Academics Archives

Posted On: February 4, 2020
By: MC Admin

McPherson College opened its labs to future scientists when approximately 100 fourth graders from Washington and Lincoln elementary schools participated in a science day hosted by the college’s Pre-Health Professions (PHP) Club on February 3.

The club hosts the event every year and is something members look forward to, according to Garrett Owen, president of PHP.

“It’s our biggest event,” Owen said. “We really appreciate the schools’ participating in it. It’s our way of giving back to the community.”

Members of PHP plan and organize the entire day, according to Manjula Koralegedara, association professor of chemistry and PHP Club advisor. The day consists of experiments in chemistry, physics, biology, and biochemistry. The college students speak to the younger students about scientific methods and about what is science before they divide into small groups, Koralegedara said.

“The PHP students really do everything,” she said. “It’s a great way for them to engage with the younger students and demonstrate their understanding of what they are learning.”

The experiments provide hands-on opportunities for the fourth graders in each area of science.

“It gives our students a chance to do different types of science experiments that we can’t do or don’t have time to do in the classroom,” Rachel Villalobos, a teacher at Lincoln Elementary School, said. “Some of the experiments go along with what we are learning about in class.”

Owen, a senior from Oklahoma, is applying to medical schools and plans on becoming a doctor, maybe even a pediatrician.

“I have been involved in this for the past three years and really love working with the kids,” he said. “It’s a joy to watch them especially when something in the experiment changes colors or bubbles. Hopefully, we are giving a spark to some future scientists.”

Posted On: January 15, 2020
By: MC Admin

Students and alumni of McPherson College left January 13 to travel to the Kerala State in Southern India. They are guests of the Drsariamma Cultural Integration Service, part of Cochin University.

The cultural center invited McPherson College to bring a theatre production of “Speak Truth to Power” to India. Representatives from the center saw a previous season performance of the play during a visit to the McPherson College campus. The group will perform three times while in India at the large seaport city of Kochi and further south in the artistic town of Trivandrum in Kerala State along the coast of the Indian Ocean, according to Jd. Bowman, professor of theatre at the college.

“This is a huge honor for us and a demanding project for the group,” he said.

When the group returns, it will present the production in a one-night-only performance on January 25 at Mingenback Theatre. Season ticket holders will get a meal at 6:15 p.m. and general admission entry begins at 7 p.m. with the performance at 7:30 p.m.

Posted On: December 19, 2019
By: MC Admin

McPherson College recognizes its highest academic achievers in the fall 2019 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 2019 include:

