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Historic Gift For McPherson College Athletics

Posted On: April 28, 2022
By: MC Admin
Craig Holman, Sport Center gift announcement

In a gathering of coaches and student-athletes, McPherson College recently announced the first-ever seven-figure gift made to Bulldog Athletics. The commitment made by Craig and Karen Holman of McPherson, which totals more than $1 million, will support the Sport Center expansion project included in the Building Community comprehensive fundraising campaign.

“It is exciting to have the Holmans step up to make this historic commitment at a time when we are competing to win in every sport,” said McPherson College President Michael Schneider. “I am proud to share that we will add the Holman name to the Sport Center at an event this fall during Homecoming.”

Craig along with both of the couple’s children are McPherson College graduates. While at McPherson College, Craig was an outstanding tennis player. He won conference singles and was District 10 singles championships three times, and was selected for the all-conference team all four years. He serves the McPherson community as a financial advisor owning an Ameriprise Financial practice. Craig is a member of the McPherson College Board of Trustees and serves as a volunteer assistant coach for the Bulldog tennis teams. Karen has served the community as a registered nurse and helped instruct those seeking to become licensed practical nurses. She is a volunteer at Lincoln Elementary and plays the violin.

“My years as a Bulldog athlete were a meaningful chapter in my life, and Bulldog Athletics have continued to enrich our lives ever since,” Craig Holman, said. “Karen and I want to help ensure that today’s Bulldog athletes, coaches, and staff have first-rate facilities and programs, focused on continued competitive excellence while developing lifetime relationships. We are hopeful that our gift will encourage other Bulldogs out there to share in the enthusiasm and affection we have for McPherson College student-athletes.”

The Holman family has been loyal supporters of McPherson area tennis, particularly the Bulldog tennis program funding the Holman Family Tennis Courts on campus.

The Sport Center project will include the addition of 5,000 sq. ft. of new space to expand the weight room and training room capacity as well as additional locker rooms and team spaces. It will also include a remodeling project for current spaces to better meet the needs of student-athletes. Construction will begin this summer.

“We are looking forward to inviting alumni and friends to an open house at Homecoming to see the plans for the project and show our progress,” Chandler Short, director of athletics, said. “Homecoming will be a great time for us to celebrate the Holman family and Bulldog Athletics.”

McPherson College Announces Endowed Scholarship Gift To Automotive Restoration Program

Posted On: April 7, 2022
By: MC Admin
Daryl and Ann Hemken

A family’s life-long passion for cars has made it possible to establish an endowed scholarship at McPherson College with an initial gift of $400,000 in the name of Col. Daryl and Ann Hemken. The permanent fund will award scholarships annually to students in the automotive restoration program.

“The Hemken family’s love of cars is extraordinary and their desire to support the next generation of automotive leaders assures that their family’s passion will continue well into the future,” McPherson College President Michael Schneider said. “The impact of their gift will be far-reaching, not only on the lives of our students but also on the automotive restoration industry that will benefit from our graduates.”

The late Col. Daryl and Ann Hemken started buying and collecting cars shortly after they were married in 1954. What started as a hobby turned into a passion that involved their entire family and eventually led to the founding of The Hemken Collection Museum in Williams, Iowa, where they lived. The collection was sold at auction in September 2021.

Daryl Hemken began his military career in 1948 and spent 34 years in the Army Reserve, retiring in 1982. He earned a degree in agriculture from Iowa State University and moved to Williams in 1962 where he farmed until retiring in 1994. Ann Hemken graduated from Cornell University and was a teacher for 24 years. Their love for collecting cars began with a 1914 Model T Ford Roadster purchased in 1960. Over the years, they acquired well over 150 automobiles and a wide assortment of parts. The core of their collection included cars from every manufacturer in the United States made between 1947 and 1948. They opened The Hemken Collection Museum in 2000 where Ann continued her love of education by giving tours to guests as well as researching, cataloging, and creating displays for the museum. Her commitment to education was a factor when the museum’s board of directors considered places to receive the proceeds from the auction.

In addition to the generous gift, the museum also hosted two McPherson College student interns to work for a summer preparing the collection for the auction.

“These scholarships acknowledge the Hemkens’ strong love of the automotive experience and belief in the value of education,” Amanda Gutierrez, vice president for automotive restoration, said. “In honoring Colonel and Mrs. Hemken with this gift, the family also honors the automotive experience that they all enjoyed together. And, they support a generation of students pursuing a career that carries on that love of the automobile.”

