Review - McPherson College Magazine, Fall 2019

FALL 2019

McPHERSON COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Rooted in a

tradition of

S E RV I C E

Bulldogs Give Back!

This school year kicked off with freshmen working together to develop 18 different service projects that were all completed on the same day.

In September, Junior Mendez ‘20 (fourth from left) and the Student Activities Board hosted a community 5k run to beneďŹ t Toys for Tots.

More on student service: pg. 20

McPHERSON COLLEGE MAGAZINE

WORKING FOR A HEALTHIER HAITI

Rooted in a tradition of SERVICE

S E RV I C E

The work Dr. Paul Ullom-Minnich has done in Haiti for nearly a decade came full circle this summer when he returned there with a group of people to tour the country and look at what its needs are today.

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With the public launch of the Building Community Campaign at Homecoming, McPherson College supporters have already contributed $11.5 million toward a goal of $20 million.

McPherson College and McPherson Hospital announced a new initiative focused on community health that sets out to become a new model for community health care in rural areas.

Our faculty are passionate about many things including peace and social justice issues. They share their experiences and knowledge with students in the hopes of instilling in them the same kind of passion.

CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

2 NEWS

On the cover: Illustrations by Evan Hiebert ‘14 of Atelier Design.

8 ATHLETICS

HEALTH CARE INITIATIVE

10 FACULTY & STAFF

Fall 2019 | Vol. 108, No. 2 McPherson College 1600 E. Euclid PO Box 1402 McPherson, KS 67460 (620) 242-0400 (800) 365-7402 www. mcpherson.edu The Review welcomes and reports the news of our diverse alumni and friends.

Their activities may represent a variety of viewpoints which may or may not be endorsed by the college. McPherson College does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or physical or emotional disability. © 2019 McPherson College

24 HOMECOMING

The Review McPherson College Magazine is published twice a year by the Office of Marketing and Public Relations for the alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the college.

Editor - Tina Goodwin director of public relations Design - Brian Lundberg director of marketing, Corey Long ‘17 graphic designer Photography - Colleen Gustafson ‘06 promotions and new media manager, Micah Gilbert ‘20 student Contributing Staff

Monica Rice director of alumni and constituent relations Dave Barrett ’90 advancement officer Jeremy Nelson athletic communications director Kendra Flory advancement assistant

FACULTY REFLECTIONS

29 ALUMNI NOTES

McPherson College Administration Michael P. Schneider ‘96 president Abbey Archer-Rierson chief of staff Bruce Clary ’77 vp for academic affairs Ben Coffey ‘12 dean of students Andrew Ehling athletic director Amanda Gutierrez vp for automotive restoration Christi Hopkins vp for enrollment management Marty Sigwing director of facilities Brenda Stocklin-Smith director of human resources Rick Tuxhorn vp for finance Erik Vogel ‘98 vp for advancement

news 2019-2022 McPherson College Comprehensive Campaign

Building Community

Events

Focuses

Highlights

With the public launch of the Building Community Campaign at Homecoming, McPherson College supporters have already contributed $11.5 million toward a goal of $20 million. The centerpiece of the campaign is a proposed new campus center. Starting the public phase of a campaign with more than 50 percent of the goal raised is unprecedented in the college’s history.

Gifts announced during the Building Community Campaign launch included: • The Gerald J. Holman Tennis Courts. Funding for the expansion of the tennis facilities by adding three new courts. The new courts will allow the college to host men’s and women’s tennis competitions on campus.

• The Paul Family Football Field. A gift from the families of Brent and Steven Paul of Bakersfield, California, in support of students and athletics at McPherson College. The college announced the new name of the field during halftime of the Homecoming football game with a sign added to the scoreboard.

• $1 million from Richard and Melanie Lundquist • $1 million anonymous gift for Health Science programs

The Building Community Campaign focuses on four key areas that sets McPherson College on a trajectory to become one of American’s great small colleges.

• Capital Projects - $13 million • Engagement – 2,500 new donors • Restricted Gifts - $3.5 million • Establish long-term endowment of $1 billion • McPherson College Fund - $3.5 million As part of the Building Community Campaign, MC will travel around the country connecting with alumni and friends through their shared stories and participating in community building events. Are you passionately involved in a service project? Do you want to get a group of Bulldogs together? Contact Erik Vogel, vice president for advancement to discuss the possibilities of making a visit to your community – vogele@mcpherson.edu or (620) 242-0435.

Go online to make a gift Your participation in this campaign is important as we generate resources for the future. www.mcpherson.edu/buildingcommunity

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MC editorials tackle big issues Newspapers across the state published two editorials written by President Michael Schneider in an effort to raise awareness of the college as well as of significant issues facing higher education. In his first opinion piece, titled “Helping students graduate with zero student debt should be the goal of all colleges,” President Schneider writes that McPherson College doesn’t think graduating with a mortgage on your education needs to be a solution to college access.

He addresses the myth that private colleges are more expensive and explains how MC is providing solutions for students with its Student Debt Project.

In his next editorial, “Nobody wants to be a teacher today. We have to change that,” he looks at the teacher shortage challenge in Kansas and what MC is doing to address it.

Both editorials can be read on our website. www.mcpherson.edu/news

MC welcomes largest class in history McPherson College welcomed its largest incoming class to campus when fall semester classes began on August 20, continuing its upward enrollment trend established over the past five years. With 299 new freshmen and transfer students, it is the largest class in school history.

As classes got underway, full-time equivalent enrollment was up to 821.

“This is a milestone for McPherson College and two years ahead of the goals we set in our strategic plan, Community By Design,” President Michael Schneider said. “While many wonder whether or not a small college should exist, this one is attracting and retaining students.”

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According to Ruffalo Noel Levitz, an enrollment management firm that surveyed 63 private higher education institutions in the Midwest, MC is bucking the trend. It reported average enrollment is down three percent among the colleges surveyed.

“We know families question whether they can afford to send their children to college. McPherson College is showing students how it is possible to graduate with no student loan debt, and it is attracting their attention,” President Schneider said.

The McPherson College Student Debt Project is a unique program that aims at helping students graduate with no student loan debt. This fall, students in the Student Debt Project reduced their projected college debt at graduation by $7,000.

“When you add the Student Debt Project to our success placing graduates in jobs, students and families are seeing that McPherson College is the best choice,” President Schneider said. “Our faculty care about what happens to our students after they graduate. We are proud that nearly every student is working in their field or enrolled in graduate school.”

Focus on career education and experiential learning is spread throughout the McPherson College curriculum, resulting in 95 percent of its graduates in careers or graduate programs within six months of graduation. Two-thirds reported having a job before they graduated.

President’s message

ENROLLMENT

Dear McPherson College Alumni, Friends, and Family, Working to promote peace and social justice locally and abroad is rooted in the McPherson College experience. It’s an importance part of what identifies us as Bulldogs, and service is one of the three pillars of our college mission. Service is a natural extension of the strong sense of community that McPherson College fosters among its students, alumni, and friends. The feeling of community developed at McPherson College drives us to want to work for peace and justice.

We recently launched a new fundraising campaign called Building Community. You can read more details about it in this issue of the Review. Building Community focuses on building the kind of physical community that will support McPherson College’s dream of becoming one of America’s great small colleges, but it also focuses on building the kind of community that our students thrive in and take with them when they graduate to make a difference in their own communities.

When I read about the alumni featured in this magazine, it inspires me to make sure McPherson College continues to develop the kind of people who go out and create positive changes in our world. McPherson College provides students with opportunities to begin or continue their interest in service with a renewed focus from the Office of Student Affairs. Our faculty are also dedicated to the idea of community and service, and are role models for all of us. I hope the stories in this issue about how McPherson College practices service inspire you as well.

Our plans for the future are taking shape and I hope you will be a part of building our community at McPherson College.

It’s a great day to be a Bulldog!

Michael P. Schneider President, McPherson College

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U P DAT E S

Community Health On August 29, McPherson College President Michael Schneider, Rep. Roger Marshall, M.D., and McPherson Hospital President and CEO Terri Gehring, announced a new community health initiative.

McPherson College and McPherson Hospital announced a new initiative focused on community health that sets out to become a new model for community health care in rural areas. It features a new enhanced health science degree at the college with a wide variety of hands-on educational opportunities thanks, to a partnership with the hospital.

Working together toward healthier communities is the goal of the partnership. The partnership will provide opportunities for student learning and community outreach that will match Health Care Scholars with signature outreach being developed to solve issues in the community. There is more to a healthy community than just treating people who are sick, explained McPherson College President Michael Schneider.

“We are looking at this from a holistic, patient-centered approach to health care in rural communities,” President Schneider said. “In small communities, you need to be resourceful in uncovering ways to build a healthy community. It includes everything from mentoring at-risk youth to making sure our elderly citizens are safe when they return home from a hospital stay. It also includes solving our challenges to provide good mental health support and treatment for all. This partnership will put our students out in the community working with support from McPherson Hospital to solve these challenges.”

The new degree and partnership were announced August 29 at McPherson College where Rep. Roger Marshall, M.D., spoke to more than 100 in attendance about the importance of working together to support rural health.

www.mcpherson.edu/health-science

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“Health care, like many industries in Kansas, struggles to find qualified employees,” said U.S. Congressman Marshall. “I served as an OBGYN for more than 25 years and understand the need to find and retain hardworking, qualified medical staff. Partnerships and educational opportunities like the one announced today are an important step in meeting the health care needs of all Kansans and creating educational opportunities for those who want to live and work in rural America.”

The joint initiative aligns the college and hospital to provide students access to its facility resources and people for internships, field experiences, observation, and rotations. The cooperating effort offers students opportunities for real-world experiences in all aspects of health care delivery, and develops a workforce pipeline for the hospital and other health care agencies across the state as students graduate from the new program. One of the first efforts the new initiative will pursue is a survey of all the health-related opportunities available for students in central Kansas.

“The delivery of health care and the needs of consumers have changed dramatically over the years and are likely to continue,” Terri Gehring, McPherson Hospital president and CEO, said. “By combining our resources, talents and expertise we have the opportunity to accomplish so much more than we can individually to address these needs.”

President Schneider add, “Our organizations face similar challenges. This partnership allows us to work together with common goals. The primary focus of the college is creating pathways to careers in community health for our students. By working with the hospital, we also have the ability to provide signature outreach programs for some of the most vulnerable populations of any community, such as at-risk youth and the elderly.”

