Tabor, Hesston finalize strategic academic partnership

Following approval from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Tabor College and Hesston College have formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to offer courses and degrees to students at their respective institutions.

Planning for the agreement started in summer 2023. With the signed MOU, Tabor will begin offering a nursing major to its students through this strategic academic partnership for the upcoming fall semester.

Students will take courses on Tabor’s campus over the first two years. Tabor students will continue to live on campus and participate in Tabor activities, chapel and student life in their final two years while taking nursing courses at Hesston College and clinicals in area hospitals.

Hesston introduced pre-nursing to its curriculum in 1945 and has been approved to offer its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program through the HLC and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education since 2015. The program has consistently produced a first-time pass rate on the RN licensure exam that is well above the national average, and graduates have a 100 percent job placement rate in health care agencies.

Bonnie Sowers Nursing Center, home of Hesston’s program, has propelled students to clinical experience across Kansas including Newton Medical Center and Prairie View Mental Health Center in Newton, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, McPherson Hospital, Wesley Medical Center and Ascension Via Christi in Wichita and Schowalter Villa in Hesston.

“On behalf of the Tabor College Board of Directors, administration, faculty and staff, I want to express our sincere excitement about this strategic partnership with Hesston College,” said Tabor President David Janzen, Ph.D. “Thank you to our friends at Hesston College, Interim President Ross Peterson-Veatch and VP of Finance Caleb Loss. Thank you to our Provost Frank Johnson and CFO Cathy Castle, who were both instrumental in making this partnership a reality.”

Both institutions will have offices on each other’s campuses. This space will only further enhance opportunities for students to explore their degree of choice and also allow for expansion in course offerings from each college.

“I expect that soon our partnership will allow us to create four-year degree options for Tabor students in engineering and aviation on our end,” explained Hesston’s Interim President Ross Peterson-Veatch, Ph.D., “and also allow Hesston students access to Tabor’s excellent four-year programs in social work, accounting, education and other career-focused degrees.”

Course offerings for Hesston’s students at Tabor have yet to be finalized, but will include classes from throughout a diverse undergraduate catalog of over 30 majors.

“This has been a truly collaborative effort from the beginning – with goodwill, good ideas and strong planning from start to finish,” said Peterson-Veatch.

College holds 114th annual commencement ceremonies

Heaven Trapp of Lufkin, Texas, receives her diploma from Interim President Ross Peterson-Veatch.

Hesston College students and their families celebrated with faculty and staff during the 114th annual Commencement ceremony held Saturday, May 11, in the sanctuary of Hesston Mennonite Church.

This year’s commencement featured an address titled “Walking with the Spirit in Service to Others” delivered by Dr. Rebecca Hernandez, director of organizational development and racial equity with the Mennonite Central Committee. Hernandez encouraged the graduates to act as agents of liberation in their daily lives and in their future careers. She concluded her address with a lesson she learned from a college chapel service.

“It is important to not just pray for faith for the big miracles to happen, but to also pray for endurance because there are many ordinary days,” recalled Hernandez. “It is in these ordinary days that, moment by moment, change happens.”

Dr. Ross Peterson-Veatch, interim president, conferred 36 Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees, 10 Bachelor of Arts in business management degrees, one Bachelor of Science in aviation – professional pilot degree and 61 associate degrees. The graduating class of 2024 includes members from 12 different countries, U.S. territories and sovereign nations.

One of those graduates is Shelby Bontrager, a senior in the business management program and a native of McPherson, Kan.

“My education from Hesston College will help me in my career path by making me knowledgeable and experienced in handling people, whether that be as coworkers, employees, superiors or stakeholders,” says Bontrager.

After graduation, Bontrager hopes to earn a full-time position working for CHS Inc. in McPherson in the process safety management department, where she began on a part-time basis last summer.

Another graduate with big plans ahead of them is James Peters, a senior in the nursing program. A native of Hesston, Kan., Peters has also served as a firefighter and an EMT in Hesston since 2019.

“A successful career requires more than a degree alone,” says Peters. “Networking and building relationships are critical to success. Hesston College has been a great place to build those relationships and make connections in the community.”

