Kirk MacGregor

Kirk MacGregor, assistant professor and chair of Philosophy and Religion at McPherson College, recently published a textbook titled “Contemporary Theology: An Introduction – Classical, Evangelical, Philosophical, and Global Perspectives.” Professor MacGregor also created a 38-lecture video series to accompany the text.

“Contemporary Theology,” published by Zondervan, provides a chronological survey of the major thinkers and schools of thought in modern theology. The text is described as an accessible, wide-ranging overview of the contemporary theological scene. It will be used this spring in Professor MacGregor’s Christian Traditions class.

Professor MacGregor is the author of four other books and of over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles appearing in prominent forums such as the Harvard Theological Review, among others. He joined the McPherson College faculty in 2016 and was recognized as Professor of the Year in 2018 and received the Non-Tenured Faculty Teaching Award in 2017. Before coming to McPherson College, he also taught at James Madison University, Radford University, the University of Northern Iowa, Western Illinois University, and Quincy University.

McPherson College recognizes its highest academic achievers in the fall 2018 Honor Roll and Honorable Mention. To qualify for the Honor Roll, students must be a full-time student and earn a grade point average of 3.55 or higher during the previous term. Students earning a grade point average from 3.25 to 3.54 are named to the Honorable Mention Roll.

Students named to the McPherson College HONOR ROLL for fall 2018 include:

Francis Abate, Senior, Steamboat Springs, CO
Evariste Abeli, Freshman, Kinshasa, CONGO
Kento Aizawa, Senior, McPherson, KS
Zackary Alexander, Junior, McPherson, KS
Cori Alexander, Sophomore, Roanoke, TX
Aryana Archuleta, Junior, Sacramento, CA
Shelby Augustine, Senior, Hutchinson, KS
Aziza Aziza, Sophomore, Kinshasa, CONGO
Destiny Bacon, Sophomore, La Mesa, CA
Olivia Baldner, Senior, Johnston, IA
Reganne Barker, Junior, Tipton, KS
Thane Barta, Sophomore, Anchorage, AK
Guido Battistini, Junior, Pilar, ARGENTINA
Walter Behrens, Sophomore, Crested Butte, CO
Ethan Billhime, Senior, Windermere, FL
Diamond Blaylock-Norris, Junior, Flower Mound, TX
Julien Bodin, Sophomore, Cartagena, SPAIN
Kevin Boeckman, Sophomore, Wamego, KS
Zoe Bouwmeester, Senior, Zutphen, THE NETHERLANDS
Cameron Boyce, Freshman, Tebbetts, MO
Reven Bradbury, Sophomore, Castle Rock, CO
Riley Bradbury, Sophomore, Castle Rock, CO
Trey Brand, Junior, Maize, KS
Abigail Briscoe, Freshman, Little River, KS
Cedric Brown, Freshman, Culpeper, VA
Makaylee Bryson, Freshman, Spanish Fork, UT
Ashley Burch, Senior, Pittsburg, KS
Robert Calkins, Senior, Rowlett, TX
Jorge Calleros, Sophomore, Saint John, KS
James Canar, Freshman, Longmont, CO
Diego Cantu, Senior, Roma, TX
Brady Carstens, Freshman, Loveland, CO
Naomi Cartmell, Junior, McPherson, KS
Nicholas Chappetta, Senior, Sunnyvale, TX
Brittany Childs, Senior, Junction City, KS
Justin Clemens, Freshman, Colorado Springs, CO
Chloe Cloud, Senior, Wichita, KS
Tyesha Collins, Freshman, Colorado Springs, CO
Garrett Connor, Junior, Littleton, CO
Chelsea Conrad, Senior, Ione, CA
Haven Cordova, Senior, Enid, OK
Jordynn Corea, Junior, Amarillo, TX
Timothy Cowan, Junior, Shawnee Mission, KS
Jarett Cruz, Freshman, Fountain, CO
Taylor Cunningham, Junior, Wellsville, KS
Micaila Curtis, Senior, Great Bend, KS
Payten Davies, Senior, West Jordan, UT
Rashida Davis, Junior, Liberal, KS
Brooke DeLuca, Senior, Hutchinson, KS
Dominic DeLuca, Senior, Hutchinson, KS
Matthew DeVoe, Junior, Chanute, KS
Taylor Dreiling, Senior, Ness City, KS
Tyler Dunn, Sophomore, Lawton, OK
Paul Calvin Dusabe, Freshman, Commune De Limete, CONGO
Benjamin Falconer, Junior, Greeley, CO
Jadin Fleming, Freshman, Castle Rock, CO
Theodore Flint, Freshman, Sagle, ID
Linda Flores, Junior, Paramus, NJ
Rachel Foreman, Senior, Holcomb, KS
Erin Fralick, Senior, New Palestine, IN
Jesse Freeman, Senior, Castle Rock, CO
Rinaldo Gagiano, Junior, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Alejandra Galindo, Senior, Roma, TX
Cali Godwin, Junior, Wichita, KS
Kollin Goering, Freshman, McPherson, KS
Victoria Gonzalez, Junior, Keller, TX
Dayla Gordon, Freshman, McPherson, KS
Quinn Gordon, Junior, Sherman Oaks, CA
Cullen Grabast, Junior, Osborne, KS
Sierra Grow, Freshman, Halstead, KS
Madison Hall, Freshman, The Colony, TX
Alicia Hall, Junior, Aurora, CO
Garrett Ham, Sophomore, Albuquerque, NM
Brittni Harlow, Senior, Lincoln, KS
Kaitlyn Heinis, Senior, Oviedo, FL
Rachael Hendricks, Freshman, McPherson, KS
Shyanne Henkis, Freshman, Laveen, AZ
Grayson Henry, Freshman, Mckinney, TX
Jaden Hilgers, Senior, Wichita, KS
Charles Hoehaver, Senior, Auburn, AL
Joshua Hoerner, Sophomore, Lindsborg, KS
Alissa Hofmann, Junior, Gilbert, AZ
Aubrey Hollinger, Senior, McPherson, KS
Taliatha Holmes, Senior, Inman, KS
Cara Hudson, Senior, Wasco, CA
Haley Hurst, Freshman, Norman, OK
Florine Ibale, Sophomore, Kinshasa, CONGO
Lionel Ibonga, Junior, McPherson, KS
Navid Istanbullu, Sophomore, Bremen, GERMANY
Martin Jaime, Freshman, San Antonio, TX
Ashley Jensen, Senior, Indianola, IA
Juan Jimenez, Senior, Pereira, COLOMBIA
Destiny Johnson, Sophomore, Arlington, TX
Jessica Jones, Junior, Brentwood, CA
Daniel Journey, Junior, Olathe, KS
Sebia Kalambayi Kabedi, Junior, Lake Bluff, IL
Thara Kalambayi Kapinga, Junior, Lake Bluff, IL
Haelie Kniesteadt, Junior, Gove, KS
Jessica Knoeber, Senior, Hutchinson, KS
Justus Clemens Kohler, Sophomore, Prosselsheim, GERMANY
Jessica Lane, Senior, Weatherford, TX
Sydney Lang, Senior, Berryton, KS
Timothy Lauring, Senior, Paxton, MA
Sheresa Layton, Junior, Limon, CO
Cierra Lee, Junior, Goodyear, AZ
James Lee, Sophomore, Royston, UNITED KINGDOM
Alexander Lehn, Senior, McPherson, CA
Amanda Lolling, Senior, Haysville, KS
Diego Loza, Senior, San Diego, CA
Andre Guillaume Lubaya, Sophomore, Young America, CONGO
