The Tabor View | March 2022

THE

TABOR VIEW

IN THIS ISSUE:

Aviles and Castillo Memorial Women’s History Month Goertzen Shines in Wichita Choir Tour MARCH 2022

CONTENTS

03 .................Fine Arts Department Update 04.................Choir Tour 05 .................Johnny and Chris Memorial 06.................Jessica Buller Teaches in Honduras 07 .................Celeste Worthy Feature 08-09......Sports Updates 10 .................AED Science Club 11 ...................Women’s History Month Spotlights 12 ..................Alumni Business Spotlight 13 ..................

14 ..................‘The Batman’ Movie Review 15 ..................‘Dog’ Movie Review

Ruiz Esparza’s Resignation, Intramurals

from the

EDITOR

FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT STAYS BUSY WITH EVENTS

by Kylie Davis

Music is always better when shared with others, a fact demonstrated by the music department through the hosting of the vocal group Voces8 and the Central Kansas League Music Festival.

Dr. Greg Zielke, arts director, hosted Voces8 for a vocal master class for In our last issue of The Tabor View, we focused on the global and local impact that Tabor has. The primary reason for this influence is the people who make up our Tabor community, and that is our focus for this issue.

In this issue, we recognize the service of Dean of Student Life Emir Ruiz Esparza, and we highlight the impact of career services coordinator Celeste Worthy.

We also honor Kindra Goertzen, a Tabor alum doing fantastic work with United Way in Wichita, and Jessica Buller, a senior who is completing her student teaching in Honduras.

Sometimes, however, honoring people can be painful if they are no longer with us. We take the time to mourn the loss of two Tabor students, Johnny Aviles and Chris Castillo, and to recall how the Tabor family came together to bless each other and the students’ families.

Tabor is blessed to have people– administrators, faculty, students, alumni and friends–who love God, love others and live out this love every day in many different ways.

We at The Tabor View are privileged to bring you news and stories of how these people are furthering God’s Kingdom.

--Toby Penner, Editor

several local high school choirs on Feb. 23. Voces8 is the chief ensemble for the Voces8 Foundation, a music charity in England, with the goal of making music education available to a wide range of people.

Close to 120 students from four local high schools attended the master class, along with members of Tabor’s Chamber Voices and Concert Choir.

The high school students were able to exercise vocal technique, perform a piece with their choir and receive critique, while the Tabor students helped staff the event.

“I definitely thought it was a success,” Zielke said. “The students were really able to engage on a personal level.”

On March 3, under the leadership of Dr. Sheila Litke, Tabor hosted the Central Kansas League Music Festival. Over 400 students performed for judges, receiving critiques and advice from the judges and encouragement from the Tabor students.

The music department plans to continue hosting musicians and high school students through events such as the CKL music festival, choral leadership day, and various master classes.

“We love sharing our building with area schools and events and such,” Litke said. “It’s just a great way for us to get Tabor’s name connected with communities and high schools.”

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CHOIR TOUR

by Tyler Seeley

After a year off from touring because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tabor Concert Choir tour returned during spring break.

“This was 100 times better for lots of reasons–the choir is better, the students really responded awesome, our audiences were absolutely amazing,” said Gregory Zielke, director of arts and director of choral activities, when comparing this trip to his past experiences.

The tour was March 10-17 with 10 performances across Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

Students got to perform for four Mennonite Brethren and two Baptists churches, along with two Christian meeting new people and having a family to support high schools–Corn Bible Academy and Oklahoma Bible them.

Academy. One of the major stops was at the Oklahoma City bombing memorial.

Sophomore Tori Kaiser, when asked about what she took away from the homestays, said, “With the

Choir students were accompanied by Tabor First

homestays, it was enjoyable because we got to talk to

Lady Karen Janzen, who played the piano during the

people about their hometown and get to know about

first half of the trip. Zielke said students benefited from their lives.” the Janzen’s love for Tabor students and out-going personality.

With the return of the tour came the homestays.