Peters plans to enter the workforce as a nurse while he pursues his dream career of becoming a flight nurse, a specially trained nurse assigned to various aircraft that provide patient care during the flight.

“Flight nursing is a very competitive field, but I feel that my experience at Hesston College has given me a great foundation that has made me a well-rounded nurse,” says Peters.

The prayer of invocation was delivered by Mark ’98 and Denise ’97 Diller, Hesston, Kan., parents of graduate Kyle Diller. The prayer of dedication was delivered by Hugo Friesen and Siegried Pauls de Friesen of Neuland, Paraguay, parents of graduate Hadassa Friesen. Two students, Larry Ruffin, Choctaw, Okla., and Fortesa Hysenaj, Istog, Kosovo, were nominated by faculty and staff and voted by their classmates as the graduate speakers to reflect on the Hesston Experience.

“Hesston is a place that attempts to give everyone a voice,” said Ruffin. “It is a place where people of all different faith and cultural backgrounds can come together and share their beliefs and traditions. I am glad that I chose Hesston because it allowed me to strengthen my faith by broadening my horizons and building on the ideas that I grew up with.”

The 36 nursing program graduates were honored at a Nursing Pinning ceremony in the sanctuary of Hesston Mennonite Church on the morning of May 11. Graduates received their nursing pins as well as the traditional blessing of hands from Hesston College nursing faculty.

Other commencement weekend events included several music recitals and a theatre showcase. On the evening of May 10, the International Chorale presented a sendoff concert in the sanctuary. The concert kicks off a European choir tour schedule that includes concerts in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Tabor, Hesston to sign strategic academic partnership

Tabor College and Hesston College will officially sign an agreement to solidify a strategic partnership in offering classes to students at their respective institutions.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed by Tabor President David Janzen, Ph.D., and Hesston Interim President Ross Peterson-Veach, Ph.D., on Friday, May 17 at 4:30 p.m. in Bonnie Sowers Nursing Center on Hesston College’s campus (301 S. Main, Hesston). They will each make statements and be available for questions after the signing.

Annual theatre camp to present “Mean Girls”

Student actors ages 11 to 18 are invited to stage a live theatre performance at Hesston College’s annual summer theatre camp June 16 to 22. The weeklong theatre immersion will culminate in a public performance of the musical “Mean Girls” at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 22, in the Hesston Mennonite Church sanctuary on the Hesston College campus.

“Our theatre camp is a great way for students to have fun and grow in their love of theatre,” says Rachel Jantzi, director of theatre at Hesston College. “At the end of the week when our actors and tech crew take their final bow on a show we put together in six and a half days, they are exhausted, but proud. They have accomplished something so difficult while making lasting friendships in a place that allows them the opportunity to gain confidence and courage.”

Theatre camp offers students a chance to be fully involved in the process of creating something from nothing. Participants will have the opportunity to learn and expand on skills including vocalization, staging, choreography, safety protocol in the scene shop, scene painting techniques and how to thread a sewing machine. Students of all experience levels are encouraged to attend, even if they’ve never performed or used a drill.

“I look forward to running this camp every year,” says Jantzi. “I love teaching that first dance number, staging that first scene, hearing that opening song, waiting for that first piece of scenery to be loaded in, watching them practice on their break time, listening to them sing the score as they walk from lunch back to rehearsal, and seeing them light up when it all starts coming together. My most favorite thing, though, is watching families and friends applaud and recognize the hard work their kids have done. It leaves them beaming!

Jantzi believes that “Mean Girls” will be a great selection for the camp’s performance because it tackles important issues young people will relate to.

“I wanted to do a newer show that had a wide range of leads and supporting characters,” says Jantzi. “I think Tina Fey is a good comedic writer who can weave a solid story into a ridiculous scenario. It’s a you-reap-what-you-sow film that asks how much are you willing to lose to please others, people who wouldn’t even give you the time of day? The musical tackles this and many other themes that students this age need to talk about, but with a snappy musical soundtrack, of course.”

Theatre camp registration is $335 per person and includes lodging and meals for seven days and six nights, or $285 for day camp only. A discount is available for families registering more than one student. Participants can visit the Theatre Camp page for details and to register online. Registration is due June 10.