Francis Abate, Senior, Steamboat Springs, CO
Israel Acosta, Freshman, Houston, TX
James Aikins, Senior, Hutchinson, KS
Kento Aizawa, Senior, McPherson, KS
Zackary Alexander, Senior, McPherson, KS
Cori Alexander, Junior, Roanoke, TX
Michael Almodovar, Freshman, Bern, Switzerland
Amanda Ambrosy, Freshman, Haslet, TX
Esther Tibaidjuka Amuli, Sophomore, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Austin Apple, Freshman, Fort Morgan, CO
Aryana Archuleta, Senior, Sacramento, CA
Bianca Avila, Junior, Rancho Cordova, CA
Reganne Barker, Senior, Tipton, KS
Thane Barta, Sophomore, Anchorage, AK
Guido Battistini, Junior, Pilar, Argentina
Heidi Beckham, Freshman, Attica, KS
Walter Behrens, Junior, Crested Butte, CO
Cheneal Benne, Freshman, Courtland, KS
Diamond Blaylock-Norris, Senior, Flower Mound, TX
Julien Bodin, Junior, Cartagena, Spain
Kevin Boeckman, Junior, Wamego, KS
Molly Booker, Sophomore, Roseville, CA
Luke Borton, Junior, Independence, KS
Samuel Box, Freshman, Macclesfield, England
Reven Bradbury, Junior, Castle Rock, CO
Riley Bradbury, Junior, Castle Rock, CO
Zachary Bredfield, Freshman, Heppner, OR
Abigail Briscoe, Sophomore, Little River, KS
Cedric Brown, Sophomore, Culpeper, VA
Kourtney Brumley, Junior, McPherson, KS
Makaylee Bryson, Sophomore, Spanish Fork, UT
Ashley Burch, Senior, Pittsburg, KS
Sydney Burton, Senior, Stilwell, KS
Hannah Butler, Freshman, McPherson, KS
Rola Bwalya, Senior, Hoisington, KS
James Canar, Sophomore, Longmont, CO
Brian Cantu, Junior, Mission, TX
Zaya Carson, Freshman, West Des Moines, IA
Naomi Cartmell, Junior, Oberlin, KS
Calvin Cassida, Junior, Louisburg, KS
Kenneth Castleberry, Freshman, Melissa, TX
Kaci Chadwick, Freshman, Cheyenne Wells, CO
Nicholas Chappetta, Senior, Sunnyvale, TX
Treveon Collins, Freshman, Pueblo, CO
Daniel Connell, Freshman, High Peak, Derbyshire, England
Garrett Connor, Senior, Parker, CO
Jordynn Corea, Senior, Amarillo, TX
Cailey Cornett, Sophomore, Lindsborg, KS
Timothy Cowan, Senior, Shawnee Mission, KS
Jonathan Cox, Senior, Hialeah, FL
David Cramer, Freshman, Healy, KS
Jasmine Curiel, Senior, Corona, CA
Rashida Davis, Senior, Liberal, KS
Andrew Deppe, Freshman, Harrisonville, MO
Antoine Detavernier, Freshman, Bruges, Belgium
Dylan Dilks, Freshman, Hesston, KS
Wesley Dorn, Freshman, Piedmont, OK
Stephen Duncan-Peters, Junior, Cabin John, MD
Thomas Eichelberger, Freshman, Euless, TX
Gershom Epp, Freshman, Hesston, KS
Benjamin Falconer, Senior, Greeley, CO
Madison Faul, Freshman, Lodi, CA
Brionnah Fessler, Sophomore, Norton, KS
Heidi Fischer, Freshman, Aledo, TX
Jadin Fleming, Sophomore, Castle Rock, CO
Theodore Flint, Sophomore, Sagle, ID
Linda Flores, Senior, Paramus, NJ
Rachel Foreman, Senior, Holcomb, KS
Kaitlyn Foster, Senior, McPherson, KS
Rinaldo Gagiano, Senior, Sydney, Australia
Elle Gillen, Senior, Castle Rock, CO
Alexandra Gipson, Sophomore, Harrison, AR
Victoria Gonzalez, Senior, Keller, TX
Quinn Gordon, Junior, Sherman Oaks, CA
Cullen Grabast, Junior, Osborne, KS
Graedon Green, Freshman, McPherson, KS
Peter Greenough, Junior, Victoria, MN
Sierra Grow, Sophomore, Halstead, KS
