McPherson College recognizes its highest academic achievers in the spring 2021 Honor Roll and Honorable Mention. To qualify for the Honor Roll, students must be a full-time student and earn a grade point average of 3.55 or higher during the previous term. Students earning a grade point average from 3.25 to 3.54 are named to the Honorable Mention Roll.

Students named to the McPherson College Honor Roll for spring 2021 include:

Israel Acosta, Houston, TX
Clarissa Adamyk, McPherson, KS
Kaylie Akiona, Kaaawa, HI
Esther Tibaidjuka Amuli, Kinshasa, Congo
Carter Anglin, Louisburg, KS
Sarah Asher, Kansas City, MO
Victoria Ates, Dallas, TX
Destiny Bacon, La Mesa, CA
Eliphas-Levi Balekombwa-Ndelepame, Berea, OH
Mason Ball, Spring, TX
William Bandy, Bel Air, MD
Thane Barta, Anchorage, AK
Walter Behrens, Crested Butte, CO
Michael Beltran Rubio, Bogota, Cundinamarca, Columbia
Cheneal Benne, Courtland, KS
Caden Beurkens, Byron Center, MI
Caeley Billings, Gardner, KS
Mia Birkes, Mcpherson, KS
Brady Blanka, Wamego, KS
Julien Bodin, Cartagena, Spain
Kevin Boeckman, Wamego, KS
Taylor Bohannon, Belle Plaine, KS
Shelby Bonn, Shawnee Mission, KS
Luke Borton, Independence, KS
Cameron Boyce, Tebbetts, MO
Reven Bradbury, Castle Rock, CO
Riley Bradbury, Castle Rock, CO
Amy Braimbridge, Connolly, Australia
Zachary Bredfield, Heppner, OR
Garrett Brenning, Culbertson, NE
Abigail Briscoe, Little River, KS
Cedric Brown, Culpeper, VA
Dillyn Brown, Osage City, KS
Cherie Bruce, McPherson, KS
Kourtney Brumley, McPherson, KS
Makaylee Bryson, Spanish Fork, UT
Bianca Bulnes, McPherson, KS
Hannah Butler, McPherson, KS
Jorge Calleros, Saint John, KS
James Canar, Longmont, CO
Calvin Cassida, Louisburg, KS
Kenneth Castleberry, Melissa, TX
Kaci Chadwick, Cheyenne Wells, CO
Joe Chapman, Roeland Park, KS
Jenna Christensen, Corinth, TX
Vannesa Cisneros, North Highlands, CA
Tate Clem, Wichita, KS
Amanda Cochran, Wichita, KS
Daniel Connell, High Peak, Derbyshire
Peyton Conner, Littleton, CO
Kayley Cook, Byers, KS
Austin Cooper, Carmichael, CA
Kevin Credit, De Soto, TX
Samantha Cress, McPherson, KS
Taylor Cunningham, Wellsville, KS
Antoine Detavernier, Bruges, Belgium
Kurtis Ebling, Lindsborg, KS
Mackenzie Egan, Vandreuil Dorion, QC
Shane Fazzino, McPherson, KS
Marcus Vinicius Fernandes, Rio De Janeiro,, Brazil
Brionnah Fessler, Norton, KS
Nathanael Fetters, Whitewright, TX
Heidi Fischer, Aledo, TX
Jadin Fleming, Castle Rock, CO
Theodore Flint, Sagle, ID
Emily Flowers, Overland Park, KS
Joshua Fowler, Round Rock, TX
Fidelie Futi, Kinshasa, Congo
Martin Gentes, Florence, MA
Alexandra Gipson, Harrison, AR
Quinn Gordon, Sherman Oaks, CA
Cameron Gragg, Osage City, KS
Conrad Gramckow, Ojai, CA
Jurgen Stalin Granda Palma, Guayaquil, Guayas
Alexis Grattan, Newton, KS
Trent Graves, Wichita, KS
Graedon Green, McPherson, KS
Peter Greenough, Victoria, MN
Tatum Griffin, Edmond, OK
Samuel Grim, Johnstown, CO
Sierra Grow, Halstead, KS
Michael Halgren, Leawood, KS
Zackary Hall, Cherokee, OK
Taylor Hamm, Round Rock, TX
Scott Hayford, Spring Creek, NV
Shyanne Henkis, Laveen, AZ
Sydney Hicks, Broomfield, CO
Lola Hipp, Goodland, KS
Kelly Hoffman, Wysox, PA
Jonathan Hoffman, Wysox, PA
Isabella Holmes, Goddard, KS
Caleb Houghton, McPherson, KS
Noah Huls, Aurora, NE
Ethan Huston, Saint John, KS
Spencer Ice, Cameron, MO
Navid Istanbullu, Bremen, Germany
Jessica James, Halstead, KS
Makenzie Jansonius, Prairie View, KS
Anika Jobe, Eudora, KS
Kennedy Johnson, Colorado Springs, CO
Trevor Johnson, La Mesa, CA
Brandt Johnson, Peyton, CO
Arya Karmacharya, McPherson, KS
Gracia Kasereka, Commune De Selembao, Congo
