In the News

Pfannenstiel making the grade

Sleepless night, my mind is racing. Alarm clock rings at 4:30 a.m. One hour to shower, change into scrubs and report to Newton Medical Center. Today is going to be a big one. First priority is the surgery unit at NMC for a clinical rotation. A quick lunch break at 11 a.m., then back to campus by 2 p.m. On my feet all day, tired. Change into basketball uniform, van leaves in 30 minutes for a two-hour drive to Haviland, Kan. Study on the way. Arrive in time for warmup and 6 p.m. tipoff. Hard-fought game – physical. Teammate ends up in the hospital. Score 27 points and grab 13 boards. 120 miles back to campus. Back by 10 p.m. Study for an hour then fall into bed. Set the alarm, tomorrow will come quick.

Sound busy? It is. Difficult? Yes. Is it manageable? For the right person, yes. Rewarding? Without a doubt.

Such is life for 19 year-old freshman shooting guard Mishaun Pfannenstiel, Inman, Kan., who studies nursing at Hesston College while starring for the school’s basketball team. And by the way, she led the team in scoring and finished twelfth in the country in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II, averaging 19.6 points per game.

“In high school my entire focus was on basketball,” Pfannenstiel said. “I remember having more free time then. Starting at Hesston, I quickly realized that balancing basketball and academics would be a big time commitment, and I had to manage my time well to be successful.”

Since being accepted into Hesston’s nursing program (she’ll be ready for the national RN licensure exam —NCLEX-RN—upon graduating after her sophomore year), Pfannenstiel has found herself immersed in clinical training that has her on the fast track to fulfilling her career aspirations. She has a good path to follow, considering 100 percent of last year’s Hesston nursing graduates passed the licensure exam on their first attempt. Pursuing Hesston’s two-year program has meant managing a busier schedule than most student athletes, but Pfannenstiel is making it work.

“I probably have a slightly different social schedule than other girls in my dorm,” Pfannenstiel said. “I’d bet my usual 10 p.m. bedtime gets me to sleep before my dad on occasion, and certainly before most of my friends here.”

“Mishaun has the wonderful ability to take the concepts she is learning in the classroom and apply them to her patient care encounters,” said Hesston nursing instructor Gregg Schroeder. “She makes connections between theory and practice that are outstanding for a first-year nursing student. It’s apparent to me that Mishaun is thriving as she balances her athletic commitments with her academic requirements.”

On the court, Pfannenstiel meant everything to the Hesston offense this season. In 30 games played she led the team in scoring 27 times and reached double-figures in all but two games. According to Hesston coach Dan Harrison, it’s Pfannenstiel’s all-around basketball acumen that allowed her to maintain a high level of play each night.

“She can score in so many ways,” Harrison said. “Whether it’s from beyond the arc, with a mid-range jumper or penetrating and getting to the free-throw line, Mishaun is a scorer. She’s a competitor and a hard-nosed defender.”

“Mishaun is a very likeable teammate,” said fellow freshman Kara Stutzman, Hesston, Kan. “She’s quick-witted and fun to be around. Get her on a basketball court and she’ll show you drive and tenacity. Mishaun goes hard and has made a big impact on our team.”

Pfannenstiel’s success on the basketball court shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise to south-central Kansans who follow high school hoops. She was, after all, named the Hutchinson News 2A Player of the Year, as well as an all-state selection after a stellar senior season at Inman High School. It seems her recipe for success then has translated well to the college game.

“Mishaun was such a competitor, and she could score in so many different ways,” said Inman High coach Jeff Friesen. “She was a great offensive rebounder, shot a high percentage from the free throw line, ran the floor well and could create her own shot. She was not afraid to take the big shot or step up and make a play. It is really nice to see the success she is having at Hesston on and off the court.”

Studying and playing at Hesston College, ranked second in the U.S. on the list of two-year colleges in terms of student success by an August 2010 study in Washington Monthly, has given Pfannenstiel the structure and support to reach her goals of working in a hospital setting, or possibly at a clinic in the future.