Jacqueline Gullion, Sophomore, Fremont, CA
Michael Halgren, Freshman, Leawood, KS
Emose Haukoulua, Senior, Santa Maria, CA
Scott Hayford, Freshman, Spring Creek, NV
Kaitlyn Heinis, Senior, Oviedo, FL
Shyanne Henkis, Sophomore, Laveen, AZ
Grayson Henry, Sophomore, McKinney, TX
Sydney Hicks, Sophomore, Broomfield, CO
Georgia Hitchcock, Freshman, Cody, WY
Joshua Hoerner, Junior, Lindsborg, KS
Alissa Hofmann, Senior, Gilbert, AZ
Danielle Holt, Senior, Glenpool, OK
Hunter Hughes, Junior, Tigard, OR
Haley Hurst, Sophomore, Norman, OK
David Ilunga, Freshman, Florence, AL
Navid Istanbullu, Junior, Bremen, Germany
Jessica James, Junior, Halstead, KS
Makenzie Jansonius, Sophomore, Prairie View, KS
Brandt Johnson, Freshman, Peyton, CO
Kennedy Johnson, Freshman, Colorado Springs, CO
Jessica Jones, Senior, Brentwood, CA
Codi-Lane Jones, Senior, Salina, KS
Eli Jordan, Freshman, Claremore, OK
Daniel Journey, Junior, McPherson, KS
Neville Kabangu, Junior, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Sebia Kalambayi Kabedi, Junior, Lake Bluff, IL
Fabrice Kambale Wa Kahala, Freshman, Florence, AL
Courtney Keyes, Freshman, Lyons, KS
Polina Khoroshevskaya, Freshman, Kemerovo, Russia
Semaj Kinney, Freshman, The Colony, TX
Justus Clemens Koehler, Junior, Prosselsheim, Germany
Jakob Komel, Freshman, Solvenia
Christian Koninger, Freshman, Horb Am Neckar, Germany
Matthew Kroeker, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Timothy Lauring, Senior, Paxton, MA
Cierra Lee, Senior, Goodyear, AZ
Peyton Lindsey, Freshman, Prairie Village, KS
Delani List, Freshman, Junction City, KS
Amir Ljuso, Freshman, Bedford, TX
Andre Guillaume Lubaya, Junior, Young America, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Esther Lubiba, Junior, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lual Magot, Senior, Tucson, AZ
Matthew Mahan, Freshman, Topeka, KS
Carelle Mampasu, Freshman, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Cameron Marquez, Freshman, Rio Rancho, NM
Aventino Martinez-Garcia, Junior, Wichita, KS
Brent Masters, Senior, Howe, TX
Bethany Masters, Freshman, Howe, TX
Trisha Mathewson, Sophomore, Axtell, KS
Grace Maxey, Freshman, Damascus, OR
Myles McCrary, Freshman, Arlington, TX
Savannah McHugh, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Hannah McKay, Sophomore, Golden, CO
Nathaniel McLaughlin, Junior, Ticonderoga, NY
Wyatt Miceli, Sophomore, Woodacre, CA
Matthew Tyler Miller-Wells, Senior, Conyers, GA
Martin Millos, Freshman, Vigo, Spain
Rodrigo Miranda Enriquez, Sophomore, Great Bend, KS
Savannah Moore, Freshman, Ness City, KS
Maison Moseley, Sophomore, Woodward, OK
Ilanna Moyer, Junior, McPherson, KS
Madison Mullen, Sophomore, Wichita, KS
Vanessa Mundo, Freshman, Houston, TX
Juliana Munoz, Senior, Antelope, CA
Trey Murphy, Freshman, Wagga Wagga, Australia
Paul Kapya Mwengwe, Freshman, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Michel Mwengwe, Freshman, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tyler Natkin, Freshman, Warrington, PA
Nicholas Navarro, Senior, Paramus, NJ
Gregory Neiger, Junior, Scotts Valley, CA
Grant Newton, Senior, Coffeyville, KS