Last year, the college conducted an environmental analysis that included community focus groups with more than 60 area health professionals and community leaders participating. The research uncovered opportunities for developing an enhanced health science degree focused on health careers as well as support for a college and hospital partnership.

news “The concept of partnering makes a lot of sense,” John Worden, chief operating officer at the hospital, said. “It became clear as we discussed the possibilities that we can unite and work together in a way that improves the health care delivery model and provides educational opportunities for students.”

Over the next 10 years the U.S. Department of Labor projects a 10-20 percent growth in careers related to community health. In Kansas, community health careers in telemedicine, telehealth, behavioral health, health care administration and community health planning are in high demand. Locally, a Community Health Needs Assessment, conducted annually by the hospital, prioritized the need for more mental health resources and services.

Kansas is among states with the highest number of rural hospitals and greatest shortage of health care professionals of all types, according to the National Rural Health Association. Additionally, according to the Kansas Hospital Association, more than 25 percent of the state’s population lives in rural areas.

“In the focus groups, we observed amazing community support for both the college and hospital,” Gehring said. “Participants were excited about the potential partnership and asked how they could help. This reinforced why McPherson is such a great community. We work together with a shared vision of success.”

Curriculum for the new degree will be offered beginning in the fall of 2020. The degree is designed for students who want to study in the field of health care while participating in outstanding internship opportunities which allow them to give back to the community.

N EW MA J ORS :

• Health Science • Healthcare Management Gift funds health program and scholarships

A $1 million gift will help McPherson College fund the new community health care initiative, including ten $25,000 scholarships for students committed to community health.

“This is an ambitious project with a goal of improving health in our community and becoming a new model for rural health across the state,” McPherson College President Michael Schneider said. “The gift enables us to move forward with the academic aspects of the initiative as well as community outreach opportunities that will provide hands-on experience for student discernment and much-needed services for our community. Although the donor wishes to remain anonymous, the donor is a long-time supporter of McPherson College and advocate of health care initiatives that support our youth, older adults and those who struggle with mental health challenges.”

The new health care programs are focused on creating health-related career pathways for students while engaging them in the community.

New Student Health Clinic Opens McPherson College makes it easy for its students to access health care and counseling services on campus at its new Campus Student Health Center. The new building, located on Gordon Street across from Metzler Hall, is a dedicated student and campus health facility. It opened to students in September and hosted an open house during Homecoming.

The college recognized that navigating the complexities of health care is confusing; particularly for college students who may be dealing with a health crisis alone for the first time. Having a dedicated building on campus for health care services was the college’s response to student surveys that consistently rated access to health and counseling services on campus as a top priority.

McPherson College continues to partner with Partners In Family Care and with Client Centered Counseling to provide health and counseling services respectively.

Partners In Family Care, based in Moundridge, Kansas, is a practice run in part by Drs. Paul and Marla Ullom-Minnich, both alumni of McPherson College.

Linda Helmer, also a McPherson College alumna, operates Client Centered Counseling and provides services in the new clinic and at the downtown location.

Health and counseling services at the college are highly utilized by students and staff members, according to the clinic records. Student fees include unlimited health care office visits for full-time students, as well as 10 visits with the counseling office at no charge. Clinical services, like laboratory work, are also available but are submitted to insurances.

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AUTO RESTORATION

Fine Arts Lingenfelter artist performs to packed house

Melanie Lundquist, Paul Russell and Richard Lundquist with their 1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS Figoni and Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet after winning best in class at Pebble Beach.

Lundquist Gift

In August, McPherson College announced a gift of $1 million from Richard and Melanie Lundquist, noted California philanthropists. The gift recognizes the work of renowned car restorer, Paul Russell and Company, and was announced at a private event hosted by McPherson College at the Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance. Russell serves as president of the college’s national advisory board for automotive restoration.

Paul Russell and Company restored a 1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS Figoni and Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet owned by the Lundquists that was among the four finalists for the Best of Show at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours.

“It is obvious the Lundquists value craftsmanship and education. Going through a concours-quality restoration project, they understand and appreciate the importance of educating the next generation of craftspeople,” Amanda Gutierrez, vice president for automotive restoration, said. “They love cars and supporting students who share their passion. We are grateful they have endorsed McPherson College as an institution worthy of their support.”

Chris Hammond, a McPherson College graduate, was senior mechanical restorer on the project, and Paul Russell and Company currently employs three McPherson College graduates. Russell is a champion of educating the next generation of craftsmen and has been a long-time supporter of the McPherson College program.

“McPherson College is honored to be recognized with this gift from Richard and Melanie,” President Michael Schneider said.

“This gift is evidence that the quality of education provided at McPherson College is valued. Our entire campus works hard providing outstanding educational opportunities and career experiences. This is a signal to the industry that we are committed to excellence, and it takes people like the Lundquists stepping up to help us drive the future of this industry.”

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Sirius/XM Radio’s Broadway host Seth Rudetsky brought his hilarious one-man show, “Deconstructing Broadway,” to McPherson College to open the 2019 Fern Lingenfelter Artists Series. More than 200 people attended the performance in Mingenback Theatre.

Rudetsky is a Broadway performer, producer, director and three-time Daytime Emmy nominee. In this cabaret-style show, Rudetsky’s performance is a tour-de-force featuring his trademark “deconstructions,” in which he uses his amazing audio/video collection to break down brilliant performances from beloved Broadway divas like Patti LuPone and Betty Buckley, as well as showcases mind-boggling videos like The Osmonds singing a medley from “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Rudetsky devotes an entire section of his performance on Barbra Streisand, who actually came to his show in Los Angeles and loved it.

While at MC, Rudetsky also hosted a master class for the Heartland Choral Festival. The festival invites high school choirs to campus for a day-long clinic.

Theatre milestones this year The MC Department of Theatre will premiere three different works on the college stage this year. The department was granted regional premiere rights to debut the musical “Daddy Long Legs,” music and lyrics by Paul Gordon and book by John Caird. It debuted in November and featured J. Tanner Trigg and Liz Thornton, pictured above. Also making a regional debut on the MC stage is “Outside Mullingar,” by John Patrick Shanley, in April. “Creepy Creepy” will make its world premiere on February 18-21. Professors Jd. Bowman and Jen Pollard were granted the rights to develop a stage adaptation of the children’s books written by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown. The stage adaptation was written by Bowman’s nine-year-old son, Oliver, and will be performed for area elementary schools and the general public.

support

news THE FACE OF GIVING I was recruited by McPherson College to run track and field and ended up being involved in much more upon enrollment. McPherson College does that to you; the arms you are greeted with upon check-in will remain extended throughout the duration of your time here. I can attest to this by having a plethora or mentors and professors who have followed me throughout the three and one-half years I’ve attended college.

I chose to come here for track but I chose to stay because of the welcoming people. With my major in history, I am often exposed to the unfortunate continuities seen in society.

Throughout my studies, I’ve found myself becoming more and more passionate about figuring out how to serve others in a way that helps limit the negative impacts of social injustices. For this reason, I utilize my time at McPherson College to explore, and to learn more about different cultures, ways of life, and methods to combat social injustice.

From sitting in my history lectures to the insightful classes like those led by Kirk MacGregor, I’ve been privileged enough to learn so much that has inspired me.

I’ve been energized so much so, that I intend to continue this journey finding methods by which people in charge can impact the world. Upon graduation, I plan to serve for the Teach For America Corps in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to inspire and energize others in the same fashion my professors and staff did here at McPherson College. I also was admitted to Wichita State where I’ll obtain a master’s degree in public administration, with which I intend to lessen the burden of educational inequities and make a change in the world around me. After spending my time at MC, I’ve gained enough confidence to go boldly into the world with aspirations to change it for the better. I wholeheartedly believe my confidence would not have sprouted without me choosing to attend MC. Thank you to everyone at McPherson College that has made this experience so remarkable.

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I utilize my time at McPherson College to explore, and to learn more about different cultures, ways of life, and methods to combat social injustice.

Diamond Blaylock Flower Mound, TX Major: History

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You can support our students by giving to the McPherson College Fund online at: www.mcpherson.edu/giving

Or contact the development office at (800) 365-7402.

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athletics FALL

One of the highlights of the 2019 campaign was defeating Friends University, the eventual KCAC tournament champions, at home in overtime. Jorge Ramos hit the equalizer from about 40 yards out in the final minute of regulation, then Marcus Fernandes slotted the game winner in the first overtime session.

The Bulldogs placed six players on the KCAC’s All-Conference team.

Three were honored as second team selections including Lucas Williams, freshman; Fernandes, junior; and Guido Battistini, senior; and Sean Thompson, sophomore; Justus Koehler, and Navid Istanbullu, juniors, were named honorable mention.

Football

Conference coaches picked the Bulldog football team to finish 10th out of 11 schools this year at the KCAC Media Days in August before the season started. First-year head coach Jeremiah Fiscus used it to motivate his team, which responded by going 5-5 in conference games and 5-6 overall, landing the team in fifth place in the final standings.

The season was bookended by a pair of three-game losing streaks, but in the middle the Bulldogs went on a run to win five straight. They were 3-2 at home, 2-2 on the road, and 0-1 at neutral sites. Some of the highlights were defeating Tabor College, a perennial power in the KCAC in recent years, for the first time in five seasons and getting their first road win in five years by defeating Friends University. Also, Ed Crouch became the program’s all-time leader in passes attempted and completed, and passing yards.

Nine Bulldogs were named to the KCAC All-Conference Team. On offense, Dalton Womack and Ben Nikkel, sophomores, and Crouch, senior, were second team selections while LaMeshio Hill, junior, was an honorable mention selection. On the defensive side of the ball, Kollin Goering, sophomore, Charles Tisby, Joey Hale, Brett Sykes Jr., and Patrick Calip, seniors, were all named honorable mention.

Men’s Soccer

The men’s soccer team went 9-9 overall and 7-5 in the KCAC to finish in fifth place in the conference standings.

There were many new faces on the Bulldog roster for 2019. The Bulldogs had nine returners from 2018 with only four of them having significant time on the pitch a season ago. The Bulldogs overcame a lack of continuity and a rash of injuries to qualify for the KCAC playoffs for the 15th year in a row. This year they entered as the fifth seed and lost on the road to fourth-seeded York College.

