Hesston College Last updated April 09, 2025 History Opening in 1909 as Hesston Academy and Bible School, Heston College has offered collegiate level classes since 1915. Founded by T.M. Erb and A.L. Hess after approval by the Kansas-Nebraska Mennonite Conference and endorsement by the Mennonite Board of Education (MBE). Hesston College was affiliated with Mennonite Church and operated by MBE until 2002 when Mennonite Church merged with other denominations and Mennonite Church USA was formed. [ 3] High school level classes were offered until 1963. [ 4]
In 1981, the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains was founded at the college.
Educational facilities Mary Miller Library (2007) The main 50 acres (20 ha) Hesston campus consists of 12 buildings, including two residential dormitories (Erb hall and Kaufman Court), an administration building, library , a number of academic buildings, and two gymnasiums . [ 5] It also has a baseball diamond , a softball field , soccer field , a weight room, and four tennis courts .
The Dyck Arboretum of the Plains is a 25 acres (10 ha) arboretum located 1 block south of the main campus.
The aviation program has facilities at the Newton City-County Airport east of Newton, Kansas .
The Nursing program, in addition to facilities on the main campus, has affiliations with local hospitals, including Newton Medical Center and Prairie View Mental Health Center in Newton, Schowalter Villa in Hesston, and Via Christi-St. Francis Campus, Via Christi-St. Joseph Campus, and Wesley Medical Center in Wichita .
Athletics The Hesston athletic teams are called the Larks. The college is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), primary competing in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) since the 2018–19 academic year. [ 6]
Hesston competes in 12 intercollegiate varsity teams. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, flag football (which was added for 2022–23), soccer, softball and track & field. [ 7]
Administration Presidents Years Served Daniel Henry Bender 1909-1930 Edward Yoder, Chair, Administrative Comm. 1930-1932 Milo Kauffman 1932-1951 Walter Oswald, Chair, Administrative Comm. 1951-1953 Roy D. Roth 1953-1959 Tilman R. Smith 1959-1968 Laban Peachey 1968-1980 Jim Mininger (Interim) 1980-1981 Kirk Alliman 1981-1992 Jim Mininger (Interim) 1992-1993 Loren Swartzendruber 1993-2003 Peter Wiebe (Interim) 2003-2005 Howard Keim 2005-2016 Benjamin E. Sprunger (Interim) 2016-2017 Joseph A. Manickam 2017-2023 Ross Peterson-Veatch (Interim) 2023-Present
Academic Deans Years Served John Denlinger Charles 1909-1923 Noah Oyer 1923-1924 Edward Yoder, (On leave) 1924-1928 Paul Erb (Acting) 1924-1928 Edward Yoder 1928-1932 Paul Erb 1932-1941 Ivan R. Lind 1941-1949 Walter Oswald 1949-1953 Justus Holsinger 1953-1959 Paul Bender (Acting) 1959-1961 Paton Yoder 1961-1970 Clayton Beyler (Acting) 1970-1971 Clayton Beyler 1971-1973 Gerri Lichti 1973-1978 Jim Mininger 1978-1995 Paul Keim 1995-1997 Bonnie Sowers (Interim) 1997-1998 Marcus Yoder 1998-2006 Bonnie Sowers (Interim) 2006-2007 Sandra Zerger 2007-2014 Brent Yoder 2014-20?? Dr. Carren Moham 20??-2021 Joan Griffing 2021-Present
as of January 2025 [ 4] [ 9] [ 10] [ 11]
Notable people Alumni Theodore Epp , Christian clergyman , writer, and radio evangelist . John Hostetler , author, educator, and leading scholar of Amish and Hutterite societies. Christmas Kauffman , author of Mennonite Christian literature Jesse Martin , Canadian bishop and peace activist [ 12] Katie Sowers , first female coach, and openly LGBTQ coach in the NFL. Faculty References ↑ "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2016 Endowment Market Value and Change* in Endowment Market Value from FY2015 to FY2016" (PDF) . NACUBO.org . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-02-15. Retrieved 25 March 2017 . ↑ McMaster, Rachel (2014-09-29). "Campus welcomes an increase in new students for 2014–15 – Hesston College" . Hesston.edu. Retrieved 2015-08-08 . ↑ Bender, Harold S. (1957). Mennonite Board of Education (Mennonite Church). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online . Retrieved 14 July 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Board_of_Education_(Mennonite_Church)&oldid=89665 1 2 Sharp, John E. and Rachel McMaster. (August 2018). Hesston College (Hesston, Kansas, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online . Retrieved 13 July 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hesston_College_(Hesston,_Kansas,_USA)&oldid=170106 ↑ "Housing" . Hesston College . Retrieved 2024-07-14 . ↑ KJCCC Members Archived 2010-06-13 at the Wayback Machine ↑ Lark Athletics ↑ Hesston College joins NAIA and NCCAA for 2025-26 athletic season - Hesston College ↑ Bartel, Larry (2023-11-07). "Hesston College announces institutional shifts" . Hesston College . Retrieved 2024-07-14 . ↑ Bartel, Larry (2021-11-20). "Hesston College announces hiring of Dr. Carren Moham as vice president of academics" . Hesston College . Retrieved 2024-08-08 . ↑ "Employee- Joan Griffing" . Hesston College . Retrieved 2024-08-08 . ↑ Josephson, Harold (1985). Biographical Dictionary of Modern Peace Leaders . Connecticut: Greenwood. pp. 607-8 . ISBN 0-313-22565-6 Further reading A School on the Prairie: A Centennial History of Hesston College, 1909–2009 ; John Sharp; 2009; ISBN 978-1931038645 .A Pillar of Cloud the Story of Hesston College ; Mary Miller; 1959; ASIN B000JEMKR8.External links
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