Hesston College celebrates student achievements at LarkFest

With only a week left until commencement, Hesston College showed their thanks to dedicated students for their outstanding work this year in and out of the classroom. Hesston recognized a group of exceptional students and faculty during the annual LarkFest Awards in the Hesston Mennonite Church sanctuary on Friday, May 3. The athletic department also held their annual banquet in the Bontrager Student Center dining hall on Tuesday, April 30 to reward student athletes for their hard work and success during their seasons and in the classroom.

During LarkFest, students and faculty are awarded for their achievements throughout the year. The top student award—Lark of the Year—went to sophomore Larry Ruffin, Choctaw, Okla., for excellence in leadership, academics and service. Students are nominated for Lark of the Year by the Hesston Experience team and the recipient is chosen by a faculty vote.

At the athletic banquet, coaches had the opportunity to show their appreciation to their athletes with a variety of awards. Among these awards were the Male and Female Student Athlete of the Year awards. This year there was a tie for the male award as Mason White (golf), Rowlett, Texas, and Quez Wright (basketball), Atlanta, Ga., shared the honor, while Kaley Phillips (basketball and flag football), Lake Worth, Fla., took home the female award.

Other student award winners at LarkFest include:

Admissions Outstanding Ambassador Award: Ashlynn Davis (Kilgore, Texas), Oscar Becerra (Decatur, Texas), Fernando Guzman (Mexico, Mo.), Michelle Hicks (Bryan, Texas), Ashleigh Williams (Eaton, Colo.)

Resident Assistants of the Year: Carson Elonich (Goshen, Ind.), Catryna Winzer (Augusta, Kan.)

Peer Educator of the Year: Lauren Payne (Geuda Springs, Kan.)

Bill Mason Business Scholars: Santiago Gonzalez (Artesia, N.M.), Luis Jimenez (Dallas, Texas), Cooper Long (Seneca, Mo.)

Clayton V. Beyler Award for Bible and Ministry students: Larry Ruffin (Choctaw, Okla.)

Daniel Gerber Peace and Service Award: Devin Miller (Hesston, Kan.), Josalyn Wipf (Huron, S.D.), Meg Beyer (Harrisonburg, Va.)

Art Department Best of Show Award: Lily Corkill (Olsburg, Kan.)

Musician of the Year Award: Joy Jones (Lockhart, Texas), Daniel Miller (Arlington, Kan.)

Mariann Martin Theatre Award: Hadassa Friesen (Neuland, Paraguay)

The “Standing O” Theatre Award: Josh Fleming (Raymore, Mo.)

Yoder/Zaid Chemistry Scholarship: Sydney Jackson (Marlow, Okla.)

Nursing Excellence Award: Melvin “Trey” Lasseter III (Valley Center, Kan.), James Peters (Hesston, Kan.), Jayda Spiller (Wichita, Kan.), Madison Thompson (Newton, Kan.)

International Student Outstanding Academic Achievement: Akana Nakamura (Hachinohe, Japan), Hadassa Friesen (Neuland, Paraguay)

Hesston College also gave awards to faculty during LarkFest:

• Rookie Faculty of the Year: Nicole McGee, nursing professor
• Award for Teaching Excellence: Denise Diller, nursing professor

Other Award Winners at the Athletic Banquet Include:

Volleyball 

• MVP – Catryna Winzer (Augusta, Kan.)
• Defensive Player of the Year – Pariss Lloyd (Haysville, Kan.)
• Freshman Of The Year – Se’Maiya Farrow (Kaiserslautern, Germany)

Men’s Soccer

• Defensive Player of the Year – Jordi Sandoval (DeLeon Springs, Fla.)
• Goal of the Year – Fernando Guzman (Mexico, Mo.)
• Freshman of the year – Oscar Becerra (Decatur, Texas)

Women’s Soccer

• MVP – Kira Kumada (Hadano, Japan)
• Team Player Award – Ashleigh Williams (Eaton, Colo.)
• Most Improved – Fey Castillo (Laredo, Texas)

Cross Country/Track

• Leadership Award – Nick Win (Wichita, Kan.)
• Leadership Award – Alice Lovren (McKinney, Texas)
• Women’s Most Improved – Addalee Parker (Orange County, Calif.)
• Men’s Most Improved – Josh Osborne (Wichita, Kan.)
• Most Inspirational – Mark Ruaburo (Lanai City, Hawaii)

Women’s Basketball

• MVP – Norika Welch (Bando, Japan)
• Most Improved – Anna McIntire (Lawrence, Kan.)
• 24/7 Award – Mariah Hall (Lawton, Okla.)