Matthew Nutting, Junior, Foxboro, MA
Brett Oden, Junior, Sterling, KS
Lillian Oeding, Senior, Wichita, KS
Kalli Olivar, Freshman, North Richland Hills, TX
Tevin Oller, Senior, Shawnee Mission, KS
Kayla Ortiz, Freshman, Brownsville, TX
Garrett Owen, Senior, Woodward, OK
Grant Owens, Sophomore, Hutchinson, KS
Frances Parish, Sophomore, Rogers, AR
Tina Payne, Senior, Limon, CO
Jake Pearson, Junior, Harrah, OK
Allison Penalva, Junior, McPherson, KS
Andrew Penrose, Freshman, Fresno, CA
Kristopher Perez, Senior, Miramar, FL
Blake Peterson, Freshman, Buhler, KS
Alexander Polakow, Junior, Glenview, IL
Lillie Porter, Senior, Little River, KS
Kristin Potter, Junior, Houston, TX
David Rees, Sophomore, Gisborne, Australia
Cami Richardson, Senior, Hesston, KS
Dylan Riley, Junior, Lake Ozark, MO
Luis Rodriguez Jr., Freshman, The Colony, TX
Kaleb Rogers, Senior, Falun, KS
Jed Rubin, Senior, Bayside, NY
Nathan Saffer, Freshman, Arriba, CO
Rick Sakamoto, Sophomore, Frankston South, Australia
Kody Scholl, Sophomore, Colorado Springs, CO
Cole Schroeder, Freshman, Russell, KS
Travis Schultz, Freshman, Shawnee, KS
Morgan Sechler, Senior, McPherson, KS
Joshua Servantez, Freshman, Lubbock, TX
Jonah Shabry, Sophomore, Boulder Creek, CA
Amber Shuey, Senior, Wichita, KS
Jamie Siess, Senior, Tecumseh, KS
Christie Silber, Junior, Simi Valley, CA
Emma Singleton, Sophomore, North Las Vegas, NV
Kortney Slaughter Jones, Senior, Brentwood, CA
Bo Slaymaker, Sophomore, Johnstown, CO
Alison Smith, Senior, Lockeford, CA
Meghan Smith, Freshman, Lindsborg, KS
Olivia Smith, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Maria Smoot, Sophomore, Tumwater, WA
Karlie Sneed, Sophomore, Seminole, OK
Bruno Squarcia Mateo, Freshman, Xativa, Spain
McKenzie Stalnaker, Senior, Wichita, KS
Stevie Stockham, Senior, McPherson, KS
Colby Swift, Freshman, Sedgwick, KS
Ryan Swiggart, Senior, Haysville, KS
Josiah Tafoya, Freshman, Arvada, CO
Cole Tanner, Sophomore, Lunenburg, MA
Sean Thomson, Sophomore, Blandford Forum, United Kingdom
Jacob Tiernan, Senior, Osborne, KS
Jacob Turley, Junior, Leighton Buzzard, United Kingdom
Nicholas Turner, Sophomore, Hemphill, TX
Kenajah Upchurch, Freshman, Sugar Land, TX
Kaitlyn van Asselt, Senior, McPherson, KS
Grace van Asselt, Freshman, McPherson, KS
Luis Valdez-Rivera, Sophomore, Sachse, TX
Isaiah Vazquez, Sophomore, Montebello, CA
Italia Venegas, Senior, Shawnee Mission, KS
Victoria Voyles, Senior, McPherson, KS
Nicolas Wahl, Junior, Koenigstein, Germany
Brianna Wallace, Junior, Wichita, KS
Kassidy Weaver, Freshman, Katy, TX
Myriah Webster, Junior, Lindsborg, KS
Collin Wedel, Sophomore, Moundridge, KS
Courtney Weesner, Junior, Hutchinson, KS
Ann Weesner, Freshman, Hutchinson, KS
Albert Wegener, Senior, Kansas City, MO
Benjamin Wegener, Freshman, Virum, Denmark
Elizabeth Williams, Senior, Broken Arrow, OK
Quincy Williams, Freshman, Cincinnati, OH
Lucas Williams Fernandez, Freshman, London, United Kingdom
Alyssa Wilson, Junior, Lukachukai, AZ
Matthisen Witzel, Senior, St. Francis, KS
Ellis Woodruff, Junior, Princeton, TX
Marissa Zamora, Senior, Chester, CA
Brittany Zipf, Senior, Rockhampton, Australia

