Kento Aizawa was recognized by the Kansas Independent College Foundation (KICF) for his excellence in academics, character and integrity, along with his commitment to the value of a private college education in Kansas. He was among 20 students from private colleges across the state to receive the Maud Wyatt Recognition Scholarship presented by KICF.

Aizawa, who is from McPherson, is a senior at McPherson College majoring in math. He hopes to work as an actuary after graduating; he has been working as an actuarial intern at Farmers Alliance Insurance Company since 2018. Recipients of the scholarship are full-time, degree seeking students on the cusp of graduation who maintain GPAs of 3.5 or above and contribute to their communities.

Along with being a top student, Aizawa is an acclaimed student musician. He plays clarinet in the McPherson College Band and has performed with several other local and regional bands. In high school he played with the Wichita Youth Symphony, and as a sophomore at McPherson College won the Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra’s Young Soloists Competition. Last year, he auditioned for and received a permanent position with the Salina Symphony. He also tries to pass on his love of music to younger generations by volunteering at the McPherson Middle School.

“I like helping the band students get better by helping them understand what they are playing. It makes it more enjoyable,” he said. “I pursued this because as a child I didn’t have a lot of money to pay for lessons. This is my way of giving back – paying it forward.”

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

Morgan Abbott, Junior, Decatur, TX
Nicole Abunaja, Sophomore, San Tan Valley, AZ
James Aikins, Junior, Hutchinson, KS
Kento Aizawa, Senior, McPherson, KS
Zackary Alexander, Junior, McPherson, KS
Riley Allen, Freshman, Logan, KS
Jose Alonso, Sophomore, Wichita, KS
Esther Tibaidjuka Amuli, Sophomore, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Aryana Archuleta, Junior, Sacramento, CA
Olivia Baldner, Senior, Johnston, IA
Reganne Barker, Junior, Tipton, KS
Thane Barta, Sophomore, Anchorage, AK
Guido Battistini, Junior, Pilar, Argentina
Cody Baumgartner, Freshman, Hudson, CO
Walter Behrens, Sophomore, Crested Butte, CO
Julia Berger, Senior, Washington, DC
Ethan Billhime, Senior, Windermere, FL
Diamond Blaylock-Norris, Junior, Flower Mound, TX
Julien Bodin, Sophomore, Cartagena, Spain
Kevin Boeckman, Junior, Wamego, KS
Jonatan Bonilla, Sophomore, Del Valle, TX
Molly Booker, Freshman, Roseville, CA
Luke Borton, Junior, Independence, KS
Zoe Bouwmeester, Senior, Zutphen, The Netherlands
Kyle Bowers, Senior, Wichita, KS
Cameron Boyce, Freshman, Tebbetts, MO
Reven Bradbury, Sophomore, Castle Rock, CO
Riley Bradbury, Sophomore, Castle Rock, CO
Trey Brand, Junior, Maize, KS
Kyrstin Branscum, Freshman, Gravette, AR
Abigail Briscoe, Freshman, Little River, KS
Cedric Brown, Freshman, Culpeper, VA
Makaylee Bryson, Freshman, Spanish Fork, UT
Ashley Burch, Senior, Pittsburg, KS
Alex Burger, Junior, Sedan, KS
Robert Calkins, Senior, Rowlett, TX
James Canar, Freshman, Longmont, CO
Diego Cantu, Senior, Roma, TX
Garrett Carroll, Junior, Conroe, TX
Eugenio Cervantez, Sophomore, Princeton, TX
Karley Clark, Senior, McPherson, KS
Chloe Cloud, Senior, Wichita, KS
Justin Cochran, Senior, Wichita, KS
Tyesha Collins, Freshman, Colorado Springs, CO
Garrett Connor, Junior, Parker, CO
Chelsea Conrad, Senior, Ione, CA
Timothy Cowan, Senior, Shawnee Mission, KS
Jonathan Cox, Senior, Hialeah, FL
Micaila Curtis, Senior, Great Bend, KS
Rashida Davis, Senior, Liberal, KS
Dante Dellacroce, Junior, Colorado Springs, CO
