Tabor College Connection Winter 2017 by Tabor College

Winter 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ Vol. 71 / No. 2

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Foster Families Project SEARCH Evana r

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Connection Winter 2017 Vol. 71 No. 2 A magazine for Tabor College alumni & friends Editor Amy Doane amydoane@tabor.edu Writer Bailey Kauffman Contributor Aleen Ratzlaff aleenr@tabor.edu Senior Designer Diane Steiner dianes@tabor.edu Photographer/Webmaster Vance Frick vancef@tabor.edu Student Photographers Courtney Schmidt Austin Calam Sports Information Director Mark Fox markfox@tabor.edu Tabor College 400 South Jefferson Hillsboro, Kansas 67063 (620) 947-3121 tabor.edu Tabor College Mission: “Preparing people for a life of learning, work and service for Christ and His kingdom.”

@TaborCollege /TaborCollege /taborcollege /taborcollege /company/tabor-college /taborcollege

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3 KTOY Visit, Inspire 4 Nachtigall Lecture Series 6 December Graduation 7 Hope Promoted to CFO 8 Sanchez Represents Tabor 9 Evana 10 Foster Families Connect Tabor 12 Tabor College Wichita 14 Tabor Arts 18 Partnership with Project SEARCH 19 Tabor Sports 20 Alumni News 22 Tabor Fund 20 Campaign Update

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Board of Directors: Lyndon Vix Chair Diana Raugust Vice Chair Theodore Faszer Secretary Brent Kroeker Treasurer Darrell Driggers Executive At Large Craig Ratzlaff Executive At Large

Loren Balzer Executive At Large Jose Cabrera Roger Ediger Rick Eshbaugh Jeral Gross Mark Jost David Karber Kelly Kirby Mike Kleiber Jerry Kliewer Lisa Kroeker Bill Loewen

Nate Loewen Dean Nachtigall Deborah Penner Faculty Representative Dennis Penner Elaine Setzer-Maxwell Tim Sullivan Wilbur Unrau Richard Unruh Molly Wiebe Faber Student Representative

KTOY Visit, Inspire This spring, teacher education students at Tabor College had the opportunity to ask the experts their questions. Tabor’s teacher education department brought together all eight Kansas Teacher of the Year recipients to talk with its students about the what is happening in the field. The students heard messages of inspiration, challenge and practical tips and were able to ask questions of the award recipients. Throughout the year, the 2017 KTOY team will travel around the state to colleges and universities to share about their experiences as exemplar educators. The workshop at Tabor was the first time the full team had been together for a presentation. Lynette Cross, education department chair, coordinated the trip with the Kansas State Department of Education. “The KTOY team presentation was inspiring and challenging,” Lynette Cross said. “It was a great way to end Interterm and begin the second semester. The teachers demonstrated that education is a profession of excellence.”

Throughout the year, the 2017 KTOY team will travel around the state to colleges and universities to share about their experiences as exemplar educators.

Koch General Counsel to Speak Koch Industries senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary Mark Holden will speak to Tabor College students, faculty and staff as part of the Nachtigall Lecture Series on Entrepreneurship at 7 p.m. in the Chapel on March 1. Hillsboro and surrounding community members are encouraged to attend. Holden will present “Making Communities Safer and Removing Barriers to Opportunity: The Moral, Constitutional and Economic Case for Criminal Justice Reform.” “We have a two-tiered society,” he said. “And if you’re wealthy and connected, you get a much better deal than if you’re poor – particularly in our criminal justice system. If you want to help people improve their lives and remove

Holden will present “Making Communities Safer and Removing Barriers to Opportunity: The Moral, Constitutional and Economic Case for Criminal Justice Reform.” Throughout the day, he will also speak to various classes. obstacles to opportunity for the least advantaged, and if you believe in individual liberty and freedom and justice, and you care about your community, and you have a moral passion, there’s no other position you can take other than being for criminal justice reform.” Holden grew up in Worcester, Mass. His experiences there formed the foundation for his stance against overcriminalization. “I’ve been immersed, in some way or another, with prison issues and criminal justice reform my whole life,” he said. “I once worked as a janitor alongside guys on a work release crew. When I was at the University of Massachusetts, I worked in a prison during summer and winter breaks. I saw a lot of the kids that I’d lost track of in junior high and high school who had ended up behind bars.” Holden graduated from the University of Massachusetts

