HESSTON, Kan. — Even before he made his way to the podium, Joseph A. Manickam got a standing ovation from nearly 650 people gathered for his inauguration as the ninth president of Hesston College on Sept. 23 in Hesston Mennonite Church.

Looking out on the array of faces, Manickam brought his hand to his heart and said, “Sisters and brothers, in case you didn’t tell, my face is red.”

A spirit of humor has always accompanied Manickam, said Phil Zehr, Manickam’s professor while at Hesston College.

And, indeed, Manickam’s journey with Hesston began well before he was announced as the presidential candidate of choice last October.

A 1987 Hesston graduate, Man­ickam first came to the college from Thailand, seeking an automotive technology degree.

“I remember his mother asking me, ‘Do you think my Joe can earn a living as a mechanic?’ ” Zehr said. “I replied, ‘Oh yeah, and he can do more.’ ”

Manickam’s journey led him to earn his master’s and doctoral degrees in intercultural studies from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., his bachelor’s degree in communications from Goshen (Ind.) College and an associate degree in automotive technology from Hesston.

Before accepting his new position, Manickam directed the Institute of Religion, Culture and Peace at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Bringing his global perspective and cross-cultural experience to the forefront, Manickam titled his inaugural address “One World to Share.”

“Wanda and I have had the privilege of traveling around the world,” he said. “I’ve traveled to close to 50 countries, and the world is a beautiful place. Don’t believe the lies you see on TV. The truth of it is we have one world to share.”

Manickam acknowledged the diversity of the Hesston College population, now including 1 in 8 students from outside the United States. The inauguration’s key Scripture passage, Matt. 22:23-40, was read in three languages: Amharic, Korean and English. A banner hung above the stage representing all the colors used in flags of the world.

“Today, we must recognize the individual giftings that we bring to the table together to share with one world,” Manickam said. “This is the world that I believe Hesston College is poised to go and engage. We’re doing it already, but there’s more that we can be doing.”

Brent Yoder, vice president of admissions, said Manickam often poses the question, “What does the world need from Hess­ton College?” With so many diverse perspectives, thinking about what Hesston College can do for the world is at the forefront of Manickam’s agenda, Yoder said.

Manickam has already begun to inspire his vision across the campus. Speaking in chapel and campus worship, he continues to expand the worldviews of students and challenge them to be “Grounded in Community [and] Globally Engaged” — the homecoming weekend theme that surrounded the inauguration.

Mackenzie Miller is a Hesston College student intern at MWR.