McPherson College’s Power Day 2022 Sets New Giving Records

Posted On: March 21, 2022
By: MC Admin
Power Day 2022

McPherson College’s Power Day 2022 surpassed all goals and set new records on March 10 during this year’s annual online day of giving that supports students and programs across campus. More than 400 alumni and friends of the college gave $314,383, exceeding last year’s total by more than $120,000, and in the eight years since its start, Power Day has raised more than $1 million.

“The response to this year’s Power Day exceeded all of my expectations,” Dave Barrett ’90, advancement officer and director of Power Day, said. “When we started this eight years ago, we wanted Power Day to connect with many groups within the MC family. It’s really a day about celebrating McPherson College.”

Gifts from alumni and friends of the college helped unlock matching challenges that totaled $95,000. The challenge gifts included:

  • $50,000 match from the Paul family for gifts made to the MC Fund and academic programs;
  • $10,000 match from the Van Goethem family for gifts made by young alumni;
  • $10,000 match from the Van Goethem family for gifts made to athletics;
  • $5,000 match from the Van Goethem family for gifts made to the choir;
  • $10,000 match from Jeff Slagle for gifts made to the automotive restoration program;
  • $10,000 match from a current McPherson College Board of Trustee member for gifts made by fellow board members.

“Power Day is not just a day of giving but a time for us all to celebrate and remember what McPherson College means to us,” Barrett said. “This is the place where many of us were allowed to grow and learn life lessons both in and out of the classroom and to meet life-long friends.”

The one-day giving blitz featured live and pre-recorded video messages throughout the day on the college’s social media channels and website. Alumni were encouraged to share their stories about the MC community leading up to Power Day and donors left comments throughout the day, which were shared on the college website.

In her online comment, Chrystal Banz ’07, said, “So grateful for my time at MC! From being a part of the first year of the graphic design program, bringing back women’s soccer, playing in the MC band, and on through the phone-a-thon. The memories and friendships will last a lifetime.”

Although the focus of Power Day is online giving, Barrett said it is also a day to engage with alumni and friends from across the country and communicate why it is important to support the next generation of students by investing in their success.

More information about Power Day, including all of the videos and alumni comments, can be found at www.mcpherson.edu/power.

Full-time College Students Who Work Part-time Reap Better Grades and Graduate with Less Debt

Posted On: February 7, 2022
By: MC Admin

By Michael Schneider, President
McPherson College

 

Kendyl-and-Nathan-Saffer

Siblings Kendyl and Nathan Saffer are planning to graduate debt-free through the college’s Student Debt Project.

Working part-time while taking a full-time course load is a reality for many college students. For some, it’s a financial necessity, but many parents and students still struggle with one major concern: How many hours can a student really work without affecting their grades or disrupting the college experience?

The fact is full-time college students who hold down part-time jobs see many benefits during and after college. McPherson College’s Student Debt Project provides students an opportunity to balance college with work through mentoring, job and paid internship placement, financial literacy training like budgeting and time management as well as incentives for paying down debt.

And there is one bonus—data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that students who work 10 to 15 hours per week while taking a full class load have stronger grades than those who don’t work at all. Students who have jobs are forced to develop better self-discipline and life skills. This evidence holds true for the 270 McPherson College students in our Student Debt Project who work an average of 15 hours per week and carry a 3.3 GPA compared to the 3.1 GPA of the rest of our student body.

In the Student Debt Project, McPherson College matches 25 cents for every dollar a student earns and applies toward their student debt. For the 2021-2022 academic year, our matching contributions are expected to exceed $250,000. The impact of the Student Debt Project is remarkable as participants have 50% less debt than the national average.

Nearly 85% of McPherson College students are working a job or paid internship – that’s twice the national average among college students and about 30% higher than Kansas college students overall according to the National Center for Education Statistics. We have more than 500 jobs and internships available on our campus and hundreds more off campus in the local community during the school year and across the country during the summer months. We’ve found that this additional, interactive engagement with faculty, staff and employers– whether within their academic field or not – gives our students more opportunity to apply classroom concepts to real world situations and students in the Debt Project are using dollars earned to graduate with little to no debt.

Nathan Saffer is a junior majoring in biochemistry. Sister Kendyl Saffer is a freshman in health science. They grew up on a ranch in Arriba, Colorado and both began raising their own cattle as youngsters, saving the profits for college. Both are now paying for college with those ranching profits, plus scholarships and the Student Debt Project. They have part-time jobs during the school year and work their herd during summers and school breaks. Using their cattle money to apply to each semester’s student debt, Nathan has been debt free each year. Kendyl is also planning to graduate debt free.