with a bachelor’s degree in political science, then he earned his law degree from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America. Holden was an associate with Akin, Gump, Hauer & Feld in Washington, D.C., before he began his career with Koch Industries in 1995 as a litigation attorney. Now, in addition to the three roles listed above, Holden is president and COO of the Legal Division of Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC. He is also involved in several other leadership roles, such as serving as the chairman of the Board of Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce Inc., serving on the Board of Directors of Americans For Prosperity and serving on the boards of two Koch Industries subsidiaries. Holden’s various roles at Koch Industries have allowed him to see firsthand the power held by the criminal justice system. The objective of the lecture series is to bring high profile, nationally-recognized, successful and inspiring entrepreneurs and educators to Tabor. Guest lecturers provide information about their business experiences and activities, and explain to students how they can become successful after graduation. “We are grateful to Dean and Carol Nachtigall and their family for providing support for the series,” Jules Glanzer, president of Tabor College said. “Our hope is that through the lecture series students will be exposed to new ways of thinking and connections to careers after they graduate from Tabor.” Tabor invites Hillsboro and the surrounding community to participate in the entrepreneurial series. Throughout 2016-2017 Tabor has scheduled four talks from a variety of speakers. Jose Munoz, former president and CEO for Van Camp Seafood Co., is scheduled to speak on March 9 and author Jeff Riggenbach will be on campus in April for the final session of the year. For more information on speakers and schedules, visit tabor.edu/nachtigall.

ursh ne

Lectur eS

s in Entrepr e i e er

Tabor College Presents the Nachtigall Lecture Series in Entrepreneurship

e Tab or C o l l e g

Spring 2017 Speakers Include: 1

MARCH

MARK HOLDEN

COO, Legal Division Koch Companies Public Sector Chairman of the Board, LLC Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

JOSE MUNOZ

JEFF RIGGENBACH

MARCH

APRIL

former President and CEO, Van Camp Seafood Company

Speaker, Professional Coach and Bestselling Author The Maxwell Group

Visit tabor.edu/nachtigall for more information on the speaker schedule.

December Graduation Benefits TC Students Only about 20 percent of undergraduate students in the U.S. graduate in four years, according to Complete College America. But at Tabor, that number is higher where, according to the CCA, 42 percent of students complete a bachelor’s degree within four years. Some students, in fact, are able to complete their degrees in less than four years. This year, 22 students completed their undergraduate work in early December, finishing their baccalaureate requirements in 3½ year. To graduate from Tabor, students are required to complete 124 credit hours, with at least 40 of those being upper level. “Most of the students who graduate early have dual credit or AP hours coming in as freshmen,” said registrar Scott Franz. Accounting major Erin Winter finished her degree in December. “I did dual credit classes in high school that gave me a semester’s worth of college credits when I came in to Tabor,” she said. Winter also took full semester loads—15-16 credit hours—that enabled her graduate a semester early. Catherine Christie, who finished her undergraduate degree after Interterm in January, said the biggest plus to graduating early is financial. “A benefit that I have in graduating early is saving a lot of money on a semester of tuition,” she said. Winter agreed, adding that being ahead on the job market is another benefit. Both women, as well as other December graduates,

have landed jobs and are beginning their careers. Winter is employed by an accounting firm in Overland Park, Kan., while Christie works at a substance abuse group home in Newton, Kan. Christie said getting a job earlier allows her to “gain more experience and save up some money before heading on to grad school in the next couple of years.” While the financial results of graduating early are beneficial, the social aspects are sometimes challenging. “You don’t get the full four-year college experience,” Winter said. “You have different pressure when everyone else isn’t there yet.” Christie said leaving friends as they finish their last semester has been one of the hardest parts for her. “I expected to go through the job search process and all of the future unknowns with my friends that I have been with for the past three and half years instead of doing all that a semester before them,” she said. Both Christie and Winter will also join their classmates and friends to walk at the graduation ceremony in May. According to Franz, students with 12 or less hours to finish can choose to walk at the graduation ceremony previous to their final semester. Otherwise, students with more than 12 hours remaining must walk in May after they’ve completed their coursework. Christie had the option to walk in May of 2016, but said choosing to walk in May 2017 wasn’t even a question for her. “I want to walk and celebrate graduation with my friends who have been consistent in my life,” she said, “as we have figured out this college thing and walked through this season of life together.”

December 2016 Graduates Wayne Adams Dylan J. Algra Jessica L. Beasterfeld Ashton Bowen Alex Bumgarner Nathaniel J. Burnham Matthew K. Chilo Kaden R. Cline

Cody T. Coleman Jennifer A. (Crist) Davidson Michael Griffin Kellyn Holt Miranda M. Leibold Garrett D. Nikkel Trenton Parrish Tyler Parrish

Carly M. Rowan Courtney R. Schmidt Sara D. Vela Kayla Wilgers Erin E. Winter Mallory Zuercher

Hope Promoted to CFO Norman Hope has been hired as its vice president for business and finance and chief financial officer for Tabor College. Hope, who has served in that position as interim since July, assumed the permanent position Jan. 1. “We are delighted that Norm has accepted a new role at Tabor,” said President Jules Glanzer. “I am thankful for the leadership he has already provided as interim and look forward to his continued support of Tabor’s mission.” As CFO, Hope oversees the financial affairs of the college including financial analysis, business office activities, budget management, human resources and other financial and business matters for the college.

“We are delighted that Norm has accepted a new role at Tabor,” said President Jules Glanzer. “I am thankful for the leadership he has already provided as interim and look forward to his continued support of Tabor’s mission.”