Esther Lubiba, Sophomore, Kinshasa, CONGO
Mitchell Ludinich, Sophomore, Nowata, OK
Alexis Lynn, Senior, Pleasant Hill, MO
Dylan Martell, Freshman, Colorado Springs, CO
Kylee Martin, Senior, Larned, KS
Adrian Martinez Sanchez, Freshman, Laredo, TX
Aventino Martinez-Garcia, Sophomore, Wichita, KS
Brent Masters, Junior, Howe, TX
Trisha Mathewson, Freshman, Axtell, KS
Mikel McCann, Freshman, Joplin, MO
Arzell McCray, Senior, Wichita, KS
Aaron McCready, Sophomore, Raphoe, IRELAND
Hannah McKay, Freshman, Golden, CO
Nathaniel McLaughlin, Junior, Ticonderoga, NY
Robert Medina, Freshman, Kansas City, KS
Matthew Melchor, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Wyatt Miceli, Freshman, Woodacre, CA
Matthew Tyler Miller-Wells, Senior, Leavenworth, KY
Maressah Milum, Senior, Douglass, KS
Rodrigo Miranda Enriquez, Freshman, Great Bend, KS
Myron Moncur, Senior, San Jose, CA
Abigayle Morgan, Senior, Lansing, IL
Karl Moritz, Senior, Columbia, PA
Maison Moseley, Freshman, Woodward, OK
Ilanna Moyer, Junior, McPherson, KS
Joyce Muhizi, Junior, Dacula, GA
Billy Muhizi, Junior, Dacula, GA
Madison Mullen, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Juliana Munoz, Senior, Antelope, CA
LeaAnn Myers, Junior, Loveland, CO
Nicholas Navarro, Junior, Paramus, NJ
Lillian Oeding, Senior, Wichita, KS
Peyton Ohnoutka, Freshman, Lincoln, NE
Tevin Oller, Junior, Kingman, KS
Julianna Olvera, Senior, Bakersfield, CA
Garrett Owen, Junior, Woodward, OK
Grant Owens, Freshman, Hutchinson, KS
Kentaro Oya, Freshman, Saitama-shi, JAPAN
Erica Paradise, Freshman, Bakersfield, CA
Frances Parish, Freshman, Rogers, AR
Katherina Paulson, Senior, McPherson, KS
Tina Payne, Senior, Limon, CO
Allison Penalva, Sophomore, McPherson, KS
Alexander Polakow, Sophomore, Glenview, IL
Mason Polston, Senior, Emporia, KS
Grant Raleigh, Senior, Hesston, KS
Dominick Ramos, Senior, Fresno, CA
Alexander Ramsier, Senior, Wooster, OH
Bailey Reinoehl, Senior, Olathe, KS
Ian Rhoten, Senior, Wichita, KS
Rianne Richard, Senior, Kechi, KS
Cami Richardson, Junior, Hesston, KS
Dylan Riley, Junior, Lake Ozark, MO
Joseph Robben, Sophomore, Goddard, KS
Brittany Roberts, Sophomore, Mansfield, TX
Megan Rockey, Senior, Robinson, KS
Kaleb Rogers, Senior, Falun, KS
Brooke Russell, Senior, Hays, KS
Rick Sakamoto, Freshman, Frankston South, AUSTRALIA
Eilish Samuelson, Senior, Hutchinson, KS
Katherine Saul, Freshman, Porter, TX
Kody Scholl, Freshman, Colorado Springs, CO
Madison Schrag, Senior, McPherson, KS
Morgan Sechler, Senior, McPherson, KS
Jonas Seitz, Freshman, Gevelsberg, GERMANY
Amber Shuey, Senior, Wichita, KS
Jamie Siess, Junior, Tecumseh, KS
Christie Silber, Sophomore, Simi Valley, CA
Tomi Simmons, Sophomore, Las Vegas, NV
Emma Singleton, Freshman, North Las Vegas, NV
Kortney Slaughter Jones, Junior, Brentwood, CA
Bo Slaymaker, Freshman, Johnstown, CO
Rhianna Smith, Senior, Lindsborg, KS
Zadie Smith, Senior, McPherson, KS
Alison Smith, Junior, Lockeford, CA
Justin Smith, Freshman, Wylie, TX
Lowden Smith, Junior, Dayton, WA
Karlie Sneed, Freshman, Seminole, OK
Antonio Snyder, Sophomore, Newton, KS
Wesley Spurgeon, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Jack Stalcup, Sophomore, Hugoton, KS
Andrew Steinbeck, Freshman, Liberty, MO
Stevie Stockham, Senior, McPherson, KS
Ryan Swiggart, Junior, Haysville, KS
Brett Sykes, Junior, Coldspring, TX
Kyle Thiessen, Freshman, Whitewater, KS
Sean Thomson, Freshman, Blandford Forum, UNITED KINGDOM
Jacob Tiernan, Senior, Abilene, KS
Meklit Tilahun, Junior, Irwin, OH
Cortney Toothaker, Senior, Dodge City, KS
Jacob Turley, Junior, Leighton Buzzard, UNITED KINGDOM
Luis Valdez-Rivera, Freshman, Sachse, TX
Ashley Venable, Senior, McPherson, KS
Italia Venegas, Junior, Shawnee Mission, KS
Victoria Voyles, Senior, McPherson, KS
Nicolas Wahl, Junior, Koenigstein, GERMANY
Erik Wallace, Senior, Richwood, OH
Myriah Webster, Junior, Lindsborg, KS
Courtney Weesner, Junior, Hutchinson, KS
Albert Wegener, Junior, Kansas City, MO
Sierra Werries, Senior, McPherson, KS
Elizabeth Williams, Junior, Broken Arrow, OK
Evan Wojtkiewicz, Senior, Kansas City, MO
Brandt Wolters, Senior, Portis, KS
Ellis Woodruff, Sophomore, Princeton, TX
Logan Worswick, Senior, Garland, TX
Julianna Yanez, Sophomore, Wichita, KS
Kaitlyn van Asselt, Senior, McPherson, KS

