, Ohio
Johanna Burkholder – Warden, Wash.
Erika Byler – Shipshewana, Ind.
Morgan Coffman – Vassar, Kan.
Desiree Corona – Newton, Kan.
Adrienne Derstine – Harleysville, Pa.
Rachel Esch – Newton, Kan.
Jessica Fahrenthold – Solomon, Kan.
Alyssa Graber – Wolford, N.D.
RaeLee Hightower – Tulsa, Okla.
Hannah Hostetter – Harrisonburg, Va.
Catherine Kauffman – Goshen, Ind.
Emily Kauffman – Archbold, Ohio
Brittany Kramer – Melvern, Kan.
Elliott Liechty – Harrisonburg, Va.
Rince Longo Kabondo – Commune de Ngaliema, Democratic Republic of Congo
Anna Martin – Harleysville, Pa.
Shelby Miller – Archbold, Ohio
Natsuki Mizutani – Yokkaichi-shi, Japan
Abigail Musser – Newport News, Va.
Bryce Nitzsche – Lincoln, Neb.
Lorren Oesch – Caldwell, Idaho
Caleb Schrock-Hurst – Harrisonburg, Va.
Rachel Shenk – Waynesboro, Va.
Andry Stutzman – Harrisonburg, Va.
Christina Swartzendruber – Shickley, Neb.
Dirk Troth – Mound City, Kan.
Laurensia Vertika – Banyuwangi, Indonesia
Irena Xhari – Lezhe, Albania
Alison Zuercher – Phoenix, Ariz.
Dean’s List sophomores
Rachelle Adrian – Mountain Lake, Minn.
Megan Baumgartner – Hesston, Kan.
Victoria Becker – Halstead, Kan.
Eric Cender – Valparaiso, Ind.
Oliver Denlinger – Denver, Pa.
Maria Diener – Meridian, Miss.
Christina Hershey – Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Alex Hiebert – Buhler, Kan.
Sarah Hostetler – Pleasant Dale, Neb.
Quinn Kathrineberg – Salina, Kan.
Kaylah Kauffman – Hutchinson, Kan.
Zachory Kirkham – Valley Center, Kan.
Victoria Kropf – Monroe, Ore.
Makayla Ladwig – Wichita, Kan.
Matthew Lind – Harrisonburg, Va.
Karli Mast – Hubbard, Ore.
Cody Miller – Wellman, Iowa
John Miller – Partridge, Kan.
Linda Miller – Hutchinson, Kan.
Holly Peters – Hesston, Kan.
Laken Richer – New Paris, Ind.
Yuu Sakaguchi – Kanagawa-ken, Japan
Rachel Short-Miller – Bellingham, Wash.
Kendal Slabach-Brubaker – Harrisonburg, Va.
Bethany Snow – Park City, Kan.
Jordan Waidelich – Stryker, Ohio
Courtney Wengerd – Goshen, Ind.
Jasmin Yoder – Sweet Home, Ore.
Nathan Yoder – Stryker, Ohio
Rose Yoder – Bellefontaine, Ohio
Honor Roll freshmen
Alaina Beatty – Washington, Iowa Andrew Berry – Mulvane, Kan.
Laura Blosser – Hesston, Kan.
Kiara Boettger – Harrisonburg, Va.
Jaymee Bowers – Goshen, Ind.
Austin Braddock – Baldwin City, Kan.
Brandon Clay – Oklahoma City, Okla.
Erin Coffman – Vassar, Kan.
Nicole de Jesus-Roetlin – Kalona, Iowa
Parker Eberly – Narvon, Pa.
Miyu Fukuda – Hokkaido, Japan
Caleb Geary – Scottsbluff, Neb.
Jared Hague – Marion, Kan.
Kaho Hamada – Tokyo, Japan
Chinatsu Hanada – Saitakama-ken, Japan
Brooke Hershberger – Goshen, Ind.
Lydia Holland – Russell, Kan.
Hidehiro Kaminaga – Tokyo, Japan
Hiroki Kaneuchi – Tokyo, Japan
Michael Kilmer – Glendale, Ariz.
Keegan LeFevre – Hesston, Kan.
Luis Marinez Veloz – Santo Domingo, Domincan Republic
Nicholas McCoy – Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Eleya Raim – Oxford, Iowa
Caroline Riggenbach – Lafayette, Ind.
Emma Roth – Goshen, Ind.
Beth Schurz – Phillipsburg, Kan.
Meredith Spicher – Belleville, Pa.
Sarah Stephens – Wichita, Kan.
Yuki Torii – Nishio-shi, Japan
Lorae Weaver – Goshen, Ind.
Hannah Wheeler – Hesston, Kan.
Gabriela Willis – Rusk, Texas
Amanuel Wondimu – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Honor Roll sophomores
Mary Bender – Harrisonburg, Va.
Sydni Carter – Muskogee, Okla.
Victoria Craw – Goshen, Ind.
Isaac Dahl – Archbold, Ohio
Ryan Dungan – Kechi, Kan.
Hannah Fenton – Hesston, Kan.
JoNee Friesen – Moundridge, Kan.
Nathaniel Gingerich – Goshen, Ind.
Austin Herold – Rose Hill, Kan.
Rachel Jantzi – Hendersonville, N.C.
Deborah Kanolongo Tshidimu – Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Alpha Mavungu Kivuvu – Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Austin Mitchell – Plano, Texas
Zile Ncube – Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Samantha Rimann – Liberty Hill, Texas
Benjamin Rush – Quakertown, Pa.
Masayo Satoh – Niigata-ken, Japan
Savannah Sizer – Littleton, Colo.
Aimee Stein – Hesston, Kan.
Anni Tapkida – Abuja, Nigeria
Grant Walker – North Newton, Kan.
Elisabeth Wilder – Hesston, Kan.
Nicholas Yoder – Wellman, Iowa
Steven Yoder – McVeytown, Pa.
Taylor Zehr – Key West, Fla.