Hope came to Tabor in 1991 as associate professor of business administration and adult education program consultant. He was instrumental in establishing a Master of Business Administration in accounting for Tabor’s Hillsboro campus. In addition to his duties at Tabor, Hope provides auditing services as a consultant with Adams, Brown, Beran and Ball, CPAs. Hope earned a bachelor’s degree from Manchester University in Indiana, an MBA from Emporia State University and a doctorate in adult and occupational education from Kansas State University.

Sanchez Represents Tabor on MCC Board Junior Sierra Sanchez was born and raised in Thailand, has traveled to 17 different countries, and speaks three different languages. As the daughter of missionaries, her life has been full of unique experiences. This year, Sanchez has another unique opportunity as she is serving as Tabor’s student representative on the Mennonite Central Committee Central States Board. The opportunity arose when MCC Central States board members decided they wanted to incorporate more youth onto their board, Sanchez said. They contacted the Mennonite colleges in the area—Tabor, Bethel and Hesston—and asked professors to suggest a student representative to serve on the board. Sanchez, who is studying English and secondary education at Tabor, was nominated by one of her English professors, Christopher Dick. Sanchez went through an interview process and was then offered a position on the board as Tabor’s student representative. So far, Sanchez has attended one board meeting, which took place in September. During meetings, board members approve budgets and hear reports from people who have been working in the central states region and internationally, Sanchez said. Even though she is a young member of the board, Sanchez said she feels that her voice is heard. “They do a lot of going around the circle and everyone

has to share,” she said. “They do want quieter people to have a chance. I really like that because it gives me the opportunity to say something.” Sanchez said she has also enjoyed the diversity on the board. “I’ve heard a lot of negative stats about boards being mainly Caucasian and male,” she said, “but this board is pretty much split evenly female and male, and there were more people of color than there were Caucasian people. I like being on a board that represents a lot of cultures.” English professor Deborah Penner, Sanchez’s adviser, said she believes Sanchez’s heart for international ministry makes her a good fit for the MCC board. “(The board) is a good place for her to direct some of her energies with that,” Penner said. “Sierra has a really strong commitment to Christ, and she is a person who likes to put feet to her faith.” Once she graduates in spring of 2018, Sanchez said she hopes to use her English secondary education degree to teach overseas, especially in more restricted areas. “In places like the Middle East, a teaching license can open doors that other careers don’t have allowance with,” she said. “I want to teach English to non-native speakers because that opens up a lot of opportunities for them.” Penner said she thinks Tabor faculty members can encourage their students to participate in the church and wider church organizations, such as Sanchez’s involvement with MCC. “Even if you’re a young person, you can contribute so much,” she said.

Tabor Signs Partnership with Evana Network Tabor College is delighted to announce a new fraternal relationship with Evana Network. The partnership opens doors for collaboration among the Anabaptist community. Tabor is the first higher education institution to sign a fraternal agreement with Evana Network and hopes to continue to show its investment in the Anabaptist community and traditions by connecting with the churches, pastors and youth in the network. Evana Network, whose name comes from the words evangelical and Anabaptist, works with institutions to provide collaboration and open discussion across the membership. The network serves multiple denominations with a focus on helping churches engage in their communities.

30 churches, mostly in the Midwest and Northeast part of the country and one church in Canada. Troyer and his team continue to expand the network and talk to churches, schools and camps every day, sharing the network’s mission.

“We’re thrilled to expand our partnerships to include Evana Network,” said Tabor College President Jules Glanzer. “The group is one that aligns well with the mission and vision of Tabor and we look forward to collaborating with the pastors and churches involved.” “We’re thrilled to expand our partnerships to include Evana Network,” said Tabor College President Jules Glanzer. “The group is one that aligns well with the mission and vision of Tabor, and we look forward to collaborating with the pastors and churches involved.” Both organizations hope the partnership offers growth opportunities outside their current circles. One of the goals of both Tabor and Evana is greater youth awareness and involvement. “At the core of our partnership is an excitement about sharing Tabor with our youth as a place for Christ-centered education,” said John Troyer, executive director for Evana Network. Although the formal partnership is new, the two organizations have been working together informally for nearly a year. “We have been working together for a while and Tabor’s staff has already jumped in to support our efforts,” Troyer said. “Staff have attended our events and gatherings to meet and share with pastors and youth and have been very well received.” In addition to outreach to youth, the two institutions are invested in continued education for pastors. Tabor’s master’s degree in ministry entrepreneurship and innovation provides an opportunity for pastors to receive ministry training that positions them to uniquely fill needs in their community. “Tabor’s MEI program is the perfect training format for our pastors who wish to engage more directly with their community,” Troyer said. “The program provides mentorship, collaboration across the fields of business and ministry, and supports success by building practical skills. It connects wonderfully with the goals of Evana.” Tabor, too, welcomes the new relationship. Evana Network includes

Evana hosts events and gatherings several times a year to help facilitate in-person connection and collaboration. In February pastors came together in Florida for “Flourishing,” a retreat meant to help connect participants with God and each other. This summer “Re-gen” for both adults and youth will be held in Indiana as a multi-denominational gathering for worship and study. “We hope our relationship with Evana will provide an even stronger bond with pastors and churches that share our same values,” Glanzer said. “Likewise we know our students, faculty and staff will benefit from the resources and opportunities that come from working together.”