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Women’s Soccer

The women’s soccer team made steady progress in 2019, after a tough 2018 campaign in which they finished just 1-15-1 overall and 1-10-1 in KCAC play. The Bulldogs wrapped up this fall with an overall record of 4-11-3 and a KCAC mark of 4-5-3, finishing sixth in the conference standings. The Bulldogs qualified for the KCAC Tournament as the sixth seed but lost in the quarterfinals to third-seeded Kansas Wesleyan University.

One of the highlights of the season was a 2-0 victory over Ottawa at home in early October. The Bulldogs had not beaten the Braves since 2016 and were 1-9-1 against them going into the game. Another highlight was Christie Silber becoming the Bulldogs’ all-time leader in saves. She recorded 82 for the season and has 307 for her career.

For their success on the field, the Bulldogs were rewarded with six All-Conference selections. All six were voted to the team as honorable mention selections and included: Emma Singleton and Madison Hall, sophomores; Pamela Rosales-Zapata, Bianca Avila, and Silber, juniors; and Nelly Rodriguez, senior.

Cross Country

The McPherson College Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams boasted one of their largest rosters in recent memory, consisting of 11 runners on the men’s side and nine for the women. The Bulldogs were under the direction of first-year head coach Kendrick Clay, whose goal for the season was to get his runners to embrace the “red line,” his term for pack running or getting all five runners in the race to run together to score as many points as possible.

news The Bulldogs ran seven races this season. The women’s best finish was a fourth-place finish at the Muthama-Rogers Invitational hosted by Bethel College, and the men’s best was a third-place finish at Tabor College’s Cottonwood Challenge. At the KCAC Championships, the Bulldog men ended the season with a sixth-place finish, right where they were ranked heading into the race. The women came out in seventh place, a spot higher than their regular season ranking.

Jadin Fleming, sophomore, was the top runner for the men finishing in 21st place, just missing out on All-Conference honors. For the women, Aryana Archuleta, senior, was the Bulldogs’ lone All-Conference performer with a 12th-place finish.

VB pic

MC earns accolades U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

For the fourth year in a row, McPherson College has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report on the 2020 “Best Colleges” list for Regional Colleges in the Midwest. Additionally, McPherson College is among only four schools in Kansas ranked as a “Best Value” school by the report.

Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included on the “Best Value Schools” ranking list. When evaluating colleges for this list, U.S. News & World Report considers the most significant values to be among colleges that are above average academically and takes into account academic quality as well as cost.

“It is an honor to be included on such a well-respected list,” President Michael Schneider said. “It’s further proof that McPherson College is being recognized for the work being done by our faculty and staff to ensure quality education, excellent student experience, and value.”

This year, McPherson College moved up 10 places in the “Best College” ranking, and was included in the top 20 schools for Campus Ethnic Diversity as well as in the top 20 of Top Performers on Social Mobility. The social mobility ranking is new to the report this year and measures how well schools graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants (those typically coming from households with family incomes of less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant awards to students with a total family income below $20,000.)

“GREAT COLLEGE TO WORK FOR”

Volleyball

The Bulldog volleyball team finished the season with a winning record for the fourth consecutive season and the first under head coach Cory Cahill, who joined the program this year. The Bulldogs were 17-12 on the year and 7-5 in conference play, which landed them in fifth place in the KCAC standings. Needing to win the KCAC Tournament to make a return trip to the NAIA National Tournament, the Bulldogs, fifth seed, won the first two rounds defeating Tabor College and Kansas Wesleyan University but ultimately fell on day two in the semifinals to St. Mary.

The highlights of the season included defeating Grandview University, which was ranked seventh in the nation at the time, in straight sets. Other highlights were Jamie Siess reaching the 1,000 dig milestone and Kaitlyn Heinis going over 2,300 assists for her career.

The Bulldogs had five players selected to the All-Conference team. Sydney Burton, junior, was the lone first team selection. Riley Bradbury, junior; Siess and Alicia Hall, seniors, were named to the second team; and Madi Woog, junior, was picked as a third team selection.

www.macbulldogs.com

McPherson College was recognized as a “Great Colleges to Work For” for the fifth year in a row and received Honor Roll recognition for the fourth year in a row. McPherson College is the only Kansas school earning recognition on the lists and was one of Faculty and staff celebrate being named a “Great just seven institutions College to Work For” for the fifth year in a row. nationwide to earn top honors in 11 or more of the report’s 12 categories, which include areas like compensation and benefits along with work and life balance.

The Honor Roll is an elite group of institutions that are standouts within their respective enrollment sizes. This year, 236 colleges were surveyed for the list and 85 were recognized, while 42 were singled out for the Honor Roll.

President Schneider points to some of the basics like the college’s health insurance plan that has not had a premium increase for 10 years, annual pay raises, and monthly all-campus meetings, “huddles,” as reasons why people like working for McPherson College. Additionally, involvement in programs like training from the Kansas Leadership Center, which develops adaptive problem-solving skills, and other significant professional development investments in the operating budget, sets McPherson College apart from other college campuses.

The “Great Colleges to Work For” survey, conducted by Modern Think, is one of the largest and most respected workplace recognition programs in the country. It recognizes the colleges that get top ratings from their employees regarding workplace practices and policies and is published each year in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

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David O’Dell Anyone who visited Professor Dave O’Dell’s office in the basement of Melhorn Science Hall would certainly notice the number of plaques covering the walls and on closer look would discover a career, spanning 40 years, devoted to McPherson College, his students, and the community. O’Dell, a long-time professor of accounting, retired at the end of the 2019 fall semester. While packing up his office, he had the opportunity to reflect on a career that he described as “blessed.”

In a book he was clearing from a shelf titled “Seven Laws of the Learner,” O’Dell pointed to a line in it with the note “epitaph?” written in the margin.

“Right here, it says ‘See how he loved his students.’ It’s where I may have failed at times but when I did succeed, those are the meaningful times,” he said. “I’ve developed some good relationships over the years. Some of my best friends are former students.”

O’Dell’s career at McPherson College began shortly after he began his own career in public accounting. The college had contacted his boss for leads on filling a part-time professor opening in business and accounting.

“He recommended me,” O’Dell said. “I was extremely surprised. At the time, I thought ‘I’m not a teacher’ but the students liked me, and I discovered that I had something to share.”

He began teaching part-time for two years and then full-time. He points to a box on the floor that is overflowing with books and papers and explains it is his “humor box.”

Shortly after he started teaching full-time is when the puns began.

“Accounting is not the most interesting subject in the world,” he said. “Sometimes you

MCPHERSON COLLEGE MAGAZINE

just have to take a break, and I think humor is a good way to relieve stress.”

Four to five former students and a good friend help keep the supply of puns replenished, but most of them are originals from O’Dell.

“The best puns are the ones just off the cuff,” he said. “Once they start, they just keep coming. People ask me how I keep it going and I have no clue.”

Although O’Dell will be remembered by students for his puns, he will be remembered by many others for his service to the college and community.

On one wall of his office hangs the service awards he has received from McPherson College and on another his Professor of the Year award and his Citation of Merit award for outstanding alumni. He has been recognized for his service on a variety of boards including the McPherson Chamber of Commerce, McPherson Hospital, Kansas Society of CPAs, and honored by the Small Business Administration as an accounting advocate in the Wichita district and by the Kansas Business Educators Association as the post-secondary business educator of the year.

He is also extremely dedicated to economic development and is the longest-serving member of the South Central Kansas Economic Development District. Since 1985, he has assisted more than 300 small businesses get started in the McPherson area.

“I may be a CPA but entrepreneurship is what I love,” he said. “I was raised in a small business and learned about payroll and cash flow over dinner when my parents were talking about the family business. It was a way of life.”

news Extreme “Pun-ishment” Professor Dave O’Dell has a skill of stringing puns together, which is well known to his students and colleagues. Here is what he had to say about his “remarkable” ability.

“Serious humor is ‘no laughing matter’ – just ask me – a serious punster! (No one laughs, just groans.) Take the pun out of punishment and all you have is ‘ishment!’ Now what does that mean? The following is a quote from the online Urban Dictionary: Pun-ishment: Noun. The annoyance of hearing consecutive lame puns – such as the word being defined. (Verb: to pun-ish) 3 bad puns in a row is pun-ishment.

I can do way more than three in a row. What I do could be called ‘extreme pun-ishment.’ In sports there are extreme sports, well I do extreme pun-ishment!”

And, here are three O’Dell puns in a row: • Who is the greatest male financier in the Bible? Noah—he was able to float his stock while others were in liquidation. Who is the greatest female financier in the Bible?

Pharaoh’s daughter – she went to the Bank of the Nile and withdrew a little prophet!

• My friend went to work for a shoe manufacturing company. He thought it would be a religious experience—had a lot of sole (soul). Because he “tied one on” they gave him “the boot”. His boss was a “heel”!

They called him a “loafer”. He was “tongue-tied”.

• My other friend went to work as a lumberjack in Northwest U.S. He wanted to “climb” the corporate ladder. So, He went “out on a limb”! Rather than “leave (leaf)” it alone his boss gave him “the axe”. He felt like he was pretty “sharp” but he was just a “sap”. He was “barking” up the wrong tree. Wouldn’t (wood) it be nice if we all learned a lesson from this?!!

Ed Barr, associate professor of technology, presented “Tank Tops, Torpedoes & Tire Smoke: Car Design of the 1950s” for Salina’s Smoky Hill Museum in November. His presentation explored the breakthroughs and breakdowns of 1950s car design and the people behind them.

Jd. Bowman, professor of theatre, was invited to attend the TedxBroadway conference in New York City. The TED event gathers a small number of theatre professionals from a variety of job backgrounds to discuss the future of Broadway in American Theatre. For the first time, the McPherson College Theatre has been invited by the Cultural Integration Centre in Kochi, Kerala, India, to perform “Speak Truth to Power,” a play based on a version its employees saw when they visited McPherson College. Seven students and six alumni will spend 10 days touring and performing at multiple locations in January.

Dr. James Bowyer, associate professor of music, co-wrote (with Professor Ben Munisteri, associate professor of dance at Alma College) a book chapter in “Story in Children’s Lives: Contributions of the Narrative Mode to Early Childhood Development, Literacy, and Learning.” The book was released in October and Dr. Bowyer’s chapter was titled “Move Me a Story: Augmenting Story Genres with Creative Movement.” Dr. Bowyer also wrote a choral piece called “The Cherry Riddle Song” for mixed choir. The piece was accepted for publication at Santa Barbara Music Press and is scheduled for release in January. This is the 11th piece in print for Dr. Bowyer. This fall, he hosted 100 students from five area schools at the Heartland Choral Festival at McPherson College. They performed in a mass choir and attended a session led by Seth Rudetsky, host of Sirius/XM Radio’s Broadway.

