Kirah Stepps of Wichita, Kan., is a member of the first class to receive Bachelor of Science degrees in engineering from Hesston College.
Hesston College students and their families celebrated with faculty and staff during the 115th annual Commencement ceremony held Saturday, May 17, in the sanctuary of Hesston Mennonite Church.
This year’s commencement featured an address about identity delivered by Nick Ladd, Bible professor and co-campus pastor. After reading Psalm 139:13-16 from The Passion Translation, he highlighted several words used to describe how God created and shaped each of them: skillfully, intricately, carefully, marvelously.
“When people ask who you are, or maybe just when you’re struggling a bit with your own self worth, remember these things,” Ladd shared. “The God of the universe who created all things, who could’ve created anything for companionship or love, created you. God created you. God formed you to be mysteriously complex, to be very good, to hold God’s breath of life, to be uniquely you. No one else can be you. Be you.”
President Mark Landes conferred 26 Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees, six Bachelor of Science in aviation – professional pilot degrees, one Bachelor of Arts in business management degree and 53 associate degrees. After launching the program in fall 2022, this was also the first year for the School of Engineering to confer Bachelor of Science in engineering – mechatronics degrees, with four graduates receiving the honor. The graduating class of 2025 includes members from 12 different countries including the U.S.
An engineering bachelor’s degree graduate from Semarang, Indonesia, Jessica Raharjo says Hesston College shaped her into someone who finds joy and fulfillment in whatever she’s doing.
“Not only have I gained important knowledge and skills from the engineering program, I’ve learned a lot about finding joy and meaning in whatever I do,” Raharjo explains. “[At Hesston,] I found my new home and family, a community that kept on challenging and assisting me to be the best version of myself. I have never found a community of faculty and staff and friends to be so supportive of my progress until I came here.”
Following graduation, Raharjo plans to remain in the states and find a job in the engineering field. With her passion for learning, she also hopes to one day pursue a master’s degree, and possibly even a doctorate.
Joanna Gomez Ramirez of Hesston, an associate degree graduate, looks forward to returning to Hesston in the fall to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and eventually her passion to make a difference in the lives of children through compassionate health care as a pediatric nurse.
“Personally, I’ve grown so much through the community here: learning how to build strong relationships, manage responsibilities and grow in my faith,” Ramirez shared. “I feel ready to take on the next steps in both my career and personal journey.”
The prayer of invocation was delivered by Ana Espinoza, graduate, and her mother, Ana Pineda ’98 de Espinoza, both of Ocotepeque, Honduras. The prayer of dedication was delivered by Dale Beachey, grandfather of graduate Carson Elonich of Goshen, Ind.. Two students, Rylee Weishaupt, associate degree graduate of Goshen, Ind., and Phoebe Kolb, bachelor’s degree graduate of Milford, Neb., were nominated by faculty and staff and voted by their classmates as the graduate speakers to reflect on the Hesston Experience.
Known for her glass-half-full outlook, Weishaupt admitted she recently found herself slipping into a more pessimistic mindset. In her speech, she reflected on how easy it is to miss beauty when caught in a pessimistic mindset — and how her time at Hesston helped her see it again. She drew on reflections from fellow students who found beauty in cross-cultural friendships, the full inclusion of international students and renewed relationships with God.
“And this beauty, my friends, does not disappear when we graduate. This beauty is something we can hold on to and cherish forever,” Weishaupt shared. “So if you ever find yourself in a pessimistic slump, which may happen after you graduate, I invite you to search for the beauty around you, just like you did here. Who knows, that may just be the catalyst event for something as life altering as Hesston College.”
For Kolb, her time at Hesston reframed how she understood purpose and personal growth. Arriving from a high school where the motto was “Make your story worth telling,” she initially felt pressure to create something extraordinary. What she discovered instead was the quiet power of contributing to others’ stories and finding meaning through shared experiences.
“Accomplishments are not defined by their grandurous scale, but simply by the impact they have on you and those around you,” Kolb said. “I applaud each and every one of you sitting in this room today for the beautiful stories that you have created and the impact you have had on this community…Your stories are ones of growth and perseverance, and I have truly been blessed to learn from each and every one of you.”
The 26 nursing program graduates were honored at a Nursing Pinning ceremony in the sanctuary of Hesston Mennonite Church on the morning of May 17. Graduates received their nursing pins as well as the traditional blessing of hands from Hesston College nursing faculty.
Other commencement weekend events included several music recitals and a theatre showcase. On the evening of May 16, Bel Canto Singers presented a sendoff concert in the sanctuary. The concert kicks off their spring choir tour to the Pacific Northwest.