Foster Families Connect Tabor Basketball with the Community When students move to college, they often miss out on some of the special comforts of home, like home-cooked meals and holidays treats. In addition, student athletes often miss the support and encouragement of familiar faces in the crowd. Students on the Tabor men’s and women’s basketball teams have a unique opportunity to fill some of those holes created by moving away from home. For the past five years, Tabor basketball teams have participated in a “foster family” program, in which student athletes are paired up and matched with a “foster” family from the community. Women’s head coach Shawn Reed, who previously coached at Sterling College, initiated the program. “We had this at Sterling when I was there,” Reed said. “I wanted to do it here because I felt like the opportunities were similar between the two schools and the communities.”

According to Reed, the main purpose of the program is to provide athletes “a home away from home.” Reed presented the idea to men’s head coach Micah Ratzlaff, who said he initially thought the program seemed like a lot of work. “Once we got that first year out of the way—it’s still a lot of work, don’t get me wrong—but now the system is in place and the benefit is far bigger than anything else,” he said. Both coaches’ wives are crucial to the program’s success, as they do much of the behind-the-scenes work, such as communicating with foster families and planning meals. “We couldn’t do this without our wives,” Reed said. “We’re really blessed to have spouses that are willing to pour into our teams just like we do.” Under the foster family program, each student athlete is paired with another athlete from his or her respective team. The pair is then matched with a volunteer foster family from the Hillsboro community. “We feel like one of the great things about Tabor and about Hillsboro is that we are a small, tight-knit community where the college and the community work in concert together,” he said. “We have this foster parent program to try to—for lack of a better term—foster that relationship and

build on one of the things that makes Tabor unique.” There are no strict rules as to how that relationship develops, but generally foster families invite their foster athletes over for home-cooked meals, bring them treats on birthdays and holidays, and support them at games. “It’s always fun to go to (my foster family’s house) for dinner, and they always make meals that we really like,” said senior Kaleigh Troxell. At the beginning of the year, the athletes fill out forms that include their favorite meals and desserts, which give the families ideas of what to make. “My foster parents have just been really encouraging,” said senior Nicole Decker. “They always come talk to me after games.” Troxell’s foster parents, Rod and Brenda Hamm, said they have enjoyed being a part of their foster athletes’ lives during college. “Our reward is to see them develop over the years,” Brenda Hamm said. “It’s a time when a lot of things are happening in their lives, so it’s a neat phase of life to observe and speak in to at times.” The foster family program has had an impact on both the athletes and the families. “It’s so profound and special that on our senior night, we have families and foster families out there with our players,” Reed said. “It’s a really valuable relationship to keep our players tied in with the community, but also keep our community tied in with our team.” Dale Shewey, who has been a foster parent for the past three years, said the program has had a unique impact on his young daughter. “(Our foster athletes) are on our minds a lot,” he said. “We talk about them with our young daughter. They probably impact us the most just because our daughter gets so much thrill and satisfaction out of knowing these two a little

bit closer than others.” One of the Shewey’s foster athletes, junior Amber Bonham, said it’s fun to have a foster family with young children. “After all of the games, she always runs up and gives me a big hug, and she always asks me when the next game is and when I’ll be able to come over to their house,” Bonham said. Senior Tena Loewen said she enjoys hearing stories from other athletes and foster families. “All of a sudden, you gain all these extra brothers and sisters and moms and dads on the team,” she said. “On game days, it’s (a) witness, too, seeing all the different families that come, and a lot of those that are pretty faithful are foster families.” Ratzlaff said he has seen many benefits from the men’s side as well. “It’s been huge for me because since we started this program, recruiting has really gotten well outside of Kansas, so these guys have that sense of family while being at school,” he said. “That right there has probably been the biggest benefit for my program because we have players from such long distances.” The program has had an especially large impact on Troxell. “My freshman year I was going to leave, and I had a conversation with Rod, my foster dad, after one of our games,” she said. “He talked to me for like an hour and just really showed me that he cared about me and how I was doing. That conversation made me decide that I couldn’t leave during the middle of the year.” Troxell ended up staying all four years and is now a starting guard for the women’s team. “I always kind of credit him for me sticking out my freshman year,” she said. “He really made me feel like people here care about us.” 11

Posson Tapped for Director at Tabor College Wichita Tabor College Wichita School of Adult and Graduate Studies announces Mark Posson as director of business programs. Posson will oversee curriculum, adjunct faculty, student care, program development, assessment and business partnerships in Wichita. “Mark has an expansive network of business contacts in the community, which will benefit the awareness and growth of Tabor and our business programs,” said Tom Shaw, vice president of Tabor College Wichita and dean of adult and graduate studies. “Mark has hit the ground running and is already making strides to share Tabor’s programs widely across his network.”