Choucranie Kayembe, Lubumbashi Haut Katanga, Congo
Polina Khoroshevskaya, Kemerovo, Russia
Jordan Kingcaid, Fort Worth, TX
Jakob Komel, Solvenia
Matthew Kroeker, Wichita, KS
Zakary Larson, Golden, CO
Aaron Leck, McPherson, KS
Delani List, Junction City, KS
Tyler Loy, Topeka, KS
Andre Guillaume Lubaya, Young America, Zaire
Kaylynn Lyons, Winslow, AZ
Gage Maccoy, Lenexa, KS
Brett Maddock, Oakdale, CA
Tori Maples, Maywood, MO
Kael Markham, Topeka, KS
Colby Marshall, Montgomery, TX
Carson Martin, Elkhart, IN
Aventino Martinez-Garcia, Wichita, KS
Bethany Masters, Howe, TX
Trisha Mathewson, Axtell, KS
Grace Maxey, Damascus, OR
Myles McCrary, Cedar Hill, TX
Savannah McHugh, Wichita, KS
Hannah McKay, Golden, CO
Nathaniel McLaughlin, Ticonderoga, NY
Brittany Merkel, Waxhaw, NC
Wyatt Miceli, Woodacre, CA
Martin Millos, Vigo, Spain
Maria Miranda, Great Bend, KS
Rodrigo Miranda Enriquez, St Louis, MO
Palmer Moe, Seattle, WA
Ezra Monroe, Melissa, TX
Ethan Montalvo, La Feria, TX
Katelyn Moore, Douglass, KS
Ilanna Moyer, McPherson, KS
Madison Mullen, Wichita, KS
Vanessa Mundo, Houston, TX
Trey Murphy, Wagga Wagga, Australia
Paul Murphy, Independence, MO
Paul Kapya Mwengwe, Lubumbashi, Congo
Michel Mwengwe, Lubumbashi, Congo
Tyler Natkin, Warrington, PA
Gregory Neiger, Scotts Valley, CA
Immanuel Newsome, Yukon, OK
Fabio Nickel, North Rhine-Westphalia
Graham Noblett, Fairport, NY
Matthew Nutting, Foxboro, MA
Brett Oden, Sterling, KS
Jason Okoro, Plano, TX
Tevin Oller, Shawnee Mission, KS
Grant Owens, Hutchinson, KS
Erica Paradise, Bakersfield, CA
Emma Parker, Hayden, ID
James Pawlak, Palatine, IL
Allison Penalva, McPherson, KS
Andrew Penrose, Clovis, CA
Taylor Perez, Tulsa, OK
Blake Peterson, Buhler, KS
Zachary Petrie, Centennial, CO
Jeremy Porter, Seneca Falls, NY
Kristin Potter, Houston, TX
Kaden Quint, Hutchinson, KS
Robert Ramberg, Topeka, KS
David Rees, Gisborne VIC, Australia
Norman Rentschler, Santaquin, UT
Carlos Reyna, Hutchinson, KS
Dylan Riley, Lake Ozark, MO
Joseph Robben, Goddard, KS
Luis Rodriguez Jr., The Colony, TX
Frank Romanaggi, Portland, OR
Pamela Rosales Zapata, Dodge City, KS
Jed Rubin, Bayside, NY
Draven Ruiz, Carmel, NY
Nathaniel Russo, Lakewood, CO
Natalia Salto, Cimarron, KS
Colton Sanders, Littleton, CO
Katherine Saul, Porter, TX
Andrew Schaefer, Sag Harbor, NY
Kody Scholl, Colorado Springs, CO
Robert Schonberner, Omaha, NE
Tallan Schrader, Benkelman, NE
Cole Schroeder, Russell, KS
Ashley Seibel, Moses Lake, WA
Christie Silber, Simi Valley, CA
Eliseo Silva, Sterling, KS
Tomi Simmons, Las Vegas, NV
Emma Singleton, North Las Vegas, NV
Tiffany Slechta, McPherson, KS
Meghan Smith, Lindsborg, KS
Olivia Smith, Wichita, KS
Jack Stalcup, Hugoton, KS
Mason Stephens, Forney, TX
Colby Swift, Sedgwick, KS
Reagan Thai, Las Vegas, NV
Bralyn Thomas, Houston, TX
Samantha Thompson, Forney, TX
Kaden Tichenor, Holcomb, KS
Meklit Tilahun, McPherson, KS
Adriana Tilleman, Van Alstyne, TX
Jacob Turley, Leighton Buzzard, UK
Mackenzie Unruh, Hesston, KS
Kenajah Upchurch, Sugar Land, TX
Grace van Asselt, McPherson, KS
Alexander Van Patten, Almena, KS
Andrew Vekteris, Port Republic, NJ
Susana Velasquez, McPherson, KS
Nicolas Wahl, Koenigstein, Germany
Morgan Watson, Loveland, CO
Kassidy Weaver, Katy, TX
Myriah Webster, Lindsborg, KS
Hannah Wedel, Halstead, KS
Courtney Weesner, Hutchinson, KS
Ann Weesner, Hutchinson, KS
Isaak Welch, Pacific City, OR
John Wells II, Newton, KS
Ira Whitacre, McPherson, KS
Matthisen Witzel, St. Francis, KS
Dalton Womack, Cushing, OK
Logan Worswick, Garland, TX
Cameron Wright, Denison, TX

