In the News

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.

Theatre department to present Tony Award-winning musical

The Hesston College theatre department will present the Tony Award-winning musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 and 19 and Feb. 25 and 26 in the Northlawn Studio Theatre.

The musical comedy chronicles the experience of six quirky middle schoolers competing in a regional spelling bee run by two equally quirky adults. The story plays with words, wit and humor to address adolescent experiences, struggles and family life. As the story unfolds, the young characters realize that success does not equal winning.

The musical marks the second Hesston College production for first-year director Laura Kraybill, who directed “Dead Man Walking” during the fall semester.

‘Spelling Bee’ speaks to society as it brings to light family issues and the obsession of winning, said Kraybill. “The often sensitive issues are dealt with through humor, which brings down defenses. It is also funny and upbeat in contrast to the fall production, and will give students and the community an opportunity to experience a range of dramatic styles.”

Like most musicals, dance, song and spoken dialogue are interwoven to create an entertaining environment. Audience participation and performer improvisation are built into the script to bring a unique factor to “Spelling Bee.” The Hesston College production also features an expanded cast to provide more student roles, a rotating set to create visual excitement and a cameo appearance by a historical figure.

The show features a small cast, but Kraybill is excited by the experience, natural humor and versatility the students bring to the stage. Most of the performers have previous acting and musical experience. Many of them are also members of Bel Canto Singers, the college’s top choir.

“The cast is made up of people with already funny personalities, who shine as extremely quirky characters,” said Kraybill. “The show gives these students an opportunity to flex their acting muscles and have fun.”

Audience members who attended “Dead Man Walking” will easily see the versatility of the student actors in “Spelling Bee.” Freshman Robert Howell of Newton, Kan., played the lead role of Matthew Poncelet, a convicted murderer on death row in Dead Man Walking. Howell plays Poncelet’s stark opposite in “Spelling Bee” – a sweet, innocent kid who makes his own clothes and wears a helmet for fear of bumping his head.

“‘Spelling Bee’ is one of the most popular shows to come out of Broadway in the last ten years,” said musical director and Hesston College music faculty member Matthew Schloneger. “We have a talented group of singing actors this year, who I know will deliver some outstanding performances. It’s guaranteed to leave your sides aching from laughter.”

The show also features the full orchestration used in the original production, including both Hesston College students and professionals.

“Spelling Bee” has a running time of less than two hours. It is rated PG for sensitive issues and some language.

Tickets can be purchased through the Hesston College Bookstore in person, by phone at 620-327-8105 or online at www.hesstonbooks.com. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors (65+). Tickets will also be available at the door 30 minutes before each show, and are subject to availability.

Tabor Mennonite Church to host Tony Brown concert Feb. 20

“Stories and Songs of Peace and Hope,” a concert featuring internationally acclaimed baritone Tony Brown will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20 at Tabor Mennonite Church.

Tabor Mennonite will co-host the event along with Hesston College as Brown shares stories from his travels as a peacemaker through music. The concert is free and open to the public, though a free-will offering will be received to for the Peacing It Together Foundation.

Brown, Hesston College sociology instructor and artist-in-residence, is an international promoter of peace. He uses music and the spoken word to bring people together across the divides of race, culture and religion.

“Tabor Mennonite Church has had a strong history as a peace church, and we continue to pray and act for peace in numerous ways,” said Corey Miller, Tabor Mennonite lead pastor. “Tony’s message of peace fits with our desire to have Christ’s peace flow out from us to the world. We trust that his music and message will inspire us all to be God’s faithful peace-makers.”

Brown is the founder of Peacing It Together Foundation, an organization that serves the global community as a resource for peace and social justice. Brown’s travels have taken him to countries such as Bosnia, Moldova, Northern Ireland, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Philippines, China, Japan, South Korea and Colombia, where he uses music and the spoken word to uplift areas of despair to hope. He has seen music transform and heal, and the concert offers audience members an opportunity to experience that transformation as well.

“The stories and songs are meant to inspire, educate and challenge all of us in our daily quest to live peace-centered lives,” says Brown.

Hesston College music faculty member Ken Rodgers, who has traveled with Brown on some of his overseas trips, will provide accompaniment.

A reception and Hesston College update will follow the concert.

Tabor Mennonite Church is located three miles south and one mile east of Goessel at 891 Chisholm Trail, Newton Kan.