Dee Erway-Sherwood, professor of graphic design, was selected as the recipient of the Tenured Faculty Teaching Award. The award was presented during the Homecoming convocation.

Curt Goodwin, associate professor of technology, was selected as the recipient of the Non-Tenured Faculty Teaching Award. The award was presented during the Homecoming convocation.

Michaela Valli Groeblacher, assistant professor of art, was selected to exhibit her latest artwork, “Papillonia Libera,” in the juried exhibition: “Mark 100, Celebrating 100 Years of Mark Arts in Wichita.” The call was national and directed toward art made in all media.

Appropriately, “Papillonia Libera” is a mixed media piece, a ceramic sculpture that is painted and the backdrop is a chalk-pastel drawing/painting. Conceptually, the piece deals with growth within a human being; layers of knowledge and experiences that are gained through education and every-day life. The model for the sculpture was her 96-year-old neighbor and inspiration for the backdrop were Dr. Becky Bowman and her four children. The title reflects the meaning of the words: Papillonia means butterfly; Liber(a) is Latin and means free (liberation) and book (library). Therefore, liberation through education.

Michaela Valli Groeblacher, assistant professor of art, and Dr. Kim Stanley, professor and chair of the Department of Modern Languages, collaborated for two gallery exhibitions of their work in Hays and in Wichita. Groeblacher’s life-like ceramic figures were accompanied by poetry written for each piece by Stanley.

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Kyle Hopkins, associate professor of music and director of bands, will conduct the McPherson College Band when it performs in February at the Kansas Music Educators Association State convention in Wichita. This is the second time in the past three years that the band has been selected to perform, which distinguishes MC band program from other private college programs in the area.

Dr. Manjula Koralegedara, associate professor of chemistry, has written a book chapter titled “Helping Students Take Responsibility in Their Own Learning Process: My Approaches, Failures, and Successes” and is being accepted for publication in the ACS Symposium Series volume titled “Chemistry Student Success: Case Studies for New Educators” by the American Chemical Society books. She served as a program reviewer for the Department of Chemistry at University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Sri Lanka.

The department consists of 20 faculty members and offers bachelor’s degrees in chemistry-general, chemistry-special, and a master’s degree in chemistry.

Dr. Julia Largent, assistant professor of communications, was elected as vice president/president-elect for the Midwest Popular Culture Association/ American Culture Association at its annual conference in Cincinnati. She also serves as managing editor of The Popular Culture Studies Journal.

Dr. Kirk MacGregor, associate professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion, published the article “Theology and Metaphysics as Scientific Endeavors” in Socio-Historical Examination of Religion and Ministry 1.2 (2019): 275-89. At the four annual professional conferences in philosophy and religion during November, he presented the papers “Molinism, Apologetics, and Music,” “The New Being in Pure Land Buddhism,” and “Why did the Resurrected Jesus Upbraid Thomas?” He also moderated a session, “New Testament: Synoptic Gospels,” at one of the conferences.

Dr. Ricardo Rodriguez, assistant professor of physics and mathematics, presented at the Physics Seminar at Wichita State University.

His presentation, “Quantum Computing in the Investment Age,” explored the quantum computing field with an eye on money and looks at the question of whether investing in the next quantum computing start-up is worth it.

Dr. Herb Smith, professor of philosophy and religion, was asked by the Covenant Bible Series to write a book on the life of Moses. Additionally, because of his extensive international teaching and travels with students, he has been asked by Oxford Press to help design a student-friendly text on world religions. He will also be presenting on Global Christianity for the Gettysburg Seminary conference this summer.

Kerri Snell, assistant professor of English, collaborated with pastors at Journey Mennonite Church in Hutchinson, Yoder, and McPherson to create poetry and choral readings for use in workshop during the Advent season.

Dr. Kim Stanley, professor and chair of the Department of Modern Languages, led family history writing workshops for the Humanities Kansas Speakers Bureau at the Salina Public Library, Hoisington Public Library, Sumner County Historical and Genealogical Society (Wellington). She led a community history writing workshop for the Smithsonian Museums on Main Street exhibit called “Crossroads.” This workshop was to help museum and community folks selected for the exhibit prepare their accompanying materials. It was also sponsored by Humanities Kansas. Dr. Stanley designed a book discussion series for TALK called “Ghost Stories” and presented the first book titled “The Woman in Black,” by Susan Hill at the Junction City Public Library. Humanities Kansas will feature Dr. Stanley as an “influencer” on its website in December or January.

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STAFF

College names new personnel OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT

Erik Vogel, vice president for advancement

Vogel ‘98 brings with him a great deal of higher education fundraising experience and a strong connection to McPherson College that will help him make a swift transition into his new role, according to President Michael Schneider.

“The McPherson College Building Community Campaign will shape the future of the college, and I am pleased that Erik will lead our team in that effort,” President Schneider said. “His experience and his knowledge of the college are assets that will complement the work we are doing.”

McPherson College recently launched the comprehensive fundraising campaign, Building Community, with an announcement at Homecoming that the college has raised $10.5 million. Starting the campaign with more than 50 percent of the goal raised is unprecedented in the college’s campaign history. The centerpiece of the $20 million campaign is a proposed new student center.

Vogel earned a degree in accounting and business management from McPherson College in 1998 and for the past six years has served as director of annual giving at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) in Marshall, Minnesota. While at SMSU, Vogel exceeded annual fundraising goals, achieved the highest alumni giving percentage among Minnesota state system universities, and launched a successful employee giving program.

Along with other sales and accounting experience, Vogel also served as director of development at McPherson College from 2003 to 2007. During his time at McPherson College, annual giving income grew from $350,000 to nearly $1 million in three years.

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Ben Coffey, dean of students

As dean of students, Coffey ‘12 is responsible for all aspects of student life at MC including housing and dining services, student engagement, conduct, spiritual life, health and counseling services, student government and clubs, student affairs compliance, and budget.

“Ben has several years of experience in the student affairs department at McPherson College,” President Schneider said. “His dedication and commitment to our students over the years, along with his knowledge of student life issues, are real assets to our college.”

news Coffey has a long history with the college. He began working in academic support in 2011 as coordinator of the Writing Center, a position he maintained after he was appointed associate dean of students in 2016. He was promoted to associate vice president for student affairs in 2018. His focus was primarily on housing, conduct, and student government. He also teaches diversity education in the teacher education program.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from McPherson College, a master’s degree of education in curriculum and instruction and is currently finishing requirements for a doctorate in education from Baker University. Before coming to McPherson College, Coffey was a classroom instructor for Canton-Galva and was director of professional development and union president there. He also worked with the Kansas teachers union for political activism, member engagement and fundraising, and negotiated teaching agreements with districts across Kansas.

HEALTH SCIENCE PROGRAM Matthew Bogner, assistant professor of health sciences and director of health science programs

Matthew Bogner, a doctor of health administration, most recently served as CEO of KMH (formerly Kansas Masonic Home) in Wichita before joining McPherson College.

“Matthew brings a great deal of experience and passion to this new position,” President Michael Schneider said. “His knowledge and leadership capabilities will help establish this program as a new model for training rural health professionals.”

In August, the college and McPherson Hospital announced they would collaborate to provide opportunities for students in the new academic program. More recently, the college announced that it had received a $1 million gift to support the new program and allow the college to offer ten $25,000 scholarships next fall for students committed to community health.

The new health care program focuses on creating health-related career pathways for students while engaging them in the community. Every student will participate in multiple field experiences or rotations, and McPherson Health Science Scholars will work on signature outreach projects that address health-related issues in the community.

Bogner’s own broad career experience covers a wide range of health care areas. He joined KMH in 2008 as its chief operating officer and was named CEO in 2011. KMH is a non-profit continuing care community with more than 200 employees and 227 units. As CEO, Bogner led a strategic planning process that resulted in repositioning the 120-year old organization, including campus-wide renovation, expansion, rebranding, and a $33 million bond issue. Prior to joining KMH, he was the administrator of Newton Presbyterian Manor in Newton, Kansas.

He also has a background in community health as an epidemiologist for the Sedgwick County Health Department where he was responsible for surveillance, investigation, and

evaluation of regional reportable diseases and conditions.

Additionally, he worked as a case manager for the Mental Health Association in Wichita where he assisted families of children with emotional disorders and physical disabilities to access community resources. Bogner also has experience in higher education as an adjunct professor at Baker University where he taught a course on hospital management.

CAREER SERVICES

Amy Beckman, director of career and experiential learning

Beckman brings a great deal of local experience to her role as the new director of career and experiential learning, which focuses on ensuring MC graduates are placed in their field while broadening the level of student engagement across campus.

“McPherson College’s career placement and graduate school acceptance rates are some of the highest in the country,” President Michael Schneider said.

“We continue elevating the scope and visibility of our career service efforts, giving our students opportunities to explore, experience, and engage in career development.”

Results from the college’s focus on career development are encouraging; nearly 95 percent of McPherson College graduates are employed in their field or in a graduate program within six months after graduating, and two-thirds of its graduates report having a job before graduation.

Placement rates are based on the responses of nearly 100 percent of the most recent graduating class.

Last year, the college added an online resource tool for student job search that connects students with job opportunities on campus, locally, and across the country. The online tool currently lists hundreds of job opportunities.

Prior to her new role at McPherson College, Beckman worked for 12 years at CHS Refinery in McPherson where she recruited and hired for various positions, along with coordinating the internship program and assisting with performance management. For the past two years, she has been working in human resource management.

Refer a Student to MC Do you know a student who may be interested in learning more about the programs of study available at McPherson College?

Fill out our student referral form to let us know how we may contact him or her with more information about our programs. www.mcpherson.edu/student-referral

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S E RV I C E

Project launched its first mobile clinic. Today, direct health care services are provided at 30 sites led by teams of all-Haitian physicians, nurses, and support staff. The clinics serve nearly 40,000 people with an average of more than 165 patients at each clinic every year, according to the organization’s website.

The Haiti Medical Project is supervised largely by volun-

Working for a Healthier

teers in the United States and in Haiti with a few paid staff

HAITI

er for it. Dr. Ullom-Minnich occasionally goes to Haiti, not

The work Dr. Paul Ullom-Minnich ‘89 has done in Haiti for nearly a decade came full circle this summer when he returned there with a group of people to tour the country and look at what its needs are today.

positions in Haiti. Dr. Ullom-Minnich is a volunteer with the title of consultant to the executive and convener of the Haitian Medical Project Coordinating Committee. His father, Dale, also joined the effort and is a leading fundraisas much now as he did in the beginning, and he says that his assistance is not as much medical as it is organizational.