Nicole Abunaja, San Tan Valley, AZ
Nathan Addis, Hutchinson, KS
Natalia Ahrens, Lees Summit, MO
Amanda Ambrosy, Haslet, TX
Grant Asadoor, Clovis, CA
Brittany Baroni, Galt, CA
Ellen Barrett, McPherson, KS
Aubree Beggs, Graham, TX
Rayna Berry, Wichita, KS
Shane Birzer, Ottawa, KS
Harley Blaske, Sylvia, KS
Luke Boline, Wichita, KS
Molly Booker, Roseville, CA
Jack Bradley, Mounds, OK
Daniel Brown, Southbury, CT
Alex Burger, Sedan, KS
Caden Bush, Watkinsville, GA
Garrett Carroll, Conroe, TX
Zaya Carson, West Des Moines, IA
Marcos Chacon, San Antonio, TX
Cole Coggins, Kiowa, KS
Zane Cornejo, Wellington, KS
Rodrigo Terra De Castro, Salt Lake City, UT
Erika Diaz-trejo, Katy, TX
Prince Difima, Kinshasa, Congo
Paul Calvin Dusabe, Commune De Limete, Zaire
Thomas Eichelberger, Euless, TX
Gershom Epp, Hesston, KS
William Farkash, Seaford, NY
Jasper Fedders, Sioux Center, IA
Naomi Campbell Gateka, Ouagadougou, Congo
Chandler Gehring, Las Vegas, NV
Kollin Goering, McPherson, KS
Cullen Grabast, Osborne, KS
Cauzzi Grace, Crosby, TX
Riley Granger, Lebanon, IN
Madison Hall, The Colony, TX
Garrett Ham, Albuquerque, NM
Clayton Henderson, Dexter, KS
Bailey Hollinger, Lyons, KS
Colin Irvin, North Kingstown, RI
Tya Jackson, Wichita, KS
Maurice Jones, Kansas City, MO
Hunter Jones, Hallettsville, TX
Laheerah Joseph, West Palm Beach, FL
Neville Kabangu, Kinshasa, Congo
Gracia Kasongo, Lubumbashi, Zaire
Liliane Kathoheryo, Goma, Nord Kivu, Zaire
Courtney Keyes, Lyons, KS
Dane Kudera, Baggs, WY
Lauren Kunda, Claremont, CA
Lance Lagasse, New Sweden, ME
Andrew Laird, Charlotte, NC
Carson Lambakis, Yukon, OK
Emily Leeson, Roswell, NM
Daniel Lewis, Vicksburg, MS
Dakota Logan, Monclova, OH
Esther Lubiba, Kinshasa, Congo
Christian Lujan, Salina, KS
Cameron Luther, Alexandria, VA
Handel Mabiala, Kinshasa, Congo
David MacMahon, Lincoln, KS
Matthew Mahan, Topeka, KS
Carelle Mampasu, Kinshasa, Congo
Thomas Mancuso, Chesapeake Beach, MD
Tyler Marcum, Missouri Valley, IA
Samantha Coraliss Mayaka, Kinshasa, Congo
Robert Medina, Olathe, KS
Nhlakanipho Methula, KwaZulu-Natal, Congo
Drake Miller, Rupert, ID
Maison Moseley, Woodward, OK
Nathan Muamba, Kinshasa, Congo
Hunter Nicholas, Amarillo, TX
David Reilly, Edwards, CO
Dustin Rhoads, Tonganoxie, KS
Gregorio Rivera, Colorado Springs, CO
John Robinson, Spearman, TX
Sean Robinson, Fountain Hills, AZ
Cameron Rogers, Elkview, WV
Briana Ruth, McPherson, KS
Nathan Saffer, Arriba, CO
Nicholaus Santini, Trophy Club, TX
Travis Schultz, Kansas City, MO
Jonah Shabry, Boulder Creek, CA
Gerod Shaffer, Topeka, KS
Brianna Shaw, Tulsa, OK
Claire Singleton, North Las Vegas, NV
James Solomon, McKinleyville, CA
Jireh Tooala-Leaupepetele, San Bernardino, CA
Brandy Trengove, Denver, CO
Mychael Tripp, Orange, NJ
Todd Truelove, Olathe, KS
Ashlynd Vanosdell, Tonopah, AZ
Isaiah Vazquez, Montebello, CA
Jeremie Vivuya, Kinshasa, Zaire
Quashad Washington, Tucson, AZ
Collin Wedel, Moundridge, KS
Tyler Wells, Spring, TX
Dorrah Wembi, Commune de Ngaliema, Congo
Alyssa Wilson, Lukachukai, AZ
Kevin Wolfe, Malvern, PA
Ellis Woodruff, Princeton, TX
Madyson Woog, Highlands Ranch, CO
Joseph Yanez-Perez, Rexford, KS

McPherson College recognizes its highest academic achievers in the fall 2020 Honor Roll and Honorable Mention. To qualify for the Honor Roll, students must be a full-time student and earn a grade point average of 3.55 or higher during the previous term. Students earning a grade point average from 3.25 to 3.54 are named to the Honorable Mention Roll.