Men’s Basketball

• Co-MVPs – Quez Wright (Atlanta, Ga.) and Luke McGinnis (Andover, Kan.)
• Most Improved Player – Montreal Myles (Baton Rouge, La.)
• Team Player Award – Larry Ruffin (Choctaw, Okla.)

Disc Golf

• Men’s MVP – Aidan Swartzendruber (Henderson, Neb.)
• Women’s MVP – Alyssa Burkholder (Goessel, Kan.)
• Spirit Award – Beck Jantzi (Hesston, Kan.)

Dance Team

• Leadership Award – Joy Jones (Lockhart, Texas)
• Rookie of the Year – Meg Beyer (Harrisonburg, Va.)
• Spirit Award – Josh Fleming (Raymore, Mo.)

Softball

• Defensive MVP – Lauren Payne (Geuda Springs, Kan.)
• Offensive MVP – Mimi Castillo (Houston, Texas)
• Leadership Award – Emma Killingsworth (Georgetown, Texas)

Baseball

• Most Outstanding Player – Aiden McCullough (Devol, Okla.)
• Most Outstanding Pitcher – Jarod Fugate (Norman, Okla.)
• Team Player – Connor Bear (Sequim, Wash.)

Golf

• Best Teammate – Braxton Linden (Sterling, Kan.)
• Team Einstein – Jacob Fransson (Djursholm, Sweden)
• Find-A-Way Award – Mitch Jones (Sydney, Australia)

Flag Football

• MVP – Kaley Phillips (Lake Worth, Fla.)
• Offensive MVP – Zahleah Beaubrun (Palmetto, Fla.)
• Defensive MVP – Lili Espinoza (Galva, Kan.)

Hesston College Chorale set to tour Europe over the summer

The melodious sounds of the Hesston College Chorale will travel to Europe for their biennial international tour from May 14 to June 4. Under the direction of Dr. Russell Adrian and Ken Rodgers, the chorale will present a program titled “Veni, Sancte Spiritus” at churches in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. The tour will kick off with a farewell concert at 7 p.m., Friday, May 10, at Hesston Mennonite Church. An offering will be taken to help offset tour expenses.

The tour will occur during the season of Pentecost with a program based on Acts 2. Veni, Sancte Spiritus, meaning “come, Holy Spirit,” celebrates the disciples being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in many languages. The performance will include music from a variety of genres, including spirituals, folk songs and gospel music. Musical interludes will feature soloists and small groups from within the chorale.

The ensemble is composed of students in Bel Canto Singers and Global Voices who collaborate on biennial international tours. Holly Swartzendruber, music professor, and Karen Unruh, accompanist, along with Hesston College alumni, all combine to form this edition of the Hesston College Chorale. Students include Lily Corkill of Olsburg, Kan.; Ana Espinoza of Ocotepeque, Honduras; Hadassa Friesen of Neuland, Paraguay; Joy Jones of Lockhart, Texas.; Jamie Krehbiel and Devin Miller of Hesston, Kan.; Caroline Miller and Daniel Miller of Arlington, Kan.; Eva Perry of Rocky Ford, Colo.; Larry Ruffin of Choctaw, Okla.; Rylee Weishaupt of Goshen, Ind.; and Ashleigh Williams of Eaton, Colo.

The chorale will perform twelve concerts in various churches. Tour members will also take in the history and culture of cities such as Amsterdam, Cologne, Zurich and Rothenburg. The trip features visits to sites in Anabaptist history, exploring European cathedrals, several world-famous museums and a two-day stay in the Swiss Alps. Prior to the trip, chorale members will attend lectures on European history and fine arts by Rodgers. Students will complete written and oral presentations on topics related to the tour.