Students got to spend four nights in other people’s homes to enjoy their hospitality.

“That’s a big part of what a choir tour is all about,” said Ziekle about the significance of the homestays. Students benefit from homestays by

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Asked about what he hopes choir students take from the tour, Zielke said the three things are getting to know each other, fulfilling performing experience and spiritual growth.

During the tour, students participated in occasional prayer and devotionals during the seven-day trip.

“It was fun, tiring and a good life lesson,” said Kaiser describing the experience.

JOHNNY AND CHRIS MEMORIAL

by Cody Meyer

Tragedy struck Tabor’s campus Sunday, April 27, as students woke up and heard news of a deadly car crash earlier that morning.

players Richard Goldammer and Parker Folks.

“The thing that I am never going to forget about either one of them is how their smile lit up a locker room and

Soon, it was released that Johnethon Aviles and made me honestly feel alive about being a football coach,” Christopher Castillo were the two students killed in the accident.

said Gardner in remembrance of Johnny and Chris.

Rangel remembered Johnny by sharing the career

The Tabor College and Hillsboro community rallied plans that he had built and worked to see through to together to support those affected by this accident by completion while at Tabor as well as through memories providing countless prayers for the families, friends they’ve made in class. and teammates of Johnny and Chris. The community

Williams reflected on how similar he and Chris were,

also sent support through cards and provided financial as both their parents were police officers and nurses, and support to the families to cover funeral costs.

they both played linebacker at Tabor.

Memorials for Johnny and Chris were displayed in the

Goldammer and Folks highlighted their teammates’

basement in the Lohrenz that students could observe and

joyous and contagious personalities while sharing

spend time reflecting on memories that they have made.

memories that they made together.

Tabor held a memorial service during chapel Wednesday, March 9. Campus Pastor Ryan Lee described this as a way for the Tabor community to turn their eyes to the Lord in the midst of pain and lean on each other in this time.

This service consisted of reflections from Tabor football Head Coach Mike Gardner, professors Melinda Rangel and Chris Williams, and students and football

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JESSICA BULLER TEACHES IN HONDURAS

by Millie Sechrist

As an elementary education major, senior year is filled

“I love my kiddos,” she said. “They can be a handful, but

with student teaching and lesson plans while preparing they were so excited to be back in school. They haven’t for graduation and beyond. Senior Jessica Buller chose

been in school for two years (because of COVID-19), so

to take a little different route toward her graduation.

they are all eager to be in the classroom. Oftentimes kids

“My freshman year at Tabor, my Interterm class had

can have the attitude of ‘I hate school’ but they are so

a bunch of people come in and talk about different excited to be back.” teaching opportunities,” said Buller. “Someone came

Along with connecting with her students, Buller also

and shared about an opportunity to teach in Honduras.”

has the unique opportunity to live in community with the

Buller said she put this idea in her back pocket as she continued at Tabor, and as senior year came, she discovered her heart for missions and teaching.

“I thought, how can I take this newfound love for mission and put it with what I want to do–teaching?” said

other teachers.

“My relationship with teachers is different here because we all live together,” she said. “Then, that community transfers over to the school community.”

One of the most valuable experiences for Buller has

Buller. “The puzzle pieces fit together, and God did his been going to a Spanish-speaking church and getting thing and here I am.”

Although her time in Honduras has come with different

connected with a group of young adults.

“It is so special coming alongside other believers

challenges such as hybrid teaching, quarantines and a where our similarities aren’t our language–it’s our new language, Buller has happily embraced the culture pursuit of Jesus,” said Buller. and her new students.

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CELESTE WORTHY HEADS UP CAREER SERVICES

by Caleb Rempel, Guest Contributor

From Hillsboro, Oregon, to Hillsboro, Kansas, way from Oregon to Kansas. Now, Worthy focuses on Celeste Worthy proves that growth within a community connecting students to opportunities. can come from anywhere.

Since Nov. 15, Worthy has been working as the coordinator of Career Services at Tabor College.