Students named to the McPherson College Honorable Mention for fall 2019 include:

Morgan Abbott, Junior, Decatur, TX
David Alvarado II, Freshman, Naperville, IL
Destiny Bacon, Junior, La Mesa, CA
Eliphas-Levi Balekombwa-Ndelepame, Freshman, Berea, OH
William Bandy, Freshman, Bel Air, MD
Anthony Bernal, Junior, McKinney, TX
Ethan Billhime, Senior, Windermere, FL
Cameron Boyce, Sophomore, Tebbetts, MO
Amy Braimbridge, Senior, Connolly, Australia
Garrett Brenning, Sophomore, Culbertson, NE
Alex Burger, Junior, Sedan, KS
Wesley Burt, Sophomore, McPherson, KS
Jorge Calleros, Junior, Saint John, KS
Tyler Carrasco, Sophomore, Littleton, CO
Brett Carter, Senior, Sachse, TX
Tate Clem, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Kayley Cook, Freshman, Byers, KS
Taylor Cunningham, Junior, Wellsville, KS
Dante Dellacroce, Junior, Colorado Springs, CO
Cristobal Dominguez, Freshman, Salina, KS
Rajae Drew, Junior, Aurora, CO
Tyler Dunn, Junior, Lawton, OK
Marcus Vinicius Fernandes, Junior, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Summer Garcia, Freshman, Ontario, CA
Micah Gilbert, Senior, Elkhart, IN
Cali Godwin, Senior, Wichita, KS
Kollin Goering, Junior, McPherson, KS
Moneshya Green, Senior, McCook, NE
Samuel Grim, Freshman, Johnstown, CO
Alicia Hall, Senior, Aurora, CO
Garrett Ham, Junior, Albuquerque, NM
Jonathan Hawkins, Freshman, Baldwin City, KS
Jeremiah Hawkins, Freshman, Baton Rouge, LA
Amari Heisser, Senior, Palmdale, CA
Kyana Henderson, Freshman, Universal City, TX
Zane Hickey, Freshman, Alvord, TX
Cole Hinton, Senior, Wathena, KS
James Hodgson, Junior, Richmond, CA
Jonathan Hoffman, Sophomore, Wysox, PA
Florine Ibale, Sophomore, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lionel Ibonga, Senior, McPherson, KS
Gray Irwin, Senior, Shawnee Mission, KS
Martin Jaime, Sophomore, San Antonio, TX
Liliane Kathoheryo, Freshman, Goma, Nord Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Raegan Kleppe, Freshman, McKinney, TX
Drew Labertew, Sophomore, McPherson, KS
Lance Lagasse, Junior, New Sweden, ME
Andrew Laird, Freshman, Charlotte, NC
Kayla Lansford, Sophomore, Wortham, TX
Aaron Leck, Junior, McPherson, KS
Dakota Logan, Junior, Monclova, OH
Chase Lomax, Freshman, Elkhart, TX
Kaylynn Lyons, Junior, Winslow, AZ
Gage Maccoy, Senior, Lenexa,KS
Cole Miller, Sophomore, McPherson, KS
Megan Miller, Sophomore, Junction City, KS
Zackery Moran, Senior, Bonnet Bay, NSW, Australia
Billy Muhizi, Junior, Dacula, GA
Charles Munns, Sophomore, Chico, CA
Trevor Myers, Freshman, Delta, CO
Tyler Norris, Sophomore, Arvada, CO
Kentaro Oya, Sophomore, Saitama-shi, Japan
Erica Paradise, Sophomore, Bakersfield, CA
Bela Raimondi, Senior, Colfax, CA
David Reilly, Freshman, Edwards, CO
Joseph Robben, Junior, Goddard, KS
Sean Robinson, Sophomore, La Grange, IL
Nathan Robl, Junior, Lyons, KS
Cameron Rogers, Sophomore, Elkview, WV
Peyton Rogers, Freshman, Greenville, TX
Tallan Schrader, Freshman, Benkelman, NE
Brianna Shaw, Freshman, Tulsa, OK
Calisha Simms, Sophomore, Benson, UT
Antonio Snyder, Junior, Newton, KS
Jack Stalcup, Junior, Hugoton, KS
Andrew Steinbeck, Sophomore, Liberty, MO
Brett Sykes, Senior, Coldspring, TX
Xavier Taylor, Junior, Waynesville, MO
Elizabeth Thornton, Senior, Karval, CO
Kaden Tichenor, Sophomore, Holcomb, KS
Adriana Tilleman, Freshman, Van Alstyne, TX
Carley Tomlin, Senior, Little River, KS
Brandy Trengove, Junior, Denver, CO
Susana Velasquez, Junior, Monterey Park, CA
Quashad Washington, Sophomore, Tucson, AZ
Lacy Weaver, Freshman, Waxahachie, TX
Bradley Wells, Senior, Olathe, KS
Austin Wiley, Sophomore, Kansas City, MO
Theron Wray, Freshman, Garfield, KS
Julianna Yanez, Junior, Wichita, KS