Hesston College hosts Know Jesus event

About 180 junior high students and sponsors from Mennonite churches across Kansas and as far away as Milford, Neb., descended on the Hesston College campus Jan. 29 and 30 for the biennial Know Jesus event.

The event, organized by the Western District Conference of Mennonite Church USA and hosted by Hesston College, is a weekend-long retreat for junior high students to worship together and learn more about their Anabaptist roots.

“Know Jesus encourages junior high students to grow in their walk with Christ,” said Hallie Cable, an organizer for the weekend and a junior high youth sponsor from Kingman (Kan.) Mennonite Church. “It is important for the youth to explore their personal faith, and learn about the struggles of the early Anabaptists.”

The speaker for the weekend was Joel Schroeder, Pastor of Youth and Young Adults at First Mennonite Church in Newton, Kan., whose theme, “Seriously Ridiculous!” was taken from Colossians 3:1-4.

Schroeder’s message encouraged the youth to take a step of faith in times when it is easier to cling to the familiar and comfortable, and allow God to work in their lives.

“We have a seriously ridiculous God with a seriously ridiculous love for us that we can plug into, and he will do some seriously ridiculous things in our lives,” said Schroeder.

A highlight of the weekend included the Anabaptist Game, which gave students a glimpse of the persecution that early Anabaptists suffered for their faith. The youth searched for eight “safe houses” on campus where they heard the stories of famous Anabaptists like Pilgrim Marpeck, Michael Sattler, Dirk Willems and Conrad Grebel. As the youth traveled between safe houses they tried to evade the persecutors, who took them to “the dungeon” when captured.

About 100 Hesston College students, faculty and staff members were involved in game operations, playing the parts of tauferyagers, or Anabaptist chasers, and portraying the early Anabaptist and state church leaders.

A group of youth from Eden Mennonite Church in Moundridge, Kan., said they were not familiar with the stories of their early Anabaptist ancestors, and enjoyed discovering the foundations of their Anabaptist faith.

Tracey Funk, an eighth grader from Southern Hills Mennonite Church in Topeka, Kan., also enjoyed learning the Anabaptist stories.

“Until this weekend, I didn’t know that Menno Simons was a Catholic priest,” said Funk.

Hesston College students Simon Foote of Doylestown, Ohio, Josiah Hershberger of Richmond, Va., Laura Unruh of Goessel, Kan., Anna Yoder of Garden City, Mo., and Tyler Yoder of Bay Port, Mich., led music for the weekend.

Hesston College announces fall 2010 honor roll

Hesston College announced the names of full-time students whose fall semester grades earned them a place on the Dean’s List (3.90 to 4.00) and Honor Roll (3.50 to 3.89).

Hesston College – Academic Honors – Fall Semester 2010 (Full-time students completing 12 hours or more)

Dean’s List 3.90 – 4.00
Freshmen
Zachary Baumgartner – Hesston, Kan.
Harrison Beachey – New Paris, Ind.
Jacob Gayer – Hutchinson, Kan.
Hayden Goerzen – Newton, Kan.
Ashley Hager – West Liberty, Ohio
Jade Hathaway – Goshen, Ind.
Erin Hershey – Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Philip Hochstetler – Strang, Neb.
Jared Jenkins – Westminster, Colo.
Jonathan King – Hillsboro, Kan.
Danielle Klotz – Wakarusa, Ind.
Kendra Litwiller – Hopedale, Ill.
Maria Martin – Harrisonburg, Va.
Courtney Mast – Weatherford, Okla.
Kara Meyer – Orrville, Ohio
Katie Miller – Rio Rancho, N.M.
Kaela Moore – Inman, Kan.
Joel Murray – Hesston, Kan.
Hannamae Olsen – Golden, Colo.
Krista Rittenhouse – Mt. Pleasant, Pa.
Mallory Schroeder – Newton, Kan.
Rebecca Short – Archbold, Ohio
Katharine Steury – New Paris, Ind.
Issac Tice – Salisbury, Pa.
Alyssa Trevino – Halstead, Kan.
Emily Wagner-Davis – Roseville, Calif.
Grace Yoder – Bellefontaine, Ohio

