Season’s Greetings from Hastings College

  
This holiday season, Hastings College would like to thank all of its alumni for their generous support. These past few years have been overshadowed by trying economic times, but through it all, your commitment to the College has remained strong. In this past year, your investment in Hastings College has provided scholarship assistance to over 98% of our current students, helped the College reach a record enrollment of 1,212 students, assisted in the funding of academic programs that are unique to Hastings College and provided the financial resources for some of the best educational facilities in the region. As an alumnus, you have experienced first-hand the life-changing impact of a Hastings College education. Now, through your commitment to your alma mater, current and future generations of students will have the ability to share in this experience. Hastings College is forever grateful for everything you do and offers its best wishes to you and your loved ones this holiday season.

HC Soccer Shoots Its Way to the National Tournament
  

The Hastings College Women’s and Men’s Soccer Teams have wrapped up their regular season play and have seen tremendous success in the post-season. Having each won the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament, both teams are currently playing in the NAIA National Tournament. The women opened tournament play by defeating Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 1-1 (2 OT, PKs 3-2) in the first round and knocking off the #1 seed, Concordia (Ore.) 2-1 in the second round. They will play next on Wednesday, December 1 at 1:30 p.m. The men began their tournament play as the #3 seed, and shutting out Missouri Valley 3-0 in the first round and posting another shut out against Bryan (Tenn.) 3-0 in the second round. The men will begin third-round play on December 1 at 2:30 p.m. To follow both of the Bronco Soccer teams visit the NAIA National Championship Site.

Sounds of the Season
  

As a special holiday treat to you and your family, Hastings College is giving you the chance to experience the sounds of the season on the Hastings College YouTube Channel. Here you will find a number of holiday favorites, selections from the Hastings College 125th Anniversary production of Handel’s Messiah and several other pieces from the band and choir’s repertoire. Enjoy the sounds of the season from Hastings College!

A Look Back at Hastings College

  
For nearly 60 years, the Calvin H. French Memorial Chapel has stood as an iconic symbol of Hastings College. However, the French Memorial Chapel’s predecessor did not share this same stature. Constructed in 1925 to replace the too small chapel inside McCormick Hall, the “temporary” chapel was the site of many campus activities including social events, musical rehearsals and chapel services.  For 25 years, the “temporary” chapel was a campus institution with its exposed wooden framework and banging heat pipes, its wooden folding chairs and its balcony from which the Dean’s office attendance-takers took the chapel roll. It was early in the morning, February 27, 1950, that the “temporary” chapel met its end when consumed by fire. Burning rapidly, there was no chance to salvage the building or the 45 band instruments and collection of valuable music being stored there. Luckily for the College, construction on the Calvin H. French Memorial Chapel was nearly complete at the time of the fire. To this day, the spire of the Calvin H. French Memorial Chapel soars over campus as a symbol that all remember.  

To accomodate the growing student body, the "temporary" chapel was expanded in 1928 with the assistance of the football team.  

Christmas Card to the Community

  
Over the next several weeks, Hastings College invites you to attend one of the many special holiday events it is hosting:

• A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols: The Hastings College Choir and Bell Choir present this traditional Christmas celebration on Thursday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m. in French Memorial Chapel. (Add to Outlook Calendar)
• South Central Children’s Chorale: This concert will feature an auditioned group of nearly 70 singers, grades 4-8, from schools throughout South Central Nebraska on Saturday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m. in French Memorial Chapel. (Add to Outlook Calendar)
• A Ringing and Singing Christmas Celebration: A musical highlight of the holiday season, the Hastings Symphony Orchestra will perform two shows, the first at the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island on Saturday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m. (Add to Outlook Calendar) and the second at the Hastings Masonic Center on Sunday, December 12 at 3:00 p.m. (Add to Outlook Calendar) Admission will be charged for each of these shows.
• Hastings College Winter Band Concert: Join the Hastings College Band for an afternoon of traditional band music and a few holiday favorites on Sunday, December 5 at 3:00 p.m. in the Hastings Masonic Center. (Add to Outlook Calendar)
• Choirs at Christmas: The Hastings College Men’s Choir and HC Singers will present a concert showcasing their semester-long repertoire on Tuesday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Perkins Auditorium – Fuhr Hall. (Add to Outlook Calendar) 

More to Come
 
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12/1/10