Posted On: December 17, 2019
By: MC Admin

McPherson College recognized 16 students completing their Master of Education Degree with a hooding ceremony and luncheon on December 14 in Mingenback Theatre.

The students completed requirements for the degree this academic year and are eligible to participate in the college commencement ceremony this spring. Fourteen students participated in the hooding ceremony. All of the students currently teach in Hutchinson USD 308 schools.

Students earning master’s degree in education include:

Crystal Allmon, McCandless Elementary
Courtney Bleything, Morgan Elementary
Cami Burkhart, McCandless Elementary
Ashlynn Embers, McCandless Elementary
Danielle Epting, Hutchinson High School
Roy Judson Freeman, Jr., Hutchinson Middle School (eighth grade)
Judy Goetz, Hutchinson High School
Erica Henion, Hutchinson High School
Karen Johnson, McCandless Elementary
Emily Moore, Lincoln Elementary
Brocia Mueller, Lincoln Elementary
Jessica Ray, Lincoln Elementary
Rhyanna Reilly, Hutchinson High School
Leslie Specht, Lincoln Elementary
Carly Torres, Lincoln Elementary
Lauryn Young, McCandless Elementary

Posted On: December 13, 2019
By: MC Admin

More than 200 third grade students from McPherson County toured an interactive exhibit of the body at McPherson College on December 12, making stops at places like the mouth, stomach, intestine, muscle, and skin.

The Teacher Education program at McPherson College hosted the Body Venture exhibit and students from the program led sessions in each of the 12 stations throughout the exhibit.

“It takes a lot of volunteers to host this event and what better volunteers to do it than future teachers?” Vicki Schmidt, assistant professor of teacher education, said. “It is a great opportunity for our students to practice their teaching skills and be part of something worthwhile that the younger students will remember forever.”

Body Venture is an educational exhibit for students in grades K-5 sponsored by Child Nutrition & Wellness of the Kansas State Department of Education. Body Venture is about learning the importance of making healthy food choices and being physically active. The exhibit, a 45-foot by 50-foot representation of the human body, puts students inside a tour of the body with engaging and experiential educational activities.

It is the first time in several years that the exhibit has been in McPherson, according to Schmidt. She was familiar with it because students from the teacher education program traveled to Salina elementary schools for the past several years to volunteer at exhibits there.

“It is a very dynamic exhibit that presents important information to students in a way that is fun, and it is the perfect experience for our students to build confidence in teaching,” Schmidt said. “After participating in this, I hear many of our students comment that they can’t wait to be a teacher.”

The McPherson County Community Foundation provided funds to help keep the exhibit free to the students who attended. Schmidt said she already has the exhibit booked for next year.

Posted On: November 11, 2019
By: MC Admin

McPherson College announces Matthew Bogner will lead its new healthcare degree program as assistant professor of health sciences and director of health science programs. Bogner, a doctor of health administration, is CEO of KMH (formerly Kansas Masonic Home) in Wichita.

“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.