Students named to the McPherson College HONORABLE MENTION for fall 2018 include:

Morgan Abbott, Sophomore, Decatur, TX
Riley Allen, Freshman, Logan, KS
Esther Tibaidjuka Amuli, Freshman, Kinshasa, CONGO
Logan Anderson, Junior, Golden, CO
Brevin Baessler, Senior, Gilbert, AZ
Ian Baker, Freshman, Provo, UT
Lilliana Balderas, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Cody Baumgartner, Freshman, Hudson, CO
Julia Berger, Senior, Washington, DC,
Davis Bint, Junior, Azle, TX
Molly Booker, Freshman, Roseville, CA
William Bossa, Senior, Marion, KS
Jack Bradley, Freshman, Mounds, OK
Amy Braimbridge, Junior, Connolly, AUSTRALIA
Kyrstin Branscum, Freshman, Gravette, AR
Mairion Brunken, Sophomore, Willemstad, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
Rola Bwalya, Junior, Hoisington, KS
Patrick Calip, Junior, Tulsa, OK
Brian Cantu, Junior, Mission, TX
Colton Chamberlain, Sophomore, Reno, TX
Giovanni Chavarri, Freshman, Royse City, TX
Justin Cochran, Senior, Wichita, KS
Cailey Cornett, Freshman, Lindsborg, KS
Jonathan Cox, Junior, Hialeah, FL
Tyler Depperschmidt, Senior, Wichita, KS
Kelsey Doll, Freshman, Salina, KS
Hunter Dreiling, Junior, Goddard, KS
Greggory Elvin, Senior, Marquette, KS
Erik Espinoza, Senior, San Ysidro, CA
Kyle Fehringer, Freshman, Parker, CO
Lenae Fitzmaurice, Sophomore, Wichita, KS
William Flesher, Freshman, Wichita, KS
Micah Gilbert, Senior, Elkhart, IN
Elle Gillen, Junior, Castle Rock, CO
Emerson Goering, Sophomore, McPherson, KS
Moneshya Green, Junior, McCook, NE
Michael Groll, Sophomore, Kettering, OH
Jacqueline Gullion, Freshman, Fremont, CA
Careino Gurley, Senior, Minneapolis, MN
Jacob Herman, Sophomore, Coronado, CA
Guillermo Hernandez, Freshman, Hutchinson, KS
Cole Hinton, Junior, Wathena, KS
Danielle Holt, Junior, Glenpool, OK
Joseph Isaacson, Junior, Salina, KS,
Makenzie Jansonius, Freshman, Prairie View, KS
Chloe Jones, Freshman, McPherson, KS
Neville Kabangu, Sophomore, Kinshasa, CONGO
Gracia Kasereka, Freshman, Commune De Selembao, CONGO
Choucranie Kayembe, Sophomore, Lubumbashi Haut Katanga, ZAIRE
Christopher Kelly, Senior, Glasgow, UNITED KINGDOM
Skylar Lane, Sophomore, Castle Rock, CO
Tatelyn Lasley, Junior, Springfield, CO
Jaivion Lattimore, Freshman, Aurora, CO
Kyle Lux, Junior, Lewes, DE
Gage Maccoy, Junior, Lenexa, KS
Miles McCormack, Senior, Los Olivos, CA
Elliot Mehrens, Freshman, Topeka, KS
Gerardo Mendez, Junior, Wichita, KS
Micayla Mikulski, Freshman, Katy, TX
Paige Milem, Junior, McPherson, KS
Cole Miller, Freshman, Mcpherson, KS
Killian Millner, Senior, McPherson, KS
Peyton Morris, Sophomore, Burleson, TX
Grant Newton, Senior, Coffeyville, KS
Aysia Pryor, Senior, Wichita, KS
Tyler Rainey, Freshman, Saint Louis, MO
Valentin Ramirez Laborde, Senior, Alfas del pi, SPAIN
Kendryk Rankin, Sophomore, Fountain, CO
Gabriel Reed, Freshman, Coweta, OK
Daymion Richard, Freshman, Colorado Springs, CO
Jonas Rivero, Freshman, Dumas, TX
Sean Robinson, Freshman, La Grange, IL
Xavier Rodriguez, Freshman, Frisco, TX
Scarlet Rodriguez, Senior, Houston, TX
Dennis Schorb, Freshman, Malsch, GERMANY
Leia Seiler, Senior, Brighton, CO
Noah Shannon, Freshman, Eldorado, KS
Matthew Shrader, Freshman, Olathe, KS
Bryce Snodgrass, Junior, Peyton, CO
McKenzie Stalnaker, Junior, Wichita, KS
Lane Sutterby, Senior, Savonburg, KS
Max Tucker, Junior, Saint Charles, IL
Nicholas Turner, Freshman, Hemphill, TX
Kellen Watkins, Senior, Hugoton, KS
Hannah Wedel, Senior, Halstead, KS
Bradley Wells, Senior, Olathe, KS
Austin Wiley, Freshman, Kansas City, MO
Connor Wolfe, Freshman, Hutchinson, KS
Isabella Zacchia, Senior, Lakeland, FL
Marissa Zamora, Junior, Chester, CA