According to their father, Kevin Saffer, “the flexibility in the Student Debt Project is outstanding because it speaks to both sides of business. The kids have part-time jobs while they’re in school, giving them an understanding of working as an employee. And the project encourages their efforts as entrepreneurs. The Student Debt Project lets them see the business world from both sides.”

Students in the Debt Project have already proven that holding down a college job is far more than a means to reducing their student debt. It’s also an invaluable way to enhance their intellectual capital by enriching their human capital – allowing them to acquire skills and social networks that will set them apart from peers with only academic credentials on their resumes.

Having the grit to navigate life while juggling personal finances, family commitments and work is a rite of passage from youthful dependence to adult independence. Ultimately, once students embrace the balancing act through the Student Debt Project at McPherson College, they’ve opened the door to financial freedom and unlimited possibilities for the rest of their lives.

McPherson College Named One Of “2021 Great Colleges To Work For” With Honor Roll Distinction Among Small Colleges

Posted On: September 17, 2021
By: MC Admin
Great College to Work For badge

McPherson College is a great place to work, according to a new survey by the Great Colleges to Work For® program. The results, released today in a special edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education, recognize McPherson College for the seventh year in a row. McPherson College is also included on the survey’s Honor Roll for the sixth year in a row.

McPherson College is the only Kansas school earning recognition on the list. The results are based on a survey of 196 colleges and universities. In all, just 70 of the 196 institutions achieved recognition on the list for specific best practices and policies. Only 42 colleges were included on the Honor Roll, an elite group of institutions that are standouts within their respective enrollment sizes. McPherson College was recognized in all 10 categories of this year’s survey.

“Everyone at McPherson College works hard to make this a great place to work, and it’s special to be recognized again this year. This recognition is remarkable given all the challenges presented by the pandemic the past year,” McPherson College President Michael Schneider said. “The fact that we have earned this distinction now for seven years running –  and been named to the Honor Roll for six years in a row – speaks to the strong, collaborative relationships among our faculty, staff, and administration.”

President Schneider points to some of the basics like the college’s health insurance plan that has not had a premium increase for more than 10 years and monthly all-campus meetings called “huddles,” as reasons why people like working for McPherson College. Additionally, involvement in programs like training from the Kansas Leadership Center, which develop adaptive problem-solving skills, and other significant professional development investments in the operating budget, sets McPherson College apart from other college campuses.

“I love that my scholarship is appreciated and supported at McPherson College,” Kirk MacGregor, associate professor of philosophy and religion, said. “Every year, I present papers at multiple professional society meetings with all of my expenses covered by the college. Moreover, I love the freedom to teach what I am most passionate about in my classes. This freedom facilitates a symbiotic relationship between my teaching and my scholarship, where students directly benefit from my research.”

McPherson College was one of 14 institutions nationwide to earn top honors in all of the report’s 10 categories, which include areas like compensation and benefits along with work and life balance.

“At McPherson College, I am given the space to try a new idea and feel supported by my colleagues,” Abigayle Morgan, a 2019 graduate, said. “I am thrilled to have a hand in shaping the current student experience that was so instrumental during my time as a student at the college.”

Community is central to McPherson College’s identity, according to President Schneider. “As our college community continues to work through the current challenges, faculty and staff are planning past our most recent and innovative strategic plan, Community by Design. The strategic plan drove decision-making and much of the work we did over the last several years, and much of the work will continue as we focus on the future. In addition, we did all of it while balancing our operating budget, maintaining our overall student retention, and working through a pandemic and enrolling the largest class in college history. By working together, these plans will nurture the creative processes to sustain innovative academic ventures like the new Health Science program, develop a new tuition revenue model based on the Student Debt Project and Kansas Commitment, and transition MC from a traditional residential campus to a vibrant community.”

The Great Colleges to Work For® survey is one of the largest and most respected workplace recognition programs in the country. This year more than 38,000 faculty and staff responded to the survey. The survey conducted by ModernThink — an organization committed to improving workplace quality — recognizes the colleges that get top ratings from their employees regarding workplace practices and policies.

McPherson College Ranks in U.S. News & World Report “Best College” List

Posted On: September 14, 2021
By: MC Admin
US News & World Report Best Colleges

For the sixth year in a row, McPherson College has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report on the 2022 “Best Colleges” list for Regional Colleges in the Midwest. Additionally, McPherson College was ranked on the “Best Value Schools” and “Top Performers on Social Mobility” lists.

Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included on the “Best Value Schools” ranking list. When evaluating colleges for this list, U.S. News & World Report considers the most significant values to be among colleges that are above average academically and takes into account academic quality as well as cost. McPherson College was also recognized among colleges that are successful at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of students awarded Pell grants.