“I am very excited about my position and the new community health care initiative at McPherson College,” Bogner said. “The unique partnership with McPherson Hospital along with the academic opportunities in health science and healthcare management provide a structured discernment process that allows students to become familiar with multiple career pathways and gain a variety of experiences.”

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.

Posted On: October 25, 2019
By: MC Admin

By Michael Schneider, President
McPherson College

Learn more about the Teacher Education department and the combined B.S./M.Ed. program at McPherson College.

Katie Grose is a second-generation band teacher from Jefferson West High School in northeast Kansas. I heard her story last spring when she was at McPherson College supporting our band program. Her dad was a band teacher and so is her brother. A few years ago, Katie had reservations when her daughter wanted to carry on the family tradition and go into teaching.

The sad fact is, nobody wants to be a teacher anymore. It’s especially true for young people trying to figure out what they want to be when they grow up. Becoming a teacher isn’t even on their list. It’s not on their parents’ list, either. When polled in 2018, 54 percent of parents nationwide said they did not want their child to become a teacher. Even educators themselves have been advising young people not to enter the profession.

As students headed back to school this fall, Kansas school districts continued to face a teacher shortage of epic proportion. Multiple school districts started classes without the full complement of teachers they needed, and some districts had literally no applicants for open positions this year—particularly in elementary and special education.

From Hutchinson to Meade to the suburbs of Topeka and Kansas City, district superintendents contend that teacher recruitment is more challenging today than at any time in the last two decades. And the recent report on teacher openings by the Kansas State Board of Education confirmed that teaching vacancies are up 27 percent over last year. The Kansas school year started with 815 open teaching positions. Considering the last 20 years of political hostility toward teachers, it’s not hard to figure out why.

It doesn’t get much clearer—kids in Kansas don’t want to be teachers. We have to change that.

Two years ago, with the teacher shortage making headlines and the number of teacher education graduates remaining flat, McPherson College developed solutions to address the problem. We started with the launch of an accelerated teacher education program, which includes an innovative curriculum that gets teacher education graduates into school districts faster and at a higher rate of pay.

Under our program, students can earn a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in just four years. In addition, our program has endorsements in special education and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), which are both important needs in Kansas schools. This program saves students thousands of dollars. And—because teacher salaries are generally based on the highest level of education obtained—first-year teachers from our accelerated program typically earn a higher starting salary than first-year teachers with only a bachelor’s degree.

We’ve also launched EdChat, an annual event for high school students interested in becoming teachers. In the last two years over 100 students participated in workshops on the latest trends in elementary and secondary education, gaining insights from national and state experts.

The feedback from our EdChat events is encouraging. Participants tell us they’ve gone home fueled with new ideas and eager to earn their education degree. They look forward to having classrooms of their own one day and can’t wait to start their careers.

These steps by McPherson College are just the beginning. There’s a lot more we can do as a college (and collectively) to get kids excited about becoming teachers. Twenty years of political squabbling forced an entire generation of Kansas students to grow up thinking that becoming a teacher was a bad idea. Thankfully, the battles over school funding are civil these days, and now maybe we all can move forward with respect and appreciation for teachers so they can focus on learning in their classrooms rather than defending their life’s work.

At McPherson College, we’re changing the conversation about teachers and promoting the idea that teaching is a rewarding career path. We hope you’ll add your voice to this conversation.

Luckily, Katie Grose’s daughter decided to become a teacher and is the third generation of her family to direct bands in the state of Kansas. Let’s do more so that Katie’s grandkids will want to be teachers too—because when kids don’t want to become teachers, it’s the adults who have failed. We can’t afford to fail.

Learn more about the Teacher Education department and the combined B.S./M.Ed. program at McPherson College.

Posted On: October 14, 2019
By: MC Admin

A $1 million gift will help McPherson College fund a new community health care initiative, including ten $25,000 scholarships for students committed to community health. Introduced last month in partnership with McPherson Hospital, the initiative features a new enhanced health science degree at the college paired with a wide variety of hands-on educational opportunities developed through the hospital and opportunities for community outreach programs.

