Hesston College celebrated 167 graduates of the 102nd graduating class during Commencement Weekend May 4 to 6. Joe Manickam ’87 addressed the graduates during the commencement service May 6. His message, “Back to Basics,” was based on Micah 6:8, the college’s 2011-12 theme verse. Hannah Bachman of Tiskilwa, Ill., and Zach Baumgartner of Hesston, Kan., were the student speakers. Other weekend events included a pinning ceremony for 50 nursing graduates with speaker Kristina (McMillen) ’85 Ibitayo, Ph.D., R.N., a commissioning for three Pastoral Ministries graduates and recognition ceremonies for 12 aviation and air traffic control graduates with speaker Travis Pollock ’07, first officer with Cutter Aviation in Phoenix, and nine Disaster Management graduates. Several music department events were also featured during the weekend, including a Concert Band concert, sophomore recitals by Michael Darby (Iowa City, Iowa), Melody Marshall (Grottoes, Va.) and Libby Waltner (Hurley, S.D.). The European Chorale, under the direction of Bradley Kauffman and accompanied by Ken Rodgers ’85, also presented a bon voyage concert as a precursor to their three-week tour through the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France and Spain May 8 to 29.