Students named to the McPherson College Honor Roll for fall 2020 include:

Nicole Abunaja, San Tan Valley, AZ
Israel Acosta, Houston, TX
Clarissa Adamyk, McPherson, KS
Natalia Ahrens, Lees Summit, MO
James Aikins, Hutchinson, KS
Kamaluhia Akiona, Kaaawa, HI
Esther Tibaidjuka Amuli, Kinshasa, Congo
Carter Anglin, Louisburg, KS
Sarah Asher, Kansas City, MO
Destiny Bacon, La Mesa, CA
Eliphas-Levi Balekombwa-Ndelepame, Berea, OH
William Bandy, Bel Air, MD
Thane Barta, Anchorage, AK
Cheneal Benne, Courtland, KS
Terrence Berg, Corpus Christi, TX
Caden Beurkens, Byron Center, MI
Caeley Billings, Gardner, KS
Haelie Bland, Gove , KS
Brady Blanka, Wamego, KS
Mardashia Bloom, Dallas, TX
Julien Bodin, Cartagena, Spain
Kevin Boeckman, Wamego, KS
Taylor Bohannon, Belle Plaine, KS
Luke Boline, Wichita, KS
Molly Booker, Roseville, CA
Cameron Boyce, Tebbetts, MO
Riley Bradbury, Castle Rock, CO
Reven Bradbury, Castle Rock, CO
Jack Bradley, Mounds, OK
Marcus Brasley, The Colony, TX
Cedric Brown, Culpeper, VA
Cherie Bruce, McPherson, KS
Kourtney Brumley, McPherson, KS
Makaylee Bryson, Spanish Fork, UT
Summer Buckshaw, McPherson, KS
Bianca Bulnes, Rancho Cordova , CA
Caden Bush, Watkinsville, GA
Calvin Cassida, Louisburg, KS
Kenneth Castleberry, Melissa, TX
Vannesa Cisneros, North Highlands, CA
Tate Clem, Wichita, KS
Cole Coggins, Kiowa, KS
Daniel Connell, High Peak, Derbyshire, England
Peyton Conner, Littleton, CO
Zane Cornejo, Wellington, KS
Tristan Crowder, Arlington, TX
Taylor Cunningham, Wellsville, KS
Gabriel Dias Correa De Melo, Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Matthew Downs, Lumberton, TX
Sydney Dreiling, Parker, CO
Tyler Dunn, Lawton, OK
Kurtis Ebling, Lindsborg, KS
Mackenzie Egan, Vandreuil Dorion, QC, Canada
Thomas Eichelberger, Euless, TX
Brionnah Fessler, Norton, KS
Heidi Fischer, Aledo, TX
Jadin Fleming, Castle Rock, CO
Theodore Flint, Sagle, ID
Emily Flowers, Overland Park, KS
Kaitlyn Foster, McPherson, KS
Joshua Fowler, Round Rock, TX
Thomas Frick, Encinitas, CA
Martin Galindo, Dallas, TX
Martin Gentes, Florence, MA
Alexandra Gipson, Harrison, AR
Kollin Goering, McPherson, KS
Alexandria Goodloe, Kansas City, KS
Darius Gougis, Houston, TX
Cullen Grabast, Osborne, KS
Conrad Gramckow, Ojai, CA
Alexis Grattan, Newton, KS
Trent Graves, Wichita, KS
Sierra Grow, Halstead, KS
Michael Halgren, Leawood, KS
Madison Hall, The Colony, TX
Garrett Ham, Albuquerque, NM
Taylor Hamm, Round Rock, TX
Jailynn Hammel, Salina, KS
Jonathan Hawkins, Baldwin City, KS
Scott Hayford, Spring Creek, NV
Shyanne Henkis, Laveen, AZ
Grayson Henry, Mckinney, TX
Jacob Herman, Coronado, CA
Sydney Hicks, Broomfield, CO
Lola Hipp, Goodland, KS
Kayle Hockett, Andover, KS
Jonathan Hoffman, Wysox, PA
Kelly Hoffman, Wysox, PA
Bailey Hollinger, Lyons, KS
Isabella Holmes, Goddard, KS
Elizabeth Hopper, Valley Springs, CA
Daniel Horra, Overland Park, KS
Caleb Houghton, McPherson, KS
Hunter Hughes, Tigard, OR
Noah Huls, Aurora, NE
Florine Ibale, Kinshasa, Zaire, COngo
Spencer Ice, Cameron, MO
Navid Istanbullu, Bremen, Germany
Tya Jackson, Wichita, KS
Makenzie Jansonius, Prairie View, KS
Britney Jarvis, Oceanside, CA
Trevor Johnson, La Mesa, CA
Brandt Johnson, Peyton, CO
Kennedy Johnson, Colorado Springs, CO
Laheerah Joseph, West Palm Beach, FL
Sebia Kalambayi Kabedi, Kinshasa, Congo
Arya Karmacharya, Keller , TX
Gracia Kasereka, Commune De Selembao, Congo
Polina Khoroshevskaya, Kemerovo, Russia
Justus Clemens Koehler, Prosselsheim