She has discovered through various jobs that she is passionate about creating a positive change in

Some of these opportunities are summer jobs, internships and part- and full-time jobs. She also networks with local and distant businesses, hosts keynote speakers and leads resume-building events.

Students can email celesteworthy@tabor.edu to set

communities, even when the jobs did not necessarily up an appointment, and her office is in the basement of require it.

H.W. Lohrenz Administration Building.

At Tabor, Worthy studied marketing and went on to Fort Hays State University to earn a master’s degree in higher education student affairs. While at Fort Hays, she worked as a graduate assistant and found joy helping students develop and get connected to resources.

The job suited Worthy, but she made the move back to Oregon to be closer to family. In Oregon, she worked as a client associate at a bank.

Worthy said she learned a lot during her two years at the bank, but ultimately it was not the right place for her. Through a work of God, she came across a job opening for a coordinator of Career Services at Tabor that seemed like a perfect fit for her.

“What really drew me to (the job) was the ability to influence the lives of community,” said Worthy, adding that the bullet points on the job description described who she is.

She applied for the job, and on Nov. 1, she was on her

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SPORTS UPDATES 08

BASEBALL Hot and swinging is the best way to describe the start of the Tabor College baseball squad’s season. The Bluejays are fighting through one of the hardest conferences in the nation, as three teams, including Tabor, are ranked in the NAIA Top-25 poll.

Fighting through multiple weather cancellations, the men have played a total of 12 conference games and lost only one. During this hot stretch, the Bluejays have moved into first place in the conference, ahead of Ottawa and McPherson.

Leo Aguilar has led the charge for the Bluejays, hitting .630 over a span of eight games. With this level of play, Aguilar earned the NAIA Player of Week award.

The Tabor College Bluejays will be back in action on April 1-2 against Oklahoma Wesleyan.

Hesston Golf Club in Hesston, Kansas, March 21-22.

For the women, junior Valdisa Andov took first place, beating last year’s conference champion. Andov is currently top-five in the conference individually and is looking to climb the rankings. The women are currently ranked eighth as a team.

For the men, Andreas Aho and Ryan Hill both placed fourth and sixth respectively at the home tournament, leading the team to a fourth-place finish.

Consistency is the improvement Head Coach Mike Jamieson is looking for as they continue to beat more conference teams during this spring season.

“Even though we lost our fall semester No. 2 player, we are actually playing arguably our best golf as a team right now, and could improve on our fall season standing,” said Jamieson.

GOLF

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

by Tyrel Haynes

by Mei Kirchhoff

by Kenna Brandes

The Tabor men’s and women’s golf teams competed in the Tabor Invitational at the

The Tabor women’s basketball season came to an end on Friday, March 11, in Wichita,

Kansas, against Clarke University.

The Lady Bluejays put up a tough fight but came up short, losing 51-57.

The team lost to Oklahoma Wesleyan in the first round of the conference tournament, but their regular season conference standing allowed them to move on to the NAIA national tournament.

The Lady Bluejays ended their season with an overall record of 22-9, going 19-5 in conference play. Their record placed them second overall in the KCAC. Five Lady Bluejays received All-Conference honors. Sammie Jo Peterson was named third team, Alyvia Owens and Kasey Rice were named Honorable Mention and Rice also made the All-Defensive team.

Kassidy Beam was one of five players to make the All-Freshman team.

Zoe Shieldnight was named first-team All-Conference along with receiving a NAIA and WBCA All-American Honorable Mention selection.

TENNIS

by Ethan Barnes Tabor’s men’s and women’s tennis teams are in full motion, as they enter conference play. The men’s team has a record of 3-5, and the women’s team has a record of 5-3.

They opened KCAC play on March 24, against Ottawa University, with the men losing 1-6 and the women winning 4-3.

“We’re right on the verge of getting over the hump,” said junior Mateo Garcia. “It’s just a matter of time before we get on the right track.”

On March 26, the men bounced

back from their loss against Ottawa and beat Oklahoma Wesleyan 4-3 to even their conference record at 1-1.