Dominic DeLuca, Senior, Hutchinson, KS
Brooke DeLuca, Senior, Hutchinson, KS
Tyler Dunn, Sophomore, Lawton, OK
Paul Calvin Dusabe, Freshman, Commune De Limete, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Taylor Ellison, Senior, Tulsa, OK
Greggory Elvin, Senior, Marquette, KS
Keisha England, Senior, Sand Springs, OK
Benjamin Falconer, Junior, Greeley, CO
Jadin Fleming, Freshman, Castle Rock, CO
Theodore Flint, Freshman, Sagle , ID
Linda Flores, Junior, Paramus, NJ
Rachel Foreman, Senior, Holcomb, KS
Erin Fralick, Senior, New Palestine, IN
Jesse Freeman, Senior, Castle Rock, CO
Rinaldo Gagiano, Junior, Sydney , Australia
Alejandra Galindo, Senior, Roma, TX
Chandler Gehring, Junior, Las Vegas, NV
Elle Gillen, Junior, Castle Rock, CO
Kollin Goering, Freshman, McPherson, KS
Victoria Gonzalez, Junior, Keller, TX
Quinn Gordon, Junior, Sherman Oaks, CA
Cullen Grabast, Junior, Osborne, KS
Moneshya Green, Junior, McCook, NE
Sierra Grow, Freshman, Halstead, KS
Madison Hall, Freshman, The Colony, TX
Alicia Hall, Junior, Aurora, CO
Daniel Hartman, Senior, Wichita , KS
Kaitlyn Heinis, Senior, Oviedo, FL
Shyanne Henkis, Freshman, Laveen, AZ
Grayson Henry, Freshman, McKinney, TX
Sydney Hicks, Freshman, Thornton, CO
Jaden Hilgers, Senior, Wichita, KS
Charles Hoehaver, Senior, Auburn, AL
Joshua Hoerner, Sophomore, Lindsborg , KS
Alissa Hofmann, Junior, Gilbert, AZ
Danielle Holt, Junior, Glenpool, OK
Cara Hudson, Senior, Wasco, CA
Haley Hurst, Freshman, Norman, OK
Florine Ibale, Sophomore, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lionel Ibonga, Junior, McPherson, KS
Colin Irvin, Sophomore, North Kingstown, RI
Navid Istanbullu, Sophomore, Bremen, Germany
Makenzie Jansonius, Freshman, Prairie View, KS
Ashley Jensen, Senior, Indianola, IA
Lucas Jez, Senior, Westfield, MA
Juan Jimenez, Senior, Pereira, Colombia
Destiny Johnson, Sophomore, Arlington, TX
Jessica Jones, Junior, Brentwood, CA
Codi-Lane Jones, Junior, Salina, KS
Daniel Journey, Junior, Olathe, KS
Neville Kabangu, Sophomore, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Sebia Kalambayi Kabedi, Junior, Lake Bluff, IL
Thara Kalambayi Kapinga, Junior, Lake Bluff, IL
Gracia Kasereka, Sophomore, Commune De Selembao, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Christopher Kelly, Senior, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Jessica Knoeber, Senior, Hutchinson, KS
Justus Clemens Kohler, Sophomore, Prosselsheim, Germany
Jakob Komel, Freshman
Jessica Lane, Senior, Weatherford, TX
Tatelyn Lasley, Junior, Springfield, CO
Jaivion Lattimore, Freshman, Aurora, CO
Timothy Lauring, Senior, Paxton, MA
Cierra Lee, Junior, Goodyear, AZ
James Lee, Sophomore, Royston, United Kingdom
Alexander Lehn, Senior, McPherson, KS
Yunce Liang, Senior, Tianjin, China
Dakota Logan, Sophomore, Monclova, OH
Amanda Lolling, Senior, Haysville, KS
Andre Guillaume Lubaya, Sophomore, Young America, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Esther Lubiba, Sophomore, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mitchell Ludinich, Sophomore, Nowata, OK
Kylee Martin, Senior, Larned, KS
Aventino Martinez-Garcia, Sophomore, Wichita, KS
Brent Masters, Junior, Howe, TX
Samantha Coraliss Mayaka, Freshman, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Hannah McKay, Freshman, Golden, CO
Nathaniel McLaughlin, Junior, Ticonderoga, NY
Robert Medina, Freshman, Olathe, KS
Hunter Meeks-Riner, Sophomore, Broken Arrow, OK
Matthew Melchor, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Wyatt Miceli, Freshman, Woodacre, CA
Micayla Mikulski, Freshman, Houston, TX
Matthew Tyler Miller-Wells, Senior, Leavenworth, KS
Rodrigo Miranda Enriquez, Freshman, Great Bend, KS