Jakob Komel, Solvenia, Slovenia
Matthew Kroeker, Wichita, KS
Lauren Kunda, Claremont, CA
Carson Lambakis, Yukon, OK
Tatelyn Lasley, Springfield, CO
Delani List, Junction City, KS
Alyssa Lobbes, Lipan, TX
Tyler Loy, Topeka, KS
Esther Lubiba, Kinshasa, Congo
Cameron Luther, Alexandria, VA
Kyle Lux, Lewes, DE
Kaylynn Lyons, Winslow, AZ
Brett Maddock, Oakdale, CA
Thomas Mancuso, Chesapeake Beach, MD
Kendra Maples, Maywood, MO
Kael Markham, Topeka, KS
Carson Martin, Elkhart, IN
Bethany Masters, Howe, TX
Trisha Mathewson, Axtell, KS
Bryson McCaleb, McPherson, KS
Savannah McHugh, Wichita, KS
Hannah McKay, Golden, CO
Hunter Meeks-Riner, Broken Arrow, OK
Brittany Merkel, Waxhaw, NC
Wyatt Miceli, Woodacre, CA
Maria Miranda, Great Bend, KS
Rodrigo Miranda Enriquez, Great Bend, KS
Palmer Moe, Seattle, WA
Ezra Monroe, Melissa, TX
Ethan Montalvo, La Feria, TX
Maison Moseley, Woodward, OK
Ilanna Moyer, McPherson, KS
Madison Mullen, Wichita, KS
Vanessa Mundo, Houston, TX
Charles Munns, Chico, CA
Trey Murphy, Wagga Wagga, Australia
Paul Murphy, Independence, MO
Michel Mwengwe, Lubumbashi, Congo
Paul Kapya Mwengwe, Lubumbashi, Congo
Tyler Natkin, Warrington, PA
Gregory Neiger, Scotts Valley, CA
Benjamin Nikkel, McPherson, KS
Graham Noblett, Fairport, NY
Shawn Nutt, McPherson, KS
Jason Okoro, Plano, TX
Tevin Oller, Shawnee Mission, KS
Kayla Ortiz, Brownsville, TX
Grant Owens, Hutchinson, KS
Samuel Palecki, Stilwell, KS
Erica Paradise, Bakersfield, CA
Emma Parker, Hayden, ID
James Pawlak, Palatine, IL
Taylor Perez, Tulsa, OK
Zachary Petrie, Centennial, CO
Jeremy Porter, Seneca Falls, NY
Kaden Quint, Hutchinson, KS
Tyler Rainey, Saint Louis, MO
Robert Ramberg, Topeka, KS
Kendryk Rankin, Peyton, CO
David Rees, Gisborne VIC, Australia
Norman Rentschler, Santaquin, UT
Dustin Rhoads, Tonganoxie, KS
Gregorio Rivera, Colorado Springs, CO
Brittany Roberts, Mansfield, TX
Luis Rodriguez Jr., The Colony, TX
Frank Romanaggi, Portland, OR
Jed Rubin, Bayside, NY
Briana Ruth, McPherson, KS
Colton Sanders, Littleton, CO
Kody Scholl, Colorado Springs, CO
Tallan Schrader, Benkelman, NE
Cole Schroeder, Russell, KS
Gerod Shaffer, Topeka, KS
Elizabeth Shugart, Castle Rock, CO
Christie Silber, Simi Valley, CA
Eliseo Silva, Sterling, KS
Emma Singleton, North Las Vegas, NV
Lauren Skinner, Fate, TX
Tiffany Slechta, McPherson, KS
Meghan Smith, Lindsborg, KS
Olivia Smith, Wichita, KS
Stefan Snow, Manor, TX
Jack Stalcup, Hugoton, KS
Mason Stephens, Forney, TX
Colby Swift, Sedgwick, KS
Reagan Thai, Las Vegas, NV
Bralyn Thomas, Houston, TX
Samantha Thompson, Forney, TX
Sean Thomson, Blandford Forum, UK
Kaden Tichenor, Holcomb, KS
Meklit Tilahun, Irwin, OH
Carley Tomlin, Little River, KS
Jireh Tooala-Leaupepetele, San Bernardino, CA
Jacob Turley, Leighton Buzzard, UK
Mackenzie Unruh, Hesston, KS
Kenajah Upchurch, Sugar Land, TX
Grace van Asselt, McPherson, KS
Alexander Van Patten, Almena, KS
Isaiah Vazquez, Montebello, CA
Nicolas Wahl, Koenigstein, Germany
Morgan Watson, Loveland, CO
Kassidy Weaver, Katy, TX
Myriah Webster, Lindsborg, KS
Hannah Wedel, Halstead, KS
Courtney Weesner, Hutchinson, KS
Ann Weesner, Hutchinson, KS
Isaak Welch, Pacific City, OR
Ira Whitacre, McPherson, KS
Alyssa Wilson, Lukachukai, AZ
Nicholas Wilson, Hutchinson, KS
Matthisen Witzel, St. Francis, KS
Kevin Wolfe, Malvern, PA
Madyson Woog, Highlands Ranch, CO
Logan Worswick, Garland, TX
Cameron Wright, Denison, TX
Julianna Yanez, Wichita, KS
Joseph Yanez-Perez, Rexford, KS