“It is an honor to be included on such a well-respected list,” President Michael Schneider said. “It’s further proof that McPherson College is being recognized for the work being done by our faculty and staff to ensure quality education, excellent student experience, and value.”

Initiatives such as the college’s Kansas Commitment and Student Debt Project, which support students in graduating with little or no debt, and the college’s successful career placement rate, are just a few examples of why McPherson College is recognized on the “Best Colleges” list, according to President Schneider.

“We have some of the highest placement rates in the country with two-thirds of our graduates having jobs or graduate school placement before they even graduate,” President Schneider said. “Combined with our focus on eliminating student debt we are proving to students and families that a McPherson College education is the best choice, and resulting in growing enrollment this fall and steady retention over the past few years.”

The U.S. News & World Report has been ranking colleges for more than 35 years. U.S. News measures academic quality using 17 metrics, with the most weight placed on outcomes, including not only the ability of a college to retain and graduate students from different socioeconomic backgrounds but also graduates’ average indebtedness. Class size, undergraduate academic reputation, and how much colleges invest in instruction and student services are among the other data points collected to develop this year’s rankings.

McPherson College’s Kansas Commitment Initiative Offers Full Tuition For Kansas Residents

Posted On: September 7, 2021
By: MC Admin
Kansas Commitment

McPherson College is introducing a new initiative that complements The Student Debt Project helping students and families reduce the amount of student loan debt that many accumulate during college. The Kansas Commitment offers full tuition for qualifying Kansas residents to attend McPherson College.

“The Kansas Commitment guarantees qualified Kansas residents full-tuition packages,” Christi Hopkins, vice president for admissions, said. “Couple this program with the Student Debt Project and families who may have thought they could not afford college can now realistically graduate with no debt.”

Kansas students who are Pell grant eligible and have a transfer or high school GPA of 2.5 or above can apply for the Kansas Commitment. The scholarship and grant package uses all forms of aid, both institutional and need-based, including Pell grant and Kansas Comprehensive grant. The package is renewable based on satisfactory academic progress and Pell eligibility. The Kansas Commitment is one more option offered by McPherson College to help students reduce the amount of loans they might need to attend college, according to President Michael Schneider.

“More than one-third of our student body is enrolled in the Student Debt Project, learning basic financial literacy skills like budgeting and being supported by mentors,” President Schneider said. “Now in its fourth year, the average projected debt at graduation for those who participate in the program has been reduced by $10,000 per student. Student debt is an issue that has been debated in Congress for 25 years. I don’t think we can afford to wait for answers. It is our responsibility as a leader in higher education to solve the problem with innovative programs like this and our commitment to Kansas students.”

McPherson College offers several scholarship packages based on academic achievement, residency, participation, and area of study. Most students are eligible for up to $24,000 in combined Merit, Presidential, and MC Pillar scholarships. To be considered for scholarships, students need to submit an application to the college and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

McPherson College Welcomes Class of 2025

Posted On: August 17, 2021
By: MC Admin
Freshmen photo, Class of 2025

Continuing the upward enrollment trend established over the past seven years, McPherson College welcomed the class of 2025 to campus on August 17 for the start of fall semester classes. Freshmen and transfer students comprise the largest group of new students in school history at 350. As classes get underway, full-time degree-seeking enrollment is again over 800.

At 282 students, the class of 2025 is 35 percent larger than last year’s freshman class. The class comes to McPherson from 36 states and 12 countries. Twenty students decided to stay closer to home and took advantage of the college’s scholarship offered to students from neighboring communities. While freshmen are enrolled in all programs across campus, the top programs include business, auto restoration, behavior science, health science, and sports management. The health science program, introduced last year, pairs students with local health agencies for experiential education opportunities, and sports management is a restructured program starting this semester.

Due to the disruptions of last year, many students are looking forward to a more traditional college experience. McPherson College began the fall semester without social distancing restrictions in its classrooms but for the first two weeks is asking everyone to wear a mask while inside campus facilities. The college is among schools from across the country joining the White House COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge and agreeing to take action in encouraging students, faculty and staff members to be vaccinated.

“While many question whether or not a small college should exist, we are proving that students and families value the kind of experience they find at McPherson College,” President Michael Schneider said. “One of the ways we do that is by addressing what students and families are most concerned about and that is college debt.”