“This year has been a tremendous challenge for me, but I like challenges. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished.” Pfannenstiel added. “Hesston’s campus has been like a big family to me. It’s been a good fresh start.”

Photo release – Mennonite World Conference delegates visit Hesston College

Serge Kalambay Nsunzu (right), a Hesston College freshman from Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, talks with Mawangu Cisca Ibanda, a Mennonite World Conference delegate from the Congo following a Hesston College chapel presentation Feb. 23. Ibanda, along with Cynthia Peacock of Nepal and Albert Lobe of Kitchener, Ontario, spoke to the Hesston College community about the importance of globalization in the church and the work of MWC.

Federal faith-based initiatives leader to visit Hesston College

David Myers, director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, will visit Hesston College March 18 to 20 to discuss partnerships between the government and faith-based and other non-profit organizations with the Hesston College campus and wider local community. Kevin King, executive director of Mennonite Disaster Service, will join Myers in several of his presentations.

The DHS Center is one of 12 to operate under the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Myers, who was appointed by President Obama in 2009 to head the DHS Center, leads his staff to build, sustain and improve effective partnerships between the federal government and faith-based and voluntary organizations. Myers has personally led Center efforts at major disasters, working closely with senior governmental, state, local, faith-based and voluntary groups.

An ordained Mennonite minister, Myers has served as pastor at Whitestone Mennonite Church (Hesston, Kan.), Oak Park Mennonite Church (Chicago), and North Suburban Mennonite Church (Libertyville, Ill.). He has also improved community-based social service programs while working for Rafael Center/Heartland Alliance for Human Rights and Human Needs; the Center for Public Ministry/Connections for the Homeless; as executive director of the Center for Public Ministry in Evanston, Ill.; and as executive director of Teen Living Programs in Chicago.

King has served as executive director of MDS, based in Lititz, Pa., since February 2004. He previously served as an International Agriculture Advisor with Mennonite Central Committee in Brazil and Jamaica. He later was the Material Resources Manager at MCC’s Akron, Pa., office, where he coordinated collecting and shipping material aid overseas.

Friday, March 18 at 10 a.m., Myers and King will speak to the Hesston College Disaster Management Leadership Development class on the topic, “What makes a good leader?” The class will meet in Kropf Center room 150. Myers will speak in an 11 a.m. forum in the Hesston Mennonite Church sanctuary with the topic, “Of the world, but not in it.” Both presentations are free and open to the public.

Area pastors and other church leaders are invited to a 7 p.m. discussion March 18 with Myers and King in the Hesston Mennonite Church Community Center. The evening will address the strengths and weaknesses of partnerships between the church and government. John Murray, lead pastor at Hesston Mennonite Church, will serve as moderator. The event is free, though reservations are required.

Hesston College will host a community-wide event Saturday, March 19 for representatives of disaster response and recovery organizations and other interested people. Myers and King will discuss how faith-based and non-profit agencies can work efficiently with government agencies. The event will begin at 8 a.m., with a continental breakfast, and discussion beginning at 8:30 a.m. Dr. Brenda Phillips, a professor in the Fire and Emergency Management Program at Oklahoma State University (Stillwater) will serve as moderator. The event is free, though reservations are required.

Dr. Phillips is an affiliated faculty member in the Gender and Women’s Studies and the International Student programs, and a senior researcher with the Center for the Study of Disasters and Extreme Events at Oklahoma State University. She is a member of the Gender and Disaster Network and the International Research Committee on Disasters. She is the author of “Disaster Recovery,” (Auerbach Publications, 2009) and is working on a book on recovery in the Gulf following the hurricanes of 2005. She has also co-edited books about disaster recovery and been published in several journals. Dr. Phillips was instrumental in the formation of the Hesston College Disaster Management Program.

Call Hesston College Alumni and Church Relations at 866-437-7866 for reservations for the Friday evening and Saturday morning events.