Dean’s List 3.90 – 4.00
Sophomores
Darin Bontrager – Archbold, Ohio
Amy Brubaker – Goessel, Kan.
Lucinda Eash – Haven, Kan.
Katie Fiedler – Newton, Kan.
Laura Good – Fisher, Ill.
Kirsti Graffenberger – Albany, Ore.
Hannah Hoffman – Bendena, Kan.
Alyssa Horst – Orrville, Ohio
Julisa Jeske – Royal City, Wash.
Makenzie Jones – Hyde Park, Utah
Shayna Kaufman – McPherson, Kan.
Megan Leatherman – Hesston, Kan.
Elizabeth Miller – Riverside, Iowa
Yeji Mun – Kyoungsangn, South Korea
Sheralynn Neff – North Newton, Kan.
Michelle Powell – Derby, Kan.
John Schoenhals – Archbold, Ohio
Kelsey Schrock – Wellman, Iowa
Yohanes Setiadi – East Java, Indonesia
Stephanie Swartzendruber – Shickley, Neb.
Rachel Weaver – Inola, Okla.
Teresa Wiebe – Durham, Kan.
Elliot Wilder – Hesston, Kan.
Serena Williams – Hesston, Kan.
Allison Yates – Hesston, Kan.
Debra Yoder – Apple Creek, Ohio
Heidi Zehr – Tiskilwa, Ill.

Dean’s List 3.90 – 4.00
Unclassified
Frank Breugem – Hillsboro, Kan.
Bryan Miller – Hesston, Kan.

Honor Roll 3.50 – 3.89
Freshmen
Claudia Baca – Dodge City, Kan.
Hannah Bachman – Tiskilwa, Ill.
Jesse Baer – Villa Ridge, Mo.
Brocia Beachy – Wolcottville, Ind.
Ashley Boden – Marion, Kan.
Ryan Buckwalter – Hesston, Kan.
Cody Cook – Clayton, Kan.
Shuvo Das – Dhaka, Bangladesh
Erika Dorsch – Whitewater, Kan.
Logan Duerksen – Newton, Kan.
Angela Entz – Whitewater, Kan.
Caleb Gingerich – Kalona, Iowa
Kenneth Graber – Stryker, Ohio
Robert Howell – Newton, Kan.
Hyungjae Kim – Seoul, South Korea
Kush Lengacher – New Providence, Pa.
Xing Li – Hubei, China
Matthew Malo – Newton, Kan.
Saralyn Mast – Ephrata, Pa.
Ronald Moyo – North Newton, Kan.
Leah Mueller – Halstead, Kan.
Israel Negussie – Atlanta, Ga.
Saki Nozaki – Tokyo, Japan
Cynde Postma – Denver, Ore.
Stephen Quenzer – Visalia, Calif.
Stefanie Ruhs – North Rhine, Germany
Mara Short-Miller – Bellingham, Wash.
Emma Siegfried – Lancaster, Pa.
Jason Stubby – Newton, Kan.
Kara Stutzman – Hesston, Kan.
David Tedone – North Richland Hills, Texas
Elyse Terry – Bluffton, Ohio
Sarah Unruh – Durham, Kan.
Taylor Waidelich – Stryker, Ohio
Lauren Weaver- Hesston, Kan.

Honor Roll 3.50 – 3.89
Sophomores
Chelsey Alden – Broomfield, Colo.
Justin Davis – Topeka, Kan.
Lauren Franz – Hesston, Kan.
Austin Goering – Moundridge, Kan.
Mandy Kanagy – Timberville, Va.
Sarah Lederman – Middlebury, Ind.
Allison Martin – Crawfordsville, Iowa
Andrew Miller – Marion, S.D.
Tyler Mitchem – North Newton, Kan.
John Oyer – Hesston, Kan.
Andrea Pankratz – Buhler, Kan.
Shawnti Peachey – Corvallis, Ore.
Leah Rittenhouse – Mt. Pleasant, Pa.
Alex Roth – Hesston, Kan.
Solomon Rudy – Manheim, Pa.
Josh Snyder – Kalona, Iowa
Jodi Stutzman – Middlebury, Ind.
Ryan Wengerd – Goshen, Ind.