This edition will mark the 20th Hesston College Chorale tour to Europe for trip leader Rodgers. To celebrate, Hesston College alumni have been invited to join the chorale for the first two weeks of the tour. A highlight will be performing at the Doopsgezinde Gemeente in Joure, Netherlands. This year marks the 200th year of their church building and equally impressive is the long standing relationship Hesston College has had with this congregation, hosting a performance on every one of Rodgers’ tours.

Itinerary for Hesston College Chorale’s trip to Europe

• 
  Friday, May 10, 7 p.m. – Hesston Mennonite Church, Hesston, Kansas
• Thursday, May 16, 8 p.m. – Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Aalsmeer, Netherlands
• Friday, May 17, 8 p.m. – Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Haarlem, Netherlands
• Sunday, May 19, 10 a.m. – Pentecost Festival at Park Heremastate, Joure, Netherlands
• Sunday, May 19, 5 p.m. – Garden Concert, Joure, Netherlands
• Monday, May 20, 7:30 p.m. – Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Joure, Netherlands
• Wednesday, May 22, 7:30 p.m. – Ev. Mennonitengemeinde Neuwied, Neuwied, Germany
• Thursday, May 23, 7:30 p.m. – Evangelische Mennonitengemeinde Schänzli, Basel, Switzerland
• Friday, May 24, 7:30 p.m. – Église Évangélique Mennonite du Petit-Val/Evangelische Mennonitengemeinde Kleintal, Moron, Switzerland
• Saturday, May 25, 7:30 p.m. – Alttäufergemeinde, Emmental, Switzerland
• Wednesday, May 29, 7 p.m. – Evang.-Luth. Kirchengemeinde St. Markus, Ingolstadt, Germany
• Sunday, June 2, 7 p.m. – Mennonitengemeinde Bechterdissen, Leopoldshöhe, Germany

Facility renovations provide new locations for long standing programs

Laban Peachey Center on the Hesston College campus underwent a series of renovations in order to serve the evolving needs of the institution. Beginning in October of 2023, the college contracted with Vogt’s Construction to renovate the building to accommodate several departments on campus including the visual arts and aviation programs.

Hesston’s visual arts department was in need of a new home after the Friesen Center, named for program founder Paul Friesen, was repurposed to serve the budding School of Engineering in 2022.

“It was the best way we could maximize the space we have on campus,” explains Art Professor Joshua Cross. “Friesen was the best fit for the needs of the new engineering program in terms of classrooms, office space, labs and the like without scattering the entire program across campus.”

The renovated space in Laban Peachey Center includes two classrooms, one for 2-D creation and lecture and the other for 3-D creation, the relocated Regier-Friesen Gallery and an outdoor patio. The patio will primarily serve as an event space, but Cross has a vision to erect a sculpture garden around this space to honor Friesen’s love of sculpting.

“The layout of our new space is much more open and flows better between classrooms,” says Cross. “Tools and equipment can easily be shared between the studios and the open concept will promote more collaboration between the 2-D and 3-D spaces.”

Jamie Krehbiel, a freshman art major, spends a great deal of time in the new space and affirms Cross’s claims.

“The new space in Peachey is very nice,” says Krehbiel. “I specifically enjoy the amount of natural light that comes through the garage door windows.”

Laban Peachey Center now also houses a classroom for the School of Aviation. This will serve as the primary classroom for the aviation program and gives the program a presence on campus.

“Our new classroom enables the School of Aviation to focus on developing and promoting a learning environment that facilitates a growth trajectory consistent with our program initiatives,” says Director of the School of Aviation Mike Baker.

With these renovations, the program is able to consolidate all of its ancillary activities, including their FAA knowledge testing center, in one location. The space will also be used for study groups and preparing for participation in the National Intercollegiate Flying Association competition.

In addition, the aviation classroom will soon incorporate aircraft fleet-specific static and procedural trainers for continued student development.

“The new classroom will allow the program to expand their fleet of flight training devices to cater to all students, from freshmen to seniors,” says Baker.