“Mark has an expansive network of business contacts in the community, which will benefit the awareness and growth of Tabor and our business programs,” said Tom Shaw, vice president of Tabor College Wichita and dean of adult and graduate studies. “Mark has hit the ground running and is already making strides to share Tabor’s programs widely across his network.” Posson also serves at Riverlawn Christian Church as an executive pastor. In that capacity Posson oversees human resources management, financial and budget management; handles volunteer management; and provides leadership for a business administration team and communication to lay leadership in the church. He most recently worked in an interim human resources and finance management position at Trinity Academy in Wichita. Posson serves on the board of trustees for Manhattan Christian College and Good News to Mexico. He has previously held board positions with His Helping Hands and Building Better Communities. “I look forward to the new challenge that teaching and working in higher education will present,” Posson said. “I received two degrees from Tabor College and believe in the quality education the faculty and staff provide. I am thrilled to be bringing my education and vocation together in this new role.” Posson earned bachelor’s degrees in Christian education from Manhattan Christian College, elementary education from Wichita State University and business administration from Tabor College. He holds an MBA from Tabor College.

Tabor College Wichita & Online

EARN A MASTER’S IN

MINISTRY • BUSINESS • NURSING Tabor graduates receive 40-50% off tuition 316-729-6333 or learn@tabor.edu tabor.edu/online

Tabor Arts Performs Handel’s Messiah Tabor College Oratorio Chorus and Community Orchestra once again joined forces to perform George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” Dec. 4 at the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church. This marked the 20th year of the performance for Bradley Vogel, director of choral activities at Tabor. The annual event brings together current students, alumni and friends of Tabor Arts to kick off the Christmas season. This year, the addition of nearly 50 alumni voices brought the total chorus number to almost 100. “One of the special things about our annual performance is the collaboration with the community and alumni,” Vogel said. “It is something both our students and alumni look forward to each year.” As an added feature for Vogel’s 20th year, solo roles featured alumni who sang the roles while students under his leadership. Featured alumni soloists included David Vogel of Hillsboro, Kan., Justin Moore of Topeka, Kan., Emily Olson of Hillsboro, Kan., Lisa Loewen Kroeker of Henderson, Neb., Aaron Stepanek of Wichita, Kan., and Darren Enns of

Hesston, Kan. Tabor music department faculty performing solos included David Martens, Jen Stephenson and Holly Swartzendruber. Vogel noted that the collaboration from the community extended to the instrumental contributions for the concert. “Our connection with fantastic musicians from the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Friends Community Orchestra and Newton Mid-Kansas Orchestra add another layer to the performance,” Vogel said. “Most of the group has played for Tabor for several years and because of these strong relationships the ensemble comes together seamlessly.” “Messiah” was first performed in 1742 in Ireland as a benefit for local charities. The story follows of the prophecy and life of Jesus Christ. Handel composed the entire work in only 24 days. “Our concert serves as the beginning of the Christmas season for many,” Vogel said. “We are honored to provide this performance as a symbolic start to the holidays for Hillsboro and the Tabor community.”

Tabor College Concert Choir Heads West for Spring Tour The Tabor College Concert Choir will travel to Colorado and California for its annual spring tour, March 16-24 with performances at eight different churches and schools. The choir’s director and professor of music, Brad Vogel, said his students will share their music under the theme “Sing Me to Heaven,” which is the title of the penultimate song of the concert. “Overall, the selections represent music as a gift from God,” Vogel said. “The texts of the songs are either drawn from biblical passages that record scenes in heaven, or speak of the heavenly origin of music, either as God’s creation or resulting from God’s work in our lives.” The Concert Choir’s repertoire for the program ranges from spirituals such as “Music Down in My Soul” to traditional hymns, including “His Eye Is On the Sparrow” and “Holy, Holy, Holy,” to international flavor including “Muusika,” which is sung in Estonian. The choir is comprised of 40 students from five states. The ensemble travels each year during Spring Break and every four years travels to the West Coast. In addition to performing, the group will have the opportunity to visit the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Denver and tour the Sequoia National Park. Throughout the tour, choir members are hosted by churches and Tabor alumni. “Our annual spring tour is a culmination of a year of

hard work,” Vogel added. “The students immensely enjoy traveling and performing. Our desire is to share joy and inspire audiences through music.” Two pre-tour concerts will be given on Sunday, March 12; the first at 10:30 a.m. at the Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church in Hillsboro, and the second at 7 p.m. at Zoar Mennonite Brethren Church in Inman, Kan. The choir will close out the tour with a home concert on Sunday, April 2 at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church. Noted for the vitality of its singing and clarity of expression, the Concert Choir has been selected to perform for the Kansas Music Educators Association State Convention six times since 2000 under Vogel’s direction.