Photo release: Hesston College celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Week

Hesston College Pastoral Ministries student CJ Chukwukelu (right) and his wife Ude perform at an on-campus coffeehouse Jan. 21. The coffeehouse was one of several events at Hesston College Jan. 17 to 21 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Week. Other events included conversations with nationally-recognized human rights and environmental activist Rosina Philipe from Grand Bayou, La., a gospel concert by Voices of Joy choir from Dell Rose Methodist Church in Wichita, Kan., and presentations on various aspects of Dr. King’s life and work by guest speakers and faculty members.

Student’s fundraising efforts make a difference in Haiti

For Hesston College freshman, Saralyn Mast of Ephrata, Pa., the decision to cut Christmas break at home short by one week for a service opportunity was an easy one.

While most of her classmates were still enjoying the comforts of home, Saralyn traveled to Haiti with Life Connection Mission where she, four teammates and a leader spent a week ministering to Haitian children.

“I have always been attracted to that part of the world and to missions,” said Saralyn. “When the earthquake happened in Haiti I felt like that is where I needed to go.”

At the time of the earthquake, Saralyn had graduated from high school and was taking a year off of school to do missions work. She was already planning to leave for three months in India. Her time working with orphans in India would only fuel the desire to continue missions work.

Almost a year after Saralyn’s initial pull to Haiti, she set her feet on Haitian soil.

Traveling to another country requires a significant amount of money, and for a 19-year-old college student, extra money is not always readily available. Fundraising was essential for Saralyn, but being in Kansas meant she was more than 1,200 miles away from home and the people who know her best.

As it would turn out, she didn’t need to worry about fundraising in a new place. Hesston College students, faculty and staff stepped up to help make Saralyn’s call to serve in Haiti a reality.

“I did fundraising back home and people at my church donated, but when I started the fundraisers at Hesston College I didn’t have high expectations, because I wasn’t sure how involved people would want to be,” said Saralyn. “Because of Hesston College I was able to raise more than what I needed to fund the trip, which was such an unexpected gift. I feel blessed to have received that encouragement.”

With the help of her academic advisor, Kevin Wilder, Saralyn solicited the help of her new community. She recruited friends to be a part of a Servant Sale, in which students donated their time and physical labor to faculty or staff. The money they would have been paid for their work funded the trip. When the Peace and Service Club did its annual leaf raking in the wider Hesston community, one person wanted to compensate the students for their time and kindness, but the club insisted he give his donation to Saralyn’s trip instead.

Wilder even agreed to donate his hairstyle to the trip with a penny competition. For one weekend, students, faculty and staff voted with money for the hairstyle they wanted to see Wilder sport. The “Mr. T.” won by a landslide, so Wilder cut his hair into a mohawk to resemble the famous actor from the 1980s.

“Saralyn is an excellent student and an even better person,” said Wilder. “She is thoughtful, joyful and caring. I know this experience in Haiti is only the beginning of her commitment to service.”

The money Saralyn raised was for more than just getting her to Haiti and paying for meals or lodging. In fact, the team stayed in tents similar to the ones thousands of Haitians have been living in since the earthquake or in homes associated with the mission organization. The extra money was instead used to provide meals and clothes for Haitian children.

The first three days in Haiti, Saralyn and her team worked at a school in the mountain village of Charrier where they ran a format similar to Vacation Bible School. They told Bible stories, made crafts, played games and sang songs with the children. The team planned for about 50 children to attend, but almost 100 children showed up every day. Some of the money they raised was used to provide a meal of rice, beans and beef for almost 200 people at the school.

The rest of the week was spent in the coastal town of Montrious distributing t-shirts in a tent city and playing with the children at two orphanages. One of the orphanages, run by a local pastor and his wife, supported 45 children. Thanks to the unexpected success in fundraising, the team realized they had enough money remaining to provide another meal.

“There were times when these children wouldn’t eat for three days,” said Saralyn. “We had intentionally raised enough money to provide a meal at the school, and we were fortunate to have enough money left over to provide a meal for the children at the orphanage as well.”

Now that she’s back in school mode, Saralyn has begun to think about future opportunities in missions. She is leaning toward a major in psychology because she says it is more than just a job and something she can use in everyday life.

“I really enjoy missions work and I want to continue,” said Saralyn. “Hesston College is providing me with countless opportunities to interact with people through dorm life, intramurals and clubs. I am getting life learning, not just book learning, for which I am grateful.”

Saralyn is a member of Ephrata Mennonite Church and the daughter of David and Karen Mast.