“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. 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. In addition, a needs capacity survey of all the health-related opportunities available for students will be distributed to understand the broad health care needs in McPherson and the surrounding area.

“Having practiced medicine in a rural community for more than 25 years, I am excited for the opportunities this program will afford not only the students but the communities impacted by their service,” U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall said. “I applaud McPherson College, and its supporters, for identifying and reacting to the need for qualified health care professionals.”

Kansas is among states with the highest numbers 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.

“We are looking at this from a holistic approach to health care in rural communities,” President Schneider said. “This initiative is considering everything from mentoring youth to supporting our elderly citizens. It also includes solving our challenges to provide good mental health support and treatment for all. It puts our students in the community working with support from McPherson Hospital to solve our biggest challenges.”

The curriculum for the new degree will begin in the fall of 2020. The degree is designed for students who want to study in the field of health science (allied health) and healthcare management with tracks in community and public health, and social and behavioral science while participating in outstanding field experiences, which allow them to give back to the community. For more information about the community health degree, please contact McPherson College admissions at [email protected].

Posted On: October 8, 2019
By: MC Admin

This year marks a time in public education like no other, Jerri Kemble, assistant superintendent of Lawrence schools, told high school students attending McPherson College’s “EdChat,” a day-long seminar to encourage and support students who want to become teachers.

According to Kemble, this year marks the first time that half of the students in elementary schools are members of Generation Alpha, children of Millennials born between 2010 and 2014. Generation Alpha is the first generation to grow up never knowing a time before smartphones or artificial intelligence such as Alexa or Siri.

“This is a generation that has always had technology,” she said. “Many of them knew how to use an iPad even before they were potty-trained. Growing up in a generation with lots of technology brings amazing opportunities but there are also many challenges like artificial intelligence, work-force shifts, environmental issues, and social inequalities. Teachers are going to need to teach differently and empower this generation to solve problems. It will be a monumental task for teachers.”

Although the challenges are great, the rewards of being a teacher are even greater, Kemble said in her keynote address to the students. In her current role, Kemble oversees educational programs and technology for USD 497. She spoke to the students about many times over her 30-year career she was able to make a difference in the lives of students. As a principal and superintendent of a small rural school district in 2007, she created the Kansas Online Learning Program. Because of her innovation, the White House invited her take part in a meeting on technology and virtual learning.

“This generation of high school and college students are passionate about making a difference,” Kemble said. “Programs like EdChat are so important to help students make a decision about becoming a teacher and to see that it really is an exciting time to teach especially with all the technology that can help teachers connect with each other and with experts who can push us to the next level.”

Kemble was among several educators that led workshops throughout the day for the students. High school students gained perspective on topics such as equity centered design teaching, cooperative learning, and special education. Educators taking part in the workshops included Erica Shook, McPherson High School; Jericho Johnson, Heusner Elementary in Salina; Kristi Weiss and Lynette Cross from the KICA Special Education Program. Current McPherson College students also talked about what it is like being a student teacher.

“Events like EdChat are important because students get a real perspective on what it is like to be an educator,” Johnson, a third grade teacher said. “I tell them it is a wild but amazing ride. No one else can say they get to teach the future of our world.”

The McPherson College Department of Teacher Education has hosted more than 100 students from high schools across the state at its “EdChat” events over the past three years.

Posted On: August 29, 2019
By: MC Admin

An initiative introduced by McPherson College and McPherson Hospital with a focus on community health 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 with the intent to create a new model for rural community health in Kansas. 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 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 was announced August 29 at McPherson College where Rep. Roger Marshall, M.D., spoke about the importance of working together to support rural health.

“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 clinicals. 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.

“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. For more information about the community health degree program, please contact McPherson College admissions at [email protected].

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Category: Academics

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