List of concert dates/times/locations include: • 7 p.m., Thursday, March 16 - Garden Park Church, Denver, Colo. • 7 p.m., Friday, March 17 - New Life Community Church, Aurora, Colo. • 7 p.m., Sunday, March 19 - Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church, Shafter, Calif. • 9:35 a.m., Tuesday, March 21 - Fresno Christian School, Fresno, Calif. • 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 21 - Reedley Mennonite Brethren Church, Reedley, Calif. • 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 22 - Kingsburg Mennonite Brethren Church, Kingsburg, Calif. • 7 p.m., Thursday, March 23 - College Community Church, Clovis, Calif. • 7 p.m., Friday, March 24 - Shoreline Calvary Chapel, Morro Bay, Calif. • 4 p.m., Sunday, April 2, 2017 - Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church, Hillsboro, Kan.

Singme t o Heaven Tabor College Concert Choir Dr. Bradley Vogel, Director Dr. J. Bradley Baker, Pianist

Tabor College • Hillsboro, KS

Tabor Theater Advances to Semis at ACTF Tabor College theater students advanced to semi-finals at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Region V in Des Moines, Iowa. The festival, held Jan. 22-28, hosted more than 1,500 students who were invited to compete based on outside nominations from regional representatives. Molly Wiebe Faber, a senior from Hillsboro, and Reuven Isaac, a senior from Wichita, were nominated to compete for their performances in Tabor Theater’s production of “Proof” by David Auburn last spring. Scene partners Austin Calam, a junior from Hillsboro, for Wiebe Faber and Michael Adamyk, a post baccalaureate student from McPherson, for Isaac also participated in the competition. In the first round, each team of actors presented a short scene and the nominee presented a monologue. Isaac and Adamyk advanced to the semifinal round of a pool of 66 actors. In the semi-final the actors presented a second scene for evaluators. While the team did not advance to the final round, this was a significant accomplishment for Tabor’s group. “It was refreshing to see how Tabor Theater compares to theater at other colleges,” Isaac said. “It became very apparent that we’re doing excellent work here. Noticing and reflecting on what did and didn’t work is incredibly valuable, not just for me as an individual, but also for Tabor. I can bring these things back to the theater department and share them. We can all learn something from it.” In addition to the competition, students attended workshops, shows and other events to gain knowledge in all aspects of theater production including costume and set design, lighting and sound technology, acting technique, musical theater, directing, writing and more. “There is far more to do than can be done, and the students can explore something new as well as pursue existing interests,” said Laurel Koerner, assistant professor or theater

and director of theater at Tabor. “The learning packed into this week is unparalleled, and we’re pleased to offer this experience to our students.” Attending the festival is a key component to Koerner’s philosophy that students in Tabor’s theater program benefit from experience, instruction and critique from peers at other colleges and universities and professionals in the field. “We had several opportunities to meet as a group and discuss what they did, analyze what we saw, and process together,” Koerner said. “We valued this time to reflect together and to shape our sense of what theater is capable of and what we ought to do as artists within Tabor’s program and beyond.” Wiebe Faber adds that her time at the festival opened her eyes to new possibilities. “ACTF expanded my view of what theater can look like,” Wiebe Faber said. “I had the opportunity to go to a workshop led by a group of students who use theater to visit schools, hospitals and businesses to teach people how to better relate to one another.” The ACTF Region V festival is one of seven such events held throughout the U.S. and includes students from Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. This is the 48th year of the festival, which is held to encourage and celebrate creative work, provide opportunities for participants to develop skills and improve the overall quality of college and university theater in America. In its lifetime, ACTF has seen more than 400,000 theater students and produced approximately 10,000 festival shows for more than 16 million theatergoers nationwide.

Tabor College Theater presents

A Doll’s House Henrik Ibsen English language version by Simon Stephens

Lohrenz Lab Theater · 7:00 PM · March 8–11, 2017 General $6 Students $4 Tabor Students $2* *Free on Wednesday

Limited Seating Tickets available by reservation or at the door.

To reserve tickets 620-947-3121 x1033 jessicaallen@tabor.edu

@TC_Theater Tabor Theater

Tabor College Signs Partnership with Project SEARCH Tabor College announces a new partnership with Project SEARCH. An agreement between the college and the Marion County Special Education Cooperative was signed Jan. 11, making Tabor the official site of Project SEARCH in Marion County. The program at Tabor will join young adults with disabilities to a work experience while they receive job skills training. While logistical work will begin immediately, the program will officially open in August at the start of the new school year. “I am thrilled that Tabor College has this opportunity,” said President Jules Glanzer. “Providing internships for those who have disabilities (and) helping them adjust to the real world increasing their ability to contribute to society in meaningful ways is an honor for us.” Laura Baldwin serves as the Project SEARCH chair for Marion County, and has been instrumental in bringing Tabor on board as the work site. “We’ve always known Tabor to provide an excellent education, but the more we learned about the people at Tabor and the opportunities for young people with disabilities in Marion County, we knew it was the right choice for this initiative,” Baldwin said. Daneen Landis, coordinator of career services and academic support coordinator at Tabor, serves as the business liaison between the two organizations to place individuals in

