Hesston College Today

START HERE, GO EVERYWHERE

SUMMER 2009 www.hesston.edu

HESSTON COLLEGE 1909-2009

A Centennial Celebration

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A L U M N I N E W S

Hesston College Today is the official publica-tion of Hesston College, published three times yearly at Hesston, Kansas, for alumni and friends of Hesston College. Address cor-respondence to Hesston College Today, Box 3000, Hesston, KS 67062, or e-mail to [email protected].

Editor Phil Richard and Larry BartelAlumni News Dallas StutzmanGraphic Design Nancy MillerPhotography Larry Bartel Printing Baker Bros. Printing

Hesston College Board of OverseersNorm Yoder ’67, Henderson, Neb., ChairWilbur Bontrager ’73, Middlebury, Ind., Vice Chair Dee Custar ’98, West Unity, Ohio, SecretaryDale Beachey ’66, Sarasota, Fla., TreasurerGinny (Davidhizar) ’68 Birky, Newberg, Ore.Annette (Steider) ’83 Brown, Frisco, TexasKelvin Friesen ’73, Archbold, OhioLuke Hartman ’89, Harrisonburg, Va.Denton Jantzi ’94, Hesston, Kan.Harley Kooker ’66, Christiana, Pa.Phyllis (Liechty) ’69 Nofziger, Goshen, Ind.Jorge Vallejos, Goshen, Ind.

Alumni OfficersJeannine (Spicher) ’81 Janzen, President, Elbing, Kan., 316-799-2890, [email protected] Yoder ’80, Vice President, Wichita, Kan., 316-440-2813, [email protected]

Alumni Advisory CouncilKermit Ac57, ’60 and Clydene (Jantz) ’61 Gingerich, Mountain Home, Idaho, 208-845-2875, [email protected] ’69 and Shirley (Good) ’70 Kempf, Shickley, Neb., 402-627-7595, [email protected] Patsy (King) ’75 and Doug ’74 Unruh, Perryton, Texas, 806-435-4558, [email protected] ’80 and Janice (Leichty) ’80 Hostetler, Kalona, Iowa, 319-656-3022, [email protected] ’88 and Rhonda (Yoder) ’88 Rhodes, Arthur, Ill., 217-543-2440, [email protected] ’97 and Angie (Book) ’98, ’02 Savanick, Scottdale, Pa., 724-887-0193, [email protected] ’00 and Erin (Nebel) ’00 Kempf, Goshen, Ind., 574-903-0577, [email protected] Miller ’07, Milford, Neb., 402-761-4393, [email protected]

August15 Pastoral Ministries Golf Benefit, Hesston21-23 Opening Weekend24 Classes begin

September 25-26 Prospective Student Visit Days25-27 Centennial Homecoming Celebration

October5-7 Immanuel Sila ’00, church leader in residence11 Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts presents Kansas City Chorale, 3 p.m., Memorial Hall, Bethel College16-20 Fall Break Bel Canto Singers tour to South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin Men’s and Women’s Basketball scrimmages at Goshen (Ind.) College (17) and Iowa Wesleyan College (Mount Pleasant) (19)23-24 Prospective Student Visit Days30-Nov. 1 Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Series, “Learning the Bible in life-giving ways: History, hooks, and heilsgeschichte”

November2-3 Mission and Service days13 Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts presents “A Universe of Dreams: Ensemble Gallilei with NPR’s Neal Conan,” 7:30 p.m., Hesston Mennonite Church13-14 Hesston College Board of Overseers meetings26-28 Thanksgiving Weekend Prospective Student Visit Days

For sports schedules, visit the Athletics page at www.hesston.edu/larks

March 20, 2010, Hesston College will host a National Golf Tournament and Week-end Golf package in Phoenix, Ariz. Details coming in late summer. Save the date!

Alumni are invited to visit the Hesston College alumni page on the web to update contact information and to inform classmates about a new job, degree completed, new spouse or baby, or other significant events. You may also call or e-mail. I also invite you to share your Hesston story by completing an alumni profile, also on the alumni page at www.hesston.edu. Your story is important to Hesston College, your classmates, and Hesston’s prospective students. Many Hesston classes are forming on Facebook.com/hesston - Hesston College’s page on Facebook - and I invite you to become a fan of Hesston College. Check the Hesston College page to see if your class has its own group. If not, start your own or ask us to start one. If you start one, please inform us of the group.

As always, our office welcomes your suggestions for im-provements for the magazine and ways to improve relating to the college and your classmates.

Dallas L. Stutzman ’76 —Vice President of Alumni and Church [email protected] 866-437-7866 (866-HESSTON)Hesston College Alumni Office, Box 3000, Hesston, KS 67062

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Howard Keim, President

college better than it was before, in a better position to prepare students for service in the church and the world.

I close with gratefulness for our friend and colleague, Phil Richard, who entered eternal life on June 7, following a three year battle with cancer. His gentle spirit, writing skill, integrity in reporting, and spirit of service will be sorely missed. He and his wife Sandi were examples to us all in “fighting the good fight and keep-ing the faith” in these last years.

Looking back, looking forward


This issue of Hesston College Today previews the Centennial Celebration on campus in September of 2009, 100 years after the first group of students enrolled. It would not be possible to recount that history here. So many stories, and stories within stories, could be told, that Mary Miller, and now John Sharp have had great difficulty in distilling the many happenings into a narra-tive that does justice to the history of this place. Instead,

I will share a few of the things that I am grateful for as President.I am grateful for the faculty and staff who have gone before us who now

serve in this place. Their call to service, dedication to excellence, and love of students are part of the culture of this place. The hours of serving students, day after day, year after year, have accumulated to a wonderful legacy now shown in students who serve in their vocations throughout the world.

When I gave a briefing of what I considered to be bad economic news to the faculty and staff in the fall of 2008, John Sharp reminded me that every president before me has also dealt with adversity, and many would be glad for the problems I had shared. I am grateful for the fine service of the presidents who came before me and the ways in which each one added what was needed at that time in the college’s history.

I am grateful for the students who have come through these halls. When we consider the impact of these students and the ripple effects of their service in many vocations and places in the world, we can only marvel that God has accomplished “far more than we could ever ask or imagine” through the min-istry entrusted to us.

I am grateful for the motto, chosen in the 1920s, from the Gospel of John, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” We are an academic institution, grounded in the truth of scripture as we understand it, striving to experience and share the freedom of Christ.