Students named to the McPherson College Honorable Mention for fall 2020 include:

Evariste Abeli, Kinshasa, Congo
Nathan Addis, Hutchinson, KS
Brianna Alonso, Grand Prairie, TX
Amanda Ambrosy, Haslet, TX
Austin Apple, Fort Morgan, CO
Larry Barnes, Jacksonville, NC
Brittany Baroni, Galt, CA
Rayna Berry, Wichita, KS
Mia Birkes, Mcpherson, KS
Harley Blaske, Sylvia, KS
Christopher Boutte, Opelousas, LA
Amy Braimbridge, Connolly, Australia
Aidan Brown, Sterling, IL
Alex Burger, Sedan, KS
Hannah Butler, McPherson, KS
James Canar, Longmont, CO
Marcos Chacon, San Antonio, TX
Kaci Chadwick, Cheyenne Wells, CO
Cory Chairs, Memphis, TN
Jacob Christopher, Overland Park, KS
Kayley Cook, Byers, KS
Austin Cooper, Carmichael, CA
Aaron Cyrus, Carrollton, TX
Dante Dellacroce, Colorado Springs, CO
Antoine Detavernier, Bruges, Belgium
Jaxon Douthit, Shawnee, OK
Paul Calvin Dusabe, Commune De Limete, Congo
Gershom Epp, Hesston, KS
Amber Evans, Hesperia, CA
Boone Evans, Bullard, TX
Marcus Vinicius Fernandes, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Taeylon Garland, Fort Hood, TX
Elias Gonzalez, Aurora, CO
Maria Gonzalez, Wichita, KS
Maritza Gonzalez, Eagle Pass, TX
Graedon Green, McPherson, KS
Peter Greenough, Victoria, MN
Samuel Grim, Johnstown, CO
Jacqueline Gullion, Fremont, CA
Cooper Hack, Casper, WY
Georgia Hitchcock, Cody, WY
Dashawn Holliman, Fresno, CA
Shekinah Ilunga, Johannesburg
Kemryn Jenkins, Eminence, KY
Zachary Kantor, Pacific Palisades, CA
Raegan Kleppe, Durant, OK
Dane Kudera, Baggs, WY
Skylar Lane, Castle Rock, CO
Tuck Lang, Fowler, KS
Daniel Lewis, Vicksburg, MS
Peyton Lindsey, Prairie Village, KS
Matthew Mahan, Topeka, KS
Tyler Marcum, Missouri Valley, IA
Ellyce Mares, Riverside, CA
Colby Marshall, Montgomery, TX
Dylan Martell, Colorado Springs, CO
Tyler Menard, Westmoreland, NH
Nathan Monk, Minimbah, Australia
Jacob Munoz, Pflugerville, TX
Trevor Myers, Delta, CO
Hunter Nicholas, Amarillo, TX
Brett Oden, Sterling, KS
Alexandrea Pak, Pulyallup, WA
Kristopher Perez, Miramar, FL
Blake Peterson, Buhler, KS
Giovanni Ramirez, Houston, TX
Ashtyn Redus, Afton, OK
Melvin Reid, Waterford Works, NJ
Samuel Riedlinger, Hockley, TX
Cynarah Rodriquez, Amarillo, TX
Cameron Rogers, Elkview, WV
Joshua Roper, Colorado Springs, CO
Nathaniel Russo, Lakewood, CO
Christian Salazar, Elgin, TX
Natalia Salto, Cimarron, KS
Katherine Saul, Porter, TX
Andrew Schaefer, Sag Harbor, NY
Dustin Schnacker, Tulare, CA
Robert Schonberner, Omaha, NE
Jonah Shabry, Boulder Creek, CA
Tomi Simmons, Las Vegas, NV
Darren Slatter, Hallettsville, TX
Alyssa Soliz, Junction City, KS
Ryan Tate, Denton, TX
Emily Terry, Springfield, MO
Adriana Tilleman, Van Alstyne, TX
Isaac Tilotta, Palacios, TX
Trinity Tovar, Haslet, TX
Brandy Trengove, Denver, CO
Ashlynd Vanosdell, Tonopah, AZ
Joshua Wade, Olathe, KS
Collin Wedel, Moundridge, KS
Ellis Woodruff, Princeton, TX

Abilene HS Jazz Band performed virtually in the MC Jazz Festival

Nearly 300 students from 14 area high schools and a middle school participated in the McPherson College Jazz Festival. The festival, which has drawn hundreds of young musicians to campus for the past seven years, was a virtual event this year.

Jazz bands submitted video performances that clinicians adjudicated to determine ratings and awards. This year’s clinicians included Kyle Hopkins, director of bands and associate professor of music at McPherson College; Brad Shores, retired music educator and adjunct of percussion; and Gregg Walker, retired music educator and adjunct of woodwinds.

Hopkins said the idea for the annual jazz festival came from area band directors asking for a quality jazz festival in the fall to support jazz education at a time of year when marching band tends to overshadow other aspects of a public school’s band program. The festival is held annually in the fall and continues to grow in size each year.