The women hope to continue their winning ways early in conference play.

SOFTBALL

by Danielle Allison The Lady Jays have a current overall record of 8-18. Their record in KCAC Conference play is 4-4.

The softball team took a road trip to Tucson, Arizona, where they played a total of 11 games from March 1-6.

The team got two wins while in Arizona against Jarvis and Aquinas.

The Lady Bluejays picked up their next win over Maryville State University at the McPherson Bulldog Classic.

The team opened up their home schedule by sweeping Avila University by scores of 10-2 and 6-0.

In the first game, junior Zoe Brewer pitched a complete game shutout.

On March 24, the team traveled to Sterling and won both games 11-1 and 8-5. The Lady Bluejays will continue conference play, hoping to clinch a spot in the postseason.

TRACK & FIELD

by Cody Meyer Head Coach Dave Kroeker said he believes that Tabor track and field had its best first meet of an outdoor track season in school history March 19 at Bethel.

The men’s 4x100 meter relay, ran

by Dashaun Sanford, Zephyn Mason, Ali Cannon and Tyke Owens, finished with a time of 41.77 seconds

and qualified for the NAIA outdoor national meet.

Also qualifying for nationals were Vance Shewey in high jump, clearing 2.05 meters, and Toby Penner in the 400-meter hurdles, with a time of 54.59 seconds.

Kroeker said he is excited about the expected contributions from Zephyn Mason, Lonnie Langston and Jordyn Lowrie, all basketball players at Tabor, who have recently joined the track team.

As individuals, Kroeker wants to see as many athletes qualify for outdoor nationals as possible, while the men’s and women’s team goals are to place well at the conference meet in May.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

by Destiny Cooper The Tabor men’s basketball team finished their season with an overall record of 8-20, a KCAC record of 6-18 and a home record of 5-9. The team fell short to Kansas Wesleyan in the first round of the KCAC tournament.

At the conclusion of the season, Head Coach Micah Ratzlaff resigned his position. This ends Ratzlaff’s amazing career coaching the men’s basketball team, which included a NAIA elite eight run in 2017.

“We are in the process of reviewing applications for potential candidates and narrowing down which candidate would be the best fit for Tabor in a variety of ways,” said Athletic Director Marty Ziesemer.

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AED SCIENCE CLUB

by Sam Buller

This semester saw the start of a new club at Tabor that

Junior Pierce Klaassen is a member of the club

allows students to gain more insight about the field of and has found the experience to be quite helpful. He medicine. The AED Science Club has already hosted a recommends it to anyone who may be interested. few professional guests for its members.

“Anyone who is interested in anything health related

Among these guests were Dusan Stojanovic of Arkansas should join to learn more about what it takes to take the Colleges of Health Education and Milena Garcia from next step in your chosen health profession,” Klaassen the American Caribbean School of Medicine.

The club serves as a pre-health division to the science

said.

The club currently meets in the science building for

club and is focused on giving students some real world its events, and it is welcoming any students who have an testimonies from the field of health and medicine. It interest to learn more. also allows students who may be interested in pursuing medical school to ask questions and learn about the process.

Serving And Learning Together

WORK EXPERIENCE WITH

WORLD EXPERIENCE

mcc.org/salt

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A year-long, cross-cultural service experience

#iamsalt Mennonite Central Committee

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHTS

by Destiny Cooper

Marguerite Ann Johnson, also known as Maya Angelou, was best known for her poetry, singing and activism, and for being a world-renowned author.

the Women’s Educational Equity Act. She is mainly known for her involvement in writing Title IX, which states that nobody in the United States

Maya Angelou was born April 4, 1928, and she had many should be excluded from any program or activity achievements throughout her life. She became the first

receiving federal financial assistance because of sex.

African American woman to conduct a streetcar in San

This was renamed the Patsy T Mink Equal Opportunity

Francisco, and she served as the northern coordinator of in Education Act after her death in 2002. the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

She wrote “I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing,” which was nominated for the National Book Award, and she received over 30 honorary degrees in her lifetime.