For the past three years, McPherson College has offered students an opportunity to reduce their student loans by participating in the Student Debt Project. Beginning the fourth year of the program, nearly 40% of McPherson College students have applied to the program. During fall orientation, every student learned about their own financial wellness by filling out personal budget sheets that explain their costs, financial aid, and how participating in the Student Debt Project could help them reduce the gap owed before loans.

Along with matching funds and a pay-as-you-go option, the program also matches students with mentors to answer financial questions. This year, more than 40 alumni and friends of the college, spanning from Florida to California, serve as mentors to small groups of students in the program.

“It is important to help our students understand their financial obligations and see that there are options other than taking out loans to pay for college,” Christi Hopkins, vice president for admissions, said. “Many students are already planning to work at college, and this gives them an added incentive to pay as they go while reducing the amount they borrow.”

McPherson College Celebrates Class of 2021 in Outdoor Ceremony

Posted On: May 20, 2021
By: MC Admin
McPherson College graduation

Seated on the track at McPherson Stadium, the Class of 2021 was described as “resilient” and recognized for making it to the finish line at the McPherson College 133rd Commencement Ceremony held Sunday, May 16.

McPherson College conferred degrees on 158 students in an outdoor ceremony, the first of its kind in several years. Each student was allowed four tickets for family and friends who sat in the bleachers and watched the ceremony. Despite the threat of rain, the ceremony completed just before the rain began.

Dr. ShaRhonda Maclin, associate dean of students and executive director of housing at the University of Oklahoma and a former Dean of Students at McPherson College, was the commencement speaker. She encouraged the graduates to intentionally seek out community and continue to invest in themselves.

“Reach out to mentors and friends when you are lost or scared,” she said in her address to students. “Talk less and smile more so you can find the people who you love and will love you back.”

Taylor Cunningham, the senior class representative, and Professor Joe Dickhudt, retiring restoration technology instructor, also addressed the class.

The commencement ceremony concluded with Dr. Michael Schneider, president of McPherson College, acknowledging the challenges of the past year and recognizing what the class has accomplished.

“While the world was debating what it meant to be safe, you were right here in McPherson College focused and working hard,” he said. “As you scatter out into the world remember to take what you have learned here and do good.”

Names of the graduating class of 2021 and the commencement video can be found at: www.mcpherson.edu/graduation.

Gift Funds Scholarships for Future Women Leaders in Health Care

Posted On: January 25, 2021
By: MC Admin

The Carolyn Beach Endowed Scholarship Fund will provide approximately 10 health science scholarships for McPherson College students

McPherson College has announced an estate gift of nearly $1.7 million to create the Carolyn Beach Endowed Scholarship Fund – a permanent fund to award scholarships annually to students, especially women—pursuing careers in the health science field.

Carolyn Beach attended McPherson College from 1958 to 1960. She passed away on August 20, 2020.

“Carolyn wanted the resources she accumulated through her life’s work used to impact others with similar career interests,” McPherson College President Michael Schneider said. “The impact of Carolyn’s estate gift will be far-reaching, touching the lives of many McPherson College students.”

As a student at McPherson College, Beach fondly remembered several science professors, specifically, Dr. John Burkholder and Dr. Wesley DeCoursey, who laid a solid foundation for her future career in health care. She also competed in basketball and softball. She was influenced by Dr. Doris Coppock, a long-time former teacher and coach. Beach chose to attend McPherson College because of its strong connection to the Church of the Brethren. She later transferred to the University of Iowa to follow her dream of earning a degree in medical technology. She lived most of her adult life in California where she enjoyed a rewarding career as a medical technologist with Kaiser Permanente.

“Carolyn was motivated to support McPherson College because she experienced the importance of personal interaction with professors and recognized that was still taking place today for our students,” Erik Vogel, vice president for advancement, said. “She also appreciated the college’s efforts to help students graduate debt-free through the Student Debt Project, the high job placement rate for our students, and the college’s ongoing relationship with the Church of the Brethren. Carolyn was further impressed that $1 million in local support had already been committed to McPherson College’s health care initiative.”

The Carolyn Beach Endowed Scholarship Fund will provide approximately 10 health science scholarships for McPherson College students. Beach’s ultimate desire was for her scholarship fund to enable hard-working students, who are excited about a career in health science, the ability to earn their college degree. Further, she wanted to give opportunities to other women like her by removing financial barriers that might deter them from following this career path.

This fall, McPherson College introduced the new Health Science program, which offers majors in health science and health care management. The program focuses on creating health-related career pathways for students while engaging them in the community. Partnerships with local and regional health care agencies, like the one with McPherson Center for Health, announced last year, provide students with hands-on educational opportunities in a variety of health care settings.