Myron Moncur, Senior, San Jose, CA
Zackery Moran, Junior, Bonnet Bay, NSW, Australia
Karl Moritz, Senior, Columbia, PA
Peyton Morris, Sophomore, Burleson, TX
Maison Moseley, Freshman, Woodward, OK
Ilanna Moyer, Junior, McPherson, KS
Billy Muhizi, Junior, Dacula, GA
Joyce Muhizi, Junior, Dacula, GA
Juliana Munoz, Senior, Antelope, CA
Paul Kapya Mwengwe, Freshman, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Michel Mwengwe, Freshman, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nicholas Navarro, Senior, Paramus, NJ
Samantha Nelson, Senior, Clearfield, UT
Matthew Nutting, Sophomore, Foxboro, MA
Lillian Oeding, Senior, Wichita, KS
Tevin Oller, Junior, Shawnee Mission, KS
Julianna Olvera, Senior, Bakersfield, CA
Garrett Owen, Junior, Woodward, OK
Grant Owens, Freshman, Hutchinson, KS
Frances Parish, Freshman, Rogers, AR
Louis Parker, Senior, Oklahoma City, OK
Katherina Paulson, Senior, McPherson, KS
Tina Payne, Senior, Limon, CO
Allison Penalva, Sophomore, McPherson, KS
Taylor Perez, Sophomore, Tulsa, OK
Mason Polston, Senior, Emporia, KS
Aysia Pryor, Senior, Wichita, KS
Grant Raleigh, Senior, Hesston, KS
Alexander Ramsier, Senior, Wooster, OH
Kendryk Rankin, Junior, Fountain, CO
Philip Reinhardt, Senior, Tenants Harbor, ME
Joshua Reyes, Junior, Plano, TX
Ian Rhoten, Senior, Wichita, KS
Rianne Richard, Senior, Kechi, KS
Cami Richardson, Junior, Hesston, KS
Dylan Riley, Junior, Lake Ozark, MO
Joseph Robben, Sophomore, Goddard, KS
Sean Robinson, Freshman, La Grange, IL
Scarlet Rodriguez, Senior, Houston, TX
Kaleb Rogers, Senior, Falun, KS
Nathaniel Russo, Freshman, Wheat Ridge, CO
Rick Sakamoto, Freshman, Frankston South, Australia
Juan Salmeron Rattana, Junior, Dodge City, KS
Yoranne Sambu, Sophomore, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kody Scholl, Freshman, Colorado Springs, CO
Morgan Sechler, Senior, McPherson, KS
Leia Seiler, Senior, Brighton, CO
Amber Shuey, Senior, Wichita, KS
Jamie Siess, Senior, Tecumseh, KS
Christie Silber, Sophomore, Simi Valley, CA
Emma Singleton, Freshman, North Las Vegas, NV
Kortney Slaughter Jones, Junior, Brentwood, CA
Blake Slaymaker, Junior, Johnstown, CO
Bo Slaymaker, Freshman, Johnstown, CO
Rhianna Smith, Senior, Lindsborg, KS
Zadie Smith, Senior, McPherson, KS
Alison Smith, Junior, Lockeford, CA
Karlie Sneed, Freshman, Seminole, OK
McKenzie Stalnaker, Junior, Wichita, KS
Stevie Stockham, Senior, McPherson, KS
Ryan Swiggart, Junior, Haysville, KS
Brett Sykes, Junior, Coldspring, TX
Xavier Taylor, Sophomore, Waynesville, MO
Sean Thomson, Freshman, Blandford Forum, United Kingdom
Elizabeth Thornton, Junior, Karval, CO
Kaden Tichenor, Freshman, Holcomb, KS
Meklit Tilahun, Junior, McPherson, KS
Adriana Tilleman, Freshman, Van Alstyne, TX
Max Tucker, Junior, Saint Charles, IL
Jacob Turley, Junior, Leighton Buzzard, United Kingdom
Nicholas Turner, Freshman, Hemphill, TX
Kaitlynn Usdansky, Senior, Olathe, KS
Kaitlyn van Asselt, Senior, McPherson, KS
Susana Velasquez, Sophomore, Monterey Park, CA
Italia Venegas, Junior, Shawnee Mission, KS
Victoria Voyles, Senior, McPherson, KS
Nicolas Wahl, Junior, Koenigstein, Germany
Myriah Webster, Junior, Lindsborg, KS
Collin Wedel, Freshman, Moundridge, KS
Hannah Wedel, Senior, Halstead, KS
Courtney Weesner, Junior, Hutchinson, KS
Albert Wegener, Junior, Kansas City, MO
Benjamin Wellikoff, Junior, Newberg, OR
Sierra Werries, Senior, McPherson, KS
Elizabeth Williams, Junior, Broken Arrow, OK
Alyssa Wilson, Sophomore, Lukachukai, AZ
Parkes Wolters, Senior, Osborne, KS
Ellis Woodruff, Sophomore, Princeton, TX
Logan Worswick, Senior, Garland, TX
Julianna Yanez, Sophomore, Wichita, KS
Marissa Zamora, Junior, Chester , CA