The renovations were made possible by a generous anonymous donation. Acting Vice President of Advancement Lisa Longacher reflects on the humility and generosity of Hesston College donors.

“Our supporters have a huge heart for helping the Hesston College community and want us to use their donations however they will help us best,” says Longacher.

In addition to the art and aviation classrooms, the renovations to Laban Peachey Center include a storage space for performing arts and a golf simulator purchased for the Hesston College golf team by another one of Hesston’s supportive donors. These renovations will be celebrated during this year’s Homecoming festivities.

Local playwriting festival takes the stage

For the first time since 2019, Hesston College will present their local playwriting showcase, Pen to Paper to Performance, on April 26 and 27 at 7 p.m. in the Keim Center Black Box Theater. Nine ten-minute plays were chosen from dozens of submissions to be produced and performed by the Hesston College Theatre Department.

“I love this event because it not only showcases the talent of our department and campus, but also the creativity in our communities,” says Rachel Jantzi, director of theater at Hesston College and creator of Pen to Paper to Performance.

The winning playwrights hail from communities like McPherson and Wichita to Hesston’s own campus. Jantzi created this festival as a way to encourage people who are curious about playwriting to give it a try. She enjoys seeing the different writing styles of the playwrights and how they translate to an onstage production.

“It’s fun to see how the playwrights react to seeing their ideas and dialogue spring to life,” explains Jantzi. “It takes a lot of courage to trust others to take what you wrote and move it from the page to the stage, but this process – one that promotes trust, vulnerability and collaboration – is what theatre allows and encourages.”

With a wide variety of genres and subject matter, here are this year’s winning submissions:

• Check by Cassie Balzer, Wichita, Kan.
• Bad Episode by Skye Colaw, McPherson, Kan.
• Tooter-Bug by Travis Duerksen, Goessel, Kan.
• Death by a Thousand Papercuts by Michele Hershberger, Hesston, Kan.
• Butter Woman by Patricia Middleton, Topeka, Kan.
• Trapped by Sam Setiawan ’24 (Hesston College student), Goshen, Ind.
• Writer’s Block by Mitch Stutzman, Hesston, Kan.
• A Fine Day for a Felony by Caitlin Waits, Winfield, Kan.
• The Menno Simons House for Wayward Christians by Matt Lehman Wiens, McPherson, Kan.

An ensemble of 16 actors will portray various roles in the performances with each actor appearing in at least two of the shows. The ensemble includes Hesston College students Meg Beyer, Josh Fleming, Hadassa Friesen, Joy Jones, Jamie Krehbiel, Caroline Miller, Charlie Miller, Desirae Rodriguez, Sam Setiawan, Rylee Weishaupt and Ashleigh Williams, faculty and staff members Jose Gloria, Michele Hershberger, Johann Reimer and Ken Rodgers, and community member Mitch Stutzman.

Admission is free for Hesston College students, $5 for outside students and $10 for adults and seniors. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door or in advance by calling 620-327-8104. Seating is limited, so early arrival is encouraged. Talkback sessions with the playwrights will follow the shows and each playwright will receive a portion of the box office earnings.

Athletic department to host annual Lark Open fundraiser

Hesston College will host the annual Lark Open on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at Hesston Golf Park. Check-in opens at 7:30 a.m. for the four-person scramble event with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.

The cost per golfer is $75 which covers the golfer’s green fees, cart, range balls, meal and two drinks. Golfers can purchase mulligans for $5 each. This year’s tournament will feature many different team and individual prizes, hole-in-one prizes and raffle prizes.

“This annual fundraiser has been a great source of support for Hesston College Athletics,” says Lowell Stephens, the golf head coach at Hesston. “It is a fun opportunity for the community to come together and show off their skills on the course.”

For more information or to sign up, please email lowell.stephens@hesston.edu or call 575-430-1766. Online registration is available at hesston.edu/lark-open. The deadline to register is May 15.

Hesston College thanks the event sponsors, including Garber Surveying Service, in Hutchinson, Kan., and Commerce Bank for underwriting this event and allowing 100 percent of proceeds to benefit Hesston College Athletics.