In honor of Maya Angelou’s legacy she left behind,

Mink was a strong advocate for gender and racial equality and affordable childcare. Her legacy still lives on and impacts all of us to this day.

Maya Angelou

she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Maya Angelou influenced so many people through her literature, music and involvement in the civil rights movement. Her greatest works are still remembered today and will continue to enlighten and pave the way for future generations.

Patsy Matsu Mink was born on Dec. 6, 1927, in Paia, Hawaii. Mink helped pave the way to eliminating gender and racial discrimination in schools and work environments.

Mink became the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the first Asian American woman to serve in Congress. She wrote bills such as Title IX, the Early Childhood Education Act and

Patsy Matsu Mink

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ALUMNI BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

by Shea Sutherland

south-central Kansas,” she said.

Goertzen entered her post-graduation career as an events manager, but through the years she has transitioned into the creative manager position. She is responsible for overseeing and developing the messaging and creative direction for advertising, as well as maintaining the website.

When Goertzen is not on the clock, she is pouring her time back into Tabor’s communication department as an adjunct professor for Group Communication and Decision Making, a biennial spring course. After graduating from Tabor with a degree in organizational communication and journalism, she said she could see how applicable group communication was within her day-to-day life and experiences.

The leadership and skills that Goertzen has

Kindra Goertzen Shines in Wichita Kindra Goertzen, 2006 graduate of Tabor College, has represented her alma mater well within the business industry in Wichita, Kansas.

“Tabor really gave me the passion for my profession in communications and marketing but also for giving back to my community in a broader sense,” said Goertzen. “They opened my eyes to the world around me, which led me to my career at United Way.” Goertzen has put forth her passions at United Way of the Plains, a nonprofit for impact entity, for the past 16 years.

“We fight for the health, education, financial stability and basic needs of every single person in

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showcased through her roles at both United Way of the Plains and at Tabor have been noticed. She was named a member of the 2022 class for the 40 Under 40 award in February.

“Every year, the Wichita Business Journal chooses 40 young professionals, who are under the age of 40, to recognize for their achievements within their profession and also how they are giving back in the community,” said Goertzen.

She said she was very humbled and honored when she saw herself on the list.

“It is a unique time when you are recognized,” said Goertzen. “It gives you a nice opportunity to look back at the people who have invested in you in a lot of different ways.”

RUIZ ESPARZA ENDS TIME AT TABOR

by Kenna Brandes

Emir Ruiz Esparza is the dean of student life, learning and foundation here at Tabor College.

He took on this role in 2018 and has been a large contributor to student life and involvement during that time.

Ruiz Esparza joined Tabor personnel with plans to improve the student experience on campus. He and his staff gathered data and put in time to understand what they could do to make sure they heard the student voice.

“Hiring the right people to work directly with

INTRAMURAL BASKETBALL WRAP-UP

by Ethan Barnes

Intramural basketball is one of Tabor’s most highly anticipated intramural sports, and this year it did not disappoint. This year’s finalists were the Top Dogs and Team Comp, with the Top Dogs coming out on top by a score of 90-77.

“It felt great scoring in the championship game,” said freshman Emma Cook. “The crowd was great and it was really fun playing in front of everyone.”

The Top Dogs consisted of Jayton Alexander, Emma Cook, William Green, Natalie Goodman,

students has been one of the more important things I have done,” Ruiz Esparza said.

There has been a strong push for improving the student experience over the past four years and that would not have been possible without Ruiz Esparza and his staff. They’ve worked to achieve the perfect balance of professionalism and laughter within this staff, and that is why they work so well together.

“Nothing exciting or good has come outside of a team effort,” Ruiz Esparza said.

Ruiz Esparza said he feels as if he has hired the right staff to create the right structures and that is something he is most proud of. They are continuing to make changes to improve the student experience, and he feels that David Ediger is the perfect person to pass this role onto.