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

Evariste Abeli, Freshman, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Cori Alexander, Sophomore, Roanoke, TX
Destiny Bacon, Sophomore, La Mesa, CA
Ian Baker, Freshman, Provo, UT
Lilliana Balderas, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Christie Betker, Junior, Reno, NV
Jack Bradley, Freshman, Mounds, OK
Mairion Brunken, Sophomore, Willemstad, The Netherlands
Brady Carstens, Freshman, Firestone, CO
Brett Carter, Senior, Sachse, TX
Naomi Cartmell, Junior, Oberlin, KS
Calvin Cassida, Junior, Louisburg, KS
Gavin Christensen, Junior, Tacoma, WA
Justin Clemens, Freshman, Colorado Springs, CO
Cailey Cornett, Freshman, Lindsborg, KS
Ed Crouch, Senior, Miami Gardens, FL
Jake Curtis, Freshman, Great Bend, KS
Charity Davis, Junior, Lawton, OK
Haydn Denis, Freshman, Phoenix, AZ
David Deramee, Senior, Azle, TX
Matthew DeVoe, Junior, Chanute, KS
Jennie Erven, Sophomore, Scott City, KS
Jerod Fuller, Senior, Polk City, FL
Micah Gilbert, Senior, Elkhart, IN
Cali Godwin, Junior, Wichita, KS
Jacqueline Gullion, Freshman, Fremont, CA
Careino Gurley, Senior, Minneapolis, MN
Garrett Ham, Sophomore, Albuquerque, NM
Brittni Harlow, Senior, Lincoln, KS
Mitchell Harms, Senior, Orange Cove, CA
Curren Harris, Senior, Hiwassee, VA
Tristan Hawkinson, Senior, Hutchinson, KS
Natalie Hemann, Junior, Osage, IA
Cole Hinton, Junior, Wathena, KS
Jonathan Hoffman, Freshman, Wysox, PA
Martin Jaime, Freshman, San Antonio, TX
Janell Johnson, Senior, McPherson, KS
Chloe Jones, Freshman, McPherson, KS
Liliane Kathoheryo, Freshman, Goma, Nord Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Choucranie Kayembe, Sophomore, Lubumbashi Haut Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Thomas Kleywegt, Junior, Gravesend, United Kingdom
Haelie Kniesteadt, Junior, Gove, KS
Connor Kresky, Senior, McPherson, KS
Lance Lagasse, Sophomore, New Sweden, ME
Skylar Lane, Sophomore, Castle Rock, CO
Sydney Lang, Senior, Berryton, KS
Aaron Leck, Junior, McPherson, KS
Kyle Lux, Junior, Lewes, DE
Carelle Mampasu, Freshman, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Luis Martinez, Sophomore, Dallas, TX
Adrian Martinez Sanchez, Freshman, Laredo, TX
Trisha Mathewson, Freshman, Axtell, KS
Richard Mbuyamba, Freshman, Johannesburg, South Africa
Gerardo Mendez, Senior, Wichita, KS
Cole Miller, Freshman, McPherson, KS
Killian Millner, Senior, McPherson, KS
Tyler Minney, Senior, Stewkley, United Kingdom
Grant Munsen, Junior, Manhattan, KS
LeaAnn Myers, Junior, Loveland, CO
Tyler Norris, Sophomore, Arvada, CO
Madison O’Brien, Senior, Dighton, KS
Kentaro Oya, Freshman, Saitama-shi, Japan
Nicholas Papini, Senior, Mundelein, IL
Erica Paradise, Freshman, Bakersfield, CA
Tyler Perkins, Senior, Lake Ozark, MO
Kristin Potter, Junior, Houston, TX
Bela Raimondi, Senior, Colfax, CA
Onya Rainbolt, Larned, KS
Dominick Ramos, Senior, Fresno, CA
Carlos Reyna, Junior, Hutchinson, KS
Jonas Rivero, Freshman, Dumas, TX
Nathan Robl, Junior, Lyons, KS
Carter Runyan, Freshman, Olathe, KS
Katherine Saul, Freshman, Porter, TX
Bryce Snodgrass, Junior, Peyton, CO
Antonio Snyder, Sophomore, Newton, KS
Jack Stalcup, Sophomore, Hugoton, KS
Hunter Sury, Senior, Katy, TX
Jacob Tiernan, Senior, Abilene, KS
Peyton Turner, Senior, McPherson, KS
Luis Valdez-Rivera, Freshman, Sachse, TX
Joshua Wade, Sophomore, Olathe, KS
Kellen Watkins, Senior, Hugoton, KS
Frederick Watts, Sophomore, Channelview, TX
Bradley Wells, Senior, Olathe, KS
Austin Wiley, Freshman, Kansas City, MO
Justin Wiltfong, Senior, Stockton, KS
Cordell Wingerd, Junior, Davenport, IA
Evan Wojtkiewicz, Senior, Kansas City, MO
Brandt Wolters, Senior, Portis, KS
Madyson Woog, Sophomore, Highlands Ranch, CO
Brittany Zipf, Junior, Rockhampton, Australia