McPherson College has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report on the 2019 “Best Colleges” list.

For the third year in a row, McPherson College has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report on the 2019 “Best Colleges” list for Regional Colleges Midwest. This year McPherson College moved up three places and continues to be the top ranked KCAC college on the list.

In addition to being named on the “Best Colleges” list, McPherson College was also included in the “Best Value Schools” ranking. Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included on this list because U.S. News considers the most significant values to be among colleges that are above average academically, according to the publication.

“It is an honor to be included as a Best College 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 a quality education and excellent student experience. I couldn’t be more proud of our campus community.”

Indicators such as the college’s retention rate, which was 80 percent overall this fall, and job placement, which was as high as 96 percent for 2018 automotive restoration graduates, coupled with the “Best Colleges” ranking make it clear that McPherson College is doing things right, 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. “And, our students are coming back because they see how they can be successful after graduation and realize the value they receive here.”

Focusing on academic excellence, the “Best Colleges” rankings updated its methodology this year to further emphasize student outcomes, which hold the most weight at 35 percent – up from 30 percent last year. Through this update, U.S. News is measuring how well schools support low-income students through graduation.

The U.S. News & World Report has been ranking colleges for 34 years. The rankings are based on several key measures, each weighted as a percentage of the total score. Graduation, retention rates, and social mobility, assessment of excellence by peers and high school counselors, the quality of faculty resources (such as class size and student-faculty ratio), and account for more than three-fourths of the ranking.

The remaining one-fourth of the ranking is determined by a college’s student selectivity, and amount of alumni giving and the financial resources at the institution’s disposal.

Micaila Curtis, a third year senior from Great Bend, Kansas majoring in biology, recently received the 2018 Maud Wyatt Memorial Scholarship granted by the Kansas Independent College Foundation.

Micaila Curtis never imagined as a freshman starting at McPherson College that she would graduate in three years and be applying for medical school. But with good grades, hard work and scholarships, that’s exactly what she will do. And, she will be graduating debt free.

Curtis, a third year senior from Great Bend, Kansas majoring in biology, recently received the 2018 Maud Wyatt Memorial Scholarship granted by the Kansas Independent College Foundation. The scholarship has been awarded since 1995 and restructured this year to recognize a student from each of the 19 Kansas Independent College Association institutions.

“McPherson College is the right fit for me,” she said. “It’s small enough yet big enough; close to home, but not too close; and it gave me the best scholarships and the opportunities I need to get into graduate school.”

As a recipient of the KICF scholarships, Curtis met the requirements as a full-time, degree seeking student on the cusp of graduation, and demonstrated excellence in academics, character, and leadership. Recipients also must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above while being active on their campus.

That is not a problem for Curtis. While maintaining a GPA well above the requirement, she also participates in the McPherson College Choir, is a member of the theatre honor society and the Pre-Health Professionals club, she helps with new student orientation and student panels, and volunteers at the McPherson hospital. She also works on campus in the Admissions Office, and as a certified nursing assistant at the local urgent care center.

“I was nominated for the scholarship by my co-workers in the Admissions Office,” Curtis said. “It really made my year that they would nominate me. It’s fun keeping busy with my activities and work. It has helped me find a group of people who are always there to support me.”

By combining her scholarships and wages from employment, Curtis anticipates graduating this spring without any student debt.

“I have been blessed with an education and no student debt,” she said. “I couldn’t be happier. Coming to McPherson College was the best choice of my life.”