About Hesston College, Mission Statement, Statement of Purposes, Statement of Philosophy
Academics, Assessment, and Outcomes, Educational Facilities
About Hesston College
Hesston College, a two-year college founded in 1909, is located in Hesston, Kansas, 35 miles north of Wichita. The college has an enrollment of approximately 460 students who come from about 30 states and 15 countries including Canada. It has a faculty-student ratio of 1:12. Owned by Mennonite Church USA, Hesston College is governed by the Hesston College Board of Overseers. Board members are appointed by the Mennonite Education Agency and the board of overseers.
Mission Statement
Hesston College, the two-year college of Mennonite Church USA, educates and nurtures each student within Christ-centered community, integrating thought, life, and faith for service to others in the church and the world.
Statement of Purposes
The purposes of Hesston College are to:
Promote student learning and development through
- a general education core and other courses that culminate in the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree and satisfy lower division requirements for transfer to selected baccalaureate programs.
- academic courses and enrichment programs that emphasize the scholarship of integration and student learning in the areas of biblical understanding, communication, social responsibility, and critical thinking.
- student life programs, academic services, and enrichment activities that promote development of the whole student (academic, personal, physical, social, and spiritual).
Facilitate vocational and career development through
- a general education core and other courses that culminate in the Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences degree and prepare students with knowledge and performance competencies required for immediate employment in selected careers.
- academic advising and career services that assist students to adequately plan and prepare for their selected careers and guide those who are uncertain about future career choices.
Prepare future leaders who actively participate in the life and work of the church and display a commitment of service to others through
- a Christ-centered community where students are guided toward the model of Jesus Christ, encouraged to grow in their faith, and empowered to view themselves as agents of change.
- student leadership opportunities throughout the first two years of the college experience in academics, athletic activities, dramatic productions, worship planning, student recruitment, residential life, etc.
- service-learning opportunities in a variety of curricular and extra-curricular activities.
- experiences that expand students’ vision of the Mennonite Church, its values and tenets, its people, and its programs.
Statement of Philosophy
Hesston College is committed to serving Christ. The basis for this service is rooted in the example of the early church and in the tradition of Anabaptism. These examples emphasize the committed community as that which makes obedience to Christ and service to others possible. Therefore, Hesston College seeks to understand, create, and communicate Christian community.
Hesston College is the two-year college for Mennonite Church USA. The college also seeks to serve other clientele sympathetic to this basic mission statement.
Professors are expected to demonstrate teaching excellence and Christian discipleship. Both qualities are absolutely necessary if the institution is to realize its mission. The classroom is not the only important activity at Hesston College, but it is the activity which distinguishes the institution as a college.
General education follows a model of integration. Courses are developed around concepts and the problems and situations students encounter. Education is seen as active, not just reflective. The traditional academic disciplines are employed as they contribute to this task.
General Education has three central purposes. First, students develop and refine skills that are foundational for academic success, irrespective of discipline or level of coursework. These skills are: computer literacy and competence in reading, mathematics, and communication, both writing and speaking.
Second, students are introduced to these overarching questions: What does it mean to be human? What is the nature of the universe? What are our responsibilities in light of a Christian perspective? General Education courses create a context in which we examine these questions from the various perspectives of the following disciplines: by the humanities including history, fine arts, and literature; by Bible and religion; by the physical and life sciences; by mathematics; by the social sciences; and by physical education. These introductory courses also serve as a foundation for further studies in the student’s course of study.
Third, students are encouraged to integrate disciplines as they continue to learn, grow, and mature as individuals and as members and participants in a spectrum of communities.
Hesston College considers all aspects of the college experience as significant: classroom, dormitory, activities, religious life. The atmosphere in which learning occurs and how one learns are as important as what one learns. Learning is individual; but the atmosphere is one of structure, discipline, love, personal support, and caring—the Christian community.