“There are all sorts of challenges in Haiti medically that I am not good at, but I am good at organization and providing an outside medical viewpoint,” he said. “The Haitian physicians and nurses are all trained there and much better at dealing with the medical challenges there than I am.”

After the natural disaster in 2010, many organizations from around the world arrived to offer aid to Haiti. Many were strictly there to provide temporary relief while others stayed on. Dr. Ullom-Minnich thinks that the connections made with Haitian communities is what sets the Haiti Medical Project apart from some of the other aid organizations.

“I think it is different because what we do is driven by the local needs,” he said. “The community looks at what the needs are and comes up with the ideas to meet those

He first traveled to Haiti with other physicians and

needs.”

counselors in 2010 after a devastating earthquake left

Additionally, The Haiti Medical Project fosters the Haitian

much of the country in ruin. He spent a week traveling

economy by buying its supplies locally and hiring its medi-

around the country providing medical assistance in make-

cal staff locally, Dr. Ullom-Minnich said.

shift clinics. His experience there led to further discussions

“Two-thirds of Haitians do not have full-time jobs,” he

about what could be done to continue assisting a country

said. “That includes doctors and nurses, so it’s not hard to

with tremendous needs.

staff our clinics. It’s a model that is meant to improve Haiti

“It really started as a grassroots effort,” Dr. Ullom-Minnich

beyond its medical needs.”

said. “It involved a lot of different people across the country

Working with the communities that have clinics, it

working together to make it happen. It’s really blown into

became apparent that preventive measures could greatly

something so much larger now. It’s more of a public health

increase the wellness of a community. Clean water is the

effort than a medical response effort.”

number one issue affecting community health.

He brought the idea to the Church of the Brethren,

“A medical condition is usually the end of the road,” Dr.

which was supportive as long as he could find funding.

Ullom-Minnich said. “There are lots of things that lead up

Over the next year, the idea evolved and the Haiti Medical

to a medical problem, and clean water is probably the

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number one cause. Communities looked at their needs and

making a difference,” he said. “There’s not always statistics

saw that if issues could be headed off sooner, medical

that can measure what we do. We are building personal

problems could be prevented.”

relationships and helping people make connections.”

Clean water has been a strong focus for many of the

He hopes that even more connections and ideas will

communities and an idea that really took off within the

come out of the trip he was part of this summer. A group

McPherson Church of the Brethren, according to Dr.

from the McPherson Church of the Brethren that included

Ullom-Minnich. The church set a goal to raise $100,000 this

students as young as middle school and high school, as

year and is on target to do that.

well as faculty and alumni from McPherson College,

Haitian communities focusing on clean water have many

traveled to Haiti to look at what has been done there so far

different needs. Some need wells; others have wells but need purification systems in order to use and s e l l t h e w at e r. O t h e r communities are focused on rainwater capture systems. According to Dr. Ullom-Minnich, the money raised by the McPherson church will cover almost seven different projects across the country.

The needs in Haiti are immense. There are many third-world countries in the Western Hemisphere, but Haiti is the poorest by far.

“

There are lots of things that lead up to a medical problem, and clean water is probably the number one cause. Communities looked at their needs and saw that if issues could be headed off sooner, medical problems could be prevented.

Eighty percent of the population lives in poverty, and nearly two-fifths of all

”

Haitians depend on agriculture to make a living and are vulnerable to damages from frequent natural disas-

and what still needs to be done. Dr. Ullom-Minnich is hope-

ters. The lack of infrastructure limits how effective the

ful that just like when he returned from Haiti the first time

government and other organizations can be.

nearly 10 years ago, this group will continue to discuss what

“There is no comparison to anything like it that we can

they saw and what might come of it.

see in the United States,” Dr. Ullom-Minnich said. “Most

“A large part of the trip was making interpersonal

people there don’t even have access to a pit toilet. That

connections and building relationships,” he said. “This was

would be a luxury in Haiti.”

unique, and I’m not sure where it will go but I think it will

Dr. Ullom-Minnich admits that measuring success in

lead to a next step, possibly looking at sanitation and what

Haiti is difficult. He suspects that even after 30 years it will

will work best. It makes a difference when you see Haiti and

be hard to see if the efforts of The Haiti Medical Project

meet the people. Nothing can replace that. Who knows

have made Haiti a healthier place to live.

where this may lead 10 years from now?”

“You have to have faith that what you are doing is

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S E RV I C E

Developing a new generation of peacebuilders

Her interest in social activism was already well established when Marie

Benner-Rhoades ’03 came to McPherson College as a student, but what she developed at MC is something that has supported her throughout her career.

Rhoades is the director of Youth and

Young Adult Formation for On Earth Peace. On Earth Peace is an agency of

the Church of the Brethren offering

programs that help any church, school, community, group, or individual grow in

this work without regard to any - or to no - religious afďŹ liation.

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At MC, she majored in religion and philosophy and paired Although programming has changed and evolved over the it with an interdisciplinary studies major of international 11 years she has worked there, Rhoades’ focus on creating travel and literature/language. She supplemented her opportunities for young adults to engage in social activism education with international travel while at McPherson has not changed. The largest of the programs she oversees is College and stayed active in social movements. While a the OEP Internship Program. The internship program offers student, she joined others traveling to Washington, D.C., by paid positions at On Earth Peace that help young adults van to protest the Gulf War. develop leadership skills and personal growth as emerging After graduating, Rhoades initially thought her career peacebuilders in a faith-based nonprofit setting. would take a more pastoral direction. She served as a youth Internships include organizing around specific issues on pastor and graduated from Lancaster Theological Seminary. which that On Earth Peace is working, communication for “I always knew I would serve in a church,” Rhoades said. the organization, and development activities. Interest “The idea of ministry through a non-profit organization was among young adults in participating in the peace and social not foreign to me. I was aware of many non-profits, but I justice work is always high, according to Rhoades. always thought I would take a more traditional path and “We always have a full internship cohort and I receive lots become a pastor.” of applications each year,” Rhoades said. “There is definitely Although her career took a little different path, developa passionate interest that young adults are bringing toward ing young adults as leaders for peace and justice has been this. It’s not just about developing a work skill; they want to very rewarding. The young adults she has worked with have work for justice. The one thing that has shifted over time is gone on to graduate programs that we used to connect almost focused on peace and justice, studied exclusively within the Church of law to pursue social justice as a public the Brethren, but we have really interest lawyer, worked in congresexpanded to include young adults sional offices, and coordinated child from all faith backgrounds.” sexual abuse and youth sex-traffickRhoades was always connected ing prevention programs, among to social justice movements while other endeavors. growing up because of the influence “I am always asking the interns I of her parents. She was drawn to the work with where they see themselves, On Earth Peace youth retreat and keeping in front of them that this project in middle school and high is not the last stop,” Rhoades said. school and many of her initial years “The key to our success is providing working there were spent designing the internships that keep them those kinds of experiences. inspired to continue peacebuilding “Although the retreats have work, help them feel connected and changed a bit as youth culture has equipped to be part of that work. For changed and are now more of a the most part, our interns want to responsive offering, we still stay connected to that kind of work.” organize retreats that focus on “There is definitely a passionate interest that Part of the success of her work Christian perspectives and young adults are bringing toward this.” depends on the network connections peacemaking. Sometimes we talk she has made over her career. She about bullying or anti-racism or credits McPherson College for helping her establish many of anti-aggression. Doing those kinds of things for youth and the long-term connections that have benefited her work. helping youth connect with the work of social justice are “I now realize that many of my long-term supporters I what brought me here and something I still feel very met in college are still interested in my development as a passionate about.” person,” she said. “Without McPherson College, my network Rhoades grew up in Pennsylvania, and when it came time would be exclusively East Coast. To be so deeply connected to start looking for a college she imagined herself at an East because of my time at McPherson College with Church of the Coast school. Her best friend from high school talked her Brethren across the country has been very gratifying. My into flying to Kansas to visit McPherson College, and connections are largely credited to my experience at Rhoades thought “why not?”

McPherson College. The college’s reach is more than people “I was not thinking of it as a college visit,” she said. “But might realize. when we got there, I realized that I really enjoyed being at “For me, it’s been about the people I met and the experiMcPherson and she decided she didn’t. I came home and it ences I had as a student at McPherson College that have was really clear that it was where I was going to go to nurtured me in doing what I do today.” college.”

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Peace & Justice

S E RV I C E

Faculty at McPherson College are passionate about many things including peace and social justice issues.

They share their experiences and knowledge with students in the hopes of instilling in them the same kind of passion. An example of this can be found in Herb Smith, long-time professor of religion and philosophy, who shares how his near-death experience in India helped form his commitment to return to the country often to teach those that society shuns and oftentimes stubbles upon the many things we all have in common. Julia Largent, assistant professor of communication, reflects on what inspired her to seek out a major that blended communication with peace and justice and what inspires her today to continue using her communication skills to speak out for peace and justice. Finally, Dustin Wilgers, associate professor of biology, writes about how his department and his work is dedicated to make students more aware of environmental justice issues and empower them make a difference.

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Herb Smith, professor of religion and philosophy

India assaults the senses, intrigues the intellect, and inspires the spirit.

Within recent years, Jeanne and I were asked to teach at Cochin University, India.

National Geographic Magazine has called palmed-lined Kerala State one of the most beautiful places on earth.

One weekend, we decided to take our twenty students deep into the rain forest to spend extended time dancing with a tribal group that watched elephants.

While there, I became profoundly ill, bleeding internally. For several days, I was at the borderline of life and death. During one episode, the medical staff spent over an hour resuscitating me. My life was saved as we spent twenty-six days in a temple hospital in the middle of the rain forest.

Sixty some years ago, a daughter was born into a family in Kerala whose father believed her skin was too dark. One afternoon, he tied her to a tree in the rain forest, attempting to beat her to death. She survived. In the midst of a coma, she had the vision that she was both a mother goddess and a manifestation of the god Krishna. To us in the USA we would label such an experience as schizophrenic and put her on tricyclic drugs. In India she was believed and has had a huge following. She is pictured in my current World Religions textbook.

