September 3, 2004
Dr. Howard Keim is the Hesston
College Presidential Search Committee “candidate of choice,”
Chair Norm Yoder announced to the campus community today.
Yoder of Henderson, Neb., and
Hesston College Board of Overseers Chair Arlan Yoder of Hesston provided
information about Dr. Keim, currently vice president of academics
and student development and associate professor of communications
at Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kan.
Keim will visit campus September
7-8 to meet with various groups and individuals. The search committee
will review input from this process and make a final recommendation
on Keim’s candidacy early this fall. The president is appointed
by Mennonite Education Agency with the recommendation of the Hesston
Board. “MEA represents Mennonite Church USA and is a partner
with the Hesston College Board in both the search process and presidential
appointment,” explained Executive Director Carlos Romero.
MEA Board Chair Rosalind Andreas
of Essex Junction, Vt., expressed appreciation for this partnership.
"Discerning gifts in college leaders who can help our campuses
meet the educational needs of Mennonite Church USA today and tomorrow
is a highly important task. We on the MEA Board are most grateful
to the search committee for its dedicated and vigorous work to this
end, resulting in a candidate of Dr. Keim's qualifications and experience.
We look forward to his visit with the Hesston College community and
the discernment that will follow there, with Vice President Keim,
the search committee and the Hesston College Board," she said.
"The search committee has
served the board and Hesston College very well through a diligent
and thorough process. The committee’s candidate of choice is
an excellent, seasoned leader with a significant personal understanding
of Hesston College and its mission," said Arlan Yoder.
Keim, who lives in Hesston, received
a Ph.D. in communication studies from the University of Kansas, a
master’s degree in interpersonal and public communication from
Central Michigan University and a bachelor’s degree in speech
and dramatic arts from the same institution. He also has studied at
the University of Iowa and is a 1972 graduate of Hesston College.
His wife, Tami, graduated from Hesston and has directed its Early
Childhood Education Program since 1987. They have two daughters: Talashia
Yoder is a Hesston graduate and Tonya Bartel directed its theatre
program for one year.
Keim has been a professor and
administrator at Tabor College since 1996, except for one year as
field services director for Communities in Schools of Kansas. He taught
at Hesston from 1987-1996, including directing its Pastoral Ministries
Program. He was pastor of Kalona (Iowa) Mennonite Church from 1979-1987
and youth minister at Fairview (Mich.) Mennonite Church prior to that.
Tabor College is a four-year liberal
arts institution owned and operated by the Mennonite Brethren Church.
In his current role, Keim has facilitated reorganization of Tabor’s
academic, student development and athletic areas. He also has worked
with faculty to enhance the college’s academic achievement and
was selected to give the Tabor College Faculty Lecture in 1998.
Keim has served his congregation,
Whitestone Mennonite Church, as an elder. He is a former moderator
of South Central Conference of Mennonite Church USA and now serves
on the conference ministerial commission.
"Howard has demonstrated
a clear and compelling vision for Hesston College to be the two-year
college for all of Mennonite Church USA,” said search committee
member Jeff Wright of Pasadena, Calif. Wright is a conference minister
for Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference and the parent of a Hesston
student.
“Howard also has administrative
savvy and a pastor's heart. All of that together makes him, from my
point of view, a compelling choice to further the mission of Hesston
College as its next president," Wright continued.
“I believe Dr. Keim’s
experience as an academic dean, teacher, pastor and director of Hesston’s
Pastoral Ministries Program gives him valuable leadership experience.
His collaborative leadership style would serve Hesston well. Hesston
College has a great future and Dr. Keim has the vision to help good
people do great things,” said Norm Yoder.
Peter Wiebe has served as Hesston’s interim president since July 2003.