Chorale prepares for Spring Break 2011 tour to Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania

The Hesston College Chorale is preparing for its annual Spring Break tour March 5 to 13. The 37-voice choir under the direction of music faculty member Ken Rodgers will present 12 concerts in 10 days across Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The program of choral music from the Renaissance era to the 20th Century will focus around the theme “Christ, Our Peace.”

Tour Schedule:

• Tues., March 1 – Hesston Mennonite Church , 309 S Main St., Hesston, Kan., 7 p.m.
• Sat., March 5 – Hopedale Mennonite Church , 5192 Hopedale Rd., Hopedale, Ill., 7 p.m
• Sun., March 6 – Willow Springs Mennonite Church , 16621 Kentville Rd., Tiskilwa, Ill., 9:30 a.m.
• Sun., March 6 – East Goshen Mennonite Church , 17861 SR 4, Goshen, Ind., 7 p.m.
• Mon., March 7 – Bethany Christian School , 2904 S Main, Goshen, Ind., 9:20 a.m.
• Mon., March 7 – Greencroft Goshen , 1721 Greencroft Blvd, Goshen, Ind., 1 p.m.
• Mon., March 7 – Central Mennonite Church , 21703 State Route 2, Archbold, Ohio, 7 p.m.
• Tues., March 8 – Beaverdam Mennonite Church , 17721 Route 89, Corry, Pa., 7 p.m.
• Wed., March 9 – Kaufman Mennonite Church , 916 Miller Picking Rd., Davidsville, Pa., 7 p.m.
• Thurs., March 10 – Springs Mennonite Church , 1686 Springs Rd., Springs, Pa., 7 p.m.
• Fri., March 11 – Howard-Miami Mennonite Church , 3976 East CR 1400 S, Kokomo, Ind., 7 p.m.
• Sun., March 13 – Arthur Mennonite Church , 710 E Park St., Arthur, Ill., 10:30 a.m.

Hesston College Chorale to present concert in Hesston March 1

The Hesston College Chorale will present a program of worship through sacred music at 7 p.m., March 1 at Hesston Mennonite Church. The concert is free and open to the public, though a free-will offering will be collected to cover program costs.

The program of choral music from the Renaissance era to the 20th Century will focus around the theme “Christ, Our Peace.” The choir is presenting this program as the opening concert of its week-long Spring Break tour through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania March 5 to 13.

The 37-voice choir is under the direction of music faculty member, Ken Rodgers.

Hesston College to present “Common Threads” in Harleysville, Pa., March 7

Hesston College will host “Common Threads: Anabaptist and African-American Songs and Stories of Suffering and Hope” at 7 p.m. Monday, March 7, at Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville. The event is free and open to the public, though a free-will offering will be received to cover program costs.

“Common Threads” is a program that features Hesston College faculty members Tony Brown and John Sharp. Brown is a professional baritone, artist in residence and sociology professor. Sharp is a history professor, storyteller and author. They will give voice to Anabaptist martyrs and enslaved African-Americans by singing their hymns and telling their stories. It is an exploration of the way Anabaptist religious persecution and African American racial suffering have intersected. Both groups have suffered at the hands of legitimate governments, and both found hope in the midst of pain and humiliation.

“Both groups found strength and consolation in their steadfast faith in God,” Sharp said. “They were utterly confident that God’s purposes would, in the end, prevail. Their stories and songs have not typically been linked, but we believe it is useful to do so. Their witness stands for all who will see and hear.”

“Thinking about how we can connect with others and finding those common threads can offer promise for humanity,” Brown said. “In the end, we as a human species are more profoundly alike than different. It is the idea of difference that formed the basis for racism, persecution and systematic oppression. Humanity needs to find value in difference while at the same time exploring the common threads that bind us together.”

A reception for all attendees including alumni and friends of Hesston College will follow the program.

Salford Mennonite Church is located at 480 Groff Mill Rd. in Harleysville. Hesston College alumni and friends are particularly invited to attend.