And I am grateful for the privilege I have to serve in this place. I came as a student in 1970, and my life was marvelously enriched by my experience here. Tami and I returned in 1987 to teach, and we have both spent the greater part of our careers here. I am a steward of this office, not an owner. I serve the college and the church at the direction of our board. My passion, as it has been for all who have served before me, is to lead in a way that leaves the

A.L. Hess

T.M. Erb

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The “Big Trio” and the Founders Quartet By John Sharp

On a day designated as Founder’s Day, Nov. 23, 1979, Hesston College ad-ministrators named the following four leading spirits “founders” of the college.

A.L. (Abraham Lincoln) HessAbe Hess was born near Ephrata, Pa., in 1861. He and Anna Pfautz Hess

migrated to the Kansas prairies in 1884 in the company of some 20 extended family members. Abe and his brother Amos immediately bought a half section of 320 acres in Emma Township and soon purchased more land. On their land they platted a town, called Hesston, in 1886, and sold commercial and resi-dential building lots. They lobbied successfully for a depot—often the key to prosperity—on the St. Louis, Fort Scott & Wichita Railroad, later acquired by the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

Hess was resolute, sometimes impetuous, and ever practical. He was a farm-er, landowner, bank director, and partner in various local enterprises. Generous to a fault, Hess was well situated to offer 80 acres of land that helped draw the college to Hesston. He was a member of the school’s first executive committee and until he died in 1920 at age 59, Hess was Hesston College’s major benefac-tor.

T.M. (Tilman Mahlon) ErbBorn near Mt. Joy, Pa., in 1865, T.M. came to Kansas with his parents,

Jacob and Leah Erb in 1885. A year later, T.M. married Lizzie Hess, a sister of A.L. Hess. In 1893, Erb was ordained a minister at the Pennsylvania Mennonite Church, where his father served as the first deacon. In 1898, T.M. was ordained a bishop, which gave him oversight responsibilities for several congregations.

T.M. was moderator of the Kansas-Nebraska Mennonite Conference when the assembly acted in 1907 to establish a college on the western prairie. As a member of the Mennonite Board of Education, he carried the resolution to the next meeting of the board. With the board’s endorsement, Erb explored possible sites and helped select Hesston. He was then appointed business manager and given the responsibility to see that the school was organized, staffed, funded, and built.

Erb was also a farmer, creamery operator, and entrepreneur. He led the city in its incorporation in 1921 and served as the first city council president. As a business leader, he was described as “courageous, honorable, and highly es-teemed.”

T.M. Erb was Hesston’s primary founder, chairman of the school’s first ex-ecutive committee, and served as its chief financial officer until he died in 1929 at age 63.

Cover photo (left to right): D.H. Bender, Stella Cooprider, J.B. Kanagy, and J.D. Charles

D.H. (Daniel Henry) Bender D.H. Bender was born near Springs, Pa., in 1866. He graduated from

normal school at age 14, began teaching at 18, and at 34, he became principal of Grantsville, Md., schools.

As a church statesman, he was widely known and respected. In 1887, at the age of 21, he was ordained a minister at Folk Church, Springs, Pa., and soon became a popular speaker in congregations and at conferences across the church.

He was known also as an editor of the major church periodicals, begin-ning with the Herald of Truth, under John F. Funk at Elkhart, Ind., in 1904. Bender moved to Scottdale, Pa., in 1906 to become office editor of the Gospel Witness, and then of the Gospel Herald when it became the new official peri-odical of the Mennonite Church by merger of the two preceding papers in 1908. He wrote Sunday school lessons for children and adults, beginning with the Advanced Sunday School Lesson Quarterly in 1903.

He had served in leading capacities on many committees and church boards. He assisted in the organization of the Mennonite General Conference in 1897, and the boards of education in 1905, missions in 1906, and publish-ing in 1908. Bender’s was a household name. In 1908 he became the founding principal of Hesston Academy and Bible School.

When Bender was named principal, “the big trio” that would launch and lead the school was in place: Bender, the principal, T.M. Erb, the business manager, and A.L. Hess, the chief benefactor. Bender served as principal/presi-dent until 1930. He died in 1945 at the age of 79 in Albany, Ore.

J.D. (John Denlinger) CharlesBorn in 1879 in Manor Township in eastern Lancaster County, John

D. Charles had a special aptitude for learning. Atypical of Lancaster County youth, Charles announced to his parents that he didn’t want to farm, but wanted to go to school to become a surgeon. His shocked parents, who could not imagine a Mennonite surgeon, prevailed on him to change his mind. Well, then, could he become a teacher? he asked. To this his parents agreed. So he walked daily to Millersville Normal School and completed the teachers’ train-ing curriculum. After teaching at a local elementary school for a few years, he earned a bachelor of arts degree at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster. But after graduating, Charles, “at loose ends,” turned down teaching opportu-nities and became a traveling hardware salesman.

His travels took him to Kansas City, where he attended a preaching ser-vice at the Kansas City Mennonite Mission that changed his life. Sitting under the bold preaching of Joseph F. Brunk, Charles heard the one-armed preacher tell him that he was a “Jonah” running away from “Nineveh.” J.D. Charles became the next superintendent of the Kansas City Mission in 1906, and was ordained a minister by Bishop T.M. Erb, May 4, 1908.

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D.H. Bender

J.D. Charles

Continued on page 18

by Susan Miller Balzer

Paul Friesen sculpts a work to mark a century

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A sculpture evoking images of the “School in the West” and its home on the prairie is taking shape as Paul Friesen carves a five-foot section of the trunk of a red cedar to create a Hesston College centennial commemoration.

Friesen, a student at the academy and college in 1941-44, began teach-ing at Hesston College in 1957. He started the commissioned sculpture in December and works on it in a studio in the college’s newest building, the Friesen Center for the Visual Arts. Friesen Center is named in honor of Paul and his wife Wilma, for their contributions to the college, especially to the art department.

For the medium Friesen chose a red cedar log donated by Michael Over-street, of Canton, since red cedars were the first trees planted around the circle driveway on the college campus100 years ago. Only a few of the old cedars remain today.

Friesen traces his interest in cloisters to an airline magazine article. The architectural structures of a Mediterranean coastal city shown in the article echoed the styles of a Medieval cloister in ways that intrigued him. A cloister on the prairie began to appear periodically on his mental screen. Later, when reading the journal of Edward Yoder, an early professor of Latin and Greek at Hesston College, Friesen found it interesting that Yoder referred to a favor-ite wooded spot near Alta Mills as “a cell in my cloister” which Yoder would frequently visit to read and to observe nature.