At the hospital, everyone worshipped her as Amma. For five hours every morning, there were continuous chants to her over the loudspeaker. All the staff worshipped her (puja every Friday). They tried to give me cremation ashes to eat, but I insisted upon only western medicine.

The physician who saved my life was Dr. Pandelai who formerly taught at Oxford University and joined her movement.

He was the only one who spoke English. He twice risked his own life to be with me every day in this temple of healing.

During four of the past eight years, Jeanne and I have returned to India to teach Dalits (former untouchables) at a graduate school of religion in Gujarat State, near Gandhi’s former Ashram. We also work with orphans at a near-by leprosarium. This is our way of expressing our gratitude to India.

Recently, we visited Amma’s Ashram where she lives. In her modest abode there hangs on the wall a portrait of Jesus.

Julia Largent, assistant professor of communication

I was a double major in communication and peace studies at Manchester University. I was the only double major, at the time, with this combination causing several “huh, okay” type reactions from individuals when finding out my majors. I have since met two other Manchester alumni with this combination.

To me, the combination made sense: one needs to know how to best communicate one’s convictions; speak up for those who cannot speak.

I grew up in the Church of the Brethren where I learned at an early age to seek justice in all that I do.

I'm not perfect, but the concepts of peace and justice make an appearance every day in my life; whether it's in the classroom or interacting with students, colleagues, and friends.

Through my thirty years on this planet, I have seen many disheartening things about peace and justice, but also many, many uplifting things people do to help.

I've learned that peace and justice are not something that everyone seeks; it's not something that some people even care about. It sometimes boggles my mind when trying to figure out why someone supports (or doesn't) an issue. I've also learned about the many systemic issues (that are thus hard to change) that impact people's lives. These issues, among others, are what drive me to continue speaking out for peace and justice.

But I've also seen the actions of people who help others without thinking twice. I have family in Brookville, Ohio where a tornado hit over Memorial Day weekend in 2019. Thanks to Facebook, I saw the actions of individuals, some I knew, many I didn't, immediately start to help. Money and supplies were donated. Food was made. Labor was given. This particular instance is something that many of us have seen for ourselves, and these actions from other people are what inspire me to continue speaking out for peace and justice.

This quote has stuck with me and has guided my actions (I also do not know to whom to attribute it): "It was a sweet day when I realized legal and illegal had nothing to do with right and wrong." I'm a rule-follower, but only up until it disproportionately impacts someone's life, then I try to use my communication skills, and my peace and justice core, to speak up.

Dustin Wilgers, associate professor of biology

The most recent strategic plan of the Department of Natural Sciences made McPherson College’s commitment to environmental justice very clear. Our life and physical science general education classes will be centered on the themes of environment and sustainability. Now all students completing the entire

curriculum at McPherson College will be engaged with ideas of sustainability and learn how their decisions and actions impact it. The faculty felt it was important to not only provide students with a well-rounded education but also to have them graduate from McPherson College as environmentally conscious citizens that make informed decisions during their everyday lives.

You will find examples of our focus on environmental justice and sustainability throughout our department, from the development of a new course on green chemistry to opportunities for immersive travel experiences around the world learning about topics of environmental and social justice. In 2018, I took a class to Ecuador to explore the effects of the fossil fuel industry on the Amazon Rainforest and the people that live there. The eight-day trip, led by David Radcliff of the New Community Project, took us to remote parts of the jungle traveling only by boat. We witnessed firsthand how the oil industry is not only tearing apart this precious ecosystem but is also tearing apart the wonderful cultures that rely on it. Most importantly, we connected the dots – our decisions in the U.S., thousands of miles away, play a role in this destruction. In January 2021, I am offering another immersive travel experience for students to Myanmar in Southeast Asia to learn about people battling habitat degradation through reforestation efforts in the region and to learn about various projects focused on empowering women through girls’ schools and microloans. My hope is that all of the students leave each experience completely transformed and look for more ways to make a difference.

Some students in our department don’t just take single classes focused on the environment. Students in the environmental stewardship major have been involved in a variety of activities in their classes that take the issue of sustainability out into the community. These activities have included the development of multiple educational activities for elementary school classrooms and even the design of a sustainable city park.

What started as a “wouldn’t it be cool if” project has turned into reality. In fall 2018, a group of students started with a mission to transform a previously unused space owned by the college into a sustainable city park where anybody from the community can come enjoy nature. Now called Bulldog Park, the project has legs and with the help of the athletic department, the new Bulldog Adventure Program, and even the city of McPherson, we have a plan to begin construction of this space coming this spring. For the environmental stewardship majors, it is clear that earth care and environmental justice is not only their hopeful career but is their mission and their passion.

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S E RV I C E

Service impacts students

For many students, a passion for serving others is being fostered at McPherson College.

Some students come to MC with a strong background in community service and find opportunities to continue doing what they love. Other students are participating in service projects for the first time and learning how they can make an impact on the people around them.

“Our hope is we are helping students develop a servant’s heart,” Jamie Pjesky, director of service, said. “We try to help them build a lifetime commitment of giving back.”

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Pjesky, who is also the director of student life, has been

day. The students worked with their ACE group and set tables up

coordinating and tracking student service through the Office of

around the gazebo to get the entire campus involved in the

Student Affairs for a year and a half. At the end of November, the

projects. Projects ranged from a group that sold chances to pie

number of hours completed by MC students in 2019 totaled

somebody in the face to raise money for the local animal shelter,

more than 2,000, and the number of students totaled more than

to a group who made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the

800; some students are counted more once because they have

local food bank.

completed multiple service hours. The number of unique or new

A new organization on campus, Gamma Beta Phi, is an honor

service hours, students who had not completed service hours in

society with a focus on service. The organization requires

a prior month, equaled nearly 500 hours. Although she has set

members to maintain a 3.0 GPA while completing nine hours of

and reached quantitative goals for the year, she also has more

community service each semester. It has only been on campus

personal goals for student service.

for a year and a half but is already making students more aware of service opportunities both on and off campus.

“In just a little more than a year it has grown to be one of the biggest organizations on campus with 84 members so far,” Pjesky said. “The great thing about Gamma Beta Phi is that it brings together students who might not normally have a chance to be together working on projects.”

Junior Mendez ‘20 and the Student Activities Board hosted a community 5k run to benefit Toys for Tots.

“I really want to see more students reaching out on their own doing service and not relying on faculty or staff to develop service projects,” she said. “I see students moving in that direction and really developing a heart for service.”

Students like Junior Mendez are branching out on their own to perform service projects. Last year, Mendez headed up a Toys for Tots toy drive on campus just before Christmas. He expanded his efforts earlier this year by partnering with the Student Activities Board to host a 5K run to benefit the toy drive. Last spring, Myron Moncur, a recent graduate, mobilized a large

Students help build all-terrain wheelchairs for Mobility Worldwide.

number of students to participate in the Brush Up Mac event, a community-wide clean-up day.

“Myron used his connections through football and several other organizations that he was involved in to gather a huge

This spring, three MC students will attend the Gamma Beta Phi national convention in South Carolina.

Many other groups also give students opportunities to take

group of students from all across campus to help out,” Pjesky

part in community service. Rotaract, a Rotary International

said.

youth program, is one active group on campus. At Christmas, the

In the past, other students have developed projects that raise

organization participated in the Operation Christmas Child and

awareness for issues that are important to them. These

collected 16 boxes filled with toys and other items that were sent

individual efforts are a result of the service environment created

to children around the world, and partnered with Loaves & Fish

on campus through a number of activities and organizations

to provide a meal to local low-income residents. Earlier this

that inspire students to serve.

year, the organization worked with the McPherson Rotary to

Bulldogs Give Back Day kicked off the academic year with

paint a map of the United States at a local elementary school,

more than 200 freshmen working together to develop 18

and annually the organization builds all-terrain wheelchairs for

different service projects that were all completed on the same

Mobility Worldwide.

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“I think our students liked working on the map project at the local elementary school because it was something that is visible in their community,” Anne Smith, assistant professor of business and faculty adviser of Rotaract, said.

It’s not just organizations that encourage student involvement. Athletic teams also focus on service as a team. Nearly all of the Bulldog teams take part in some kind of community service throughout the year. Teams like softball embrace the service aspect and participate as often as they can.

“Our coach’s philosophy is ‘Be good to other people,’” Shelby Bonn, pitcher for the Bulldog softball team, said. “Any opportunity we get, we do community service.”

The team recently assisted the college facilities staff getting the campus cleaned up before homecoming, and each year it participates in the community Halloween Carnival.

“I think making connections and forming relationships in the community is good,” Bonn said. “I really enjoy being part of service projects because it helps you figure out what you want in life. It also brings us together as a team.”

Although the benefits of participating in service can be personally fulfilling, they can also be strategic. Employers take note of job candidates’ volunteer efforts, and students understand the importance of using their service experience to help their résumés stand out.

“We see some students get involved because it looks good on a résumé, but then they find something they really enjoy doing that makes them feel good. That’s what it is really all about,” Pjesky said. “Helping students find their passion is the real goal.”

Sotfball team helps prepare campus for Homecoming.

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Bulldogs GivE Back

Students collected boxes filled with toys and other items that were sent to children around the world through Operation Christmas Child.

Bulldogs Give Back Day

kicked off the academic year

with more than 200 freshmen working together to develop 18 different service projects that were all completed on the same day.

Student reflections

Student reflections

“When we delivered cards and flowers to the residents of the Cedars, I learned firsthand what a small act of kindness can truly do for others.

These miniscule gifts of flowers and cards brought so much happiness to their days and they were so extremely thankful for them. It just humbled me but motivated me at the same time to go and do this type of service again.”

– Annie Weesner

“I loved being able to give back to this new community that has accepted me without hesitation and treats me like one of its own. I want to be able to give back even more now that I know what is needed in the community. I can’t wait for another opportunity to work with a group to improve our community and, I can’t wait to spend four more years here and get to know everyone in town.”

– Zachary Bredfield

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alumni news MC Homecoming 2019 October 11-13

CLASS OF ‘79

CLASS OF ‘84

1958 FOOTBALL REUNION

CLASS OF ‘89

TRACK & FIELD HALL OF FAME

CLASS OF ‘99

• No purchase is necessary for your information to be included.

• Several purchase options are available.

Please take your time to consider and don't feel pressured to purchase immediately.

• No proceeds from your purchase directly benefit or serve as a gift to the college.

• If you have already placed an order and would like to modify or cancel your order, contact PCI at 800-982-1590.

