Hesston College is a private college in Hesston, Kansas, United States. It is associated with the Mennonite Church USA and has an enrollment of about 400 students who typically come from about 30 states and 15 other countries.
History Opening in 1909 as Hesston Academy and Bible School, Heston College has offered collegiate level classes since 1915. Founded by T.M. Erb and A.L. Hess after approval by the Kansas-Nebraska Mennonite Conference and endorsement by the Mennonite Board of Education (MBE). Hesston College was affiliated with Mennonite Church and operated by MBE until 2002 when Mennonite Church merged with other denominations and Mennonite Church USA was formed.Bender, Harold S. (1957). Mennonite Board of Education (Mennonite Church). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 14 July 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Board_of_Education_(Mennonite_Church)&oldid=89665 High school level classes were offered until 1963.Sharp, John E. and Rachel McMaster. (August 2018). Hesston College (Hesston, Kansas, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 13 July 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hesston_College_(Hesston,_Kansas,_USA)&oldid=170106
In 1981, the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains was founded at the college.
Educational facilities
The main Hesston campus consists of 12 buildings, including two residential dormitories (Erb hall and Kaufman Court), an administration building, library, a number of academic buildings, and two gymnasiums. It also has a baseball diamond, a softball field, soccer field, a weight room, and four tennis courts.
The Dyck Arboretum of the Plains is a arboretum located 1 block south of the main campus.
The aviation program has facilities at the Newton City-County Airport east of Newton, Kansas.
The Nursing program, in addition to facilities on the main campus, has affiliations with local hospitals, including Newton Medical Center and Prairie View Mental Health Center in Newton, Schowalter Villa in Hesston, and Via Christi-St. Francis Campus, Via Christi-St. Joseph Campus, and Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.
Athletics The Hesston athletic teams are called the Larks. The college is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primary competing in the NAIA's Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) since the 2025–26 academic year. The Larks previously were in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) starting in 2018–19.KJCCC Members
Hesston competes in 12 intercollegiate varsity teams. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, flag football, soccer, softball and track & field.Lark Athletics
Joining the NAIA On April 7, 2025, Hesston announced that the school would join the NAIA and the NCCAA, effective 2025–26.Hesston College joins NAIA and NCCAA for 2025-26 athletic season - Hesston College
Administration PresidentsYears servedDaniel Henry Bender1909-1930Edward Yoder, Chair, Administrative Comm.1930-1932Milo Kauffman1932-1951Walter Oswald, Chair, Administrative Comm.1951-1953Roy D. Roth1953-1959Tilman R. Smith1959-1968Laban Peachey1968-1980Jim Mininger (Interim)1980-1981Kirk Alliman1981-1992Jim Mininger (Interim)1992-1993Loren Swartzendruber1993-2003Peter Wiebe (Interim)2003-2005Howard Keim2005-2016Benjamin E. Sprunger (Interim)2016-2017Joseph A. Manickam2017-2023Ross Peterson-Veatch (Interim)2023-Present Academic DeansYears servedJohn Denlinger Charles1909-1923Noah Oyer1923-1924Edward Yoder, (On leave)1924-1928Paul Erb (Acting)1924-1928Edward Yoder1928-1932Paul Erb1932-1941Ivan R. Lind1941-1949Walter Oswald1949-1953Justus Holsinger1953-1959Paul Bender (Acting)1959-1961Paton Yoder1961-1970Clayton Beyler (Acting)1970-1971Clayton Beyler1971-1973Gerri Lichti1973-1978Jim Mininger1978-1995Paul Keim1995-1997Bonnie Sowers (Interim)1997-1998Marcus Yoder1998-2006Bonnie Sowers (Interim)2006-2007Sandra Zerger2007-2014Brent Yoder2014-20??Dr. Carren Moham20??-2021Joan Griffing2021-Present as of January 2025
Notable people Alumni Theodore Epp, Christian clergyman, writer, and radio evangelist. John Hostetler, author, educator, and leading scholar of Amish and Hutterite societies. Christmas Kauffman, author of Mennonite Christian literature Jesse Martin, Canadian bishop and peace activist Katie Sowers, first female coach, and openly LGBTQ coach in the NFL.
Faculty Harold Bender, professor of theology
References
Further reading A School on the Prairie: A Centennial History of Hesston College, 1909–2009; John Sharp; 2009; . A Pillar of Cloud the Story of Hesston College; Mary Miller; 1959; ASIN B000JEMKR8.
External links
Hesston College (Hesston, Kansas, USA) at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online