A cloister is a quiet, secluded place, especially a monastery or convent, devoted to religious study. While the quiet seclusion of Hesston College has changed somewhat through the century, the image of a Christian learning center situated on the Midwestern prairie, is timeless. Friesen hesitates to give his sculpture a name, but is inspired by the concept of a cloister on the Plains as he shaves and shapes the wood and the art emerges.

Working with the natural qualities of the local cedar, Friesen wants to say that “an environment for learning is more than buildings; it’s locality, nature.” Each week’s work exposes new and interesting developments out of Friesen’s creative dialog with the cedar log. The scent of red cedar permeates the cell of his cloister.

Friesen’s finished work will be unveiled at a ceremony during centennial homecoming weekend.

—Susan Miller ’67 Balzer is a free-lance writer in Hesston, Kan.

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by Susan Miller Balzer

Timely stitches of master quilters produce Centennial quilt

Martha Hershberger (left) and Faith Penner work on the Centennial quilt.

Martha (Buckwalter) ’48, Hershberger, of Hesston, and her daughter, Faith (Hershberger) ’74, Penner, of Harper, Kan., drew their inspiration from the Kansas prairie and from Hesston College graphic designer Nancy Miller’s design for the college’s centennial theme, “Living the Vision” as they worked together to create a commissioned centennial quilt.

The result, a triptych—three panels representing the past, present, and future of Hesston College—is a vibrant piece of art, featuring the brilliant colors of the sunrise and sunset, golden heads of wheat, and green and brown-patterned appliquéd representations of the fertile prairie soil against a black background which is quilted with bronze thread. The triptych, which is about 150 inches wide, will be unveiled Homecoming Weekend.

Hershberger and Penner have contributed many quilted works of art to the Pleasant Valley Mennonite Church in Harper. “(Quilting) is something we really enjoy. It’s special to do this together,” Penner said.

Gloria (Bontrager) ’56 Hostetler, of Harper, helped with the quilting. The women did lap quilting on different panels of the triptych in their own homes; nevertheless, their quilting stitches look identical.

For the centennial quilt, the mother-daughter team created their own freehand quilting pattern, which includes swirls in the body of the quilt to represent the swirling Kansas wind.

Penner said it’s hard to think about Kansas without thinking of the sky and the prairie with its wheat and grasses. “We really wanted to capture that in the quilt,” she said.

The college is a living, changing organism, not any more static than the prairie, Hershberger said.

The college seal, with an open Bible and the motto, “The truth shall make you free” is embroidered on the center of the third panel.

“The seal centers the institution,” Hershberger said, noting that Bible-cen-tered truth is not only the foundation, but is also fundamental for the present and future of Hesston College.

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by Carol Duerksen

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156 graduates celebrate Commencement Weekend 2009

Hesston College graduated 156 students on Sunday morning, May 3, in Yost Center, and Jim and Jim were in the gym to address them before they received their diplomas. Representing the “lofty” world of academia, 36-year veteran of the science faculty, Jim Yoder, was dressed in full regalia and spoke from the bucket of a cherry picker high above the grads, their families and friends. Jim Mason, direc-tor of Campus Facilities, stood below stage level, wore jeans and a polo shirt, and represented the “down-to-earth” aspects of a college education.

“I see what goes on outside the classroom...in the dorms, cafeteria, here in the gym, and often in the evenings,” Mason said. “I know these people outside the classroom and I have an idea—perhaps even better than you—how much these graduation candidates have grown and matured over their years here—ways that go far beyond the classroom.”

“I must agree with that, Jim,” Yoder said. “But I still say, first of all, the mind must be what we call liberated, so that we are not prisoners of thoughts and ideas that are not our own. We have to be able to think for ourselves—to be life-long learners...after all, the classroom is what makes this an academic institution.”

As Yoder and Mason continued their dialogue, Yoder descended from his cherry picker and Mason climbed the steps to the stage, meeting together at the podium.

“I think the total Hesston experience is what we are celebrating today for these graduates,” Mason continued. “Classroom and dorm, cafeteria, lounge, activities, athletics.... And having the graduation celebration ceremony here in this place usually used to celebrate the capabilities of the human body is a symbol of

integration. Jim and Jim in the gym!”“I like what James the apostle says about the wisdom that comes from above—that is true integration, it is pure, peace-

ful, gentle, and produces a harvest of good deeds,” Yoder said. “Something that theologians have been debating

since Paul and James wrote their epistles—theory and/or action, faith and/or praxis, and the debate

goes on and on.” “Maybe we should just look at the life

of Christ,” Mason continued. “Not faith or works, not even faith and works, but faith with works—integrated!”

Mason and Yoder concluded their ad-dress using the symbol of a candle, which requires the integration of wax and wick in order to be useful in illuminating darkness, and stated that each graduate would receive

Annali Murray of Orrville, Ohio, receives her diploma from President Howard Keim at Commencement May 3. Murray was part of the 156-member class of 2009.

Freshman Breezie Sims (Wichita, Kan.), graduate Selamawit Mamo (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), freshman Brittany Albrecht (Sebewaing, Mich.), graduate Fernanda Barros (Sao Paulo, Brazil), and freshman Jessica Juhnke (Hesston, Kan.) pose for a photo by Hesston College’s International Student Advisor Dave Osborne (back to camera).

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a candle as a symbol of the best of Hesston College’s integrated education and the wisdom and light that the grads will spread as they go out from Hesston.

Forty-six of the graduates were members of the Hesston College Nursing Program, which held its pinning ceremony Saturday morn-ing, May 2, at Hesston Mennonite Church. In addition to receiving their pins, the grads also received a blessing of the hands from nursing faculty members, and Gloria (Balzer) ’80 Solis, a Hesston nursing grad and chief nursing officer/chief operating officer at St. Luke’s East in Lee’s Summit, Mo., shared a meditation on “Let the Celebration Begin!”

“We don’t just have jobs, we have callings,” Solis told the graduates. “We have gifts. We have the power to help people go to sleep at night, and wake up in the morning with their mind and soul intact. How many people get to go to work every day and really get to make a contribution to another person’s life? How many people get to make someone smile or feel better? That’s what we get to do.

“(The prophet) Isaiah describes today perfectly: ‘You will go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and the trees of the field will clap their hands.’”

Bringing healing and wholeness into the world was part of the message shared by Clarence Rempel with the five Pastoral Ministries students and their spouses commissioned at Hesston Mennonite Church Saturday afternoon, May 2.

“Whatever the capacity of human suffering, the church has greater capac-ity for healing and wholeness,” said Rempel, who is associate conference min-ister for Western District Conference of Mennonite Church USA. He most recently served as pastor of First Mennonite Church, Newton.