Contact the alumni office with additional questions, feedback, or if you still need to update your information by calling (620) 242-0434 or emailing alumni@mcpherson.edu

Dear MC alumni and friends, We do not have to look far to find examples of brokenness in this world. Unfortunately, these stories and images surround us.

from the director

NEW ALUMNI DIRECTORY We have partnered with PCI to produce an updated alumni directory based on requests from alumni. PCI is a trusted company, and we appreciate your participation. Here are some helpful reminders regarding this process:

Fortunately for McPherson College, we can at the same time see strong examples of alumni and friends who are engaging in work for justice, peace, and helping the least of these in our world.

Commitment to the MC pillar of service is strong in the examples of alumni highlighted in this edition. One is Marie Benner Rhoades ’03 who is advocating for peace through the organization On Earth Peace. She credits McPherson College for helping her establish a nationwide network of connections that support her in this important work.

Another example is Paul Ullom-Minnich ’89 who shared his heart for bringing medical access and clean water to Haiti with his local congregation.

That inspiration has led to years of deeply rooted connections with Haitian communities. It continues to expand through the Haiti Medical Project and the Haiti Water Project.

CLASS OF ‘64

Current students are finding their own opportunities to voice support for a just and peaceful world through service opportunities, voter registration drives, and socially conscious travel like the environmental trips they take with Professor Dustin Wilgers.

We can each find our place in the work of bringing peace into our world. And we can celebrate the way that our MC community magnifies that work through mutual support and expanded opportunities to learn, grow, and engage through scholarship, participation, and service!

Monica Rice director of alumni & constituent relations

CLASS OF ‘69

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honors YO U N G A LU M N I

Each year we recognize the accomplishments of our young alumni during the Honors Convocation at Homecoming.

2019 Young Alumni Award recipients: Jessica (Boothe) Everton’96, Jason Pendleton ’92, and Rana (El-Halabi) Salman ’01.

J

essica (Boothe) Everton, Phoenix, Arizona, graduated in 1996 with a degree in English and later received a master’s degree in communication from Wichita State University. Everton is a senior director of product development at the NROC Project, a California-based technology firm that works with educators to build technologies and content that improve student success. She creates courses and tools that prepare secondary, post-secondary and adult learners for college and career success. Prior to her work at NROC, she worked in content and technology development for several ed-tech companies from start-ups to larger publishers.

Everton served on the McPherson College Board of Trustees from 2006-2011. She currently serves as the volunteer director of the Archway Scottsdale Parent Services Organization and is a Girl Scout leader.

J

ason Pendleton, Overland Park, Kansas, graduated in 1992 with a degree in history. His career as a teacher began after he received his degree at McPherson College. He later received a master’s degree in history at Emporia State. He is currently a teacher at Blue Valley Southwest High School where he has been a teacher of U.S. history, sociology, AP U.S. history, and U.S. government since 2010. He’s taken on leadership roles as a co-chair for the history department and led professional development on blended learning and diversity. In 2008, he received the Dayton Rothrock Alumni Fellow from McPherson College.

Along with his teaching responsibilities, he has also coached 50 high school seasons–mostly soccer, but also football and track. At Blue Valley Southwest, his

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teams have won state championships in soccer two times for girls and once for boys. In 2017-18, both teams were undefeated and finished the season ranked fourth in the U.S. for boys and sixth for the girls. That season earned him the Girls United Soccer Coaches National Coach of the Year award along with the National Federation of High School Boys National Coach of the Year award. He has been named Kansas Coach of the Year for girls soccer five times and twice for boys.

R

ana (El-Halabi) Salman, Austin, Texas, graduated in 2001 with a degree in public relations.

Salman established Salman Consulting in 2016 collaborating with sales leaders, marketing, and enablement to improve sales effectiveness. She started her career with an interest in research and earned an MBA and Ph.D., along with several certificates. Salman has more than 18 years of experience in marketing and sales, spending a significant amount of her career as a sales consultant, working with top-tier organizations, conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis, developing sales strategies aligned to outcomes, and working closely on sales training programs.

She is the co-founder of WiSE, Women in Sales Enablement, an organization that brings women in sales enablement together to network and learn from another. She is also the previous board president of TMF Foundation, a charitable giving foundation that supports health care providers in multiple settings.

She is a speaker at national conferences including Texas Conference for Women, Sales Enablement Society, and Competitive Marketing Summit, as well as a guest lecturer at Texas A&M Reynolds & Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute.

alumni news H A L L O F FA M E

MEMORIES

McPherson College inducted it’s 21st Athletic Hall of Fame class during the 2019 Homecoming festivities. From left to right: Courtney (Bersuch) Rierson ’08 – Softball Rierson spent two seasons in a Bulldog uniform, 2007 and 2008.

Her senior year, she hit .492, had an on base percentage of .619 and a slugging percentage of .921. She was KCAC Newcomer of the Year in 2007, and both seasons was named to the KCAC's All-Conference team as a First Team selection. She was also a standout in the classroom and was named a Daktronics Scholar Athlete both years.

Stacy Miles ’77 – Track and Field Miles was a standout thrower for the women's track and field team in the mid-'70s. Twice she won the KCAC championships ('76 & '77) in the shot put, and once in the discus ('77). She is a former Bulldog record holder in the shot and javelin.

DeWayne Jackson ‘77 – Cross Country / Track and Field Jackson had a standout career for the Bulldog cross county program. He was a four time All-KCAC selection in cross country, as well as a four-time qualifier at the NAIA national cross country meet. At one time he held the 5 mile KCAC course record.

Mike Rohn ‘90 – Men's Basketball Rohn played just two seasons for the Bulldogs in 1988-89, but had a mighty impact on the program. He was named First Team All-KCAC both seasons, and was named KCAC Newcomer of the Year in 1988. The following year, he was named KCAC MVP. He made 49% of his three point attempts during the 1988-89 season, which is still a Bulldog school record.

Nominate a fellow alum for a McPherson College award:

Citation of Merit Young Alumni

Dayton Rothrock Teacher Education Alumni Fellow Athletic Hall of Fame

www.mcpherson.edu/alumni-awards

Phyllis Rathbone presents her father’s MC memorabilia to Monica Rice, director of alumni relations.

Many of us know that the harder you work for something the more precious it becomes. That was true for Phil Myers ’40 and his relationship with McPherson College. During a time in history when earning a living was very difficult, Myers worked his way through college first pumping gas, then delivering blocks of ice. His family recently donated a shadow box to the college that commemorates Myers life-long love of McPherson College.

He told many stories about his time at MC. Many of them were about the support he received as a student, like his uncle who paid his first semester’s tuition, and his boss at the ice company who adjusted his work schedule so he could play on the football team. During his time at MC, Myers also reached out to help others. He was among students who advocated for an 18-year-old refugee to escape Nazi persecution and attend McPherson College. In fact, Myers was the first to meet the student at the train station in his ice delivery truck and bring him to campus. The story about Tom Doeppner, the refugee from Germany, is detailed along with artifacts from McPherson College at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. A story about Doeppner and MC’s role in his escape can be found on our website, https://www.mcpherson.edu/2018/05/mcphersoncolleges-history-featured-in-national-holocaust-memorial-muse um/.

After graduating from McPherson College with a degree in math, Myers went on to earn an engineering degree at Kansas State University (where he met his wife Jean Alford) and then to the University of Wisconsin where he became a professor. He and his wife continued to help MC students by establishing two scholarships as a way of passing on the helping-hand that he received when he was a student.

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why I give

As a McPherson College student I benefitted from many things, including excellent instruction, small class sizes, access to professors, and access to labs.

Scholarships that I received were extremely important and were provided by the generosity of alumni donations. Deb and I have felt compelled to give so others can benefit.

We were pleased when our son Paul chose to attend McPherson College. He received scholarship money as well. McPherson has always felt like family to me.

After Paul’s death during his sophomore year in the fall of 2012, the college community came together and cared for us as a family does.

Dale ‘82 and Deb Ziegler The campus community wanted to do something impactful and in response a memorial scholarship was created in Paul’s name. For several years one of the homecoming activities was Pedals for Paul where several bike routes were designated and riders made donations toward the fund. It has been a joy to watch the scholarship fund grow to a level where students are able to receive funds. Paul was always aware of the needs of others and we are happy to see that caring spirit continue through the scholarship program.

We give because we want McPherson College to continue to thrive and we want students to have the best opportunity to succeed.

Dale is a 1982 McPherson College graduate with a BA Industrial Arts Education, he is a retired teacher of Technology Education.

support our students ONLINE:

www.mcpherson.edu/giving

or BY MAIL: McPherson College

Be sure to ask your employer about their matching gift program.

My gift to the McPherson College Fund

Enclosed is a gift of:

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Advancement Office 1600 E. Euclid St. PO Box 1402 McPherson, KS 67460

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Signature I would like to speak with someone who can provide additional information on estate planning.

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alumni notes A N N O U N C E M E N T S Elizabeth Hudson Hardinger ’83, Eugene, Oregon, has published her debut novel “All the Forgivenesses.” The book was inspired by stories told by Elizabeth’s mother and aunt and takes place during the Kansas oil boom of the 1920s.

Erik Vogel ’98, McPherson, will lead the Office of Advancement as its new vice president.

Dennis Kingery ’96, San Diego, California, has been named Executive Vice President, Operations and Chief Sales and Service Officer for San Diego County Credit Union. He has worked for the credit union since 2014.

Amy Levinski ’99, Darwin, Minnesota, works as a chaplain at Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Facility.

ShaRhonda Maclin ’00, Norman, Oklahoma, has been named Assistant Dean of Students and Executive Director of Housing and Residence Life at the University of Oklahoma’s Office of Student Affairs. She began her new role in November.

Erin Flory Robertson ’00, Wichita, Kansas, has started her own business, Riverside Music Together, which offers early childhood music programming.

Rebecca Stover Roetzel ’05, Perryville, Arkansas, is working as Associate Program Director and Young Adult Volunteer Coordinator at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock.

Mason Adams ’10, Dallas, Texas, and his band, Mason Adams Project, released a digital album “Lessons” on July 13, 2019.

Ben Coffey ’12, McPherson, was appointed Dean of Students at McPherson College in August.

Sarah Neher ’13, Kansas City, Missouri, started working this August as Director of Faith Formation at Rainbow Mennonite Church. She also recently graduated from Darling Yoga’s teacher training program.

E.H. Petropulos ’14, New York, New York, has been cast as the voice of the character Nightfall Nod in the animated series “Midnight Mares.”