For more information, contact Dallas Stutzman, Hesston College Alumni and Church Relations director at 866-437-7866.

Hesston College announces Kauffman as new athletic director

Hesston College Vice President of Student Life Lamar Roth has announced the hiring of Joel Kauffman, a 1980 Hesston graduate, to replace Art Mullet – who will retire this spring – as athletic director. Kauffman currently serves as Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid at Hesston, a role he will continue until his responsibilities in the athletic department begin this summer. A search for a new Vice President of Admissions will begin immediately.

“Joel brings a wealth of experience in athletics, academics and administration to this position,” Roth said. “His understanding of current trends in student athlete recruiting will benefit him well, and his coaching tenure has given him a window into the Hesston College student experience.”

“I’m honored to have this opportunity to give back to a college that is so unique and special in what it offers students,” Kauffman said. “Our athletes are students first, and I’m looking forward to working with others on campus to provide a holistic experience that connects academics and athletics in ways that will give our students the best start possible.”

Following high school teaching and coaching appointments in Nevada and California from 1982 to 1987, Kauffman moved to Hesston in 1987 and assumed coaching duties for the Hesston College women’s basketball program, a post he held until 2007. Kauffman was named National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) District B Coach of the Year following the 1996-97 season in which the Larks advanced to the NJCAA Division II national tournament. Kauffman’s teams won five NJCAA regional championships during his time as coach.

During Mullet’s sabbatical year of 1993 to 1994, Kauffman served as co-athletic director and baseball coach. In the 1996-97 academic year, Kauffman coached the softball team.

Aside from his time on the court, Kauffman has taught humanities courses at Hesston since 1990. He holds an associate degree in liberal arts from Hesston College, a bachelor’s degree in history from Fresno (Calif.) Pacific University and a master’s of education degree from Wichita (Kan.) State University.

Kauffman has made a career of being a positive involvement in students’ lives on the Hesston campus, both in academics and athletics. His many years of relationship building and mentoring among students and co-workers alike make him an ideal fit for what he describes as his ‘dream job’.”

“Joel was one of those coaches whose influence on his players reached far beyond the court,” said former Hesston basketball player and assistant coach Joy Smith Yoder ’96, Cassopolis, Mich. “He challenged me to creatively explore life and to not allow my thoughts to be reigned in by societal norms. Joel allowed us to process our lives with a supportive listening ear, yet would provoke us to explore choices we were making. As a former player who then had the opportunity to assist him coaching for seven years, I am honored to have been a part of his teams, yet more honored to call him a friend.”

“Joel has a broad understanding of the mission of Hesston College given his experience as an administrator, instructor and coach here,” Roth said. “I am confident in Joel’s abilities to lead as he assumes the athletic director role from Art Mullet who has provided 30 years of service at Hesston College.”

Kauffman and his wife, Ariana, also a Hesston graduate, live in Hesston and attend Hesston Mennonite Church.

Hesston College athletics compete in Division I and II of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Hesston College Alumni/Community Night features free admission to basketball games

The Hesston College alumni office will sponsor its annual Community Night during the final regular season home basketball games Saturday, Feb. 19. The teams will face Region VI rival Brown Mackie College (Salina, Kan.) with women’s tip off at 2 and the men at 4 p.m.

“This will be an exciting and entertaining afternoon of basketball, especially with our rival Brown Mackie coming into Yost Center,” said Hesston athletic director Art Mullet. “Both men’s and women’s games will be highly competitive. Our fans will not be disappointed.”

Free autograph signings by the Hesston teams, a Pop-a-Shot game and free Henna tattoos, courtesy of Hesston College admissions, highlight evening events for youth. Deb Preheim from A Cut Above in Hesston will be giving ‘Lark Clips’, free basic haircuts, during the action. Entertainment also includes a hip-hop performance by Hesston freshman Marcus Ruiz. Admission is free to all.

“We have a great evening of entertainment and athletic competition lined up,” said Director of Alumni and Church Relations Dallas Stutzman. “We hope this free event is a small way to say thanks for the support that is given to the college and its athletic programs from alumni and friends each year.”