Rempel noted that many congregations want their pastors’ role to be that of “hatch, match, and dispatch.”

“In the current cultural environment, if the pastor focuses on these three or four tasks, and does them well, he or she will likely grow the church small-er. All of the above needs to be done, and done well, but it’s not enough. Give the church more than it asks for. Servant leadership that cares for the future of the church must also pursue leading the congregation into a missional vision of making new disciples and bringing the good news of Jesus to the world. It’s not so much about getting people into the church as getting the church into the community because we are in this for Jesus’ sake, and Jesus is Lord of the whole world.”

Other weekend activities Saturday, May 2, included recognition for six Disaster Management graduates; a reception for seven aviation graduates; a concert by the Bel Canto Singers; and the annual Larkfest awards and recogni-tion ceremony for sophomores.

Meanwhile, the Hesston College Theatre Department presented three performances April 30-May 2 of An Evening of One Acts. Hannah Titus, a sophomore from Roland, Iowa, directed Puente Negro, while Brandan Harvey, a freshman from Walton, Kan., directed The Actor’s Nightmare.

Pastoral Ministries Program Director David Greiser places a stole on the shoulders of graduate Bernard Sejour, originally of Dame-Marie, Haiti. Sejour and his family will move to Philadelphia, Pa., where he will work to establish a new Mennonite congregation in a Haitian community. Sejour is one of five Pastoral Ministries graduates this spring. He and his wife Icelda and daughter are members of Argentine Mennonite Church, Kansas City, Kan.

—Carol Duerksen ’74 is a freelance writer from Goessel, Kan.

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My True PotentialBy Lisa Harrelsen as told to Carol Duerksen

Everybody who graduated from the Hesston College Nursing Program in 2009 has a story, but Lisa Harrelson...Lisa has a story that must be told. Lisa has a story that testifies to the courage of a young woman with a learning disability, the mystery of God’s perfect timing, and the willingness of a nursing program to go the second and third mile with a student.

This story is told in Lisa’s own words.

God placed the desire in my heart to be a nurse at a really young age, but I didn’t know how I could ever be a nurse, given the obstacles I had to over-come just to get into a school. I only had a 7th grade education, and this was a deep wound in my life. My parents took me out of school because I struggled so much. I was seen as not paying attention, or lazy. I failed first grade be-cause I had great difficulty reading and writing. No one had an idea why I was struggling. I thought I was mentally challenged, and I remember telling my mother that over and over. No one knew I had a learning disability.

When I was 18, I got my GED. I remember the day I went to go get my mail and pulled the envelope out and it said “pass.” I slumped down at the mail box and wept. I decided that day I would never share my painful educa-tion hole with anyone. I was going to try and get to college to be a nurse. I took some general education courses through colleges in Wichita. I inquired into three different nursing programs and was turned down. I didn’t have an SAT or an ACT test score. My learning disability was a problem. My 7th grade education was a problem. I had no algebra, no chemistry, no biology, no computer. I was missing four years of high school and these schools didn’t want to take that gamble on me.

I kept praying about this, because I knew God was calling and I just knew if he called, he would open up the right doors. I was working at Wesley Medi-cal Center and had the opportunity to work with Hesston students in clinical, and there are also some Hesston grads who work there. I asked everyone what they thought of the school they went to, and Hesston was the only school that everyone I asked said how awesome their education was. I kept hearing about the teachers and how supportive they were. Many people said, “Lisa, you would love Hesston because they will go the extra mile to help students learn.”

I needed to hear that. At Hesston, I would be more than a number—my teachers would know my name and things about me that would help me over-come my education obstacles. I worried about finances and how much Hess-ton would cost. People told me there are many grants and things that Hesston offers, and kept encouraging me to check it out. Hesston is 45-50 minutes from where I live, and that was a long way. But God kept opening doors.

I will never forget my first campus visit to Hesston. Everyone, as they

Lisa Harrelson receives her Hesston College nursing pin from faculty member Ruby Graber at the Nursing Pinning Ceremony May 2.

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Nursing department planning a service learning course

Hesston College’s Nursing depart-ment is planning a new elective course to offer students opportunities to learn and serve in other cultures. Faculty member Sondra (Wedel) ’80 Leatherman leads the initiative.

“I went to Tuba City, Ariz., for a nursing interterm course when I was a student at Hesston,” Leatherman recalled. “That experience is so valuable to me—I still use illustrations and stories from that month in my teaching today.”

The two credit, three week course will be open to nursing students and alumni. The first week will cover history and culture of the area to which the group will travel and a review of how nursing care can be adapted to provide clients with culturally relevant care. Then students will spend two weeks on location. The service portion of the course will focus on health care but may not be limited to health care.

Leatherman is making contacts and exploring opportunities to take the first group to Appalachia, perhaps the Harlan, Ky., area in May 2010. Future trips may go to other parts of the U.S. or to other countries. Cost for the course is to be determined.

“Students in recent years have asked for these kinds of opportunities,” Leather-man noted. “We have two students from this year’s class traveling to South Africa this summer. Another graduate has gone to Haiti once and is planning to go again. Another of this year’s grads has asked me several times, ‘Are we ever going to do a medical mission?’

“These cross-cultural experiences have meant a lot to me. They fit well with Hesston’s mission and values. And they’re life changing—they’re the memories that students will take with them always.”

Aviation offers new air traffic control program

Hesston College’s Aviation Program will be expanding this fall to include a new career track in air traffic control, according to Director of Aviation Dan Miller.

“The air traffic control program will provide a pilot’s perspective to con-trollers and an air traffic control perspective to pilots,” Miller said. “Through the merging of these perspectives, we believe that a higher quality of air traffic controller will be available to meet the FAA’s (Federal Aviation Administra-tion) future controller needs. The FAA is experiencing a significant group of controllers who are now retirement age. This new program track is initiated to teach the next generation of air traffic controllers.”

All course work, including simulation training, will take place on Hess-ton’s campus, and the Aviation staff is looking into the possibility of one- to two-week internships at local tower and radar facilities. Students enrolled in the program will be able to earn either an A.A. degree or an A.A.A.S. degree in Aviation-Air Traffic Control. The program goal is to have 25 or more graduates per year.

“Building a new program track is a challenging and exciting adventure,” Miller said. “It’s very rewarding to be able to build on the success and reputa-tion of the aviation program and make these additional career options avail-able.”

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Feb. 11, 2009

September Finishing Touches by John E. Sharp

From A School on the Prairie: A Centennial History of Hesston College 1909-2009

John and Henrietta Cooprider and their daughters became the first resi-dents of Green Gables on Saturday, September 11, 1909. John was the build-ing and grounds manager and Henrietta was matron and cook. The second of their four daughters, Stella, served as the first student teaching assistant.