“Jazz is the quintessential American art form,” Hopkins said. “In studying jazz, you can’t separate the music from the history of jazz, which is American history. What a great thing to teach our kids, especially in a time when co-curricular classes are experiencing a squeeze, forcing many of them out of school curriculums! With the pandemic, band directors have faced huge challenges in how to engage their students musically while keeping them safe and healthy. So I’m particularly proud of the schools that were able to find creative ways to participate in the jazz festival this year.” Highlights from the performances can be viewed at https://youtu.be/M5fWFgPcs0U.

Participating schools include Abilene High School, Arkansas City High School, Dodge City High School, Junction City High School, Lansing High School, McPherson High School, McPherson Middle School, Newton High School, Riley County High School, Salina Central High School, Scott Community High School, Smoky Valley High School, and Sterling High School.

McPherson College announces the recipients of the 2020-21 Teaching Awards. The awards are traditionally presented at the college’s annual Honors Convocation, which was not held this year. This year’s recipients are Dr. Stephen Hoyer, and Dr. Becki Bowman.

A committee of three students and last year’s teaching award recipients reviewed more than 35 nominations from students and faculty colleagues to select one tenured faculty member and one non-tenured faculty member to receive the awards.

Stephen Hoyer

This year’s non-tenured award recipient, Dr. Hoyer, is an assistant professor of psychology. Students who nominated Dr. Hoyer emphasized his gentle, compassionate nature; his passion for his subject matter; and his knack for explaining complex theories in understandable terms.

His nomination included comments like “He is a very understanding person,” and he has “provided a certain level of leeway given the pandemic situation,” which students have “much appreciated.” Students also noted that Dr. Hoyer “gives great feedback,” and “answers any questions no matter how silly they are.”

Dr. Bowman, professor of communication and recipient of tenured faculty award, received nearly 25 percent of all the nominations in this category. In an interesting twist, she received as much acclaim for instructing her colleagues as she did for her work with students, who praised her not only for her effective, well-prepared class sessions but also for her ability to inspire and motivate them.

Becki Bowman

“Dr. Bowman inspired me to pick up a second major and has supported me every step of the way,” said one student nomination said. The committee especially noted that Dr. Bowman does an exception job provoking students to think through issues on their own. As one student says, “She not only teaches, but she inspired students to ask questions, and to look deeper.”

As the current faculty chair, Dr. Bowman devoted her summer to preparing her colleagues for teaching in socially distanced classrooms using blended course design. Her colleagues praised her for the effectiveness of her work, her commitment to helping them be the best they could be in the face of a pandemic, and her unflagging positive attitude.

The Health Science Scholars at McPherson College are taking the concepts they learn in the classroom and applying them to real-world workplace situations as part of their first signature outreach experience. The students are working with administrators of Disability Supports of the Great Plains in McPherson to develop and manage a new set of training videos for its employees.

McPherson College launched the Health Science program this fall, and offers majors in health science and health care management. The academic program focuses on creating health-related career pathways for students while engaging them in the community. Partnerships with local and regional health care agencies, like the one with McPherson Center for Health announced last year, provide students with hands-on educational opportunities in a variety of health care settings.

While every student will have the opportunity for field experience, students selected as Health Science Scholars receive scholarships and participate in signature community outreach throughout the academic year. Seven students received the Health Care Scholar awards this year.

“This outreach opportunity allows students to experience how an organization responds to and addresses issues of quality assurance and risk management,” Nick Baldetti, executive director of health care initiatives, said. “The outreach opportunity speaks to the value proposition of this program. Students are building a degree based on experiential learning and when they graduate will have first-hand experience of real-world issues.”

The students recently visited Disability Supports for an orientation, tour, and to become more familiar with the organization. They will continue to work with the staff to plan and develop a series of five training videos that will be completed by the end of the semester.

“Disability Supports is excited for this new partnership with McPherson College,” Sheila Goscha, vice president and COO of Disability Supports of the Great Plains, said. “We have been pleased to employ many McPherson College students over the years and are looking forward to this innovative, exciting opportunity to participate in this community-based health care educational program. The videos that will be developed by the students will be used for ongoing training of current and new employees.”

Baldetti, who joined McPherson College in August, is the former public health director and health officer of Reno County. Under his leadership, the health department was named the Public Health County of the Year and recognized three times by the Governor’s Public Health Conference for Promising Innovative Practices in Public Health. He has a doctorate in health economics from Creighton University and master’s degree in health and human performance and M.B.A. from Pittsburg State University. He has taught at the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita, Wichita State University, and Creighton University.

“I have always been interested in building systems grounded in access to health care in a rural setting,” he said. “The Health Science program at McPherson College gives me an opportunity to continue to work on access from a different realm – training future professionals.”

Baldetti is developing other outreach opportunities for students in the future, including management and involvement in flu clinics and vaccination clinics in the county as well as opportunities outside of the county with mental health, hospice, and long-term care organizations.

McPherson College theatre is changing a 40-year tradition.

“This year is not about upholding traditions. This year is all about adaptation,” Jd. Bowman, professor of theatre at McPherson College, said. “What does theatre look like in the era of self-quarantine and safety precautions?”

