The Tabor College Class of 2023 gathered for the institution’s 113th Commencement, May 6, in Hillsboro, Kansas, where 77 on-campus and online undergraduates and 29 students from graduate and online programs were honored in a joint ceremony.
Nineteen students earned the highest Summa Cum Laude honors, while seven earned the Magna Cum Laude distinction.
Professor Emerita Aleen Ratzlaff gave the commencement address, “Embracing the Vitamin Cs of Life.” Ratzlaff shared three “C words” for students to reflect on as they graduate.
“Vitamins are vital for ongoing growth,” Ratzlaff said. “Our physical bodies need it to form blood vessels, muscle and collagen in bones, and it’s also essential to our body’s healing process. So, like vitamins, I believe that connection, communication and change to the heart are vital as you graduate and contribute to this world.”
Natalie Ford, Fort Collins, Colorado, senior class president, spoke on behalf of the undergraduate class.
“When we came to Tabor, we did not understand the impact it would have on us in lifelong friendships and that it would bring us closer as brothers and sisters in Christ,” Ford said. “As the graduating class of 2023, we have been through a lot together, and we persevered to sit in these seats.”
Seth Hilton, who concluded two years as a graduate assistant for women’s basketball, spoke on behalf of graduate and online students. Chandelle Claassen, a master’s graduate from Newton, Kansas, gave the Scripture reading.
Under the direction of Greg Zielke, the Tabor Concert Choir sang, “I Will Sing” by Michael Engelhardt.
“We’re so proud of the dedication of these students and the work they did to complete their degree,” said President David Janzen. “We pray God’s blessings over these graduates and are honored to walk with them as alumni, fulfilling his calling in their lives.”
Tabor College is the Mennonite Brethren college located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The mission of Tabor College, founded in 1908, is to prepare people for a life of learning, work and service for Christ and his kingdom.