As opening day neared, the pace of activity increased markedly. Thurs-day, September 16, everyone was “very busy everywhere getting things in shape.” Friday there was more to do in Newton. After stopping at home for supper, the T.M. and Lizzie Erb family drove to Hesston where they witnessed a splendid sight: the “Academy was all lit up!” The new lighting system was operational. The next day Erb motivated an apparently reluctant Mr. Crites to get on with plastering the basement. Sam Newhouser, not so reluctant as Crites, finished excavating the boiler house cellar.

Then it was Monday, Sept. 20, only one day from the dedication, and two days from the start of classes. Erb took Lizzie along to Hesston “to help get things in shape.” They had so much to do, but Erb, the project manager, was confident that they would have it ready on time.

While Erb was confident, Principal Bender was annoyed. He told Daniel Kauffman by letter that the first of the twenty-five expected students had already arrived before things were ready. The building wasn’t finished and only half of the cost of the building, estimated to be $15,000, including fur-nishings and equipment, had been pledged. No one had time to raise much money, since most of the time and energy was being devoted to the building. Some who had been approached for contributions wanted to wait to give until the fall crops had been harvested. Even more troublesome were those congregations who were “just a little sensitive” about being asked for money without knowing just what kind of a school it would turn out to be. Bender was not pleased by what he called their “show me” attitude.

After Bender had aired his frustrations, he joined the others in applying the finishing touches to Green Gables for the dedication and opening day, September 21 and 22, 1909.

John E. Sharp ’73 teaches history at Hesston College and has written A School on the Prairie: A Centennial History of Hesston College 1909-2009.

A l o o k b a c k — Ce n t e n n i a l s t o r i e s


13Ce n t e n n i a l H e r i t a g e A u c t i o n

Feb. 11, 2009

Heritage auction will commemorate past and contribute to future

Quilts, belt buckles, and a silver tea set are just a few of the items that will be up for sale at the Heritage Auction during Hesston College’s Centennial Homecom-ing Weekend. Beginning at 1:30 p.m. in Yost Center on Saturday, September 26, the auction will feature items donated by alumni and friends of Hesston College. And, while most of the auction pieces will commemorate the past, the proceeds of the auction will contribute to the Erb Hall renovation and living quarters of Hesston students for years to come.

One auction donation guaranteed to get some attention is a quilt made for the Academy Class of 1936, complete with the names of all the grad-uates and the faculty. This quilt was made for class member Eunice Wilma Diener by her mother, and was donated by two nieces, Phyllis Stutzman and Shirley Barker.

In 1968, when Tilman Smith retired as president of Hesston College, a women’s group from Hesston Mennonite Church gave his wife Louella a silver tea service. That set will be back at Hesston College for the auction, donated

by their son John. John also donated a souvenir lev-el commemorating the 15th anniversary of

Hesston Mill & Elevator (R.S. Troyer & Son; no date given); and a nail apron labeled “Noble Carpenter Shop,” with the imprinted names of Russell Bell and John Reschly.

Belt buckle collectors will be pleased to note two buckles donated by

Royce Brunk—one from the city of Hess-ton’s Centennial 1886-1996, and one from the

75th anniversary of Hesston College. Other items donated to date for the auction include a doll made by Clara Kauffman, a quilt made by Hesston Mennonite Church Dorcas Circle that was purchased at the college’s 75th anniversary quilt auction; two 50th-year graduation anniversary plates; limited edition Green Gables candle houses and ceramic mugs, and a signed copy (by Roy and Mary Miller) of A Pillar of Cloud, the fifty-year history of Hesston College, written by Mary Miller in 1959.

Anyone interested in making a donation to the auction may contact auc-tion chair Pam Gerber at [email protected] or Bill Zuercher at [email protected]. To view sale items, visit the Centennial page at www.hesston.edu/centennial.


14Ce n t e n n i a l

Take the Centennial Home Remember Emil’s famous cinnamon rolls? Does Bel Canto’s music lift

your spirit? Are you intrigued with the “inside stories” of Hesston College faculty and staff?

All this and much more will be a part of Hesston College’s Centennial Celebration—both that weekend, and in a “take-home” version as well.

While weekend celebrants will be able to enjoy great music on campus, they will also be able to take home a special CD of Hesston College music through the years as compiled by Ken Rodgers. A variety of songs, both in terms of style and decade, will be included, guaranteed to take listeners back in time as well as provide hours of entertainment.

John Sharp, history writer and faculty mem-ber, spent countless hours researching, compiling, and writing the story of Hesston College’s first 100 years. The result is a narrative account that offers a rich tapestry of faculty, staff, and stu-dents—their stories, vision, and mission through the years. “A School on the Prairie” will be a “keeper” for anyone who has been a part of the Hesston Experience.

“Glimpses of a School on the Prairie” is a DVD that contains richly illustrated five-minute segments of each decade of Hesston College’s centennial history. The glimpses will draw viewers into the text of the book through 11 short videos, one for each decade, and one on the story of how Hesston College origi-nated.

Centennial Mugs hand crafted by Steve ’74 and Jane (Kaufman) ’74 Fry of Elk Falls (Kan.) Pottery. The cup con-nects people across cultures and generations. What better way to commemorate Hesston’s 100 years! Visit www.hesstonbooks.com for complete purchase details.

Emil’s cinnamon rolls, along with around 900 other recipes, will be featured in the Centennial Cook-book that has been assembled by staff member DaLonna Schroeder. The recipes will include favorites from both Food Service and the Larks Nest as well as recipes submitted by many alumni, current students, and current and former faculty and staff. And it isn’t just about the food—many of the recipes will also include fun tidbits and memories of the Hesston College experience.

HESSTON COLLEGE 1909-2009 HESSTON COLLEGE 1909-2009

15a l u m n i n e w s

09Learning the Bible in Life-giving Ways: History, Hooks, & Heilsgeschichte

Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 2009

For more than 20 years, Hesston College’s famous “Bib. Lit.” course has been grounding students in a knowledge of the Bible story. This unique course is the only class required of every student at Hesston; it is Hesston’s trademark. In walking through the whole Bible story, it seeks to answer the question, “How has God worked in history to solve the sin problem and bring everything under the Lordship of Jesus Christ?” In this centennial year at Hesston College, you can experience a weekend version of Bib. Lit. for yourself. Join us at the 2009 Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Conference as we encounter the greatest story ever told and see ourselves in that story.