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“I am thrilled that Tabor College has this opportunity,” said President Jules Glanzer. “Providing internships for those who have disabilities (and) helping them adjust to the real world increasing their ability to contribute to society in meaningful ways is an honor for us.” work positions on Tabor’s campus. “This is a wonderful opportunity to both strengthen and deepen our relationship with the Hillsboro community while serving these interns,” Landis said. Landis agrees that Tabor is an ideal location for the program in Marion County. “The community at Tabor makes it a wonderful place to work,” Landis said. “Our faculty and staff take so much care to learn about students’ lives in and out of the classroom. They make an extra effort to show support and that makes Tabor a special place.” Project SEARCH launched in 1996 in Cincinnati and has grown to more than 300 work sites across the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia. “Project SEARCH is a natural fit at Tabor College,” Glanzer said. “Its mission directly aligns with ours to prepare people for a life of learning, work and service for Christ and his kingdom. I can’t think of a more appropriate partnership than this one to move forward that mission.” Tabor hosted its first event of the new partnership Feb. 4 with an open house for prospective students and their families.

Carter Becomes Tabor’s Career Scoring Leader Lance Carter, a senior from Troy, Ohio, poured it on in the second half against Bethel College in North Newton on Jan. 16. With a total of 21 points, Carter became the Tabor College men’s basketball career scoring leader. Carter’s 17 second-half points, and 21 for the game, gave him 1,597 career points. “Bethel made a nice run mid-way through the second half,” said head coach Micah Ratzlaff. “Lance, along with several others, were very determined the last eight or nine minutes. It was exciting for all of us to be a part of seeing the scoring record broken.” Carter began his career at Tabor as a freshman during the 2013-14 season and

has helped lead the Bluejays to three KCAC titles, two KCAC tournament titles and four consecutive trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Branson, Mo. He not only owns the career scoring title, but is also the career assist leader and is seventh on the list for career rebounding. It was fitting that Carter broke the record by getting loose in transition and “slamming” the ball home. “I knew I was getting close, but I tried not to think about it much,” Carter said. “I just wanted to treat it like any other game. The milestone is something that I am very honored to have accomplished.” The previous record-holder, Jesse Herrmann, had 1,593 career points. Herrmann played for Tabor from 1992-1995 and is currently the head boys’ basketball coach for Andover Central High School in Andover, Kan. The Tabor athletic department held a center court recognition for Carter on Jan. 18 during just before the men’s game against Sterling College. Herrmann presented Carter with a photo to commemorate the occasion. Carter continues to add to his point total. Tabor is the KCAC regular season champion and will head to Point Lookout, Mo., for the NAIA National Championship Tournament March 8-14.

Follow Bluejay Sports on Twitter @GoTaborBluejays

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Alumni News Marriages Jeremy Davidson (g’16) and Jennifer Crist (g’16) married in Hillsboro, Kan., on Dec. 18, 2016 Ryan Vogt and Danelle Thieszen (g’09), married in Wichita, Kan., on Oct. 1, 2016

Davidson/Crist

Silva/Kuntz

Vogt/Thieszen

Wahl/Schneider

Kevin Wahl (g’04) and Jennifer Schneider, married in Still Water Hollow, Boise, Idaho., on Sept. 2, 2016 Esau Silva and Andrea Kuntz (g’10), married in Abilene, Kan., on June 4, 2016

Births/Adoptions Brett Friesen

Cal Jost

Alice Paulus

David (g’12) and Hanna (Bishop g’12) Vogel, Hillsboro, Kan., a girl, Claire Elizabeth, Jan. 6, 2017 Marc and Laura (Ediger g’07) Stirton, Enid, Okla., a girl, Anna Grace, Dec. 25, 2016 Josh (g’11) and Amanda (Zuercher g’12) Paulus, Liberal, Kan., a girl, Alice Claire, Nov. 27, 2016

Bethany Schall

Kerstin Sensenig

Linnea Sensenig

Josh (g’10) and Rachel (Creps) Jost, Salt Lake City, Utah, a boy, Cal Dean, Oct. 24, 2016 Kyle and Karis (Jost g’07) Friesen, Newton, Kan., a boy, Brett Jonathan, Oct. 18, 2016 Grant (g’15) and Lauren (Wall’16) Shewey, Omaha, Neb., a girl, Addilyn Joy, Aug. 15, 2016

Addilyn Shewey

Anna Stirton

Claire Vogel

Andrew Sensenig (ff’15) and Erica Buller (g’03), Fresno, Calif., twin girls, Kerstin Margarit and Linnea Juliet, May 25, 2016 John and Melanie (Dick g’12) Schall, Wichita, Kan., a girl, Bethany Lyn, May 22, 2016

A L U M N I

N E W S

Deaths

1980s

Marvin Ediger (g’54), Elk River, Minn., Feb. 7, 2017

Mark Seibel (fs’82), a native of Hillsboro, on Dec. 16, the U.S. State Department announced that he had been promoted to the Senior Foreign Service, at the rank of Counselor, a civilian diplomatic equivalent to the military rank of Brigadier General. President Obama made the appointment on Dec. 14, after confirmation by the Senate on Dec. 7. Seibel graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1982, attended Tabor College two years and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Political Science from Wichita State University. He entered the Foreign Service with the Department of State in 1991. His previous assignments include postings in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Japan, Cuba, Canada, Russia, El Salvador and Washington, D.C. He is currently serving in the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he oversees programs to strengthen and develop Afghanistan’s criminal justice system.