For more than 40 years, McPherson College theatre has treated its season tickets holders to a themed dinner in conjunction with the varied productions. Known as “First Nighters,” the program has been the sole fundraiser for the theatre department. The COVID-19 pandemic will change all that this year.

“We would love to offer our season ticket holders dining options for each show, but there is no way I’m taking that risk this year,” Bowman said. “Our patrons are too important to us.”

In recent years, First Nighters has seen an increase in members from 164 in 2017-2018 to just over 200 last year. Those season ticket holders count for roughly half of the theatre department budget when producing shows. Without that fundraiser, along with the restrictions of public gatherings, the program has needed to scale back its typical five to six productions to just four productions this season.

“This year, we’re producing two digital productions and (hopefully) two in-person productions in the spring,” Professor Jen Pollard, who is the technical director for McPherson College theatre, said. “It is so important for us to keep creating and developing new ways to tell our stories. This year has been a great reminder that we all need to work together. That doesn’t change if you are masked six feet apart or talking across computer screens.”

The first two productions of the season are Brian Friel’s “Molly Sweeney” scheduled for November and “Dutchman” by Amiri Baraka offered in January. Instead of presenting these as traditional productions, Bowman says the students will learn about acting for the camera and audiences will be able to log on to watch the work from their homes. The theatre season information and details about logging on to see the productions will be announced on www.mcpherson.edu/theatre/.

“We chose ‘Molly Sweeney’ because it features only three actors and they are never on stage in the same scene,” explained Bowman. “It will be easy for us to social distance while filming these rehearsals.”

“Molly Sweeney” is the Irish story about a blind woman whose husband pushes her to have a risky operation to gain sight. The college last produced this play in 1997.

“Dutchman” is a 1960s play about race with only two characters: one black man and one white woman. The department selected it because of its small production qualities and its important topical theme. “It was almost eerie that we picked to produce this play last February, and everything that has happened since has only made this play more relevant, not less,” Pollard said.

In the spring, the department hopes to be able to offer more traditional in-person shows. Plans are to produce the area premieres of “Native Gardens,” a comedy about neighborhood lawn judgements and “Puffs,” a comic retelling of the Harry Potter books series told from the perspective of the Hufflepuffs.

“I will miss our dinner theatre component,” Bowman said, “because it gave such a neat opportunity for our community to connect with our students. This season, we are able to still offer theatre but connect with our audience in a new way. Theatre will still have the opportunity to bring us together and hopefully transform our societal thought.”

“Think of how many times over the past few months that you have turned to the arts: to distract, to laugh, to cry, to be somewhere else, if even for a short time,” Pollard said. “It is vital we keep theatre going at this time.”

If you would like more information on any of the productions at McPherson College, you can visit www.mcpherson.edu/theatre or call the box office at 620-242-0444.

Dr. Nick Baldetti will join McPherson College as executive director of Health Care Initiatives on August 10. Dr. Baldetti will advise the college’s incoming Health Science Scholars, oversee experiential learning opportunities for the health science and healthcare management majors, and instruct the health systems course.

Last fall, McPherson College announced the new academic program focused on creating health-related career pathways for students while engaging them in the community. The initiative includes a partnership with McPherson Center for Health, the local hospital, as well as a $1 million gift to fund the program, including ten $25,000 scholarships for students committed to community health.

The hands-on experience offered is a unique feature of the program. Every student will participate in multiple field experiences or rotations, and McPherson Health Science Scholars will be matched with signature outreach being developed to solve issues in the community. This academic year, two outreach opportunities have been secured for the Health Care Scholars. They will get hands-on experience at McPherson County Health Department and Disability Supports of McPherson. Sophomores in the program will participate in orientation and introduction to health care professions at the McPherson Hospital, and an introductory class in health systems is offered for freshmen. Students interested will also have the ability to obtain CNA certification to supplement their degree with Hutchinson Community College, The Cedars, and Moundridge Manor.

“Dr. Baldetti is a great fit for the mission of this initiative,” President Michael Schneider said. “In small communities, you need to be resourceful uncovering ways to build a healthy community. With Dr. Baldetti’s experience in public health, we will explore placing our students out in the community working to solve health care challenges while gaining experience for a career as a health care professional.”

For the past six years, Dr. Baldetti has served Reno County as public health director and health officer. He advanced in his position there in only two years after beginning with the county in 2013 as a health educator. Under his leadership, the health department was named the Public Health County of the Year and recognized three times by the Governor’s Public Health Conference for Promising Innovative Practices in Public Health. He sits on the board of directors for the Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System and Horizons Mental Healthcare and the advisory boards for Creighton University’s Master of Public Health, Wichita State’s Public Health Science, and the University of Kansas Medical School Master of Public Health programs.

He holds the D.B.A. in health economics from Creighton University, the M.S. in health and human performance, and the M.B.A. from Pittsburg State University. He earned his undergraduate degree from Wayne State College. He has held faculty rank at the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita since 2014 and has taught at both Wichita State and Creighton.

He fills the vacancy left by Dr. Matthew Bogner, who resigned earlier this summer.