Learn more and register for AVDS 09 at www.hesston.edu/avds

AVDS 09 speakersHesston faculty members Marion Bontrager (creator of “Introduction to Biblical Literature” in 1986) and Michele Hershberger are joined by Ted Swartz of Ted & Company TheaterWorks, co-developer of plays such as Armadillo Shorts, Fish-Eyes, Creation Chronicles, DoveTale and the recent What Would Lloyd Do?.

Europe Tour 2010to Italy, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland May 29 to June 14

• Part of the Hesston College “Living The Vision” Centennial Celebration 2009-10 • Enjoy the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Western Europe • Explore Mennonite and Anabaptist history and enjoy a home stay with Mennonite families • Listen to performances and interact with students of the Hesston

International Chorale in striking cathedral settings • Italy: Milan, Florence (Tuscany), Assisi, and Venice • Austria: Mittersal and Salzburg • Germany: Munich and Dachau Concentration Camp. • Switzerland: Zurich and Emmental Valley • Optional: Oberammergau (Germany) 2010 Passion Play at additional cost

at tour end • Estimated Cost of $4,500 per person including air fare from Chicago

Complete Brochure information available August, 2009, and at Cen-tennial Homecoming Weekend, September 25-27. Indicate your and your invited friends possible interest in participating by calling toll free at 866-437-7866 (866-HESSTON).

Participants in the 2008 Alumni Europe Tour pose for a group photo at the “Hidden Church” in Haarlem, The Netherlands.


Alumni News Notes1930-1939DeathJohn Friesen Ac 33, ’35, Goshen, Ind., March

20, 2009

1940-1949Grace (Bergey) ’43 Brenneman, Souderton, Pa., volunteers at nursing homes, second-shop and museum.

Faye (Hooley Taylor) Ac 49, ’51 Swartzendru-ber, Harrisonburg, Va., is completing her book His Treasure in Earthern Vessels: 50 years in Mis-sions and hopes to have it printed this fall.

DeathCecil Hail, husband of Caroline (Peek) Ac44

Hail, Carrollton, Texas, Aug. 17, 2008Elmer Zehr ’49, Hesston, Kan., Feb. 4, 2009

1950-1959Merrill Raber Ac52, Newton, Kan., is writing the history of the Kansas/Paraguay Board which he has been a member of since 1973. While Mer-rill is retired, he also continues with short-term consulting and serves on the boards of Prairie View Mental Health Center and Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra.

Jerry Wittrig Ac58, Goshen, Ind., was installed as minister of visitation at North Goshen Men-nonite Church in November 2008.

MarriageLola Faye (Bontrager) Ac52, ’56 Erb and Bob

Yoder, Wellman, Iowa, April 11, 2009

DeathsRobert Graybill ’55, Freeport, Ill., Jan. 20, 2009

1960-1969Howard Brenneman ’61, Lenexa, Kan., received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.) Alumni Association in May 2009.

Ken ’62 and Betty (Graber) Ac’61 Hartzler, Belleville, Pa., are the new coordinators for the Pennsylvania Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale.

Frances Otto ’67, Kansas City, Mo., received the Jane Holt Wyatt Award for Nursing Excellence from St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City on May 5, 2009.

DeathMichael King, husband of Rosemary

(Schmidt) ’67 King, Paola, Kan., Feb. 3, 2009

1970-1979Barb (Zehr) ’73 Yoder, Asheville, N.C., works as an activities assistant at Laurels of Greentree Ridge Nursing Home. Her husband, Sanford, is pastor of Asheville Mennonite Church.

Ruby (Ramer) ’74 Panyako, Ft Lupton, Colo., retired from nursing and moved from Indiana to Colorado.

Susan Gascho-Cooke ’75, Atlanta, Ga., continues in ministry as chaplain at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Karlene (Roth) ’75 King, Sturgis, Mich., was named a distinguished art instructor by the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Competition. She teaches art and music at Lake Area Christian School.

John Paul Lederach ’75, Rollinsville, Colo., received the Reinhold Niebuhr Award from Notre Dame University. He is professor of international peacebuilding at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at Notre Dame. The award is made annually to the Notre Dame student, faculty member, or administrator whose life and writings promote or exemplify social justice.

1980-1989Bruce Hostetler ’84, ’08, Milford, Neb., was licensed and installed as interim lead pastor at Whitestone Mennonite Church, Hesston, Kan., on May 31, 2009.

Jen (Friesen) ’84 faculty LeFevre, Hesston, Kan., passed the National Certification Exami-nation for Therapeutic Massage.

Gregg Schroeder ’86, Goessel, Kan., received the Outstanding Nursing Alumnus Award from Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.) in May 2009.

Allen Rutter ’88, Stryker, Ohio, has written and published a book titled Grandpa is Getting Younger Every Day.

DeathGreg Bontrager ’87, Wauseon, Ohio, Feb.

17, 2009

MarriageLana Yoder ’81 and Kevin Dale, Evergreen,

Colo. May 2, 2009

BirthsKent ’87 and Kim (Ropp) ’88 Lehman, Kalona,

Iowa: Grace Noelle, Nov. 25, 2008Jay ’89 and Rachel Meyer, Wayland, Iowa:

Samuel John, Feb. 26, 2009Leon ’89 and Robin Schrock, Parnell, Iowa:

Lawson Nathaniel, March 6, 2009

1990-1999Denton Jantzi ’94, Board of Overseers, Hess-ton, Kan., was installed as interim associate pas-tor at Whitestone Mennonite Church in Hesston on May 31, 2009.

Mark ’97 and Sarah Schoenhals, Harrisonburg, Va., have signed on as missionaries to Thailand with Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions beginning in November 2009.

Annette Sieber ’98, Hesston, Kan., is a charge nurse in the new Cardio Thoracic ICU at Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita.

Allen Mandeen ’99, Moundridge, Kan., com-pleted his master of science in nurse anesthesia in December 2008 from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth. He works as a nurse anesthetist with Anesthesia Associates of Central Kansas, serving Salina Regional Health Center and Salina Surgical Hospital.

Andrew Sharp ’99, staff, Hesston, Kan., com-pleted a master’s degree in sports administration from Wichita (Kan.) State University in May and was named softball coach at Hesston College beginning with the 2009-10 school year.