Left to right, back row: Austin Russell, MHS band director; Kyle Hopkins, McPherson College band director; Kyle Unruh, MHS band director;
Left to right, front row: Lindy Reynolds, Grace van Asselt, Hannah Butler

Three students from McPherson High School recently signed letters of intent to participate in the McPherson College Band. Hannah Butler, Lindy Reynolds, and Grace van Asselt, will join the college band this fall.

Butler is the daughter of Jeff and Angela Butler and plays the saxophone. In high school she was active in band and journalism, part of the band leadership for two years and a member of the Quill and Scroll Society. Reynolds is the daughter of Brian and Kristen Reynolds and plays the trumpet. During high school she was active in band, jazz band, theatre, and youth group. Van Asselt is the daughter of Allan and Deb van Asselt and is a percussionist. She participated in band and is a Presidential Scholar.

Kyle Hopkins, director of McPherson College bands, stated, “The McPherson College Band is thrilled to have such a close relationship with the McPherson High School Band. We host their marching band camp on our campus every summer and work collaboratively throughout the year to make both of our programs better. Hannah, Lindy, and Grace will be an amazing addition to our college program. They’ve been leaders and catalysts for success in their high school band and we look forward to them making a huge impact on our college band.”

McPherson College Assistant Professor of Art Michaela Valli Groeblacher with her award winning sculpture.

McPherson College Assistant Professor of Art Michaela Valli Groeblacher received first place in the prestigious national ceramics exhibition in Wichita with her piece Clown #2.

The Art of Clay: Wichita National Exhibition focuses on ceramic and sculpture made of clay and assembles entries from artists across the country. It was juried by renown artist Marko Fields, owner of Mojo Gallery in Minnesota who is widely exhibited, collected and published and Diego Valles, a master potter from Mexico who was recognized as the Premier Visual Artist of Mexico.

“This show assembles a dazzling array of exquisite work,” Fields said. “Culling the accepted works from the pool of entries was challenging, but determining the award winners was especially so. The work at the top is extraordinary.”

The exhibit is on display at the Mary R. Koch Mark Arts Center in Wichita through June 29.

MC senior Parkes Wolters presenting at Kansas Academy of Science and Kansas Entomological Society.

Parkes Wolters, a senior at McPherson College, placed first in the undergraduate oral presentation competition at the annual meeting of the Kansas Academy of Science and Kansas Entomological Society on March 30. Wolters, a biochemistry major, is from Osborne, Kansas.

His presentation was titled “Measuring the Relationship Between Body Condition and Body Composition in Two Kansas Spider Species.” Wolters will attend medical school at the University of Kansas next year. During his sophomore year, he was one of 16 students accepted into the Scholars in Rural Health program at the University, which assures his acceptance into the medical school.

Two other McPherson College students Micaila Curtis and Samantha Nelson also presented at the annual meeting. All natural science students at McPherson College work on a capstone research project for nearly two years. Students from McPherson College consistently place among the top undergraduate research presentations each year at the meeting, according to Dustin Wilgers associate professor in natural sciences.

“The Kansas Academy of Science and Kansas Entomological Society meeting is an excellent opportunity for our students to share their research with scientists of all levels across the state and our student all did an excellent job sharing their research again this year,” Wilgers said. “The opportunity to hear about other research going on by other students and other institutions and networking with other scientists makes this experience worth all the extra effort they put into it.”

The Kansas Academy of Science is the second oldest state academy of science in the United States and is committed to encouraging education in the sciences and sharing scientific information through academics. Its annual convention draws student presenters from all universities and colleges in Kansas. The annual meeting is held jointly with the Kansas Entomological Society and this year was hosted by Johnson County Community College.