Ruiz Esparza has accepted a job at Cairn University in Pennsylvania. He will finsh this school year at Tabor and then move on to start his new journey.

Kaleb Hoppes, Angel Sanchez and Jaron Usher.

They were coached by the very stylish Dylan Page, Mallory Woolston and Aaron Powell.

“It was great to be a part of the school,” said freshman Natalie Goodman. “It was a great opportunity to get involved with the school and I had a really good time.”

The team has every intention of defending their championship, as they plan to play next year with the goal of winning back-to-back intramural championships.

Along with the championship game there were some other events held.

There was a faculty game in which the faculty beat the Top Dogs by a score of 42-20. In the dunk contest, Demarcus Fisher came out on top, and in the three-point contest, Zephyn Mason took the crown.

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‘THE BATMAN’ MOVIE REVIEW

by David Wiens

For better or worse, “The Batman” is another entry

I do not think this is a necessity in this new age of

in the long journey of filmmakers attempting to turn

gritty superhero films, as the Dark Knight trilogy was

a story about a dude in spandex punching people into

full of memorable villains in each installment.

a gritty crime thriller. In this respect, the film mostly succeeds.

The film portrays Gotham City as an appropriately gloomy and miserable place, mostly thanks to the excellent cinematography.

Robert Pattinson is a well-respected actor at this point, having moved on from his role as a sparkly vampire to more artistically engaging endeavors such as“Good Time” and “The Lighthouse.”

However, “The Batman” does not use his impressive range. Moreover, there is a distinct lack of Bruce Wayne in this film as a whole.

While the action scenes of Batman beating people up are well choreographed and exciting, any scene involving dialogue or plot progression is mostly forgettable filler, especially in a three-hour film.

The personality of the villains was not spared either.

John Turturro does a decent job at portraying a convincing mafia boss, but the Penguin and Riddler are as dull as the rest of the characters.

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I am not saying that we need to return to “Batman and Robin,” but it would be nice to have a Batman movie with a somewhat memorable rogues gallery and–more importantly–a memorable Batman.

‘DOG’ MOVIE REVIEW

by Sam Buller

country roadtrip that is filled with memorable songs, a fair amount of trouble and a deepening connection between the two.

The film offers a glance at what it looks like for veterans trying to adapt to civilian life after being deployed, as well as mental health issues. The dog, Lulu, serves as a way for Tatum’s character to see himself and establish a connection to someone who experienced what he went through.

The journey the two of them undergo serves as a way to bond and deal with their mental health.

I found this film to be highly enjoyable and As the bleak winter months come to an end, “Dog” hit theaters in late February to bring a heartwarming tale to usher in the spring.

“Dog” stars Channing Tatum as a military veteran struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. After recovering from an injury, he is trying to get redeployed.

The only way his commanding officer will clear him for duty is if he delivers a dog that belonged to a fellow soldier who died in combat to his funeral across the country. The pair embark on a cross

meaningful, as it handled prominent issues in a way that made clear the struggles veterans experience in our society. Yet, at its heart, it still remains a dog movie, meaning that the special bond that man and pet share will serve as the highlight throughout.

“Dog” will likely pass by most people’s notice amidst the more popular movies, but I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a warm and meaningful story.

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Top Dogs take first in the intramural basketball championship.

The Tabor View offers students and faculty a window into the happenings on campus. Our student writers uncover stories behind the scenes, keep people updated, and report with accuracy and clarity. We strive to present precise, detailed information in our articles. Opinions expressed in the articles do not reflect the opinion of The Tabor View.

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Advisor: Aleen Ratzlaff Editor: Toby Penner Assistant Editor: Cody Meyer Graphic Designer: Jessica Klein Writing Staff: Tyrel Haynes, Millie Sechrist, Cody Meyer, Kenna Brandes, Mei Kirchhoff, Kylie Davis, Tyler Seeley, David Wiens, Destiny Cooper, Ethan Barnes, Danielle Allison, Sam Buller and Shea Sutherland Cover Photo by Michael Klaasen Other photos by Michael Klaasen