MarriagesDerek Arnold ’95 and Melody Roberds, New-

ton, Kan., Jan. 3, 2009Julian Gingerich ’97 and Julia Vincent, Hub-

bard, Ore., Dec. 27, 2008

BirthsAlison (Loucks) ’93 and Erick Brown, Green-

ville, S.C.: Elijah Winston, Feb. 8, 2009Meredith (Geiser) ’93 and Robert VanBeekum,

Mesa, Ariz.: Ryder Hayse, March 9, 2009Kevin ’95 and Tonya Jaberg, Goshen, Ind.:

Kiara Jane, born Oct. 30, 2008, received for adoption Nov. 3, 2008

Becki (Gentry) ’96 and Andy Schondel, Ritt-man, Ohio: Julianna Christine, Nov. 6, 2008

Rebecca (Miller) ’96 and Perry Shank, Aurora, Colo.; Lukas Eli, April 27, 2009

Becky (Schlegel) ’96 and Jay Waegli, Lincoln, Neb.: Joseph Dallas, Dec. 19, 2008

Zach ’97 and Laura King, Lancaster, Pa.: Avery Elsie, Jan. 6, 2009

Lee ’97 and Shanna Schmidt, Newton, Kan.: Trestin Lee, Feb. 3, 2009

Travis ’97 and Gini Trotter, Harrisonburg, Va.: Martin Isaac Shew, March 25, 2009


Steve ’98 and Katie Swartzendruber, Leesburg, Va.: Noah Dean, June 1, 2009

Ryan ’98 and Ashley (Harvey) ’98 Troyer, Phoenix, Ariz.: Caleb R., May 14, 2008

Vonn ’99 and Casey Durst, Moundridge, Kan.: Isabelle Taylor, Jan. 29, 2009

2000-2009Joshua Suderman ’01, Ann Arbor, Mich., graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in May 2009. In June he started his residency in anesthesia at the University of Michigan.

Daniel Yoder ’01, Goshen, Ind., was installed as youth pastor and Talashia Keim ’02 Yoder was licensed for ministry and installed as youth pastor at College Mennonite Church in Goshen in February, 2009.

Mark Miller ’02 Harrisonburg, Va., graduated with a master’s degree in school administration from Shenandoah University (Winchester, Va.) and is an elementary school teacher at Smithland Elementary School.

Stephanie (Roth) ’03 Zucconi, Jeron Baker ’03, staff, and David Horst ’07 have accepted positions as Hesston College admissions coun-selors.

Katie Chaffinch ’04, Greenwood, Del., has accepted the position of resident director at Hesston College and will begin in August 2009.

Nick Detweiler-Stoddard ’05, Harrisonburg, Va., received a 2009 Fund for Theological Educa-tion Congregational Fellowship award. He is a master of divinity student at Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

Rebekah (Horst) ’05 King, Harrisonburg, Va., holds an Eastern Mennonite University bachelor’s degree in biology and certification in secondary education and began a full-time posi-tion teaching 7th grade life science at Shelburne Middle School in Staunton, Va. in August 2008.

Micah Loucks ’06, Goshen, Ind., gradu-ated with a bachelor’s degree in business from Goshen College in April 2009 and has been accepted into the manage-ment training program for Menards in Goshen.

Merle Christner ’07, Cumberland, Md., was installed in September 2008 as lead pastor of Pinto (Md.) Men-nonite Church.

Megan Gongwer ’08, La Jara, Colo., continues her Mennonite Voluntary Service assignment working as a projects assistant at a public health office, heading up walk and health programs for the county. She also works for First United Methodist Church of Alamosa as a young adult and youth group director, and has served with an animal shelter, a local business, the local court-house, and coaching soccer.

John Thomas ’08, Pawnee Rock, Kan., began pastoring at Pawnee Rock Christian Church in January 2009. He is also working toward com-pleting substance abuse counseling certification from Fort Hays (Kan.) State University.

MarriagesJoshua Heim ’01 and Angela Coffman, Hesston,

Kan., Dec. 27, 2008Katie Simmering ’03 and Phil Walters, Creve

Coeur, Mo., Nov. 22, 2008Ashley Young ’07 and Chris Goering, Colorado

Springs, Colo., Oct. 4, 2008Joshua Wiebe ’08 and Kyla Yoder ’08, Ankeny,

Iowa, Nov. 29, 2008

BirthsDaryl ’00 and Rebekah Brubaker, Timberville,

Va.: Thatcher James, Dec. 4, 2008Sara (Unruh) ’01 and Brad Hiebert, Hillsboro,

Kan.: Jackson Jon, Jan. 16, 2009Ashley (Sauder) ’01 and Mark ’02 Miller, Har-

risonburg, Va.: Finnly Raigan, Dec. 20, 2008Justin ’01 and Carrie (Schmidt) ’01 Som-

merfeld, Newton, Kan.: Wyatt Aaron, Nov. 7, 2008

Alisha (Schroeder) ’02 and Clayton Baughman, Newton, Kan.: Harrison Starr, Dec. 3, 2008

Alaina (Smith) ’02, faculty and Jeff Kaufman, Buhler, Kan.: Reyne Alexa, March 3, 2009

Zach ’02 and Mary (Wittmer)’02 Kooker, Dalton, Ohio: Kye Abram, Oct. 30, 2008

Heather (Blair) ’02 and Steve Moran, Wichita, Kan.: Elizabeth Dawn, July 10, 2008

Darrell ’02 and Hannah (Kratzer) ’02 Wenger, Harrisonburg, Va.: Abram Andrew, April 1, 2009

Rashelle (Graber) ’05 and Matt Schrag, Burrton, Kan.: Allison Mae, Dec. 9, 2008

Brooke Wedel ’09, Moundridge, Kan.: Jayden Lee, Dec. 18, 2008

Faculty/StaffLael Ewy, faculty, Wichita, Kan., had two articles published in Naked City, a monthly magazine based in Wichita. One was a brief writing on composting; the other was written on community supported agriculture.

BirthNoreen, faculty and Trey Templin, Newton,

Kan.: Alyson Kay, Feb. 11, 2009

DeathsArlene Bradshaw former staff, Newton, Kan.,

April 15, 2009Alice Reschly Davis former faculty, Washing-

ton, Iowa, Feb. 20, 2009Phil Richard staff, Hesston, Kan., June 7, 2009Tom Yoder former faculty, Normal, Ill., Jan 31,

2009

Continued from page 10


walked by, said hi. I felt like I was at home the minute I set foot on the cam-pus. There’s a man who keeps the grounds—I don’t know his name—but ev-ery time I would see him he would smile or wave. The students are full of life and no matter how old you are, you fit in. I could go on and on about every area of the campus and the people who work in those areas and the differences they made in my life.

And the teachers...I can’t say enough about the teachers. You can do anything with the right support around you. There are many gifted teachers in this world, but there are few who will pick you up when you feel you can’t go on. This is not a job for them—it’s a true ministry. I can’t tell you how much healing I have received in this program. They helped me realize my true poten-tial, not the messages I had told myself my whole life.