Paul Penner (fs’45, fbd’15, bd. emeritus), Wichita, Kan., Jan. 1, 2017 Melvina (Hamm g’46) Wichert, Mount Vernon, Mo., Dec. 9, 2016 Sandra (Andres g’78) Dick, St. Catharines, Ont., Canada, Dec. 5, 2016 Lloyd Dalke (g’60), Hillsboro, Kan., Nov. 27, 2016 Stephen Hogan (g’76), Hesston, Kan., Nov. 23, 2016 Marilyn Kopper (g’78), Wichita, Kan., Nov. 19, 2016 Allen Hiebert (fs’63/ff’07), Hillsboro, Kan., Nov. 14, 2016 Lee Unruh (fs’51), Newton, Kan., Nov. 5, 2016 Marjorie (Vogt fs’45) Krause, Wichita, Kan., Oct. 28, 2016 Verna Isaac (g’49), Elk Grove, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 Dolores (Ediger g’55) Chakerian, Davis, Calif., July 24, 2016 Daryl Bartel (fst’16), Hillsboro, Kan., Feb. 11, 2017 Annette (Janzen g’81) Vix, Maize, Kan., Feb. 11, 2017

Alumni News – 1960s Joseph L. Bridges (g’63), has been named “2017 Realtor of the Year” by the 900-member Stark County Association of Realtors. Bridges re-entered the real estate profession after his retirement from Malone College as professor of communications and chair of the Communication Arts Department. Bridges is licensed with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services and works in the Canton, Ohio, office with his wife, Charlyn. They have two adult sons and live in Hartville.

1990s David Barton (g’90), The College of Health and Human Services at Fresno State recognizes our 2016 Community Heroes. As athletic director at Fresno High School, Barton is making sure student-athletes are succeeding on and off the field. Since 2011, his work has resulted in increased participation in regards to academics and sports, better grades, increased retention rates and a record-breaking number of league championships for the school and its athletes.

2010s Jesse Todd (g’12), Elementary Education graduate and former Student Body president, is now teaching fifth grade at Plum Creek Elementary School in the Hutchinson school district. Earlier this month, Jesse won the Kansas Horizon Award, recognizing exemplary first-year teachers in elementary and secondary schools in Kansas.

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Tabor Fund Now Supports Scholarships Tabor College has made a shift in the way its fundraising. For years, the Tabor Fund has been connected to the general budget at Tabor. Each June and December the advancement department, headed by Ron Braun, vice president, sends out letters asking for support. Now, instead of giving to the general budget, all funds donated to the Tabor Fund go to student scholarships. “We have been asking ourselves what sets Tabor apart?” Braun said. “What makes Tabor different? We’ve found it’s the community of students and alumni that have spent time here.” Students are the driving factor for the change. The advancement team wants to see more students come to Tabor and more students benefit from a Tabor education. President Jules Glanzer fully supports the change in the fundraising effort. “The biggest decision-maker for prospective students and their parents is money,” Glanzer said. “We want to eliminate, or at least lessen, finances as a barrier to education.” In 2016, Tabor gave out $7.6 million in scholarships and grant in aid. By supporting the Tabor Fund, donors are now able to be part of that success. Steve Warkentin, director of development for the Midwest, agrees with Braun that this was a smart move. “We’ve found that many people, even those who aren’t directly connected to Tabor, find the stories of our students

“We’ve found that many people, even those who aren’t directly connected to Tabor, find the stories of our students inspiring and they want to give so that more students can have that experience,” Warkentin said. inspiring and they want to give so that more students can have that experience,” Warkentin said. The first efforts to raise money for student scholarships happened during the nationally recognized Giving Tuesday. During November and through the end of the year, the college sent out several messages about the change. “We are aligning our efforts with Tabor’s mission to prepare people for a life of learning, work and service for Christ and His kingdom,” Braun said. “Alumni and other supporters are noticing, and we have been pleased with the feedback.” During February, Tabor has been calling on supporters as part of the annual Phonathon. The Phonathon goal is $100,000 and all gifts go straight to student aid. “Students are able to share their personal story with the individuals they call,” Warkentin said. “It’s a win-win to connect students and the donors who are giving directly to their education.”

“My experience at Tabor College was extremely rewarding. I have received a quality, faith-based Christian education that taught me how to include Christ not only in my personal life but also in my professional outlook. The professors, mentors and students at Tabor College were very supportive and encouraging. The course work was challenging, interesting and applicable to the current work environment. “I am appreciative for the generosity of the donors and the various scholarships I received. The donations, scholarships and support received have made such a lasting impact on my life and have significantly contributed to who I am today. If it wasn’t for those donations, my success and education would not have been possible.”

Orson Thomas g’10 CPA Controller, Behringer Investments Lewisville, Texas

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