Lyric Arts Trio to present Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts concert

Lyric Arts Trio, a chamber ensemble of soprano voice, clarinet, and piano, will be the fourth concert in the 2010-11 Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts Series

The trio, which hails from Kansas City, will present “American Voices” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus.

Acclaimed coloratura soprano Sarah Tannehill, clarinetist Elena Talley and pianist Daniel Velicer present classical music with a fresh and innovative approach.

“Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts devotes one concert each year to the finest musical talent in Kansas,” said HBPA director Matthew Schloneger. “Soprano Sarah Tannehill is a rising star and one of America’s finest young singers, so when I heard that she had joined forces with Kansas City’s Lyric Arts Trio, I knew we had to bring them to Hesston. Their program, ‘American Voices,’ will be a wonderful celebration of Kansas’ 2011 sesquicentennial year.”

“American Voices” celebrates classic American life and landscapes through pieces adapted from famous poets, including Willa Cather, Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost. The trios, duets and solos also showcase a range of musical traditions from musical theatre to works by classical composer Aaron Copland.

Lyric Arts Trio has been performing and traveling across the Midwest for 20 years. Each of the members have careers with other musical endeavors as well.

Tannehill is a vibrant young singer with versatility and flare for both comedy and drama on the stage. She has performed leading operatic roles with the Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera Omaha, Fort Worth Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and the Saarländisches Staatstheatre in Saarbrücken, Germany. She received rave reviews for singing her first Ophelia in Hamlet with the Kansas City Lyric Opera after only a few hours notice. Equally at home in symphony and concert, Tannehill earned Emerging Artist distinction in 2007 from Symphony magazine. She has sung with Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Wichita Symphony, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and the Kansas City Symphony, among others. She is a member of the Grammy Award-winning Kansas City Chorale. She also teaches voice in Overland Park and at William Jewell College (Liberty, Mo.).

Talley, founder of the Lyric Arts Trio, performs frequently with the Kansas City Symphony, and has also performed with the Lyric Opera Orchestra of Kansas City, the Missouri Symphony, the Kansas City Camerata and the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra. She previously taught at Emporia (Kan.) State University and Mid-America Nazarene University (Olathe).

Velicer performs regularly with the Kansas City Symphony and the Kansas City Ballet outreach programs, and is in constant demand as an accompanist and vocal coach. He previously served as an Opera Coach Fellow at the Aspen (Colo.) Music Festival and the head staff pianist at the University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music (Stockton, Calif.). He is now chamber music coach and artist performer on the faculty at the Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory (Steamboat Springs, Colo.).

In addition to the HBPA concert appearance, the trio will conduct an educational residency with students from Hesston College and Bethel College Feb. 21. The trio will lead an instrumental master class in the Hesston Mennonite Church sanctuary at 9 a.m., and a vocal master class in the Hesston Mennonite Church Community Center at 10 a.m. Both sessions are free and open to the public.

Single ticket prices for Lyric Arts Trio range from $14 to $17, depending on seating section, with discounts available to students and senior citizens.

The remaining performance in the HBPA season is instrumental ensemble Three Part Invention, Sunday, April 17, at Hesston Mennonite Church.

For more information or to purchase tickets , call 620-327-8158 (Hesston College) or 316-284-5205 (Bethel College), e-mail hbpa@hesston.edu or visit the HBPA website at www.hesston.edu/hbpa.

This program is presented in part by the Kansas Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, which believes a great nation deserves great art, and is supported by Mid-America Arts Alliance, with generous underwriting by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kansas Arts Commission and foundations, corporations and individuals throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

The Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts Series, now in its 29th year, started in 1982 as the Hesston Performing Arts Series (HPA) with funding and planning provided by Hesston College and the Hesston community. In 1998, HPA planners launched a partnership with Bethel College (North Newton) and the name changed to Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts. Hesston College and Bethel College host five performances by world-renowned or regionally acclaimed artists each year.