The day I graduated from Hesston was amazing, but I still had to pass boards to really be a nurse. As I sat down to test, I knew that no matter what happened I was going to keep coming back until I made it! Mid way through the test I could feel a little panic set in and I cried out to God, “Please help me now—I need wisdom!”

It’s kind of complicated to explain how the test is set up, but I can tell you that when I was done, I knew that I’d either done extremely well or really badly because I answered the minimum number of questions a candidate can answer - 75. I feared the worst. I told my family that there is nothing within me that thinks I passed. I waited a day and a half, and when I got the results, I cried the hardest I ever have cried. I didn’t believe it and I kept having my husband check the spelling of my name on the licensure information. I was in disbelief until the next day when it came in writing: Lisa Harrelson has passed.

I am now an R.N. I am still in shock. It feels like a dream. I have already been working for a week in the medical intensive care unit at Wesley. I am finding my past is no

longer holding me back. I am free! I will always thank God, and I will always thank Hesston College.

For more of this story visit www.hesston.edu/hesstoncollegetoday.

My True PotentialBy Lisa Harrelsen as told to Carol Duerksen

D.H. Bender was impressed by Charles’ “scholarly attainment and soundness of faith,” and was “con-vinced he was the man I was looking for.” Charles taught science and Bible and became the first dean. He earned a master’s degree from Columbia University in 1914. He was the primary writer of the 1921 Garden City confessional statement Chris-tian Fundamentals. He died an early death of cancer at age 45 in 1923.

—John Sharp (’74) teaches history at Hesston College and wrote the forth-coming A School on the Prairie: A Centennial History of Hesston Col-lege 1909-2009.

Continued from page 5

19c o l u m n s

The editor’s desk

Farewell, Phil

Hesston College Director of Communica-tions Phil Richard passed away Sunday, June 7, after a three-year battle with cancer.

From his first weeks at Hesston College he was a mentor to me, coaching me to do what I knew was right, helping me find words to communicate hard, sometimes painful in-formation if it needed to be said. He modeled honesty and integrity.

We walked together through times that challenged each of us in different ways. In his journey he showed me how to be vulnerable, how to accept assistance gracefully and to keep putting forth as much effort as he could. Phil’s diminished lung capacity made the walk from the parking lot to Alliman Center a marathon. But he fought on, coming to the office as recently as two weeks before his death. He planned this Centennial issue of Hesston College Today and had much of it in place. He also prepared a communication plan for the coming Centennial—stories and news to release, events to advertise, deadlines...

He was an excellent example of one who believed in and was guided by the power of prayer. He didn’t let a staff meeting pass without asking Nancy, our designer on staff, and me to share our burdens and pray for each other and I know that his prayers on my behalf didn’t end when the meeting ended.

Phil found joy in friends and family, a well-turned phrase or a pun, his ever-growing sports card collection. He was the voice of the Larks when HC started web casting home basketball games and he led the effort to transform this magazine to the beautiful publication you hold today.

I missed my opportunity to tell Phil how wonderful a supervisor he was, to thank him for his support and kindness, his generos-ity. Now I just miss him, as Hesston College misses him, in many, many ways.

—Larry Bartel, interim editor, [email protected]

Hesston Town and Gown By John Waltner, Mayor of Hesston

Along with the entire Hesston College family, the city of Hesston eagerly anticipates the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Hess-ton College. We look forward to welcoming many friends and graduates who will return to Hesston to participate in this significant event.

As plans for the well-deserved celebration unfold, it seems appropriate to reflect on the importance of the college to the city of Hesston. My observa-tions are those of one who didn’t attend Hesston College. I did not have the “Hesston College experience” that thousands have had. Yet, I have come to carry a deep admiration and respect for the institution.

Having lived in Hesston for the past 30-plus years, I’ve come to appreci-ate profoundly some qualities that I find to be woven into the fabric of this community. These qualities can be found most anywhere. But the blending and the strength of these elements, I believe, marks the Hesston community in a distinct manner. A partial listing of those qualities would include: • a powerful commitment to quality education at all levels • a keen appreciation for beauty, whether it is found in the Kansas

prairie, in people’s lawns and gardens, in music, or in the visual arts• a heightened sense of civility that enables us, in a growingly diverse community, to work through the bumps and turns of civic life while maintaining respect and appreciation for one another• a progressive sense of optimism and a “can-do” spirit that has unleashed awesome entrepreneurial energyCould these qualities be found, at least to some degree, among people

living in Hesston prior to 1909? Likely so. Absent Hesston College, these past one 100 years, could these qualities be found among our residents in 2009? Certainly. Nevertheless, I’m convinced that the presence of Hesston College has helped to shape, strengthen, and nurture these qualities in ways not easily measured.

Hesston College brought highly educated faculty and staff from a wide variety of places and backgrounds. The students, too, came from far-flung places to this small Kansas town. Students encountered a curriculum im-mersed in the values of Anabaptist teaching—community, service, and discipleship. The Hesston College experience also came to emphasize learning the practical skills of making a meaningful living in order to live a meaningful life in this world. The steady infusion of faculty and students helped to create a culture not found in most other small towns. Faculty and students engaged one another and the entire community in the ongoing process of education.

Following the founding of Hesston College, the town of Hesston would never be the same. Hesston College in our midst has contributed to a heady mix of people, ideas, and ideals in this town. The city of Hesston is clearly the better for it.

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Hesston, KS 67062

A Hesston Centennial HomecomingSeptember 25-27, 2009For complete details and a weekend schedule, review the brochure inside this issue of Hesston College Today or visit www.hesston.edu/centennial. The brochure is also available on the site in Portable Document Format (PDF) especially for alumni outside the U.S. Alumni may register online (credit card required) or by mail (Hesston College Centennial Homecoming, Box 3000, Hesston, KS 67062 USA) or fax (620-327-8300).

A few weekend highlights:

• Book Premiere and Reception, A School on the Prairie, a Centennial History of Hesston College 1909-2009 with author John Sharp• Three performances of Quilters A Musical Tribute to the Women of the Prairie• Alumni Class Reunions and a Current and Former Faculty and Staff Reunion• Historical Homes Tour and Front Porch Narratives with actors portraying T.M. Erb and Henry Brunk• A Centennial Heritage Auction with proceeds to benefit current students through dorm renovations• Centennial Banquet for Alumni and Friends, followed by the Centennial Music Gala• Centennial Worship Service• And so much more!

Hesston College Today

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