Rachael Broadus Anderson ’16, McPherson, began work this fall as a curriculum and instruction specialist at the Hutchinson Public Schools Administration Center.

Previously, she taught 3rd grade at Faris Elementary School.

Chandler Dohe ’17, McPherson, is the band and choir director at Little River Junior High and Senior High School. He also teaches beginning band at Windom Elementary School.

Samantha Brandyberry Henning ’17, Wichita, Kansas, graduated from Emporia State University School of Library and Information Management in August. She is working at Wichita State University as a digital preservation and government documents specialist.

Corey Long ’17, McPherson, joined the McPherson College marketing team this summer as a graphic designer.

Aaron Bachura ’18, McPherson, was hired in August as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at McPherson College.

Deiah Curtis ’18, McPherson, began working this summer as an admissions and financial aid counselor at McPherson College.

Aubrey Hollinger ’18, McPherson, teaches music at Washington Elementary School.

Logan Schrag ’18, McPherson, is Director of Marketing at Central Care Cancer Center in Salina, Kansas.

Abigayle Morgan ’19, McPherson, is working as Coordinator of Auto Restoration Events at McPherson College.

Sierra Werries ’19, Hutchinson, Kansas, teaches 4th grade at Faris Elementary School USD 308.

Justin Wiltfong ’19, McPherson, began working this summer as Operations Specialist in the Office of Student Affairs at McPherson College.

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M A R R I AG E S

Jake Reinhardt ’13 to Simone Fisher

Ellis Wardall ‘17 to Carmen Carranza ‘15

Grant Tuttle ‘18 to Zadie Smith ’19

Barrett Matthew to Lexi and Matt Tobias ’04

Theo to Hallie and Jamar Turner ’05

Pierce Carter to Maxwell ’14 and Mariah Coberly Bruins ’09

Westyn to John ’10 and Destri Sievers Brown ’11

Parker Louise to Nick and Amanda Larsen Pierson ’11

Myalisse (Mya) Joy to Ben and Melisa Leiter-Grandison ’12

Jackson David to Joel and Karis Janzen Hill ’14

Wesley Lane to Aaron ’17 and Emily Warner Parrott ’17

Wichita, Kansas, Sept. 7, 2019.

McPherson, Sept. 14, 2019.

Waterloo, Iowa, Oct. 19, 2019.

B I RT H S

Shickley, Nebraska, Sept. 3, 2019.

Nevada, Missouri, June 21, 2019.

Prairie Village, Kansas, Sept. 24, 2018

Springfield, Massachusetts, Aug. 29, 2019.

Overland, Missouri, Sept. 28, 2019.

Wichita, Kansas, Aug. 16, 2019.

Ruby Fae to Donald and Heidi Bailey Hutton ’05

Ava Elaine to Gabe and Amy Hallowell McCullin ’08

Zeke Emerson to Kristen and John Regier ’14

Josiah Martin to Amber and Joel Grosbach ’08

Harper Ann to Ashley Smith and Mason Hewitt ’13

Adalynn Dawn to Courtny and Jared Thurston ’17

Miamisburg, Ohio, Oct. 3, 2019.

Enders, Nebraska, June 16, 2019.

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St. John, Kansas, July 13, 2019.

Wichita, Kansas, July 1, 2019.

MCPHERSON COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Derby, Kansas, July 8, 2019.

Aurora, Colorado, May 30, 2019.

Lenexa, Kansas, Aug. 1, 2019.

Maize, Kansas, Aug. 14, 2019.

alumni notes A N N I V E R S A R I E S

Faylene Stansel Way ’41, Eagle, Idaho, June 9, 2019.

Deborah Kubin Praeger '42, Claflin, Kansas, Mar. 9, 2019.

Mary Slifer Green ’45, Mount Morris, Illinois, Oct. 5, 2019.

Ruth Shoemaker Gregory ’45, Olympia, Washington, May 12, 2019.

Lawrence “Larry” Gayer ’46, McPherson, Sept. 26, 2019.

Freda Aurell Jones ’47, Edmond, Oklahoma, Mar. 4, 2019.

Phyllis Strickler Childs ’48, Richmond, Virginia, May 10, 2019.

Rebecca Spear Rothrock ’48, McPherson, Nov. 21, 2019.

C. LeRoy Doty ’50, Irvine, California, Sept. 29, 2018.

Gene H. Reinecker ’50, McPherson, Oct. 29, 2019.

60 YEARS

Harold ’62 and Lynda Igel Connell ‘61 Wichita, Kansas, June 2, 2019.

Betty Ikenberry Robinson ’50, McPherson, Sept. 17, 2019.

Lois Frantz Wine ’50, Lenexa, Kansas, June 7, 2019.

Patricia Gentry Eggleston ’51, Golden Valley, Minnesota, May 11, 2019.

James H. Hoover ’51, Marion, Iowa, Sept. 28, 2019.

60 YEARS David ’61 and Patricia Huber Hykes ’61 Ankeny, Iowa, Aug. 23, 2019.

Maurice Moore ’51, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Aug. 25, 2019.

Rex ’60 and Shirley Goranson Morris McPherson, June 21, 2019.

Paul G. Myers ’54, Sacramento, California, Apr. 12, 2019.

50 YEARS Larry ’69 and Kathy Taylor Heidebrecht ’70 Omaha, Nebraska, June 15, 2019.

40 YEARS Jeff ‘79 and Ann Mason Bach ’79 Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, Aug. 11, 2019.

Harold S. Moyer ’52, Roanoke, Virginia, Jan. 10, 2019.

Ruth L. Ratzlaff ’53, Ottawa, Kansas, May, 20, 2019.

Edward R. Frantz ’55, Scottsdale, Arizona, May 25, 2019.

Opal Jantz Hanson ’56, McPherson, Aug. 15, 2019.

William W. Mollhagen ’56, Lorraine, Kansas, May 18, 2019.

Marilyn Metsker Coffman ’57, South English, Iowa, Nov. 7, 2019.

Donald L. Cole ’59, Holton, Kansas, May 23, 2019.

Chester B. Peckover ’60, North Manchester, Indiana, Sept. 8, 2019.

Thomas E. Ruhser ’61, Fort Collins, Colorado, July 24, 2019.

Roberta F. Varner ’62, Kansas City, Missouri, Apr. 25, 2019.

Kenneth L. Feasenhiser ’65, Fruitland, Idaho, July 23, 2019.

I N

M E M O R I A M

Dr. Monroe Hughbanks, Professor Emeriti, Education Dr. Monroe Hughbanks served as professor of education at McPherson College from 1964 until 1993. He began his teaching career in a one-room school near his boyhood home in Harper County, Kansas. He and his family eventually moved to the Texas-Mexico border and then to Mexico where he and his wife, Corinne, served eight years as missionaries.

They remained active missionaries for several years traveling internationally to South America, Finland, and Poland. Interterms at McPherson College also gave them opportunities to travel with student groups. On one trip, he worked with Habitat for Humanity building cement block homes in Guatemala for the Mam Indians.

After retiring, he served as bookkeeper for the Brethren Colleges Abroad program in Barcelona, Spain.

During his tenure, he supervised more than 500 student teachers. One of his “greatest joys” was watching student teachers in their classrooms doing excellent work. While teaching at McPherson College, he also served as interim pastor at the Monitor Church of the Brethren for 22 years.

Throughout his life, he had a great interest in genealogy, which eventually resulted in a book that became a point of reference nationwide for all those with the Hughbanks name.

Douglas M. Kubin ’67, McPherson, Aug. 13, 2019.

David R. Weaver ’68, Ephrata, Pennsylvania, July 4, 2019.

Kadhim M. Shuker ’69, Kansas City, Kansas, Jan. 28, 2019.

Patrick Hill ’70, Wichita, Kansas, June 9, 2019.

Dannie C. Snyder ’70, Emporia, Kansas, May 11, 2019.

Gary C. Wheeler ’70, Hutchinson, Kansas, July 5, 2019.

Timothy Weiser ’72, York Springs, Pennsylvania, Nov. 5, 2019. deWayne “Woody” Richey ’79, St. Petersburg, Florida, Oct. 6, 2019.

Sonja J. Andreas ’80, Portland, Oregon, June 1, 2019.

James P. Edwards ’93, Bridgewater, New Jersey, July 8, 2019.

Kathleen M. Realmuto ’07, Auburn, Indiana, June 13, 2019.

Diego Cantu ’19, Roma, Texas, Oct. 21, 2019.

Connect to MC! www.mcpherson.edu/alumni/update www.facebook.com/MCalumni www.linkedin.com/school/mcpherson-college

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then

Digitized issues of the Spectator and other McPherson College publications can be found at:

archive.mcpherson.edu

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& now

Bulldog Adventures The new program that engages students in adventures, leadership, and service while embracing the Kansas outdoors got into full swing this fall. Some of the activities included: hiking, visiting Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, a ďŹ shing derby, a oat trip, and wall climbing.

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Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit #1148 Wichita, KS

McPherson College 1600 East Euclid PO Box 1402 McPherson, KS 67460

McPherson College Band to Perform at KMEA February 27, 2020 2:40 pm

“The Sisu Within You” Century II Convention Center Concert Hall Wichita, Kansas

SPRING CALENDAR Theatre: “Speak Truth to Power” Jan 25, 2020

Band Collaborative Concert Mar 8, 2020

Admissions: Auto Restoration Visit Day May 2, 2020

Presidential Scholarship Competition Day Apr 4, 2020

Band Concert May 14, 2020

Ventures: Nurturing the spirit of the child without

Commencement Ceremony May 24, 2020

Presidential Scholarship Competition Day Feb 15, 2020

Ventures: Creation Care and the Gospel of John Mar 21, 2020

C.A.R.S. Club Car & Motorcycle Show May 2, 2020

Concert Band: KMEA Convention Feb 27, 2020

Theatre: “Outside Mullingar” Apr 16-18, 2020

Choir Concert May 17, 2020

Theatre: “Creepy! Creepy!”

Feb 18-22, 2020

Ventures: Examining the disconnect between society and the environment

squelching the Spirit

Feb 29, 2020

Apr 18, 2020

Admissions: Auto Restoration Visit Day Mar 6, 2020

Admissions: Bulldog Visit Day May 2, 2020

Choral Collaborative Concert Mar 2, 2020

Alumni: Evening of Recognition (Invitation only) Apr 24, 2020 www.mcpherson.edu/calendar

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